Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consensus and Polarization of Binary Opinions in Structurally Balanced Networks

In this paper, we propose a new model for binary opinion dynamics in a (fully connected) structurally balanced network. In a structurally balanced network, agents are classified into two clusters and two agents in the same cluster (resp. different clusters) are connected with a positive (resp. negative) edge. Initially, every agent is assigned with one of the two opinions randomly. In every time slot, three agents are randomly selected to have their opinions updated. If the three agents belong to the same cluster, the majority rule (MR) is used to update their opinions. On the other hand, if the three agents belong to two different clusters, with probability p, a consensus is reached by the MR, and with probability 1 - p, a polarization (in line with the signs of the three edges) is reached. The probability p, called the rationality probability, plays a significant role for measuring how rational the agents in a network behave when they encounter different opinions. By applying a fluid limit theorem for jump Markov processes, we derive a system of differential equations for the density functions of opinions for large networks. We show that the equilibrium points corresponding to consensus and polarization are the only stable equilibrium points. All other equilibrium points are all unstable. As such, as time goes on, the network eventually reaches a consensus or a polarization, depending on the rationality probability and the initial state of the network.
Behaviour variability and the Situated Focus Theory of Power

Power often affects judgement and behaviour differently in different contexts. The present chapter proposes the Situated Focus Theory of Power in an attempt to explain the greater variability in the behaviour and judgements of powerful compared to powerless individuals. It is proposed that power increases attunement to the situation by means of selective attention and processing flexibility. Factors that drive cognition such as motivation (e.g., needs, goals, expectancies), inner experiences (e.g., feelings, ease of retrieval), as well as properties of the environment (e.g., affordances), guide more unequivocally the responses of powerful compared to powerless individuals. Powerful individuals process more extensively information that is relevant compared to information that is irrelevant to these factors, whereas powerless individuals attend more equally to different types of information. These differences in processing focus affect content-free aspects of behaviour. Specifically, power promotes readiness to act, prioritisation, and behaviour variability across situations.
Cancer incidence among women flax textile manufacturing workers in Lithuania

Objective To determine site-specific cancer incidence among women spinning-weaving and dyeing-finishing workers in the largest flax textile factory in Lithuania. Method The cancer incidence of a cohort of 3447 women workers from a flax textile factory was investigated for the period 1978–2002. All subjects were employed at the plant in the period 1957–2000 for a minimum of 12 months. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were estimated by use of the corresponding national rates. SIRs were calculated for the spinning-weaving and dyeing-finishing work categories, and for two durations of employment categories (<10 years, ≥10 years). Results The cancer SIRs among spinning-weaving and dyeing-finishing workers were 0.84 (95% CI 0.69 to 1.00) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.52 to 1.44). An incidence deficit for non-melanoma skin cancer was found for the spinning-weaving unit (SIR 0.45, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.92). The risk of oral cavity and pharynx cancer was significantly increased in spinning-weaving unit workers with <10 years of employment (SIR 5.71, 95% CI 1.56 to 14.60). A significant excess of thyroid cancer and nervous system cancer was found among dyeing-finishing workers. Conclusions The overall cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer incidence rate among flax spinning-weaving workers was lower compared with the Lithuanian population. The present findings lend some support to an excess of thyroid and nervous system cancers among dyeing-finishing workers and of oral cavity and pharynx cancer in spinning-weaving workers.
Risk and Anxiety in Adventure Programming

This article discusses risk, anxiety, and emotional safety in adventure programs. The authors suggest that emotional safety be given the attention in the literature similarly devoted to elements of physical safety. Anxiety was discussed as a salient factor in the assessment of perceived risk. An alternate paradigm for change is suggested, based, not on moving out of comfort zones, but on reinforcing safety, security and challenge. Implications for this paradigm shift are presented.
A Different Approach for Pedagogical Teamwork Practices in College Classrooms

The objective of the paper is to project a different and innovative method for pedagogical teamwork practices in undergraduate college classrooms. Though, various methods are employed at present to perform teamwork trainings in certain academic environments in different forms, the one which is presented in this paper assumes a significant role in teamwork building activity as evidenced by the active responses from the students examined due to its different, effective and unique nature. A procedure for conduction and evaluation of teamwork activity in a classroom is also presented. A case study with first year undergraduate engineering students was carried out in a classroom and obtained results are interpreted and reported. A statistical analysis of the data obtained from the students is also presented in a histogram. Merits and demerits of the approach are discussed.
Antibacterial Activity of Diode Laser and Sodium Hypochlorite in Enterococcus Faecalis-Contaminated Root Canals

