Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Conservation Programs in Illinois and Gains from Targeting

Land retirement as a policy instrument for reducing environmental damages from agricultural production has been growing in importance since 1985 when the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was first established. The goals of the program have evolved from an initial focus on reducing soil erosion to achieving multiple environmental benefits. In 1996, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) was established to more cost-effectively target high-priority, environmentally sensitive areas by restricting eligible cropland to a narrowly defined geographic area. For Illinois CREP, this area is the 100year floodplain and adjacent land in the Illinois River Basin. Reducing off-site sediment abatement to improve water quality is an important goal for both Illinois CREP and CRP. In addition to defining eligibility, an important issue that public agencies must tackle in designing a land retirement instrument is the choice of a decision rule for selecting the land to be retired. Environmental benefits and eco-
Levels of interleukin 12, a cytokine of type 1 helper T cells, are elevated in sera from patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE To determine serum levels and spontaneous production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of interleukin 12 (IL-12), a potent inducer of type 1 helper (Th1) T cells, in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS Serum IL-12 levels and spontaneous production levels of IL-12 in culture supernatants from PBMC were examined by ELISA. Serum levels of IL-4, IL-6. IL-10, and IL-13 and production levels by PBMC of IL-6 and IL-10 were also examined by ELISA. Renal vascular damage was determined as a pulsatility index (PI) by color flow Doppler ultrasonography of kidneys. RESULTS Serum IL-12 levels were significantly elevated in patients with SSc (n = 62) compared with healthy controls (n = 20). Similarly, spontaneous production levels of IL-12 by PBMC in patients with SSc (n = 47) were higher than those in controls (n = 20). Serum IL-12 levels did not correlate with serum levels of any Th2-type cytokines such as IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13. However, spontaneous production levels of IL-10 by PBMC significantly correlated with serum IL-12 levels in patients. Patients with elevated serum IL-12 levels had the increased PI values more frequently than those with normal IL-12 levels. Further, serum levels of IL-12 and production levels of IL-12 by PBMC correlated significantly with the PI values in patients with SSc. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the increased levels of IL-12 may relate to the activation of Th1 cells in SSc and that IL- 12 overproduction may be associated with renal vascular damage.
Non-Audit Services and Bias and Accuracy of Voluntary Earnings Forecasts Reviewed by Incumbent CPAs

This paper examines the association between the quality of voluntary earnings forecasts, as measured by forecast bias and accuracy reviewed by an incumbent CPAs, and the purchase of non-audit services (NAS) from the incumbent auditor. In the context of this study, we focus primarily on the Taiwanese market. Unlike in the UK and US, management forecasts must be reviewed by the incumbent CPA in Taiwan. Besides, enforcement of rules with regard to the provision of review-level assurance for management earnings forecasts tends to be less stringent than one of audit-level assurance for financial reporting. Using panel data of audit and non-audit fees available for Taiwanese firms, we find that firms with a high ratio of NAS tend to issue more optimistically biased and inaccurate forecasts under a lower auditor liability regime. These results provide some support for concerns expressed about the potential impact of unusually high levels of NAS on auditor independence and ultimately, the quality of audited financial reports. The findings also suggest that examining the auditor, and in particular, the provision of non-audit services, in isolation of an institutional environment provides an incomplete analysis of financial reporting.
Development of an Enhanced Model of Innovation Adoption by Individual Employees

This research investigates the antecedents and provides a new theoretical framework that addresses the adoption decision by individual employees in the organizations. The study integrates the theory of reasoned action, technology acceptance model, and the conceptual model provided by Frambach and Schillewaert (2002). Data were collected from a randomly selected sample of employees using a structured questionnaire. The research uses multivariate statistical analysis to test the proposed enhanced model, which is largely supported and validated, accounting for 60% of the variances in usage. This result has strategic implications for organizations in the effective management of innovation involving employees in their workplaces.
Technology Transfer in Automotive Parts Firms in China

This contribution examines the process of technology transfer from foreign to local firms in the automotive parts industry in China, focusing on parts localization processes and technical capabilities. Using survey and case study information, the study compares parts localization and technical transfer programmes in China with the experience of Malaysia's Proton. The results show that Chinese firms have achieved localization much faster than Malaysia's Proton largely due to the strategic nature of government policy on foreign direct investment (FDI) and technology transfer.
Job Mobility, Patent Ownership and Knowledge Diffusion: Evidence on a Sample of Italian Inventors

