Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancing grid security with trust management

Recently, trust has been recognized as an important factor for grid computing security. We develop a trust management architecture for trust enhanced grid security incorporating a novel trust model which is capable of capturing various types of trust relationships that exist in a grid system and providing mechanisms for trust evaluation, recommendations and update for trust decisions. The outcomes of the trust decisions can then be employed by the grid security system to formulate trust enhanced security solutions. We design several algorithms to demonstrate how one can derive the trust enhanced security solutions for both user and resource provider protection with the proposed trust management architecture. Leveraging on trust knowledge and forming it as part of the security decisions, the proposed architecture possesses several desirable emerging properties that enable it to provide an improved level of security for grid computing systems.
Investigating the awareness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and practice in Saudi Arabia

This study investigates the awareness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and practice in Saudi Arabia by investigating how Saudi stakeholders perceieve CSR and the extent of CSR reporting practices among Saudi listed companies, particularly investing how internal and external stakeholders understand CSR and its disclosure. Furthermore this study explores the integration of CSR within Saudi Listed Companies' corporate policies and strategies and the dimensions that affect it, including the local culture, religion, regulation and governance characteristics. Semi-structured interview were used to ascertain the perspectives of CSR among different stakeholders concerning the different dimensions, and content analysis technique was used to analyse annual reports concerning the extent of CSR disclosure. Listed Companies' corporate policies and strategies were explored by both semi-structured interview and content analysis. Overall, it was found the the CSR concept become understandable and there is a development of perspective of CSR in Saudi Arabia. This research also show the CSR disclosure by Saudi listed companies is driven by legitimacy theory. The findings also show the level of of CSR disclosure in Saudi Listed Companies has been increasing recently, particularly during the last six years, with increasing integration in companies' policy and strategy. Furthermore, 'culture' was rated as the greatest contributing factor to CSR in Saudi Arabia.
MULTISCALE MODELLING AND COMPUTATION OF MICROSTRUCTURES IN MULTI-WELL PROBLEMS

A multiscale model and numerical method for computing microstructures with large and inhomogeneous deformation is established, in which the microscopic and macroscopic information is recovered by coupling the finite order rank-one convex envelope and the finite element method. The method is capable of computing microstructures which are locally finite order laminates. Numerical experiments on a double-well problem show that plenty of stress free large deformations can be achieved by microstructures consisting of piecewise simple twin laminates.
Fabrication and characterization of germanium-on-silicon photodiodes

Germanium is becoming an increasingly popular material to use in photonic systems. Due to its strong absorption in the near infrared and its relative ease of integration on silicon, it is a promising candidate for the fabrication of CMOS-compatible photodetectors. The goal of this thesis is to understand the physics of Ge-on-Si photodiodes, especially the dark current. Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition was used to deposit thick (1 2 jim) films on silicon substrates either selectively in oxide windows or in blanket films. Photodetectors were fabricated in both types of films and their optical and electronic properties are discussed. It was found that the main source of leakage current in these detectors is the generation of carriers at the Ge/passivation interface. This especially affects small devices, as the perimeter/area ratio is much larger than for large devices. A postmetallization anneal in nitrogen at 400 C was found to reduce the dark current of small devices (10 x 10 pm) by ~1000X at -1 V. The same anneal reduces the dark current of larger devices (100 x 100 pim) by ~140X. Through metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor and doping studies, it was found that the anneal draws holes to the surface of the germanium, leading to better isolation of the devices and reduced leakage current. It was also found that threading defects play a role in leakage current. Threading defects arise because of the 4% lattice mismatch between germanium and the underlying silicon. For 1 jim-thick germanium films, as-grown samples are expected to have -5 x 108 cm2 threading defects. At this level, these defects are the dominant leakage current mechanism. Annealing the films at high temperatures can reduce the defect density. Large-area (300 x 300 pm) devices fabricated with a post-metallization anneal and with a threading defect density of -2 x 107 cm2 were found to have a dark current density of ~1 mA/cm 2 and a responsivity of 0.32 A/W at -1 V and 1550 nm. Thesis Supervisor: Judy L. Hoyt Title: Professor
An Assessment of Radon in Groundwater in New York State

Abstract A set of 317 samples collected from wells throughout New York State (excluding Long Island) from 2003 through 2008 was used to assess the distribution of radon gas in drinking water. Previous studies have documented high concentrations of radon in groundwater from granitic and metamorphic bedrock, but there have been only limited characterizations of radon in water from sedimentary rock and unconsolidated sand-and-gravel deposits in New York. Approximately 8% of the samples from bedrock wells exceed 89 Bq L−1 (eight times the proposed regulatory limit), but only 2% of samples from sand-and-gravel wells exceed 44 Bq L−1. Specific metamorphic and sedimentary rock formations in New York are associated with the high radon concentrations, indicating that specific areas of New York could be targeted with efforts to reduce the risk of exposure to radon in groundwater. Additionally, radon in groundwater from the sand-and-gravel aquifers was found to be directly correlated to radon in indoor air when assessed by county.
Effect of drugs on the uptake and metabolism of H3-norepinephrine.

