Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Technocracies, Bureaucracies, or Responsive Polities? Urban School Systems and the Politics of School Violence Prevention†

Objective. Two tacks are implicit in the seminal Chubb and Moe (1990) argument that education bureaucracies tend to be rigidified by democratic conflict. One emphasizes the vulnerability of urban systems to organized interests and community pressures; the other argues that urban systems are unresponsive and ossified bureaucracies. This debate contrasts with traditional assumptions of apolitical ‘‘professionalism. ’’ The predictive power of these theses is examined for the case of school violence prevention policy. Methods. Ordinary least squares regression analysis is conducted on the 1995 Council of Urban Boards of Education survey, encompassing 74 urban school districts. Results. Districts with greater levels of racial violence and violence against teachers had more school violence prevention measures. Levels of general school violence and district perceptions of school violence were not statistically significant. Conclusions. Urban systems are quite responsive to interest group pressure as well as to high SES communities. The professionalism thesis is not supported. The Politics of Urban Education After nearly two decades of virtual absence from the research literature, 1 political scientists have recently developed renewed interest in urban education politics and governance. Given that K‐12 education consumes more money than any other U.S. governmental activity, that education is consistently found to be the public’s most pressing domestic policy concern, and that urban schools are continually described as being in crisis, this would appear to be an overdue development. Nonetheless, the term ‘‘political institution’’ is more likely to call to mind legislatures or executive
Investment , Liquidity Risk , and the Transparency of Financial Intermediaries ( Preliminary )

In this paper, we study the implications for business activity of a lack of balance sheet transparency in intermediaries. To do so, we adopt a model of intermediated entrepreneurial investment in which the assets held by intermediaries can be monitored only imperfectly. In our model, these assets matter, because intermediaries insure Þrms against the possibility of a liquidity shock. We show that lack of transparency reduces the amount of leverage available to the Þrm, because intermediaries must be provided with incentives to honor Þnancial commitments. As a result, investment and return on Þrm capital are reduced. An endogenous transparency parameter is increasing in the aggregate wealth of the productive sector, so that an externality accrues to individual Þrms. It follows that aggregate investment and productivity increase more than proportionally with the wealth of the productive sector, even when technology exhibits constant returns to scale. ∗Thanks are due to Dean Corbae for invaluable discussions; and to Marla Ripoll, Jack Ochs, and other participants at a seminar at the University of Pittsburgh in the Spring of 2001. All remaining errors are my own.
MaxiNet: Distributed emulation of software-defined networks

Network emulations are widely used for testing novel network protocols and routing algorithms in realistic scenarios. Up to now, there is no emulation tool that is able to emulate large software-defined data center networks that consist of several thousand nodes. Mininet is the most common tool to emulate Software-Defined Networks of several hundred nodes. We extend Mininet to span an emulated network over several physical machines, making it possible to emulate networks of several thousand nodes on just a handful of physical machines. This enables us to emulate, e.g., large data center networks. To test this approach, we additionally introduce a traffic generator for data center traffic. Since there are no data center traffic traces publicly available we use the results of two recent traffic studies to create synthetic traffic. We show the design and discuss some challenges we had in building our traffic generator. As a showcase for our work we emulated a data center consisting of 3200 hosts on a cluster of only 12 physical machines. We show the resulting workloads and the trade-offs involved.
Myeloma prognostic index at diagnosis might be a prognostic marker in patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma

Background/Aims The aims of this study were to identify the value of inflammatory markers as pretreatment prognostic factors for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to estimate the value of a prognostic index including these markers at diagnosis. Methods A total of 273 newly diagnosed MM patients undergoing active treatment were analyzed in this study. The prognostic values for survival of the pretreatment inflammatory markers were investigated. A myeloma prognostic index (MPI) was derived using prognostic factors determined to be independently significant on multivariate analysis. Results A high pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), low platelet count, and high C-reactive protein (CRP) level had independently unfavorable significance for overall survival (OS). The MPI was derived based on these factors. Per the MPI, 1 point each was assigned to high NLR, low platelet count, and high CRP. Risk categories were stratified into low- (score 0), intermediate- (score 1), and high-risk (score 2 or 3) groups. The MPI demonstrated independent statistical significance for OS on multivariate analysis ([intermediate: hazard ratio (HR), 1.91; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12 to 3.24] and [high: HR, 3.37; 95% CI, 2.00 to 5.69]; p < 0.001). Moreover, this significance could be observed regardless of age, renal function, and exposure to novel agents. In addition, the International Staging System risk group could be further significantly stratified using the MPI. Conclusions The MPI, consisting of pretreatment inflammatory markers, NLR, platelet count, and CRP, might be effective in predicting the survival of newly diagnosed MM patients undergoing active treatment.
Teleconferencing and Leadership Emergence

