Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neonatal outcomes in triplet pregnancies: assisted reproduction versus spontaneous conception

Abstract Aims: The purpose of this study is to compare neonatal outcomes of spontaneously conceived triplets with triplets conceived by assisted reproduction. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of all cases from assisted triplet pregnancies and controls from spontaneous triplet pregnancies. A total of 24 triplet pregnancies were studied: six spontaneous and 18 assisted. The following variables were evaluated in all newborns: prematurity, birth-weight, small for gestational age, birth-weight discordance, Apgar scores, major neonatal morbidity and perinatal mortality. Results: Gestational age (33±1 vs. 33±2 weeks) and birth-weight (1760±256 vs. 1907±452 g) were similar in spontaneous and assisted triplet pregnancies. There were no significant differences in the rates of small for gestational age, discordance, and major neonatal morbidity. In the assisted reproduction group only the following cases were recorded: 1 surgically treated patent ductus arteriosus, 1 feto-fetal transfusion syndrome, 2 grade II intraventricular hemorrhage, 1 Cri du Chat syndrome and 1 stillbirth with malformations. Conclusions: This study is unable to assess the influence of assisted reproduction on the neonatal outcomes of triplet pregnancies. However, the results suggest that the incidence of major neonatal morbidity, especially malformations, might increase due to assisted reproduction. This finding requires further confirmation.
The effects of tooth wear on the activity patterns of free-ranging koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus Goldfuss)

The free-ranging activity patterns of five adult males and one sub-adult male koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) with varying degrees of tooth wear were investigated using acoustically sensitive radio-telemetry. Increased tooth wear was found to be associated with a significant decrease in the amount of time spent sleeping and being inactive. Furthermore, compared with individuals with low degrees of tooth wear, individuals with high tooth wear were found to spend considerably less time moving within and between trees, and had home ranges an order of magnitude smaller. Hence, feeding compensations were found to come at the expense of other activities such as sociality and therefore have important consequences for reproductive output. Individuals with high tooth wear also spent longer feeding per bout, and spaced feeding bouts out more evenly throughout a 24-h period, thereby exhibiting reduced degrees of nocturnality. The sub-adult was found to range over a disproportionately large area and spend a relatively large amount of time moving between trees, indicative of a dispersing individual. Moreover, the activity patterns of this individual were found to differ slightly from the adult trends and were perhaps affected by the extra energetic demands associated with dispersal.
Residents’ perceptions of quality of life in a surf tourism destination: A case study of Las Salinas, Nicaragua

Tourism development has been treated as a panacea for the economic woes of lesser developed countries (LDCs). Studies examining the impacts of tourism on local residents have failed to capture the way in which rural residents in LDCs perceive their lives before considering the impact of tourism. To understand residents’ perceptions of their quality of life in the face of tourism development, we present the results of a case study in Las Salinas, Nicaragua. We accomplish our objective by drawing on the perspectives of residents of who have been exposed to the development of facilities and services for surf tourists.
Momentum Profits, Market Cycles, and Rebounds: Evidence from Germany

Recent evidence shows that U.S. price momentum strategies suffer tremendous losses in times of highly volatile market recoveries. We extend the existing literature by analyzing the performance of both price and earnings momentum portfolios across different market states. For our German sample, we find that the long–short price momentum strategy loses almost 9% per month during market rebounds. This so-called momentum crash is solely due to recovering loser stocks. After a prolonged bear market hits bottom, the loser portfolio is mostly composed of highly volatile and leveraged small-cap stocks, which have lost nearly 83% of their market value over the preceding year and are thus susceptible to heavy rebounds. Interestingly, the momentum crash phenomenon seems to disappear once we control for exposures to the Fama–French factors, with the market factor being the most relevant. By contrast, earnings momentum strategies are less affected by market rebounds and also consistently outperform price momentum strategies on a risk-adjusted basis.
A Way to Boost Semi-NMF for Document Clustering

Semi-Non Negative Matrix Factorization (Semi-NMF) is one of the most popular extensions of NMF, it extends the applicable range of NMF models, to data having mixed signs, as well as strengthens their relation to clustering. However, Semi-NMF has been found to perform somewhat less than NMF, in terms of clustering, when applied to positive data such as text, which we focus on. Inspired by the recent success of neural word embedding models, e.g., word2vec, in learning high quality real valued vector representations of words, we propose to integrate a word embedding model into Semi-NMF. This allows Semi-NMF to capture more semantic relationships among words and, thereby, to infer document factors that are even better for clustering. The combination of Semi-NMF and word embedding noticeably improves the performance of NMF models, in terms of both clustering and embedding, as illustrated in our experiments.
The effects of profitability and market performance on corporate financing behavior: a quantile regression approach

Profitability and market performance have been widely perceived in the literature as the decisive determinants of corporate financing behavior, yet the evidence in support of the hypothesis of capital structure theory is inconclusive. To reexamine the state of affairs, this paper employs the novel concept of “dual issues” rather than one issue either by debt or by equity in corporate financing behavior, and then applies the quantile regression analysis to avoid possible inaccuracies arising from the ordinary least squares. The findings show that the quantile regression approach offers a comprehensive explanation for the marginal effect of profitability and market performance on corporate debt ratio at a certain quantile.
How Does the Largest Shareholder Affect Dividends?