Tyramine, amphetamine, cocaine, chlorpromazine, imipramine, reserpine, guanethidine and Dibenzyline (phenoxybenzamine) markedly reduced the concentration of administered H 3 - norepinephrine in the heart, spleen and (except for guanethidine) adrenal gland. These drugs lowered the H 3 -catecholamine concentration to a moderate degree in the liver. Imipramine was the only drug that lowered the H 3 -catecholamine in the skeletal muscle. The level of H 3 - normetanephrine was decreased by all these drugs in heart and spleen and in some cases in the adrenal gland and liver. Tyramine, amphetamine, cocaine, chlorpromazine, imipramine, reserpine, guanethidine and Dibenzyline also elevated the plasma levels of administered H 3 -norepinephrine for the first 5 minutes. The plasma levels of H 3 -normetanephrine were also raised to varying degrees. These drugs appear to be acting by preventing the entry and/or the binding of H 3 -norepinephrine. The following drugs had no significant effect on the tissue and plasma concentration of H 3 - norepinephrine and H 3 -normetanephrine: Regitine (phentolamine), dichlorisoproterenol, TM 10 B, hexamethonium and ouabain. The catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor, pyrogallol, elevated the concentration of H 3 - norepinephrine in heart, spleen, liver and muscle but not the adrenal gland and plasma, and lowered the concentration of H 3 -normetanephrine in these tissues except the heart and spleen. Catron, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, had no effect on the tissue levels of H 3 -norepinephrine in these tissues (except skeletal muscle) and elevated the concentration of H 3 - normetanephrine in all tissues.
Decrease in serum chemerin through aerobic exercise plus dieting and its association with mitigation of cardio-metabolic risk in obese female adolescents

Abstract Background: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a 4-week aerobic exercise plus dieting intervention on serum chemerin in obese female adolescents and its possible role in mitigating cardio-metabolic risk including glucose and lipid metabolism, central fat and inflammation. Methods: Fifty obese female adolescents were randomly divided into two groups: exercise plus dieting group (n=30) and dieting group (n=20). The participants in the exercise plus dieting group completed 4 weeks of moderate aerobic exercise combined with dieting, while the subjects in the dieting group undertook only dieting. Before and after the experiments, anthropometric index, parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism, serum chemerin and classic inflammatory indicators (C-reactive protein [CRP], tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interleukin-1β [IL-1β], IL-6, leptin and adiponectin) were measured. Results: Compared with the dieting group, a decrease in serum chemerin was found in the exercise plus dieting group, accompanied by significant improvements in anthropometric index, glucose and lipid metabolism and inflammatory factors. In addition, a higher serum chemerin level was found in obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the disappearance of MetS induced by exercise plus dieting might be related to the decrease in chemerin. Correlation analysis showed the correlations of the decrease in chemerin with the changes in body fat, glucose and lipid metabolic index, leptin and adiponectin/leptin ratio. Conclusions: This is the first report that as short a duration as 4-week aerobic exercise plus dieting decreased serum chemerin in obese female adolescents, which might be associated with the improvement in glucose and lipid metabolism, mitigation of inflammation and decrease in MetS incidence, thus lowering cardio-metabolic risk, while no health benefit resulted from slight dieting.
Design and control of a three degree of freedom pneumatic physiotherapy robot

Stroke is a common condition resulting in 30,000 people per annum left with significant disability. In patients with severe arm paresis after stroke, functional recovery in the affected arm is poor. Inadequate intensity of treatment is cited as one factor accounting for the lack of arm recovery found in some studies. Given that physical therapy resource is limited, strategies to enhance the physiotherapists' efforts are needed. One approach is to use robotic techniques to augment movement therapy. A three degree-of-freedom pneumatic robot has been developed to apply physiotherapy to the upper limb. The robot has been designed with a workspace encompassing the reach-retrieve range of the average male. Control experiments have applied force and then position only controllers to the pneumatic robot. These controllers are combined to form a position-based impedance control strategy on all degrees of freedom of the robot. The impedance controller performance was found to be dependent upon the specified impedance parameters. Initial experiments attaching the device to human subjects have indicated great potential for the device.
Assessment of waist-worn tri-axial accelerometer based fall-detection algorithms using continuous unsupervised activities

This study aims to evaluate a variety of existing and novel fall detection algorithms, for a waist mounted accelerometer based system. Algorithms were tested against a comprehensive data-set recorded from 10 young healthy subjects performing 240 falls and 120 activities of daily living and 10 elderly healthy subjects performing 240 scripted and 52.4 hours of continuous unscripted normal activities.
Preclinical Coronary Artery Anomalies and Silent Myocardial Ischemia in Children: How Can We Identify the Potentially Life-Threatening Conditions?

