Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reliability of the Ely's test for assessing rectus femoris muscle flexibility and joint range of motion

Rehabilitative protocols and orthopadic research are significantly influenced by the ability to perform reliable measures of specific physical attributes or functions. The hypothesis was that the Ely's test for evaluating rectus femoris flexibility and joint range of motion (ROM) is a reliable clinical tool. Participants (n = 54) were between the ages of 18 and 45, and had no history of trauma. Three clinicians with orthopedic expertise assessed quadriceps flexibility and joint ROM using pass/fail and goniometer scoring systems. A retest session was completed 7 to 10 days later. Statistically, Kappa values for pass/fail scoring (intrarater $\bar {X}=0.52$, interrater $\bar {X}=0.46$) and ICC values (intrarater $\bar {X}=0.69$, interrater $\bar {X}=0.66$) for goniometer data both indicated that the Ely's test demonstrated only moderate levels of intra‐ and interrater reliability. Measurement error values (SEM = 4°, ME = 4°, and CV = 3%) and Bland and Altman plots (with 95% Limits of Agreement) further demonstrated the degree of intrarater variance for each examiner when executing the Ely's test in a clinical setting. Results call into question the statistical reliability of the Ely's test, and provide clinicians with important information regarding the reliability limits of the Ely's test when used to clinically evaluate flexibility and joint ROM in a physically active population. More research is required to determine the variables that may confound statistical reliability of this orthopedic technique that is commonly used in a clinical setting to assess function about the thigh region. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 26:793–799, 2008
The congruence of actual and perceived person–organization fit

Person–organization fit (P–O fit) is an important and often-researched variable, which sheds light on the way employees perceive their relationship with the organization they work for. In this study, two different assessments of P–O fit are compared, i.e. actual fit (an indirect measurement based on the comparison of organizational and personal values or characteristics) and perceived fit (a direct measurement involving employees' own estimations of their P–O fit). The four quadrants of the Competing Values Framework (CVF) are used to investigate which values have the strongest influence on employees' fit perceptions. In a polynomial regression analysis, the predictive power of the indirect fit measure on the direct fit measure is tested in a sample of two organizations (hospital n1 = 222; chemical plant n2 = 550). The results show that of the four CVF quadrants human relations values have the strongest predictive power for employees' fit perceptions and rational goal values contribute least. In the discussion section, special attention will be paid to the measurement of individual values as the results raise important methodological questions.
A common mitochondrial DNA variant and increased body mass index as associated factors for development of type 2 diabetes: Additive effects of genetic and environmental factors.

OBJECTIVE The suggested correlation between a T-to-C transition at the nucleotide 16189 in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with increasing insulin resistance and adult-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) is debatable. METHODS Our study examined mtDNA from 462 subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and 592 normoglycemic controls (non-DM). Each participant's body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin concentration, insulin resistance index, and beta-cell function were measured. Sequencing for mtDNA, focusing on exploration of the hypervariable polycytosine tract within the control region, was also conducted in all subjects. RESULTS Prevalence of the mtDNA 16189 variant was significantly different between DM and non-DM subjects (39.2% vs. 30.7% respectively; P = 0.004). Increased incidence of DM was noted in those harboring the 16189 variant compared with those lacking the variant (multivariate odds ratio, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.80). Moreover, increased BMI was identified as an aggravating factor for development of DM in subjects harboring the variant. Odds ratio determinations yielded 2.14 in overweight and 4.63 in obese subjects harboring the variant in comparison with subjects without (1.83 in overweight and 2.16 in obese subjects). This is consistent with a progressively increased prevalence of the mtDNA 16189 variant in the non-DM groups with higher fasting insulin concentration, insulin resistance index, and beta-cell function (all P(trend) < 0.005). CONCLUSION The mtDNA 16189 variant can influence development of T2DM. The demonstrated dynamic between the 16189 variant and increased BMI exemplify an additive effect of genetic and environmental factors on the pathogenesis of T2DM.
The Insurance industry in economic development