Focusing on the legal protection of minority shareholders in Japan, which suggests that manager-owned firms are better governed than corporation-owned firms, this study presents a new test of two dividend models: the substitute model and the outcome model. In support of the latter, I find that manager-owned firms pay higher dividends than corporation-owned firms. The paper also examines the association between ownership by the largest shareholder and dividend payments. I find an inverted U-shaped relationship for manager-owned firms and a U-shaped relationship for corporation-owned firms between them. These results can be explained by the benefits and drawbacks of concentrated ownership.
Violations of Uncovered Interest Parity: Are They Pervasive, and are They a Money Tree

This study contributes to the literature by casting a wider net in, and adopting a novel approach to, examining violations of uncovered interest parity (UIP). Relative to its predecessors, the analysis presented in this paper is based on a larger number of exchange rates, a wider range of tests, and also includes a simple real-world trading experiment assessing whether strategies designed to exploit the breakdown of UIP have been profitable. The study reveals a host of intriguing results, based largely on cross exchange rates not previously examined in this context. First, forward rates of industrialized countries are unambiguously biased predictors of future spot rates, as spot rates invariably depreciate (appreciate) by less than the amount implied by the forward discount (premium). This indicates violations of UIP are ubiquitous and not simply restricted to the key currency blocks which have already been studied. Second, contrary to popular belief, the forward 'puzzle' anomaly - where high yielding currencies appreciate, not depreciate as UIP predicts - is not a pervasive phenomenon. Third, regression results and the trading experiment demonstrate that deviations from UIP are both size and time dependent. For instance, during points in time where interest differentials have been relatively large, UIP correctly predicts the sign, but not the magnitude, of exchange rate changes. More recently, the breakdown of UIP has become increasingly severe as interest differentials have converged around the world. Finally, results from the trading experiment demonstrate that in contrast to US dollar based findings presented in earlier studies, strategies exploiting the forward bias have in fact been something of a money tree - deviations from UIP have been large and consistent enough to generate impressive profits and risk-return tradeoffs for simple multi-currency trading strategies.
Oral clefts and vitamin supplementation.

OBJECTIVES The evidence linking low levels of folic acid and orofacial clefting (OFC) is presently equivocal. There is stronger evidence for the role of folic acid supplementation in protection against the occurrence and recurrence of neural tube defects. The present investigation tested the hypotheses that cleft lip, cleft palate, or both are inversely associated with maternal intake of dietary and supplemental vitamins during the periconceptional period and first 4 months of pregnancy in a Brazilian population. DESIGN A population-based, case-control study of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL(P)) and isolated cleft palate (CP) in a Brazilian population. In structured interviews, case histories were taken from the mothers of a consecutive sample of 450 infants born with nonsyndromic OFC. RESULTS Mothers who had children with CL(P) were less likely to have been supplemented during the periconceptional period. The statistical significance of the difference in prevalence of the use of supplements between mothers of patients and of controls was greater for the CL(P) group: p < . 05 for CP and p < . 001 for CL(P). Multivariate analysis confirmed this finding of a protective effect for both types of orofacial cleft. CONCLUSIONS The use of vitamin supplements in the first 4 months of pregnancy was suggestive of a protective effect against the occurrence of CP and CL(P) in this population. The significance of an association between multivitamin supplementation and OFC and the possible role of gene/environment interaction are discussed.
ISLAMIC VALUES, LEADERSHIP LEGITIMACY AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

The legitimacyofleadershipis animportantconcern for any organization. A legitimate leader will be readilyaccepted by organizational members, therebyfacilitatingthe achievementoforganizational goals. The legitimacy of leadershipisnotonly concerned aboutthe legalaspect, butalso moral and psychological aspects. Thisarticleproposes a conceptualframework of leadership, based on Islamic values asthe mainthrust ofleadership legitimacy. Given that in Islam, legal andethical values are integrated, a leader is expected to internalize the Islamic core values and realize them in his organization. Moreover, Islamic core values are implemented in conjunction withtask-related values, leading to a comprehensive treatment of organizational leadership. As a logicaldevelopment,organizational members will confer legitimacyonthe leader andbecome loyal and committed followers. Inthis respect, the Conceptual FrameworkofIslamic Leadership(CFIL), which isincongruence withthe concept organization sustainability, is a holistic approach in understanding leadership legitimacy. JEL Classification:M1, Z12 Keywords: Islamic leadership, Values, Leadershiplegitimacy.
The Future of GIS in Planning: Converging Technologies and Diverging Interests

