Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The scientific basis of antenatal care: Report from a state‐of‐the‐art conference *

The routine program for antenatal care consists of a number of scheduled visits aiming at detection of symptomless complications such as hypertension and deviation in fetal growth, as well as giving psychosocial support and health education. In a Swedish state‐of‐the‐art conference in May 1990, the scientific basis of this routine program was critically evaluated. It was clearly demonstrated that the scientific evidence to support present timing and contents of routine visits is unsatisfactory, and that there is a great need for evaluation both of single diagnostic procedures and intervention and of programs of antenatal care. Evaluations of antenatal care should consider not only pregnancy outcome but also patient satisfaction and cost‐benefit analysis. Long‐term follow‐up studies are urgently needed, not only of the effects of complications but also of antenatal diagnosis and interventions.
Behavioral and Brain Measures of Phasic Alerting Effects on Visual Attention

In the present study, we investigated effects of phasic alerting on visual attention in a partial report task, in which half of the displays were preceded by an auditory warning cue. Based on the computational Theory of Visual Attention (TVA), we estimated parameters of spatial and non-spatial aspects of visual attention and measured event-related lateralizations (ERLs) over visual processing areas. We found that the TVA parameter sensory effectiveness a, which is thought to reflect visual processing capacity, significantly increased with phasic alerting. By contrast, the distribution of visual processing resources according to task relevance and spatial position, as quantified in parameters top-down control α and spatial bias windex, was not modulated by phasic alerting. On the electrophysiological level, the latencies of ERLs in response to the task displays were reduced following the warning cue. These results suggest that phasic alerting facilitates visual processing in a general, unselective manner and that this effect originates in early stages of visual information processing.
Assessing the stability of the relationship between yield curves and inflation

Several papers have identified that yield curves have strong predictive power for future inflation. The present paper investigates the stability of this relationship, using the example of the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada. It confirms that the yield curve contains significant information in all four countries. The relationship appears to be stable in Germany and Canada. By contrast, there is some limited evidence for structural instability in the United States and the United Kingdom, possibly reflecting changes in monetary policy regimes.
Multilevel Perspectives on Modeling Census Data

Since most census data are released for spatial aggregates, the microscale of people and the macroscale of places are confounded in analyses. Although regrettable, this situation is usually tolerated owing to the other obvious attractions of census data. In this paper, we consider how multilevel statistical procedures offer a solution to this problem. Importantly, we show how they allow places to be considered in terms of several different scales simultaneously. As we demonstrate, this provides important connections with recent moves towards performance review in several areas of public policy. An analysis of data on illiteracy from the 1991 Indian Census provides an illustration of multilevel approach and its usefulness.
Principals, Agents and Human Rights

This article argues that human rights could be improved by motivating politicians and bureaucrats to put more effort into protecting human rights. It conceptualizes the production of human rights practices as the outcome of two principal-agent relationships that constrain politicians and bureaucrats. Reliance on taxes is a non-electoral, fiscal factor that makes politicians more willing to protect human rights. Increased government revenue, no matter the source, raises bureaucratic compensation and helps create a more accountable bureaucracy. Thus both a higher reliance on taxes and larger state revenues lead to the better protection of human rights. Each fiscal factor promotes a different type of accountability, both of which independently contribute to good human rights practices.
The Economics of Liquidated Damage Clauses in Contractual Environments with Private Information

This paper considers trading environments in which buyers are privately informed about their valuations and sellers are privately informed about the expected value of outside trading opportunities. Outside opportunities are stochastic, however, and future realized shocks may make bilateral trade between a buyer and a seller inefficient. In this environment, there is a role for using liquidated damage clauses as a screening device in optimal contracts, whether designed by the seller, designed by the buyer or designed by a third-party. In all such design settings, liquidated damages are set below the buyer's valuation. Excessive liquidated damage clauses are never optimal in this trading environment and may be a symptom of another contracting distortion or failure. These findings provide a partial rationalization for why courts may strike down liquidated damage clauses when they are excessive, but not when they are insufficient to compensate the harmed party.
Remote ischemic conditioning and renal function after contrast-enhanced CT scan: A randomized trial.

