Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Human Resource Management (HRM) Practices on Hotel Industry’s Performance: The Mediating role of Employee Competencies

The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of human resource management practices on hotel industry performance by means of employee competencies. An integrated research model was developed by combining principal factors from existing literature. Data were collected through questionnaire from 700 employees of the selected hotels. The validity of the model and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The reliability and validity of the dimensions are established through confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicate that some human resource management practices influence organizational performance through their impact on employee competencies. Career planning and performance appraisal however, do not impact employee competencies of the firms studied. The research was undertaken in the hotel industry and the analysis based on cross-sectional data which cannot be generalized across a broader range of sectors and international environment. The findings of the study have the potential to help stakeholders and management of hotels in adopting properly and well-articulated HRM practices in building human capital and stimulating the necessary behaviours that create advantage for the organization. This study contributes to the human resource management literature, integrating HRM practices and employee competencies into a comprehensive research model that impacts organizational performance.
Expanding the Start of the College Pipeline: Ninth-Grade Findings From an Experimental Study of the Impact of the Early College High School Model

Abstract Early college high schools are a new and rapidly spreading model that merges the high school and college experiences and that is designed to increase the number of students who graduate from high school and enroll and succeed in postsecondary education. This article presents results from a federally funded experimental study of the impact of the early college model on Grade 9 outcomes. Results show that, as compared to control group students, a statistically significant and substantively higher proportion of treatment group students are taking core college preparatory courses and succeeding in them. Students in the treatment group also have statistically significantly higher attendance and lower suspension rates than students in the control group.
Under, Over, or Optimal Commitment? Attachment Insecurities and Commitment Issues in Relationally Distressed Couples

Abstract Using a new multidimensional model of relationship commitment, this study examined the association among attachment insecurities (avoidance and anxiety) and commitment (optimal, over, and under) in 159 relationally distressed, monogamous and mainly heterosexual couples. Dyadic analyses revealed that avoidant individuals reported less optimal and less over-commitment, as well as more under-commitment. Their partners also reported less over-commitment. Moreover, whereas anxious individuals reported more over-commitment, their partners reported less optimal commitment and more under-commitment. Moderation analyses showed that anxious individuals reported more optimal commitment when their partners reported very high levels of avoidance. The findings suggest nuanced implications for couple therapy.
Impact of Obesity on Quality of Life After Breast Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND There is an increasing prevalence of obesity in society, often associated with increased medical comorbidities and surgical complications. Some health providers are now placing a body mass index (BMI) limit on whom can be offered breast reconstruction. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of obesity on quality of life as measured by the BREAST-Q, in women undergoing breast reconstruction. METHODS A review of the breast reconstruction database (n = 336) at the Flinders Breast Reconstruction Service was performed, with demographic data, complication rates, and BREAST-Q data being extracted and analyzed. Participants were divided into 2 groups: nonobese (BMI <30 kg/m) and obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m) for comparison. RESULTS Preoperatively, obese women scored lower than nonobese women in terms of BREAST-Q scores. Mean prereconstruction scores were 51.62 versus 57.10 (psychosocial), 40.18 versus 48.14 (satisfaction with breasts), and 34.30 versus 40.72 (sexual well-being) (all P < 0.05), and 68.48 versus 72.15 (physical well-being) (P = 0.08). At 12 months post-mound reconstruction, there was a significant improvement in scores in both groups. Additionally, there were no significant differences for BREAST-Q scores between the 2 groups 12 months after surgery. While there was a significantly higher minor complication rate in the obese group compared with the nonobese group, there was no significant difference in the rate of major complications (eg, requiring revision surgery) between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS Obese participants gain a similar, if not better, improvement in quality of life after breast reconstruction, despite a higher rate of minor complications. This study did not support withholding breast reconstruction from obese women.
Aetiology and Severity of Gingival Recession Among Young Individuals In Belgaum District In India

Gingival recession is used to characterize the apical shift of marginal gingiva from its normal position on the crown of the tooth to the levels on the root surfacebeyond the cemento-enamel junction. In this study, the sample consisted of 1200 subjects in the district of Belgaum, India. They all belonged to the age groupbetween 15 to 24 years. The subjects were examined for etiology and severity of different grades of gingival· recession, utilizing the classification of P.D. Miller Jr.Clinical examination involved assessment of gingival recession, plaque, gingivitis, frenal attachment and frenal pull, trauma from occlusion, presence of calculus,adequacy of attached gingiva and oral hygiene habits. Data collected during the epidemiological survey were analyzed. It was interesting to find out from the above data that when considered in totality, the severity of gingival recession is a result of multifactorial etiology.
The bipolar jet of the symbiotic star R Aquarii: A study of its morphology using the high-resolution HST WFC3/UVIS camera

