Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intraindividual Comparison of Diagnostic Performance in Patients With Hepatic Metastasis of Full-Dose Standard and Half-Dose Iterative Reconstructions With Dual-Source Abdominal Computed Tomography

ObjectivesThe objectives of the study were to evaluate the image quality and diagnostic performance of sinogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) for detecting hepatic metastasis and to estimate the potential radiation dose reduction at abdominal computed tomography (CT). Materials and MethodsFifty-nine consecutive patients (mean age, 59.2 years; range, 42-81 years) who had hepatic metastasis and who underwent dual-source abdominal CT were enrolled in this study. The image noise of the liver was compared between full-dose filtered back projection images (FD-FBP) and simulated half-dose images, which used only single-source projection data, and reconstructed with different strengths of SAFIRE (HD-SAFIRE1-5) by 1-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction. The diagnostic performance for hepatic metastasis was compared by logistic regression with the weighted least squares method and noninferiority test between the FD-FBP images and the half-dose sinogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (HD-SAFIRE) images. ResultsAs the SAFIRE strength increased, image noise decreased (P < 0.001). The images of HD-SAFIRE2 showed similar image noise for liver parenchyma (13.4 Hounsfield unit [HU]), signal-to-noise ratio for liver parenchyma (9.2), and lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio (4.5), compared with the FD-FBP images (12.6 HU, P = 0.668; 9.6, P > 0.999; and 4.5, P > 0.999, respectively). The diagnostic accuracy for hepatic metastasis with the HD-SAFIRE2 images (87.5%) was not different from that of the FD-FBP images (87.5%, P > 0.999). The diagnostic performance of the HD-SAFIRE2 images was also noninferior to that of the FD-FBP images (95% confidence interval lower limit difference [−9.16%] excluding the −10% clinical noninferiority limit). The mean (SD) volume CT dose index of FD-FBP was 11.26 (2.66) mGy, and the mean (SD) radiation dose equivalent associated with HD-SAFIRE was estimated to be 5.63 (1.33) mGy. ConclusionsBy applying SAFIRE2, the radiation dose could be reduced by up to 50% compared with the standard-of-care abdominal CT protocol without increasing image noise and without deteriorating diagnostic performance for the detection of hepatic metastasis.
The Wealth Effects of Dividend Announcements on Bondholders: New Evidence from the Over-the-Counter Market

This paper investigates the announcement effect of dividend changes on bondholders using bond transaction data from the over-the-counter market. Abnormal bond returns over a three-day event window are positive surrounding dividend increase announcements and negative surrounding dividend omission announcements. The bond market reaction to the dividend increases is more positive for larger dividend increases, speculative grade bonds and the period from 2008 to 2010. Most of the results are consistent with the signaling hypothesis. Additionally, bond market reactions to dividend decreases and initiations are insignificant. The stock market reacts negatively to dividend decreases and positively to dividend initiations. The bond and stock market reactions to dividend decreases and initiations suggest that there is also a wealth transfer effect.
Staff development and performance appraisal in a Brazilian research centre

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to analyse the staff development and performance appraisal in a Brazilian research centre.Design/methodology/approach – The key issues of this case study are: the main organisational changes which have taken place over the last decades; the aspects of the organisational structure that have either contributed to or hindered competence‐based management; the development of necessary researchers' competences related to main projects and processes and the way of appraising the development of their competences. The analysis of this paper was carried out considering the following phases: strategic planning, specifications of projects and processes, competence‐based management and performance appraisal of researchers.Findings – Although integration was found between the performance measurement and strategic plans defined by the research centre, competence‐based management is still centred on individuals and based on their tasks. The link between researchers' competences and thei.
The nexus between stock market and economic activity: an empirical analysis for India

Purpose - An understanding on the linkages between financial development and economic growth in general and the stock market with economic activity in particular is imperative in emerging economies. The objective of this paper is to find out the causal linkages between stock market and economic activity in India. Design/methodology/approach - The paper applies recently developed Granger non-causality tests by Toda-Yamamota, Dolado and Lutkephol (popularly known as the TYDL model) for an empirical exercise. Findings - The notable finding of the paper is that both the stock price (BSE Sensex) and economic activity (IIP) are integrated of order one, i.e. I (1). The Johansen-Juselius co-integration tests suggest the existence of one co-integrating vector. This rules out spurious relations and suggests the presence of at least one direction of causality. The TYDL model suggests that there is bi-directional causality between stock price and economic activity during the post-liberalization period, implying that a well-developed stock market could enhance economic activity and vice-versa. Research limitations/implications - In the broader framework of financial markets, the presence and role of the stock market is minuscule in the context of India. Despite this, it could play a considerable role in the process of the economic development of the country. However, to analyze the cause and effect relationship between stock market and economic activity, it is essential to analyze the issue in greater detail and depth. The main limitation of the paper is the use of IIP as a proxy for economic activity, which neglects the agricultural sector, being the primary sector in India and also the service sector. This is of course due to the non-availability of GDP data on a monthly basis. Further, a detailed study on the issue could be highly appreciable from the perspective of policy implications. Originality/value - The findings of the paper have some valuable implications. It could give some insight for policy makers about the possible linkages between stock market and the economy. Coming to empirical parts, this is perhaps the first paper in the context of India to apply the TYDL model to examine the relationship between stock price and economic activity.
Exploring a Knowledge-focused Trajectory for Researching Environmental Learning in the South African Curriculum

