Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New Public Management and New Professionalism across Nations and Contexts

The professions in the West are undergoing unprecedented calls for greater accountability and efficiency in service delivery. This article links these changes to recent developments in institutional theory that emphasize shifting salience of technical over symbolic organizational environments. The analysis of the adaptations to these changes in French and British healthcare, Canadian education and US managerial consulting suggest that country-specific responses to neoliberal institutional pressures are highly path dependent. The article concludes by suggesting a research program for the future study of the cross-national responses of professional groups to neoliberal economic and political ideologies.
Association of Resting Heart Rate With Carotid and Aortic Arterial Stiffness: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Resting heart rate is an easily measured, noninvasive vital sign that is associated with cardiovascular disease events. The pathophysiology of this association is not known. We investigated the relationship between resting heart rate and stiffness of the carotid (a peripheral artery) and the aorta (a central artery) in an asymptomatic multi-ethnic population. Resting heart rate was recorded at baseline in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Distensibility was used as a measure of arterial elasticity, with a lower distensibility indicating an increase in arterial stiffness. Carotid distensibility was measured in 6484 participants (98% of participants) using B-mode ultrasound, and aortic distensibility was measured in 3512 participants (53% of participants) using cardiac MRI. Heart rate was divided into quintiles and we used progressively adjusted models that included terms for physical activity and atrioventricular nodal blocking agents. Mean resting heart rate of participants (mean age, 62 years; 47% men) was 63 bpm (SD, 9.6 bpm). In unadjusted and fully adjusted models, carotid distensibility and aortic distensibility decreased monotonically with increasing resting heart rate (P for trend <0.001 and 0.009, respectively). The relationship was stronger for carotid versus aortic distensibility. Similar results were seen using the resting heart rate taken at the time of MRI scanning. Our results suggest that a higher resting heart rate is associated with an increased arterial stiffness independent of atrioventricular nodal blocker use and physical activity level, with a stronger association for a peripheral (carotid) compared with a central (aorta) artery.
Keeping Users Engaged through Feature Updates: A Long-Term Study of Using Wearable-Based Exergames

Gamification and exergames in particular have been broadly employed in health and fitness as an attempt to promote exercise and more active life styles. Motivated by popularity and availability of wearable activity trackers, we present the design and findings of a study on the motivational effects of using activity tracker-based games to promote daily exercise. Furthermore, we have investigated user behaviors, usage patterns, engagement, and parameters that affect them. An exergame was developed with an accompanying wearable device, for which different variations of application updates were pushed out periodically over a 70-day period. The results of this long-term study show that the usage of wearable activity trackers during exercise, even when gamified for increased entertainment, sees a consistent decline over time. This decline, however, is observed to be reversible with periodic updates to the game. This work, we believe, can make a significant contribution to solving the user retention problem of wearable-based exergames.
The Efficacy of Sensory Integration Treatment Compared to Tutoring

Controversy surrounds the use of sensory integration (SI) treatment for children with motor difficulties and learning disabilities. The efficacy of 75 sessions of individual SI therapy was compared to equal amounts of individual tutoring with 29 subjects, ages 5-9 years. Assessments by people blind to group assignment occurred at pre-test and after 6 and 12 months of treatment, using academic, motor and behavioral measures. Non significant differences were noted between the two treatment groups after 6 or 12 months of treatment. The fact that the SI group improved as much in reading and other academic measures as the tutoring group who received extensive work in those areas supports the theory that SI may be as effective as tutoring in improving academic functioning. Tutoring, however, was effective as SI in improving motor functioning, which was unexpected.
Infant Feeding in Relation to the Risk of Advanced Islet Autoimmunity and Type 1 Diabetes in Children With Increased Genetic Susceptibility: A Cohort Study

Breastfeeding, age at introduction of foods, and food diversity in infancy were studied for associations with advanced islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes. During 1996--2004, a total of 5,915 newborns with human leukocyte antigen-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes were enrolled in the prospective Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Nutrition Study. Children were assessed at intervals of 3-12 months for the appearance of 4 types of islet autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes up to the age of 15 years. Survival models indicated the 3 variables of interest were not associated with advanced islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes in the cohort. Early introduction of solid foods was associated with increased risk of advanced islet autoimmunity in children up to age 3 years (for <3 months vs. >4 months, hazard ratio = 2.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.39, 3.91; for 3-4 months vs. >4 months, hazard ratio = 2.18; 95% confidence interval: 1.38, 3.47) but not in longer follow-up (P for interaction = 0.046). Similar results were observed for age at introduction of roots, cereals, egg, and meat relative to risk of advanced islet autoimmunity. No consistent, long-term associations between infant feeding and advanced islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes were observed.
Detection of mutations in parC in quinolone-resistant clinical isolates of Escherichia coli