An attempt was made to assess the role of medium of communication on leadership differentiation in discussion groups. Groups of undergraduates met on five different occasions to solve human relations problems, either in face-to-face discussion situations or over video conferencing networks. In face-to-face conditions development of leadership took almost a classic form, with sociometric measures systematically related to behavioral indexes; in the video (teleconference) conditions, role differentiation tendencies were sharply curtailed, and the relationship of sociometric indexes with indexes of verbal output were greatly diminished. Speculations about how mediated communication may affect differentiation processes are offered.
“Late You Come: Legislation on Lyme Treatment in an Era of Conflicting Guidelines”

“. Every patient she sees comes back with a diagnosis of a Lymerelated “condition. ” Most of her treatments are not covered by insurance, because they have no basis in evidence, and cost her patients $30 000 a year or more. Moreover, the test she uses for “diagnosis” has never been validated and is not used in New Jersey or New York; all her samples have to be shipped to a lab out of state. ”
The Within‐Setting Variability of Validity in Cognitive Ability Tests

This study was directed to check the second prediction of the situational specificity hypothesis (SSH). According to this prediction, if the setting is held constant, then validity coefficients will not vary from study to study. This prediction was tested using data from a series of studies in which cognitive ability tests were used. These tests are subjected to a cultural bias that could affect the validity variability. The results are contrary to the second prediction of the SSH because a great variability was found in the validity coefficients within-setting. However, the findings are consistent with the hypothesis of validity generalization (VGH) that predicts similar variability in both across settings and within-setting. Also, the cultural context does not seem to affect the variability of validity and this variability is similar to that observed in previous studies of validity generalization.
Depressive affect in incident hemodialysis patients

Abstract Background The prevalence of depressive affect is not well defined in the incident hemodialysis (HD) population. We investigated the prevalence of and associated risk factors and hospitalization rates for depressive affect in incident HD patients. Methods We performed a prospective investigation using the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ2) depressive affect assessment. From January to July of 2013 at 108 in-center clinics randomly selected across tertiles of baseline quality measures, we contacted 577 and 543 patients by telephone for depressive affect screening. PHQ2 test scores range from 0 to 6 (scores ≥3 suggest the presence of depressive affect). The prevalence of depressive affect was measured at 1–30 and 121–150 days after initiating HD; depressive affect risk factors and hospitalization rates by depressive affect status at 1–30 days after starting HD were computed. Results Of 1120 contacted patients, 340 completed the PHQ2. In patients screened at 1–30 or 121–150 days after starting HD, depressive affect prevalence was 20.2% and 18.5%, respectively (unpaired t-test, P = 0.7). In 35 patients screened at both time points, there were trends for lower prevalence of depressive affect at the end of incident HD, with 20.0% and 5.7% of patients positive for depressive affect at 1–30 and 121–150 days, respectively (paired t-test, P = 0.1). Hospitalization rates were higher in patients with depressive affect during the first 30 days, exhibiting 1.5 more admissions (P < 0.001) and 10.5 additional hospital days (P = 0.008) per patient-year. Females were at higher risk for depressive affect at 1–30 days (P = 0.01). Conclusions The prevalence of depressive affect in HD patients is high throughout the incident period. Rates of hospital admissions and hospital days are increased in incident HD patients with depressive affect.
Towards an Empirically Developed Scale for System Trust: Take Two

Research on human trust in automated systems has been frequently limited by the use of inappropriate and inaccurate scales of human-machine trust. An attempt is made here to validate a scale proposed by Jian, Bisantz, and Drury (2000) that measures trust and distrust in automated systems. Sixty participants completed a patient monitoring task with the aid of an imperfect signaling system. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted using LISREL 8.0 to determine the best fitting measurement model. Chi-square difference tests indicated that the best fitting model was the 2-factor oblique model. These results suggest that when using the System Trust Scale, researchers should treat trust as a multi-dimensional construct comprising of two distinct, yet related, factors. Implications for future research and measurement development are discussed.
Marketing the Gurkha security package: Colonial histories and neoliberal economies of private security

This article contributes to the existing critical theory and gender scholarship on private military security companies by examining how the gendered subjectivities of third-country nationals (TCNs) are constituted through the intersections of colonial histories and neoliberal economic practices. Focusing on Gurkha contractors, I ask how it is that both the remuneration and the working conditions of TCNs are inferior to those of their white Western peers within the industry. The article shows that Gurkhas’ working conditions flow from their location on the periphery of global employment markets, a disadvantage that is further inflected by their status as racially underdeveloped subjects. Thus, their material and cultural status within the industry – regardless of the abilities of the individuals in question – is argued to be the outcome of tenacious colonial histories that continue to shape the labour-market opportunities of men from the global South within larger global security governance practices that increasingly feature outsourcing of military labour in operations.
Peroxidative Damage and Nephrotoxicity of Dichlorovinylcysteine in Mice

