Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is Postsocialism Transnational?

Within U.S. women’s studies, the turn to internationalize knowledge production has instituted an intellectual pathway to certain locations in the world. This essay asks what the historical and intellectual processes are that generated the most common internationalizing formula as global woman = third-world woman → global South = location of transnational feminist analysis. The lack of focus on the former second world obscures the fact that it has always been a part of the global. Thus, what would it mean to include the second world? I argue that the concept of Eurasia provides an epistemological framework for including and exceeding the second world in transnational feminist thinking. Furthermore, Eurasia challenges the three-worlds metageography that limits our understanding of power and alterity.
Pete's Tool: Identity and sex-play in the design and technology classroom

ABSTRACT The paper explores the 'interactional work' of one boy in a technology lesson as he elaborates, through 'play' with workshop tools, a sexual fantasy of masturbation and penetration. This action is contextualised by his relations with others, and by the dominance of a prevailing myth of male sexuality in his construction of a masculine identity in the classroom. The role of the teacher in interpreting pedagogic style is considered. It is suggested that the dominance of hegemonic masculinity does not erase differences amongst boys; that it is 'taken up' differently by groups and individuals in the interplay of other cultural texts/discourses. It is suggested that viewing the work of identity as both a personal and a social project, in which individuals act distinctly and yet 'within pattern', provides a starting point for understanding the contingent but committed construction of heterosexual gender relations of domination.
Prevalence and risk factors associated with peripheral artery disease in elderly patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis

Background Rapid growth of the elderly peritoneal dialysis (PD) population is posing a special challenge for renal teams. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) has been reported to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients. However, the prevalence and associated risk factors for PAD in elderly PD patients have not yet been fully investigated. Methods A total of 69 elderly PD patients were included in the present study. PAD was defined as either an ankle-brachial index < 0.9 or a history of intermittent claudication, lower-limb amputation, foot ulcers, or gangrene. On enrollment, clinical and biochemical characteristics were collected. Results The overall prevalence of PAD was 31.9%. Compared with non-PAD patients, PAD patients were significantly older and more likely to be female and have longer PD duration and lower diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001, = 0.002, 0.018, and 0.007, respectively). Serum albumin level (P < 0.001) and residual renal Kt/V value (P < 0.001) were significantly lower, but the serum C-reactive protein level (P = 0.005) was significantly higher, in PAD patients compared with non-PAD patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that serum albumin level (odds ratio = 1.485, P = 0.040) and residual renal Kt/V value (odds ratio = 1.725, P = 0.016) were independently associated with PAD. Conclusion A high prevalence of PAD appeared among elderly PD patients in Macao. Serum albumin level and residual renal Kt/V value were independently related to PAD.
Characterization of Dof Transcription Factors and Their Responses to Osmotic Stress in Poplar (Populus trichocarpa)

The DNA-binding One Zinc Finger (Dof) genes are ubiquitous in many plant species and are especial transcription regulators that participate in plant growth, development and various procedures, including biotic and abiotic stress reactions. In this study, we identified 41 PtrDof members from Populus trichocarpa genomes and classified them into four groups. The conserved motifs and gene structures of some PtrDof genes belonging to the same subgroup were almost the same. The 41 PtrDof genes were dispersed on 18 of the 19 Populus chromosomes. Many key stress- or phytohormone-related cis-elements were discovered in the PtrDof gene promoter regions. Consequently, we undertook expression profiling of the PtrDof genes in leaves and roots in response to osmotic stress and abscisic acid. A total of seven genes (PtrDof14, 16, 25, 27, 28, 37 and 39) in the Populus Dof gene family were consistently upregulated at point in all time in the leaves and roots under osmotic and abscisic acid (ABA) stress. We observed that 12 PtrDof genes could be targeted by 15 miRNAs. Moreover, we mapped the cleavage site in PtrDof30 using the 5’RLM-RACE. The results showed that PtrDofs may have a role in resistance to abiotic stress in Populus trichocarpa.
Development and Validation of the Vicarious Distress Questionnaire

The ability to empathize with other people’s feelings of distress has been widely studied in psychology. However, no questionnaire to date has been developed in order to measure such distress responses and their behavioural correlates. Three studies describe the development and the validation of the Vicarious Distress Questionnaire (VDQ), which is a self-report measure that assesses participants’ distress responses as well as their consequences (support or avoidance) in response to another’s distress. In Study 1, we developed items and assessed the factor structure of the VDQ. Study 2 presented a confirmatory factor analysis that supported the three-factor model (Distress, Support, and Avoidance factors) and showed good scale score reliability. Study 3 showed significant correlations among the factors of the VDQ and measures of affective empathy, anxiety disorders, alexithymia, and mood disorders. The Distress factor of the VDQ also showed satisfactory discriminant validity with the cognitive factors of empathy (i.e., Perspective Taking and Fantasy). Taken together, these results provide comprehensive support for the validity and reliability of the VDQ.
Sex Discrimination: Effects of Sex-Role Incongruence, Evaluator Sex, and Stereotypes

