Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification and initial response to children’s exposure to intimate partner violence: a qualitative synthesis of the perspectives of children, mothers and professionals

Objectives To synthesise evidence on the acceptable identification and initial response to children’s exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) from the perspectives of providers and recipients of healthcare and social services. Design We conducted a thematic synthesis of qualitative research, appraised the included studies with the modified Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist and undertook a sensitivity analysis of the studies scored above 15. Data sources We searched eight electronic databases, checked references and citations and contacted authors of the included studies. Eligibility criteria We included qualitative studies with children, parents and providers of healthcare or social services about their experiences of identification or initial responses to children’s exposure to IPV. Papers that have not been peer-reviewed were excluded as well as non-English papers. Results Searches identified 2039 records; 11 studies met inclusion criteria. Integrated perspectives of 42 children, 212 mothers and 251 professionals showed that sufficient training and support for professionals, good patient-professional relationship and supportive environment for patient/clients need to be in place before enquiry/disclosure of children’s exposure to IPV should occur. Providers and recipients of care favour a phased enquiry about IPV initiated by healthcare professionals, which focuses on ‘safety at home’ and is integrated into the context of the consultation or visit. Participants agreed that an acceptable initial response prioritises child safety and includes emotional support, education about IPV and signposting to IPV services. Participants had conflicting perspectives on what constitutes acceptable engagement with children and management of safety. Sensitivity analysis produced similar results. Conclusions Healthcare and social service professionals should receive sufficient training and ongoing individual and system-level support to provide acceptable identification of and initial response to children’s exposure to IPV. Ideal identification and responses should use a phased approach to enquiry and the WHO Listen, Inquire about needs and concerns, Validate, Enhance safety and Support principles integrated into a trauma-informed and violence-informed model of care.
Estimating Asymmetric Price Transmission with the Error Correction Representation: An application to the German Pork Market

Earlier attempts to test for asymmetric price transmission have been based on an econometric specification that is shown to be inconsistent with reintegration. An alternative specification based on the error correction representation is proposed and applied to transmission between producer and wholesale pork prices in northern Germany. Exogeneity conditions that are necessary for valid inference regarding asymmetry are tested. The analysis demonstrates that transmission between producer and wholesale pork prices in northern Germany is asymmetric, in accordance with common belief, the margin is corrected more rapidly when it is squeezed relative to its long-run level, than when it is stretched. Copyright 1998 by Oxford University Press.
Extracellular α‐synuclein alters synaptic transmission in brain neurons by perforating the neuronal plasma membrane

It has been postulated that the accumulation of extracellular α‐synuclein (α‐syn) might alter the neuronal membrane by formation of ‘pore‐like structures’ that will lead to alterations in ionic homeostasis. However, this has never been demonstrated to occur in brain neuronal plasma membranes. In this study, we show that α‐syn oligomers rapidly associate with hippocampal membranes in a punctate fashion, resulting in increased membrane conductance (5 fold over control) and the influx of both calcium and a fluorescent glucose analogue. The enhancement in intracellular calcium (1.7 fold over control) caused a large increase in the frequency of synaptic transmission (2.5 fold over control), calcium transients (3 fold over control), and synaptic vesicle release. Both primary hippocampal and dissociated nigral neurons showed rapid increases in membrane conductance by α‐syn oligomers. In addition, we show here that α‐syn caused synaptotoxic failure associated with a decrease in SV2, a membrane protein of synaptic vesicles associated with neurotransmitter release. In conclusion, extracellular α‐syn oligomers facilitate the perforation of the neuronal plasma membrane, thus explaining, in part, the synaptotoxicity observed in neurodegenerative diseases characterized by its extracellular accumulation.
Public Ideology and Political Dynamics in the United States

This article explores the role that two theoretically distinct conceptions of mass “ideology”—operational and symbolic—play in shaping policy and electoral change in the United States. I consider both types of ideology as aggregate, dynamic concepts, and find that though the public’s operational and symbolic preferences change in broadly similar ways over time, there are consequential differences in how these two types of ideology respond to the political context and in how they intersect with important political and social outcomes. Changes in the public’s operational ideology—the dominant direction of public views on specific policy matters—react systematically to changes in the policy context and are strongly predictive of both electoral outcomes and federal policy change. Changes in the public’s symbolic ideology—the proportion of citizens who identify as liberals or conservatives—are essentially unconnected to changes in policy and only modestly predictive of electoral results.
Parents’ food choice motives and their associations with children’s food preferences

