Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY

This paper offers a perspective on paying for and investing in the transportation infrastructure. The following example illustrates the need to move away from the current national mind set. Pick any pothole-laden, congested two-lane road in an urban area. Suppose public funds are used to widen the road to four lanes and to repave it. Benefits will immediately flow from this investment in the form of lower travel time and less vehicle damage, but before long, the road will again fill to capacity and deteriorates. This cycle can be broken only if infrastructure is priced and invested in more efficiently. If the pothole-laden road is kept to two lanes when it is repaved but vehicles are required to pay efficient tolls based on congestion and pavement wear, then the road's capacity is far less likely to be exceeded during peak periods and its pavement will remain in good condition. Making efficient use of current transportation capacity will reduce the need for massive public investment in airports and roads and will prevent the recurrence of infrastructure problems.
Prospective Evaluation of the Impact of the 21-Gene Recurrence Score Assay on Adjuvant Treatment Decisions for Women with Node-Positive Breast Cancer in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND The 21-gene Recurrence Score (RS) assay is only reimbursed in Ontario for node-negative and micrometastatic node-positive (N+) early-stage breast cancer (EBC). We carried out a prospective study to evaluate the impact of the assay on treatment decisions for women with N+ EBC. SUBJECTS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS Women with estrogen receptor-positive, human epidermal growth receptor 2-negative EBC and one to three positive axillary lymph nodes, who were candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy in addition to hormonal treatment, but in whom the benefit of chemotherapy was uncertain, were eligible. The primary objective was to characterize how the results of the RS assay affected physicians' recommendations for adjuvant chemotherapy. Secondary objectives were to characterize changes in the physicians' and patients' level of confidence in treatment recommendations, to determine whether the results of the RS assay affected patients' treatment preferences, and to determine the final treatment administered. RESULTS Seventy-two patients were recruited; the mean age was 61. RS was <18 in 55%, between 18 and 30 in 36%, and ≥31 in 9% of patients. Treatment recommendations changed in 36% of all evaluable patients. The most significant change was in the group with a low RS. Physicians' and patients' confidence in treatment recommendations increased in 49% and 54% of cases, respectively. Upfront chemotherapy was recommended to 79% of patients before the assay; 42% ultimately received chemotherapy. CONCLUSION The RS assay resulted in a substantial decrease in the number of patients who received chemotherapy and in an increase in physicians' and patients' confidence in the adjuvant treatment recommendations. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE This is the first decision impact study to include exclusively women with ER-positive, HER2-negative, early-stage breast cancer with 1-3 positive lymph nodes, a population typically treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. This study provides evidence that, in these patients, the Oncotype Dx Recurrence Score assay influences systemic treatment decisions. Most of the changes in treatment recommendation resulted in withdrawal of chemotherapy or change in recommendation from a chemotherapy regimen with anthracyclines to a taxane-only regimen. If prospective studies confirm that these decisions result in good outcomes, a reduction in the use of chemotherapy might result in pharmacoeconomic savings.
Functions of intestinal microflora in children

Purpose of reviewThis review discusses the structural composition of intestinal microbiota, the functional relationship between the latter and the host, and the role of abnormal microflora in chronic diseases. Recent findingsA more complete view of the gut microbiota is being developed following the Human Microbiome Project. The microflora in children is plastic, susceptible to changes in response to diet modifications, antibiotic treatment and other events, providing the opportunity to study its functional role. Increasing evidence highlights the role of nutrition in the age-related development of microflora.Eubiosis, that is, a normal microflora structure, provides protection against infections, educates the immune system, ensures tolerance to foods, and contributes to nutrient digestion and energy harvest. Changes in microflora, consisting in the overpresence of harmful species or underpresence of commensal species, or dysbiosis produce dysfunctions, such as intestinal inflammation or dysmotility. Moreover abnormal pattern of microflora have been consistently detected in specific diseases. SummaryA relationship exists between eubiosis and functions and conversely between dysbiosis and dysfunctions or even diseases. Abnormalities in microflora composition may trigger or contribute to specific diseases. This raises the hypothesis to target microflora in order to restore eubiosis through the use of antibiotics, probiotics or nutrients.
Redistribution and Insurance in the German Welfare State

Welfare states redistribute both between individuals reducing annual inequality and over the life-cycle insuring against income risks. But studies measuring redistribution often focus only on a one-year period. Using German SOEP data from 1984 to 2009, long-term inequality over a 20-year period is computed and then decomposed into an inter- and intra-individual component. Results show that annual inequality is higher than long-term inequality, but redistribution is also larger annually. In the long-term, the German welfare state clearly gives priority to insurance over redistribution. This gets even more pronounced at later stages of the life-cycle through the payment of social security pensions.
Socioeconomic Vulnerability in China's Hydropower Development

