Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An algorithm for the appraisal of assurance indicators for complex business processes

In order to provide certified security services we must provide indicators that can measure the level of assurance that a complex business process can offer. Unfortunately the formulation of security indicators is not amenable to efficient algorithms able to evaluate the level of assurance of complex process from its components.In this paper we show an algorithm based on FD-Graphs (a variant of directed hypergraphs) that can be used to compute in polynomial time (i) the overall assurance indicator of a complex business process from its components for arbitrary monotone composition functions, (ii) the subpart of the business process that is responsible for such assurance indicator (i.e. the best security alternative).
Ultraviolet Polarization Vision and Visually Guided Behavior in Fishes

Teleost fishes are capable of detecting and behaviorally responding to linearly polarized light. Fish exhibit free-swimming spatial orientation to imposed and natural polarized light fields, and the fidelity of this spatial orientation depends heavily on UV and short wavelength content of the polarization field. Fish make fine-scale behavioral discriminations between stimuli that differ in e-vector orientation, independent of brightness. The detection of polarized light by photoreceptors is based on specializations of the disk membrane in the outer segment of cones that permit preferential absorption of axial and transverse polarized light. Differential polarization detectors that have overlapping spectral sensitivity in the UV short wavelength spectrum mediate polarization sensitivity. These differential detectors are based on cone photoreceptors that share spectral sensitivity in the UV short wavelength spectrum: the α-band of UV-sensitive cone mechanism as the vertical detector, and the β-band of mid- and long-wavelength sensitive cone mechanisms as the horizontal detector. Negative feedback of horizontal cells on cones govern opponent interactions between differentially sensitive polarization detectors. Polarization opponency functions to enhance e-vector contrast under conditions that vary in degree of polarization and ambient intensity. Ontogenetic changes in the cone mosaic, resulting from programmed cell death and regeneration of UV-sensitive cones, alter the retinal location of polarization sensitivity. These developmental changes greatly influence behavioral responses to polarized light.
Informed assent: ethics and processes when researching with young children

This paper presents the initial findings of an ongoing research project conducted at the International Centre for Early Childhood in Singapore. The researchers have been collaborating with a group of student teachers who conduct research with young children in early childhood settings, for the purpose of assignment requirements. Prior to any research being carried out, a requirement of the institution is that informed assent is obtained from the children. This has raised issues of presumption of young children's understandings of the research process, images held of young children in an Asian context, and children's right to be part of a decision‐making process. The initial findings will impact on the way that researchers in general must approach the inclusion of young children in participatory research.
Foot-in-the-Door Technique and Problematic Implicit Request for Help

A recent study (Pascual, Gueguen, Pujos, & Felonneau, 2013) reported that the foot-in-the-door technique (FITD) remained effective in gaining compliance when the request was deviant in nature. However, that study used face-to-face verbal requests, which may have resulted in the participant feeling obliged to comply. In our study, a confederate was instructed to sit on a public bench where an adult male participant was sitting. In the FITD condition, the confederate asked the participant for the time. The confederate then began to read a newspaper, some term papers, or a pornographic magazine. After 2 minutes, a second confederate arrived, the first confederate stood up and left, forgetting his papers. The FITD remained effective in obtaining greater participant intervention, even in the problematic condition.
Promoting ‘relational equity’ and high mathematics achievement through an innovative mixed‐ability approach

Equity is a concept that is often measured in terms of test scores, with educators looking for equal test scores among students of different cultural groups, social classes or sexes. In this article the term ‘relational equity’ is proposed to describe equitable relations in classrooms; relations that include students treating each other with respect and responsibility. This concept will be illustrated through the results of a four‐year study of different mathematics teaching approaches, conducted in three Californian high schools. In one of the schools—a diverse, urban high school—students achieved at higher levels, learned good behaviour, and learned to respect students from different cultural groups, social classes, ability levels and sexes. In addition, differences in attainment between different cultural groups were eliminated in some cases and reduced in all others. Importantly, the goals of high achievement and equity were achieved in tandem through a mixed‐ability mathematics approach that is not u.
On convexity and identifiability in 1-D Fourier phase retrieval

This paper considers phase retrieval from the magnitude of 1-D oversampled Fourier measurements. We first revisit the well-known lack of identifiability in this case, and point out that there always exists a solution that is minimum phase, even though the desired signal is not. Next, we explain how the least-squares formulation of this problem can be optimally solved via PhaseLift followed by spectral factorization, and this solution is always minimum phase. A simple approach is then proposed to circumvent non-identifiability: adding an impulse to an arbitrary complex signal (offset to the Fourier transform) before taking the quadratic measurements, so that a minimum phase signal is constructed and thus can be uniquely estimated. Simulations with synthetic data show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Effect of Diuretic Use on 30-Day Postdialysis Mortality in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Acute Dialysis

