Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Better than Nothing? Is Non-union Partnership a Contradiction in Terms?

Though the notion of union-management partnership commands an extensive body of literature, little is known about non-union partnership arrangements. This article addresses the relatively unexplored issue of non-union partnership through a detailed case study of WebBank, a British Internet bank. Three main themes are explored. First, we seek to understand more about the meaning of — and rationale for — partnership in non-union settings. Second, we explore the operation of non-union partnership in practice. Finally, we evaluate the effectiveness of non-union partnership from the perspectives of various organizational actors. The article suggests that in judging the effectiveness of a partnership arrangement, or indeed any voice regime more generally, there is a need to re-consider the benchmarks for success, and to place them in the context of contemporary employment relations. The evidence suggests that it would be deeply unhelpful and inaccurate to dismiss a non-union partnership a priori as a ‘contradiction in terms’.
A quantitative study of day–night changes in the spatial distribution of insects in a stony stream

Summary 1 As many invertebrates are nocturnal, their spatial distribution may change from day to night. This behavioural aspect of their population dynamics has been ignored, but is now examined for the first time by testing the hypotheses: (i) a power function was a suitable model for the spatial distribution of common species of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera in a stony stream; (ii) the spatial distribution varied between species but was similar within species for larvae greater and smaller than half‐size; (iii) diurnal and nocturnal spatial distributions were significantly different for each species. To ensure that the conclusions were consistent, large samples (n = 30) were taken near midday and midnight in April, June and November over 4 years.2 Twenty–one species were taken in sufficient numbers for the analyses; seven species were too sparse to be included. The first hypothesis was supported. A power function, relating spatial variance (s 2) to mean (m), was an excellent fit in all the analyses (P < 0·001, r 2 > 0·95), i.e. the spatial variance was density–dependent. The power b, often used as an ‘index of aggregation’, varied in the range 0·88–2·50.3 Most analyses supported the second hypothesis. For four species, the difference between the two size groups was just significant (P < 0·05), but was due to inadequate data for three species. Large larvae of the fourth species, the caddis Odontocerum albicorne, were less aggregated than small larvae at night, and were the only group with a b‐value less than one.4 The third hypothesis was partially supported. The distribution did not change significantly (P > 0·05) for nine species; five burrowers in gravel, moss or mud, two highly mobile predators, one sedentary, case–building, Trichoptera species, and one net–spinning Trichoptera species. Aggregation was reduced significantly (P < 0·001) at night for four species, all case–building Trichoptera larvae. Aggregation increased significantly (P < 0·001) at night, except at low densities, for the remaining eight species, one being a nocturnal predator and the others being herbivorous species; all occurred frequently in night samples of invertebrate drift. Day–night changes in spatial distribution were therefore an essential part of the behavioural dynamics of 12 of the 21 species, and should be investigated in other species, including terrestrial species.
Cholesterol pathway the Achilles heel in prostate cancer metastasis

We read with great interest the research article by Chen et al . (1) published in a previous issue of Nature Genetics as well as the featured article in the “clinical implication for basic research section” of the New England Journal of Medicine by Abate-Shen (2) arguing that the lipogenic program is essential for promotion of metastatic prostate cancer (PC) formation. Chen et al . provide profound genetic data that loss of PTEN and PML induce a sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) dependent lipogenic program leading to formation of more aggressive PC phenotypes.
Infliximab use in ulcerative colitis flare with clostridium difficile infection: A report of two cases and literature review

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), especially in ulcerative colitis (UC). The incidence and severity of CDI in IBD has shown an increasing trend in the last two decades. Patients with IBD are predisposed to CDI secondary to the recurrent use of antibiotics, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants and secondary to dysbiosis. It is clinically challenging to distinguish the symptoms of CDI from an IBD flare. The worsening of IBD symptoms demands escalation of steroids or initiation of biologics. However, the management of CDI in IBD, not responding to antibiotics, is not well described beyond a few case reports. We report two cases of CDI with active UC flare. The patients did not respond to antibiotics or intravenous corticosteroids but had rapid resolution of CDI symptoms after receiving infliximab infusion. The optimal dosing and infusion frequency of infliximab in management of CDI in UC/IBD remains to be established.
Whole-Genome Sequences of Escherichia coli Isolates from Cocoa Beans Imported from Bolivia

Four Escherichia coli isolates were obtained from a batch of cocoa beans imported from Bolivia. The cocoa beans were rejected by a U.S. ABSTRACT Four Escherichia coli isolates were obtained from a batch of cocoa beans imported from Bolivia. The cocoa beans were rejected by a U.S. chocolate manufacturer due to poor microbiological quality. The four isolates were whole-genome sequenced and the sequences analyzed to identify genotypes, serotypes, and virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes.
The use of neodymium magnets in healthcare and their effects on health