PURPOSE Remote ischemic conditioning has been shown to protect against kidney injury in animal and human studies of ischemia-reperfusion. Recent evidence suggests that conditioning may also provide protection against kidney injury caused by contrast medium. The purpose of this study was to determine if conditioning protected against increases in serum creatinine (SCr) after contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). METHODS A randomised controlled trial (NCT 01741896) was performed with institutional review board approval and informed patient consent. Adult in-patients undergoing abdomino-pelvic CECT were allocated to conditioned or control groups. Conditioning consisted of four cycles of five minutes of cuff-induced arm ischemia with three minutes of reperfusion applied ~40 minutes before CECT. The primary outcome was SCr change after CECT. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. For all patients, conditioning reduced the risk ratio (RR) of increased SCr; RR 0.65 (95% confidence intervals 0.41 to 1.04). The protective effect was greater and the evidence for protection stronger when analysis was restricted to patients with pre-scan reduced renal function (eGFR.
Underreporting and premature sign‐off in public accounting

This study uses the ethical decision‐making model to examine underreporting and premature audit sign‐off in public accounting. Structural equation modelling results indicate that accountants view premature sign‐off activities differently from underreporting activities. For example, those accountants who use a teleological moral evaluation process, and who perceive a greater likelihood of reward are more likely to underreport. That these variables are not significantly related to the likelihood of premature sign‐off suggests that accountants may use a consequences‐based approach when making decisions having lesser ethical content (like underreporting), but employ a different decision process when faced with decisions having greater ethical content (like whether to prematurely sign‐off). The results also suggest that supervisors and managers are less likely to underreport, and to prematurely sign‐off, than senior and staff‐level accountants, and that accountants with an internal locus of control are less likely (than externals) to either underreport or prematurely sign‐off.
Allotetraploid Mimulus sookensis are highly interfertile despite independent origins

Polyploidy (whole‐genome duplication) has contributed significantly to angiosperm evolution and diversification. To date, it has been found that most polyploids are the result of multiple formation events, which may contribute to genetic diversity and affect interfertility among polyploid lineages of independent origin. A recently discovered allotetraploid derivative of Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus, Mimulus sookensis, is found throughout the valleys of western Oregon and Vancouver Island. Here, we analyse the patterns of nucleotide diversity at three chloroplast and six nuclear loci in M. guttatus, M. nasutus and M. sookensis, to gain insight into the formation of M. sookensis. By analysing the patterns of genetic variation seen in the diploid progenitors in comparison with the variation seen in M. sookensis, we are able to show that M. sookensis has recurrently formed. We also observed that most M. sookensis individuals are fixed heterozygotes at all of the nuclear loci examined, suggesting that duplicate gene loss is not extensive in M. sookensis. To assess the possibility that hybridization among M. sookensis has contributed to genetic diversity, we conducted crossing experiments within M. sookensis. We found that M. sookensis of independent origin are highly interfertile, suggesting that crossing barriers do not exist within M. sookensis, and that hybridization among M. sookensis may result in new recombinant genotypes. Together, the data suggest that although recurrent origins may be common, they can contribute to genetic diversity without contributing to reproductive isolation among independently arisen polyploid lineages.
The utility of the Myers-Briggs type indicator and the strong interest inventory in predicting service community selection at the United States Naval Academy

Abstract : This study provides information for those individuals responsible for guiding midshipmen's choice of naval service community. This research is focused on individuals who received their first community choice. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator results and career and technical interest measures based on the Strong Interest Inventory from the Naval Academy classes of 1998-2001 were analyzed using discriminant analysis. This project was designed to provide company officers with the information needed to counsel midshipmen about the service communities available following graduation from the United States Naval Academy. The analysis demonstrates that while personality type as measured by the Myers-Briggs does affect the likelihood that an individual will select a particular community, other demographic information such as academic major, SAT scores, and Order of Merit have a much greater effect. The Career and Technical interest measures used by the Naval Academy's Admissions Board were found to have very little effect on community selection.
Apoptosis in Rat Cornea After In Vivo Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation at 300 nm

