Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Flip Side of Organized Decentralization: Company‐Level Bargaining in Denmark

The Danish collective bargaining system is often considered a good example of organized decentralization. It has been characterized as a centralized decentralization suggesting a reproduction of sector‐level bargaining relations at company level. A recent survey on company‐level bargaining in the Danish industrial sector confirms this hypothesis with regard to the experiences of local managers and shop stewards. However, part of the survey also questions whether the reproduction will continue in the future. Small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises and their employees tend to miss out on the mutual benefits obtained through company‐level agreements. Furthermore, shop stewards often find it difficult to gain employee support during negotiations, which jeopardizes their bargaining relations with management.
Social Policy in Singapore: Insights from a Social Work Perspective

Social work practice, irrespective of the location of practice, is shaped by local conditions, particularly the laws and policies applicable to the practice. Most governments adopt some form of institutional arrangements pertinent to local conditions to meet local needs, such arrangements in Western contexts commonly being described as the welfare state. In other contexts, notably the East Asian context, the Western welfare state has been deemed inappropriate for meeting local needs. In this discussion there will be a focus on arrangements developed in Singapore, a country in the East Asian region. Although Singapore has eschewed any notion of a welfare state, this discussion will demonstrate that it does have in place a range of policy responses to meet Singaporean needs and that these measures are consistent with the frameworks adopted by emerging Confucian welfare states.
Alcohol, Drugs, and Substance Use Among Asian-American College Students

Abstract Two hundred and forty eight self-identified Asian-American college students participated in this study that examined the prevalence rates and sociodemographic factors of substance use among Asian Americans in college. Using a Basic Demographic Questionnaire. Family of Origin Measure, Acculturation Lifestyle Survey, and Substance Use Checklist (all instruments were in English), prevalence rates were found to be comparable to or higher than a national sample: 94.5% lifetime prevalence and 78.6% current prevalence (past 30 days) of alcohol use; and higher current prevalence (past 30 days) of illicit drug use (9.5%) and of cigarette use (22.8%) than other Asians aged 12 and older (3.5% for illicit drugs and 17.7% for cigarettes) in a national survey. Male students and those who were employed were more likely to be current users (past 30 days) of drugs in general (15%) and marijuana (13.2%), and users of wine coolers (76.0%) and cigarettes (61.1%) in their lifetime. Being born overseas, years in the U.S., and preference for American TV/movies are associated with substance use. Asian Americans are not immune from substance use (or abuse) while in college. Culture-specific prevention is necessary.
China's Great Economic Transformation: Forecasting China's Economic Growth to 2025

Why attempt to forecast China's economic growth? Most importantly, the impact of China on the rest of the world and on the standard of living of its own people depends mainly on whether the nation continues to double the size of its gross domestic product (GDP) every seven to ten years or whether that growth slows markedly or even halts. China already influences the world economy through its booming exports, its demand for natural resources, its influence on global warming, and much else. A GDP four times the current level will multiply China's worldwide impact. But there is another reason why forecasting Chinese growth is desirable in a volume dedicated to understanding China's present and past economic performance. The ability to forecast is one important test of whether the analysis has gotten the story right. There are many ways to forecast the future, some of which, like simple projections of recent trends, tell us little about the present and not much about the future. But analytical forecasts based on a model that attempts to sort out the main influences that are likely to shape that future can deepen our understanding of the mechanisms driving Chinese growth. Even if the forecasts are a bit off the mark or downright wrong, a good model allows analysts to review a forecast's strengths and limitations and to identify specific shortcomings that contributed to the gap between predictions and ultimate outcomes.
Similarities in Attitudes and Norms and the Effect on Bicycle Commuting: Evidence from the Bicycle Cities Davis and Delft

ABSTRACT Owing to its beneficial effects, many governments encourage bicycle use for commuting. In search of effective strategies, they often study best practices from elsewhere. However, in order to assess the likely success of transferring measures from one city or country to another, an accurate comparison of the bicycling context is needed. This article explores the similarities and differences in attitudes and beliefs about the decision to commute by bicycle to work in two bicycling-oriented cities: Delft, the Netherlands, and Davis, California, in the U.S. Because bicycling conditions are good in both cities, it is possible to explore the role that attitudes play in the decision to cycle to work. Analyses indicate that beliefs about safety and the importance attached to environmental benefits differ between the cities. Social norms about cycling are important in both cities, but residents in Davis are more often confronted with negative reactions to cycling. Similarities are found in beliefs towards the health benefits of cycling. Strategies successful in one city in encouraging cycling by targeting or leveraging health therefore offer promise for the other city. This exploration provides an important starting point for large-sample comparative studies of attitudes towards bicycle commuting.
Two-Dimensional Composite Mathematical Alluvial Model for the Braided Reach in the Lower Yellow River

