Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Canadian Political Cultures: Towards a Redefinition of the Nature of the Canadian Political System

Les cultures politiques au Canada On conçoit généralement le système politique canadien comme étant composé de deux entités fondamentalement distinctes : les Français et les Anglais. Les différences entre les deux sont présumées être si grandes qu'elles dichotomisent le Canada en deux cultures politiques. Par ailleurs, est aussi conventionnellement admise l'existence d'importantes différences de comportement politique et de vécu historique entre les diverses parties du Canada anglais, si bien qu'il n'est pas impensable d'attribuer au Canada d'autres divisions significatives. L'auteur établit tout d'abord que les provinces constituent des systèmes politiques indépendants puisque chacune d'entre elles exerce une juridiction législative autonome dans tous les secteurs essentiels de la vie sociale et économique de ses habitants. Se fondant sur l'observation selon laquelle plusieurs des différences entre les provinces sont imputables à leur niveau de développement et sur le constat de l'apparentement théorique entre le concept de développement et celui de culture politique, il en vient ensuite à suggérer l'existence d'un rapport entre d'une part les divers niveaux de développement politique auxquels sont parvenues les provinces et d'autre part les éléments de culture politique qui les différencient. Ce rapport fonde une théorie générale du développement des systèmes de partis politiques selon laquelle les divers types de systèmes bipartites correspondent à certaines périodes historiques, et les systèmes tripartites sont essentiellement le propre des communautés politiques en transition entre la préindustrialisation et l'industrialisation avancée. Une analyse des systèmes de partis des diverses provinces canadiennes basée sur cette théorie permet d'établir que les provinces maritimes en sont aux toutes premières étapes du développement politique, que le Québec, l'Ontario, le Manitoba et la Colombie Britannique traversent, à des degrés différents, la phase transitoire et que l'Alberta et la Saskatchewan ont atteint un niveau avancé de développement. Ces conclusions sont vérifiées à l'aide de données d'un sondage canadien (1968), d'un sondage ontarien (1967) et d'un sondage manitobain (1973), de même que d'une étude sur les caractéristiques socio-économiques des candidats aux legislatures provinciales. D'une façon très générale, la théorie des niveaux différentiels de développement politique provincial s'avère fondée. L'auteur en conclut qu'il est vraisemblable de penser qu'il existe plus que deux cultures politiques au Canada.
Unemployment duration in Germany: A comprehensive study with dynamic hazard models and P-Splines

This paper makes use of data from the German socio-economic panel to gain new insights into the determinants of unemployment duration in Germany. Due to substantial differences with respect to labour market outcomes we follow a stratified approach with respect to gender and ethnicity. To analyze unemployment duration comprehensively, dynamic duration time models are used in which covariate e.ects are allowed to vary smoothly with unemployment duration and others enter the model in an a-priori unspecified functional form. We control for unobserved heterogeneity by following a modern frailty approach. As fitting routine we employ penalized spline smoothing effects using available software in R. We demonstrate with state-of-the-art regression models how effects of covariables change, either over duration time or within their domain and reveal substantial differences across gender and ethnicities for the German labour market. Among others we find large effects of family characteristics for women and a minor importance of formal qualifications for immigrants.
Physiological Aging Influence on Brain Hemodynamic Activity during Task-Switching: A fNIRS Study