Abnormalities of coronary artery, congenital or acquired, are rare in the pediatric population, but they frequently present unexpectedly. They may result in life-threatening conditions if unrecognized; however, in infants and children, preclinical coronary abnormalities usually do not present with the typical clinical manifestations seen in adults with myocardial ischemia. Timely diagnosis of silent myocardial ischemia is frequently challenging in children. Myocardial infarction may occur in anomalous left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), right ventricle-dependent coronary artery seen in pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS), and coronary aneurysm complicated in Kawasaki disease. On the other hand, some coronary artery abnormalities tend to present with unexpected ventricular arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death (SCD). These include aberrant aortic origin of coronary artery (AAOCA) and acquired coronary stenosis after arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries (TGA), and post-transplant cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), in which affected patients develop cardiac arrest or SCD without anginal pain or before having myocardial infarction. The pathological outcomes of myocardial ischemia in children are significantly different from those in adults with an atherosclerotic coronary disease; thus, the early recognition and detection of preclinical coronary anomalies and silent myocardial ischemia are essential. The underlying mechanism that determines myocardial responses to tissue ischemia involves complex processes, but it is plausible that mitochondrial signaling plays a critical role in determining these pathological paths. The involvement of the autonomic nervous system and the degree of collateral vessel development are contributing factors. In this review, pathobiology of myocardial ischemia and subsequent events will be discussed. The current paradigm of “myocardial ischemia” needs to be revisited in the field of pediatric cardiology.
KEDUDUKAN LESSOR DALAM PERJANJIAN OPERASIONAL LEASING TERHADAP KEPAILITAN LESSEE DI INDONESIA

Operational leasing is one of the financing sources that can be used by entrepreneurs to meet the need for capital goods. The parties are Lessors and lessees. Debt settlement of the lessee as a debtor may be settled through a bankruptcy institution resulting in a general seizure of the debtor's property. This study aims to determine the position of Lessor for leased capital goods, and unpaid rent in the insolvency of the lessee with the normative juridical approach method which is based on the secondary data analyzed qualitatively. Baramg capital in bankruptcy lesse not boedel bankrupt, lessor is its owner and domiciled as creditor holder of privilege of unpaid rent as regulated in Article 1139 Civil Code. Keywords : Lessor, Lesse, Bankruptcy
Robust IMC design for disturbance rejection in processes with time delay

Internal Model Control (IMC) design methods for load disturbance rejection in stable processes with a time delay and time constants are examined. The standard IMC controller which is a modified H2-optimal controller is compared with two alternative IMC controllers. The main differences, related to the modifications for ringing-free control, the choice of the robustness filter and the location of controller poles and zeros, are discussed. The performance comparison, made for equal robust stability, is favorable to the alternative IMC controllers. The controller choice depends on the process dead time, the disturbance dynamics and the robustness demands.
Using the technology acceptance model in understanding citizen's behavioural intention to use m-marketing among Jordanian citizen

This study aims to identify and understand factors that affect to acceptance M -marketing among Jordanian citizen. This study integrates technology acceptance model (TAM) with Trust factor. The primary data were collected from 1950 valid questionnaires, which were distributed, to random Jordanian citizen in three cities. The analyses of the gathered data employed the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The validity of the final overall model was evaluated using the statistics and acceptable fit of the measurement model to the data has been demonstrated. Based on the outcomes, the factors with the highest direct effect on Intention to use Mmarketing appeared to be Attitude toward using M marketing, while the factor with the highest indirect effect on Intention to use Mmarketing appeared to be Compatibility. The main findings of the study are: trust factor has a positive and significant impact on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Ease of use and perceived usefulness has the stronger impact on customers' attitude, which in turn influences customers' intention to use M -marketing services. Corresponding author: Mohammad Mahmoud Saleem Alzubi Email addresses for corresponding author: mohammad.mahmoud@mediu.edu. my First submission received: 26th April 2017 Revised submission received: 9th June 2017 Accepted: 8th August 2017 I.
Impact of Illness and Its Treatment on Workplace Costs: Regulatory and Measurement Issues

