Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Appropriateness of the Multi-Attitude Suicide Tendency Scale for Non-White Individuals

Analyses of data collected from 480 university students (approximately 56% White and 44% Black) challenge the utility of the Multi-Attitude Suicide Tendency Scale (MAST) for use with individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds. This size sample allowed for an examination of the psychometric properties and cultural relevance of the MAST for non-Whites. Correlations between scores on the MAST, suicide, and depression measures were in the expected directions for Whites but not for Blacks or Latinos. The White sample data fit the four-factor model of the MAST, but the model required several modifications to fit the data from the Black sample. Verification of the cultural relevance of the MAST and a revision of the scale are recommended to improve its usefulness.
Infant abandonment and adoption in China.

This article reviews the state of knowledge about skewed sex ratios informal adoption of girls and female child abandonment in China and the interrelationships between these 3 issues. Data were obtained from 1995 and 1996 in-depth interviews conducted among 629 families: 392 adopting families and 237 abandoning families. About 85% of abandoning families and 75% of adoptive families came from 1 central province and at least 20 counties in China. Families were located by word of mouth. Adoptions spanned the 1950s to the present. Most of the abandonments occurred in the 1980s and 1990s. Data from Hunan Hebei and Anhui support the link between increased abandonment and strong government birth control. 88% of abandoned children were from rural villages and were not impoverished. Parents were in their mid to late 20s and late 30s. In about 50% of the cases fathers decided to abandon and mothers were aware of it. 90% were girls; 10% were boys. 86% of abandoned children were healthy; 32 had disabilities. Abandonment was related to gender birth order and gender composition of siblings. Most were abandoned in the first 6 months of birth near their birthplace. Only 25% were discovered and punished by authorities. 77% of the 190 adoptions during 1990-96 were female. Many adoptions were arranged by birth parents. Girls were adopted at an earlier age than boys. Adoptive parents were better educated. About 50% of adoptive parents were childless. 33% of adoptive families with birth children received fines. Very few adoptees came from or were abandoned children in orphanages or welfare centers.
Canal switch after canalith repositioning procedure for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Canal switch is a complication following canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) for posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Instead of being returned to the utricle, the loose otoconia migrate into the superior or horizontal semicircular canal. Patients remain symptomatic, and treatment can be ineffective unless the switch is recognized and additional repositioning maneuvers directed toward the appropriate semicircular canal are performed. This report provides the first videographic documentation of canal switch involving conversion of unilateral posterior semicircular canal BPPV to geotropic horizontal canalithiasis. Laryngoscope, 2012
Pharmacy impact on medication reconciliation in the medical intensive care unit

Objective: Pharmacy-driven medication history (MH) programs have been shown to reduce the number of serious or potentially life-threatening (S/PLT) medication discrepancies (MDs) in many settings, but not Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Methods: MHs were repeated over a 6-week period. Demographics, number, and nature of MDs were documented. Discrepancy severity was graded using a previously published method. Primary outcome was the proportion of MHs containing >1 S/PLT MDs. Findings: Sixty-three MHs were repeated. Pharmacy MHs were less likely to contain ≥1 S/PLT MDs (0% vs. 50%, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Pharmacy MHs contained fewer S/PLT MDs in this small sample. S/PLT MDs on admission and home medication lists were common in patients admitted to the medical ICU. Pharmacy-driven medication reconciliation (MR) reduced the number and frequency of these discrepancies. Further research is required to improve current MR procedures.
Genetic Moderators of the Impact of Physical Activity on Depressive Symptoms.

BACKGROUND Converging evidence suggests that physical activity is an effective intervention for both clinical depression and sub-threshold depressive symptoms; however, findings are not always consistent. These mixed results might reflect heterogeneity in response to physical activity, with some subgroups of individuals responding positively, but not others. OBJECTIVES 1) To examine the impact of genetic variation and sex on changes in depressive symptoms in older adults after a physical activity (PA) intervention, and 2) to determine if PA differentially improves particular symptom dimensions of depression. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Four field centers (Cooper Institute, Stanford University, University of Pittsburgh, and Wake Forest University). PARTICIPANTS 396 community-dwelling adults aged 70-89 years who participated in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot Study (LIFE-P). INTERVENTION 12-month PA intervention compared to an education control. MEASUREMENTS Polymorphisms in the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genes; 12-month change in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale total score, as well as scores on the depressed affect, somatic symptoms, and lack of positive affect subscales. RESULTS Men randomized to the PA arm showed the greatest decreases in somatic symptoms, with a preferential benefit in male carriers of the BDNF Met allele. Symptoms of lack of positive affect decreased more in men compared to women, particularly in those possessing the 5-HTT L allele, but the effect did not differ by intervention arm. APOE status did not affect change in depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Results of this study suggest that the impact of PA on depressive symptoms varies by genotype and sex, and that PA may mitigate somatic symptoms of depression more than other symptoms. The results suggest that a targeted approach to recommending PA therapy for treatment of depression is viable.
Adult graduates’ negotiations of age(ing) and employability

