Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A model to explore the mystery between organizations' downsizing strategies and firm performance

Purpose – Downsizing in organizations is a popular management strategy. However, in the field of organization change, the question of whether downsizing practices eventually improve performance is frequently asked and is never satisfactorily answered. The consequences have not always materialized over these years. On the negative side, downsizing harms employees, their families, and at the same time causes social chaos. The possible answers could be the ignorance of some important mechanisms between them. The paper aims to explain this issue.Design/methodology/approach – The paper applies the dynamic strategy capabilities concept from the strategy research field and strategic human resource management (SHRM) practices concept from the SHRM research field.Findings – A consolidated model is established to explain the relationships among these variables.Originality/value – The model is expected to provide significant implications for thought leaders to reflect on the topics regarding organizations' changes, .
Czech Children's Drawing of Nature.

Do world children draw nature pictures in a certain way? Range of mountains in the background, a sun, couple clouds, a river rising from mountains. Is this type of drawing universal in the way these nature items are organized on a drawing paper? The sample size from Czech Republic included 33 participants from two kindergartens. They were 5 and 6 years old. The number of boys was 14 and the number of girls was 19. The first step of the data obtaining was the contact with the teacher, who was present in the class during all collection of data. Czech childrens nature drawings did not support the assumption of a universal type of childrens nature drawings.
Theories of Aging and Social Work Practice with Sensitivity to Diversity

Abstract Aging experiences are multidimensional, and social workers need to know theoretical perspectives on aging which are useful in understanding the diversity of experiences of individuals in later adulthood. This article describes and discusses four theoretical perspectives on aging which are not usually presented in Human Behavior and the Social Environment textbooks but which contribute to understanding of diversity in later adulthood: Atchley's continuity theory; Fisher's age-independent periods; Stoller and Gibson's perspectives on gender, race and ethnicity, class, and the life course; and Friend's theory of successful aging of gay men and lesbian women.
Biodegradation of Bisphenol A, Bisphenol F and Bisphenol S in Seawater

A group of compounds structurally similar to bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (bisphenol A, BPA) are called bisphenols (BPs), and some of them can partially replace BPA in industrial applications. The production and consumption of BPs other than BPA, especially those of bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane (bisphenol F, BPF) and bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone (bisphenol S, BPS), have increased recently, leading to their detection as contaminants in the aquatic environment. The three compounds tested 100% positive for estrus response in 1936 and concerns about their health risks have been increasing. Abundant data on degradation of bisphenols (BPs) has been published, but results for biodegradation of BPs in seawater are lacking. However, several research groups have focused on this topic recently. In this study, the biodegradation behaviors of three BPs, namely BPA, BPF and BPS, in seawater were investigated using TOC Handai (TOC, potential test) and river (sea) die-away (SDA, simulation test) methods, which are both a kind of river-die-away test. The main difference between the tests is that indigenous microcosms remain in the sampled raw seawater for the SDA experiments, but they are removed through filtration and dispersed into artificial seawater for the TOC experiments. The BPs, except for BPS, were degraded using both methods. The SDA method produced better biodegradation results than the TOC method in terms of degradation time (both lag and degradation periods). Biodegradation efficiencies were measured at 75–100% using the SDA method and 13–63% using the TOC method. BPF showed better degradation efficiency than BPA, BPF was > 92% and BPA 83% depleted according to the SDA tests. BPS degradation was not observed. As a conclusion, the biodegradability of the three BPs in seawater could be ranked as BPF > BPA ≫ BPS. BPF is more biodegradable than BPA in seawater and BPS is more likely to accumulate in the aquatic environment. BPS poses a lower risk to human health and to the environment than BPA or BPF but it is not amenable to biodegradation and might be persistent and become an ecological burden. Thus other degradation methods need to be found for the removal of BPS in the environment.
Protocol Modifications for the DNS Security Extensions

This document is part of a family of documents that describe the DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC). The DNS Security Extensions are a collection of new resource records and protocol modifications that add data origin authentication and data integrity to the DNS. This document describes the DNSSEC protocol modifications. This document defines the concept of a signed zone, along with the requirements for serving and resolving by using DNSSEC. These techniques allow a security-aware resolver to authenticate both DNS resource records and authoritative DNS error indications. This document obsoletes RFC 2535 and incorporates changes from all updates to RFC 2535. [STANDARDS- TRACK]
2-Aminobenzoyl-CoA monooxygenasekeductase Evidence for two distinct loci catalyzing substrate monooxygenation and hydrogenation