Male NMRI mice were treated i.p. with dichlorovinylcysteine (DCVC) in a dosage of 2.5‐500 mg/kg−1 and renal cortical slices from naive mice were incubated with 0–125 μg/ml−1 DCVC. The effects of DCVC on blood urea nitrogen (BUN), reduced glutathione (GSH) content, malondialdehyde (MDA) production, p‐aminohippuric acid (PAH)‐ and tetraethylammoniun (TEA)‐accumulation and glucose synthesis (gluconeogenesis) were measured.
Autonomy and Relatedness in Family Interactions as Predictors of Expressions of Negative Adolescent Affect

This study examined the connection between adolescents' expressions of negative affect and their attempts to meet the developmental task of establishing autonomy and relatedness in interactions with their parents. Longitudinal, observational data were obtained by coding family interaction tasks administered to 96 adolescents at ages 14 and 16 and their one or two parents. These were then related to observer-rated adolescent depressive affect in an interview at age 16 and to self-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior at age 17. Results revealed that difficulties establishing autonomy and relatedness with parents were linked to both depressed affect and externalizing behaviors. However, depressed affect was more closely linked to difficulties establishing autonomy, whereas externalizing behaviors were more closely linked to difficulties maintaining relatedness.
Effects of tamoxifen and exemestane on cognitive functioning of postmenopausal patients with breast cancer: results from the neuropsychological side study of the tamoxifen and exemestane adjuvant multinational trial.

PURPOSE To evaluate the influence of adjuvant tamoxifen and exemestane on cognitive functioning in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer (BC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Neuropsychological assessments were performed before the start (T1) and after 1 year of adjuvant endocrine treatment (T2) in Dutch postmenopausal patients with BC, who did not receive chemotherapy. Patients participated in the international Tamoxifen and Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational trial, a prospective randomized study investigating tamoxifen versus exemestane as adjuvant therapy for hormone-sensitive BC. RESULTS Participants included 80 tamoxifen users (mean age, 68.7 years; range 51 to 84), 99 exemestane users (mean age, 68.3 years; range, 50 to 82), and 120 healthy controls (mean age, 66.2 years; range, 49 to 86). At T2, after adjustment for T1 performance, exemestane users did not perform statistically significantly worse than healthy controls on any cognitive domain. In contrast, tamoxifen users performed statistically significantly worse than healthy controls on verbal memory (P < .01; Cohen's d = .43) and executive functioning (P = .01; Cohen's d = .40), and statistically significantly worse than exemestane users on information processing speed (P = .02; Cohen's d = .36). With respect to visual memory, working memory, verbal fluency, reaction speed, and motor speed, no significant differences between the three groups were found. CONCLUSION After 1 year of adjuvant therapy, tamoxifen use is associated with statistically significant lower functioning in verbal memory and executive functioning, whereas exemestane use is not associated with statistically significant lower cognitive functioning in postmenopausal patients with BC. Our results accentuate the need to include assessments of cognitive effects of adjuvant endocrine treatment in long-term safety studies.
Stressful life events among homeless people: Quantity, types, timing, and perceived causality

■This article describes the stressful life events suffered by a multicenter, randomized sample of 262 homeless adults in Madrid, Spain. Subjects were interviewed with the List of Threatening Experiences (Brugha and Cragg, 1990), supplemented by nine additional items specifically related to homelessness. Participants then rated each life event in regard to its causal contribution to their homeless situation. Findings showed that homeless people have suffered a mean of 9.1 important stressful events in their lives. Most of these events occurred Before (45% of the episodes), or During (39%), the first homelessness episode. In regard to the perceived causality of the stressful events, we found that homeless people have a multicausal view of their own problems. In fact, three categories of events were subjectively related to their current homeless condition: economic problems, breakdown of social ties, and mental illnesses. We discuss the implications of these data in light of Daly’s (1994) typology of causal factors involved in homelessness: Economic, Affective/Relationship, Personal, and Institutional. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Don't take my hope away: Understanding the patient's hope in neurological rehabilitation

he neurological rehabili-tation process should be guided by goals mutually-agreed between patients and health professionals (Royal College of Physicians, 2012). However, patients may feel they do not control the goals and may feel only passively involved in the goal setting (Rosewilliam et al, 2011). Passive involvement may be explained partially by considering how health professionals and patients understand the concept of hope. Health professionals may be con-cerned that patients might seek unre-alistic goals (Soundy et al, 2010) during goal-setting, which could engender ‘false hope’ (Parry, 2004). False hope could arise from expec-tations based on illusions, goals that appear inappropriate, or poor strat-egies for reaching goals (Snyder et al, 2002). In response to false hope, health professionals may feel impelled to tackle a patient’s goals and their hope by making goals more realistic (Wiles et al, 2008; Soundy et al, 2010).
Toward a Further Understanding of the Relationships Between Perceptions of Support and Work Attitudes

