Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optical Multiple-Image Encryption Using Three-Dimensional Space

A novel method using 3-D space is proposed for optical multiple-image encryption. Each input image is divided into a series of particle-like points distributed in 3-D space, and all generated particle-like points are simultaneously encrypted into a phase-only mask. The proposed method may open up a novel research perspective for optical multiple-image encryption, since a 3-D-space processing strategy is developed and successfully applied.
The Treaty of Lisbon and its Impact on the European Union’s Democratic Deficit

In volume 10 of the Columbia Journal of European Law the editors published an extensive article by Professor Sieberson, entitled “The Proposed European Union Constitution-Will It Eliminate the EU's Democratic Deficit? ” That article analyzed the first draft of the European Union's Constitution against a wide array of scholarly comment on the EU's so-called “democratic deficit”. When the Union abandoned the Constitution in 2007, the editors invited Professor Sieberson to follow up his earlier article with ananalysis of the Constitution's replacement, the new Treaty of Lisbon. Because this article builds on the previous piece, the full background analysis will not be repeated Rather, the author will draw from his earlier catalogue of factors that comprise the democratic deficit, briefly identifying the primary components of the theory and citing representative sources. For each item he will offer a brief evaluation of whether and how the Lisbon Treaty willaffect the deficit.
A policy model to initiate environmental negotiations: Three hydropower workshops

Abstract How do I get started in natural resource negotiations? Natural resource managers often face difficult negotiations when they implement laws and policies regulating such resources as water, wildlife, wetlands, endangered species, and recreation. As a result of these negotiations, managers must establish rules, grant permits, or create management plans. The Legal‐Institutional Analysis Model (LIAM) was designed to assist managers in systematically analyzing the parties in natural resource negotiations and using that analysis to prepare for bargaining. The LIAM relies on the theory that organizations consistently employ behavioral roles. The model uses those roles to predict likely negotiation behavior. One practical use of the LIAM is when all parties to a negotiation conduct a workshop as a way to open the bargaining on a note of trust and mutual understanding. The process and results of three LIAM workshops designed to guide hydroelectric power licensing negotiations are presented. Our experience.
Leadership : understanding the dynamics of power and influence in organizations

Today, there are a growing number of business schools, law schools, and continuing education programs in executive development and management training that offer leadership classes. Despite the growing curricular recognition of this area, there is a shortage of strong college-level texts. "Leadership, second edition" - a completely up-to-date anthology of key writings by well-known contributors - meets this need for a textbook that encompasses the major theories in the field of leadership. "Leadership" is divided into six sections. Part I provides an overview of the subject with readings that examine what leaders actually do, as well as the many myths surrounding the notion of leadership. Part II focuses on the fundamentals of leadership by taking a close look at the specific tactics people use to get their own way. These readings analyze the political games people play and the two-way nature of leader-subordinate influence. Part III considers problems that can arise from leadership gone wrong - when power and influence are abused. The major formal models of leadership that have been offered over the years are reviewed in Part IV. The next section looks at contemporary views of leadership, emphasizing reliance on maturity of subordinates for success, including leadership in the context of self-directed work teams, entrepreneurial leadership, the notion of the leader as servant, and examples of leaders who are recognized for having empowered others or for providing moral leadership. The final section examines the roles of societal and organizational cultures as they pertain to leadership. Robert P. Vecchio has updated the second edition with six new articles. Aimed at upper-level undergraduate and graduate-level courses, "Leadership" continues to provide classic essays by the major figures in the field of leadership along with topical essays on current and emerging issues.
A Prospective Randomized Trial of Pancreaticogastrostomy Versus Pancreaticojejunostomy After Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Objective The authors hypothesized that pancreaticogastrostomy is safer than pancreaticojejunostomy after pancreaticoduodenectomy and less likely to be associated with a postoperative pancreatic fistula. Summary Background Data Pancreatic fistula is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy, occurring in 10% to 20% of patients. Nonrandomized reports have suggested that pancreaticogastrostomy is less likely than pancreaticojejunostomy to be associated with postoperative complications. Methods Between May 1993 and January 1995, the findings for 145 patients were analyzed in this prospective trial at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. After giving their appropriate preoperative informed consent, patients were randomly assigned to pancreaticogastrostomy or pancreaticojejunostomy after completion of the pancreaticoduodenal resection. All pancreatic anastomoses were performed in two layers without pancreatic duct stents and with closed suction drainage. Pancreatic fistula was defined as drainage of greater than 50 mL of amylase‐rich fluid on or after postoperative day 10. Results The pancreaticogastrostomy (n = 73) and pancreaticojejunostomy (n = 72) groups were comparable with regard to multiple parameters, including demographics, medical history, preoperative laboratory values, and intraoperative factors, such as operative time, blood transfusions, pancreatic texture, length of pancreatic remnant mobilized, and pancreatic duct diameter. The overall incidence of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy was 11.7% (17/145). The incidence of pancreatic fistula was similar for the pancreaticogastrostomy (12.3%) and pancreaticojejunostomy (11.1%) groups. Pancreatic fistula was associated with a significant prolongation of postoperative hospital stay (36 ± 5 vs. 15 ± 1 days) (p < 0.001). Factors significantly increasing the risk of pancreatic fistula by univariate logistic regression analysis included ampullary or duodenal disease, soft pancreatic texture, longer operative time, greater intraoperative red blood cell transfusions, and lower surgical volume (p < 0.05). A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the factors most highly associated with pancreatic fistula to be lower surgical volume and ampullary or duodenal disease in the resected specimen. Conclusions Pancreatic fistula is a common complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy, with an incidence most strongly associated with surgical volume and underlying disease. These data do not support the hypothesis that pancreaticogastrostomy is safer than pancreaticojejunostomy or is associated with a lower incidence of pancreatic fistula.
Perpetual development journalism? Balance and framing in the 2006 Singapore election coverage

