Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cross-State Variation in Medicaid Programs and Female Labor Supply

Using a pooled cross-section data set from the 1980 through 1993 Current Population Survey March Supplements, we test if different Medicaid benefit levels across states impact the labor supply behavior of female heads of households. The ordinary least square (OLS) results support the prediction that Medicaid expenditures reduce labor supply. Controlling for state fixed or random effects alters the effect of both AFDC and Medicaid on the decision to participate as well as the number of hours worked. We also find that while the effects of program generosity are sensitive to the inclusion of state effects those of variation in eligibility thresholds are not. Copyright 2000 by Oxford University Press.
JNK2 regulates vascular remodeling in pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary arterial (PA) wall modifications are key pathological features of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Although such abnormalities correlate with heightened phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases 1/2 (JNK1/2) in a rat model of PH, the contribution of specific JNK isoforms to the pathophysiology of PH is unknown. Hence, we hypothesized that activation of either one, or both JNK isoforms regulates PA remodeling in PH. We detected increased JNK1/2 phosphorylation in the thickened vessels of PH patients’ lungs compared to that in lungs of healthy individuals. JNK1/2 phosphorylation paralleled a marked reduction in MAP kinase phosphatase 1 (JNK dephosphorylator) expression in patients’ lungs. Association of JNK1/2 activation with vascular modification was confirmed in the calf model of severe hypoxia-induced PH. To ascertain the role of each JNK isoform in pathophysiology of PH, wild-type (WT), JNK1 null (JNK1-/-), and JNK2 null (JNK2-/-) mice were exposed to chronic hypoxia (10% O2 for six weeks) to develop PH. In hypoxic WT lungs, an increase in JNK1/2 phosphorylation was associated with PH-like pathology. Hallmarks of PH pathophysiology, i.e. excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix and vessel muscularization with medial wall thickening, was also detected in hypoxic JNK1-/- lungs, but not in hypoxia-exposed JNK2-/- lungs. However, hypoxia-induced increases in right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and in right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) were similar in all three genotypes. Our findings suggest that JNK2 participates in PA remodeling (but likely not in vasoconstriction) in murine hypoxic PH and that modulating JNK2 actions might quell vascular abnormalities and limit the course of PH.
ACHA Campus Violence White Paper

In 1999, the American College Health Association (ACHA) adopted a position statement for the Association that addresses acts of violence, bias, and other violations of human rights that have been occurring all too often within or adjacent to college communities. The purpose of this ACHA White Paper is to confront this serious college health issue through analyzing campus violence patterns, types of violence, methodological problems with collecting campus crime data, underlying issues related to campus violence, and promising practices to prevent and address campus violence.
Interaction of six global transcription regulators in expression of manganese superoxide dismutase in Escherichia coli K-12

Transcription of the sodA gene of Escherichia coli, which encodes manganese superoxide dismutase, is governed by six global regulators: the product of the soxRS locus (superoxide response) and mutated alleles of the soxQ locus (such as cfxB) act as activators; the products of the fur (ferric uptake regulation), arcA (aerobic regulation control), and fnr (fumarate nitrate reductase) genes and the integration host factor (IHF) negatively regulate sodA. The action of these effectors on the sodA promoter was investigated by using chromosomal sodA-lacZ operon fusions with intact or deleted promoters, different environmental conditions, and strains carrying different combinations of null mutations in the effector genes. The data allow us to assign target regions in the sodA promoter for activation by SoxRS and CfxB and for repression by Fur and ArcA. In aerobiosis, activation of sodA transcription by SoxRS was compatible with CfxB activation or Fur repression, whereas cfxB and fur controls were mutually exclusive. Repression by Fnr appeared, at least in part, to be ArcA dependent. IHF enhanced aerobic Fur repression, and in the absence of Fur, it enhanced anaerobic repression by ArcA. The DNA targets for Fur (encompassing the -35 region) and ArcA (from and downstream of the -35 region) appear to overlap, suggesting that Fur and ArcA repressions are mutually exclusive. Fur (in response to the iron pool) or ArcA, acting with Fnr and IHF (in response to the redox state of the cells), can block anaerobic sodA-lacZ expression with about equivalent efficiencies. The possible biological significance of this result is discussed.
A qualitative study of young people's sources of cigarettes and attempts to circumvent underage sales laws.