In this article, we will explore Finnish adult graduates’ social positioning in relation to age and ageing, and the new discursive framing of employability that is firmly expressed in national as well as in European policy agendas. Age is here understood as a social construction and ageing as a lifelong process. We will analyse our joint interview data of general upper secondary school and university graduates, aged 30–60, from a discursive and narrative point of view. We will explore how the adult graduates we have interviewed negotiate and interpret age(ing) in relation to the employability discourse. Furthermore, we will explore some of the consequences of undertaking formal, academically oriented education in adulthood and not normatively in youth. As a result, we argue that age(ing) may be interpreted as a positional (dis)advantage notwithstanding the chronological age of the graduate or the level of the degree achieved in adulthood. Furthermore, becoming an entrepreneur of one’s own life willing to invest in continuous learning and education is the requisite at any age, and in no lesser extent for an older adult, willing to enhance her/his employability and stay actively involved in working life.
Is there a case for carbon-based border tax adjustment? An applied general equilibrium analysis

Concern that unilateral Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reductions could foster carbon leakage and undermine the international competitiveness of domestic industry has led to growing calls for carbon-based Border-Tax Adjustments (BTAs). This article uses a global general equilibrium model to assess the economic effects of BTAs and comes to three main conclusions. First, BTAs can reduce carbon leakage if the coalition of countries taking action to reduce GHG emissions is small, because in this case leakage (while typically small) mainly occurs through international trade competitiveness losses rather than through declines in world fossil fuel prices. Second, even though the economic effects of BTAs vary somewhat depending on how they are implemented, their welfare impact is typically small, and slightly negative at the world level. Third, and perhaps more strikingly, BTAs do not necessarily curb the output losses incurred by the domestic Energy Intensive-Industries (EIIs) they are intended to protect in the first place. This is in part because EIIs in industrialized countries make important use of carbon-intensive intermediate inputs produced by EIIs in other geographical areas. Another, deeper explanation is that EIIs are ultimately more adversely affected by the existence of a carbon price itself than by any international competitiveness losses. These findings are shown to be robust to key model parameters, country coverage, targets and design features of BTAs.
IMPUTED RENT AND INCOME DISTRIBUTION

This paper uses unit record survey data to implement a 1977 United Nations recommendation that imputed rent from owner-occupied housing be included in household income in statistics collected for income distribution purposes. The conceptual difficulties associated with employing the recommended National Accounts approach are highlighted by a comparison of the methodologies used to impute housing income for National Accounts purposes, for use in income distribution analyses and for income taxation purposes. The empirical difficulties associated with implementing the preferred approach are also discussed. The results reinforce the significant impact owner-occupation has on the well-being of many households and point to the importance of a disaggregate analysis of its distributional impact. Copyright 1994 by The International Association for Research in Income and Wealth.
The Pricing of Options on Default-Free Bonds

Recent developments in the finance literature dealing with the valuation of contingent claims have been triggered by Black and Scholes [2] with their valuation of European options on corporate stocks. The type of valuation model derived by Black and Scholes is attractive because it is independent of preferences. This independence is possible due to the fact that the contingent claims are usually assumed to be contingent on traded assets or traded state variables. For example, a European call option is a claim contingent on the value of the corresponding stock. To maintain the independence of the claim from preferences, however, some variables have to be discarded and considered as constants. For example, the rate of interest, which is not a traded state variable, is considered a constant in most of the literature (see Black and Scholes [2], Merton [11], and Ingersoll [9]). Though this approximation might not cause important discrepancies in the case of corporate liabilities and options on corporate liabilities, the effect of such an approximation on the value of default-free bonds and options on default-free bonds is more important since these liabilities depend only on the rate of interest.
Productivity or efficiency— Measuring what we really want