Introduction: The aim of the present in vitro study was to evaluate the disinfection ability of 980-nm diode laser in comparison with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as a common root canal irrigant in canals infected with Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). Methods and Materials: The root canals of 18 extracted single-rooted premolars were prepared by rotary system. After decoronation, the roots were autoclaved. One specimen was chosen for the negative control, and the remaining teeth were incubated with E. faecalis suspension for two weeks. Subsequently, one specimen was selected as the positive control and the remaining samples were divided into two groups (n=8). The samples of the first group were irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl and the second group were treated with a 980-nm diode laser. Microbial samples were taken from the root canals and bacterial cultivation was carried out. The average value and the standard deviation of colony-forming units (CFU) of each specimen were measured using descriptive statistics. The student’s t-test was used to compare the reduction in CFU in each group. The equality of variance of CFU was measured by the Levene’s test. Results: NaOCl resulted in 99.87% removal of the bacteria and showed significantly more antibacterial effect compared to the 980-nm diode laser which led to 96.56% bacterial reduction (P<0.05). Conclusion: Although 5.25% NaOCl seems to reduce E. faecalis more effectively, the diode laser also reduced the bacterial count. Therefore a 980-nm diode laser could be considered as a complementary disinfection method in root canal treatment.
New insights into delayless subband adaptive filters

The adaptive filter is an important workhorse of digital signal processing having a vast variety of applications in almost every branch of modern electronics. Today there is an abundance of algorithms with different performance and computational characteristics. In this paper we address the class of delayless subband adaptive filters (SAF). Although this class of adaptive filters have been popular for some time, there are still aspects related to convergence speed and filter bank design for such adaptive filters that are not fully understood nor fully explored. The aim of this paper is to present a first step in closing this knowledge gap by developing explicit and general equation sets, directly related to the Wiener-Hopf equation, that the delayless SAFs attempt to solve. By doing so we provide a firm basis for algorithm analysis and parameter selection that can now be undertaken in much the same way as the analysis of simpler adaptive filtering algorithms.
Emotion Labeling Among Young Children in Foster Care

Research Findings: Emotion knowledge is a core developmental process that has a documented relation to other aspects of social-emotional functioning, including social competence, emotion regulation, and behavior problems. Children who are maltreated have been found to have compromised emotion knowledge skills as well as higher levels of behavior problems. The current study was designed to add to the small literature on emotion knowledge in children who have been maltreated and are in foster care, with an examination of child and family processes that contributed to their emotion labeling skills. Young children in foster care were administered the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Affect Knowledge Task while their foster mothers completed a background questionnaire during a data collection home visit. Findings revealed that participant children's verbal ability contributed greatly to their capacity to accurately label emotions. Family processes also contributed to this skill above and beyond verbal ability. Practice or Policy: Parenting interventions for foster parents should be designed to address core developmental processes of early childhood, such as emotion knowledge.
Quality of life in patients with narcolepsy: a WHOQOL-bref study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the perception of Quality of Life (QL) in Brazilian patients with narcolepsy. METHOD 40 adult patients aged between 20 and 72 years (mean=41.55; SD=14.50); (28 F; 12M), with the diagnosis of chronic narcolepsy were followed up at the outpatient clinic (Patient Group). The Control Group was composed of 40 adults. The instrument utilized was the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF). RESULTS The two groups were homogeneous and no difference was found with regards to age, sex, and demographic characteristics. The perception of QL in physical, psychological and social domains showed lower scores in those patients with narcolepsy than in the control group (p<0.05). Concerning physical domain, all the aspects evaluated were significantly impaired, in patient group, including sleep satisfaction (p<0.001); energy for daily activities (p=0.039); capacity to perform activities (p=0.001); and capacity to work (p=0.001). CONCLUSION The perception of QL showed severe impairment in patients with narcolepsy for physical, psychological and social domains.
Wideband Frequency Tunable Concentric Circular Microstrip Patch Antenna with Simultaneous Polarization Reconfiguration