AIMS To explore how young people continue to access cigarettes following an increase of the age of sale to 18 years and the implications for future smoking prevention policy and practice. DESIGN Qualitative study using 14 focus groups. SETTING Schools and community projects in disadvantaged areas of Birmingham, UK. PARTICIPANTS Eighty-five smokers and non-smokers aged 12-15 years. MEASUREMENTS Focus group topic guides. FINDINGS While young people did use social sources to access cigarettes, most obtained cigarettes from small local shops. Smoking and non-smoking participants knew which shops sold to underage children and what strategies to employ, suggesting a widespread acceptance of underage sales in some communities. Some young people bought directly from retailers, reporting that the retailers did not ask for identification. Some young people reported that retailers were complicit, knowingly selling to underage smokers. Young people waited outside shops and asked strangers to buy them cigarettes (proxy sales). Young people expressed cynicism about some shopkeepers' motives, who they believed knew that they were selling to under-18s, but did not care as long as they made a profit. CONCLUSIONS The ban in selling cigarettes to those under 18 in the United Kingdom appears to be easily circumvented, and one important route appears to be 'proxy sales' in which young people approach strangers outside retailers and ask them to purchase cigarettes on their behalf.
POWER AND SAMPLE SIZE DETERMINATION FOR NONINFERIORITY TRIALS USING AN EXACT METHOD

Noninferiority studies are frequently conducted to justify the development of new drugs and vaccines that have been shown to offer better safety profiles, easier administration, or lower cost while maintaining similar efficacy as compared to the standard treatment. Recently, exact methods have been developed to address the concern that existing asymptotic methods for analyzing and planning noninferiority may fail because of small sample size or because of skewed or sparse data structure. In this paper, we explore the use of exact methods in determining sample size and power for noninferiority studies that focus on the difference of two proportions. The methodology for sample size and power calculations is developed based on an exact unconditional test of noninferiority. We illustrate this exact method using a clinical trial example in childhood nephroblastoma and briefly discuss the optimal sample-size allocation strategy. This exact unconditional method performs very well in various scenarios and compares favorably to its asymptotic counterpart in terms of sensitivity. Therefore, it is a very desirable tool for planning noninferiority trials, especially in situations where asymptotic methods are likely to fail.
Shaping of the chick neuroepithelium during primary and secondary neurulation: Role of cell elongation

Cell elongation is a cardinal event in formation and shaping of the neuroepithelium during both primary and secondary neurulation. This study had three purposes. The first was to clarify the role of microtubules in maintaining the elongated configurations of chick neuroepithelial cells. Neuroepithelial cells of the neural plate (the rudiment of the primary neural tube) and medullary cord (the rudiment of the secondary neural tube) reduced their heights an average of approximately 25% when their microtubules were depolymerized, but most cells remained considerably elongated and columnar. Complete rounding up occurred only as cells entered metaphase where they arrested. These results suggest that microtubules as well as other factors are required to maintain the fully elongated configurations of cells composing epithelial sheets. The second purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that neuroepithelial cell elongation plays a major role in narrowing of the neural plate. To do this, the width of the neural plate was examined after microtubule depolymerization and repolymerization. As the heights of neuroepithelial cells decreased with loss of their microtubules, the width of the neuroepithelium increased roughly proportionately; subsequent repolymerization with concomitant cell elongation resulted again in neural plate narrowing. Thus, the hypothesis is supported. The third purpose of this study was to examine the roles of cell rearrangement and change in neuroepithelial cell or extracellular volume in neural plate narrowing and extension. Extensive cell rearrangement, resulting in net cell loss from the width of selected, representative levels of the neural plate, does not seem to play a major role in plate narrowing, but decreases in cell or extracellular volume are likely involved. Further studies are necessary to complete our understanding of the mechanisms driving neural plate shaping and bending.
Detection of antigen B of Cysticercus cellulosae in cerebrospinal fluid for the diagnosis of human neurocysticercosis

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. The diagnosis of this disease remains a problem. We report the detection of specific antigenic fraction (antigen B) ofCysticercus cellulosae by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in various fractions of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained by high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation, for the diagnosis of human NCC. Forty patients attending or admitted to Nehru Hospital, Chandigarh were included in the study: 10 with suspected NCC, 20 with other neurological diseases and 10 undergoing surgery under spinal anaesthesia for non‐neurological conditions, who served as controls. CSF samples collected from all patients and controls were subjected to chromatographic separation on an HPLC system. Antigen B (AgB) was detected in separated fractions by an ELISA test and compared with the detection of antibody response in CSF samples by indirect haemagglutination (IHA) technique. Antigen B was detected in 9 out of 10 patients with suspected NCC based on clinical symptoms and radioimaging reports, but in none of the control subjects. However, antigen B was also detected in 9 out of 20 patients with other neurological disorders, mostly tubercular meningitis. Antibody response by IHA was found positive in only 2 of 10 cases clinically suspected of NCC. In conclusion, antigen B detection in CSF samples may be a useful adjunct to clinical suspicion and radiological reports for the diagnosis of NCC as there is no gold standard criteria to confirm this disease. However, the test needs to be evaluated on more patients in countries where tuberculosis and cysticercosis are endemic due to the high cross reactivity with samples from tubercular meningitis patients.
Determinants of fertiliser use by smallholder maize farmers in the Chinyanja Triangle in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia

