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Architectural Evolution in Modern Open-Source Software:A Case Study of TensorFlow
No full textThe evolution of software and the reuse of third-party components have been extensively discussed over time. In this research, an investigation is made on how modern open-source projects, often developed by large groups of diverse contributors, behave in terms of evolution and their reliance on third-party elements. Through a design science methodological approach, a case study on TensorFlow is conducted since it is a well-known open-source machine learning platform often selected for its significant changes and diverse contributor base. By analyzing various releases, changes in complexity, growth of code and functionalities, and individual contributions are examined. Moreover, these results are compared to the established laws of software evolution. The findings show that TensorFlow's complexity and size are continuously increasing, along with its dependency on third-party elements. Additionally, a fluctuating and unstable group of external contributions is seen, which points out a key difference in the evolution of modern open-source projects compared to earlier software systems. Based on these findings, recommendations are provided to gain better control over the evolution of open-source projects to improve software quality and long-term sustainability
Prehabilitation to enhance outcomes in surgery
No full textThis thesis investigates the role of prehabilitation in improving surgical outcomes, recovery, and healthcare efficiency in colorectal and other cancer surgeries. Observational and randomized studies showed that multimodal prehabilitation—combining exercise, nutrition, psychological support, and smoking cessation—significantly improves preoperative fitness, particularly in vulnerable patients, and accelerates postoperative recovery. Large-scale analyses demonstrated reductions in medical and surgical complications, shorter hospital stays, and lower readmission rates, with proven cost-effectiveness. High participation rates were achieved, though logistical barriers remain, especially for high-risk patients and short preoperative windows. Implementation studies in colorectal and lung cancer pathways confirmed feasibility, even within tight timeframes, and suggest that prehabilitation can enhance resilience before major surgery
When Does a Violation of the Affected Persons’ Rights in Cross-Border Confiscation Proceedings Constitute a Manifest Breach? AG Richard de la Tour’s Opinion in Case C-8/24
No full textThe European Commission's Equivalence Decisions for Third-Country Central Counterparties:Between Financial Stability and Political Considerations
No full textCentral counterparties (CCPs) play an essential role in modern financial markets. Their market access is strictly regulated, not only domestically but also across borders. To gain access to European Union financial markets, third-country CCPs (TC-CCPs) must comply with the recognition procedure set up by the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR). One of the conditions in this procedure is that the European Commission has adopted an equivalence decision concerning the legal framework of the TC-CCP's home jurisdiction. Such a decision states that the foreign legal framework is deemed to be equivalent to that provided by EMIR. In this paper, we analyse the equivalence decisions and underlying legal frameworks of three different jurisdictions, i.e., the United Kingdom, the United States, and Switzerland, in order to distil common principles. We also identify common observations concerning the Commission's attitude when it adopts decisions. We find that the Commission demands strict equivalence but is also a negotiator with two faces. What is, at first glance, a technical assessment aimed at safeguarding financial stability is supplemented by broader political and practical considerations. We conclude that the current approach can help promote financial stability but warn that it creates uncertainty for the market players involved
Dialectical Thinking in Contemporary Spirituality:Reconciling contradictory Beliefs through Metamodern Oscillations between Two Ways of Thinking
No full textPsychologists are paying increasing attention to a distinction between two ways of thinking. Cognitive psychologists discern between non-reflective “intuitive” and critical reflective “analytic” thinking. Cultural psychologists discern between context-focused “holistic” and object-focused “analytic” thinking. Both find the former strongly correlated with religious beliefs and Asian cultures, the latter with secular beliefs and Euro-American cultures. Yet, recent studies convincingly suggest: first, that analytic thinking does not just relate to secular beliefs but also to alternative beliefs that straddle the boundaries between secular and religious worldviews; second, that critical reflective thinking includes both the holistic context-focus of Asian religions and the analytic object-focus of European philosophies and sciences. This article supports these recent studies in the psychology of religion based on recent studies from the history and sociology of religion and a discourse analysis of interviews with members of a small-scale twenty-first-century spiritual group, as an example. We show that people who identify as spiritual in a metamodern context use both holistic and analytic thinking in creating alternative worldviews, which dialectically reconcile beliefs that many within modern western cultures would consider contradictory. We conclude that this both/and logic challenges theories and stereotypes about “secular versus religious” and “eastern versus western” thinking
The challenge of open-texture in law
No full textAn important challenge when creating automatically processable laws concerns open-textured terms. The ability to measure open-texture can assist in determining the feasibility of encoding regulation and where additional legal information is required to properly assess a legal issue or dispute. In this article, we propose a novel conceptualisation of open-texture with the aim of determining the extent of open-textured terms in legal documents. We conceptualise open-texture as a lever whose state is impacted by three types of forces: internal forces (the words within the text themselves), external forces (the resources brought to challenge the definition of words), and lateral forces (the merit of such challenges). We tested part of this conceptualisation with 26 participants by investigating agreement in paired annotators. Five key findings emerged. First, agreement on which words are open-texture within a legal text is possible and statistically significant. Second, agreement is even high at an average inter-rater reliability of 0.7 (Cohen's kappa). Third, when there is agreement on the words, agreement on the Open-Texture Value is high. Fourth, there is a dependence between the Open-Texture Value and reasons invoked behind open-texture. Fifth, involving only four annotators can yield similar results compared to involving twenty more when it comes to only flagging clauses containing open-texture. We conclude the article by discussing limitations of our experiment and which remaining questions in real life cases are still outstanding