This volume encapsulates the papers presented at a series of conferences held by the Gallatin Division of New York University which addressed questions of help to insurance regulators at the policy making stage. The theoretical basis upon which the conferences were posited was that there is a shift to a greater use of services rather than manufacturing or agriculture in today's society and that in this shifting period, the insurance sector becomes an important one.
THE OOCYTE MARKET AND SOCIAL EGG FREEZING: From scarcity to singularity

Human oöcytes (eggs) have proved quite resistant to the gift system that regulates much tissue donation in the developed nations. With a few exceptions, they move from donor to recipient through incentive systems, including high rates of compensation and frank payment. Recently, women have turned in small but growing numbers to private oöcyte banking as a way to preserve and defer their fertility. This paper draws on interviews with both clinicians and clients to consider the ways that women use private banking to manage fertility. It argues that the move from purchasing third-party fertility to private banking is a move from a scarcity economy, where lack is resolved in exchange (Simmel), to an economy of singularities (Karpik) where the autologous genetic signature of the materiel renders it non-commensurable. Hence, its value can only be realised through preservation and private retention.
Cases of scrapie with unusual features in Norway and designation of a new type, Nor98

Five cases of scrapie with unusual features have been diagnosed in Norway since 1998. The affected sheep showed neurological signs dominated by ataxia, and had the PrP genotypes homozygous A136 H154 Q171/ A136 H154 Q171 or heterozygous A136 HI54Q171/A136 R154 Q171, which are rarely associated with scrapie. Brain histopathology revealed neuropil vacuolisation essentially in the cerebellar and cerebral cortices; vacuolation was less prominent in the brainstem, and no lesions were observed at the level of the obex. The deposits of PrPSc were mainly in the cortex of the cerebellum and cerebrum, and no PrPSc was detectable by immunohistochemistry and ELISA in the lymphoid tissues investigated. Western blot analysis showed that the glycotype was different from other known scrapie strains and from the BSE strain. From a diagnostic point of view, these features indicate that this type of scrapie, designated Nor98, could have been overlooked and may be of significance for sampling in scrapie surveillance programmes.
Immigration, Social Security, and Broader Fiscal Impacts

Population aging and rising health costs will cause dramatic increases in federal expenditures some decades from now (Lee et al., 1999). Rising immigration to the United States may help avert this future crisis by slowing population aging and helping to pay for Social Security and public health care. But many immigrants have low education and high fertility, so their net fiscal impact may be costly rather than beneficial. This paper revisits our earlier analysis of the fiscal impact of immigration (Lee and Miller, 1997), henceforth LM97, in light of higher projected rates of productivity growth, an unexpected increase in the effective federal income tax rate in recent years, and some revisions of the demographic projections. We will emphasize implications for Social Security, and address points raised by the recent literature (Holger Bonin et al., 1998; George Borjas, 1999; Alan Auerbach and Philip Oreopolis, 2000; Kjetil Storesletten, 2000).
Clonal Multilineage Differentiation of Murine Common Pluripotent Stem Cells Isolated from Skeletal Muscle and Adipose Stromal Cells