Purpose: Peak toxicity for in vivo ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure to the lens is in the 300-nm wavelength region. However, little is known about corneal cell damage at 300 nm. The purpose of the study was to determine the time evolution of apoptosis in the cornea after in vivo exposure to 300-nm UVR. Methods: Altogether, 16 Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups and unilaterally exposed to 5 kJ/m2 UVR (&lgr;max: 300 nm; &lgr;0.5: 10 nm) for 15 minutes. After a predetermined latency period of 1, 5, 24, and 120 hours, depending on the group, the animals were killed and eyes were enucleated. Eye globes were further cryosectioned in 10-&mgr;m thick midsagittal sections. For the detection of apoptosis, the TUNEL method was applied. Results: TUNEL-positive signals were observed in the superficial epithelial cells in the exposed and control eyes at all latency periods. At 5 hours, TUNEL staining was detected in the exposed corneas in epithelial cells, keratocytes, and endothelial cells with a maximum signal at 24 hours. At 120 hours, no TUNEL staining was found in endothelial cells and only occasionally in keratocytes in exposed corneas. Signs of ulceration and stromal thinning were observed at 120 hours. Conclusions: UVR in the 300-nm wavelength region induces TUNEL staining in all 3 corneal layers. TUNEL staining of all 3 corneal layers is an early postexposure event observed after a 5-hour latency period. Corneal sterile keratolysis occurs in the time window of 24 to 120 hours probably induced by neutrophils.
Investor Sentiment, Regimes and Stock Returns

In this paper, we empirically examine the relationship between return predictability and investor sentiment when the stock fundamentals exhibit regime shifts. This study is motivated by the fact that the predictive power of sentiment may be weakened if we do not separately identify the price change as a correction of a mispricing due to sentiment and/or an adjustment dynamic in relation to the regime shift. We propose a simple way to explore this issue within the conventional predictive regression framework and a testing procedure to tackle the potential econometric problems. Our main empirical findings are: (1) the effects of sentiment on predicting the cross-section of future stock returns are significant only under a certain regime (bullish regime); (2) dividend- and earning-oriented portfolios show strong conditional predictability patterns only after conditioning on sentiment and regime; (3) the appearance of the size and value effects is associated with sentiment and the state of regime; (4) the cross-sectional predictability patterns associated with sentiment reflect the mispricing, not the compensation for systematic risk.
Process-Driven Data Quality Management -- An Application of the Combined Conceptual Life Cycle Model

Process-driven data quality management, which allows sustaining data quality improvements within and beyond the IS domain, is increasingly important. The emphasis on and the integration of data quality into process models allows for a detailed, context-specific definition as well as understanding of data quality (dimensions) and, thus, supports communication across stakeholders. Extant process modeling approaches lack an explicit reference from data quality dimensions to context-specific information product (IP) production. Therefore, we provide a process-driven application of the combined conceptual life cycle (CCLC) model for process exploration and data quality improvement. The paper presents an interpretive, in-depth case study in a medium-sized company, which launched a process optimization initiative to improve data quality. The results show benefits and limitations of the approach, allowing practitioners to tailor the approach to their needs. Based on our insights, suggestions for further improvements of the CCLC model for a process-driven IP production approach are provided.
How does the development of the life insurance market affect economic growth? Some international evidence

This article investigates the effect of life insurance on economic growth and what conditions affect the insurance-growth nexus. These conditions include the degree of financial development, private saving rates, interest rates, social security expenditures, income, young dependency ratio, life expectancy, and geographic regions. The main findings confirm the positive impact of the development of the life insurance market on economic growth. The insurance-growth nexus varies across countries with different conditions. For example, the positive impact on economic growth is mitigated in the middle-income countries, but amplified in the low-income countries. Moreover, both the development of stock market and the life insurance market are substitutes rather than complements. Based on our findings, this study offers useful insights for policy-makers and insurers. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
EFFECT OF FEEDS CONTAINING DIFFERENT FATS ON CERTAIN CARCASS PARAMETERS OF JAPANESE QUAIL

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different dietary fat on carcass traits in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 168, 7 weeks old Japanese quail (48 males and 120 females) were used in this study. They were evenly distributed into 4 treatment groups with 3 replicates per group containing 4 males and 10 females each. The birds fed a basal diet with different fats (Sunflower, flax, corn, and fish oils) at 3% level for 13 weeks. On the last day of experiment, 12 birds were randomly selected from each treatment group (6 males and 6 females) and slaughtered to determine carcass characters included in this study which were carcass weight, dressing percentage with or without giblets and the relative weights of heart, liver, gizzard, thighs, wings, breast, back, neck and abdominal fat. Our results indicated that supplementing diet of quail with fish oil and flax oil resulted in significant improvement concerning body weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage with or without giblets and relative weights of heart, liver, gizzard, thigh, and breast and significant decrease (p < 0.05) as regards relative weights of wings, back and neck compared to treatments of sunflower oil and corn oil. However, T4 (Fish oil) surpasses other treatment groups (T1, T2, and T3) with relation to all carcass parameters involved in this experiment. Overall, the results reveal that adding fish and flax oils to the diet of Japanese quail have a significant effect on carcass efficiency. Therefore, fish and flax oils could be used as a good tool for improving carcass yield of quails.
Comparing business R&D across countries over time: a decomposition exercise using data for the EU 27

