Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Voluntary turnover rates and organizational performance in the US federal government: the moderating role of high-commitment human resource practices

ABSTRACT Despite the growing body of literature on antecedents of employee turnover, little attention has been paid to the effect of voluntary turnover on organizational outcomes in public administration. Using panel data from the US federal government, this article tests the proposition that the relationship between voluntary turnover rates and organizational performance is negative but becomes curvilinear as turnover rates increase. Based on the contingency perspective of the turnover–performance link, this article further examines the moderating role of high-commitment human resource practices (HCHRP) in the relationships. Findings indicate that voluntary turnover has a positive relationship with organizational performance, but it turns out to be an inverted U-shaped curve as turnover rates increase from low to high levels. Furthermore, the moderating effect on the curvilinear relationship is especially pronounced for federal agencies with high levels of HCHRP.
Energy harvesting with single-layer and stacked piezoelectret films

Vibration-based energy harvesting with single- or multiple-layer (stacked) piezoelectret films is discussed. First, a mechanical and an electrical model for this kind of energy harvesting is established and equations for the generated charge, current, voltage, and power are derived. In particular, the case where the electrical corner frequency equals the mechanical resonance frequency of the film stack combined with the seismic mass is of importance since harvesting at this frequency results in maximal generated power. Then, experimental results for harvesters with single layers and with stacks of piezoelectret films are presented. The data confirm the predicted dependence of the generated power on terminating resistance, frequency, seismic mass, acceleration, and number of film layers in the stack. If the stress on the piezoelectret layers, generated by the accelerated seismic mass, is larger than 3 kPa, a nonlinear increase of the generated power with stress is observed. The maximum power harvested with a single-layer piezoelectret is 18 μW for an acceleration of 9.81 m/s2 and for a seismic mass of 40 g. A three-layer harvester yields an increase of the maximum power close to a factor of √3.
Cell based fair resource allocation in fixed clustered cellular systems using a genetic algorithm

In this paper we consider the uplink of a cellular network partitioned into localized jointly decoded cells. These jointly decoded cells are implemented as fixed size clusters. Such networks have a potential for real world deployments with improved spectral efficiency and user experience. Similar to conventional cellular networks, frequency planning can be considered as an efficient method to control interference between cells belonging to different clusters. Here we consider frequency planning in the form of allocating set of frequency bins to cells within clusters. As service providers are more interested in providing QoS, the considered bin allocation apart from maximizing system throughput, should also allocate cell resources in a fair manner. We propose a new cell based QoS balancing function which helps to maximize sum rate as well as achieve cell based fairness using both coupled and decoupled power allocation schemes. To implement this function, we use SIC in order to derive cell based sum rate. The derived formulation is conditioned for both hard and soft fair1ness constraints. This is then applied as input to a Genetic Algorithm in order to optimize the derived network wide QoS balancing function. Numerical results indicate that under wide range of bandwidth conditions, and in densely located cells employing decoupled power allocation, resources are more fairly allocated than in cells employing coupled power allocation.
Governance, legitimacy, and stakeholder balance: lessons from Fairtrade International

Purpose This paper aims to explain why Fairtrade International (FI), an organization committed to empowering the producers of Fairtrade certified products, at times (paradoxically), excluded them from its highest bodies of governance. A within-case study of Fairtrade’s inclusive and exclusive reforms over 25 years, along with insights from the social enterprise, hybrid governance and political sociology literatures, is used to generate several propositions about how voluntary sustainability standards-setting organizations (VSSSOs) engage stakeholders – especially producers – in governance. Design/methodology/approach This study uses process-tracing methodology, which focuses on the sequential, intervening processes that link potentially important variables within a single case. It draws on data from over 100 interviews and nearly 6,000 archival documents collected from FI and its member Max Havelaar Netherlands. Causal process observations were extracted from the documents and compiled to create a 68,000-word chronological narrative used to evaluate six potential explanations of Fairtrade’s governance reforms: legitimacy, resources, identity, oligarchic tendency, leadership and producer mobilization. Findings This study finds that Fairtrade’s inclusion/exclusion of producers reflected its desire to increase its moral legitimacy among external actors and understanding of how to signal legitimacy. The discussion proposes that VSSSOs, especially in times of heightened competition, leverage their comparative advantages to differentiate themselves from other organizations. In cases (like FI) in which the advantage is legitimacy, changing notions of legitimacy may have a destabilizing effect on governance. Originality/value This evidence-based account of FI’s governance decisions should help resolve some debates about the nature of FI’s relationship with producer groups. The broader propositions offer guidance for future cross-case research aiming to explain VSSSOs’ governance structure and hybrid governance, more generally. Because FI includes producers in governance to a much greater extent than most VSSSOs, it is an important case.
LGBT rights in a Republic of Therapy. HIV/AIDS policies and the redefinition of citizenship in Cameroon