In experts' words:Translating theory to practice for teaching self-regulated learning
No full textIntroductionHealth professions education (HPE) should help students to competently self-regulate their learning, preparing them for future challenges. This study explored the perspectives of expert self-regulated learning (SRL) researchers and practitioners on the practical integration of SRL theories into teaching.MethodsAn exploratory qualitative research study was conducted involving semi-structured interviews with acknowledged research leaders in the field of SRL and/or experienced professionals dedicated to teaching SRL strategies for complex skills in different disciplines. The data were analyzed using an iterative thematic approach guided by a six-step framework.ResultsFifteen interviews were conducted with experts from six countries representing diverse contexts, cultures, and disciplines. We identified five themes related to translating theory to practice for teaching SRL in HPE: theoretical issues, cultural aspects, stakeholders' participation, teaching complexity, assessment, and feedback.ConclusionsThis study presents a useful starting point for teaching SRL. The experts suggest a supportive learning environment with the guidance of competent teachers by using general and task-specific teaching and learning strategies, as well as sufficient sources and cycles of feedback, all tailored to the culture and context. These findings call for a shift in faculty development programs to foster teachers to support second-order scaffolding in HPE
Challenging the Diagnostic Value of Theta/Beta Ratio:Insights From an EEG Subtyping Meta-Analytical Approach in ADHD
No full textThe frequently reported high theta/beta ratio (TBR) in the electroencephalograms (EEGs) of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been suggested to include at least two distinct neurophysiological subgroups, a subgroup with high TBR and one with slow alpha peak frequency, overlapping the theta range. We combined three large ADHD cohorts recorded under standardized procedures and used a meta-analytical approach to leverage the large sample size (N = 417; age range: 6-18 years), classify these EEG subtypes and investigate their behavioral correlates to clarify their brain-behavior relationships. To control for the fact that slow alpha might contribute to theta power, three distinct EEG subgroups (non-slow-alpha TBR (NSAT) subgroup, slow alpha peak frequency (SAF) subgroup, not applicable (NA) subgroup) were determined, based on a halfway cut-off in age- and sex-normalized theta and alpha, informed by previous literature. For the meta-analysis, Cohen's d was calculated to assess the differences between EEG subgroups for baseline effects, using means and standard deviations of baseline inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity scores. Non-significant, small Grand Mean effect sizes (-0.212 < d < 0.218) were obtained when comparing baseline behavioral scores between the EEG subgroups. This study could not confirm any association of EEG subtype with behavioral traits. This confirms previous findings suggesting that TBR has no diagnostic value for ADHD. TBR could, however, serve as an aid to stratify patients between neurofeedback protocols based on baseline TBR. A free online tool was made available for clinicians to calculate age- and sex-corrected TBR decile scores (Brainmarker-IV) for stratification of neurofeedback protocols
Sustaining Decarbonisation:Energy Storage, Green Extractivism, and the Future of Mining
No full textWithin the context of the so-called green energy transition, the mining industry has successfully repositioned itself as a facilitator of, rather than an impediment to, a sustainable future. Underlying the success of this claim is a discourse of sustainability that, on the one hand, equates sustainability with decarbonisation and, on the other hand, insists that the rapid expansion of renewable energy generation and storage infrastructures is the only viable way to decarbonise. Reflecting specifically on the mining industry's increasingly central role within this discourse, this article identifies three key modalities of decarbonisation, each of which involves energy storage as an important component: decarbonisation through mining; decarbonisation of mining; and decarbonisation of mines themselves. Analysing these modalities through the emergent literature on the political ecology of storage, which highlights both the spatial and temporal elements of storage infrastructures, we argue that the reinforcement and expansion of green extractivist logics is driven, in part, by the idea that extractivism can and will unlock new spaces and temporalities of decarbonisation through the installation and expansion of energy storage infrastructures. Consequently, energy storage in mining decarbonisation is not only a form of accumulation, but a condition of possibility for sustaining and generating new forms of capitalist extraction
The Survival of International Organizations:Institutional Responses to Existential Challenges
Get PDFWhile international organizations (IOs) have played a central role in global governance in the post-Cold War period, during the last decade many have struggled. Due to the rise of populism, the Trump presidency, and the renewed assertiveness of the emerging powers, various IOs have been challenged in ways that put their ability to perform core functions at risk. This book studies the responses of IOs to such existential challenges. It focuses on the central institutional actors inside IOs—IO leaders and their bureaucracies—which have a strong interest in the survival and well-being of their organizations. Presenting six case studies and drawing on more than 100 interviews, the book highlights the variation in the way in which these institutional actors try to cope with and counter existential challenges: Some fight tooth and nail to keep their IOs relevant, while other institutional actors are more circumspect in their actions. The book shows that institutional actors try to tailor their responses to the specific types of existential challenges, but their ability to do so depends on the quality of their leadership, organizational structure, and embedding in external networks. This book is thus about the IOs themselves. It is about those who lead IOs at the top but equally about the desk officers who keep the machinery running. By providing a view from behind the scenes, the book uncovers important processes about the survival of IOs and international institutions