In an attempt to document a broader spectrum of the benefits of their pharmaceutical products, drug companies increasingly seek to include productivity claims in their promotional campaigns. We describe the existing regulatory framework of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for considering productivity claims, distinguishing between the traditional “substantial evidence” standard and the “competent and reliable scientific evidence” standard. But the notion of competent and reliable scientific evidence may itself be problematic, even when it is the appropriate regulatory standard, because there exists no consistent measurement approach across diseases, workplaces, jobs, and worker capabilities that is widely accepted in this emerging area of health outcomes research. We examine the various measurement approaches that have been used to quantify the impact of illness and its treatment on workplace productivity, and we describe some of the shortcomings associated with each alternative. This discussion highlights the possible difficulties faced by the FDA in reviewing productivity-based promotional claims. Finally, we suggest possible strategies for furthering this field of investigation.
Intermediaries in International Trade: Products and Destinations

Abstract This paper examines the factors that give rise to intermediaries in exporting and explores the implications for trade volumes. Export intermediaries such as wholesalers serve different markets and export different products than manufacturing exporters do. Wholesalers are more prevalent in markets with higher destination-specific fixed costs and focus on products that are less differentiated, have lower contract intensity, and have large sunk entry costs. Aggregate exports to destinations with high shares of indirect exports are less responsive to changes in the real exchange rate than are exports to markets served primarily by direct exporters.
Aggregation and the Population Dynamics of Parasitoids and Predators

Aggregation by parasitoids and predators has long been considered an important factor helping to stabilize host-parasitoid and predator-prey interactions. This consensus has recently been challenged by W. W. Murdoch and A. Stewart-Oaten, who conclude, from an analysis of a model formulated in a novel way, that aggregation independent of host density has no effect on stability, whereas aggregation to host or prey patches of high density is normally destabilizing. It is argued here that part of the discrepancy in conclusions results from the use of different concepts of aggregation: behavioral versus statistical. It is also argued that the conclusions of the Murdoch and Stewart-Oaten model should be treated with caution, because unrealistic assumptions have to be made to derive the model, and it is not clear that the conclusions are robust to the relaxation of these assumptions.
A single-blind study of combined pulse oximetry and capnography in children.

This single-blind study examined four levels of monitoring in 402 pediatric cases. Patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) oximeter and capnograph; 2) only oximeter; 3) only capnograph; or 4) neither oximeter nor capnograph data available to the anesthesia team. An anesthesiologist, not involved in patient care, observed all cases and continuously recorded hemoglobin oxygen saturation (Spo2), ECG, expired CO2, and the oximeter plethysmographic output. Mean age, weight, ASA physical status, airway management (mask or endotracheal tube), and anesthetic technique were similar in each group. Two-hundred sixty problems were documented in 153 patients. Fifty-nine events in 43 patients resulted in "major" desaturation (Spo2 less than or equal to 85% for greater than or equal to 30 s). Fifteen "major" capnograph events (esophageal intubation, disconnection, accidental extubation, or obstructed endotracheal tube) were observed in 11 patients; 8 of these also developed varying degrees of desaturation. One-hundred thirty "minor" desaturation events (Spo2 less than or equal to 95% for greater than 60 s) and 79 "minor" desaturation events (hypercarbaria or hypocarbia) were observed. A number of problems fulfilled criteria in multiple categories. Infants less than or equal to 6 months of age had the highest incidence of major desaturation events (18 of 65 [27%]) compared to toddlers 7-24 months of age or children greater than 24 months of age (P less than 0.001). Blinding the oximeter data increased the number of patients (12 vs. 31) experiencing major desaturation events (P = 0.003); blinding the capnograph data altered neither the frequency of desaturation events nor the incidence of major capnograph events. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A dynamic information flow model of secure systems

We characterize the information flow features of an information system in a state machine model, which emphasizes on the subject properties of information flows. We ague that the legality of a flow mainly depends on the subjects exploit it rather than the variables it passes through. Within the model, security policies and access control are studied in terms of information flow. We also discuss information flow security analysis. The motivation of this work comes from our experience in covert channel analysis.
The Impact of Venture Capital Financing on SMEs Growth and Development in Ghana

One limitation which arises from using PSM-DiD methods to determine the impact of venture capital financing on SMEs growth is that venture capital financing by nature is endogenous. Consequently, the PSM-DiD methods may not adequately be able to address endogeneity problems that may arise from our estimation. Thus, our impact assessment may be inconsistent due to bias selection. Another limitation is that the study only demonstrates a significant impact of venture capital funding on SMEs’ growth in a cross-sectional model, while the long-term effect is not included because many of the SMEs are young. Hence, a longitudinal data analysis of our study may show different results.