Abstract Farm surveys in Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique were carried out to assess the determinants of fertiliser use given continued low yields, low organic matter and general poor soil health in southern African soils. Regression modelling showed that fertiliser use was influenced by household and farm characteristics. In addition, it was also influenced by social and human capital and farmers’ perceptions of the effect of fertilisers on soil fertility. Farmers who perceived fertilisers as bad for their soil were less likely to adopt their use. This is a key result, as the emerging discussions on a green revolution for Africa, as well as the continued food crisis discussion, are prompting increased fertiliser use as an immediate intervention for increasing nutrient inputs into agriculture in the developing world. Increased policy efforts should be placed not only on increasing access to fertilisers but also on evolving farmers’ perceptions and attitudes towards fertiliser use.
The Evolution of the Airline Industry

Since the deregulation of the airline industry, the intensity of the debate over its controversial issues has intensified. Economic regulation provided a certain stability for both passengers and the industry: fares were predictable and uniform, carriers' earnings fluctuated but bankruptcies were averted through mergers sanctioned by the Civil Aeronautics Board, and air safety steadily improved. Deregulation changed everything. A new fare structure took shape. Travelers faced a variety of fares and concomitant travel restrictions. New carriers entered the industry, but nearly as many left, through merger or bankruptcy. As financial pressures mounted, safety practices came into question. Many critics called for a return to some form of regulation. The evolution and likely direction of the industry needs to be reassessed anew. That is the purpose of this book. It proceeds by providing a comprehensive empirical profile of the industry as it has evolved both before and since deregulation. It identifies the central issues facing travelers and carriers and assesses their severity and underlying causes. It develops a basis for understanding the industry's evolution and the ways the industry may eventually adapt to the unregulated economic environment. It also discusses whether government policy can play an effective role in improving airline performance. It concludes that the evolution of the airline industry is proceeding in a direction that will preserve and possibly enhance the benefits of deregulation for travelers and carriers; and that the federal government's policy should expand deregulation to include international travel.
Exports, investment, efficiency and economic growth in LDC: an empirical investigation

This study seeks to analyse the relationship between exports and growth for 19 less-developed countries. It utilizes multivariate causality analysis based on the error correction model to address several important hypotheses. The results indicate that when exports have a causal influence in the development process that in general this is the result of their effect on both efficiency and accumulation. In addition, improvements in output and capital accumulation in an economy seem to have just as much of an influence on exports as exports have on output and capital accumulation. Finally, the growth process in East Asia seems to be quite different from that in Southeast Asia.
Assessment of Service Quality in the Hotel Industry

The purpose of this study was to enhance an understanding of service quality in the hotel industry by developing a conceptual framework and measurement scale. Based on an extensive literature review, qualitative and empirical research, a multi-dimensional and hierarchical model of service quality for the hotel industry is proposed. Analysis of data from a total of 622 customers revealed that the proposed model fit the data well. Reliability and validity of the measurement scale were established through a pilot test and the substantive survey. This study extends the literature on service quality in the fields of hospitality and tourism management by providing a comprehensive framework and measurement scale. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
The political economy of regionalism : the case of southern Africa

Introduction Reviewing The Theoretical Landscape Theorizing the New Regionalism Approach The Historical Construction of 'Southern Africa' The Political Economy of Formal and Informal Regionalism Civil Society Regionalism The Political Economy of Shared River Basins: The Case of the Zambezi The Political Economy of Micro-regionalism: The Case of the Maputo Development Corridor Conclusion
The ship owners’ stance on third party ship management: an empirical study

The last four decades have seen the rise of third-party ship management and its evolution into an industry in its own right. Specifically, the present study reviews independent ship management with a view to identifying those contemporary parameters, relating to several environmental forces that can be considered to be conducive to the employment of professional ship managers. The focus of the investigation is on the comparison of two traditional maritime centres, Greece and the UK, which have been chosen after a thorough selection process and found to serve in the best possible way our research objectives. An analytical examination of the ship management sector in Greece and the UK is undertaken looking into the ship owners’ viewpoint on a number of key issues. The analysed data yielded some very interesting results.
Active Compounds in Gingers and Their Therapeutic Use in Complimentary Medication