To clarify the limiting conditions for sex discrimination, the effects of several sex and sex-typing variables were investigated in a factorial design. Male and female college students were classified as traditional or egalitarian according to their responses on the Attitudes Toward Women Scale and the Stereotype Scale of the Personal Attributes Questionnaire. Five weeks later, subjects participated in a supposedly unrelated study in which they evaluated a male or female candidate on ability to perform five masculine sex-typed jobs and five feminine sex-typed jobs. Analysis of variance showed that the male candidate was rated higher for the masculine jobs and the female candidate higher for the feminine jobs. Some same-sex favoritism also was exhibited. Male subjects viewed the masculine jobs as more difficult and female subjects viewed the feminine jobs as more difficult. Also, each sex rated candidates of their own sex higher than the other sex on ability to perform sex-role incongruent jobs. Finally, s.
The Effects of Gender and of Family Cohesion and Adaptability on Identity Status

Data on the relationship of identity and perceptions offamily processes are reported. The FACES III Inventory provided measures of perceived cohesion and adaptability of families, while identity statuses were derived from the Ego Identity Interview. Subjects were male and female college students (N = 61). Gender proved to be a major variable, with females perceivingmore cohesion in theirfamilies. Cohesion and adaptability levels were related to identity exploration for males. High-exploring males were more likely to describe their families as both moderately cohesive and moderately adaptive. A breakdown of identity by domains revealed little evidence of exploration by the subjects in pursuit of religious or political identity.
A Critical Analysis of Selected Policy Making Decisions in the US and the UK with Regard to the Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in National State Primary and Secondary School Education Systems

Information and Communication Technology has played an important and pervasive role in modern business and everyday living over the last decade and more. The industry accounts for trillions of annual revenue. Yet, it has proved hard for a similar role for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to emerge in education. In this paper, I will argue that policy regarding ICT use at national state levels in the UK and the US has striven to create, and continues to perpetuate, a system of education with technological divisions of labour, and marginalized innovative and communicative practical uses of technology for enhancing education in schools.
Creativity and Dream Recall

The literature on creativity and dream recall often found significant positive correlations between measures of creativity and dream recall frequency (DRF). The present study investigated the relation between creative interests and DRF in detail. The findings confirmed the results reported in the literature, according to which persons with visual and verbal creative skills recalled more dreams. It is suggested that the visual memory may serve as a mediator variable in the relation between creativity and DRF.
Selection for ultrafine Merino sheep in New Zealand: heritability, phenotypic and genetic correlations of live weight, fleece weight and wool characteristics in yearlings

Merino yearling records from 1988 to 1992 birth years in ultrafine wool selection and random control flocks at Tara Hills High Country Station, New Zealand were analysed for live weight, fleece weight and wool characteristics. Estimates of heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations among traits using REML methods are presented. Heritabilities (h 2 ) of birth, weaning, autumn, spring and summer live weights and greasy and clean fleece weights were estimated as being 0·35, 0·34, 0·44, 0·43, 0·49, 0·24 and 0·28 respectively; while h 2 of yield, fibre diameter, coefficient of variation in fibre diameter, staple crimp, staple length, staple strength, position of break, resistance to compression, bulk, CIE Y and CIE Y-Z were estimated to be 0·58, 0·59, 0·60, 0·45, 0·71, 0·13, 0·18, 0·46, 0·38, 0·38 and 0·42 respectively. Genetic correlations were found to be high among the live weights but low to moderate among fleece weight and wool characteristics. Heritability estimates of fibre diameter, fibre diameter variation and staple length were found to be higher in New Zealand fine wool Merinos than most of those reported in the literature. The results indicate that selection for reduced fibre diameter will have little effect on other major production traits such as live weight and fleece weight.
Social Projection Can Solve Social Dilemmas

Evidence for cooperation in social dilemmas is empirically robust, socially desirable, and theoretically controversial. We review theoretical positions offering normative or descriptive accounts for cooperation and note the scarcity of critical tests among them. We then introduce a modified prisoner's dilemma to perform a critical test of the social projection hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, people cooperate inasmuch as they believe others respond to the situation as they themselves do. The data from three illustrative studies uniquely support the projection hypothesis. We make the analytical case for the social projection hypothesis in the context of the theory of evidential decision making. We review and rebut critical arguments that have been leveled against this theory. We note that a meta-theoretical benefit of evidential decision making is that the rationality of cooperators in social dilemmas is restored without appeals to murky notions of “collective rationality. ”
Expression of cAMP-regulated guanine nucleotide exchange factors in pancreatic beta-cells.