Abstract The fluvial processes are considerably complicated in the braided reach of the Lower Yellow River, and the lateral or transverse channel deformation process is especially pronounced. The state-of-the-art of simulation techniques for the channel deformation in the Lower Yellow River was analyzed in this paper, and such a conclusion was drawn that existing mathematical alluvial models only can simulate the longitudinal channel deformation and cannot simulate such the lateral deformation as lateral erosion and failure of bank. Then a new two-dimensional (2D) composite model was developed herein, consisting of a 2D flow and sediment transport submodel and a riverbank-erosion submodel. This model not only can simulate the longitudinal and lateral channel deformations, but also can be used to simulate the fluvial processes of natural alluvial rivers with complex bed morphology. Through using the proposed composite model, the flood routing and channel deformation processes during the August 1982 flood were simulated. The maximum stage along the reach and the discharge hydrograph at the outlet so obtained were in good agreement with the observed data. Simulated results of the channel deformation processes showed that during the flood season, the main channel scours and the flood plain deposits; during the dry season, the main channel deposits and banks of the floodplain retreat due to lateral erosion by the flow and failure under gravity. Such results accord with the annual varying law of bed scouring and deposition in the braided reach.
Challenges and Opportunities for Resource Rich Economies

The political economy of resource rich countries is surveyed. The empirical evidence suggests that countries with a large share of primary exports in GNP have bad growth records and high inequality, especially if the quality of institutions and the rule of law are bad. The economic argument that a resource bonanza induces appreciation of the real exchange rate and a decline of non-resource export sectors may have some relevance. More important, a resource boom reinforces rent grabbing, especially if institutions are bad, and keeps in place bad policies. Optimal resource management may make use of the Hotelling rule and the Hartwick rule. However, a recent World Bank study suggests that resource rich economies squander their natural resource wealth and more often have negative genuine saving rates. Still, countries such as Botswana, Canada, Australia and Norway suggest it is possible to escape the resource curse. Some practical suggestions for a better management of natural resources are offered.
Using patient-reported outcomes to improve the management of co-infection with HIV and HCV: the ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH cohort

The management of co-infection with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is complicated by viral and drug-drug interactions, treatment-related side effects, and the poor response to therapy of certain HCV genotypes. Current or past drug use may also have a negative impact. HEPAVIH (ANRS CO13) is an ongoing French cohort study of co-infected individuals which combines medical and socio-behavioral follow-up. This cohort study aims at analyzing the course of HCV infection and access to HCV treatment in HIV–HCV co-infected patients, using both clinical and patient-reported outcomes. This article documents the main lessons learned to date from the HEPAVIH data and published literature, while describing research prospects and needs requiring further investigation in the field of patient-reported outcomes.
Industrial Legislation in 2002

Legislation proposed and passed in 2002 continued to demonstrate the close alliance between law and politics in this field. While the Federal government pressed on with its Workplace Relations third wave (the Registration and Accountability of Organisations legislation being its only significant success), recently elected Labor governments moved in contrary directions. The Gallop Labor government’s new Western Australian industrial laws feature in this report, and there is also a brief review of the Rann government’s commissioned review of South Australia’s industrial law. New South Wales introduced some protective measures for outworkers—and also restricted access to unfair contracts review to ‘high flyers’.
Palaeoenvironmental analysis of the Aragonian (middle Miocene) mammalian faunas from the Madrid Basin based on body-size structure

As a consequence of the growth of the Antarctic ice-sheet during the middle Miocene, a global decrease of temperatures and an associa ted increase in aridity provoked several environmental changes all around the world. Such environmental variations can be detected in the continental record of the mammalian prey community structure using a synecological approach. Because of the good quality of its faunas, the rich Aragonian vertebrate fossil record from the Madrid Basin (Spain) appears as a good candidate to explore these environmental changes. In order to analyse the climatic evolution of the Iberian Peninsula associated to the Global Cooling Event, two classic palaeosynecological methodologies (cenograms and body size diversity), based on body-size community structure, were applied to 6 fossil sites from the Madrid Basin, ranging over 2 million years (15.5 – 13.5 Ma). To establish a comparative framework, we used the ecological faunal data from 100 modern localities uniformly distributed all around the world. Our palaeoenvironmental inference is based on multivariate discriminant analysis of the dataset containing both modern and fossil mammals. Finally, we can conclude that the Aragonian mammalian assemblage from the Madrid Basin showed a predominance of semiarid environments with pulses of higher aridity in biozones Dc, E and F associated with the Global Cooling Event of the middle Miocene.
Combination Treatment With Octreotide, Midodrine, and Albumin Improves Survival in Patients With Type 1 and Type 2 Hepatorenal Syndrome

