Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inclusion in Vietnam: An intersectionality perspective on girls with disabilities and education

This article explores the challenges related to the inclusion of girls with disabilities in Vietnamese schools. Building on fieldwork which interrogates the institutional treatment of girls with disabilities in the Vietnamese context, we suggest that there is a need to think more critically about the inclusion and exclusion of girls with disabilities within social and educational policies. The issues that we will discuss are taken from a theoretical and methodological standpoint. First, there is a need for rethinking the intersection between disability and gender in educational policies and practices; second, we emphasize the need for understanding the implications of inclusion and exclusion in global/national/local contexts in relation to girls with disabilities; and finally, we suggest that using innovative methodological approaches is important to foster inclusion and social change.
Increased mean platelet volume is associated with coronary artery ectasia

Aim The present study was designed to investigate mean platelet volume (MPV) values in coronary artery ectasia (CAE) patients in comparison with individuals with coronary artery disease and normal coronary angiograms. Material and methods Patients with stable angina pectoris and scheduled for angiography were included in the study. Those with isolated coronary ectasia were evaluated in the coronary angiography. Mean platelet volume was measured in 126 patients (mean age: 57.2 ±11.3 years) with isolated CAE, 126 patients (mean age: 56.3 ±10.4 years) with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 122 control subjects (mean age: 58.1 ±11.1 years). Coronary artery ectasia was defined as lack of stenotic lesion, on visual assessment, of the coronary arteries with a luminal dilatation 1.5-fold or more of the adjacent normal coronary segments. Mean platelet volume values were recorded in all patients. Ectasia severity was evaluated and categorized in accordance with the Markis categorization. Results A significant difference with respect to age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cigarette use between the study groups was not found (p > 0.05). Mean platelet volume was significantly higher in patients with CAE and CAD than in the control group (9.8 ±3.8 fl and 9.7 ±3.9 fl vs. 8.8 ±3.3 fl, p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between CAE and CAD groups. When type I and type IV subgroups were compared in patients with coronary artery ectasia, MPV was detected as statistically high in the type I subgroup (p = 0.026). Conclusions It was shown that patients with CAE and CAD have higher MPVs than subjects with normal coronary angiograms. Moreover, it was detected that in coronary artery ectasias, the increase in MPV is related to both the atherosclerotic process and severity of the disease.
Rejecting Eco-Authoritarianism, Again

Ecologically-motivated authoritarianism flourished initially during the 1970s but largely disappeared after the decline of socialism in the late-1980s. Today, ‘eco-authoritarianism’ is beginning to reassert itself, this time modelled not after the Soviet Union but modern-day China. The new eco-authoritarians denounce central planning but still suggest that governments should be granted powers that free them from subordination to citizens’ rights or democratic procedures. I argue that current eco-authoritarian views do not present us with an attractive alternative to market liberal democracy even if we take a highly pessimistic view of our shared prospects under the latter sort of regime.
Examining the Effects of Dual-level Transformational Leadership, LMX, and Group Cohesiveness on Employee Service Performance

In this study, we propose a multi-level theoretical framework within which we identify transformational leadership at dual levels as the primary source of the positive influence on employee service performance through the mechanism of leader-member exchange (LMX) and group cohesiveness. Data are obtained from 23 branches of a large commercial bank in central Taiwan, with the samples collected from both managers and employees forming 228 manager-employee dyads, and thereby avoiding common method variance. Our results reveal that both levels of transformational leadership and LMX have significantly positive effects on employee service performance, with LMX also playing a mediating role between individual-focused transformational leadership and service performance. Group-focused transformational leadership affects employee service performance through group cohesiveness. Interestingly, group cohesiveness is found to be an important moderator which also enhances the relationship between LMX and service performance. Our study includes a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.
Crossing the ‘great divide’ in practice: theoretical approaches for sociology in interdisciplinary environmental research

Ideological and intellectual separation between nature and society continues to limit our understanding of the world and impair our ability to address critical environmental problems. An increasing number of environmental and natural resource issues now require an integrative interdisciplinary approach. Using theoretical grounded frameworks and tools, sociologists have an important role to play in this work. This paper examines several theoretical approaches to cross the nature–society divide and guide sociologists participating interdisciplinary environmental research. These approaches include ecological Marxism, actor-network theory (ANT), social–biophysical stratification, and resilience theory. The paper examines specific strengths and shortcomings associated with each approach, areas for future application and development, and how each approach may be applied to support interdisciplinary environmental research. In addition, an example is used to illustrate how a specific theoretical approach can be applied to create a conceptual framework to guide interdisciplinary research. This paper aims to further the development and elaboration of nature–society theorization and to support sociologists who seek theoretical tools to apply to interdisciplinary environmental research projects.
Interaction of Workplace Environment with Worker Demographics and Perceptions in Croatia