The links between the fight against HIV/AIDS, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) mobilizations around the world have been extensively demonstrated. However, there are few empirical studies on the effects of new strategies based on access to treatments for homosexuals in Africa, especially in countries where same-sex relationships are punishable by law. In discussing the relationship between HIV/AIDS policies and the formal recognition and inclusion of homosexuals, we ask if it is possible to speak of a therapeutic citizenship. From a sociological and legal perspective, what is important is how the recent global strategies and human rights discourses on HIV/AIDs are impacting the emergence of engaged social actors whose claims go well beyond access to treatments but challenge the Cameroonian legal and health systems. However, LGBT rights advocates’ claim for full citizenship through participatory inclusion in public life may not turn out to be successful as it encloses their rights within a pathologized identity, the HIV epidemic. This paper also raises a crucial issue (citizenship) associated with the politics of homosexuality in Africa and offers an empirical dimension on how global health and human rights discourses affect the relationship between State and society in Cameroon.
Early, minimally invasive closure of anastomotic leaks: a new concept

Chronic pelvic sepsis after ileoanal or coloanal anastomosis precludes ileostomy closure and, even if closure is ultimately possible, function of the neorectum is badly affected. Early closure of the anastomotic leak might prevent chronic pelvic sepsis and its adverse sequelae. In our experience of early closure in a consecutive group of six patients with a leaking low anastomosis (five with ileoanal pouch anastomosis and one after a low anterior resection), we were able to achieve anastomotic closure in five by means of initial endosponge therapy followed either by early suture (four patients) or endoscopic clip repair (one patient). Early minimally invasive closure of low anastomotic leaks is therefore possible provided that the para‐anastomotic cavity is drained well prior to closure and the anastomosis is defunctioned.
Dimensionality reduction of RKHS model using Reduced Kernel Principal Component Analysis (RKPCA)

This paper deals with the problem of complexity reduction of RKHS models developed on the Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) using the statistical learning theory (SLT) devoted to supervised learning problems. However, the provided RKHS model suffers from the parameter number which equals the observations used in the learning phase. In this paper we propose a new way to reduce the number of parameters of RKHS model. The proposed method titled Reduced Kernel Principal Component Analysis (RKPCA) consists on approximating the retained principal components given by the KPCA method by a set of observation vectors which point to the directions of the largest variances with the retained principal components. The proposed method has been tested on a chemical reactor and the results were successful.
Cystometric urine stream interruption test in women with urodynamic stress incontinence

Summary Urine stream interruption test (UST) is one of the subjective means of assessing pelvic floor muscle strength. This is done with the belief that most women with stress urinary incontinence cannot interrupt the flow of urine stream due to weak pelvic floor muscles. It is also used by some to monitor pelvic floor muscle strength following treatment. Our study looked at a cohort of 104 women with stress urinary incontinence and to our knowledge, our study is the first to use UST in women who have had their stress urine incontinence confirmed on urodynamics. We found that 87% of those with urodynamic stress incontinence (USI) were able to perform this test (UST). We therefore concluded that UST is a poor index of pelvic floor muscle function in women with USI and cannot be relied upon to monitor success of treatment in these women.
Bis(2,2′-bipyridine-κ2 N,N′)tris(nitrato-κ2 O,O′)erbium(III)

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Er(NO3)3(C10H8N2)2], contains one-half molecule situated on a twofold rotation axis. The ErIII ion is in a tenfold coordination by six O atoms from three NO3 − anions and four N atoms from two 2,2′-bipyridine ligands in a distorted bicapped dodecahedral geometry. In the crystal, weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds hold the molecules together.
Face detection in color images using fusion of the chrominance and luminance channel decisions

We propose a new face detection model based on the fusion of the color and luminance channel decisions. Each of the two detection branches has its own technique of finding face candidates. We have also investigated the decision improvement of skin detection over the color channel by applying the conversion from the conventional RGB space into the 3D uncorrelated color space (UCS). One evaluates the performances of the proposed model by comparison to several standard color spaces.
Models of the Resistive Contact Distribution in Superconducting ITER CICC Full-Size Joints and Terminations

This paper describes the numerical analysis, carried out with the THELMA code, of an ITER-type superconducting cable-in-conduit termination test made by the Paul Sherrer Institute with the JORDI device. In the test, a set of inter-strand and termination-strand resistances was measured, which have been used here to trim the model parameters and to evaluate the model accuracy. A statistical approach is proposed to enhance the accuracy of the results in the presence of random test parameters such as the cable bundles angular initial positions.
Snow cover extent and duration in MODIS time series: A comparison with in-situ measurements (Provincia Verbano Cusio Ossola, NW Italy)

