Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social Network Privacy Protection Research in Big Data Era

With the advent of the big data era, people's lifestyles are quietly changing. Social networking has become an Indispensable part, but there is a great leaks risk of user's privacy in social network. Based on the problems of big data, social network big data and privacy data on the social network, this paper has analyzed privacy protection methods and problems in traditional social network, described the current privacy protection research status and its key technologies of social network in current big data environment, given the future development direction. Only the effective privacy protection technologies combined with related policies and regulations, the problem of personal user information security can be solved. It can provide protection for the healthy development of social networks on big data era.
Chinese Cross-listing and Dividend Policy: Empirical Evidence on Bonding Theory

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the effects of overseas cross-listing on Chinese companies’ dividend policy and to present evidence on the prevalence of the bonding theory. We believe that by cross-listing, Chinese companies bond themselves to a well-developed capital market with a more stringent legislation environment and therefore facilitate the improvement of their corporate governance. We hypothesize that cross-listing has a positive effect on the corporate governance, which results in a higher propensity of dividend payments. We collect data on all dual-listed and multiple-listed Chinese companies listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, Singapore stock exchange, NYSE, or NASDAQ from 1993 to 2014. We use two samples to conduct the analyses: a full sample covering all cross-listed and non-cross-listed Chinese public firms, and a subsample containing all the cross-listed firms with their propensity score-matched non-cross-listed firms. The results for the full sample indicate more dividends per share, a higher dividend payout ratio, and a higher likelihood to pay cash dividends in cross-listed firms, while the results for the matched sample only suggests a higher dividend payout ratio in cross-listed firms compared to their counterparts. The results also reveal that Chinese cross-listed companies pay more dividends to overseas investors than domestic investors and the issuance of the Corporate Governance Code in 2002 improved corporate governance in Chinese companies.
Can media coverage improve the information disclosure quality of government final accounts?

Abstract Public disclosure of the government’s budget is a prerequisite for the improvement of fiscal transparency and governance in government. This paper examines media attention following the disclosure of budget information by central government departments, and empirically analyses the impact of media coverage on the information disclosure quality of government final accounts. It is found that: (1) media coverage effectively improves the information disclosure quality of government final accounts through an information intermediary function (in relation to neutral reports) and a reputation management function (in relation to positive and negative reports); (2) the information intermediary function of media is vulnerable to the replacement of department officials, i.e. replacement of an official will weaken the positive relationship between neutral reports and the information disclosure quality of departmental final accounts; (3) the reputation management function of media is vulnerable to the performance of departmental final accounts, i.e. poor performance in final accounts will weaken the positive relationship between emotional reports (negative reports or positive reports) and the information disclosure of departmental final accounts. This paper contributes to the literature of media governance in the public domain from the perspective of information disclosure quality, and also reveals the potential constraints on the information intermediary function and the reputation management function of media.
Explaining the Relationship Between the HR System and Firm Performance: a Test of the Strategic HRM Framework

Recent meta-analytic treatments of the Strategic Human Resource Management literature suggest a relationship between the adoption of ‘high-commitment’ HR practices and organization level performance outcomes (Combs, Lui, Hall & Ketchen, 2006). However, there is considerable variability in the manner in which the HR system construct is conceptualized and measured (Arthur & Boyles, 2007; Delaney & Huselid, 1996). Further, relative little attention has been given to how these systems of HR practices operate to influence organizational outcomes (Ostroff & Bowen, 2000). Drawing on the extant SHRM literature, the present study attempts to lend clarity to these issues by specifying and assessing a number of unique measures of the HR system. Several attitudinal, motivation and behavioral employee outcomes are also identified and assessed as possible mediators between the HR system measures and organizational outcomes. An integrated model proposing relationships both among these measures and their effects on various organizational outcomes is offered and tested. Data obtained from 202 hotel locations provided mixed support for the proposed model of relationships. However, results generally support the relationships between measures of the HR System and important organizational outcomes. Findings also reinforce the utility of expanding the measurement of the HR system beyond the formally established HR programs, the need to better understand intra-organizational variability in HR systems along functional lines and the challenges and opportunities inherent in multi-
On Becoming an O-SII ('Other Systemically Important Institution')

How have financial markets reacted to the disclosure of the list of Other Systemically Important Institutions by the European Banking Authority? With an event study of bank stock prices, we document that the immediate reaction of the stock market is negative, suggesting that the included financial institutions are perceived to be less profitable because they are subject to tighter regulation. However, within a few days, investors change their perception in the case of both euro-zone and noneuro-zone banks, which can be attributed to their too-big-to-fail status. CDS spreads react similarly, increasing first before decreasing almost immediately thereafter. On the day of the event, abnormal returns are more negative for banks selected using supervisory judgement and for large banks. In the long run, the market reacts more positively in the case of financial institutions selected using discretionary information and those with a lower capitalization.
Performance of a predictive model to identify undiagnosed diabetes in a health care setting.