Abstract: Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) with transdifferentiation capacity may provide useful therapeutic modalities in the areas of cellular restoration and regenerative medicine. The utility of PSCs depends on their ability to respond to different stimuli and to adapt to tissue‐specific differentiation conditions. Given that a number of cells possessing characteristics of PSCs have been identified and isolated from several adult murine tissues, we hypothesized that a common PSC may exist in multiple murine tissues and that these cells may either reside permanently in specific sites or continue to circulate and colonize tissues as needed. Previous data from our laboratory suggest that PSCs exhibiting an immunophenotype of CD45−Sca‐1+c‐kit−Thy‐1+ can be isolated from multiple murine tissues and may represent putative common PSCs (CoPSCs). To investigate whether the multiple tissue differentiation potential observed with these cells resulted from the presence of different tissue‐restricted progenitors within CD45−Sca‐1+c‐kit−Thy‐1+ cells or was the product of clonal differentiation of CoPSCs, clonality studies were performed. Single skeletal muscle (SM)‐derived CoPSCs were expanded for 10 days, and progeny cells were split into three culture conditions designed to stimulate myogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic differentiation. Analysis of 600 clones indicated that 2.16%, 0.83%, and 0.33% of the total number of plated single cells were capable of unipotent, bipotent, and tripotent differentiation, respectively, into combinations of myocytes, adipocytes, and neuronal cells. Given that SM‐derived CoPSCs represent 4.78% of the total cells analyzed, tripotent CoPSCs made up 0.016% of the total muscle cells. Similar results were obtained in clonal analyses using adipose stromal cell (ASC)‐derived CoPSCs, suggesting that both SM‐ and ASC‐derived CoPSCs may be phenotypically and functionally identical. Taken together, these data demonstrate that a common PSC can be identified in different murine tissues and suggest that a small fraction of these cells are capable of clonal differentiation into multiple cell types.
Occurrence of uranium in drinking water in the U.S.

Uranium is found in ground and surface waters due to its natural occurrence. In some cases, its presence is due to human activities such as mining and milling uranium. Thus, it is also found in drinking water. The range of concentrations existing in drinking water supplies in the U.S. is tabulated and examined. The range of isotopic abundances are also listed. Projections from the available data lead to estimates that of the 59,812 community drinking water supplies in the U.S., 25-650 would exceed a uranium concentration of 20 pCi/l. , 100-2000 would exceed 10 pCi/l. and 2500-5000 would exceed 5 pCi/l.
Economics Lab: An Intensive Course in Experimental Economics

Part 1: Introductions 1. An Intensive Course in Experimental Economics 2. The Trento Summer School 3. Economists Go to the Laboratory: Who, What, When and Why? Part 2: Laboratory Methods 4. First Principles: Induced Value Theory 5. The Art of Experimental Design 6. Dialogues with the Data 7. Do it: Running a Laboratory Session 8. Finish What You Started: Project Management Part 3: Applications 9. Markets 10. Auctions 11. Oligopoly 12. Games 13. Learning Direction Theory and Impulse Balance Equilibrium 14. Imitation Equilibrium 15. Choice Anomalies 16. Institutional Engineering Part 4: Projects 17. An Asset Market Experiment 18. Bifurcation in a Stock Market Experiment 19. Price Instability and Search 20. Animal-Spirits Cycles 21. The Restart Effect 22. Integrative Negotiation 23. Culture from Scratch
Impact of Financial Crises on the Value Relevance of Earnings and Book Value: 1994 and 2001 Crises in Turkey

This study examines the change in the value relevance of earnings and book value between years 1992-2007 for non-financial firms listed in Istanbul Stock Exchange. During this period Turkey experienced the economic crises of 1994 and 2001, each with different characteristics. The previous literature shows that both under firm level and macro level economic pressure, the value relevance of book value increase whereas results on earnings are inconclusive. The same financial crises can influence value relevance differently in separate countries depending on country specific factors. Similarly, it can be expected that different economic crises can affect the value relevance differently in the same country depending on the type or severity of the financial crisis. The results show that the impacts of the 2001 and 1994 crises on the value relevance of earnings are different, and this may be due to the different characteristics of these two crises.
Public Sector Professionals: The Effects of Public Sector Jobs on Motivation, Job Satisfaction and Work Involvement