The gene parC encodes the A subunit of topoisomerase IV of Escherichia coli. Mutations in the parC region analogous to those in the quinolone resistance-determining region of gyrA were investigated in 27 clinical isolates of E. coli for which ciprofloxacin MICs were 0.0007 to 128 micrograms/ml. Of 15 isolates for which ciprofloxacin MICs were > or = 1 microgram/ml, 8 showed a change in the serine residue at position 80 (Ser-80), 4 showed a change in Glu-84, and 3 showed changes in both amino acids. No mutations were detected in 12 clinical isolates for which ciprofloxacin MICs were < or = 0.25 micrograms/ml. These findings suggest that ParC from E. coli may be another target for quinolones and that mutations at residues Ser-80 and Glu-84 may contribute to decreased fluoroquinolone susceptibility.
Abdominal Adiposity Correlates with Adenotonsillectomy Outcome in Obese Adolescents with Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background. Obese adolescents with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) have a unique pathophysiology that combines adenotonsillar hypertrophy and increased visceral fat distribution. We hypothesized that in this population waist circumference (WC), as a clinical marker of abdominal fat distribution, correlates with the likelihood of response to AT. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of obese adolescents (BMI ≥ 97th percentile) that underwent AT for therapy of severe OSA (n = 21). We contrasted WC and covariates in a group of subjects that had complete resolution of severe OSA after AT (n = 7) with those obtained in subjects with residual OSA after AT (n = 14). Multivariate linear and logistic models were built to control possible confounders. Results. WC correlated negatively with a positive AT response in young adolescents and the percentage of improvement in obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI) after AT (P ≤ 0.01). Extended multivariate analysis demonstrated that the link between WC and AT response was independent of demographic variables, OSA severity, clinical upper airway assessment, obesity severity (BMI), and neck circumference (NC). Conclusion. The results suggest that in obese adolescents, abdominal fat distribution determined by WC may be a useful clinical predictor for residual OSA after AT.
Quantifying upper ocean turbulence driven by surface waves

Nearly all operational ocean models use air‐sea fluxes and the ocean shear and stratification to estimate upper ocean boundary layer mixing rates. This approach implicitly parameterizes surface wave effects in terms of these inputs. Here we test this assumption using parallel experiments in a lake with small waves and in the open ocean with much bigger waves. Under the same wind stress and adjusting for buoyancy flux, we find the mixed layer average turbulent vertical kinetic energy in the open ocean typically twice that in the lake. The increase is consistent with models of Langmuir turbulence, in which the wave Stokes drift, and not wave breaking, is the dominant mechanism by which waves energize turbulence in the mixed layer. Applying these same theories globally, we find enhanced mixing and deeper mixed layers resulting from the inclusion of Langmuir turbulence in the boundary layer parameterization, especially in the Southern Ocean.
Effects of image resolution on depth perception in stereo and nonstereo images

Head-mounted displays (HMDs) in use today have fairly limited resolution, but the extends to which this low resolution may be detrimental to various tasks is not well known. We have studied the effect of low resolution on distance perception by letting experimental subjects estimate distances to objects in computer-generated 3D scenes. The images have been presented at varying resolutions both binocularly and biocularly on a workstation screen viewed through a Cyberscope stereoscopic device and biocularly in a flight helmet HMD. Our results indicate: (1) For good distance judgments, anti-aliasing is more important than stereo. In fact, stereo may even be detrimental in low resolution images. (2) Anti-aliasing works well as a resolution-enhancer. (3) The fuzziness of the LCD HMD screens gives an anti-aliasing effect, partially offsetting the low resolution. (4) Subjects utilize different estimation strategies depending on the resolution of the images to minimize their estimation errors. (5) Error estimates vary depending on the target object shape -- there is a tendency for better estimates for those objects whose sides line up with the coordinate axes. (6) The differences between subjects are considerably larger than those within subjects.
Social Desirability and the Factorial Interpretation of the MMPI

MESSICK and Jackson (1961) have reviewed eight factor analyses of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scales. For each factor analysis, they calculated Spearman rank correlations between the proportion of items keyed True in each scale and the loadings of the scale on the largest factor. The rank correlations ranged in magnitude from approximately . 52 to . 91, and Messick and Jackson (p. 300) state: &dquo;These strikingly consistent findings indicate that in most of these studies the largest factor on the MMPI is interpretable in terms of acquiescence. &dquo; Six of the eight studies reviewed by Messick and Jackson involved a limited number, 11 to 15, of the MMPI scales. Only two studies,
Measuring Gains in Reading Ability with Passage Reading Fluency