2-Aminobenzoyl-CoA monooxygenaselreductase catalyzes both monooxygenation and hydrogenation of anthraniloyl-CoA. Its reactivity with 11 substrate analogs has been investigated. Only 2-aminobenzoylCoA (anthraniloyl-CoA) in its normal and deuterated (5-'H) form is a full substrate, and only traces of 2hydroxybenzoyl-CoA (salicyloyl-CoA) are probably monooxygenated but not hydrogenated. The purified enzyme is a homodimer and has been resolved preparatively into three major species by anion-exchange chromatography on Mono Q. All three species have the same specific activity when reconstituted to full content of FAD, they differ, however, substantially in their mode of binding FAD. The oxidized or fully reduced enzyme forms bind tightly 0.5 mol/mol of the substrate 2-aminobenzoyl-CoA (Kd = 1-2 pM). The enzyme can be depleted of ~ 5 0 % of its FAD, which corresponds to essentially complete removal from one of the two binding sites, reflecting a large difference in the affinity for FAD. From this it is deduced that the two sites are not equivalent. Removal of FAD from one binding site leads to loss of the hydrogenation capacity of the enzyme, while monooxygenation catalysis is retained. The FAD cofactors of the two binding sites differ drastically in their reactivities towards NADH, oxygen and N-ethylmaleimide. Exchange of reducing equivalents between the two FAD cofactors at the respective binding sites is very slow and irrelevant compared to the rates of catalysis. It is concluded that the enzyme, which has been proposed to consist of two identical polypeptide chains [Altenschmidt, U. , Bokranz, M. & Fuchs, G. (1992) Eur: J. Biochem. 207, 715-7221, contains two active centers which differ substantially in their catalytic activity. One center belongs to the class of monooxygenases, the other one to the (de)hydrogenases. This must result from substantially different interaction of the same flavin cofactors with protein functional groups and is, to our knowledge, unprecedented in flavoprotein enzymology.
A Role of Dystroglycan in Schwannoma Cell Adhesion to Laminin*

Dystroglycan is encoded by a single gene and cleaved into two proteins α- and β-dystroglycan by posttranslational processing. Recently, α-dystroglycan was demonstrated to be an extracellular laminin-binding protein anchored to the cell membrane by a transmembrane protein β-dystroglycan in striated muscle and Schwann cells. However, the biological functions of the dystroglycan-laminin interaction remain obscure, and in particular, it is still unclear if dystroglycan plays a role in cell adhesion. In the present study, we characterized the role of dystroglycan in the adhesion of schwannoma cells to laminin-1. Immunochemical analysis demonstrated that the dystroglycan complex, comprised of α- and β-dystroglycan, was a major laminin-binding protein complex in the surface membrane of rat schwannoma cell line RT4. It also demonstrated the presence of α-dystroglycan, but not β-dystroglycan, in the culture medium, suggesting secretion of α-dystroglycan by RT4 cells. RT4 cells cultured on dishes coated with laminin-1 became spindle in shape and adhered to the bottom surface tightly. Monoclonal antibody IIH6 against α-dystroglycan was shown previously to inhibit the binding of laminin-1 to α-dystroglycan. In the presence of IIH6, but not several other control antibodies in the culture medium, RT4 cells remained round in shape and did not adhere to the bottom surface. The adhesion of RT4 cells to dishes coated with fibronectin was not affected by IIH6. The known inhibitors of the interaction of α-dystroglycan with laminin-1, including EDTA, sulfatide, fucoidan, dextran sulfate, heparin, and sialic acid, also perturbed the adhesion of RT4 cells to laminin-1, whereas the reagents which do not inhibit the interaction, including dextran, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, and GlcNAc, did not. Altogether, these results support a role for dystroglycan as a major cell adhesion molecule in the surface membrane of RT4 cells.
Three General Theories of Ethics and the Integrative Role of Integrity Theory

This paper consists of a discussion of the three general theories of ethics, on the one hand as a framework for “solving” ethical dilemmas and on the other, as a stepping-stone, for the ethical analysis and evaluation of behavior and practices. We conclude this paper with an exposition of the Integrity Approach that integrates consequentialist, deontological, and virtue ethics.
Facilitating efficient data analysis of remotely sensed images using standards-based parameter sweep models

Classification of remote sensing images often use Support Vector Machines (SVMs) that require an n-fold cross-validation phase in order to do model selection. This phase is characterized by sweeping through a wide set of parameter combinations of SVM kernel and cost parameters. As a consequence this process is computationally expensive but represents a principled way of tuning a model for better accuracy and to prevent overfitting together with regularization that is in SVMs inherently solved in the optimization. Since the cross-validation technique is done in a principled way also known as ‘gridsearch’, we aim at supporting remote sensing scientists in two ways. Firstly by reducing the time-to-solution of the cross-validation by applying state-of-the-art parallel processing methods because the sweep of parameters and cross-validation runs itself can be nicely parallelized. Secondly by reducing manual labour by automating the parallel submission processes since manually performing cross-validation is very time consuming, unintuitive, and error-prone especially in large-scale cluster or supercomputing environments (e.g., batch job scripts, node/core/task parameters, etc.).
A 21-Gb/s, 0.96-pJ/bit serial receiver with non-50% duty-cycle clocking 1-tap decision feedback equalizer in 65nm CMOS

