Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plasma Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein, a Strong Predictor for Acute Coronary Heart Disease Events in Apparently Healthy, Middle-Aged Men From the General Population

Background—Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) is thought to play a key role in the inflammatory response in the arterial vessel wall. Methods and Results—In a prospective, nested, case-control study, the association between plasma oxLDL and risk of an acute coronary heart disease (CHD) event was investigated in men without prevalent CHD or diabetes mellitus at baseline. Subjects came from 2 population-based MONICA/KORA Augsburg surveys conducted in the years 1989–1990 and 1994–1995 with follow-up in 1998 (mean±SD follow-up time, 5.6±2.6 years). OxLDL was determined by ELISA in 88 men with incident CHD and in 258 age- and survey-matched controls. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated from conditional logistic-regression models with matching for age and survey. Baseline mean plasma oxLDL concentrations were significantly higher in subjects who subsequently experienced an event compared with controls (mean±SD, 110±32 versus 93±28 U/L; P≤0.001). After adjustment for smoking, hypertension, obesity, physical activity, education, and alcohol consumption, the HR for a future CHD event in a comparison of the upper tertile of the oxLDL distribution with the lower tertile was 4.25 (95% confidence interval, 2.09 to 8.63; P<0.001). Plasma oxLDL was the strongest predictor of CHD events compared with a conventional lipoprotein profile and other traditional risk factors for CHD. When both oxLDL and C-reactive protein were simultaneously assessed in the same model, they still predicted future CHD events even after multivariable adjustment. Conclusions—Elevated concentrations of oxLDL are predictive of future CHD events in apparently healthy men. Thus, oxLDL may represent a promising risk marker for clinical CHD complications and should be evaluated in further studies.
Casper: a compiler for the analysis of security protocols

In recent years, a method for analyzing security protocols using the process algebra CSP (C.A.R. Hoare, 1985) and its model checker FDR (A.W Roscoe, 1994) has been developed. This technique has proved successful, and has been used to discover a number of attacks upon protocols. However the technique has required producing a CSP description of the protocol by hand; this has proved tedious and error prone. We describe Casper, a program that automatically produces the CSP description from a more abstract description, thus greatly simplifying the modelling and analysis process.
Coparenting Mediates the Association Between Relationship Quality and Father Involvement

The study of adolescent childbearing is a major public policy concern, and father involvement is a particular focus. Previous research with married couples has found that coparenting may be a better predictor of father involvement than relationship quality. The current study examined 94 primiparous African American and Latino parents to determine whether coparenting expectations during pregnancy better predict concurrent father involvement secondary to a mediation effect. Results were mixed; simple mediation was supported, but structural equation modeling (SEM) results suggested a better fitting model for mothers than for fathers. For mothers, relationship quality predicted coparenting. For fathers, relationship quality and coparenting predicted father involvement, but relationship quality did not predict coparenting. This examination suggests that both relationship quality and coparenting are important for father involvement in unmarried adolescents but to differing degrees for mothers and fathers. Pregnancy may be an important potential intervention point for increasing subsequent father involvement.
A test method for quantification of stimulus‐induced depression effects on perceptual threshold in epiretinal prosthesis

Purpose: As part of a clinical trial, an investigational epiretinal implant (IMI Intelligent Medical Implant) was implanted in a retinitis pigmentosa patient. The prosthesis was wirelessly controlled by a visual interface containing a microcamera, providing wireless data and energy transmission. Forty‐nine (49) electrodes were used for pattern recognition. This study examined the changes of perceptual thresholds over time and its relation to long‐term stimulation. The goal of the study was to introduce stimulus‐related depression of perceptual threshold (StirDepth) measurements as a method to gain further insight into the safety profile of electrical stimulation.
Spreadability and vulnerability of distributed parameter systems

In this article we focus on the mathematical development of vulnerability concept and vulnerability index and analyze the dependence of the vulnerability concept definition on that of spreadability [A. El Jai and K. Kassara, “Spreadable distributed systems”, Mathem. and Comp. model. , 20, pp. 47--64, 1994; A. Bernoussi and A. El Jai, “New approach of spreadability”, Journal of Mathematical and Computer Modelling 31, pp 93--109, 2000; A. Bernoussi, A. El Jai and A. J. Pritchard, “Spreadability and evolving interfaces”, Inter. J. Syst. Sci., 32, pp. 1217--1232, 2001]. It is found that the mathematical approach of the vulnerability concept is rather attractive and can be applied to many engineering problems. To illustrate this, some examples and applications are considered.
How Agile Practices Influence the Performance of Software Development Teams: The Role of Shared Mental Models and Backup