Background The impact of diuretic usage and dosage on the mortality of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury is still unclear. Methods and Results In this prospective, multicenter, observational study, 572 patients with postsurgical acute kidney injury receiving hemodialysis were recruited and followed daily. Thirty-day postdialysis mortality was analyzed using Cox's proportional hazards model with time-dependent covariates. The mean age of the 572 patients was 60.8±16.6 years. Patients with lower serum creatinine (p = 0.031) and blood lactate (p = 0.033) at ICU admission, lower predialysis urine output (p = 0.001) and PaO2/FiO2 (p = 0.039), as well as diabetes (p = 0.037) and heart failure (p = 0.049) were more likely to receive diuretics. A total of 280 (49.0%) patients died within 30 days after acute dialysis initiation. The analysis of 30-day postdialysis mortality by fitting propensity score-adjusted Cox's proportional hazards models with time-dependent covariates showed that higher 3-day accumulated diuretic doses after dialysis initiation (HR = 1.449, p = 0.021) could increase the hazard rate of death. Moreover, higher time-varying 3-day accumulative diuretic doses were associated with hypotension (p<0.001) and less intense hemodialysis (p<0.001) during the acute dialysis period. Background and Significance Higher time-varying 3-day accumulative diuretic dose predicts mortality in postsurgical critically ill patients requiring acute dialysis. Higher diuretic doses are associated with hypotension and a lower intensity of dialysis. Caution should be employed before loop diuretics are administered to postsurgical patients during the acute dialysis period.
Synchronization in human musical rhythms and mutually interacting complex systems

Significance Though the statistical properties of musical compositions have been widely studied, little is known about the statistical nature of musical interaction—a foundation of musical communication. The goal of this study was to uncover the general statistical properties underlying musical interaction by observing two individuals synchronizing rhythms. We found that the interbeat intervals between individuals exhibit scale-free cross-correlations, i.e., the next beat played by an individual is dependent on the entire history (up to several minutes) of their partner’s interbeat intervals. To explain this surprising observation, we introduce a general stochastic model that can also be used to study synchronization phenomena in econophysics and physiology. The scaling laws found in musical interaction are directly applicable to audio production. Though the music produced by an ensemble is influenced by multiple factors, including musical genre, musician skill, and individual interpretation, rhythmic synchronization is at the foundation of musical interaction. Here, we study the statistical nature of the mutual interaction between two humans synchronizing rhythms. We find that the interbeat intervals of both laypeople and professional musicians exhibit scale-free (power law) cross-correlations. Surprisingly, the next beat to be played by one person is dependent on the entire history of the other person’s interbeat intervals on timescales up to several minutes. To understand this finding, we propose a general stochastic model for mutually interacting complex systems, which suggests a physiologically motivated explanation for the occurrence of scale-free cross-correlations. We show that the observed long-term memory phenomenon in rhythmic synchronization can be imitated by fractal coupling of separately recorded or synthesized audio tracks and thus applied in electronic music. Though this study provides an understanding of fundamental characteristics of timing and synchronization at the interbrain level, the mutually interacting complex systems model may also be applied to study the dynamics of other complex systems where scale-free cross-correlations have been observed, including econophysics, physiological time series, and collective behavior of animal flocks.
Learning trajectories; travelling towards a learning society

This paper uses the results of a large‐scale study of patterns of participation in post‐compulsory education and training over the past 50 years to identify some of the social determinants of adult participation in formal learning experiences. The patterns of participation are presented in the form of predictable lifelong ‘trajectories’, and the predictability of these patterns of participation is as important a finding as their determinants. The key predictors themselves can be discerned quite early in an individuals life since they comprise the period in which the person was born, their place of birth and subsequent migration patterns, their gender, their family background, their experience of initial schooling, and the interactions between them. The patterns of participation and their changes over time are used to reinforce doubts about the wisdom of seeing a Learning Society as simply a worthwhile future goal, towards the implementation of which current policy is directed, and towards which the UK is .
THE DYNAMICS OF RETICULOENDOTHELIAL BLOCKADE

The dynamics of "reticuloendothelial blockade" were studied in living rabbits and isolated, perfused rabbit livers utilizing gelatin as a blockading agent and Au198 stabilized in gelatin as a tracer. Employing the above experimental model, the following observations were made. (a) RES blockade was specific and dependent on the surface properties of the particle under study. (b) RES blockade was not caused by saturation of hepatic removal mechanisms. (c) RES blockade was not caused by depletion of demonstrable serum opsonins. (d) RES blockade appeared to correlate with high circulating levels of the blockading agent, per se. Thus, under the conditions employed, the term "reticuloendothelial blockade" was a misnomer. Although specificity of liver macrophage-particle interaction was evident and deserves further study, the data suggest that blockade as usually studied is a laboratory phenomenon induced by the continuing circulation of the blockading agent.
Global Citizenship Demands New Approaches to Teaching and Learning: AASCU's Global Challenges Initiative