This study sought to determine if Singapore's press model has evolved beyond the development model to take on characteristics of other press models. It examined balance and framing in election coverage in the Straits Times, Singapore's dominant English newspaper, over 16 days before the 2006 Singapore General Election. As expected under the development model, and contrary to expectations under the social responsibility model, we found coverage of the competing parties lacked balance, as indicated by more coverage with a more favorable tone for the ruling People's Action Party. In framing, we found game frames predominated over issue frames, as predicted by media intrusion theory, in which commercial media favor competitive aspects of campaigns as a result of following commercial journalistic values. This finding contradicts the expectation that development journalism would likely have more issue frames, since it emphasizes issues and policies, and suggests that some commercial journalistic imperatives outweigh development model imperatives in the Singapore press.
Exploring Asian Cruise Travelers’ Travel Experience and Perceptions

This study aims to explore Asian cruise travelers’ cruise experience and its multidimensional perception of cruising as well as the effect of travelers’ perception on satisfaction and behavioral intention. In order to measure Asian travelers’ multidimensional perceptions, survey items were adapted from SERVQUAL and SERV-PERVAL. Exploratory factor analysis was performed first to identify travelers’ multidimensional perceptions on travel experience. Subsequently, a multiple regression was conducted so that researchers examine how the tourist’ perceptions affect travelers’ satisfaction and behavioral intention. Statistical results showed that Asian cruise travelers have two dimensional perceptions and each perception can be named as “perceived quality” and “perceived value”. The perceived quality has four components. They are “Facility”, “F&B”, “Entertainment”, and “Staff”, and the perceived value consists of three components including “Emotional response”, “Perceived price”, and “Behavioral price and reputation”. According to the statistical results, travelers’ perceptions on cruise experiencing affect travel satisfaction and travelers’ behavioral intention.
Unemployment Compensation Recipiency in English-speaking Countries

The paper explores developments in unemployment compensation recipiency rates in the member-countries of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with particular attention to six English-speaking countries. While the generosity of social protection programs can be assessed by looking at both replacement rates and recipiency rates, the paper highlights changes in the latter. The study uses time series data for OECD member-countries from 1959 to 2005. Data for 20 high-income countries are utilized to explore the effects of changes in the statutory provisions of unemployment compensation programs. Again, more detail is presented for the six English-speaking countries.
The Nature and Significance of Platelet Products in Human Plasma

Fresh plasma freed of intact platelets can be shown to contain minute particulate material (platelet‐dust) which can be separated by ultracentrifugation. Much of this material is rich in phospholipid and shows coagulant properties resembling those of Platelet Factor 3. The supernatant plasma, freed of these particles, shows a corresponding deficiency in Platelet Factor 3 activity.
Influence of terbutaline on endotoxin-induced lung injury.