Task-switching (TS) paradigm is a well-known validated tool useful for exploring the neural substrates of cognitive control, in particular the activity of the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex. This work is aimed at investigating how physiological aging influences hemodynamic response during the execution of a color-shape TS paradigm. A multi-channel near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to measure hemodynamic activity in 27 young (30.00 ± 7.90 years) and 11 elderly participants (57.18 ± 9.29 years) healthy volunteers (55% male, age range: (19–69) years) during the execution of a TS paradigm. Two holders were placed symmetrically over the left/right hemispheres to record cortical activity [oxy-(HbO) and deoxy-hemoglobin (HbR) concentration] of the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the dorsal premotor cortex (PMC), and the dorso-medial part of the superior frontal gyrus (sFG). TS paradigm requires participants to repeat the same task over a variable number of trials, and then to switch to a different task during the trial sequence. A two-sample t-test was carried out to detect differences in cortical responses between groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of age on the prefrontal neural activity. Elderly participants were significantly slower than young participants in both color- (p < 0.01, t = −3.67) and shape-single tasks (p = 0.026, t = −2.54) as well as switching (p = 0.026, t = −2.41) and repetition trials (p = 0.012, t = −2.80). Differences in cortical activation between groups were revealed for HbO mean concentration of switching task in the PMC (p = 0.048, t = 2.94). In the whole group, significant increases of behavioral performance were detected in switching trials, which positively correlated with aging. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the HbO mean concentration of switching task in the PMC (p = 0.01, β = −0.321) and of shape single-task in the sFG (p = 0.003, β = 0.342) were the best predictors of age effects. Our findings demonstrated that TS might be a reliable instrument to gather a measure of cognitive resources in older people. Moreover, the fNIRS-related brain activity extracted from frontoparietal cortex might become a useful indicator of aging effects.
Market Interdependence In The Pacific Basin Region: Internal Drives And External Influences

This paper examines equity market linkages in the Pacific Basin (PB) region and their relations to other mature markets and also assesses the response of these markets to major global events. Results from weekly data for market pairs and for the region as a whole consistently suggest that markets in the PB region are internally interdependent and exhibit significant external relations mainly with the US (rather than Japan). The presence of potent market linkages seems inconsistent with market efficiency provided that implied trading rules yield risk-adjusted excess returns. However, the results further indicate that PB market linkages, both internally within the region and externally with the US, have endured considerable weaknesses particularly since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. Such recent weakening of equity market linkages may have strengthened diversification benefits available to US investors from investing in the PB region. We also obtain evidence indicating that three main factors significantly explain the differing degrees of market linkages across countries in the PB region; namely, exchange-rate volatility, equity market volatility and money-market interlink.
Plenty of land, land of plenty: the agrarian output of Portugal (1311–20)

This article presents a benchmark for Portuguese agrarian output for the 1311–20 decade. This benchmark is built from the supply side using the value of church tithes combined with contemporary parish accounts. Two main findings emerge: first, per capita agrarian output was similar in the recently conquered South and the North, hinting that internal migration after the Reconquista led to the equalization of marginal product across the country; second, that Portuguese real per capita agrarian output was above subsistence and higher than that of contemporary England and Wales. This result, which is robust to the assumptions used, confirms that by 1320 Portugal was a "frontier economy" with a high land/labor ratio and a high per capita output. This seems to reinforce the Malthusian theory that the amount of land per person was key in determining living standards. The article discusses the implication of these results for the inequality among nations.
Effectiveness of Low-dose and Standard-dose Tamsulosin in the Treatment of Distal Ureteric Stones: A Randomized Controlled Study

Low-dose (0.2 mg/day) and standard-dose (0.4 mg/day) tamsulosin were studied in a randomized controlled trial of 75 outpatients with distal ureteroliths in Thailand. Group 1 (n = 25; control) received oral sodium diclofenac 50 mg twice a day for 10 days; group 2 (n = 25) received oral sodium diclofenac 50 mg twice a day for 10 days, with oral tamsulosin 0.2 mg once a day up to 28 days; and group 3 (n = 25) received oral sodium diclofenac 50 mg twice a day for 10 days, with oral tamsulosin 0.4 mg once a day up to 28 days. For groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively, the expulsion rates were 4%, 40% and 68% (significantly different for group 1 vs group 2, and for group 1 vs group 3) and mean expulsion times were 23.00, 9.30 and 10.76 days. Both doses of tamsulosin increased stone expulsion rate and decreased expulsion time in comparison with the control, and have been shown to be safe and effective in Asian patients.
Functional Results After the Orr-Loygue Transabdominal Rectopexy for Complete Rectal Prolapse

AbstractPURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess functional results after Orr-Loygue transabdominal rectopexy for complete rectal prolapse. METHODS: Thirty-one consecutive patients operated on for complete rectal prolapse between 1995 and 1998 were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively with regard to anal incontinence, constipation, evacuation difficulties, and overall satisfaction with a standardized questionnaire. Anal continence assessment was based on a clinical scoring system. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 28 ± 13 (range, 12–57) months, no prolapse recurred. Preoperative and postoperative rates of incontinence were 81 percent (25/31) and 55 percent (17/31), respectively (P < 0.03). Continence improved in 24 (96 percent) of the 25 patients who were incontinent before surgery. The mean incontinence score decreased from 11.7 ± 7.8 preoperatively to 3.2 ± 4.2 postoperatively (P < 0.001). The self-reported constipation rate was 61 percent (19/31) before surgery and 71 percent (22/31) after surgery (P = nonsignificant). Constipation appeared or worsened in 16 patients (52 percent), whereas it disappeared or improved in 8 (26 percent; P = nonsignificant). Evacuation difficulties increased significantly after surgery from 23 percent (7/31) to 61 percent (19/31; P < 0.003). Ninety-seven percent of patients reported good or very good satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Transabdominal Orr-Loygue rectopexy resulted in improved continence and a high satisfaction level. Despite a significant postoperative increase in evacuation difficulties, only a 10 percent (nonsignificant) increase in the self-reported constipation rate was observed.
Radiographic technical quality of root canal treatment performed by a new rotary single-file system.

AIM The aim of the present study was to evaluate radiographically the technical quality of root canal filling performed by postgraduate students with a new single-file Nickel-Titanium System (F6 Skytaper Komet) in clinical practice. METHODS Records of 74 patients who had received endodontic treatment by postgraduate students at the School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pavia in the period between September 2015 and April 2016 were collected and examined: the final sample consisted 114 teeth and 204 root canals. The quality of endodontic treatment was evaluated by examining the length of the filling in relation to the radiographic apex, the density of the obturation according to the presence of voids and the taper of root canal filling. Chi-squared analysis was used to determine statistically significant differences between the technical quality of root fillings according to tooth's type, position and curvature. RESULTS The results showed that 75,49%, 82,84% and 90,69% of root filled canals had adequate length, density and taper respectively. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the technical quality of root canal fillings performed by postgraduates students was acceptable in 60,78% of the cases.
A Comparison of Fixed-hole and Slotted-hole Dynamic Plates for Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Study Design A retrospective review of clinical data at 1 institution was performed. Objectives To compare the clinical and radiologic outcomes between fixed-hole and slotted-hole dynamic cervical plates. Summary of Background Data Anterior cervical plating is commonly used to increase stability and promote spinal fusion. Two techniques, fixed-hole dynamic plating that uses variable angled screws and slotted-hole dynamic plating that permits sliding, are viable options, but there have been no clinical studies comparing their effectiveness. Methods Fifty-six patients at 1 institution having anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for degenerative disease over a 5-year period were entered into this study. Surgeries were performed with 1 of the dynamic plates for 1 to 3 levels. For the slotted-hole dynamic plate group, a slotted-hole plate was used (ABC, Aesculap, Tuttlingen, Germany or C-tek, Biomet, Parssipany, NJ) and for the fixed-hole dynamic plated group, a variable angled screw was used (C-tek, Biomet, Parssipany, NJ). Radiographic measurements included were graft subsidence, lordotic angle change from each end plate of fusion construct, and implant translation from end plates after a minimum of 12 months follow-up. Fusion state and clinical outcome using Odom's criteria were also evaluated. Results Demographics were not different among patient populations. The average age of the patients was 51.0 years (range: 27 to 77 y). Mean follow-up period was 20.6 months (range: 12 to 41 mo). Slotted-hole dynamic plates were used for 29 patients (ABC plate, 17; C-tek plate, 12) and fixed-hole dynamic plates for 27 patients. Clinical outcomes and pseudoarthrosis rates were similar for both types of plates. Radiographic measurements showed a statistically significant increased incidence of graft subsidence and implant translation with the slotted-hole dynamic plates. Loss of lordosis was also greater in the slotted-hole dynamic plated group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions The use of a fixed-hole dynamic plate is more favorable in regards to graft subsidence and implant translation in the follow-up period, although clinical outcome and fusion rates are similar in patients with either the fixed-hole or slotted-hole dynamic plates.
Is the SERVQUAL model an appropriate management tool for measuring service delivery quality in the UK leisure industry