An automated approach is presented, with the purpose of computing snow cover duration from satellite imagery and to, validate them with in-situ measured data. In the present study the employed MODIS dataset has a spatial domain covering the entire study area, while its temporal domain covers the last ten years, i.e. 2000 – 2010. Snow depth records from sensors integrated in automated nivo-meteorological stations were used to provide field measurements for comparison with the MODIS data. The meteorological network records snow and climate variables such as snow depth, air temperature, wind speed, and soil temperature. Snow depth is measured from above with an ultrasonic snow depth sensor (mounted on a mast 6 m above ground). The two independent automated procedures to derive snow patterns and particularly to define the end of snowmelt have shown a fairly good agreement. Moreover, the study has shown that a strong influence on the relationship between MODIS and snow-sensor derived snow melts may be due to the elevation, with higher sites showing longer lasting snowpacks under the snow sensor than over the 500 m-side grid.
Elective management of transitional cell carcinoma of the distal ureter: can kidney‐sparing surgery be advised?

To determine the long‐term oncological outcome of patients with primary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the distal ureter electively treated with either kidney‐sparing surgery (KSS) or radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in a retrospective, non‐randomized, single‐centre study.
Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Betamethasone and Indomethacin on the Glomerular Filtration Rate in the Preterm Infant

ABSTRACT: The effects of gestational age (GA), body weight, and prenatal exposure to betamethasone and indomethacin on the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) on d 3 of life in preterm infants were studied. GFR measurements were performed in 147 preterm infants with a GA between 23.4 and 37.0 wk by means of the continuous inulin infusion technique. Mean GFR values increased significantly with GA (r = 0.60, p < 0.001) and with body weight (r = 0.44, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that GA was the most important determinant for this increase. Prenatal exposure to indomethacin resulted in significantly lower GFR values (-0.15 ± 0.03 mL/min, p < 0.001) at d 3 after birth. Prenatal administration of betamethasone and indomethacin significantly (p < 0.001) increased the GFR in comparison with exposure to indomethacin alone to levels not different than those seen in patients who were not prenatally exposed to betamethasone or indomethacin. GFR measurements were repeated in 40 preterm infants on d 10 after birth. During this 7-d period, a significant increase in GFR values (0.17 ± 0.03 mL/min, p < 0.001) was detected. This postnatal increase in GFR values was independent of GA and was not influenced by prenatal exposure to betamethasone or indomethacin. We conclude that prenatal exposure to betamethasone or indomethacin exerts significant effects on the renal function of preterm infants in the first days of life.
Pathological replication in cells lacking RecG DNA translocase

Little is known about what happens when forks meet to complete DNA replication in any organism. In this study we present data suggesting that the collision of replication forks is a potential threat to genomic stability. We demonstrate that Escherichia coli cells lacking RecG helicase suffer major defects in chromosome replication following UV irradiation, and that this is associated with high levels of DNA synthesis initiated independently of the initiator protein DnaA. This UV‐induced stable DNA replication is dependent on PriA helicase and continues long after UV‐induced lesions have been excised. We suggest UV irradiation triggers the assembly of new replication forks, leading to multiple fork collisions outside the terminus area. Such collisions may generate branched DNAs that serve to establish further new forks, resulting in uncontrolled DNA amplification. We propose that RecG reduces the likelihood of this pathological cascade being set in motion by reducing initiation of replication at D‐ and R‐loops, and other structures generated as a result of fork collisions. Our results shed light on why replication initiation in bacteria is limited to a single origin and why termination is carefully orchestrated to a single event within a restricted area each cell cycle.
Determinants of Indian WPI Inflation

This paper reports estimates from some heuristic models that allowed the data to select important determinants of Indian WPI inflation during 1971-2004. Current growth in money supply, income, agricultural output and imports were the most important determinants of inflation. However, money supply alone was the most important contributing variable during 1981-2004. GDP growth and sectoral output growths had countered the inflation rate quite substantially. Export growth had a switching role across the two sample periods.
Effect of epidural dexmedetomidine on intraoperative awareness and post‐operative pain after one‐lung ventilation