The effects of the beta-2-receptor agonist terbutaline on central hemodynamics, gas exchange, and platelet and leukocyte counts during 3 hr of endotoxin shock were studied. Ten sheep were anesthetized and ventilated without positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). After 1 hr of stabilization (t = -30), five animals (Group T) received intravenous (i.v.) infusion of terbutaline, 20 micrograms/kg/hr for 3.5 hr, whereas the other five received no drug treatment and served as controls (Group C). Thirty min later (t = 0) all animals received Escherichia coli endotoxin 10 micrograms/kg by i.v. infusion over 15 min. The terbutaline infusion increased the heart rate (HR) initially by 30% and the cardiac index (CI) by 50%, whereas mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), and gas exchange remained unchanged. Terbutaline pretreatment did not prevent the pulmonary hypertension that characteristically occurs after endotoxin injection, nor did it decrease the initial fall in platelet count, leukocyte count, arterial oxygen tension (PaO2), or respiratory compliance (t = 30). However, during the permeability phase (after 120-180 min), there was a significant improvement in MAP, PAP, respiratory compliance, PaO2, and arterial pH in the animals treated with terbutaline as compared with the control animals. Also, the wet weight to dry weight ratio of the lungs from animals receiving terbutaline was significantly lower than in controls. It was concluded that terbutaline does not influence the hypertension phase during endotoxin shock, but it may decrease pulmonary microvascular leakage during the permeability phase.
Accounting and the Papal States: The influence of the Pro commissa Bull (1592) on the rise of an early modern state

The aim of this article is to explore the role played by accounting in the building of the early modern Papal States. In particular, the study shows how the control and accountability system set up by the Pro commissa Bull (15 August 1592) allowed the Pope to concentrate and centralize political power, fostering the shift of the Papal States towards the configuration of an absolute state which can be considered the first major institutional embodiment of the modern state in the early modern period. Besides contributing to the literature on accounting and state building, this research also provides insights into the role of accounting in religious institutions. The analysis, in fact, is carried out in one of the most important religious institutions in history. Moreover, the fact that the Pope was both the political and the religious head of the Papal States allows the inference that this peculiar “dual role” could have affected the setting up of the abovementioned control and accountability system.
Gulf unemployment and government policies: prospects for the Saudi labour quota or Nitaqat system

Saudi Arabia is facing a growing unemployment necessitating some radical rethinking of its current 'localisation' policies, and has introduced the Nitaqat or quota system which classifies local companies in different colour code zones according to the percentage compliance in terms of Saudi nationals employed, with penalties imposed for non-compliance. The government is cognisant that the private sector has to play an important role in job generation, albeit as willing partners, but one in five private companies operating in the Kingdom are a long way from meeting Saudisation targets. The government is also introducing incentives to companies that meet their Nitaqat quotas realising that the private sector's dependence on foreign cheap labour is causing a dilemma as Saudis are reluctant to replace expatriates at current wage levels for many unskilled and semi-skilled sectors. The paper examines the impact on overall national economic growth and productivity should the government also introduce a minimum wage level of SR 3,000 per month for the private sector equal to that in the public sector, under the so-called Hafiz system.
Performance comparison of high quantum efficiency and normal quantum efficiency photomultiplier tubes and position sensitive photomultiplier tubes for high resolution PET and SPECT detectors.

PURPOSE Recently, photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) and position sensitive PMTs (PSPMTs) with higher quantum efficiencies (HQE) have been developed. However, it remains unclear whether they actually improve such performances as the energy and spatial resolution for PET and SPECT detectors. METHODS The authors evaluated the quantum efficiencies (QEs) for PMTs and PSPMTs and measured the energy resolution of a 3-in. round HQE PMT combined with various scintillators and compared the results with a conventional normal quantum efficiency (NQE) PMT of the same type. The authors also measured the position and energy performance of a 2-in. square HQE PSPMT combined with scintillator blocks and compared them with a NQE PSPMT of the same size. RESULTS The energy resolution of the 3-in. round HQE PMT showed higher energy resolution than the NQE with all scintillators. The improvement of the energy resolution was smaller, for all measurements, than the expected value from the quantum efficiency of the PMT but was higher for the scintillators with smaller light outputs. The energy and position performance of the HQE PSPMT based block detectors showed higher position and energy performance than those with NQE. CONCLUSIONS From these results, the authors conclude that both HQE PMT and PSPMT contribute to improve the energy and position performance for PET and SPECT detectors. Significant performance improvements will be expected in PET and SPECT systems by the use of the HQE PMTs or PSPMTs.
'Real Services': A Re-appraisal

This paper deals with 'real services' to manufacturing companies, nowadays an integral part of the toolbox of industrial policies in all advanced countries, both at regional level and within major nationwide programmes. Policy relevance is indeed the main criterion to identify concretely those services, based on their capacity to trigger learning processes and to have positive 'externalities of consumption'. The paper discusses the main problems concerning the management and evaluation of real services and outlines the key issues for the policy agenda (selection, coordination and networking; the transfer of success models; the practice of subsidiarity between different levels of government). The paper concludes by arguing the undiminished relevance of real services for contemporary industrial policies, notwithstanding the growing awareness of their limited impact.
Urban Spatial Structure in a Transitional Economy: The Case of Guangzhou, China