The SERVQUAL model was applied to six research sites; theatre, art gallery, museum, leisure centre, golf course and amusement park. The model gave numerical values over five dimensions for service delivery quality, from the perspective of both customers and staff. The administration of the instrument and the resulting data, lead the author to question the model's reliability especially when utilized in the non-profit sectors of the leisure industry. The author's critique of the SERVQUAL model rests on a number of issues, including sampling frames, questionnaire design, the notion of excellence, partial non-participation in a service and dimensions of service. The literature from previous critical writers is reviewed in the paper, as are the subsequent replies from the authors of the SERVQUAL model. Suggestions for future developments conclude this work.
Deviating from safety guidelines during deferiprone therapy in clinical practice may not be associated with higher risk of agranulocytosis

A risk associated with the iron chelator deferiprone is the development of neutropenia or agranulocytosis. Accordingly, the product label recommends weekly blood monitoring and immediate interruption of treatment upon detection of an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) <1.5 × 109/L, out of concern that continued therapy might lead to a more severe drop. However, it is uncertain how these recommendations are followed under real‐life conditions and, if they are not followed, whether continuation of therapy results in increased incidence of agranulocytosis.
Acceptability and feasibility of mifepristone medical abortion in the early first trimester in Azerbaijan

Abstract Objective To examine the acceptability and feasibility of early medical abortion using mifepristone and misoprostol in Azerbaijan. Methods A total of 863 women in Baku and two regions of Azerbaijan who sought termination of gestations up to 63 days were enrolled in the study. In the capital, women swallowed 200 mg mifepristone in the clinic and were given the option of taking 800 μg misoprostol buccally either at the clinic or at home 24–48 hours later. In the regions, women were given the option of taking both drugs at home. Follow-up visits were to take place two weeks after mifepristone administration to determine abortion status. Results Seventy-four percent of women in the regions chose home administration of mifepristone, and 92% of women from all locations selected misoprostol home administration. Ninety-seven percent of women had complete abortions, and 97% were satisfied or very satisfied with the method. The vast majority of participants preferred medical abortion for a future procedure (96%). Nearly all women (98%) would recommend medical abortion for pregnancy termination to a friend. Conclusion Mifepristone-misoprostol medical abortion with the option of home administration of both drugs is an acceptable and feasible option for women in Azerbaijan. Chinese Abstract 摘要 目的 研究阿塞拜疆妇女对应用米非司酮米索前列醇进行早期妊娠药物流产的可接受性及可行性。 方法 研究选取在阿塞拜疆首都巴库以及两个地区的要求终止63天内妊娠的863名妇女。 在巴库，流产妇女在门诊口服200mg的米非司酮，24-48小时后她们可以选择在门诊或在家舌下含服800ug的米索前列醇。 在阿塞拜疆的两个地区这两种药物妇女都可以选择在家服用。 服用米非司酮后两周进行随访，以判断流产的状况。 结果 阿塞拜疆两个地区的74%的妇女选择在家服用米非司酮，所有入选妇女的92%都选择了在家服用米索前列醇。 所有药物流产中，完全流产率为97%。 97%的妇女对这种流产方法表示满意或非常满意，绝大部分的妇女（96%）表示以后会优先选择这种方法，几乎所有的妇女（98%）愿意把这种流产的方法介绍给她们的朋友。 结论 在阿塞拜疆，让妇女选择在家里使用米非司酮-米索前列醇进行药物流产是可以接受的也是可行的。
Modeling Coordination in Organizations and Markets