This article develops a simple decomposition of Business R&D Expenditures (BERD) panel data and applies it to analyse the development of R&D intensities in the business sector in the EU 27 countries and important non-EU countries over time. The results show that changes in aggregate BERD figures are driven by ‘within’ and ‘between’ effects that differ considerably across countries.
Group Decision Making Using Cardinal Social Welfare Functions

This paper addresses the problem of constructing a group cardinal social welfare function whose arguments are the individual utility functions of group members. Representation theorems are given which show that the social welfare function is restricted to special forms if certain “reasonable” conditions hold. The appropriateness of these conditions for different types of group decision problems is discussed.
Indocyanine green videoangiography and color Doppler imaging in Behçet's disease.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the status of the retina and the choroid, and to evaluate blood flow velocity in the central retinal (CRA) and ophthalmic artery in Behçet's disease. METHODS Digital fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICG) videoangiography were performed in 53 eyes and color Doppler ultrasonography in 61 eyes of 31 Behçet patients, between December 1993-January 1996. RESULTS Fluorescein angiography revealed no vascular leakage in 7, and diffuse retinal and/or disc leakage due to vasculitis in 46 eyes. ICG angiography was normal in 14 eyes while it revealed hypo or hyperfluorescence in the remaining. For the CRA, peak systolic and end diastolic velocities were significantly lower in Behçet patients than in control cases. In the Behçet group, Doppler indices did not differ significantly in eyes which had choroidal abnormalities and those that did not, according to ICG angiography. CONCLUSION In Behçet's disease, some abnormalities in the choroid may be seen. The disease appears to be associated with decreased mean flow velocities in CRA.
Privatisation and changes in human resource management: evidence from Spain

This study explores the changes in human resource management, which take place after a public company's privatisation and proposes a theoretical model of global analysis that covers relevant factors in the different performance areas of management (culture, management style, employee involvement and influence, remuneration, training and development, recruitment and selection, and job security/lay-offs). To confirm the theoretical propositions posed, contemporary multiple case studies are used as a research methodology, with a scientific analytical induction approach through the replication logic (analytical generalisation) and a partially deductive approach.
Optical and mechanical design of a “zipper” photonic crystal optomechanical cavity

Design of a simple doubly clamped cantilever structure capable of localizing mechanical and optical energy at the nanoscale is presented. The optical design is based upon photonic crystal concepts in which simple nanoscale patterning of a sub-micron cross-section cantilever can result in strong optical localization to an effective optical mode volume of 4 cubic wavelengths in the material (4(λ=n)<sup>3</sup>). By placing two identical cantilevers within the near field of each other, strong optomechanical coupling can be realized for differential motion between the cantilevers. Current designs for thin film silicon nitride cantilevers indicate that such structures can simultaneously realize an optical Q-factor greater than 10<sup>6</sup>, motional mass m<inf>x</inf> ∼ 5 picograms, mechanical mode frequency Ω<inf>M</inf> ∼100 MHz, and an optomechanical coupling factor (g<inf>OM</inf> ≡ dω=dx = ω<inf>0</inf>/L<inf>OM</inf>) with effective length L<inf>OM</inf> ∼ 1 µm.
Modelling Evolving Long-Run Relationships: An Application to the Italian Energy Market

This paper considers a SUTSE model embedded in a dynamic framework to estimate an energy cost share model for the Italian economy in an evolving environment. This is achieved by allowing stochastic seasonal and trend components in the long-run specification and constructing an error correction mechanism to model short-run dynamics. Modelling instability in the structural time series approach is shown to be a very flexible approach to non conventional cointegration analysis. Tests for instability in the cointegrating regression support the evolving specification adopted. Copyright 2000 by Scottish Economic Society.
A retrospective study on transforming a mainstream school into a full-service school

vi SAMEVATTING . vii KEY TERMS . ix ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS . x Orientation . 1 CHAPTER 1: Orientation . 2 1.1 Inclusive education in South Africa . 2 1.2 Full-service school development in South Africa . 2 1.3 Rationale . 3 1.4 Aim of research . 3 1.5 Research questions . 4 1.6 Research method . 4 1.7 Proposed assumptions . 5 1.8 Chapter division . 5 CHAPTER 2: Literature review . 8 2.