Background: During combined general and regional anaesthesia, it is difficult to use autonomic signs to assess whether wakefulness is suppressed adequately. We compared the effects of a dexmedetomidine–bupivacaine mixture with plain bupivacaine for thoracic epidural anaesthesia on intraoperative awareness and analgesic benefits, when combined with superficial isoflurane anaesthesia (<0.05 maximum alveolar concentration) in patients undergoing thoracic surgery with one‐lung ventilation (OLV).
Microenvironment and Immunology Evidence for a Role of the PD-1 : PD-L 1 Pathway in Immune Resistance of HPV-Associated Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Human papillomavirus-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HPV-HNSCC) originate in the tonsils, the major lymphoid organ that orchestrates immunity to oral infections. Despite its location, the virus escapes immune elimination duringmalignant transformation andprogression. Here, we provide evidence for the role of the PD-1:PD-L1 pathway in HPV-HNSCC immune resistance. We show membranous expression of PD-L1 in the tonsillar crypts, the site of initial HPV infection. In HPV-HNSCCs that are highly infiltrated with lymphocytes, PD-L1 expression on both tumor cells and CD68þ tumor-associated macrophages is geographically localized to sites of lymphocyte fronts, whereas the majority of CD8þ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes express high levels of PD-1, the inhibitory PD-L1 receptor. Significant levels of mRNA for IFN-g , a major cytokine inducer of PD-L1 expression, were found in HPVþ PD-L1(þ) tumors. Our findings support the role of the PD-1: PD-L1 interaction in creating an "immune-privileged" site for initial viral infection and subsequent adaptive immune resistance once tumors are established and suggest a rationale for therapeutic blockade of this pathway in patients with HPV-HNSCC. Cancer Res; 73(6); 1733–41. 2012 AACR.
Direction estimation of crowd flow in surveillance videos

Estimation of density and direction of crowd flow from surveillance video has attracted much research attention recently in the area of computer vision. Crowd density in a video sequence can be considered as a global entity to estimate the direction of interest of the crowd. Though there are methods to compute the density and direction, a combined approach will give more insights into the problem. In this work, we have compared the simple approaches to find the density of the crowd from a given video sequence and then extended it to the computation of the global movement. Keypoint descriptors extracted from the scene are used to compute the dense areas which is further used to define the direction of the flow. Feature extraction methods like simple blob detector, SIFT, SURF, MSER are used for the estimation of direction. The proposed method is useful in the analysis of crowd behaviour and can bring out crowd semantics.
Involvement of Electron Transfer in the Photoreaction of Zebrafish Cryptochrome‐DASH †

Photoreaction of a blue‐light photoreceptor Cryptochrome‐DASH (Cry‐DASH), a new member of the Cryptochrome family, from zebrafish was studied by UV–visible absorption spectroscopy in aqueous solutions at 293 K. Zebrafish Cry‐DASH binds two chromophores, a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and a N5,N10‐methenyl‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydrofolate (MTHF) noncovalently. The bound FAD exists in the oxidized form (FADox) in the dark. Blue light converts FADox to the neutral radical form (FADH? ). Formed FADH? is transformed to the fully reduced form FADH2 (or FADH−) by successive light irradiation, or reverts to FADox. FADH2 (or FADH−) reverts to FADH? or possibly to FADox directly. The effect of dithiothreitol suggests a possible electron transfer between FAD in zebrafish Cry‐DASH and reductants in the external medium. This is the first report on the photoreaction pathway and kinetics of a vertebrate Cry‐DASH family protein.
First Year Computing Students' Perceptions of Authenticity in Assessment

The problem of how best to assess student learning is a fundamental one in education. Changes to computer science curricula seek to emphasise teaching practices that promote deep learning through direct, contextual examination of student performance on tasks that resemble those of practitioners, rather than more traditional methods. This kind of "authentic assessment" is becoming more popular as it appears to incorporate employability skills associated with professional practice into the curriculum in a natural way. In this paper, we report on an investigation into how computing students themselves understand the terminology of authentic assessment. We give a brief summary of some of the salient points of the theory before using a simple qualitative methodology to analyse responses from a cohort of first year students on their understanding of the term. We produce a learner characterisation of the concept and compare this to those found in educational models of this assessment approach. We comment on the similarities and differences that emerge and draw inferences about its use and the necessary scaffolding that should accompany it in order for it to be successful.
Visual Analysis of Visitor Behavior for Indoor Event Management

The analysis of persons' indoor movement and behavior patterns can be of great value. Such an analysis enables managers and organizers in understanding the needs of customers and visitors. Event planning for exhibitions, festivals, and conferences, but also optimization of malls and stores can benefit from recorded visitor data. To show the advantage of visual analysis of movement information, we apply a new visual approach to a large indoor dataset, recorded at the republican conference in 2013. We present three different interactive visualization methods to reveal patterns, to deduce behavior from participants' movements, and to show transitions between sessions and topics. For this, we apply a spectral hierarchical clustering approach and visualize results in a pixel based scarf plot. Additionally, we introduce a prediction model and visualization which serves as a monitoring tool for visitor attraction and distribution and helps to prevent bottleneck situations. We evaluate our approach by showing its applicability in a case study and validate our model on ground truth data.