This study draws on team adaptation theory to examine how agile behavior within Information Systems development (ISD) teams influences team performance. We conceptualize agile behavior as the degree to which ISD teams use agile practices and test a theoretical model that links agile practice use to two key components of team adaptation—shared mental models and backup behavior. Moreover, in line with team adaption theory, shared mental models among team members are hypothesized to increase backup behavior, which in turn is suggested to lead to higher levels of ISD team performance in complex environments. To test our hypotheses, we collected data from Scrum masters, project leaders and more than 490 professional software engineers of a global enterprise software development company. Our findings broadly confirm our theoretical model linking agility, adaptation, and ISD team performance, leading to several theoretical and practical contributions.
Organizing for crisis response

Crises are turning points in organizations. When crisis strikes, fast-response management depends on quickly configuring and deploying information and communications. This paper brings together research and practice in crisis response management, information technology and news media fast-response methods to derive principles for using information technology as an organizational resource. Firms increasingly recognize the need to view their information technology (IT) platform as a key business resource for just-in-time scheduling, distribution, coordination, service and logistics. If they see it as an equally key resource for just-in-time crisis response, it then creates a powerful base for crisis response management. Exxon Valdez and the Gulf War illustrate these requirements. They provide a stage model of crisis response. The model is not intended as a general description of crisis, but as a more specific modelling of organizational response capability. This stage model is illustrated by Dow Corning's recent silicon-gel implant crisis.
Post-Production Tuning in Analog and RF Devices

In analog and RF device testing, current industry practice is to exhaustively test each device against its specifications, labeling as faulty any devices that do not meet those specifications. At this point, however, nothing is done with faulty devices—they are simply discarded. Although conservative design can improve yield, increasing variation due to process scaling renders this an insufficient solution. One promising solution is to make analog and RF devices capable of post-production tuning. In this work, we present recent groundwork for implementing post-production tuning of analog and RF devices, thereby improving yield by tuning devices that would otherwise be discarded. Specifically, we demonstrate a methodology for selecting the best set of “knobs” within a design, to convert parametrically faulty devices to working devices.
Problem-Solving Appraisal, Social Support and Stress-Depression Relationship

In this paper the authors report on a study that focused on the interactive effects of social support and appraisal of problem solving on the stress-depression relationship. The findings suggest a health-sustaining role (direct effects) for social support for both self-appraised effective and ineffective problem solvers. A stress-reducing function (buffering effect) for social support, however, seems to apply only to self-appraised effective problem solvers. In addition, an analysis of the interaction between stress and social support for self-appraised effective problem solvers seems to indicate that the expected moderating function of support operates only in the case of satisfaction with supports. In the case of number of supports, increased network size is related to an increase rather than a decrease in depression.
Field recording and the sounding of spaces

This paper concerns the spatial functions of field recordings, defined as audio recordings of the myriad soundings of the world. I suggest that field recordings are doing geographical work outside the usual academic repertoire of texts, numbers, maps, and images, and develop this idea through four arguments. First, I amplify the diversity of ways in which field recordings are used, distinguishing between four styles with different spatialities. Second, I argue that field recordings are both representational and performative, their playback doubling or hybridising space in the present through sound performed by an ensemble of audio machines. Third, following Elizabeth Grosz, I suggest that this performative reiteration of worldly vibration can be affectively potent. Field recordings thus demonstrate that representation and affect need not be opposed. Finally, I argue that field recordings can be understood as contributing to the production of space. Drawing on Lefebvre, I make a political-economic analysis of field recording, drawing attention to underlying processes of labour. The paper includes audio clips to demonstrate some of these arguments.
Option pricing under stochastic volatility: the exponential Ornstein–Uhlenbeck model

We study the pricing problem for a European call option when the volatility of the underlying asset is random and follows the exponential Ornstein–Uhlenbeck model. The random diffusion model proposed is a two-dimensional market process that takes a log-Brownian motion to describe price dynamics and an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck subordinated process describing the randomness of the log-volatility. We derive an approximate option price that is valid when (i) the fluctuations of the volatility are larger than its normal level, (ii) the volatility presents a slow driving force, toward its normal level and, finally, (iii) the market price of risk is a linear function of the log-volatility. We study the resulting European call price and its implied volatility for a range of parameters consistent with daily Dow Jones index data.
Unlocking value from component exchange contracts in aviation using simulation-based optimisation

Motivated by the entry into service of new aircraft such as the Airbus A380 as well as the pressure to operate existing fleets at lower cost, not only in civil but also in military aviation, a new industry paradigm has emerged where MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) service providers or OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) supply spare parts to airline operators on a maintenance-by-the-hour basis. As a consequence, the associated logistics networks have reached unprecedented complexity: Component exchange commitments are now made to multiple operators, not only at their main bases but also at outstations. In this setting, the limitations of conventional Initial Provisioning methods can be overcome with high-fidelity simulation-based optimisation techniques. In particular, this paper discusses how value can be unlocked from new logistics policies for spare parts management in aviation.
A Reply to Snider