A wideband frequency tunable concentric circular microstrip patch antenna with simultaneous polarization reconfiguration is demonstrated by using four varactor diodes between a circular patch and a concentric ring patch around it. Both frequency tunability and polarization reconfigurability are controlled by a proposed feed network. Varying the capacitance value of the varactor diodes varies the operating frequency of the antenna from 1.17 to 1.58 GHz (around 30% tunability) with impedance matching better than S11 = S22 = -10 dB. Each set of the two varactor diodes provides vertical and horizontal linear polarizations excited using one of the feed ports at a time. Similarly, the right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and left handed circular polarization (LHCP) radiation patterns are realized by employing all four varactor diodes and both feed ports with +90° time phase difference. The antenna is fabricated on a 120-mil-thick (3.05 mm) Arlon AD450 dielectric substrate (εr = 4.5, tanδ = 0.0035). The proposed feed network to control the excitation of ports for each of the polarizations is fabricated on 62-mil-thick (1.58 mm) FR-4 substrate material (εr = 4.4, tanδ = 0.02). A single-pole 4 through radio-frequency switch and two single-pole double through switches are used in this feed network for realizing the control circuitry. Simulated and measured impedance matching and radiation pattern results show good agreement with acceptable gain over the tunable frequency bands.
Sources of variability in prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE To investigate potential methodological reasons for the differences in published Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevalence rates. BACKGROUND Studies reporting prevalence rates of AD have been published worldwide. These rates differ considerably, but may greatly reflect methodological differences. METHODS All studies published between 1984 and 1993 that reported age-specific AD rates and sample sizes were included. Logistic regression identified variables that contribute to the variation in rates. Estimates of extrabinomial variation were also calculated. RESULTS Studies characterized by the following features yielded significantly higher rates: inclusion of mild cases, use of laboratory studies, ascertainment of a sample rather than the total population, inclusion of both urban and rural populations, non-use of computerized tomography (CT) scans, non-use of the Hachinski Ischemic Score, and no adjustment for false negatives. The odds of having AD increased 18% for every year of age. The variation in the age-specific prevalence rates of AD was approximately 15 times that expected by sampling variation. However, approximately 76% of this excess variation in rates could be accounted for by methodological differences. CONCLUSIONS After accounting for age, much of the variability in prevalence rates of AD in the published literature may be explained by differences in methodology. Some unexplained variation in prevalence rates, however, still remains.
Moderating effect of Zhong Yong on the relationship between creativity and innovation behaviour

The present study examined the moderating effect of Zhong Yong on the relationship between perceived creativity and innovation behaviour in Chinese companies. A total of 273 paired questionnaires were collected with employee self-rated creativity and Zhong Yong and supervisor-rated innovation behaviour. The results show that for people higher on Zhong Yong, their creativity was not correlated with innovation behaviour; for people less immersed in Zhong Yong, this correlation is significant. This finding provides a new insight into the effects of Zhong Yong on the creativity-innovation behaviour transformation processes. The implications for future research are also discussed.
Developing Criteria for Formal Theory Building in Adult Education

This paper proposes basic epistemological, communicative and critically analytic criteria for the development of formal theory in adult education. Epistemological criteria focus on the ways in which the categories of knowledge comprising a theory are judged to be intellectually sound. Communicative criteria focus on the necessity for a theory to communicate its tenets clearly to practitioners. Critically analytic criteria refer to the manner in which a theoretical effort invites and exemplifies the critical scrutiny of its central propositions.
Mock Jurors' Perceptions of Child Witnesses: The Impact of Judicial Warning

La presente etude examine l'effet d'une mise en garde judiciaire, de l'âge des temoins et de la methode de presentation des temoignages sur la perception qu'ont les membres d'un jury factice de la credibilite des temoins et des accuses sur les verdicts de culpabilite. Les participants, 435 etudiants de premier cycle, ont fait l'audition du resume d'un proces pour vol, suivie d'instructions sommaires au jury. Les temoins etaient âges de 7, 10 et 23 ans, la mise en garde etait soit prononcee soit omise lorsque les enfants temoignaient, et les temoignages du temoin oculaire a charge et de l'accuse etaient soit presentes en entier soit resumes. Aux fins des temoignages enregistres, les temoins et l'accuse factices ont ecoute un compte rendu du deroulement de l'affaire et leurs reponses a une serie de questions ont ete enregistrees sur bande audio lors d'un interrogatoire et d'un contre-interrogatoire. Le temoignage de l'enfant de 7 ans, en comparaison avec celui de 10 ans, etait associe a un niveau moindre de competence cognitive et un niveau superieur de suggestibilite, mais aussi a une plus forte precision de la memoire (moins d'erreurs de souvenir) et a une credibilite moindre de l'accuse. Les resultats d'evaluation de l'enfant plus âge se rapprochaient de ceux qui concernaient le temoin adulte. Le jeune adulte a ete juge moins digne de foi que les deux enfants. La mise en garde n'avait aucun effet sur les verdicts de culpabilite lorsque le temoin etait âge de 7 ans, mais le nombre de verdicts de cette categorie diminuait lorsque le temoin avait 10 ans. Enfin, le nombre de verdicts de culpabilite diminuait a la suite du temoignage du jeune adulte plutot que de celui des deux enfants, mais non lorsque son temoignage etait resume.
High School Mathematics Course-Taking by Gender and Ethnicity

The 1990 NAEP transcript data were used to study the number of Carnegie units (CUs) earned by students in seven categories of mathematics courses plus a miscellaneous category. On average, students earned 3.11 CUs, slightly more than the minimum of 3 suggested in A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983). Fifty-four percent of the CUs were earned in the standard high school sequence (Algebra 1 and 2 and geometry), and 20% were earned in preformal courses (e.g., General Math 1 and 2). Overall, gender and ethnic differences in the total number of mathematics CUs were small, but ethnic differences relative to the type of math course represented by the course categories were large. Gender differences in mathematics course-taking are discussed in light of differences in college attendance patterns and achievement variability. Implications of ethnic differences for school and curriculum reform are discussed.
Fusion and Conflict Resolution in Lesbian Relationships