This paper describes a simple set of coordination structures that model certain kinds of information processing involved in organizations and markets. Four generic coordination structures are defined: product hierarchies, functional hierarchies, centralized markets, and decentralized markets. Then tradeoffs among these structures are analyzed in terms of production costs, coordination costs, and vulnerability costs. This model is unusual in that it includes detailed definitions of the structures at a micro-level and mathematical derivations of comparisons among them at a macro-level. In the final section of the paper, several connections are made between these formal results and previous work on organizational design.
Continuous geodetic time transfer analysis method

Summary form only given. The Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) and the Swiss Federal Office of Metrology and Accreditation (METAS) as well as other groups have demonstrated the capability of using of GPS (Global Positioning System) carrier phase measurements for time transfer. If a number of high performance clocks are connected to geodetic GPS receivers all of them can be compared with each other within a consistent network solution. Usually a daily data analysis is performed. Small discontinuities in the resulting time series with a magnitude of up to one nanosecond occur at the boundaries of the daily computation batches. We demonstrate an analysis strategy where these artificial "clock jumps" can be prevented. The solution corresponds (more or less) to a solution for an infinite time interval. The results from this new analysis strategy are compared with the time series obtained with other time transfer techniques. An important issue in the presentation is the long term stability of this new analysis method.
‘Get yourself a proper job girlie!’: recruitment, retention and women seafarers* [1]

This paper considers the issue of women's employment at sea in view of the current and predicted labour shortage in the industry. It reports on an International Labour Organization (ILO) commissioned study which aimed to explore employment policies and practices regarding women seafarers and the experiences of women seafarers themselves. The data suggested that those employers who had experience employing women seafarers were generally very positive about their skills and abilities. Women seafarers themselves were dedicated and committed to a sea-going career. The paper concludes that women seafarers are an under-recognized resource and, if utilized, could fill labour shortages in the industry, both in sea-going positions and in marine positions ashore that require sea-going experience. A series of recommendations are outlined in order to promote the recruitment and retention of women at sea.
A case-control study of stillbirths at a teaching hospital in Zambia, 1979-80: antenatal factors.

A total of 266 mothers of stillborn babies (cases) and 266 mothers of live-born babies (controls), matched for parity, were studied in an attempt to define the causes of the stillbirths. Altogether, 16% of mothers in the former group were over 35 years old, compared with 9% in the latter; in addition, 16% of cases had a history of past perinatal death, compared with only 2.4% among the controls.Mothers of stillborn babies had fewer attendances at the antenatal clinic and a longer interval between the last visit and delivery, compared with the control group; 8% of the former group had no antenatal care. Only 47% of mothers had a Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test reported before delivery. The VDRL test was positive in 34% of the cases tested and in 7% of controls.Of the 266 stillborn infants, 56% were of low birth weight; 12% of the 170 macerated stillbirths were associated with intrapartum problems that may have contributed to death, compared with 46% of the 96 fresh stillbirths. Prolonged labour and prolapsed cord were the commonest intrapartum factors associated with death. The most common antepartum factors were a positive VDRL test, abruptio placentae, and a history of illness. A total of 5% of the stillborn infants had some congenital abnormality. No cause of death could be identified in 13.5% of these infants, the majority of whom were of low birth weight.
Efficacy of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of extrahepatic cholestasis-related hepatic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND/AIM To investigate the efficacy of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis and staging of fibrosis induced by experimental bile duct ligation (BDL). MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-four rats were divided randomly into four groups: control, BDL--3 days, BDL--2 weeks, and BDL--4 weeks. DWI was performed with b-values of 100 and 500 on the rats from control group at day zero, on the rats from the BDL--3 days group at the end of day 3, on the rats from the BDL--2 weeks group at the end of day 14, and on the rats from the BDL--4 weeks at the end of day 28. RESULTS When fibrosis scores generated in all groups were evaluated together, a strong negative correlation was detected between fibrosis scores and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values measured using b 100 and b 500. ADC values obtained using b 100 were found to be significantly higher compared to the fibrosis observed in both the BDL--2 weeks and BDL--4 weeks groups (P < 0.003 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION We think that DWI may be an alternative to liver biopsy for the diagnosis and staging of hepatic fibrosis with underlying extrahepatic cholestasis.