The aim of the study was to investigate chronological and subjective age and gender differences in terms of the physical, mental and social demands of work. Subjects, 88 women and 25 men, were workers in a medical setting who completed the Survey of Health Care Professionals. Subjects' reports of effort required by their work, tiredness resulting from their work, and personal skills needed to complete their work were used to assess the physical, mental and social demands of work. Subjective age measures included cognitive age, desired age and comparative age. Results showed that, compared to men, women reported being more tense as a result of the work. Age differences were found in the physical and mental skills required by the work, and older workers had lower estimates of their own skills than younger workers. In addition, the three measures of subjective age showed different patterns of relationships with aspects of work demands.
Approaches for Aggregating Preferences in Participatory Forest Planning - An Experimental Study

Many forest planning situations are complex; multiple criteria of different natures have to be considered and several stakeholders or social groups may be involved. An approach that is increasingly used in these complex situations is the combination of multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and participatory planning. A crucial part of MCDA processes involving more than one decision maker is the aggregation of individual stakeholder preferences into a collective preference; in a participatory context, the aggregation mechanism should be equitable and transparent so as to create trust in the process. This study evaluates three approaches for the aggregation of stakeholders' preferences in a participatory MCDA process: extended goal programming (EGP), the weighted arithmetic mean method (WAMM), and the geometric mean method (GMM). The aggregation approaches were tested in a role playing exercise with students. The approaches have different properties and result in different rankings, thus the main conclusions are that the choice of aggregation approach should depend on the situation and the stakeholders. Moreover, if aggregation methods are used in participatory planning, they should be used as tools for exploring and increasing knowledge about the issue rather than as methods that produce "the optimal solution".
An Investigation of the Relationships between Strategy Use and GEPT Test Performance

This study investigated language learner strategy use reported by 567 Taiwanese EFL learners through a questionnaire and the relationships of strategy use to language performance in the General English Proficiency Test (GEPT)-Listening and Reading, at the intermediate level. Statistical analyses were employed to explore the complex relationships between test-takers' cognitive and metacognitive strategy use and L2 test performance. Major findings include: Learners used more metacogntive strategies than cognitive strategies in general. Some strategies were found to be significant predictors of test performance, accounting for 14% of the variance. Variations in the effect of learner strategy use may be associated with L2 proficiency and the language skill (listening vs. reading) assessed in the test being investigated. Some strategies were used more frequently by the higher achievers, which suggests that particular strategies are useful for EFL learners. Despite the limitations, the findings have a number of implications for pedagogy and future research.
Detection by real-time RT-PCR of a bovine respiratory syncytial virus vaccine in calves vaccinated intranasally

Seventeen four- to five-week-old calves that were not shedding bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) were vaccinated intranasally against the disease and sampled by nasal swabbing on 16 different days for up to 20 days after vaccination. BRSV vaccine virus was detected in 15 of the 17 calves. Five of the calves were PCR positive on only one swab, eight were PCR positive on two to five swabs and two were PCR positive on more than five swabs. Twelve of the calves were positive only before day 14 and three were positive after day 14. The nasal shedding of BRSV vaccine virus was very variable.
Interleukin 3 protects murine bone marrow cells from apoptosis induced by DNA damaging agents

Murine bone marrow-derived cells, dependent on interleukin 3 (IL-3) for their growth in culture, undergo programmed cell, or apoptosis, upon cytokine withdrawal. Here it is reported that a variety of DNA damaging agents cause a more rapid onset of apoptosis in a factor-dependent cell line, BAF3, deprived of IL-3. In contrast, when cultured in the presence of IL-3, or other growth promoting factors, BAF3 cells are highly resistant to X-irradiation and the cytotoxic drugs etoposide and cisplatin. Overexpression of the bcl2 gene product also protects BAF3 cells from DNA damage. The presence of IL-3 is not required during the initial events of DNA damage or its repair. In the absence of IL-3, cells still complete the repair of DNA breaks within 15 min, and continue to cycle for 5 h. At this time, IL-3 is necessary to prevent the accelerated onset of DNA cleavage from a G2 arrest point.
Portal vein embolization stimulates tumour growth in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases.