Jennifer Summit is a professor of English and Eleanor Loring Ritch University Fellow in Undergraduate Education at Stanford University. In 2012-13 she served as an ACE Fellow at San José State University, where she observed the development of its Global Citizenship course and participated in other initiatives related to undergraduate learning and engagement. T oday’s college graduates are entering an interconnected world in which globalization will affect nearly every facet of their lives. In turn, college and university mission statements increasingly include the intent to educate “global citizens” among their fundamental commitments. Yet our students’ global knowledge and understanding remain strikingly limited—if anything, they appear to be in a state of longterm decline. According to Derek Bok, the United States bears “the dubious distinction of being one of only two countries in which young adults were less informed about world affairs than their fellow citizens from older age groups” (226).
Gene Silencing in Mammalian Cells with Light‐Activated Antisense Agents

Detailed knowledge of the external regulation of gene func-tion is a fundamental necessity in order to annotate sequencedgenomes and to understand biological processes in single cellsand multicellular organisms. One of the most widely used ap-proaches for the down-regulation of specific genes is the ap-plication of antisense agents. Antisense agents are oligomersthat have the ability to hybridize sequence specificslly tomRNAs, inhibiting translation and potentially leading to mRNAdegradation through RNAse H recruitment.
Perceptions of organizational safety: implications for the development of safety culture

Regulatory bodies in the U.K. have emphasized the importance of ‘a positive health and safety culture’ to the safety performance of companies. A key feature of a company's safety culture is shared perceptions amongst managers and staff concerning the importance of safety. This study recorded the perceptions of 312 British Rail train drivers, supervisors and senior managers concerning the relative importance of 25 railway factors. Each level also gave their estimates of the ratings of the other levels. The study found that whilst there was a shared perception of the importance of safety, intergroup perceptions were not realistic. It is argued that accurate intergroup perceptions are essential to the development of mutual trust and understanding between levels, which forms the basis for a positive safety culture. Suggestions for establishing the foundations for a positive safety culture are discussed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Participation of Female Family Members in New Zealand Family Businesses

Abstract Despite the growth of female entrepreneurship little significant research has been done in New Zealand on the participation of women in family-owned firms. The purpose of this study is to help fill this gap. This study was based on six case studies and uses the qualitative grounded theory method. The study found that women were motivated to work in a family business for affirmative reasons and regarded their work as both worthwhile and satisfying. Involvement in the family business was seen as a positive dimension of family life. The participants made a deliberate choice to work in the family business, albeit for differing reasons. Working in the family firm was not seen as a ‘less than best’ option but asa positive choice. This contrasts with a common view in the literature that women often end up working in family businesses as a result of negative circumstances.
Recouvrement de champs d'activité entre ONG et entreprises : partenariat ou concurrence ?

ONG et entreprises se rapprochent sous l’effet d’un double mouvement ou chaque type de structure s’inspire de l’autre. Des partenariats se nouent, renforcant encore ce rapprochement, et conduisant parfois jusqu’a une certaine forme de concurrence. En investissant la sphere marchande, les ONG creent de nouveaux marches, desormais convoites par les entreprises en quete de legitimite societale.La question fondamentale est alors de savoir situer la frontiere entre les secteurs d’activite et les prerogatives des ONG et des entreprises. Quels sont les enjeux et les consequences d’un tel recouvrement de champ d’action et de cible ? Efficience, legitimite et rapports de force structurent ce debat, et c’est a travers l’analyse du cas emblematique du commerce equitable que nous essaierons de repondre a ces questions de recherche.
Drug and dietary interactions of the new and emerging oral anticoagulants

Oral warfarin is associated with extensive food and drug interactions, and there is a need to consider such interactions with the new oral anticoagulants (OACs) dabigatran etexilate, rivaroxaban and apixaban. A literature survey was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE and recent abstracts from thrombosis meetings to identify publications related to food, drug and dietary supplement interaction studies with dabigatran etexilate, rivaroxaban and apixaban. Clinical experience regarding food interactions is currently limited. Regarding drug–drug interactions, dabigatran requires caution when used in combination with strong inhibitors or inducers of P‐glycoprotein, such as amiodarone or rifampicin. Rivaroxaban (and possibly apixaban) is contraindicated in combination with drugs that strongly inhibit both cytochrome P450 3A4 and P‐glycoprotein, such as azole antimycotics, and caution is required when used in combination with strong inhibitors of only one of these pathways. Important drug interactions of the new OACs that can lead to adverse clinical reactions may also occur with non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and antiplatelet drugs, such as aspirin and clopidogrel. Over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications and food supplements (e.g. St. John’s Wort) may also interact with the new OACs. Given the common long‐term use of drugs for some chronic disorders, the frequent use of OTC medications and the need for multiple treatments in special populations, such as the elderly people, it is essential that the issue of drug interactions is properly evaluated. New OACs offer significant potential advantages to the field of venous thromboprophylaxis, but we should not fail to appreciate their lack of extensive clinical experience.
Goal directed project management methodology for the support of ERP implementation and optimal adaptation procedure