Most productivity measures are geared toward easy quantification, tending to evaluate the efficiency of an individual, group, organization, or country. But to help ensure productivity and quality, organizations need a new definition of productivity that takes into account a multitude of factors beyond inputs and outputs. These factors and their relative importance must be solicited from management. This article details a new, improved definition of productivity and explains bow organizations can apply it to their own situations.
The impact of green learning orientation on proactive environmental innovation capability and firm performance

Previous studies have devoted significant attention to exploring the impact of organizational learning on innovation capability and performance. However, few studies have investigated the specific outcomes concerning green innovation or environmental management. This study attempts to fill the existing research gap by proposing a novel construct - green learning orientation - and providing a research framework to explore the impact of green learning orientation on proactive environmental innovation capability and firm performance. This study uses a questionnaire survey to assess electrical and electronics manufacturers in Taiwan. The results show the following: (1) green learning orientation is positively associated with proactive environmental innovation capability, (2) green learning orientation is positively associated with firm performance, and (3) proactive environmental innovation capability is positively associated with firm performance. Thus, companies that are pioneers in green learning have the ability to enhance their innovation capability in terms of processes, products, and services and increase their performance. Additionally, proactive environmental innovation capability is also an important source of performance. Key words: green learning orientation, proactive environmental innovation capability, firm performance.
Enhancing Transition from Early Childhood Phase to Primary Education: Evidence from the research literature

There are many levels in the educational continuum, and each time a child moves from one level to the other transition occurs. Transition from the early childhood phase to primary school is one of the major steps that each child has to take in the education continuum, and has been known to be traumatic for most children. There is also research evidence which contends that this transition to the first year of primary school is very important for the child's future physical, emotional and intellectual development. This article examines the literature on transition to school, and discusses its importance and the need to minimise its adverse effects by providing a smooth transition for the child. The article presents the factors which impact on successful transition from the early childhood phase to primary school.
Editorial: Analysis of papers published in the Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction 2010-2015

Purpose – This paper aims to analyse the characteristics of papers published in the Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction (JFMPC) for the period 2010-2015 (Volumes 15.1-20.1 inclusive), to consider characteristics and recent trends among said publications and to discuss possible future directions in the subject field. Design/methodology/approach – Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis via word count frequencies. Findings – Eighty papers were published by a combined group of 216 authors. Lead authors were from a total of 50 academic and five private organisations. Sixty-seven papers were multi-authored, 10 of which were multi-national. Eighty-six papers were classified as research papers, 5 per cent were conceptual, 4 per cent general review, 2.5 per cent technical, 1.3 per cent case study and 1.3 per cent viewpoint. There were 46,251 downloads of these papers, which when time-adjusted, represented an average of 64 downloads per paper, per issue of availability on the Web. Most popular keywords were “construction”, “industry”, “project” and “private”. Among all keywords, the most popular themes were countries, organisations, miscellaneous and business. Research limitations/implications – Analysis highlights previous trends and possible future research themes. Originality/value – The findings are unique to JFMPC and therefore novel/new.
Vers and Price Undertakings Under the WTO

Under the rules of the WTO, governments are prohibited from negotiating voluntary export restraints (VERs) but may negotiate price undertakings (i.e. import price minima). While these two policies can have identical effects in models of perfect competition, they can have very different economic consequences with imperfect competition. The model presented here shows that in a model of international Bertrand duopoly, a VER can result in lower domestic prices and profits than a price minimum regime. This suggests that price undertakings should also be prohibited under the WTO.
Chiefs, civil servants and the city council: State–society relations in evolving land delivery processes in Maseru, Lesotho

This paper deals with state–society relations in evolving land delivery processes in Maseru, Lesotho. It discusses the role of the Basotho people's hereditary chiefs, civil servants and the Maseru City Council (MCC) in evolving land delivery processes in Maseru. The paper argues that failure by the MCC and other central state agencies to deliver adequate and appropriate housing land to meet buoyant demand has created a vacuum in which alternative land delivery processes, often a hybrid of formal state rules and behavioural norms including custom, as re-defined by everyday contingencies of urban life, have emerged and flourished. In Maseru these processes have been reinforced by the ability of the chieftainship to respond to the changing socio-economic conditions of its subjects, as well as active involvement of central government civil servants. Evolving land delivery processes are found to be socially legitimate and the various sources of legitimacy are identified and discussed. The paper concludes that,.
Online Discussion Forum and Facebook: Students’ Perceptions & Interests on Learning in Tertiary Level Education in Bangladesh