R Aqr is a symbiotic binary system consisting of a Mira variable with a pulsation period of 387 days and a hot companion which is presumably a white dwarf with an accretion disk. This binary system is the source of a prominent bipolar gaseous outflow. We use high spatial resolution and sensitive images from the Hubble Space Telescope to identify and investigate the different structural components that form the complex morphology of the R Aqr jet . Methods. We present new high-resolution HST WFC3/UVIS narrow-band images of the R Aqr jet obtained in 2013/14 in the light of the [OIII] 5007, [OI] 6300, [NII] 6583, and Ha emission lines. These images also allow us to produce detailed maps of the jet flow in several line ratios such as [OIII]/[OI] and [NII]/[OI] which are sensitive to the outflow temperature and its hydrogen ionisation fraction. The new emission maps together with archival HST data are used to derive and analyse the proper motion of prominent emitting features which can be traced over 20 years with the HST observations. The images reveal the fine gas structure of the jet out to distances of a few ten arcseconds from the central region, as well as in the innermost region, within a few arcseconds around the stellar source. They reveal for the first time the straight highly-collimated jet component which can be traced to up to 900 AU in the NE direction. Images in [OIII], [OI], and [NII] clearly show a helical pattern in the jet beams which may derive from the small-scale precession of the jet. The highly-collimated jet is accompanied by a wide opening angle outflow which is filled by low excitation gas. The position angles of the jet structures as well as their opening angles are calculated. Our measurements of the proper motions of some prominent emission knots confirm the scenario of gas acceleration during the propagation of the outflow.
Software Implementation of Finite Fields of Characteristic Three, for Use in Pairing-based Cryptosystems

In this paper, the authors examine a number of ways of implementing characteristic three arithmetic for use in cryptosystems based on the Tate pairing. Three alternative representations of the ﬁeld elements are examined, and the resulting algorithms for the ﬁeld addition, multiplication and cubing are compared. Issues related to the arithmetic of supersingular elliptic curves over ﬁelds of characteristic three are also examined. Details of how to compute the Tate pairing itself are not covered, since these are well documented elsewhere.
Random sampling, abundance-extinction dynamics and niche-filtering immigration constraints explain the generation of species richness gradients

Aim The paradigm that species’ patterns of distribution, abundance and coexistence are the result of adaptations of the species to their niches has recently been challenged by evidence that similar patterns may be generated by simple random processes. We argue here that a better understanding of macroecological patterns requires an integration of both ecological and neutral stochastic approaches. We demonstrate the utility of such an integrative approach by testing the sampling hypothesis in a species‐energy relationship of forest bird species. Location A Mediterranean biome in Catalonia, Spain. Methods To t est the sampling hypothesis we designed a metacommunity model that reproduces the stochastic sampling from a regional pool to predict local species richness variation. Four conceptually different sampling procedures were evaluated. Results We showed that stochastic sampling processes predicted a substantial part (over 40%) of the observed variation in species richness, but left considerable variation unexplained. This remaining variation in species richness may be better understood as the result of alternative ecological processes. First, the sampling model explained more variation in species richness when the probability that a species colonises a new locality was assumed to increase with its niche width, suggesting that ecological differences between species matter when it comes to explaining macroecological patterns. Second, extinction risk was significantly lower for species inhabiting high-energy regions, suggesting that abundance‐extinction processes play a significant role in shaping species richness patterns.
A description of musculoskeletal injuries in a Canadian police service.

OBJECTIVES Police officers run a risk of injury that is higher than in most other occupations. This study aims to quantify injury prevalence and identify common musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) among police officers, using injury data from a municipal police service in Alberta, Canada. MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a descriptive study based on a secondary data analysis of the MSIs reported to the police service over a 41-month period; January 1, 2013 - June 2, 2016. Data from 1325 active police officers were examined, and injury prevalence was reported according to sex, injury diagnosis, the body part injured, and the work area. RESULTS The prevalence of strains and sprains was very high, at 89.2%. The back and shoulder were most frequently affected. Overall, injury proportions did not differ significantly across work areas. The injury risk was age-related but no significant differences in injuries between sexes were identified. CONCLUSIONS Minor injuries such as strains and sprains occur frequently in the police occupation. Future research should focus on specific risk factors for MSIs in police officers in order to aid prevention.
Racial Differences in Hospital Stays among Patients Undergoing Craniotomy for Tumour Resection at a Single Academic Hospital