This article reports on an empirical study of the job characteristics of public sector professionals and the impact of these characteristics on motivation, job satisfaction, and work involvement. We collected data from a random sample of professional and blue-collar workers in state government. The findings are: 1) though public sector professionals job characteristics are consistent with the normative data from the job diagnostic survey, job satisfaction and work involvement are lower than those of blue-collar workers, and work motivation is no higher than that of blue-collar workers; 2) job characteristics do not explain variations in professionals' satisfaction, motivation, and involvement, rather they are explained by social satisfaction, fulfillment of employees' intrinsic needs (especially growth needs), and information from others on job performance. These findings contradict some studies in organizational behavior literature and raise questions about the nature of public sector work. We specifically discuss the role of job design for improving public sector professional work.
Effects of Amifostine on Clonogenic Mesenchymal Progenitors and Hematopoietic Progenitors Exposed to Radiation

Purpose To determine the radiation sensitivities of mesenchymal progenitors and hematopoietic progenitors, and to determine the in vitro effects of amifostine on hematopoietic and mesenchymal progenitors exposed to radiation. Methods Radiosensitivity of mesenchymal progenitor cells was determined by exposing marrow low-density cells to radiation at doses of 100 to 800 cGy. Mesenchymal cell colonies were established by plating 2.5 × 105 marrow low-density cells in long-term marrow culture medium (LTCM). The size, frequency, and cellular composition of the mesenchymal progenitor cells were scored after 14 days of incubation. Mesenchymal progenitor cells were subdivided into progenitors forming fibroblast and adipocyte mixed colonies (CFU-FA), and pure fibroblast colonies (CFU-F). Hematopoietic progenitors were assessed by methylcellulose-based assay. Results Radiation at 100 cGy caused a mild decrease in CFU-F and CFU-FA derived colonies by 12% and 13%, respectively; 200 cGy decreased CFU-F by 36% and CFU-FA by 52%; 400 cGy decreased CFU-F by 50% and CFU-FA by 86%; and 600 cGy decreased CFU-F by 24%, with total absence of CFU-FA. Pretreatment with amifostine protected 100% of CFU-F at 100 and 200 cGy, 84% at 400 cGy, 46% at 600 cGy, and 14% at 800 cGy. With CFU-FA colonies amifostine pretreatment provided only minimal radioprotection. For hematopoietic progenitors radiation at 100 cGy reduced CFU-GM by 74% but had no significant effect on CFU-GEMM and BFU-E. Radiation at 200 cGy decreased CFU-GEMM by 72%, BFU-E by 54%, and CFU-GM by 84%; 400 cGy further decreased CFU-GEMM by 83%, BFU-E by 81%, and CFU-GM by 93%. Pretreatment with amifostine resulted in twofold stimulation of CFU-GEMM and BFU-E colonies. All BFU-E colonies were protected up to 200 cGy. For CFU-GEMM amifostine pretreatment resulting in 68% at 200 cGy and 31% at 400 cGy. For CFU-GM colonies it was 54% at 100 cGy, 32% at 200 cGy, and 12% at 400 cGy. Conclusions Mesenchymal progenitor cell subpopulations are differentially sensitive to radiation. Amifostine protects both mesenchymal and hematopoietic progenitors against radiation injury, though the level of protection appears to be dependent upon the sensitivities of these progenitor cells to radiation. Amifostine is a potent stimulant of BFU-E and CFU-GEMM progenitor colonies.
Are the Effects of Minimum Wage Increases Always Small? New Evidence from a Case Study of New York State