OBJECTIVE To develop a predictive model to identify individuals with an increased risk for undiagnosed diabetes, allowing for the availability of information within the health care system. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A sample of participants from the Rotterdam Study (n = 1,016), aged 55-75 years, not known to have diabetes completed a questionnaire on diabetes-related symptoms and risk factors and underwent a glucose tolerance test. Predictive models were developed using stepwise logistic regression analyses with the absence or presence of newly diagnosed diabetes as the dependent variable and various items with a plausible connection to diabetes as the independent variables. The models were evaluated in another Dutch population-based study, the Hoorn Study (n = 2,364), in which the participants were aged 50-74 years. Performances of the predictive models were compared by using receiver-operator characteristics (ROC) curves. RESULTS We developed three predictive models (PMs), PM1 contained information routinely collected by the general practitioner, while PM2 also contained variables obtainable by additional questions. The third predictive model, PM3, included variables that had to be obtained from a physical examination. These latter variables did not have additive predictive value, resulting in a PM3 similar to PM2. The area under the ROC curve was higher for PM2 than for PM1, but the 95% Cls overlapped (0.74 [0.70-0.78] and 0.68 [0.64-0.72], respectively). CONCLUSIONS Using only information normally present in the files of a general practitioner, a predictive model was developed that performed similarly to one supplemented by information obtained from additional questions. The simplicity of PM1 makes it easy to implement in the current health care setting.
A Qualitative Study on Factors that Affect School Lunch Participation : Perspectives of School Food Service Managers and Cooks

Background: High levels of obesity and diabetes have created a need to improve the diets of adolescents, particularly in school settings. School food service staff has the ability to implement changes in foods served at school, but their perspective has not been well-studied. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of school food service staff regarding the implementation of a new healthier menu. Methods: Five focus groups were conducted with food service staff after the implementation of a new menu in the Lincoln Parish School District in Louisiana. Four researchers transcribed and coded the sessions. Results: Four themes emerged: The new menu requires more space and personnel; food service staff was resistant to change; there was confusion regarding the healthfulness of the new menu; and concern for serving what the students preferred. Conclusions: Food service staff perceived the new menu as unappealing to students, not healthier and requiring more resources to implement. Not involving the staff in the modification process resulted in lack of support for the new menu. Involving food service staff in all stages of major menu changes is crucial for proper implementation and success of school nutrition policies.
Determinants of Technology Adoption Among Malaysian SMEs: An EDT Perspective

Traditional competitive advantages such as raw material availability, inexpensive labour and proximity to local markets are fast losing their importance to other factors such as technology adoption. In order to survive, it is imperative that organizations incorporate technology into their daily operations. Still, technological adoption and information and communications technology penetration among the Malaysian SME industry is yet to reach a much desired level. Hence, this paper aims to reveal the factors that drive technology adoption among SMEs in Malaysia using the perceived innovation characteristics outlined in the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT). Data was gathered from manufacturing and manufacturing-related services; SMEs scattered throughout the country and analyzed using the partial least squares technique. The analysis revealed that innovation characteristics such as perceived relative advantage, observability and image are positively-related to the adoption of a technology while compatibility and ease of use do not influence adoption. Interestingly, though trialability was found to have a significant impact on adoption, its effect turned out to be a negative one instead of a positive hypothesized relationship. The findings are further discussed and elaborated.
Synaptic mechanisms of pattern completion in the hippocampal CA3 network

The hippocampal CA3 region plays a key role in learning and memory. Recurrent CA3–CA3 synapses are thought to be the subcellular substrate of pattern completion. However, the synaptic mechanisms of this network computation remain enigmatic. To investigate these mechanisms, we combined functional connectivity analysis with network modeling. Simultaneous recording from up to eight CA3 pyramidal neurons revealed that connectivity was sparse, spatially uniform, and highly enriched in disynaptic motifs (reciprocal, convergence, divergence, and chain motifs). Unitary connections were composed of one or two synaptic contacts, suggesting efficient use of postsynaptic space. Real-size modeling indicated that CA3 networks with sparse connectivity, disynaptic motifs, and single-contact connections robustly generated pattern completion. Thus, macro- and microconnectivity contribute to efficient memory storage and retrieval in hippocampal networks.
Fast processing techniques for accurate ultrasonic range measurements