Background Racial differences in American patients undergoing brain tumour surgery remain poorly characterized within urban medical centres. Our objective was to assess racial differences in operative brain tumour patients at a single academic hospital in Los Angeles, California. Methods We reviewed medical records of adult patients undergoing craniotomy for tumour resection from March 2013 to January 2017 at UCLA Medical Centre. Patients were categorized as Asian, Hispanic, Black, or White. Racial cohorts were matched on demographic variables for comparisons. Our primary outcome was post-operative length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes included hospital mortality and discharge disposition. Results In this study, 462 patients identified as Asian (15.1%), Hispanic (8.7%), Black (3.9%), or White (72.3%). After cohort matching, non-White patients had elevated risk of prolonged LOS [odds ratio (OR)=2.62 (1.44, 4.76)]. No differences were observed in hospital mortality or non-routine discharge. Longer LOS was positively correlated with non-routine discharge [rpb (458)=0.41, p<0.001]. Black patients with government insurance had average LOS 2.84 days shorter than Black patients with private insurance (p=0.04). Among Hispanics, government insurance was associated with non-routine discharge [OR=4.93 (1.03, 24.00)]. Conclusion Racial differences manifested as extended LOS for non-White patients, with comparable rates of hospital mortality and non-routine discharge across races. Prolonged LOS loosely reflected complicated clinical course with greater risk of adverse discharge disposition. Private insurance coverage predicted markedly lower risk of non-routine discharge for Hispanic patients, and LOS of three additional days among Black patients. Further research is needed to elucidate the basis of these differences.
Model of Entrepreneurship Education in Vocational School on Agribusiness Study Programme

Vocational education is emerging as challenge right now due to the low level of relevance between education and quality of graduate workforce. This research aims at describing and analyzing model of plan, implementation, and supervision of entrepreneurship education on agribusiness study programme in Vocational School (SMK). The research approach is qualitative with type of research expost facto, and uses purposive sampling technique with technique of analysis interactive model data. The result of research shows that model of learning plan, implementation, and evaluation still uses semi-modern conventional pedagogy that has not been effective in developing students’ entrepreneurship soft skills ability and there has not been integration among entrepreneurship soft skills proponents (headmaster, entrepreneurship lesson teachers, and other lesson teachers). CBT is emerging as formative theory that can be used in vocational learning and can prepare expected competence that depends on dispositions (values, concerns and manner) that moves into maturity. In accordance, integrated entrepreneurship education development is needed that depends on soft skills and Competence Based Training (CBT) then it can improve graduate quality in creating student entrepreneurship soul on the level of personal maturity, student competence attainment, reduction on workforce needs gap, reduction on unemployment rate, and improvement on numbers of entrepreneurs who become the power of national economy.
Limit Configurations of Schrödinger Systems Versus Optimal Partition for the Principal Eigenvalue of Elliptic Systems

Abstract We study a Schrödinger system of four equations with linear coupling functions and nonlinear couplings, including the case that the corresponding elliptic operators are indefinite. For any given nonlinear coupling β>0{\beta>0}, we first use minimizing sequences on a normalized set to obtain a minimizer, which implies the existence of positive solutions for some linear coupling constants μβ,νβ{\mu_{\beta},\nu_{\beta}} by Lagrange multiplier rules. Then, as β→∞{\beta\to\infty}, we prove that the limit configurations to the competing system are segregated in two groups, develop a variant of Almgren’s monotonicity formula to reveal the Lipschitz continuity of the limit profiles and establish a kind of local Pohozaev identity to obtain the extremality conditions. Finally, we study the relation between the limit profiles and the optimal partition for principal eigenvalue of the elliptic system and obtain an optimal partition for principal eigenvalues of elliptic systems.
Improving access to finance for young innovative enterprises with growth potential: evidence of impact on firms' output - Part 2. R&D grant schemes: lessons learned from evaluations

This policy report explores the role of R&D grant schemes in supporting young innovative firms with growth potential. This issue is important because it is associated to the ways in which the innovativeness and growth of a myriad of young innovative firms with growth potential can be effectively be supported by policy. We have used primary literature from Science direct and Scopus databases which we have organised and conducted between March and June 2017 and policy evaluations. It contributes to the current political debate in Europe on new sources and forms of R&I funding to enhance EU level support for young innovative companies with growth potential.
The Neural Time Course of Semantic Ambiguity Resolution in Speech Comprehension