This paper reports a power-efficient equalizing receiver designed for multi-data rate serial link applications. It includes a continuous-time linear equalizer (CTLE) and a half-rate 1-tap speculative decision feedback equalizer (DFE). The proposed StrongArm latch-based DFE adopts a novel non-50% duty-cycle clocking scheme to achieve 20% higher speed compared with the conventional 50% duty-cycle clocking scheme solution. Implemented in a 65nm CMOS process with only regular threshold voltage transistors, the prototype receiver can operate up to 21Gb/s over a 25dB loss channel. At 21Gb/s, it consumes 20.08mW (0.96pJ/bit) power from a 1V supply.
Classical Cut-elimination in the π-calculus ( In memory of Kohei Honda )

We define the calculus LK a variant of the calculus X that enjoys the CurryHoward correspondence for Gentzen’s calculus LK; the variant consists of allowing arbitrary progress of cut over cut. We study the π-calculus enriched with pairing, for which we define a notion of implicative type assignment. We translate the terms of LK into this variant of π, and show that reduction and assignable types are preserved. This implies that all proofs in LK have a representation in π, and that cut-elimination is effectively simulated by π’s synchronisation, congruence, and bisimilarity between processes. We present two interpretations for which we show soundness results (but with respect to different notions of reduction), as well as type preservation. Using the second interpretation, we show that we preserve Gentzen’s Hauptsatz result, and prove completeness. We then enrich the logic with the connector ¬ (negation), and show that this also can be represented in π, whilst preserving the results.
Experimental analyses of the function of the proepicardium using a new microsurgical procedure to induce loss‐of‐proepicardial‐function in chick embryos

The proepicardium (PE) is a primarily extracardiac progenitor cell population that colonizes the embryonic heart and delivers the epicardium, the subepicardial and intramyocardial fibroblasts, and the coronary vessels. Recent data show that PE‐derived cells additionally play important regulatory roles in myocardial development and possibly in the normal morphogenesis of the heart. Developmental Dynamics 233, 2005. Research on the latter topics profits from the fact that loss‐of‐PE‐function can be experimentally induced in chick embryos. So far, two microsurgical techniques were used to produce such embryos: (1) blocking of PE cell transfer with pieces of the eggshell membrane, and (2) mechanical excision of PE. Both of these techniques, however, have their shortcomings. We have searched, therefore, for new techniques to eliminate the PE. Here, we show that loss‐of‐PE‐function can be induced by photoablation of the PE. Chick embryos were treated in ovo by means of a window in the eggshell at Hamburger and Hamilton (HH) stage 16 (iday 3). The pericardial coelom was opened, and the PE was externally stained with a 1% solution of Rose Bengal by means of a micropipette. Photoactivation of the dye was accomplished by illumination of the operation field with visible light. Examination on postoperative day 1 (iday 4, HH stages 19/20) disclosed complete removal of PE in every experimental embryo. On iday 9 (HH stages 33/34), the survival rate of experimental embryos was 35.7% (15 of 42). Development of the PE‐derivatives was compromised in the heart of every survivor. The abnormalities encompassed hydro‐ or hemopericardium, epicardium‐free areas with aneurysmatic outward bulging of the ventricular wall, thin myocardium, defects of the coronary vasculature, and abnormal tissue bridges between the ventricles and the pericardial wall. Our results show that photoablation of the PE is a powerful technique to induce long‐lasting loss‐of‐PE‐function in chick embryos. We have additionally obtained new data that suggest that the embryonic epicardium may make important contributions to the passive mechanics of the developing heart. Developmental Dynamics 233:1454–1463, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Coordinating Multiple Autonomic Managers to Achieve Specified Power-Performance Tradeoffs

Getting multiple autonomic managers to work together towards a common goal is a significant architectural and algorithmic challenge, as noted in the ICAC 2006 panel discussion regarding "Can we build effective multi-vendor autonomic systems? " We address this challenge in a real small-scale system that processes web transactions. An administrator uses a utility function to define a set of power and performance objectives. Rather than creating a central controller to manage performance and power simultaneously, we use two existing IBM products, one that manages performance and one that manages power by controlling clock frequency. We demonstrate that, with good architectural and algorithmic choices established through trial and error, the two managers can indeed work together to act in accordance with a flexible set of power-performance objectives and tradeoffs, resulting in power savings of approximately 10%. Key elements of our approach include (a) a feedback controller that establishes a power cap (a limit on consumed power) by manipulating clock frequency and (b) reinforcement learning, which adoptively learns models of the dependence of performance and power consumption on workload intensity and the powercap.
Contextual Design in Information Systems - a participatory Approach Based on Understanding Practices, Meanings and Challenges?