The rhizome of ginger is used widely both as a seasoning and herbal medicine. The active compounds contained in ginger are divided into two groups: volatile essential oils and fragrant or harsh phenol compounds. Two types of gingers, fresh and dried, are used in the herbal medicine. There exist differences in the chemical composition between fresh and dried gingers that might result in differences in medicinal functions of the herbs. The therapeutic functions, which include lowering cholesterol, relieving allergies and asthma, arthritis, colds, and nausea, protecting the digestive tract and liver against toxins and parasites, and avoiding gallstone, cerebral vascular and cardiovascular diseases, are reviewed and the toxicity and safety issues are also discussed in this article. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Further Evidence on the Relation Between Analysts' Forecast Dispersion and Stock Returns

Prior research reports seemingly conflicting evidence and interpretations concerning the relation between dispersion in analysts' earnings forecasts and stock returns. Diether et al. (2002) and Johnson (2004) find a negative relation between levels of dispersion in analysts' forecasts and future stock returns. Yet, changes in forecast dispersion are negatively associated with contemporaneous stock returns (L'Her and Suret 1996). We demonstrate that levels and changes in dispersion reflect different theoretical constructs. Changes in dispersion primarily reflect changes in information asymmetry whereas levels of dispersion primarily reflect levels of uncertainty. Further, the uncertainty component of dispersion levels reflects idiosyncratic risk that is negatively associated with future stock returns. These findings provide support for Johnson's (2004) explanation that dispersion levels reflect idiosyncratic uncertainty that increases the option value of the firm and generally refute Diether et al.'s (2002) explanation that dispersion levels reflect information asymmetry. In addition, we reconcile L'Her and Suret's (1996) findings with the findings of Johnson (2004). We find that the negative association between changes in dispersion and contemporaneous stock returns is not due to increased uncertainty but rather increased information asymmetry.
Fault Lines in Our Democracy: Civic Knowledge, Voting Behavior, and Civic Engagement in the United States. Highlights.

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the officers and trustees of Educational Testing Service. 2 When researchers report on gaps in educational attainment and income among different segments of the U.S. population, the most immediate concern is usually the long-term social impact that such gaps imply. As this year's national elections quickly approach, authors Richard J. Coley and Andrew Sum suggest in this report that these gaps pose another, perhaps equally concerning, threat to the nation's well being: They indicate fault lines in our democracy, because they reliably predict which groups are most or least likely to participate in the most fundamental activities of a representative democracy — voting and civic engagement. Beginning with the dismal state of the civics knowledge of our nation's students, the cornerstone of a strong democracy, the authors document the strong association between individual characteristics — such as age, education, and income — and important civic activities, such as voting and volunteering. Their analyses reveal a startling level of stratification at the nation's polling stations, from a voting rate of 3.5 percent for voting-age high school dropouts to 80.5 percent for well-off, advanced-degree holders between the ages of 55 and 64. " This, " they write, " represents a serious civic empowerment gap for our nation. " At ETS, this gap concerns us because we are dedicated to measuring knowledge and skills, promoting learning and educational performance, and supporting education and professional development for all people worldwide. We hope that readers will consider not only the authors' thoughtful analysis of the data, but also their recommendations for addressing the educational needs that the data imply. Preface The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of many individuals who played significant roles in the preparation of this report. At the Center for Labor Market Studies, we are grateful for the work of Ishwar At ETS, we want to acknowledge the support of Irwin Kirsch and Ida Lawrence. Larry Hanover and Eileen Kerrigan were editors; Marita Gray designed the cover; and Sally Acquaviva provided layout and design services. Literacy. Errors of fact or interpretation are those of the authors.
Migration and labour markets in OECD countries: a panel cointegration approach

This article examines the interaction between immigration and the host labour market of 14 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries using nonstationary panel data methodology. We estimate a trivariate Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) and derive causality tests to simultaneously assess the long- and short-term macroeconomic impact of newcomers on wages and unemployment levels in the host country. The results suggest that an increase of migrants is likely to increase wages in the destination countries in the short run but to increase them in the long run. There is no evidence of adverse effects on unemployment due to immigration in short and long-term except for Anglo-Saxon countries in the short term. Our findings also show that immigration is conditioned by levels of unemployment and wages especially in Anglo-Saxon countries.