We appreciate Snider's willingness to allow us to respond to her critique of our self-monitoring research. Because some of her concerns have been addressed to us previously by others, we are pleased to take this opportunity to clarify our stance regarding the value of self-monitoring of attention. Specifically, we are going to respond to six areas of Snider's article: (a) the educational relevance of current theoretical conceptualizations of attention, (b) the issue of improving attentional versus academic behavior, (c) the type of student for whom self-monitoring of attention is most appropriate, (d) the educational relevance of the academic productivity effects found in our studies, (e) issues relating to use of single-subject designs, and (f) the importance of self-monitoring accuracy.
Computer usage in daily life

In this paper we explore the use of computer at home. This work is based on the automatic recording of application focus data in natural situation from a wide representative panel of 661 households with 1,434 users at home over 19 months. To process these large-scale data, we build a two-level classification of PC applications describing the whole PC use. At the household level, we worked on computer usage temporality: we observed two strategies of PC usage reflecting a tension between synchronous and asynchronous usage profiles. At the individual level, we found out that software preferences and usage intensity are rather independent; therefore, we distinguished five specific profiles of users reflecting strong routine behaviors of computer usage at home. These observations tend to show the strength of routine behaviors in computer usage.
Genetic mapping of the qSBN7 locus, a QTL controlling secondary branch number per panicle in rice

Secondary branch number (SBN) is an important component affecting spikelet number per panicle (SPP) and yield in rice. During recurrent backcross breeding, four BC2F4 populations derived from the high-yield donor parent IR65598-112-2 and the recurrent parent Tainan 13 (a local japonica cultivar) showed discontinuous variations of SPP and SBN within populations. Genetic analysis of 92 BC2F4 individuals suggested that both SPP and SBN are controlled by a single recessive allele. Two parents and 37 BC2F4 individuals showing high- and low-SBN type phenotypes were analyzed by restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq). Based on 2,522 reliable SNPs, the qSBN7 was mapped to a distal region of the long arm of chromosome 7. Trait-marker association analysis with an additional 166 high-SBN type BC2F4 individuals and 8 newly developed cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers further delimited the qSBN7 locus to a 601.4-kb region between the markers SNP2788 and SNP2849. Phenotype evaluation of two BC2F5 backcross inbred lines revealed that qSBN7 increased SPP by 83.2% and SBN by 61.0%. The qSBN7 of IR65598-112-2 could be used for improving reproductive sink capacity in rice.
Compact Stellar Systems in the Fornax Cluster: Super-massive Star Clusters or Extremely Compact Dwarf Galaxies?

Abstract We describe a population of compact objects in the centre of the Fornax Cluster which were discovered as part of our 2dF Fornax Spectroscopic Survey. These objects have spectra typical of old stellar systems, but are unresolved on photographic sky survey plates. They have absolute magnitudes −13 < MB < −11, so they are 10 times more luminous than any Galactic globular clusters, but fainter than any known compact dwarf galaxies. These objects are all within 30 arcminutes of the central galaxy of the cluster, NGC 1399, but are distributed over larger radii than the globular cluster system of that galaxy. We suggest that these objects are either super-massive star clusters (intra-cluster globular clusters or tidally stripped nuclei of dwarf galaxies) or a new type of low-luminosity, compact elliptical dwarf (‘M32-type”) galaxy. The best way to test these hypotheses will be to obtain high-resolution imaging and high-dispersion spectroscopy to determine their structures and mass-to-light ratios. This will allow us to compare them to known compact objects and establish whether they represent a new class of hitherto unknown stellar system.
[Application of eight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization and R-banding karyotype analysis for the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

OBJECTIVE To assess the value of eight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and R-banding karyotype analysis for the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS With the eight-probe FISH (using probes for MYC, P16, E2A, CHIC2/D10Z1/D17Z1, TEL/AMLl, MLL, BCR/ABL1, and IGH) and R-banding karyotype analysis, 237 cases of ALL were analyzed. RESULTS Cytogenetic changes were detected in 135 (56.96%) of all cases, which have involved MYC, P16, E2A, CHIC2/D10Z1/D17Z1, TEL/AMLl, MLL, BCR/ABL1, and IGH polyploidies. R-banding karyotype analysis has only detected abnormalities in 48 of such cases, in addition with 14 abnormalities missed by the FISH probes, which have given a total positive rate of 26.16%. The detection rate of the two methods has differed significantly(P<0.05). CONCLUSION Compared with the R-banding karyotype analysis, the eight-probe FISH is more accurate and efficient. Diagnosis of cytogenetic abnormalities for children with ALL using the combined method can provide a basis for evaluation of prognosis as well as personalized therapy.
Book Review