Introduction Few therapeutic modalities exist for the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). The combination of octreotide, midodrine, and albumin has shown possible benefit in small preliminary studies in improving renal function and short-term survival. Methods We examined the effect of octreotide, midodrine, and albumin on survival (censored for liver transplantation) and renal function in patients with HRS type 1 and type 2, compared with a historical cohort that did not receive this therapy (control group). Results Seventy-five patients with HRS received octreotide, midodrine, and albumin and 87 did not constitute the control group. HRS type 1 was present in 102 individuals and HRS type 2 in 60. Transplantation was performed in 45% of patients in the treatment group as compared with 26% of patients in the control group although a significant difference in transplantation rate was seen in only HRS type 2. In the treatment arm, transplant-free survival was higher compared with the control arm (median survival 101 d vs. 18 d, P<0.0001). Survival was significantly better in the treatment arm in both HRS type 1 (P=0.0003) and HRS type 2 (P=0.009). In multivariable analysis, treatment with octreotide, midodrine, and albumin (P=0.0001) and HRS type 2 (P=0.05) were independently associated with improved survival. Renal function was significantly improved at 1 month (glomerular filtration rate 48 mL/min) in the treatment group compared with the control group (34 mL/min), P=0.03. Conclusions The therapeutic regimen of octreotide, midodrine, and albumin significantly improved short-term survival and renal function in both HRS type 1 and type 2. This may provide a significant benefit as a bridge to liver transplantation in HRS type 1 and may prevent progression of HRS type 2 to HRS type 1.
Tourist use of public transport at destinations – a review

Understanding tourists' use of public transport (PT) at the destination is important for sustainable mobility, destination satisfaction, PT management and destination management. This paper provides an overview of research in PT and tourism since 2000. The review identifies main topics and issues including how PT is used for tourism purposes in different contexts. It also recommends policies and strategies for a modal shift to PT in tourism, and identifies potential areas for future research. The review indicates that there are differences in the level of PT use by visitors between rural and urban destinations. PT is often not favoured by visitors in remote areas, although the situation is more promising in urban destinations. However, the overall potential of PT as an alternative mode for travelling is unclear, given tourist motivations and behaviours, and provision of visitor-oriented PT services including the need for appropriate communication and social marketing strategies.
Currency Boards When Interest Rates are Zero

In a fixed exchange rate system, any expectation that the peg may be abandoned will normally be reflected in an interest rate differential between instruments denominated in domestic and anchor currencies: the possibility of a revaluation will drive domestic interest rates below those in the anchor currency, for example. However, when interest rates are close to the zero lower bound, there is limited scope for exchange rate expectations to be reflected in interest rate differentials. Here we introduce a new mechanism, based on the central bank balance sheet, which works to bring about equilibrium in currency markets even when interest rates are zero. An expectation of exchange rate appreciation will cause foreign exchange reserves to swell, increasing the cost to policy-makers of allowing an appreciation and, therefore, lowering the likelihood of the fixed exchange rate being abandoned. Under normal circumstances, this channel reinforces the equilibrating effect of interest rate differentials. When interest rates cannot adjust only this channel operates, implying that much larger changes in reserves are required to equilibrate currency markets. We develop a simple model to illustrate these arguments and find support for the predictions of the model using data for Hong Kong, the world's largest economy with a currency board.
Kainate receptor (GluR5)‐mediated disinhibition of responses in rat ventrobasal thalamus allows a novel sensory processing mechanism

Kainate receptors have been studied extensively in vitro, but how they might function physiologically remains unclear. We studied kainate receptor modulation of synaptic responses in the rat ventrobasal thalamus using the novel antagonist LY382884 and the agonist ATPA (selective for GluR5‐containing kainate receptors) as tools. No evidence could be found for a direct contribution of kainate receptors to responses of thalamic relay cells to lemniscal (sensory) input in thalamic slices studied with the aid of intracellular and field potential recordings, using selective AMPA and NMDA receptor antagonists and LY382884. However, the GluR5 agonist ATPA reduced the IPSPs originating from the thalamic reticular nucleus. Extracellular single‐neurone recordings in anaesthetised rats showed that excitatory responses evoked by physiological vibrissa afferent stimulation were reduced by LY382884 applied iontophoretically at the recording site. This action of the antagonist was occluded when GABA receptors were blocked, indicating that the reduction in excitatory sensory responses by LY382884 is due to an action on GABAergic inhibition arising from the thalamic reticular nucleus. Further experiments showed that these actions depended on whether inhibition was evoked during activation of the excitatory receptive field rather than when inhibition was evoked from a surround vibrissa. We suggest that GluR5 is located presynaptically on inhibitory GABAergic terminals of thalamic reticular nucleus neurones, and that it is normally activated by glutamate spillover from synapses between excitatory afferents and relay neurones during physiological stimulation. We propose that this GluR5‐activated disinhibition has an important novel role in extracting sensory information from background noise.
Truth and financial economics: A review and assessment