Problem: Given that geographic information system (GIS) technology is evolving and becoming integrated with allied technologies, how should planners understand and use it to meet the needs of the profession? Purpose: This article outlines important changes in geospatial technology to initiate a discussion of how the planning profession can best respond to these challenges and opportunities. Methods: The article is based on a literature review and the authors' knowledge of current technology trends and how these trends are likely to affect planning practice and education. Results and conclusions: The world of GIS is changing. With the advent of mass-market GIS, the needs of planners are less central than they were previously to commercial GIS vendors. However, there are exciting new opportunities provided by web-based systems and open-source geospatial software. Planners must move aggressively to grasp these new opportunities. Takeaway for practice: The new web-based systems provide exciting opportunities to create new geospatial applications, especially in the area of public participation. New open-source GIS software will allow planners to assemble geospatial applications from functionality that is distributed across the web. Planning practitioners and academics should form alliances to develop the next generation of urban modeling and planning support software. Research support: None.
Experts to the rescue? An analysis of the role of experts in biotechnology regulation in Kenya.

The biotechnology sector attracts a wide range of interested actors with some getting entangled in the development of requisite regulatory systems as experts in the virtue of being knowledge suppliers and innovation drivers. However, questions have arisen as to whether experts enhance or constrain the evolution of regulatory structures for management of biotechnology as part of its broader governance. This has direct impact on biotechnology development based on the roles played by different governance actors. Using a dynamic case study of Kenya in its effort to institute a viable regulatory system to govern biotechnology, this paper explores the role of experts in regulating innovations. It draws insights from the Kenyan experience with a view of evaluating how the role of experts, in particular the scientific community can spur positive contributions towards pro-innovation and pro-poor biotechnology policy processes. This recontextualised role of experts is explored from the perspective of knowledge use and how it is linked to development. This is because of the tension between undisputed role of biotechnology as an economic driver and the political nature of biotechnology regulation in the African context. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A prenatally diagnosed patient with full monosomy 21: Ultrasound, cytogenetic, clinical, molecular, and necropsy findings

We report on a patient with a full monosomy 21 (FM21) prenatally diagnosed in cord fetal blood, and subsequently confirmed in other tissues. Subtle chromosomal translocations of chromosome 21, were ruled‐out by FISH using both painting and 21q telomeric probes. Microsatellites analysis demonstrated the paternal origin of the single chromosome. The propositus showed at 32 weeks of gestation a severe intrauterine growth retardation and microcephaly. He was born with multiple congenital malformations, hypotonia, microcephaly, bilateral microphthalmia (more severe on the left), facial dysmorphism, agenesis of the external auditory meatus, redundant skin in the neck, narrow chest, flat scrotum, cryptorchydism, hypospadias, micropene, camptodactyly, nail hypoplasia, and abnormal palmar and plantar creases. The patient died in the first day of life. At necropsy, micrencephaly, semilobar holoprosencephaly, polimicrogyria, ocular abnormalities, skeletal anomalies, congenital heart disease, and agenesis of right kidney were also observed. To our best knowledge, this case is one of the most completely patient studied with FM21. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Multi‐Locus Mixed Model Analysis Of Stem Rust Resistance In Winter Wheat

Multi‐locus association mapping outperforms single‐locus genome scans in polyploid species. Single nucleotide polymorphism marker IWA435 reliably detects the 1BL.1RS rye translocation in diverse germplasm. Markers linked to three novel stem rust resistance loci were identified.
Vehicular-Communications-Based Speed Advisory System for Electric Bicycles