The insulinotropic hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) binds to a Gs-coupled receptor on pancreatic beta-cells and potentiates glucose-induced insulin secretion, insulin gene transcription, and beta-cell growth. These stimulatory effects have been attributed to the elevation of intracellular cAMP levels, though it is now apparent that some stimulatory effects of GLP-1 occur independently of the cAMP-mediated activation of protein kinase A (PKA). The nature of this alternative, PKA-independent signaling pathway remains unknown. Here we present evidence for the expression of type 1 and type 2 cAMP-regulated guanine nucleotide exchange factors (cAMP-GEFs) in beta-cells. GEFs are activated by their binding of cAMP. Because cAMP-GEFs activate Ras/MAPK proliferation signaling pathways, they may play an important role in PKA-independent, GLP-1-mediated, signaling pathways in the regulation of beta-cell growth and differentiation.
Short- and long-term effects of exercise on neck muscle function in cervical radiculopathy: A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE To compare short- and long-term changes in neck muscle endurance, electromyography measures of neck muscle activation and fatigue and ratings of fatigue and pain after neck-specific training or physical activity in people with cervical radiculopathy. DESIGN Randomized clinical trial. SUBJECTS/PATIENTS Seventy-five patients with cervical radiculopathy. METHODS Patients underwent neck-specific training in combination with a cognitive behavioural approach or prescribed physical activity over a period of 14 weeks. Immediately after the intervention and 12 months later, surface electromyography was recorded from neck flexor and extensor muscles during neck endurance tests. Time to task failure, amplitude and median frequency of the electromyography signal, and subjective fatigue and pain ratings were analysed in 50 patients who completed at least one follow-up. RESULTS A significant increase in neck flexor endurance time was observed for both groups at 14 weeks compared with baseline and this was maintained at the 12-month follow-up (p < 0.005). No change was identified for the slope of the median frequency. For the neck-specific training group, splenius capitis was less active during neck flexion at both follow-ups (p < 0.01), indicating reduced muscle co-activation. CONCLUSION Both specific and general exercise increased neck flexor endurance, but neck-specific training only reduced co-activation of antagonist muscles during sustained neck flexion.
Physical Exercise Performance in Temperate and Warm Environments Is Decreased by an Impaired Arterial Baroreflex

The present study aimed to investigate whether running performance in different environments is dependent on intact arterial baroreceptor reflexes. We also assessed the exercise-induced cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses in animals lacking arterial baroafferent signals. To accomplish these goals, male Wistar rats were subjected to sinoaortic denervation (SAD) or sham surgery (SHAM) and had a catheter implanted into the ascending aorta to record arterial pressure and a telemetry sensor implanted in the abdominal cavity to record core temperature. After recovering from these surgeries, the animals were subjected to constant- or incremental-speed exercises performed until the voluntary interruption of effort under temperate (25° C) and warm (35° C) conditions. During the constant-speed exercises, the running time until the rats were fatigued was shorter in SAD rats in both environments. Although the core temperature was not significantly different between the groups, tail skin temperature was higher in SAD rats under temperate conditions. The denervated rats also displayed exaggerated increases in blood pressure and double product compared with the SHAM rats; in particular, in the warm environment, these exaggerated cardiovascular responses in the SAD rats persisted until they were fatigued. These SAD-mediated changes occurred in parallel with increased variability in the very low and low components of the systolic arterial pressure power spectrum. The running performance was also affected by SAD during the incremental-speed exercises, with the maximal speed attained being decreased by approximately 20% in both environments. Furthermore, at the maximal power output tolerated during the incremental exercises, the mean arterial pressure, heart rate and double product were exaggerated in the SAD relative to SHAM rats. In conclusion, the chronic absence of the arterial baroafferents accelerates exercise fatigue in temperate and warm environments. Our findings also suggest that an augmented cardiovascular strain accounted for the early interruption of exercise in the SAD rats.
The effects of early grade retention on the academic achievement of fourth‐grade students