On the basis of the original data on the curricula vitae of a group of Italian inventors patenting in the pharmaceutical field, this paper distinguishes between inventors' employers and applicants, and provides new information on their professional careers and their patent ownership regimes, that is whether or not intellectual property rights on inventions are retained by their employers. In addition, the paper confirms that inventors' mobility is an important determinant of knowledge impact and, interestingly, shows that ownership, too, is associated with a greater potential for knowledge diffusion.
Alleviating freezing of gait using phase-dependent tactile biofeedback

In this feasibility study, we present a novel, wearable prototype of tactile biofeedback to alleviate gait disturbances, such as freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease. We designed and tested a phase-dependent tactile biofeedback system that can be easily worn on the feet, with a simple switch to turn it on or off. Preliminary validation was performed in 8 subjects with Parkinson's disease who show freezing during a turning in place test. A metronome, control condition was used to compare effectiveness in alleviating freezing. Promising results were obtained, both in term of acceptability of the device, and improving motor performance.
Cryoablation versus radiofrequency ablation for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia in children: long-term results.

INTRODUCTION Cryoablation is used increasingly for the treatment of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). We sought to compare the long-term outcomes of cryoablation (Cryo) vs. radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the treatment of AVNRT in children. METHODS Two groups of consecutive patients were analyzed retrospectively: the RF group, 20 patients (60% males, mean age 13.25 +/- 2.59 years), and the Cryo group, 20 patients (55% males, mean age 12.17 +/- 3.07 years). Follow up was 52.7 +/- 16.5 months for the RF and 32.8 +/- 11.9 months for the Cryo group. RESULTS Acute success rates (100% for RF vs. 90% for Cryo), procedural times (147.75 +/- 37.15 min for RF vs. 184.4 +/- 75.59 min for Cryo), and fluoroscopy times (10.9 +/- 6.46 min for RF vs. 6.41 +/- 6.92 min for Cryo) were not statistically significantly different between the two groups. The number of lesions was significantly higher in RF than in Cryo (8.85 +/- 6.63 vs. 3.6 +/- 1.9, p=0.007). Transient AV block during ablation occurred in 1 patient in each group. No permanent AV block was observed. Recurrence rate was 10% in the RF and 27.7% in the Cryo group (p=0.222) occurring up to 14 months after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS Cryoablation is safe and effective for the treatment of AVNRT in pediatric patients, but there is a tendency for higher recurrence rates compared to radiofrequency ablation. Techniques to reduce recurrence rates after cryoablation are needed.
Finasteride versus dutasteride: a real-world economic evaluation.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the economic differences between dutasteride and finasteride patients within the first year of initiating treatment. METHODS A retrospective analysis using the PharMetrics Integrated Medical and Pharmaceutical Database (Watertown, Mass) was conducted to assess economic differences in patients who were initiated on dutasteride or finasteride. The database is nationally representative, encompassing administrative claims from more than 45 million patients within 85 managed healthcare plans. Male patients aged >50 years with a diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia who began 5-alpha reductase inhibitor (5ARI) treatment (dutasteride or finasteride) between January 1, 1999, and March 1, 2005, were identified. Patients eligible for study inclusion were matched (1 dutasteride: 3 finasteride) on 4 variables (measured during the 6-month period before their first 5ARI prescription): age, presence of acute urinary retention, total amount of enlarged prostate (EP)-specific charges (+/- $1), and the duration of follow-up (measured in months). EP-specific charges were defined as the total amount charged for EP-specific physician visits, inpatient hospitalizations, outpatient hospital care, emergency department visits, and other ancillary services during the follow-up period for each patient, expressed as average monthly costs. RESULTS Overall, patients incurred $121.04 in EP-specific charges per month, with inpatient hospitalizations making up 39.1% ($47.29) of the total costs of care. Physician office visits constituted 33.6% ($40.66) of monthly charges. When comparing differences among patients taking the two 5ARIs, patients taking dutasteride incurred $20.50 less per month in EP-specific charges than patients taking finasteride ($105.67 vs $126.17, P = .0007). This reduction in overall medical utilization resulted from a lower amount of inpatient hospitalization charges for dutasteride patients. CONCLUSION Patients treated with dutasteride incurred $20.50 less per month in medical costs than patients treated with finasteride. Healthcare plans should consider the incremental differences in medical costs along with the difference in pharmaceutical expenditures when evaluating these two 5ARIs.
Effect of training status on regional disposal of circulating free fatty acids in the liver and skeletal muscle during physiological hyperinsulinemia.