Smart transportation, which is an important dimension of smart cities, includes both intelligent and “green” transportation solutions. Cycling, as one of the most sustainable forms of transportation, is and should be an important component of smart cities. Electric bicycles, which are the most popular electric vehicles, subscribe to this type of transportation. They have several advantages when compared with traditional bicycles but have issues that relate to battery-limited capacity and long periods of charging as well. Consequently, energy-efficient solutions for electric bicycles are of very high research interest. Research on vehicular-communications-based energy-efficient solutions for electric vehicles is still in the early stages. Among electric vehicles, electric bicycles distinguish themselves as a special class as they have different characteristics and road-related requirements. This paper proposes a novel vehicular-communications-based speed advisory system for electric bicycles. The solution recommends strategic riding (i.e., the appropriate speed) when bicycles are approaching a signaled intersection to avoid high-power-consumption scenarios. The proposed approach includes a fuzzy-logic-based wind-aware speed adaptation policy, as, among all the other vehicles, bicycles are mostly affected by wind. Experimental results based on a real testbed and extensive simulation-based testing demonstrate that, by using the proposed solution, significant energy savings are recorded. In addition, an analysis on comfort-related metrics shows that the proposed solution can also contribute to improving the cycling experience.
Looking, feeling, and doing: are there age differences in attention, mood, and behavioral responses to skin cancer information?

OVERVIEW Previous studies on aging and attention to emotional information found that older adults may look away from negative stimuli to regulate their moods. However, it is an open question whether older adults' tendency to look less at negative material comes at the expense of learning when negative information is also health-relevant. This study investigated how age-related changes in attention to negative but relevant information about skin cancer risk reduction influenced both subsequent health behavior and mood regulation. METHODS Younger (18-25 years of age, n = 78) and older (60-92 years of age, n = 77) adults' fixations toward videos containing negatively valenced content and risk-reduction information about skin cancer were recorded with eye-tracking. Self-reported mood ratings were measured throughout. Behavioral outcome measures (e.g., answering knowledge questions about skin cancer, choosing a sunscreen, completing a skin self-exam) assessed participants' learning of key health-relevant information, their interest in seeking additional information, and their engagement in protective behaviors. RESULTS Older adults generally looked less at the negative video content, more rapidly regulated their moods, and learned fewer facts about skin cancer; yet, they engaged in a greater number of protective behaviors than did younger adults. CONCLUSIONS Older adults may demonstrate an efficient looking strategy that extracts important information without disrupting their moods, and they may compensate for less learning by engaging in a greater number of protective behaviors. Younger adults may be distracted by disruptions to their mood, constraining their engagement in protective behaviors.
Location: A Neglected Determinant of Firm Growth

This paper links the performance of new technology firms, measured in terms of employment growth, to geographic location. We introduce a model of firm growth that is specific to characteristics of the location as well as the firm and industry. The model is estimated using a unique data set identifying the growth performance of small technology-based firms in Germany. We find that firm performance, as measured by employment growth, does appear to be influenced by locational characteristics as well as characteristics specific to the firm and the industry. In particular, the empirical evidence suggests that being located in an agglomeration rich in knowledge resources is more conducive to firm growth than being located in a region that is less endowed with knowledge resources. These results suggest the economic value of location as a conduit for accessing external knowledge resources, which in turn, manifests itself in higher rates of growth.
The Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on the Urban Wage in China: An Empirical Examination

How does foreign direct investment (FDI) affect the wage levels of cities in a host country? This paper uses a panel dataset of Chinese cities to examine the impact of inward FDI on the urban real wage. The results suggest that the existence of FDI has a significant and positive effect on urban real wages and that this impact remains significant after controlling for other city characteristics. Cross-city variation of FDI intensity is one important factor contributing to intercity wage inequality.
Emotional and rational motivations for customer loyalty in business-to-business professional services

The purpose of this study is to add to the body of knowledge on customer loyalty in professional services in business-to-business markets. The authors build on the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing group constructs and relate them to affective commitment, relational benefits and, through these two, to customer loyalty. The results show that trust and social bonds positively influence affective commitment, while adaptation and knowledge transfers positively influence relational benefits. Although both affective commitment as a more emotional construct and relational benefits as a more rational construct positively influence customer loyalty, emotional motivation seems to be much stronger than rational motivation. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed on the basis of the empirical findings.
Investigating customer satisfaction and service quality in academic libraries: the case of Technological Educational Institute of Central Macedonia

Customer satisfaction and service quality policies have been established in recent years in academic libraries' management. However, setting regulations and imposing procedures requires reliable methods to evaluate actions. The Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Central Macedonia is a university institute committed to provide excellent services to its stakeholders, by developing ongoing dialogue. In order to investigate the library users' habits and assess their satisfaction on provided services, a survey has been conducted. An online questionnaire was developed based on MOPAB's (Total Quality Management Unit of Greek Academic Libraries) guidelines for data collection and was then distributed to library users. Such questionnaires can be a valuable instrument for monitoring user satisfaction on a systemic manner and improving service quality in libraries. Moreover, the questionnaire could be used, after adjustments, as a benchmarking tool for Greek academic libraries. The analysis revealed that even though users do not fully utilise all services, they manifest a high level of satisfaction.