This study investigated the academic effects of early (kindergarten or first-grade) retention on a group of fourth-grade students who had been retained at the K-1 level (n = 20). Two comparison groups were used: (a) fourth-grade students who had been recommended for retention at the K-1 level but who were not actually retained (n = 17), and (b) fourth-grade students who had made normal progress through the grades (n = 20). No significant differences in academic achievement level were found between the retained and recommended-for-retention-but-not-retained groups, but both of these groups of students were significantly lower on several academic achievement measures than were their normal comparison peers. The results of this study indicate that grade retention as an academic intervention was ineffective. The continued use of grade retention is discussed in relationship to the use of social promotion and other intervention alternatives.
COPPER AND MERCURY LEVELS IN LOCAL JORDANIAN AND IMPORTED SHEEP MEAT AND ORGANS

Summary Sharif, L. , A. Massadeh, R. Dalal’eh & M. Hassan, 2005. Copper and mercury levels in local Jordanian and imported sheep meat and organs. Bulg. J. Vet. Med., 8, No 4, 255�263. A total of two hundred and forty random samples were evenly collected from mutton, liver and kidney of 40 local (Group A) and 40 imported (group B) sheep � 40 of each tissue from each sheep group. The samples were freshly collected from sheep 12�18 months old and slaughtered in abattoirs in Jordan in 2002. Moreover, another 40 fresh mutton samples of imported sheep (group C) were collected from different markets. The samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) to estimate their contents of Cu and Hg. Results indicated that imported mutton group B had significantly higher (P<0.05) mean values of Cu and Hg pollution than the local and imported group C muttons. The mean concentration of Cu and Hg in the liver of imported sheep (group B) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than that recorded in the liver and kidney of local sheep. The percentages of local, imported group B and imported group C mutton that exceeded the permissible limit of Cu (20 mg/kg) were 5%, 27.5% and 0.00% respectively. However, mutton samples that contained Hg above permissible limit (0.5 mg/kg) were recorded only in imported sheep from group B at a rate of 7.5%. The reproducibility and accuracy of the results obtained have been studied, judging from quality control (QC) samples and reproducible results. The between run precision and accuracy of the calibration standards were < 5% to the relative standard deviation. The effect of Cu and Hg on animal and human health is discussed.
Growth of Salmonella typhi and certain other members of the Salmonella group in milk and butter stored at atmospheric temperatures

1. A technique for studying the behaviour of Salmonella in milk is described. 2. S. typhi, paratyphi B, dublin, cholerae-suis, typhi-murium, enteritidis and bovis-morbificans all multiplied readily even in absolutely fresh raw milk stored at 15°C. , and in commercial grades of raw and of heat-treated milk rapid multiplication also occurred. 3. Strains of S. typhi recently isolated from man showed more rapid multiplication in milk than did stock laboratory cultures. 4. These Salmonella all survived at least 2 months when incorporated in various grades of salted and unsalted butter.
Sliced Island Tragal Cartilage Perichondrial Composite Graft in Type I Tympanoplasty: Early Results and Experience

Aim : The purpose of this study is to evaluate anatomical and audiological results using technique of sliced island of tragal cartilage perichondrial composite graft in type I tympanoplasty. Study Design : Prospective study. Methods and Materials : A total of 56 type I tympanoplasties (51 primary and 5 revision ears) were operated using sliced island tragal cartilage graft from December 2011 to August 2012 in M.I. M.E. R Medical College and Sushrut ENT Hospital with a follow up ranging from 6 months to 16 months. Results : Our early results revealed a successful closure of the tympanic membrane in all patients at the end of the follow up period ranging from 6 to 16 months. The average postoperative Air Bone Gap was 10.035+/-1.7473 dB. Conclusion : To our knowledge, this is the first study which involves the modification of the sliced tragal cartilage into island as a sliced tragal cartilage island perichondrial composite graft in tympanoplasty. This technique is reliable not only in terms of successful closure of tympanic membrane perforations but also overall reduction of residual and recurrent perforations.
The consequences for the management of conflict of the reform of English local government finance and structure

Abstract This article examines the impact of neo-liberal reforms since 1979 on UK local government. In particular we trace the relationship between increased central government control over both the level of funds and the ways in which monies are spent, and the management of labour. Our interest centres on what happened to labour management practices, given that the sector is labour intensive and has high levels of union membership. The main research method was a longitudinal case study of one large local authority in England. We found that central government policies resulted in downward pressure on unit labour costs, forcing local decision-makers to try to reduce union influence in collective bargaining and to introduce Taylorist programmes to deskill labour and to regulate it. As part of this process there was an attempt by senior managers to reduce political accountability within the council.