The strong magnetic field properties of magnets have led to their use in many modern technologies, as well as in the fields of medicine and dentistry. Neodymium magnets are a powerful type of magnet that has been the subject of recent research. This review provides a brief explanation of the definition, history, and characteristics of rare earth magnets. In addition, a broad overview of results obtained in studies performed to date on the effects of magnets, and neodymium magnets in particular, on body systems, tissues, organs, diseases, and treatment is provided. Though they are used in the health sector in various diagnostic devices and as therapeutic tools, there is some potential for harmful effects, as well as the risk of accident. The research is still insufficient; however, neodymium magnets appear to hold great promise for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Salivary BDNF and Cortisol Responses During High‐Intensity Exercise and Official Basketball Matches in Sedentary Individuals and Elite Players

Abstract Salivary cortisol increases in response to stressors, including physical exertion and psychological stress associated with sports competition. In addition, stress may induce change in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, there are still no data available to compare the salivary BDNF level in sedentary male individuals and elite team-sport male athletes, regularly involved in activities that require elevated attention and concentration. This information could contribute to the advance of understanding of the effect of regular exercise on the salivary level of BDNF, the pre-to-post change in salivary BDNF during exercise, and the association between salivary cortisol and salivary BDNF responses to physical exercise. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the concentration of salivary cortisol and BDNF, before and after exercise, in sedentary individuals and elite male basketball players. The sedentary group (23.0 ± 4.2 yrs) performed a high-intensity exercise protocol and the basketball players (18.6 ± 0.5 yrs) participated in three official basketball matches. Saliva samples were tested for cortisol and BDNF using ELISA. A significant increase in salivary cortisol from pre- to post-match was observed only for the basketball players (p < 0.05). Basketball players also presented a higher salivary BDNF concentration for both resting (pre) and post-physical exercise (p < 0.05); however, no change in pre- to post-exercise salivary BDNF was observed for either group (p > 0.05). Elevated BDNF in athletes may be associated to their repeated exposure to stressful competition situations. The current findings also suggest that different mechanisms might be involved in salivary cortisol and BDNF responses during physical exercise.
Draft Genome Sequence of Streptomyces spongiicola Strain 531S, an Actinobacterium Isolated from Marine Sediment

Streptomyces spongiicola strain 531S (NBRC 113560) was isolated from marine sediment on a beach on Sesoko Island (Okinawa, Japan). We report here the draft genome sequence of S. spongiicola 531S, in which 24 potential secondary metabolite gene clusters were predicted with antiSMASH. ABSTRACT Streptomyces spongiicola strain 531S (NBRC 113560) was isolated from marine sediment on a beach on Sesoko Island (Okinawa, Japan). We report here the draft genome sequence of S. spongiicola 531S, in which 24 potential secondary metabolite gene clusters were predicted with antiSMASH.
Genome Sequences of Antigenically Distinct Serotype O Foot-and-Mouth Disease Viruses from Pakistan

The genome sequences of three serotype O foot-and-mouth disease viruses (FMDVs) isolated from outbreaks in Pakistan in 2016 and 2017 are described. Despite all three isolates being classified in the same FMDV genetic sublineage, two of them displayed a distinct antigenic phenotype against commonly used vaccine strains. ABSTRACT The genome sequences of three serotype O foot-and-mouth disease viruses (FMDVs) isolated from outbreaks in Pakistan in 2016 and 2017 are described. Despite all three isolates being classified in the same FMDV genetic sublineage, two of them displayed a distinct antigenic phenotype against commonly used vaccine strains.
High-Quality Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas reidholzensis Strain CCOS 865T

We have sequenced and assembled the genome of Pseudomonas reidholzensis CCOS 865T, which was isolated in 2014 from forest soil. Members of the genus Pseudomonas play important roles in environmental systems and are utilized in many biotechnological processes. ABSTRACT We have sequenced and assembled the genome of Pseudomonas reidholzensis CCOS 865T, which was isolated in 2014 from forest soil. Members of the genus Pseudomonas play important roles in environmental systems and are utilized in many biotechnological processes. The genome of this species may provide an important resource for the discovery of novel enzyme activities.
Test-Retest Reliability of Isokinetic Arm Strength Measurements in Competitive Swimmers