The authors estimate the effect of the 2004–6 New York State (NYS) minimum wage increase from $5.15 to $6.75 per hour on the employment rates of 16- to 29-year-olds who do not have a high school diploma. Using data drawn from the 2004 and 2006 Current Population Survey, they employ difference-in-difference estimates to show that the NYS minimum wage increase is associated with a 20.2% to 21.8% reduction in the employment of less-skilled, less-educated workers, with the largest effects on those aged 16 to 24. Their estimates imply a median employment elasticity with respect to the minimum wage of around −0.7, large relative to previous researchers' estimates. The authors' findings are robust to their choice of geographically proximate comparison states, the use of a more highly skilled within-state comparison group, and a synthetic control design approach. Moreover, their results provide plausible evidence that state minimum wage increases can have substantial adverse labor demand effects for low-skilled individuals that are outside previous elasticity estimates, ranging from −0.1 to −0.3.
Determining intensive care unit nurses' perceptions and practice levels of spiritual care in Turkey.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Spiritual Care Perceptions and Practices Scale and to evaluate factors that may be effective in providing spiritual care by general intensive care unit (ICU) nurses. BACKGROUND Spiritual needs are necessary to offset spiritual deficiencies or support moral strength. During hospitalization, patients with critical conditions and their families tend to become anxious because of fear of the unknown and an uncertain future. Spiritual issues become prominent concerns for these patients and their families. METHOD The data of the study were collected from a university hospital, two public hospitals and two private hospitals. A total of 170 nurses were in the ICU of these hospitals, and 123 nurses (79·4%), agreed to participate and, were included in this study. Prior to the study, an information sheet was provided to all nurses to explain the purpose and procedures of the survey. The demographic data form of ICU nurses and the Nurses' Spiritual Care Perceptions and Practices Scale were used for data collection. RESULTS A statistically significant difference was found between the marital status of the nurses and the total scale mean score. It was also determined that ICU nurses are in a better position regarding their perception levels of spiritual care compared to their practice levels of spiritual care, and nurses with a higher perception of spiritual care also have higher scores in the practice of spiritual care. CONCLUSIONS ICU nurses were found to be inadequate in spiritual care practices. Study findings may be used to improve the support of nurses, to ensure sensitive spiritual care in their daily practices. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE ICU nurses should be aware of the importance of spiritual care and develop tools for assessing the spiritual needs of patients.
Careers in collegiate athletic administration: hiring criteria and skills needed for success

A conjoint experiment was conducted to examine how collegiate athletic administrators make choices in terms of the job attributes deemed to be important when hiring entry-level positions, and the perceived skills and traits to succeed on the job. Seven job attributes considered important for hiring and seven skills and traits critical to succeed in the job were identified based on human resource management (HRM) literature across industries. Conjoint analysis of all responses revealed that career-related work experience was the most important candidates' attribute during the hiring decision, followed by recommendation, motivation, education, leadership experience, academic achievement, and professional appearance. Moreover, respondents cared most about people skills, followed by cooperativeness, adaptability, conceptual skills, ethical standards, creativity, and technical skills. This study adds to the literature in HRM and sport and leisure management since it has practical implications for prospective employees as well as athletic administrators working at the collegiate level.
Brinzolamide/timolol fixed combination: a new ocular suspension for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension

For the treatment of open-angle glaucoma, the most frequent cause of irreversible visual loss, fixed combinations of different topical intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering molecules have gained an important role in recent years. The use of fixed combinations reduces the number of daily instillations, which promotes adherence to the prescribed medication and diminishes the exposition of the ocular surface to preservatives. The fixed combination of brinzolamide and timolol was recently approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and is now available in several countries in Europe. It contains two molecules widely used to treat glaucoma: timolol 0.5% (5 mg/ml) and brinzolamide 1% (10 mg/ml) in ophthalmic suspension formulation. This fixed combination is approved for twice-daily instillation to reduce elevated IOP in open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. The brinzolamide/timolol fixed combination provides an approximately 30 – 33% IOP reduction from the untreated baseline IOP of 25 – 27 mmHg; thus, it is more potent than either of its ingredients alone. It is similarly effective but better tolerated than the dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination, which consists of molecules from the same pharmacological classes. The brinzolamide/timolol fixed combination can be used by itself as a separate therapy, but owing to the additivity of its ingredients to IOP-lowering drugs belonging to other classes, it may also be administered adjunctive to other IOP-reducing molecules, most importantly topical prostaglandin analogues. The ocular and systemic tolerance of the brinzolamide/ timolol fixed combination was reported favorable in Phase III studies, but no long-term clinical experience with this preparation is available at present.