This paper explores the past twenty years of environmental learning in the South African curriculum in order to consider how one might best research a knowledge focus within the Fundisa for Change national teacher education programme. In exploring this knowledge focus, the paper draws on international literature. It also extensively, but not exclusively, draws on two key publications which informed the 2002 and the 2011 curriculum changes in South Africa. The paper draws on social realist curriculum theory, underpinned by critical realism. This theoretical perspective, which includes Bernstein’s pedagogic device and particularly recontextualisation of knowledge across the pedagogical landscape, provides a language of description for critically reviewing knowledge and environmental learning. In particular, the review develops five perspectives on environmental knowledge as it pertains to curriculum which include: • Perspective #1) new environmental knowledge in the curriculum; • Perspective #2) environmental knowledge in local and global contexts; • Perspective # 3) dynamic knowledge for open-ended and futuristic thinking; • Perspective #4) depth and complexity of environmental knowledge; and • Perspective #5) combining discipline-specific core knowledge and skills with a systems perspective. The paper argues for a re-emphasis and review of new environmental knowledge and learning support materials. It suggests a consideration of context-rich but not context-bound explorations of local and global environmental issues and the need for adopting open-ended and futuristic thinking in the context of the dynamism of environmental knowledge. This involves exploring systems of meaning and structures of knowledge in dealing with the complexity of environmental knowledge and acknowledging the challenges of a transformative ideology within such a complex knowledge system. Additionally the paper argues for creative ways of working across disciplines to develop better understanding of discipline-specific concepts and their potential to contribute to meaningful learning. The paper concludes by suggesting a research trajectory for future environmental education research in the context of the new South African Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) extending the emphasis in this paper on the official recontextualising field, to fields across the entire pedagogic device.
The Natural History of Low Back Pain in Adolescents

Study Design A 5‐year longitudinal interview and questionnaire‐based survey of back pain in adolescents. Objectives To determine the natural history of back pain during adolescence in boys and girls, and to explore the influence of sports participation and lumbar flexibility. Summary of Background Data Previous data on low back pain and flexibility in adolescents have come largely from cross‐sectional studies with differing definitions and age groups. A longitudinal study would offer a more detailed description of aspects of the natural history of back pain. Methods A cohort of 216 11‐year‐old children was given a structured questionnaire about back pain. Follow‐up evaluation was annual for 4 more years. Lumbar sagittal mobility was measured in first and last years. Life‐table analysis was the chosen statistical method. Results Annual incidence rose from 11.8% at age 12+ to 21.5% at 15+ years. Lifetime prevalence rose from 11.6% at age 11+ to 50.4% at age 15+ years. Experience of back pain was frequently forgotten. Recurrent pain was common, usually manifesting as such rather than as progression from a single episode; few children required treatment. Back pain was more common in boys than girls, especially by age 15 years. There was a positive link between sports and back pain only for boys. Severity and flexibility were not related to sex, treatment, or sport. Conclusions Back pain in adolescents is common; it increases with age and is recurrent, but in general does not deteriorate with time. Much of the symptomatology may be considered a normal life experience, probably unrelated to adult disabling trouble.
Revisiting the ichthyodiversity of Java and Bali through DNA barcodes: taxonomic coverage, identification accuracy, cryptic diversity and identification of exotic species