Abstract Swimming motor patterns lead internal rotators to grow stronger than antagonist muscles, what may increase the risk of injury in swimmers. Injury prevention often involves the improvement of external rotators strength, as well as the external rotation/internal rotation ratio. The current research aimed to evaluate the test-retest reliability of shoulder concentric rotation strength in competitive swimmers using an isokinetic dynamometer. The study enrolled 35 competitive swimmers aged between 13 and 19 years. Concentric movements were performed including internal and external rotations of the shoulder joint following the instructions of the standardized protocol. The angular velocity of the test was defined at 60º/s. Outcome measures were peak torque (Nm) and work (J), measured in both, the dominant and non-dominant arms. The external rotation/internal rotation ratio was also calculated. Reliability was excellent for peak torque and work. For the external rotation/internal rotation ratio, the ICC oscillated between 0.744 and 0.860 for the work ratio of the non-dominant arm and the peak torque ratio of the dominant arm, respectively. In general terms, better reliability was observed for peak torque compared with work, for external rotation compared with internal rotation, and for the dominant arm compared with the non-dominant one.
A Practical Experience of a Software Process Line Creation

Software process definition is a complex, time con suming and error prone activity. Such activity can be facilitated by a process reuse strategy. This strategy can be implemented through process line an d components structures. This work presents a case study of a real process l ine creation in the context of an oil and gas company in Brazil. The results indica te both practical use and its potential to assess completeness and to identify in consistencies in the organizational process.
Formal Verification for Real-World Cryptographic Protocols and Implementations. (Vérification formelle des protocoles et des implementations cryptographiques)

Individuals and organizations are increasingly relying on the Web and on user-facing applications for use cases such as online banking, secure messaging, document sharing and electronic voting. To protect the confidentiality and integrity of these communications, these systems depend on authentication and authorization protocols, on application-level cryptographic constructions and on transport-layer cryptographic protocols. However, combining these varied mechanisms to achieve high-level security goals is error-prone and has led to many attacks even on sophisticated and well-studied applications. This thesis aims to develop methods and techniques for reasoning about, designing and implementing cryptographic protocols and secure application components relevant to some of the most frequently used cryptographic protocols and applications. We investigate and formalize various notions of expected guarantees and evaluate whether some of the most popular secure channel protocols, such as secure messaging protocols and transport protocols often operating at the billion-user scale, are capable of meeting these goals. In this thesis, we ask: can existing major paradigms for formal protocol verification serve as guidelines for the assessment of existing protocols, the prototyping of protocols being designed, and the conception of entirely new protocols, in a way that is meaningful and reflective of their expected real-world properties? And can we develop novel frameworks for formal verification and more secure implementation based on these foundations? We propose new formal models in both symbolic and computational formal verification frameworks for these protocols and applications. In some of the presented work, we obtain a verification methodology that starts from the protocol and ends at the implementation code. In other parts of our work, we develop a dynamic framework for generating formal verification models for any secure channel protocol described in a lightweight syntax. Ultimately, this thesis presents formal verification approaches for existing protocols reaching towards their implementation as well as methods for prototyping and formally verifying new protocols as they are being drafted and designed.
Prevenção de Falhas de Integração entre Componentes Distribuídos de Software

It is a great challenge to keep software working properly in distributed software and hardware environments. The complexity of distributed systems increases the number of integration faults resulting from configuration errors in the distribution of components. The main contribution of this work, therefore, is a change in perspective where integration faults should be prevented rather than being dealt with through postmortem approaches. To this end this paper proposes a preventive, low cost, minimally intrusive and reusable approach. At the core of the solution are the generation of hash tags and a built-in version control for the application. Prior to deployment, the tag generator creates a list of components with their respective tags, which will be part of the deployment package. During production and the execution of the application, the version control assesses the tag list in relation to the components of the station on demand and shows the discrepancies. The approach was applied to a complex application of a large company and has proven successful, dramatically reducing integration faults.
Real-Time High-Quality Specular Highlight Removal Using Efficient Pixel Clustering

On the basis of the dichromatic reflection model, recent specular highlight removal techniques typically estimate and cluster illumination chromaticity values to separate diffuse and specular reflection components from a single image. While these techniques are able to obtain visually pleasing results, their clustering algorithms suffer from bad initialization or are too costly to be computed in real time. In this paper, we propose a high-quality pixel clustering approach that allows the removal of specular highlights from a single image in real time. We follow previous work and estimate the minimum and maximum chromaticity values for every pixel. Then, we analyze the distribution pattern of those values in a minimum-maximum chromaticity space to propose an efficient pixel clustering approach. Afterwards, we estimate an intensity ratio for each cluster in order to separate diffuse and specular components. Finally, we present optimization strategies to implement our approach efficiently for both CPU and GPU architectures. Experimental results evaluated in the available dataset show that the proposed approach is not only more accurate, but is also two times faster than the state-of-the-art when running solely on the CPU. Running on the GPU, we show that our approach requires ≈ 24 milliseconds to remove specular highlights in an image with 3840x2160 (4k) resolution. That makes our GPU implementation more than one order of magnitude (20x) faster than the state-of-the-art for 4k resolution images, while providing the desired effect accurately.
Providing software maintenance and evolution as a service in a small organization: an approach based on CMMI-DEV and CMMI-SVC