Four methods of range measurement for airborne ultrasonic systems - namely simple thresholding, curve-fitting, sliding-window, and correlation detection - are compared on the basis of bias error, standard deviation, total error, robustness to noise, and the difficulty/complexity of implementation. Whereas correlation detection is theoretically optimal, the other three methods can offer acceptable performance at much lower cost. Performances of all methods have been investigated as a function of target range, azimuth, and signal-to-noise ratio. Curve fitting, sliding window, and thresholding follow correlation detection in the order of decreasing complexity. Apart from correlation detection, minimum bias and total error is most consistently obtained with the curve-fitting method. On the other hand, the sliding-window method is always better than the thresholding and curve-fitting methods in terms of minimizing the standard deviation. The experimental results are in close agreement with the corresponding simulation results. Overall, the three simple and fast processing methods provide a variety of attractive compromises between measurement accuracy and system complexity. Although this paper concentrates on ultrasonic range measurement in air, the techniques described may also find application in underwater acoustics.
Upframing Service Design and Innovation for Research Impact

Service design and innovation are receiving greater attention from the service research community because they play crucial roles in creating new forms of value cocreation with customers, organizations, and societal actors in general. Service innovation involves a new process or service offering that creates value for one or more actors in a service network. Service design brings new service ideas to life through a human-centered and holistic design thinking approach. However, service design and innovation build on dispersed multidisciplinary contributions that are still poorly understood. The special issue that follows offers important contributions through the examination of service design and innovation literature, the links between service design and innovation, the role of customers in service design and innovation, and service design and innovation for well-being. Building on these contributions, this article develops a future research agenda in three areas: (1) reinforcing and expanding the foundations of service design and innovation by integrating multiple perspectives and methods; (2) advancing service design and innovation by improving the connection between the two areas, deepening actor involvement, and leveraging the role of technology; and (3) upframing service design and innovation to strengthen research impact by innovating complex value networks and service ecosystems and by building a cornerstone for transformative service research.
Oscillator strength measurements in Pr II with the fast-ion-beam laser-induced-fluorescence technique

The spontaneous-emission branching fractions of 32 levels of Pr II were measured by the fast-ion-beam laser-induced-fluorescence technique. The levels studied had energies from ∼21 500 to ∼29 000 cm−1, and the decay branches detected were in the range from 250 to 850 nm. The experimental uncertainties are within 10%. Using our previously measured radiative lifetimes, we determined the Einstein A coefficients and oscillator strengths for 260 transitions. The results are important for stellar elemental abundance determinations.
Towards Automatic Identification of Activity Modes in Electricity Consumption Data for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

—Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) have a large share of the total electricity consumption in most countries and the efﬁciency of energy reduction efforts for SMEs by energy counselors depend on means for automatically identifying which SMEs are good candidates for energy reduction efforts. In this paper we propose a method based on statistics to identify activity modes in electricity consumption data of SMEs coarse-grained smart meter data. The method enables such automatic identiﬁcation by computing a number of features on smart meter data including autocorrelation features. We also provide initial results for evaluating the method on a data set with smart meter data for 329 SMEs and identify options for further improving the method. Given the identiﬁcation of the activity modes one can quantify the energy reduction potential of individual SMEs by comparing the load in the different activity modes and the variability of the load.
Exponential stabilization of switched linear systems

Exponential stability and stabilization of a class of continuous-time linear switched systems is addressed here. Based on the multiple Lyapunov functions method, and a given class of Metlzer matrices, new sufficient conditions are developed to design a switching rule, that employs only the available feedback information, and an associated state or output feedback controller that jointly guarantee global exponential stability of the studied class of systems. Examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Contextual design