Approximately 78% of China's electricity demand is met by burning coal, which has taken a serious toll on the environment. Hydropower represents a sustainable alternative source, and China already derives 16% of its electricity supply from hydropower. However, evidence from other hydroelectric projects such as the Three Gorges Dam suggests that the socioeconomic consequences of such large public works projects are enormous. A series of dams has been proposed for the middle and lower reaches of the Nu River (Upper Salween) in Yunnan Province. If completed, the 13-dam cascade would have greater power-generating potential than the Three Gorges Dam. However, the Nu is considered to be the last "virgin" river in China, and many of the proposed dams are located in an environmentally-sensitive area. Moreover, approximately 50,000 people - many of them ethnic minorities - would be forced to resettle by the resulting reservoirs [Yardley, Jim. "Dam Building Threatens China's 'Grand Canyon'. " New York Times, 2004, March 10. ]. Finally, the economic status of northwestern Yunnan is quite low, suggesting that socioeconomic vulnerabilities among the displaced population would be quite acute. Although construction has officially been halted, surveying has begun on at least five of the dams, and Wang [Wang, Xiaozong, "Quan Guo Ren Da Guan Yuan: Nu Jiang Shui Dian Kai Fa Bu Yi Cao Zhi Guo Ji", China Economics Weekly, 2008, March 31. ] reports that the actual construction process has begun on one of these dams. After providing a detailed account of China's electricity supply, this paper quantifies China's hydropower potential. We then describe the socioeconomic effects of population displacement from dam development using the Three Gorges Dam as a case study. Next, we provide a detailed economic profile of the Nu River area, arguing that poor farmers from disparate language groups are more likely to face extreme vulnerabilities in the resettlement process. Finally, we employ microevidence from interviews of affected households to demonstrate that the dam construction process in western Yunnan has been neither transparent nor consultative.
Network resources and international performance of high tech SMEs

Purpose – This study aims to identify and examine the relationship between network resources and international performance of high tech small to medium‐sized enterprises (HTSME) in the telecommunications industry in Ireland. The network resource construct for this paper comprises three dimensions: network human capital resources, network resource combination, and information sharing.Design/methodology/approach – Empirical research was carried out using a mail survey in which 154 firms completed and returned the questionnaire. Three hypotheses were analysed using structural equations modelling using LISREL.Findings – The study's main finding suggests a positive relationship between a firm's network human capital resources and international performance. However, no support was found for the relationship between network resources combinations, information sharing and international performance.Research limitations/implications – This study is cross‐sectional, confined to a single industry and focused on the r.
Interaction of organizational commitment and job satisfaction of nurses and medical secretaries in Turkey

The main aims of this study is to explain the relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment and to investigate the effects of gender, education level, age, monthly income, ownership type of the employed hospital, length of employment in the hospital, job and marital status on organizational commitment and job satisfaction. The research was carried out in three hospitals in Turkey. The research population includes 872 people: 677 nurses and 195 medical secretaries. All the questions on the research instruments were answered by 55.4% of the population. A significant and positive relationship was found between job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
It takes a community to change a broken system: Using an inter-organizational collaborative group to help ensure all Oakland students graduate from high school

ii List of Tables . xii CHAPTER I: RESEARCH PROBLEM . 1 Statement of the Problem . 1 Statement of Purpose . 5 Background and Need for the Study . 5 Introduction . 5 Spirit of Collaboration in Oakland . 6 Leadership and Cross-Sector Collaboration . 9 Political Climate and Leadership . 10 America‘s Promise Alliance . 11 Oakland‘s Promise Alliance . 11 Complexity of Collaboration and Need for Deeper Understanding . 16 Theoretical Rationale . 16 Research Questions . 19 Limitations of Study . 19 Significance of Study . 20 CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE . 22 Overview . 22 High School Dropout Challenges in the United States . 22 Collaboration. 23 Types of Collaboration . 24 Teams . 24 Working Groups. 25 Community of Practice . 28 Effectiveness of Collaboration . 30 Understanding Barriers to Collaboration Success . 36 Collaboration and Leadership Theories and Dynamics . 37 Traits and Behaviors of Collaborative Leaders . 38 Activities, Tasks, and Roles of Collaborative Leaders . 39 Leadership Theories . 42 Path-Goal Theory . 42 Situational Leadership . 43 Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX) . 44 Transformational Leadership . 46 Team Leadership . 47 Collaboration and Organizational Theories and Structure. 48 Organizational Theory . 48
OPTIMUM STORAGE VOLUME OF ROOFTOP RAIN WATER HARVESTING SYSTEMS FOR DOMESTIC USE 1