This study examined several aspects of Passage Reading Fluency (PRF) including performance variability across passages alternative designs for measuring PRF gain, and effects on PRF level from retesting with the same passages. Participants were 33 students from grades 2 to 10 attending a school for students with learning disabilities. PRF was measured at three test points. Time–2 tests occurred 10 weeks after time–1 tests, and time–3 tests occurred 5 weeks after the time–2 tests. At Test points 2 and 3, students read old passages (same–passage design) and new passages (different–passage design). Results showed substantial individual variation on concurrent PRF measures, smaller variation in gains measured with the same–passage design, and no passage memory effects (i.e., from retested passages). Results are discussed in relation to measuring reading gains in Response to Intervention models.
Free, Open, Online, Help Forums: Convenience, Connection, Control, Comfort, and Communication

In contrast to course delivery, help seeking has not advanced with the technological capabilities and preferences of todayâ€™s students. Help seeking in higher education remains primarily an individual, private, face-to-face activity. Open, online, help forums have the potential to transform help seeking into a public, social endeavor. These forums connect students with volunteer helpers who have the time, knowledge, and willingness to provide assistance with specific problems from coursework. Although many such forums currently exist and are a popular source of help seeking, they have remained largely off the radar of educational research. In this paper, a calculus help forum is examined for manifestations of convenience, connection, and control, which are commonly used to describe student expectations regarding information technology use. Results indicate that students can receive efficient, accessible, and self-regulated help. Two additional themes for student experience, comfort and communication, are proposed.
The development, implementation and operation of an undergraduate distance learning module in auditing: a teaching note

The development of a distance learning module, to be undertaken by students whilst out on work experience in a thick sandwich degree programme, was driven by the motive to maximize the students' time on placement, rather than the belief that the module could be more effectively taught in this manner. However, with many institutions offering work placement as an optional extension within a degree programme, our experiences may pave the way for introducing some academic input into the work placement. This paper outlines the development and operation of an auditing distance learning module, which is undertaken by students during their placement year in an Accounting and Finance degree in Scotland. The pitfalls of distance learning have been well documented and the profile of the cohort which would undertake the course exacerbated concerns. However, the Course Team have produced a model that has been implemented and is currently operating in a manner that has largely satisfied all respective stakeholders, (namely students, educators, employers, professional bodies, and external examiners). The data for the review was generated through informal discussions with the Course Team and a selection of employers. Focus groups with students were also conducted. These were deliberately unstructured in nature to facilitate the use of dialogue with which the participants were familiar. The rationale for this was to allow participants to identify and highlight salient issues as perceived by them, rather than to answer specific questions on topics that the authors believed to be of relevance.
The relationship between pressure ulcers and skin blood flow response after a local cold provocation.

OBJECTIVE To study the relationship between an impaired blood flow response after a local cold stimulus, testing nerve regulation of the local blood flow response, and an increased risk of developing pressure ulcers. DESIGN An observational, longitudinal, prospective study. SETTING Dutch nursing home. PATIENTS Eighty-two newly admitted somatic nursing home patients, age 60 years and older. INTERVENTION A local cold stimulus (17 degrees C) applied to the trochanter major. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES On admission, blood flow response to a local cold stimulus. As the stimulus was withdrawn, the temperature measured at the skin increased asymptotically toward the final temperature, T(f). The velocity of this rise was characterized by the time constant, tau, of the process. On admission, and weekly during a 4-week follow-up period, the presence or absence of pressure ulcers was verified. RESULTS The blood flow response time correlated significantly with the risk of developing pressure ulcers. The patients who developed pressure ulcers during the follow-up period had a significantly longer response time than the patients who did not. CONCLUSIONS Malfunction of the nervous regulatory mechanisms of the local blood flow is partially responsible for an increased susceptibility to pressure ulcer formation.
‘I've adopted a tiger’: enhancing teaching and learning with infants through an active and integrated approach

In Scotland, A Curriculum for Excellence [Curriculum Review Group. 2004. A curriculum for excellence. http://www.scotland. gov.uk/Publications/2004/11/20178/45862 (accessed January 6, 2010). ] is being implemented in every school from August 2010. This gives teachers greater responsibility, flexibility and professional autonomy when planning and delivering the curriculum. A Curriculum for Excellence is the major priority in every school’s Improvement Plan, and schools should be adopting teaching, learning and assessment strategies that support the four capacities of A Curriculum for Excellence (successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, effective communicators). The Curriculum for Excellence describes experiences and outcomes for children's learning in ways that will support a more active and integrated approach to teaching and learning within the curriculum. This article reports on one infant teacher’s attempt to plan and implement a programme of study for the social studies topic ‘The Zoo’, adopting an active and integrated approach to teaching and learning for her Primary 2 class (children aged 5–6 years). Dealing with children of 5–6 years requires a varied methodological approach. The approaches involved questionnaires to parents, observations of pupil involvement in lessons and focus group interviews with pupils. There was a strict ethical approach taken, which involved both parental and pupil consent as well as allowing pupils to opt out at any time.
Social desirability and Mexican American counselor preferences: Statistical control for a potential confound.