This study (a) compared the effect of perceived supervisor support (PSS) and perceived coworker support (PCS) on work attitudes; (b) examined the moderating role of gender, tenure, and job type in the support—attitude relationship; and (c) tested a theoretical model hypothesizing relationships among PCS, PSS, perceived organizational support, and work attitudes. In a meta-analysis, PSS was found to be more strongly related to job satisfaction (.52 vs. .37), affective commitment (.48 vs. .28), and turnover intention (—.36 vs. —.19) than was PCS. Further, job type (customer-contact vs. non-customer-contact jobs) was found to be a significant moderator. Finally, the proposed model received empirical support. Different forms of support were closely related to work attitudes and to each other. Implications for research on social support are discussed.
Associations between Aromatase CYP19 rs10046 Polymorphism and Breast Cancer Risk: From a Case-Control to a Meta-Analysis of 20,098 Subjects

Lifetime exposure to estrogen is a factor that plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer. Genetic variants in genes of the biosynthesis and metabolism of estrogen have been associated with breast cancer risk. Among them, the CYP19 gene encodes for aromatase, the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of androgens to estrogens. The rs10046 polymorphism on the CYP19 gene has been related to levels of circulating estradiol and to the estradiol/testosterone ratio. To date, epidemiological studies of rs10046 have been performed in different populations with contradictory results. In the present study, we have conducted a case-control analysis (522 cases and 1221 controls) in a Spanish population. Furthermore, we have performed a meta-analysis including 20,098 subjects (7,998 cases and 12,100 controls) to summarize the data available for rs10046 and breast cancer risk. An odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was applied to assess the association. The results of our case-control study show an association between the carriers of at least one C allele (dominant model) and breast cancer risk (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.01–1.66, p-value = 0.038). The meta-analysis shows no significant association with breast cancer risk in any of the genetic models tested. The analysis by ethnic subgroups also failed to produce associations. The evaluation of heterogeneity, influence analysis, and publication bias confirms the reliability of the analysis. We can conclude that the rs10046 polymorphism on CYP19 by itself does not constitute breast cancer risk. We cannot, however, reject the possibility that it could contribute (interact), together with other genetic variants, to modify the circulating levels of estradiol.
Social Cognitive Predictors of Academic Interests and Goals in Engineering: Utility for Women and Students at Historically Black Universities.

This study examined the utility of social cognitive career theory (SCCT; R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 1994) in predicting engineering interests and major choice goals among women and men and among students at historically Black and predominantly White universities. Participants (487 students in introductory engineering courses at 3 universities) completed measures of academic interests, goals, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and environmental supports and barriers in relation to engineering majors. Findings indicated that the SCCT-based model of interest and choice goals produced good fit to the data across gender and university type. Implications for future research on SCCT's choice hypotheses, and particularly for the role of environmental supports and barriers in the choice of science and engineering fields, are discussed.
Comparing Teacher-Student Interactions in Content Classrooms in a Japanese University

The recent impact of globalization has promoted reformation in the Japanese English education. Instead of focusing on receptive skills, productive skills including speaking, pragmatic, and strategic competences have been promoted. The Japanese educational institutions are currently trying to improve the communicative competence of students, and universities started to offer departmental-academic classes in English. The purposes of the classes are to improve the communicative abilities of students and to attract international students. According to the survey by the government, one third of Japanese universities conduct some types of content classes in English (MEXT, 2010). As a result, not only Native English Speaking Content Specialists (NESCS) who are engaged in teaching content and possess degree related to the field, but also Japanese Content Specialists (JCS) and Native English Speaking Teachers (NEST) who are language teachers have been involved in teaching academic content classes in English. The responsibility of JCSs and NESTs for teaching content classes in English will increase since human resources are limited. The characteristics of the teacher-student interactions are different between regular English classrooms and content classes in English (Allen et al., 1990; Huang, 2011; Musumeci, 1996; Shah, 2003). The usefulness of teaching subjects in English is that the class can improve motivation of the students, include more authentic language, and positively influence the outcome of English abilities of students. Nonetheless, offering this type of classes contains a number of challenges such as lack of training for the teachers and selection of materials. Thus, there is a claim which says the content approach is not well-implemented in EFL settings. However, not enough research has been done in relation to teacher-student interactions in Japanese content classrooms. Moreover, little research has targeted JCS who teach content classes in English.