Abstract Objective The objective was to investigate parents’ motives for selecting foods for their children and the associations between these motives and children’s food preferences. Design Cross-sectional survey. A modified version of the Food Choice Questionnaire was used to assess parents’ food choice motives. Parents also reported children’s liking/disliking of 176 food and beverage items on 5-point Likert scales. Patterns of food choice motives were examined with exploratory principal component analysis. Associations between motives and children’s food preferences were assessed with linear regression while one-way and two-way ANOVA were used to test for sociodemographic differences. Setting Two Australian cities. Subjects Parents (n 371) of 2–5-year-old children. Results Health, nutrition and taste were key motivators for parents, whereas price, political concerns and advertising were among the motives considered least important. The more parents’ food choice for their children was driven by what their children wanted, the less children liked vegetables (β =−0·27, P<0·01), fruit (β=−0·19, P<0·01) and cereals (β=−0·28, P<0·01) and the higher the number of untried foods (r=0·17, P<0·01). The reverse was found for parents’ focus on natural/ethical motives (vegetables β=0·17, P<0·01; fruit β=0·17, P<0·01; cereals β=0·14, P=0·01). Health and nutrition motives bordered on statistical significance as predictors of children’s fruit and vegetable preferences. Conclusions Although parents appear well intentioned in their motives for selecting children’s foods, there are gaps to be addressed in the nature of such motives (e.g. selecting foods in line with the child’s desires) or the translation of health motives into healthy food choices.
Applied general equilibrium analysis of trade and environmental issues

This thesis uses general-equilibrium numerical-simulation techniques to analyse trade and environmental issues. It tries to take applied general equilibrium modelling in these areas beyond their traditional confines in a number of ways. These include endogenous incorporation of international capital flows into trade models, decomposition of observed economic outcomes, and computation of bargaining solutions and non-cooperative equilibria. Chapter 1 analyses the welfare, income distribution and macroeconomic implications of trade liberalisation and increased indirect taxation in El Salvador. It is found that these policies have little effect on welfare and income distribution, but a significant impact on macroeconomic aggregates. Chapter 2 examines trade liberalisation when foreign direct investment (FDI) flows and international capital income taxation are present, using data for Costa Rica. The main finding is that, once FDI flows and its taxation are taken into consideration, trade liberalisation can hurt a small open economy, whose optimal policy is no longer free trade but a combination of taxes and subsidies on imports. Chapter 3 deals with the decomposition into trade and technology constituents parts of recent increased wage inequality in the UK. It analyses how decomposition is affected by the way in which labour markets are modelled. It is found that when labour markets are perfectly competitive, the main force behind increased wage inequality is technological change, with trade playing only a small role; but when labour market inflexibilities are taken into account, any of the two factors considered can become dominant, depending on the parameter specification used in the model. Chapter 4 examines the incentives for developing-country participation in possible future negotiation on trade and the environment, assumed to break down on North-South lines. It finds that developing countries will do better if they negotiate jointly on trade and environmental policies than if they negotiate over trade policy only. However, negotiations accompanied with side payments of cash will be even better for them. Finally, Chapter 5 analyses the role of adaptation responses to damage from externalities. Using a hierarchy of models calibrated to UK data, we compare internalisation effects in the presence of these responses with a case where they are absent. We find that taking account of adaptation responses significantly reduces the level of full-internalisation taxes and the associated welfare gains from externality correction.
The model of marketing communications effectiveness: empirical evidence from Slovenian business-to-business practice

The paper's purpose is to add to the body of knowledge on marketing communication effectiveness by developing and testing the model of marketing communication effectiveness in the business-to-business markets. Based on past research from the marketing communications and business-to-business marketing literature, the model is tested to examine the impact of antecedent variables on marketing communications effectiveness and organizational performance. Our analysis indicates that a central concept of marketing communication effectiveness is influenced by different variables. We also confirmed a positive impact of marketing communication effectiveness on organizational performance in case of Slovenian companies.
Development of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model to identify mechanisms contributing to entacapone low bioavailability

Entacapone is an inhibitor of catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) and is being used to extend the therapeutic effect of levodopa in patients with advanced and fluctuating Parkinson's disease. Entacapone has low and variable oral bioavailability and the underlying mechanism(s) for this behavior have not been studied. To explain such behavior and to characterize the dynamic changes in the metabolism of entacapone, a physiologically based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PBPK/PD) model was developed integrating in silico, in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic data. The model was developed and verified in healthy volunteers and subsequently expanded to predict the pharmacokinetic parameters of entacapone phosphate, a prodrug of entacapone, and to assess the impact of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of entacapone. Low and inter‐individual variability in bioavailability could be attributed to the extensive first‐pass metabolism by UGTs in the liver and, to a lesser extent, the small intestine. The predictive performance of this model was acceptable with predicted Cmax, AUC and PD parameters lying within 20% of the observed data. The model indicates that the low bioavailability could be attributed to the extensive first‐pass effect of entacapone. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Aufsätze in Wettbewerbsökonomik ( Essays in Competition Economics )