In this study the authors explore the issues of social distancing and conflict resolution in lesbian relationships. The authors surveyed 275 lesbians about the extent of fusion in their relationships, sources of conflict, and styles of conflict resolution. Results with a nonclinical sample indicated that lesbians reported moderate levels of fusion in their relationships. Furthermore, two subscales of fusion-fusion time issues and sharing-were produced from these data. Sharing large amounts of time with lesbian partners apparently was not problematic for many couples. However, sharing concrete items (e.g., money, clothing, or car) and professional services (e.g., physician or therapist) made maintaining appropriate boundaries more difficult. Participants who reported high sharing fusion tended to report more sources of conflict and poorer conflict resolution strategies with their partners, including physical aggresion and violence.
“Just Like I Have Felt”: Multimodal Counternarratives in Youth-Produced Digital Media

A key concept that we introduce and develop in this article is multimodal counternarrative, the way in which individuals employ multiple modes of representation to push back against oppressive master narratives. In order to identify and analyze this form of counternarrative, we develop and explicate an analytic tool called multimodal microanalysis. We use multimodal microanalysis to study a digital poem produced by a high school sophomore who identifies as gay, Asian, and a second-generation immigrant. Our analysis indicates that this young man uses digital media in four key ways to create his multimodal counternarrative: by remixing stories and traditions, mixing modes, using functional load to foreground identity, and by creating dialogic space for his audience. We conclude that youth can create counternarratives in school contexts by employing multiple modes within digital media production to simultaneously highlight and resist cultural ideologies that may otherwise function to marginalize them or sile.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Spurred by the globalization of competition, organizational learning and continuous improvement have attracted a great deal of research and managerial interest in recent years. Notwithstanding the growing literature on these topics, there is still considerable conceptual ambiguity about organizational learning and continuous improvement among researchers. The paper clarifies the underlying processes through which organizations “learn,” highlights the role of learning in continuous improvement programs, and shows how an organization may go about building a continuous improvement culture. Specific tools and techniques of organizational learning which may be used in continuous improvement programs are also discussed.
The language of diversity

Abstract This article asks the question, ‘what does diversity do? ’ by drawing on interviews with diversity practitioners based in higher education in Australia. Feminist and postcolonial scholars have offered powerful critiques of the language of diversity. This essay aims to contribute to the debate by examining how diversity workers work with the term ‘diversity’ within the context of education. It shows that diversity as a term is used strategically by practitioners as a solution to what has been called ‘equity fatigue’; it is a term that more easily supports existing organizational ideals or even organizational pride. What makes diversity useful also makes it limited: it can become detached from histories of struggle for equality. The article explores how practitioners have to re-attach the word diversity to other words (such as equality and justice), which evoke such histories. Diversity workers aim to get organizations to commit to diversity. However, what that commitment means still depends on how diversity circulates as a term within organizations.
Effect of Aromatase Inhibition on Functional Gene Modules in Estrogen Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer and Their Relationship with Antiproliferative Response

Purpose: To investigate potential associations between gene modules representing key biologic processes and response to aromatase inhibitors (AI) in estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) breast cancer. Patients and Methods: Paired gene expression and Ki67 protein expression were available from 69 postmenopausal women with ER+ early breast cancer, at baseline and 2 weeks post-anastrozole treatment, in the presurgical setting. Functional gene modules (n = 26) were retrieved from published studies and their module scores were computed before and after elimination of proliferation-associated genes (PAG). Ki67 and module scores were assessed at baseline and 2 weeks post-anastrozole. Unsupervised clustering was used to assess associations between modules and Ki67. Results: Proliferation-based modules were highly correlated with Ki67 expression both pretreatment and on-treatment. At baseline with and without PAGs, Ki67 expression was significantly inversely correlated with ERG, ESR1.2, SET, and PIK3CA modules. Modules measuring estrogen signaling strongly predicted antiproliferative response to therapy with and without PAGs. Baseline expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) module predicted a poor change in Ki67-implicating genes within the module as involved in de novo resistance to AIs. High expression of Immune.2. STAT1 module pretreatment predicted poor antiproliferative response to therapy. A significant association between estrogen-regulated genes modules (ESR1, ESR1-2, SET, and ERG) was evident post AI. Conclusions: Multiple processes and pathways are affected by AI treatment in ER+ breast cancer. Modules closely associated with ESR1 expression were predictive of good antiproliferative response to AIs, but modules representing immune activity and IGF-I/MAPK were predictive of poor Ki67 response, supporting their therapeutic targeting in combination with AIs. Clin Cancer Res; 20(9); 2485–94. ©2014 AACR.