This paper is a comment on Contextual Design, a method frame proposed by Beyer & Holtzblatt (1998) for redesigning work in conjunction with developing technological support for this work. It is scrutinized in which ways Contextual Design is a participatory approach and in which ways Contextual Design is suitable for capturing practices, meanings and challenges in the work environments to be redesigned.
Feedback Control Logic for Backward Conflict Free Choice Nets

This paper discusses the forbidden state problem, as specified by generalized mutual exclusion constraints, in the context of supervisory control of discrete event systems modelled by Petri nets. The case of backward-conflict-free and free-choice uncontrollable subnets is considered and it is shown how to transform such subnets in well-formed free-choice nets. Then, the well-formed free-choice nets are decomposed in marked graph components by recurring to minimal T-invariants. The forbidden state problem is so reformulated for the obtained marked graph components into an equivalent one which is shown to be a linear programming problem. Thus, improving existing results in literature, a polynomial complexity solution, suitable for on-line control, is achieved. Free-choice relationship and cycle modelling, that frequently occur in real-life situations, are so allowed in the uncontrollable subnet
Accelerating Boolean Satis ability with Con gurable

This paper describes and evaluates methods for implementing formula-speciic Boolean satissability (SAT) solver circuits in conngurable hardware. Starting from a general template design, our approach automatically generates VHDL for a circuit that is speciic to the particular Boolean formula being solved. Such an approach tightly customizes the circuit to a particular problem instance. Thus, it represents an ideal use for dynamically-reconngurable hardware, since it would be impractical to fabricate an ASIC for each Boolean formula being solved. Our approach also takes advantage of direct gate mappings and large degrees of ne-grained parallelism in the algorithm's Boolean logic evaluations. We compile our designs to two hardware targets: an IKOS logic emulation system, and Digital SRC's Pamette conngurable computing board. Performance evaluations on the DIMACS SAT benchmark suite indicate that our approach ooers speedups from 17X to more than a thousand times. Overall, this SAT solver demonstrates promising performance speedups on an important and complex problem with extensive applications in the CAD and AI communities.
Constructing a minority group identity out of shared rejection: The case of international students

With a sample of international students, we investigated how perceptions of rejection by the host community are related to a sense of identification with other international students. Based on the rejection-identification model (Branscombe, Schmitt, & Harvey, 1999) we predicted that perceiving prejudice from the host university would be negatively related to psychological well-being. We expected that group identification with international students would mediate a positive effect of perceived that group identification with international students would mediate a positive effect of perceived discrimination on self-esteem, thus suppressing the negative effect of perceiving prejudice on self-esteem. Consistent with predictions, results supported a model in which identification with international students increased in response to perceiving prejudice and suppressed the costs of perceiving oneself as excluded from the host community. Interestingly, identification with participants' home country was not predicted by perceptions of discrimination. Results are discussed in terms of how minority group members construct group identities in response to the intergroup context. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.
Reduced Uterine and Ovarian Size in Adolescent Girls Born Small for Gestational Age

Reduced fetal growth is known to be associated with a reduced ovarian fraction of primordial follicles, with ovarian hyperandrogenism and anovulation in late adolescence. In this study, we examined whether adolescent girls born small for gestational age also present an abnormality in uterine or ovarian size. Standardized ultrasound measurements of the internal genitalia were performed in 36 healthy post-menarcheal girls (mean age 14 y) born with a size that was either appropriate for gestational age (AGA) or small (SGA), birth weight averaging 0.1 and −3.0 SD, respectively; clinical and endocrine characteristics were documented concomitantly. Compared with AGA girls, the SGA girls had a smaller uterus (mean difference of 20%;p < 0.006) and a reduced ovarian volume (mean difference of 38%;p < 0.0002). In conclusion, the gynecological correlates of prenatal growth restriction are herewith extended to include a reduced size of the uterus and the ovaries.
New research on Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease has impacted so many lives and so many lives are lost at the hands of Alzheimer’s Disease. The number of people that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease doubles every 5 years after the age of 65. The most taunting thing about the disease is the lack of a cure. The average number of years a patient with Alzheimer’s Disease survives after being diagnoses is 8-10 years. This alone makes Alzheimer’s Disease the fourth leading cause of death in industrialized societies.