Truth is important in the theory and practice of finance. Asset valuation is based on models that calculate true asset values as distinct from observed market prices. In financial economics, truth is essential in theoretical and empirical work in market microstructure, corporate finance and asset pricing. The versatile use of “true values” in finance is reviewed and assessed in the context of those philosophical theories of truth which are most relevant to asset pricing debates: the correspondence theory of truth, the coherence theory as well as the pragmatist approach to truth. We find that truth, in asset valuation, is not external to the context of inquiry; it is always model-dependent. This finding motivates the argument that (the truth of propositions about a) theory-independent reality should be explored on the level of structures that trigger market outcomes, rather than the level of asset values. Our findings on the context-dependent character of true asset values also necessitate the exploration of the structure of scientific inquiry in which some contexts prevail over others and some valuation models are widely adopted as measures of truth.
Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Infection Among Women in Concordia, Argentina:: A Population-Based Study

Background Preparing for HPV vaccine programs, studies are needed of HPV infection in different populations. Goal The goal was to evaluate HPV prevalence and determinants in Concordia, Argentina. Study Design A stratified random sample of 1786 households was obtained. Consenting women aged ≥15 years were interviewed and underwent examination, including colposcopy. Cells were collected for a Papanicolaou smear and HPV DNA testing with GP5+/6+ primer-mediated PCR-EIA. Results PCR was performed on specimens from 987 women. Prevalence among women reporting no previous sexual activity was 3%, and among sexually active women it was 17.7%, peaking at <25 years of age and decreasing to a minimum at ≥65 years of age. However, low-risk types had similar prevalence (≈5%) in all age groups. HPV16 (4.0%), HPV35 (2.6%), and other high-risk types were the most common. Almost half of infections were multiple. Younger women initiated sexual activity earlier and had more partners. The main determinants of HPV detection were lifetime number of sex partners and vaginal discharge. Conclusion A clear pattern of decreasing prevalence of HPV with age was observed. This could be explained by development of immunity against specific types over time or related to a cohort effect associated with a recent spread of HPV in this population after recent changes in sexual behavior.
Racism: A barrier to entry? Experiences of small ethnic minority retail businesses

The participation of ethnic minorities in self-employment has been a phenomenon of the British labour market for many decades. One area in which there has been a preponderance of ethnic minority groups, especially those of South Asian origin, has been the independent retail sector, where many set up what became commonly known as ‘corner shops’. This sector has experienced radical change in the last decade, which has posed a real threat to the livelihood of business owners, leading to a decline in the number and profitability of shops. Many of those which have survived have to face one of society’s social ills, racism. This study, based on semi-structured interviews, attempts to establish the degree of racial discrimination experienced by owners of small retail businesses in Glasgow, with a working hypothesis that racism in all its forms will not be conducive to encouraging potential entrepreneurs from ethnic minority backgrounds to establish new businesses, and hence racism is a barrier to entry.
Epstein‐Barr virus in Hodgkin's disease: frequency of a 30‐bp deletion in the latent membrane protein (LMP‐1) oncogene in South African patients

In recent years, substantial evidence has accumulated implicating Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin’s disease (HD) and some non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (Pallesen t al., 1993; Weisset al., 1989). It has been postulated that EBV in HD interferes with the pathways of cell differentiation, through the expression of an integral membrane EBV-protein, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1) (Dawson et al., 1990). Recent studies have identified mutations and deletions in the LMP-1 gene(BNLF-1) amplified from some cases of HD (Knecht et al., 1993b, 1995; Sandvej et al., 1994). This supported earlier work by Huet al.(1991) who reported a 30-bp deletion (del-LMP-1) and 7 single-base mutations in the carboxy-terminal region of theBNLF-1 gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). It has therefore been proposed that alterations within this region of the BNLF-1 gene could render an EBV genome more aggressive and confer a growth advantage to infected cells (Knecht t al.,1993b; Sandvejet al.,1994). Our aim was 2-fold, i.e., (1) to determine the frequency of del-LMP-1 in EBV-positive HD in South African patients, and (2) to assess whether this deletion might be associated with aggressive clinical behaviour. A total of 132 HD cases were included in the study (Departments of Pathology, Groote Schuur and Red Cross Hospitals). All cases of HD were analysed for the presence of EBV by: (1) immunohistochemical analysis for EBV LMP-1, and (2) RNA in situ hybridisation to detect EBERs. Purified DNA from EBV 1