Ashforth, B. E. , G. E. Kreiner, and M. Fugate 2000 "All in a day's work: Boundaries and micro role transitions. " Academy of Management Review, 25: 472-491. Dukerich, J. M. , R. Kramer, and J. McLean Parks 1998 "The dark side of organizational identification. " In D. A. Whetten and P. C. Godfrey (eds.), Identity in Organizations: Building Theory Through Conversations: 245-256. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Re-Envisioning Literacy in a Teacher Inquiry Group in a Native American Context

Abstract The present study describes a yearlong collaborative inquiry involving six teachers and their professional discussions about literacy instruction as they developed a curriculum to support the cultural and linguistic needs of their school’s 88% Native American student population. Participants in this study were four Native American teachers and two European American teachers who taught in an elementary public school located on a Native American Reservation in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Using a grounded theory approach, focus group discussions, interviews, and artifacts were analyzed. Analyses revealed the positions teachers adopted (i.e., advocate and cultural visionary) in their collaboration and the re-envisioning that took place as teachers adapted the curriculum to support their students’ linguistic and cultural strengths.
Necrotizing Pneumonia and Pleuritis Associated with Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia Coli in a Tiger (Panthera Tigris) Cub

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) cause diseases in humans and animals, affecting organs outside the alimentary canal. In recent years, ExPEC have been reported as a cause of fatal pneumonia in dogs, cats, and in a horse. In the current report, a fatal case of pneumonia and pleuritis is described in a 4-week-old tiger (Panthera tigris) cub associated with ExPEC. The cub was presented with a sudden-onset respiratory illness and died after a few hours. Postmortem examination of the cub revealed an acute necrotizing pneumonia. The alveolar spaces were filled with large numbers of inflammatory cells (predominantly macrophages), edema, fibrin strands, and short bacillary bacteria. Escherichia coli O6:H31 was isolated in pure culture from the affected lung. It carried virulence genes cnf-1, sfa, fim, hlyD, and papG allele III, which are known to be associated with ExPEC strains. No evidence of infection by any other agent was detected. This is the first report, to the authors' knowledge, in which ExPEC has been associated with pneumonia in tigers.
Conservatism and Accruals: Are they Interactive? Evidence from the Greek Capital Market

A large body of accounting research in the past has documented the existence of conservatism and timeliness of income recognition as distinct factors which affect the returns-earnings relation. However, earnings are not the only measure of financial performance that is affected by conservatism. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of conservatism on accrual measures and drivers, in the Greek capital market between 1998 and 2004. Results indicated that conservatism has a significant impact on accrual measures (Total and non-discretionary accruals) but not on accrual drivers (earnings, sales, change in sales and property, plant and equipment). These findings suggest that common accrual models are misspecified, thus future research must consider the impact of conservatism in accrual models.
Quality Indicators and Expected Outcomes for Social Work PhD Programs: Perceptions of Social Work Students, Faculty, and Administrators

This article presents and discusses the results of a national survey of social work PhD students, faculty, and administrators (n = 416), conducted by the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE), in December 2012. The survey was undertaken to inform the updating of GADE’s 2003 Guidelines for Quality in Social Work Doctoral Programs, which is intended to facilitate the development, evaluation, and improvement of social work PhD programs. Results indicate areas of agreement and divergence among key stakeholder groups regarding the perceived importance of various indicators of quality as well as their expectations concerning student outcomes. Implications for PhD program assessment and development are discussed.
The Role of Body Habitus in Predicting Cardiorespiratory Fitness: The FRIEND Registry

Abstract This study aimed to validate and cross-validate a non-exercise prediction model from a large and apparently healthy US cohort of individuals who underwent an analysis of body habitus (waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI)) with measured CRF. The large cohort (5 030 individuals) was split into validation (4 030) and cross-validation (1 000) groups, whereby waist circumference and maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) were assessed by rigorously approved laboratories. VO2max was estimated in 2 multiple regression equations using age, sex and either WC (r=0.77; standard error of the estimate (SEE) 6.70 mLO2∙kg−1∙min−1) or BMI (r=0.76; SEE 6.89 mLO2∙kg−1∙min−1). Cross-validation yielded similar results. However, as VO2max increased, there was increased bias, suggesting VO2max may be underestimated at higher values. Both WC and BMI prediction models yielded similar findings, with WC having a slightly smaller SEE. These measures of body habitus appear to be adequate in predicting CRF using non-exercise parameters, even without a measure of physical activity. Caution should be taken when using these equations in more fit individuals.