We investigate the incentives of manufacturers with common retailers to use resale price maintenance (RPM). When retailers provide product specific pre-sales services such as product information, minimum RPM is used by manufacturers who compete for favorable services. Minimum RPM increases consumer prices, but can create a prisoner’s dilemma for manufacturers without increasing, and possibly even decreasing the overall service level. If manufacturer market power is asymmetric, minimum RPM tends to distort the allocation of sales services towards the high-priced products of the manufacturer with more market power. These results challenge the service argument as an efficiency defense for minimum RPM. JEL classification: D83, L42
The Impact of Foreign R&D on Total Factor Productivity in the East Asian Manufacturing Industry

Applying a stochastic production frontier we examine the extent to which industrial countries' R&D contributes to East Asian economies' total factor productivity (TFP) growth in manufacturing sectors, via foreign trade as the channel for technological spillovers, based on a sample of nine manufacturing sectors for eight East Asian economies from 1973 to 1998. Our findings provide evidence that foreign R&D spillovers through imports are the main determinant of these economies' TFP growth, with output elasticity standing at an average of 0.09, consistent with many earlier studies. Both technological progress and efficiency gains are found to be key factors for sustainable economic growth in this region.
An Empirical Model of Asset Replacement in Dairy Production

Throughout the U.S. dairy farm industry, observed rates of dairy cow replacement consistently exceed the rates prescribed as optimal by dairy economists. We attempt to uncover the causes of this discrepancy by estimating a series of dynamic discrete choice models of dairy cow replacement using historical farm-level data. We also advance the methods used to estimate dynamic discrete choice models by demonstrating how orthogonal polynomial projection methods can be effectively combined with standard maximum likelihood techniques to estimate structural models of dynamic decision-making. Copyright 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural Estimation of Stock Market Participation Costs

This paper develops and estimates a dynamic model of stock market participation, where consumers' decisions regarding stock market participation are influenced by participation costs. The practical significance of the participation costs is considered as being a channel through which financial education programs can affect consumers' investment decisions. Using household data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, I estimate the magnitude of the participation cost, allowing for individual heterogeneity in it. The results show the average stock market participation cost is about 4–6% of labor income; however, it varies substantially over consumers' life. The model successfully predicts the level of the observed participation rate and the increasing pattern of stock market participation over the consumers' life cycle.
Predictors of Organizational Commitment and Union Commitment: A Conceptual Study

It has often been argued that positive employer practices reduce the need for unionization and thus have served to undercut union support among employees. In other words, organizations that treat their employees well send them a message that we are ready to meet your needs the same way your union does. Conversely, if the employers fail to fulfill their promises, employees would consider these as breaches and dissolve their emotional bonds with them and try to enhance their bonds with the union in anticipation of redressing these breaches. This view has been presented by way of propositions. Synthesizing the literatures of organizational commitment, union commitment, justice, voice and psychological contract, this conceptual paper explores the role of organizational policies in predicting organizational and union commitment, including a moderator variable. In doing so, the paper has been divided into various sections. The first section deals with a literature review of organizational commitment and union commitment. The second section deals with propositions consolidating the above literature. Whether the commitment is unilateral or dual, HR policies should be guided by this study. This would be the final takeaway from this paper.
Credit rating agencies and global financial crisis: Need for a paradigm shift in financial market regulation

Purpose - This paper attempts to identify the areas for further research related to regulating credit-rating agencies (CRAs), in order to assess whether the prerequisite for a “complete change” is present so to achieve a genuine paradigm shift on the matter. Design/methodology/approach - An overview of the unregulated background of CRAs is presented followed by the European Union's and USA's regulatory initiatives together with a critical assessment of the former and an identification of the substantive areas for further thinking. Findings - The adequacy of the recent CRAs regulation is questioned in the light of the need to take account of crucial elements such as scope, use of methodologies, due diligence and the regulatory reliance on ratings. A definition of competition is also warranted as well as a questioning of the “issuer pays” model and an assessment of the impact of ratings on systemic risk. An alternative regulatory response could take a more general view of regulating the credit-rating activity as a whole and on a world wide scale. Originality/value - This paper identifies areas for further research needed for an assessment of the most suitable regulation for the credit-rating activity. Also, the paper focuses on the need to better understand the complicated nature, functioning and impact of CRAs in the financial system in order to map the different challenges for regulators, politicians, practitioners and academics.
Preelection Selective Exposure