ABSTRACT: Major parameters and optimum storage volumes of rooftop rain water harvesting systems (RRWHSs) have not been investigated in detail in Taiwan. Accordingly, the four major parameters of RRWHSs were herein identified and elucidated using a simulation method. Because the performance of the RRWHSs is sensitive to the runoff coefficient, a field experiment was conducted to determine the runoff coefficient more precisely for various types of roofs. A simulation model including production theory was developed and employed to estimate the most cost effective combination of the roof area and the storage capacity that best supplies a specific volume of water. Consequently, the expansion path of optimum solutions for different volumetric reliability of water supply can be determined. Additionally, the method based on the marginal rate of substitution can be used for determining the rational volumetric reliability. The procedures developed herein constitute an effective tool for preliminarily estimating the most satisfactory storage capacity of any specific roof area and for determining the rational reliability of a corresponding water supply.
Students' attitudes to tick risks.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The ever-increasing number of patients with tick-borne diseases resulted in the presented study investigating the awareness, attitudes and knowledge among students about the threats arising from tick bites and preventive anti-tick practices. MATERIALS AND METHOD Questionnaires concerning these issues were distributed amongst Czech and Polish university students of science. Responses were analyzed by nationality and by gender. RESULTS Nearly all respondents were aware of the risks arising from ticks and could name at least one disease transmitted by ticks. The Czech students felt more threatened by tick-borne diseases, had more frequently suffered from Lyme borreliosis and were vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis more often than the Polish students. A large number of the participants applied preventive measures against ticks in order to protect themselves. The Czech students believed in the effectiveness of repellents statistically more often than the Polish students, while effectiveness is the main criterion for selection of the right repellent in both groups. CONCLUSION Differences in preferences between the two nations appeared in many areas, e.g. the Czechs felt more threatened by all kind of risks and suffered from Lyme disease more frequently. Gaps can still be found in both the knowledge and behaviour among the respondents. It can be expected that the general public knowledge of this issue is rather limited in comparison with the students participating in the study, who are systematically educated in the field.
How Do Financial Reforms Affect Inequality Through Financial Sector Competition? Evidence from Africa

In the first empirical study on how financial reforms have been instrumental in mitigating inequality through financial sector competition, we contribute at the same time to the macroeconomic literature on measuring financial development and respond to the growing field of economic development by means of informal sector promotion. Hitherto, unexplored financial sector concepts of formalization, semi-formalization and informalization are introduced. Four main findings are established: (1) while formal financial development decreases inequality, financial sector formalization increases it; (2) whereas semi-formal financial development increases inequality, the effect of financial semi-formalization is unclear; (3) both informal financial development and financial informalization have an income equalizing effect and; (4) non-formal financial development is pro-poor. Policy implications are discussed.
Exploring marriage–parenting typologies and their contextual antecedents and developmental sequelae

To identify types of families, latent-class analysis was applied to (reported) marriage and (observed) parenting measures obtained during the infancy, toddler, and/or preschool years for 828 two-parent families participating in the NICHD Study of Child Care. Five types of families were identified: Consistently Supportive (i.e., good parenting, good marriage, 15% of sample), Consistently Moderate (i.e., moderate marriage, moderate parenting, 43%), Consistently Risky (i.e., poor parenting, poor marriage, 16%), Good Parenting/Poor Marriage (19%), and Poor Parenting/Good Marriage (7%). When groups were compared in terms of contextual antecedents (measured at child age 1 month) and child cognitive–academic and socioemotional functioning in first grade, results indicated (a) that contextual risks increased linearly and children's functioning decreased linearly as one moved across the first three aforementioned groups; and after controlling for group differences in background factors (b) that children in the Good-Parenting/Poor-Marriage families outperformed those in the Poor Parenting/Good Marriage; (c) that there was evidence of “added value” developmentally when children experienced two sources of support (i.e., good marriage and good parenting) rather than just one (i.e., good marriage or good parenting); but (d) that there was only modest evidence of protective buffering whereby children experiencing just good parenting (but not just good marriages) outperformed children experiencing poor parenting and poor marriages. Results are discussed in terms of the relative influence of marriage and parenting on child development and the potential benefits of applying typological approaches to the study of marriage–parenting family subsystems.The research described herein was supported by a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U10-HD25420). The authors express their appreciation to all collaborating investigators of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care.
Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF): A Neglected Aspect of Farm Tourism in New Zealand