Among the 899 species of freshwater fishes reported from Sundaland biodiversity hotspot, nearly 50% are endemics. The functional integrity of aquatic ecosystems is currently jeopardized by human activities, and landscape conversion led to the decline of fish populations in several part of Sundaland, particularly in Java. The inventory of the Javanese ichthyofauna has been discontinuous, and the taxonomic knowledge is scattered in the literature. This study provides a DNA barcode reference library for the inland fishes of Java and Bali with the aim to streamline the inventory of fishes in this part of Sundaland. Owing to the lack of available checklist for estimating the taxonomic coverage of this study, a checklist was compiled based on online catalogues. A total of 95 sites were visited, and a library including 1046 DNA barcodes for 159 species was assembled. Nearest neighbour distance was 28‐fold higher than maximum intraspecific distance on average, and a DNA barcoding gap was observed. The list of species with DNA barcodes displayed large discrepancies with the checklist compiled here as only 36% (i.e. 77 species) and 60% (i.e. 24 species) of the known species were sampled in Java and Bali, respectively. This result was contrasted by a high number of new occurrences and the ceiling of the accumulation curves for both species and genera. These results highlight the poor taxonomic knowledge of this ichthyofauna, and the apparent discrepancy between present and historical occurrence data is to be attributed to species extirpations, synonymy and misidentifications in previous studies.
Climate change and coastal aquaculture farmers’ risk perceptions: experiences from Bangladesh and Denmark

This paper addresses the issue of risk perception in relation to climate change threats, comparison of risk perceptions in two different regions, and derives general results of what affect peoples’ level of risk perceptions. Revelation of individual risk perception is essential for local acceptance and cooperation. We do this by a comparative study with Bangladesh shrimp farmers and Danish mussel farmers. Since these people live on the edge of subsistence, already small changes in the climate will affect them significantly. Farmers in both developed and developing economies are concerned about global climate change but there are significant differences in farmers’ perceptions of the causes of global climate change in developed and developing countries.
Gender, Natural Capital, and Migration in the Southern Ecuadorian Andes

This paper investigates the roles of gender and natural capital (defined as land and associated environmental services) in out-migration from a rural study area in the southern Ecuadorian Andes. Drawing on original household survey data, I construct and compare multivariate event history models of individual-level, household-level, and community-level influences on the migration of men and women. The results undermine common assumptions that landlessness and environmental degradation universally contribute to out-migration. Instead, men access land resources to facilitate international migration and women are less likely to depart from environmentally marginal communities relative to other areas. These results reflect a significantly gendered migration system in which natural capital plays an important but unexpected role.
Determinants of Permanent Workforce Reduction in Government: Evidence from Local Canadian Union Officials

Few studies have examined the factors associated with the permanent reduction of government employees at the bargaining unit level. This article describes the results from a Canadian survey of 235 local union officials. Over a two-year period, 51.9 percent of local union officials indicated their bargaining unit had a permanent reduction of staff, with an average reduction of more than 15 percent of the unit. Factors related to the decision to reduce the workforce included the demand for the unit’s primary service, membership support for the union, the presence of a strike, the perceived commitment of the employer to job security, workplace concessions, and progressive decision-making ideology. Although the decade of the 1990s was characterized by massive downsizing and restructuring, most of the attention has been focused on the corporate sector. However, nonprofit organizations have captured the attention of some researchers, particularly during the past five years. Long-standing expectations of job security and rewards for loyal service have, in many organizations, been replaced by continual change and massive employee cutbacks [1]. Moreover, there is considerable evidence that many downsizing efforts fail to meet organizational objectives [2]. A substantial body of literature exploring the effect of downsizing on the individual employee has emerged. However, research with the establishment or organization as the unit of analysis is less common, and few researchers have
Intrathecal levels of complement-derived soluble membrane attack complex (sC5b-9) correlate with blood-brain barrier dysfunction in patients with traumatic brain injury.

It has become evident in recent years that intracranial inflammation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is, at least in part, mediated by activation of the complement system. However, most conclusions have been drawn from experimental studies, and the intrathecal activation of the complement cascade after TBI has not yet been demonstrated in humans. In the present study, we analyzed the levels of the soluble terminal complement complex sC5b-9 by ELISA in ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with severe TBI (n = 11) for up to 10 days after trauma. The mean sC5b-9 levels in CSF were significantly elevated in 10 of 11 TBI patients compared to control CSF from subjects without trauma or inflammatory neurological disease (n = 12; p < 0.001). In some patients, the maximal sC5b-9 concentrations were up to 1,800-fold higher than in control CSF. The analysis of the extent of posttraumatic blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction, as determined by CSF/serum albumin quotient (Q(A)), revealed that patients with a moderate to severe BBB impairment (mean Q(A) > 0.01) had significantly higher intrathecal sC5b-9 levels as compared to patients with normal BBB function (mean Q(A) < 0.007; p < 0.0001). In addition, a significant correlation between the individual daily Q(A) values and the corresponding sC5b-9 CSF levels was detected in 8 of 11 patients (r = 0.72-0.998; p < 0.05). These data demonstrate for the first time that terminal pathway complement activation occurs after head injury and suggest a possible pathophysiological role of complement with regard to posttraumatic BBB dysfunction.
Governance structure choice in strategic alliances