This book introduces a customer-centered approach to business by showing how data gathered from people while they work can drive the definition of a product or process while supporting the needs of teams and their organizations. This is a practical, hands-on guide for anyone trying to design systems that reflect the way customers want to do their work. The authors developed Contextual Design, the method discussed here, through their work with teams struggling to design products and internal systems. In this book, you'll find the underlying principles of the method and how to apply them to different problems, constraints, and organizational situations. Contextual Design enables you to + gather detailed data about how people work and use systems + develop a coherent picture of a whole customer population + generate systems designs from a knowledge of customer work + diagram a set of existing systems, showing their relationships, inconsistencies, redundancies, and omissions Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Gathering Customer Data Chapter 3 Principles of Contextual Inquiry Chapter 4 Contextual Inquiry in Practice Chapter 5 A Language of Work Chapter 6 Work Models Chapter 7 The Interpretation Session Chapter 8 Consolidation Chapter 9 Creating One View of the Customer Chapter 10 Communicating to the Organization Chapter 11 Work Redesign Chapter 12 Using Data to Drive Design Chapter 13 Design from Data Chapter 14 System Design Chapter 15 The User Environment Design Chapter 16 Project Planning and Strategy Chapter 17 Prototyping as a Design Tool Chapter 18 From Structure to User Interface Chapter 19 Iterating with a Prototype Chapter 20 Putting It into Practice
Vitamin E supplementation reduces dexamethasone-induced oxidative stress in chicken semen

1. We examined the effects of supplemental dietary vitamin E (Vit E) on semen quality and antioxidative status in male domestic fowls exposed to oxidative stress induced by synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone (DEX) injection. 2. Thirty-six Egyptian local cross males, 42 weeks old, were housed individually in cages in an open-sided building under 16 h light:8 h dark and were provided with commercial feed and water ad libitum. Birds were divided into 4 groups: DEX (4 mg/bird/d), Vit E (200 mg/kg diet), DEX + Vit E (4 mg/bird/d + 200 mg/kg diet, respectively) and control, n = 9. All treatments lasted for 7 continuous days. 3. Oxidative stress induced by injection of DEX (4 mg/bird/d) resulted in decreased sperm count and motility correlated with an increased percentage of dead sperms. Vit E (200 mg/kg diet) enhanced sperm count and viability when supplemented to stress-induced birds, compared to DEX treatment alone. 4. In seminal plasma, low calcium concentration, high lipid peroxidation and reduced activity of glutathione peroxidase were associated with the oxidative stress. Vit E reduced lipid peroxidation in the seminal plasma. 5. In conclusion, excessive supplemental dietary Vit E improved semen quality when cockerels were subjected to stress conditions. It increased both sperm count and motility, reduced the percentage of dead sperm and enhanced the antioxidative status of seminal plasma.
Genetic susceptibility to malaria and other infectious diseases: from the MHC to the whole genome

There is substantial evidence that host genetic factors play a major role in determining the outcome of infection with many pathogens. Detailed analysis of malaria has identified twelve genes that affect susceptibility in various human populations. However, less attention has been paid to other major infectious diseases where twin studies have identified an important host genetic component to susceptibility. Recent progress in the analysis of the human genome offers exciting prospects for the mapping and identification of new susceptibility and resistance genes for common infectious diseases. Screening of the whole genome in affected sibling pair studies is now feasible by employing highly informative microsatellite markers. In addition, many polymorphic candidate genes have become available for analysis in case-control studies. It is proposed that these new genetic tools offer a powerful approach to the epidemiological analysis of many infectious diseases in humans and supersede traditional genetic approaches to identifying susceptibility genes in mouse models. Progress in characterizing the role of major histocompatibility genes in susceptibility to malaria and other infectious diseases is reviewed before outlining the methodologies for and progress in identifying non-MHC susceptibility genes.
Bubble-induced streaming for micro-object manipulation

A novel micromanipulation method has been developed where alternating current electrowetting-on-dielectric (AC-EWOD)-driven twin bubbles manipulate micro/bio-objects in a microfluidic chip filled with aqueous solution. First, the behavior of a bubble sitting on an EWOD electrode submerged in a water chamber was investigated under different AC-EWOD actuation conditions such as frequencies and voltages. The results show that the bubble oscillation amplitude highly depended on the applied frequency and was proportional to the strength of bubble-induced streaming. To improve the controllability of manipulating objects, twin bubbles-induced streaming patterns in the different distances between the twin bubbles were experimentally studied on patterned EWOD electrodes. To transport bubbles in a microfluidic chip, the arrays of EWOD electrodes were microfabricated and EWOD signals were controlled by a digital I/O board through a custom-made Labview code. The transportation of twin bubbles was successfully demonstrated by sequentially activating the arrays of EWOD electrodes. Finally, as proof of the feasibility of the proposed method, the manipulation of a fish egg by AC-EWOD-driven twin bubbles was experimentally achieved.