The Online Discussion Forum (ODF) is an electronic network facilitating students along with the classroom and enabling them to post thoughts to the discussion threads, interact & receive helpful insight from other students as well as from instructors. Whereas Facebook denotes a platform where registered individuals gather, communicate, share recommendations & experiences and react relying on others’ expression. Nowadays, this friendly social networking tool is being applied for academic purposes. Online Discussion Forums and Facebook are increasingly becoming study part of the Tertiary Education in Bangladesh. However, interests and perceptions of students have been observed both on Online Discussion Forums and Facebook. This Paper explores the perception and interest priority of students, in Tertiary Education in Bangladesh, whether towards Online Discussion Forum or Facebook, and the factors behind their being participated. Based on learner perceptions, this study will provide information for educators about the factors that enable learners to engage in online learning and design the platform in order to better meet learner needs.
Antitumor activity of sodium valproate in cultures of human neuroblastoma cells

Valproic acid (VPA) is a simple branched-chain fatty acid that has anticonvulsant activity and is widely used in the treatment of epilepsy. VPA was found to effect growth and differentiation of human neuroblastoma (NB) cells in vitro at concentrations that have been achieved in humans with no significant adverse effects. Treatment of UKF-NB-2 and UKF-NB-3 NB cell lines with VPA at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2 mM resulted in neuronal morphological differentiation characterized by extension of cellular processes without significant effects on cell viability. Ultra-structural features of VPA-treated cells were consistent with the neuronal type of differentiation. VPA treatment of NB cells was associated with decreased expression of N-myc oncoprotein and increased expression of neural cell adhesion molecule in their membrane. Treatment of NB cells with 0.5 mM VPA increased their sensitivity to lymphokine-activated killer lysis. The results indicate that VPA, at non-toxic pharmacological concentrations, arrests the growth, induces differentiation and increases immunogenicity of NB cells through non-toxic mechanisms.
Technology business incubators to help build an innovation-based economy

In this age of exponential technology development and relentless globalisation, innovation and entrepreneurship have become the prime drivers of economic growth. Measures to build an innovation-based economy are outlined. One such measure is the establishment of technology business incubators to nurture nascent ventures by providing focused counselling and facilitation services together with smart workspace and shared office facilities. An incubator, often sited within a technology park and affiliated to a technical university or research institute, provides a platform for convergence of support in a synergistic system. The state, business, venture capital and community each have special roles to play in stimulating the venture creation process. Examples are given of incubation arrangements in the USA and in China, Brazil and India — each customised to the local conditions and culture. The performance of this modality has now to be enhanced by identifying and applying good practices through systems of benchmarking and continuous learning. With some 3,500 incubators worldwide today, the need is felt — and the e-capability exists — to establish a virtual World Incubation Network.
Corporate sustainability reporting of major commercial banks in line with GRI: Bangladesh evidence

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the tendencies of sustainability reporting by major commercial banks in Bangladesh in comparison with global sustainability reporting indicators outlined in the GRI framework together with banks' predilection toward reporting 16 GRI financial service sector (FSS) specific performance indicators.Design/methodology/approach – Based on the GRI G3 guidelines, the paper investigated banks' reporting in five broad areas of sustainability, such as environment, labour practices and decent works, product responsibility, human rights and society. The 2008/2009 annual reports of 12 major commercial banks listed on Dhaka stock exchange were analysed and coded using a content‐based technique.Findings – The results show that information on society is addressed most extensively with regard to extent of reporting. This is followed by the disclosures prepared on decent works and labour practices and environmental issues. Furthermore, the disclosures of product responsibility informatio.
Estimation of k‐space trajectories in spiral MRI

For non‐Cartesian data acquisition in MRI, k‐space trajectory infidelity due to eddy current effects and other hardware imperfections will blur and distort the reconstructed images. Even with the shielded gradients and eddy current compensation techniques of current scanners, the deviation between the actual k‐space trajectory and the requested trajectory remains a major reason for image artifacts in non‐Cartesian MRI. It is often not practical to measure the k‐space trajectory for each imaging slice. It has been reported that better image quality is achieved in radial scanning by correcting anisotropic delays on different physical gradient axes. In this article the delay model is applied in spiral k‐space trajectory estimation to reduce image artifacts. Then a novel estimation method combining the anisotropic delay model and a simple convolution eddy current model further reduces the artifact level in spiral image reconstruction. The root mean square error and peak error in both phantom and in vivo images reconstructed using the estimated trajectories are reduced substantially compared to the results achieved by only tuning delays. After a one‐time calibration, it is thus possible to get an accurate estimate of the spiral trajectory and a high‐quality image reconstruction for an arbitrary scan plane. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.