Purpose – Strategic alliances have a variety of governance structures that can be broadly classified as joint ventures, minority equity alliances, and contractual alliances. This paper seeks to empirically examine the roles of four key determinants of governance structure choice, namely, joint R&D and joint marketing objectives, alliance management experience, and international partners.Design/methodology/approach – Several hypotheses are developed regarding governance structure choice and are tested with data from 765 alliances. A multinomial logistic regression (logit) model is used for statistical analysis, with five control variables.Findings – All hypotheses are supported, so that the roles of alliance objectives, alliance management experience, and international partners are demonstrated as being significant as determinants of governance structure choice in alliances.Research limitations/implications – Limitations stem from the data being from a single source, one that also relies on press announcem.
A community‐based social marketing campaign at Pacific University Oregon

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to design a community‐based social marketing (CBSM) campaign to foster sustainable behavior change in paper reduction, commingled recycling, and purchasing environmentally preferred products (EPP) with faculty and staff at Pacific University Oregon.Design/methodology/approach – A CBSM campaign was developed after a nine month pilot study. A six‐month mixed methods research approach used pre‐postsurveys, office supply purchasing reports, a recycling study, and a waste audit. The CBSM campaign strategies used were prompts, communication, incentives, commitment, convenience, norms and social diffusion.Findings – The campaign titled, Greening Pacific! successfully identified and ranked key barriers to paper reduction, recycling and purchasing environmentally preferable products and developed CBSM tools and materials that were instrumental in affecting change. The CBSM campaign strategies and materials that were effective include recycling and paper reduction prompts, a s.
Validation of the exercise addiction inventory in a Danish sport context

Exercise addiction is characterized by excessive exercise behavior with potential negative consequences. The symptoms consist of salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, conflicts, and relapse. The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the exercise addiction inventory (EAI) and to estimate the prevalence of exercise addiction in a Danish normal weight sport population. A sample of 780 habitual fitness and football exercisers were contacted and 590 completed the EAI and an in‐house questionnaire containing questions about variables related to exercise addiction: (a) exercise frequency; (b) continuance despite injuries; and (c) personal perception of addiction. The results demonstrated an overall prevalence of exercise addiction of 5.8%. There was no significant difference between fitness and football prevalences. The internal reliability of EAI was acceptable with a Cronbach's α of 0.66. The criterion validity was tested toward the three variables related to exercise addiction. The dependent group had significantly higher scores on the three variables than the non‐dependent group. Exercise addiction seems to exist in both fitness and football. The EAI is a useful screening tool and might be applicable in future screening and prevention of exercise addiction. However, further investigation about the population is needed to understand the phenomenon and to identify the risk group.
When General Recommendations Fail: How to Search in Single Innovation Project Settings

External sources are main elements of a firm's search strategy as they positively influence a firm's innovation activities. While previous research has almost exclusively focused on search patterns on firm level, we focus on search mechanisms in single innovation project settings. Based on an inductive case study of eight cross-industry innovation projects, we present a theoretical framework of three archetypes. In our research, we transfer the concept of breadth and depth from firm to project level and present decisive criteria. We provide evidence that search on project level is not only influenced by breadth and depth, but the character of search represented by its level of abstraction plays a major role. Furthermore, we show that at least in our context and contrary to firm level, not always high levels of breadth and depth are required. In addition, our research contributes to an enhanced operation of search in firms applying our archetypes.
Primary biliary cirrhosis in Taiwan

Among 30 consecutive patients diagnosed with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in Taiwan, 27 were females and the median age of symptom onset was 54.5 years. Most had similar clinical manifestations to those reported in the Western countries, but ascites and oesophageal varices as commonly found at the late stages of cirrhosis of liver were noted in nine patients (30%) and 13 patients (43%) respectively. Only one patient was asymptomatic. Hyperbilirubinaemia was noted in 21 patients (70%) and hypoalbuminaemia in 8 patients (27%). All patients had elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase and 28 (93%) had antimitochondrial antibodies. Ten out of 21 patients (48%) were positive in antinuclear antibodies, of which most were of speckled type. Sixteen out of 18 patients (89%) had elevated serum IgM levels. Interestingly, only one of 26 patients (3.8%) was positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, in contrast to its high prevalence (15%) in the Taiwan population. Special associated diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, malignant lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, were each noted in one patient respectively. Eight patients had a history of gallstones before the diagnosis of PBC. The mean follow‐up period was 23.6±19.8 months, and nine patients died during that period. In conclusion, the clinical manifestations of PBC in Taiwan are similar to those in Western countries, but most of our cases were at later stages.