This paper evaluates the adoption of CMMI-DEV and C MMI-SVC in small organization for the improvement of software maintenance and evolution process. A Software process improvement (SPI) initi ative was performed in a Brazilian small sized software product maintenance o rganization. We used the Action-Research methodology to evaluate the viabilit y, benefits and lessons learned from the simultaneous adoption of these mod els. As a result we observed that a set of Process Areas from CMMI-SVC were releva nt for supporting the management software maintenance and evolution activ ities, while Process Areas from CMMI-DEV were relevant for supporting its techn ical aspects.
Um Estudo sobre Extração de Métodos para Reutilização de Código

Resumo Refatoração de código é uma técnica amplamente utilizada e frequentemente estudada pela comunidade cient́ıfica. Entretanto, ainda sabe-se pouco sobre os motivos que levam um desenvolvedor a refatorar o código. Neste trabalho, investigamos a relação entre a refatoração Extrair Método e a reutilização de código, com o fim de entender melhor as motivações por trás dela. Após analisar mais de 10 mil revisões de 10 sistemas de código aberto, encontramos ind́ıcios que, em 56,9% dos casos, Extrair Método é motivada pela reutilização de código. Além disso, em uma pequena porção desses casos (7,9%), a reutilização elimina código duplicado já existente no sistema. Por fim, também verificamos que existem casos nos quais a refatoração favoreceu a reutilização de código no longo prazo, mesmo sem ter essa intenção inicialmente.
Estudio de Caso sobre Herramientas de Generación Automática de Casos de Prueba

Resumen. Dos de los objetivos primarios de las pruebas de software son alcanzar una alta cobertura estructural y encontrar la mayor cantidad de defectos desconocidos. Las herramientas para la generación automática de casos de prueba pueden alcanzar una alta cobertura, pero se requieren más estudios para determinar la eficacia y el tipo de defectos que pueden detectar. El objetivo del estudio de caso es analizar dos herramientas, Evosuite y Randoop, con el propósito de comparar la eficacia y los tipos de defectos que detectan. Se utilizaron dos programas bajo prueba con defectos sembrados (según la clasificación ortogonal de defectos (ODC): algoritmo, de control, asignación e interface). Estos tipos de defectos han sido reportados como los más frecuentes en estudios anteriores. Los resultados indican que las herramientas no siempre logran una alta cobertura y que tienen una baja eficacia, en oposición a algunos estudios anteriores, para detectar algunos tipos de defectos.
A Deep Bayesian Tensor-Based System for Video Recommendation

With the availability of abundant online multi-relational video information, recommender systems that can effectively exploit these sorts of data and suggest creatively interesting items will become increasingly important. Recent research illustrates that tensor models offer effective approaches for complex multi-relational data learning and missing element completion. So far, most tensor-based user clustering models have focused on the accuracy of recommendation. Given the dynamic nature of online media, recommendation in this setting is more challenging as it is difficult to capture the users’ dynamic topic distributions in sparse data settings as well as to identify unseen items as candidates of recommendation. Targeting at constructing a recommender system that can encourage more creativity, a deep Bayesian probabilistic tensor framework for tag and item recommendation is proposed. During the score ranking processes, a metric called Bayesian surprise is incorporated to increase the creativity of the recommended candidates. The new algorithm, called Deep Canonical PARAFAC Factorization (DCPF), is evaluated on both synthetic and large-scale real-world problems. An empirical study for video recommendation demonstrates the superiority of the proposed model and indicates that it can better capture the latent patterns of interactions and generates interesting recommendations based on creative tag combinations.
Pruebas de Hipótesis en experimentos de Ingeniería de Software: Desviaciones respecto a la teoría

Resumen: Antecedentes: Existen evidencias en las ciencias (e.g: Medicina, Psicoloǵıa) respecto al uso incorrecto de las técnicas estad́ısticas. Objetivo: Estudiar si es posible el uso inadecuado de técnicas estad́ısticas en Ingenieŕıa de Software Experimental (ISE). Método: Hemos seleccionado un error estad́ıstico usual (uso inadecuado de las pruebas de 1-cola y 2-colas) y mediante un survey realizado a los autores del Congreso Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement y de la Revista Empirical Software Engineering, hemos recabado información acerca de las creencias de los investigadores y ejemplos de uso de las pruebas de 1-cola y 2-colas. Resultados: Existen evidencias de la existencia de un uso discutible de las pruebas de 1-cola y 2-colas, tales como la no definición de la cola asociada con la hipótesis alternativa, ó el cambio de tipo de cola. Conclusión: Al igual que otras disciplinas, la ISE puede estar usando incorrectamente las técnicas y conceptos estad́ısticos.