OBJECTIVES Portal vein embolization (PVE) can facilitate the resection of previously unresectable colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastases. Bevacizumab is being used increasingly in the treatment of metastatic CRC, although data regarding its effect on post-embolization liver regeneration and tumour growth are conflicting. The objective of this observational study was to assess the impact of pre-embolization bevacizumab on liver hypertrophy and tumour growth. METHODS Computed tomography scans before and 4 weeks after PVE were evaluated in patients who received perioperative chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab. Scans were compared with scans obtained in a control group in which no PVE was administered. Future liver remnant (FLR), total liver volume (TLV) and total tumour volume (TTV) were measured. Bevacizumab was discontinued ≥ 4 weeks before PVE. RESULTS A total of 109 patients and 11 control patients were included. Portal vein embolization induced a significant increase in TTV: the right lobe increased by 33.4% in PVE subjects but decreased by 34.8% in control subjects (P < 0.001), and the left lobe increased by 49.9% in PVE subjects and decreased by 33.2% in controls (P= 0.022). A total of 52.8% of the study group received bevacizumab and 47.2% did not. There was no statistical difference between the two chemotherapy groups in terms of tumour growth. Median FLR after PVE was similar in both groups (28.8% vs. 28.7%; P= 0.825). CONCLUSIONS Adequate liver regeneration was achieved in patients who underwent PVE. However, significant tumour progression was also observed post-embolization.
The Novel Rapid Long PN Sequence Acquisition Method Based on Correlation Property

Enlightened by fast correlation attacks algorithm (FCAA) which is a well-known attacking method on stream ciphers, we demonstrate the novel PN sequence acquisition based on its correlation property in this paper. By this approach, we can acquire a long PN code with a short observation interval. To evaluate the performance of our method, we have performed some simulations. Simulation results show that the performance of FCAA search is close to that of iMPAs search. This method is also significant in complexity reduction compared with full parallel search and serial search. Furthermore our approach needs not to extract the cyclic graphical models, so it can be applied to linear and nonlinear sequence acquisition.
Ijebu Ode’s Ojude Oba Festival

Yoruba festivals are numerous and multifarious. For this reason, some are of the view that the Yorubas are deeply spiritual. In addition to the generally celebrated festivals among the Yorubas, each Yoruba tribe has its own festivals. A series of these festivals called the Ojude Oba festival is celebrated by the Ijebus who are renowned for both their enterprise and affluence. This article examines the cultural and spiritual significance of the Ojude Oba festival. It analyzes the early beginnings of the festival while providing insights into the epoch of the Ijebus. The festival constitutes a major commercial activity that brings about economic integration and development of the Ijebu community. This article argues that the Ojude Oba festival should not be seen simply for its entertainment value, but as a manifestation of Yoruba cultural, socio-economic, and spiritual values.
Respiratory inductive plethysmography accuracy at varying PEEP levels and degrees of acute lung injury

Background and objective: This study was performed to assess the accuracy of respiratory inductive plethysmographic (RIP) estimated lung volume changes at varying positive end-expiratory pressures (PEEP) during different degrees of acute respiratory failure. Methods: Measurements of inspiratory tidal volume were validated in eight piglets during constant volume ventilation at incremental and decremental PEEP levels and with increasing severity of pulmonary injury. RIP accuracy was assessed with calibration from the healthy state, from the disease state as the measurement error was assessed, and at various PEEP levels. Results: Best results (bias 3%, precision 7%) were obtained in healthy animals. RIP accuracy decreased with progressing degrees of acute respiratory failure and was PEEP dependent, unless RIP was calibrated again. When calibration was performed in the disease state as the measurement error was assessed, bias was reduced but precision did not improve (bias – 2%, precision 9%). Conclusions: RIP accuracy is within the accuracy range found in monitoring devices currently in clinical use. Most reliable results with RIP are obtained when measurements are preceded by calibration in pulmonary conditions that are comparable to the measurement period. When RIP calibration is not possible, fixed weighting of the RIP signals with species and subject size adequate factors is an alternative. Measurement errors should be taken into account with interpretation of small volume changes.
Premature infants' nighttime awakening and their mothers' attachment styles and bedtime behavior

ii TABLE OF CONTENTS . iii LIST OF TABLES . viii LIST OF FIGURES . ix LIST OF EQUATIONS . x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . xii DEDICATION . xiii
Languages and the Challenges of Education in Nigeria

In this paper, Prof. Adegbite identifies educational and linguistic failure as the bane of development of the Nigerian nation. From a macro-sociolinguistic perspective, he highlights some of the problems encountered by the Nigerian nation in various spheres of life and attributes these to the challenges of education, on the one hand, and the over-utilization of English at the expense of indigenous languages in communication and education, on the other hand. The author opines that while a language policy is crucial to the nation, as language is the basis for human cognitive, social and communicative activities, lingua-cultural policies can be formulated to integrate aspects of language and cultural experience of Nigerians for sustainable development. Consequently, models of lingual and lingual-cultural policies are suggested for language and educational development.
Behavioral psychotherapy for children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder: an open trial of a new protocol-driven treatment package.