Abstract The urban spatial structure of Chinese cities has been changing since the post-Mao economic reform in 1978. More dramatic changes have occurred since the housing reform in 1982 and land reform in 1987. This article examines the transformation of urban spatial structure in China in the context of a transitional economy and its underlying dynamics. The land use changes in Guangzhou are used for a case study. The major findings are rapid decentralization through leapfrog developments in peripheral areas and the re-emergence of business and service areas in the city centre. The authors present a model of a new urban spatial structure and discuss its implications for urban planning.
Effects of treatment beyond the treated: a general equilibrium impact evaluation of Lesotho's cash grants program

Africa's social cash transfer programs target the most resource-constrained households, unlikely to expand supply in response to transfer-induced demand. We propose a local economy-wide impact evaluation model and use it to evaluate local spillovers from Lesotho's Child Grants Program. We report Monte-Carlo confidence bounds around impact-simulation results. We find significant spillovers to nonrecipient households and significant real income multipliers, although the latter are dampened if factor supply constraints generate excessive inflationary pressures. Our findings raise questions about how to measure the impacts of cash transfers. Evaluations focusing only on eligible households are likely to significantly understate program impacts.
The IT Strategy Divide: Professional Practice and Academic Debate

Information Technology (IT) strategy is a top-priority issue in practice. However, despite its practical relevance, research on IT strategy has been limited so far. With respect to the definition of an IT strategy and its scope, there are a number of ad hoc recommendations and a few conceptual models with little scientific backing. In particular, latest research indicates a gap between the academic discussion on IT strategy and how IT strategy is perceived in practice. Taking this as a motivation, our research sets out to uncover in more detail the concerns and the notions of IT strategy prevalent in practice. This paper reports on the results of a qualitative research project which included interviews with IT strategy professionals from twelve mid-size to large companies in German speaking countries. It compares the experts' IT strategy practice with the concerns and perceptions that dominate research and the academic discussion. Our study uncovers striking differences between the academic debate on IT strategy and the concerns IT strategy professional look upon as being important. First of all, we found that professionals are concerned with IT strategy on two different levels, the corporate level and the business unit level strategy. Academics, in contrast, look at IT strategy mostly from a business unit and departmental level. Irrespective of the differences in the level of IT strategy, the strategy concerns focused on in academia differ substantially from those that our professionals were most interested in. The focus of the academic discussion is on IT-based competitive advantages and stresses the role of information as strategic resources, while practitioners are most concerned with decisions on IT infrastructure, IT architecture and standards. The paper at hand does not only analyse the differences but also takes a closer look at the reasoning of academics and professionals for looking upon certain IT issues as 'strategic'. Both, the IT strategy concerns raised by our professionals and the rationales used provide valuable input for future research and theory development.
A Statistical Model for Energy Intensity

A promising approach to improve scientific literacy in regards to global warming and climate change is using a simulation as part of a science education course. The simulation needs to employ scientific analysis of actual data from internationally accepted and reputable databases to demonstrate the reality of the current climate change situation. One of the most important criteria for using a simulation in a science education course is the fidelity of the model. The realism of the events and consequences modeled in the simulation is significant as well. Therefore, all underlying equations and algorithms used in the simulation must have real- world scientific basis. The "Energy Choices" simulation is one such simulation. The focus of this paper is the development of a mathematical model for "Energy Intensity" as a part of the overall system dynamics in "Energy Choices" simulation. This model will define the "Energy Intensity" as a function of other independent variables that can be manipulated by users of the simulation. The relationship discovered by this research will be applied to an algorithm in the "Energy Choices" simulation.
Inference in Additively Separable Models With a High-Dimensional Set of Conditioning Variables

Abstract This article studies nonparametric series estimation and inference for the effect of a single variable of interest x on an outcome y in the presence of potentially high-dimensional conditioning variables z. The context is an additively separable model . The model is high-dimensional in the sense that the series of approximating functions for can have more terms than the sample size, thereby allowing z potentially to have very many measured characteristics. The model is required to be approximately sparse: can be approximated using only a small subset of series terms whose identities are unknown. This article proposes an estimation and inference method for called Post-Nonparametric Double Selection, which is a generalization of Post-Double Selection. Rates of convergence and asymptotic normality for the estimator are derived and hold over a large class of sparse data-generating processes. A simulation study illustrates finite sample estimation properties of the proposed estimator and coverage properties of the corresponding confidence intervals. Finally, an empirical application to college admissions policy demonstrates the practical implementation of the proposed method.