The glut of media coverage prior to a presidential election requires individuals to selectively expose themselves to some messages and not others. The study involves a two-session online quasi-experiment with 205 participants that was conducted before the 2008 presidential election. Hypotheses on confirmation bias and information utility driving selective exposure prior to an election are tested. Results confirm that information utility can override a confirmation bias and motivate exposure if a government change is likely and the favored party is likely to lose the election. Moreover, participants with frequent habitual online news use do not exhibit a confirmation bias. However, participants whose favored party was likely to win the election and participants with infrequent online news consumption show a significant confirmation bias.
Accuracy of Monoclonal Stool Antigen Test for the Diagnosis of H. pylori Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE:To perform a systematic review and a meta-analysis of accuracy of monoclonal stool antigen test (SAT) for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.METHODS:Selection of studies: assessing the accuracy of monoclonal SAT for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. Search strategy: electronic and manual bibliographical searches. Data extraction: independently done by two reviewers. Data synthesis: meta-analyses combining the sensitivities, specificities, and likelihood ratios (LRs) of the individual studies.RESULTS:Twenty-two studies, including 2,499 patients, evaluated the monoclonal SAT before eradication therapy. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, LR+, and LR− were: 0.94 (95% CI 0.93–0.95), 0.97 (0.96–0.98), 24 (15–41), and 0.07 (0.04–0.12). The accuracy of both monoclonal and polyclonal SAT was evaluated together in 13 pretreatment studies, and higher pooled sensitivity was demonstrated with the monoclonal technique (0.95 vs 0.83). Twelve studies, including 957 patients, assessed the monoclonal SAT to confirm eradication after therapy. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, LR+, and LR− were 0.93 (0.89–0.96), 0.96 (0.94–0.97), 17 (12–23), and 0.1 (0.07–0.15). Both tests were evaluated together in eight post-treatment studies and, again, the monoclonal technique showed higher sensitivity (0.91 vs 0.76). Heterogeneity among studies disappeared when a single outlier study was excluded. Subanalysis depending on the reference method, the study population, or the study quality showed similar results.CONCLUSION:Monoclonal SAT is an accurate noninvasive method both for the initial diagnosis of H. pylori infection and for the confirmation of its eradication after treatment. The monoclonal technique has higher sensitivity than the polyclonal one, especially in the post-treatment setting.
İLK HALKA ARZLARDA DÜŞÜK FİYATLAMA VE KISA DÖNEM PERFORMANSIN BELİRLEYİCİLERİ: 1995-2008 İMKB ÖRNEĞİ

This study investigates the existence of underpricing of IPOs in ISE, short-run perform and the factors influencing this performance and underpricing for the period between 1995 and 2008. Findings in this study present evidence of over-perform in short run and underpricing of IPOs in ISE such as other developed and emerging market, and also these results are consistence with other studies in literature. When the regression results for underpricing are analyzed, it is determined that there is more underpricing for the firms with more than 20 years of working period and the firms with fixed priced offer IPOs. The firms which are underpriced for the first day, have uncertainity, use the increase method of capital in IPOs and more than 20 years of working period show over-performances in short-run.
Internationalisation of Education and Returns in the Labour Market

The education services provided in any given country increasingly contribute to human capital that is employed in another country. On the one hand, graduates may seek to obtain the highest return to the knowledge they gained in their home country by working abroad. On the other hand, some students purchase educational services abroad and will subsequently work abroad, or return home to utilize the internationally acquired knowledge in the domestic labour market. In this paper we use data from the 2006-07 Adult Literacy and Life Skills survey in New Zealand to examine how years of foreign and domestic education affect earnings in the labour market. We account for differences in innate ability by aggregating subjective responses to pertinent questions in the survey and by incorporating parents' educational background. Our findings reconfirm the extensive evidence that education gained in a country of birth has generally a lower return in a foreign labour market than the native born receive in this labour market for the equivalent education. Post-settlement education in the host country has a higher return for migrants than for comparable native born. We also find that the highest returns are obtained among those who, after studying abroad, return home to work – a fact for which there has been to date scarce evidence. Thus, exposure to foreign education can lead to a triple gain: for the country where the education is obtained, for the students' home country and for the students themselves.