Mexican American college students (N = 90) were shown photographs and written descriptions of a Mexican American counselor and a European American counselor. Consistent with previous research, participants identified as low, medium, or high in acculturation expressed a strong preference for an ethnically similar over an ethnically dissimilar counselor as a helper for both an academic and a personal concern. However, statistical removal of variance attributed to social desirability as measured by the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (M-C SDS) canceled the counselor ethnicity effect. In 1 of 2 covariate analyses computed, the M-C SDS was effective in depressing the counselor ethnicity effect for only medium and high, but not for low, acculturation participants, raising interesting issues about the relationship between social desirability anal level of acculturation among Mexican Americans. Research and counseling implications are discussed.
A cross‐cultural study of supervisory trust

Purpose - This study examines the relationship of a supervisor's affect-based trust and cognition-based trust to a subordinate employee's self-ratings of enterprising behavior, which includes creativity, risk taking, initiative, motivation, and assertiveness, and to the supervisor's and coworker's ratings of the subordinate's enterprising behavior. The extent to which the power distance and in-group collectivism cultural variables moderate the relationship between affect-based trust and enterprising behavior is assessed. Design/methodology/approach - Survey responses of US, Turkish, Polish, and Russian supervisor-subordinate-coworker triads were collected in a number of firms. Regression results were employed to test the research hypotheses. Findings - The findings of this study show that the supervisor's cognition-based trust and affect-based trust of the employee are associated with that employee's enterprising behavior. Significant two-way interactions indicate that the relationship between affect-based trust and enterprising behavior is stronger in the three collectivist countries than in the individualist USA. The moderating effects of power distance, on the other hand, appear to be negligible. Originality/value - The main implication of this study's results is that human relations theories, which are based on the supervisor's top-down trust of the subordinate employee, may be more effective in collectivist cultures than in individualist cultures.
An analysis of verbal responses to music in a group of adult non-specialists

In a workshop setting, two pieces of recorded music were presented to a group of adult non-specialists; a key feature was to set up structured discussion within which the respondents considered each piece of music as a whole and not in its constituent parts. There were two areas of interest, namely to explore whether the respondents were likely to identify the musical features or to make extra-musical associations and, to establish the extent to which there would be commonality and difference in their approach to formulating the verbal responses. An inductive approach was used in the analysis of data to reveal some of the working theories underpinning the intuitive musicianship of the adult non-specialist listener. Findings have shown that, when unprompted by forced choice responses, the listeners generated responses that could be said to be information-poor in terms of musical features but rich in terms of the level of personal investment they made in formulating their responses. This is evidenced in a number of connections they made between the discursive and the non-discursive, including those which are relational and mediated by their experiences. Implications for music education are considered.
The Revised Institution: The Community College Mission at the End of the Twentieth Century

Seven urban and rural community colleges in the United States and Canada were examined using a qualitative multiple-case-study design to define changes in the colleges' institutional missions during the 1990s. Group site visits, personal interviews with administrators and faculty, and policy documents provided the data, which were analyzed using an analytical framework drawn from globalization literature. Two iterations of pattern coding and content analysis identified specific themes and patterns in documents, interviews, and observations. Observational data also provided support for emerging patterns. Although most of the interviewees perceived little change in their institutions' missions during the 1990s, the data collected indicated alterations to mission based on global economic concerns. The author summarizes the mission changes at each college and suggests that a new globally oriented vocationalism dominated the community college mission at the end of the twentieth century.
Factors Influencing Supervision Evaluation by Students in Speech-Language Pathology

Three hundred thirteen supervisor evaluations as com- pleted by students were analyzed to determine the effect of clinical experieice versus supervisory experience on supervisor ratings. Results showed a very clear trend for supervisor ratings to become higher with increased experience as a clinical supervisor. This trend was not found when results were analyzed by clinical experience. Additional experience as a practicing clinician did not consistently result in higher ratings for supervisory competencies. The effect of the length of the clinical session was also considered and was not found to influence supervisor ratings.