Abstract Semantically ambiguous words challenge speech comprehension, particularly when listeners must select a less frequent (subordinate) meaning at disambiguation. Using combined magnetoencephalography (MEG) and EEG, we measured neural responses associated with distinct cognitive operations during semantic ambiguity resolution in spoken sentences: (i) initial activation and selection of meanings in response to an ambiguous word and (ii) sentence reinterpretation in response to subsequent disambiguation to a subordinate meaning. Ambiguous words elicited an increased neural response approximately 400–800 msec after their acoustic offset compared with unambiguous control words in left frontotemporal MEG sensors, corresponding to sources in bilateral frontotemporal brain regions. This response may reflect increased demands on processes by which multiple alternative meanings are activated and maintained until later selection. Disambiguating words heard after an ambiguous word were associated with marginally increased neural activity over bilateral temporal MEG sensors and a central cluster of EEG electrodes, which localized to similar bilateral frontal and left temporal regions. This later neural response may reflect effortful semantic integration or elicitation of prediction errors that guide reinterpretation of previously selected word meanings. Across participants, the amplitude of the ambiguity response showed a marginal positive correlation with comprehension scores, suggesting that sentence comprehension benefits from additional processing around the time of an ambiguous word. Better comprehenders may have increased availability of subordinate meanings, perhaps due to higher quality lexical representations and reflected in a positive correlation between vocabulary size and comprehension success.
Oenological and Quality Characteristic on Young White Wines (Sauvignon Blanc): Effects of High Hydrostatic Pressure Processing

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) has shown to have an effect of enhancing some properties without detrimental effects on important quality characteristics, such as colour, pH, and turbidity. This suggests that this technique can be used as an alternative to the existing methods used in wine industry processing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HHP on aroma compounds and also sensory and quality properties of young white wine. HHP treatment did not influence physicochemical parameters, total phenols, and flavonoid contents of white wine; however, the results from analysis of wine indicate that there was a great variation in the concentration of free and total sulphur dioxide (SO2) values and antioxidant capacity of white wine after HHP application. The sensory attributes, such as taste, odour, and overall quality, were not affected by HHP processing at 300 MPa. The chromatic characteristics changed slightly after applying HHP, but these changes could not be visually perceived because they were less than 5%. The use of this technique has the potential to decrease the amount of SO2 added to raw grapes thus maintaining the same properties found in untreated wine. This study provided valuable insights into the biochemical and sensory composition of commercial white wine and how this might change during HHP processing.
Medical and legal aspects of telemedicine in ophthalmology

Telemedicine provides adequate medical assistance for physically distant patients by using the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Telemedicine includes techniques and tools for health monitoring and care implemented through systems providing rapid access to both specialists and patients. Telemedicine may link human and economic resources. Telemedicine may facilitate the access of patients to specialized healthcare in places lacking qualified personnel or in remote or difficult access areas thus reducing long waiting lists and high costs for the health systems. Telemedicine projects between different countries are developing, but ethical and legal issues are emerging. This article refers to telemedicine as a broad concept of distance medicine. The main purpose will be the medical-legal aspects. We will also describe the telemedicine in ophthalmology and the main issues raised by its implementation.
How accessible and acceptable are current GP referral mechanisms for IAPT for low-income patients? Lay and primary care perspectives

Abstract Background: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) constitutes a key element of England’s national mental health strategy. Accessing IAPT usually requires patients to self-refer on the advice of their GP. Little is known about how GPs perceive and communicate IAPT services with patients from low-income communities, nor how the notion of self-referral is understood and responded to by such patients. Aims: This paper examines how IAPT referrals are made by GPs and how these referrals are perceived and acted on by patients from low-income backgrounds Method: Findings are drawn from in-depth interviews with low-income patients experiencing mental distress (n = 80); interviews with GPs (n = 10); secondary analysis of video-recorded GP-patient consultations for mental health (n = 26). Results: GPs generally supported self-referral, perceiving it an important initial step towards patient recovery. Most patients however, perceived self-referral as an obstacle to accessing IAPT, and felt their mental health needs were being undermined. The way that IAPT was discussed and the pathway for referral appears to affect uptake of these services. Conclusions: A number of factors deter low-income patients from self-referring for IAPT. Understanding these issues is necessary in enabling the development of more effective referral and support mechanisms within primary care.