Despite the importance of farm tourism to many rural communities in New Zealand, there has been no attention given to the contribution of the Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) venture to farm tourism in New Zealand. While the primary objective of the venture is organic farming, the facilitation of tourism experiences on the farm remains an additional concern among WWOOF hosts. This paper is based on a postal survey of 67 WWOOF hosts located in four main regions of New Zealand's South Island. The study sought to understand the management of WWOOF farms in relation to their role in providing tourism opportunities, to determine the reasons for becoming a WWOOF host, to provide a demographic profile of hosts and evaluate the environmental values and attitudes held by hosts. The study findings highlighted that WWOOF hosting has over recent years provided an increasing contribution to farm tourism in New Zealand. The study also provided some evidence to suggest that the motivations and experiences of WWOOF hosts were notably different from that of other farm tourism hosts. In particular, environmental ethic and shared knowledge of organic practices were considered essential.
Understanding Electronic Commerce Adoption in Bruneian SMEs: A Replication of the Application of TAM and Perceived Strategic Value Models

This paper investigates 84 small and medium business organizations in Brunei Darussalam to identify specific relationships between managers' perceptions of the strategic value of e-commerce and the variables that may influence e-commerce. Two out of three perceived strategic value factors are significant, whereas four out of five adoption factors are a significant determinant of e-commerce. Factor analysis was applied to test the measurement model and the structured model was tested through canonical correlation. Based on the results, conclusions have been made.
Reducing visitor car use in a protected area: a market segmentation approach to achieving behaviour change

This research uses a market segmentation approach to reducing transport-related environmental burdens from visitors, while maintaining economic benefit. The approach was tested in the Lake District National Park (UK). It aimed first to explore visitor transport behaviour using a social psychological framework, to understand what might best predict desired behaviour change (i.e. reduced visitor car use). Second, it developed and tested different types of marketing messages to reduce car use, based on persuasive communication theory, establishing marketing propositions appropriate to different visitor types and market segments. Third, it identified market segments with both a high propensity towards positive behavioural change and the highest economic contribution to the destination. The work is based on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour and on persuasive communication. Three hundred and ninety completed questionnaires were obtained. The paper emphasises the importance of context in successful communication to influence behaviour and shows that a market segmentation approach to behavioural change can be successful. Complex patterns of visitor mobility and modal choice emerge. For example “New Explorers” and “Familiar Families” are most likely to reduce their car use (45% and 48% respectively) and less likely to perceive this as difficult.
Bone mineral density in patients with recently diagnosed, active rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives: Osteoporosis is a well-known extra-articular phenomenon in patients with uncontrolled, long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study, the extent of osteoporosis and reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and the disease-related and demographic factors that are associated with osteoporosis and reduced BMD were examined in patients with recently diagnosed, active RA. Methods: BMD of the total hip and the lumbar spine was measured using dual-energy x ray absorptiometry in 381 patients with recently diagnosed active RA, who had never been treated with DMARDs or corticosteroids. Osteoporosis was defined as a T score ⩽−2.5 SD and reduced BMD as Z score ⩽−1 SD. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to detect associations of osteoporosis and reduced BMD with disease activity, functional disability, joint damage (Sharp–van der Heijde score) and demographic factors. Results: Osteoporosis and reduced BMD were found in the spine and/or the hip in 11% and 25%, respectively, of the patients. Longer symptom duration and presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) were the only RA-specific markers for osteoporosis and reduced BMD. Further, postmenopausal status in women, a low body mass index, familial osteoporosis, and, remarkably, male gender, were independently associated with osteoporosis and reduced BMD. Conclusion: In patients with recently diagnosed active RA who had never been treated with DMARDs or corticosteroids, BMD seems to be well-preserved and predominantly related to demographic factors. Longer symptom duration and a positive RF, but not higher disease activity or more joint damage, were related to osteoporosis and reduced BMD.
Change of the quality management culture through health-promotion activities?

There is great demand for workplace health-promotion programmes that improve co-worker health and provide a return on investment, which is due to the continuous escalation of care costs and the prioritisation of co-worker health by businesses. Early research found that organisations that have achieved good co-worker health with low sickness absence through their conscious and well-structured work were also working according to Quality Management. Health-promotion interventions are possible in every organisation, but before starting a health-promotion programme it is necessary to analyse the organisation and especially its culture. The purpose of this paper is to measure in what way health-promoting activities influence the Quality Management culture, particularly the health-related values ‘Leadership commitment’ and ‘Participation of everybody’. A comparison between the Quality Management culture before starting a health-promotion project and the results a year later is presented. The results show that health-promotion activities do not affect the Quality Management culture, at least not from a year perspective. On the other hand, the results show that health-promotion activities can affect co-workers’ perception of their health.