OBJECTIVE The authors present an open trial of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. METHOD The authors developed a treatment manual explicitly designed to facilitate (1) patient and parental compliance, (2) exportability, and (3) empirical evaluation. Successive versions of the manual were used to treat 15 consecutive child and adolescent patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, most of whom were also treated with medications. RESULTS Statistical analyses showed a significant benefit for treatment immediately posttreatment and at follow-up. Nine patients experienced at least a 50% reduction in symptoms on the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale at posttreatment; 6 were asymptomatic on the National Institute of Mental Health Global Obsessive-Compulsive Scale. No patients relapsed at follow-up intervals as long as 18 months. Booster behavioral treatment allowed medication discontinuation in 6 patients. No patient refused treatment; 2 discontinued prematurely. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, alone or in combination with pharmacotherapy, appears to be a safe, acceptable, and effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents.
The Conditional Nature of Value-Based Proximity Between Countries

Media attention accorded to foreign countries constitutes a crucial facet of public diplomacy. Studies have shown that proximity in values is a key factor that determines such media attention. Models of media interest generally assume that the impact of value proximity is universal across countries with different societal value orientations. Yet this study shows that the effect of societal value orientation on media attention to foreign countries is more complex. It is argued here that the societal value orientation in different countries primes different sets of values, which are then applied as a criterion for assessing the importance of foreign states. Our empirical examination is based on the visibility of foreign countries gauged by searching web portals in 57 countries. It shows that in line with our theoretical argument, countries systematically differ in recognizing proximity, such that democracies base their judgment on similarity in shared democratic principles, whereas authoritarian countries focus on the affinity in religious culture. We discuss the strategic implications of this finding for the study of mediated public diplomacy.
Long-term clinical outcomes and stent thrombosis of sirolimus-eluting versus bare metal stents in patients with end-stage renal disease: results of Korean multicenter angioplasty team (KOMATE) Registry.

BACKGROUND There are still controversies about long-term clinical outcomes of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) versus bare metal stents (BMS) implantation in patients with end-stage renal diseases (ESRD). OBJECTIVE To compare long-term outcomes in patients with (ESRD) following SES versus BMS implantation. METHODS Between March 2003 and July 2005, a total of 54 patients (80 lesions) with ESRD undergoing SES implantation [SES-ESRD] were enrolled and compared with 51 patients (54 lesions) with ESRD receiving BMS during the same periods [BMS-ESRD] in the Korean Multicenter Angioplasty Team Registry. The primary outcome was the composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or any stent thrombosis (ST) according to the Academic Research Consortium definition during a 3-year follow-up. RESULTS The cumulative 3-year rate of composite of death, MI, or ST of the SES-ESRD group (24%) was nearly similar with that of the BMS-ESRD group (24%, P = 1.000). The 3-year rates of death (26% vs. 24%, P = 0.824) or MACE (37% vs. 43%, P = 0.331) in the SES-ESRD did not differ significantly from those in the BMS-ESRD. However, the SES-ESRD showed a sustained lower 3-year TVR rate (9%), compared with BMS-ESRD (24%, P = 0.042). The rate of any ST in SES-ESRD was not significantly higher than that in the BMS-ESRD (17% vs. 14%, P = 0.788). There was no significant difference in the rate of late or very late ST between SES-ESRD (15%) versus BMS-ESRD group (10%, P = 0.557). CONCLUSIONS SES did not increase the risks for death, MI, or any ST in patients with ESRD during the long-term follow-up, compared with BMS.
"Weathering a Hidden Storm": An Application of Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health, and Health Services Use for Those with Diagnosable Anxiety Disorder

Abstract: Research has primarily focused on depression and mood disorders, but little research has been devoted to an examination of mental health services use amongst those with diagnosable anxiety disorder (Wittchen et al., 2002; Bergeron et al., 2005). This study examined the possible predicting factors for mental health services utilization amongst those with identifiable anxiety disorder in the Canadian population. The methods used for this study was the application of Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, where predisposing, need and enabling characteristics were regressed on the dependent variable of mental health services use. This study used the Canadian Community Health Survey (cycle 1.2: Mental Health and Well-Being) in a secondary data analysis. Several multiple logistics models predicted the likelihood to seek and use mental health services. Predisposing characteristics of gender and age, Enabling characteristics of education and geographical location, and those with co-occurring mood disorders were at the greatest increased likelihood to seek and use mental health services.