Purpose – To control and reduce the time and the cost of implementation and to achieve optimal adaptation of the processes and structures of the enterprise in an ERP environment.Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents a fundamental methodology based on goal directed project management (GDPM) principles which supports the complicated process of implementation and optimal adaptation (IOA) of an ERP system.Findings – By implementing this methodology it was found that it is able to control and reduce the time and the cost of implementation and to achieve optimal adaptation of the processes and structures of the enterprise in an ERP environment.Research limitations/implications – Based on the above methodology a system must be developed, which will aim at providing the project manager with the ability to create all the necessary elements for the management and realization of the project and to lead the consultant during the IOA process of ERP systems.Practical implications – This methodology was conn.
Lysozyme-Sensitive Bioemulsifier for Immiscible Organophosphorus Pesticides

Two Bacillus strains capable of emulsifying immiscible organophosphorus pesticides were isolated by enrichment methods. The emulsifying factor produced by Bacillus strain FE-2 has a high molecular weight, is Iysozyme sensitive and thermostable, and can be precipitated with trichloroacetic acid or ammonium sulfate; it may be a glycolipopeptide. It is specific for immiscible organophosphorus pesticides and is secreted during growth in the presence of such pesticides.
Medical illness, medication use and suicide in seniors: a population-based case–control study

Background: Suicide among seniors is a significant health problem in north America, particularly for men in whom the rates rise steadily after 50 years of age. The goal of this study was to examine elder suicides identified from a large population-based database using case–control methods to determine disease and medication factors related to suicide. Methods: A population-based 1 : 5 case–control study was conducted comparing seniors aged 66 years and older who had died by suicide with age and sex-matched controls. Case data were obtained through British Columbia (BC) Vital Statistics, whereas controls were randomly selected from the BC Health Insurance Registry. Cases and controls were linked to the provincial PharmaCare database to determine medication use and the provincial Physician Claims and Inpatient Hospitalization databases to determine co-morbidity. Results: Between 1993 and 2002 a total of 602 seniors died by suicide in BC giving an annual rate of 13.2 per 100 000. Firearms were the most common mechanism (28%), followed by hanging/suffocation (25%), self-poisoning (21%), and jumping from height (7%). In the adjusted logistic model, variables related to suicide included: lower socioeconomic status, depression/psychosis, neurosis, stroke, cancer, liver disease, parasuicide, benzodiazepine use, narcotic pain killer use and diuretic use. There was an elevated risk for those prescribed inappropriate benzodiazepines and for those using strong narcotic pain killers. Conclusion: This study is consistent with previous studies that have identified a relationship between medical or psychiatric co-morbidity and suicide in seniors. In addition, new and potentially useful information confirms that certain types and dosages of benzodiazepines are harmful to seniors and their use should be avoided.
Modeling clicks beyond the first result page

Most modern web search engines yield a list of documents of a fixed length (usually 10) in response to a user query. The next ten search results are usually available in one click. These documents either replace the current result page or are appended to the end. Hence, in order to examine more documents than the first 10 the user needs to explicitly express her intention. Although clickthrough numbers are lower for documents on the second and later result pages, they still represent a noticeable amount of traffic. We propose a modification of the Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) click model by explicitly including into the model the probability of transition between result pages. We show that our new click model can significantly better capture user behavior on the second and later result pages while giving the same performance on the first result page.
Structural MRI in Normal Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease: White and Black Spots

Background: White matter changes (WMC) and microbleeds (MBs) are common in the elderly and in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Objective: To describe the prevalence, anatomical distribution and longitudinal changes of WMC and MBs in normal aging subjects compared to AD patients and to describe current evidence of their effects on the clinical course of AD. Methods: Short literature review. Results: WMC and MBs are more frequent and progress more rapidly in AD patients than in cognitively normal elderly. New MBs occur in up to one quarter of AD cases without any therapeutic intervention. WMC and MBs influence the clinical course of AD. Conclusion: WMC and MBs might represent treatment targets in clinical trials on AD.