OBJECTIVE Fat metabolism is increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Endurance training has been shown to prevent hepatic steatosis and to alter skeletal muscle fat metabolism, and regional free fatty acid (FFA) uptake adaptations were suggested as a mechanism. Thus, we tested whether endurance training modifies the uptake of plasma FFAs occurring in the liver and in skeletal muscle during anabolic, i.e., hyperinsulinemic, conditions. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Trained and untrained healthy male subjects underwent positron emission tomography scanning of the liver and thigh regions, with the FFA analog 14(R,S)-[(18)F]fluoro-6-thia-heptadecanoic acid, during euglycemic hyperinsulinemia. Tracer influx rate constants in skeletal muscle (MK(i)) and liver (LK(i)) were multiplied by plasma FFA levels to obtain FFA uptake for skeletal muscle (MFU) and liver (LFU), respectively. RESULTS Athletes showed increased Vo(2max) (P < 0.0001), insulin-mediated glucose disposal (M value, 61 +/- 4 vs. 46 +/- 3 micromol. min(-1). kg(-1), P = 0.01), and plasma lactate levels during the clamp and lower percentage of body fat mass (P = 0.002). MK(i) was 25% higher in athletes than in sedentary men (P = 0.03). In all subjects, MK(i) and MFU were positively correlated with the M value (r = 0.56, P = 0.02, and r = 0.51, P = 0.03, respectively) and with plasma lactate levels (r = 0.63, P = 0.006, and r = 0.63, P = 0.005, respectively). LK(i) was significantly reduced by 20% in the athletes (P = 0.04). By multiple regression, LFU was inversely correlated with the two fitness categories (P = 0.008), and it was lower in athletes. Linear fitting of liver data showed time consistency, indicating no release of FFAs as a mechanism for the reduced liver retention in athletes. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that endurance training promotes insulin-mediated glucose and FFA disposal in skeletal muscle, while lowering hepatic FFA uptake. Such changes may result in a divergent pattern of fat accumulation in the two organs.
Empirical evidence on convergence across the PIIGS member states of the Euro-zone

This paper investigates unconditional convergence of major economic variables across the Euro-zone member states of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain over the last 30 years. The criteria used for investigating convergence are β-convergence, σ-convergence, and time-series-convergence. The findings show that the unemployment rate, the budget deficit, and the general government gross debt do not converge, but the GDP growth rate, the labour productivity growth rate, the prices inflation rate, and the wages inflation rate converge across the five Euro-zone member states. The findings show that the speed of convergence varies depending on the period of under review (the pre-Maastricht Treaty decade, the post-Maastricht Treaty decade, and the decade after the initiation of the Euro-zone).
Introduction: New Network Modes of Nordic Local Governance

Abstract This introduction to the special issue on local governance networks in the Nordic countries has got two aims. First, we discuss how local governance networks partly can be conceived as a novel mode of local governance, partly must be seen as a continuation of already existing patterns of governance in Nordic local governance. Second, we discuss how the concept of network governance can be employed for internally comparing the Nordic countries.
Growth Effects of Foreign and Domestic Investment

Over tha past few years, numerous studies in sociology have concluded that foreign investment harms poor nations. These studies have focused on the coefficient for foreign capital stock, controlling for "flow" (new investment), and-defying logic-have inferred that a negative coefficient for stock reflects "dependency effects" that retard economic growth. Since capital stock is the denominator for investment rate, the greater the stock, the lower the investment rate, for a given level of new investment. Hence the negative coefficient for capital stock found in dependency studies indicates a beneficial investment effect, not a harmful effect. This point is demonstrated by reanalysis of the data used in dependency studies. In these data, foreign investment spurs growth. Earlier analysts have concluded otherwise only because their conclusions have belied their findings.
‘Why Partnership Working Doesn't Work’

Abstract English public services in general (and health and social care in particular) have become increasingly dominated by the notion of partnership working. Despite this, more recent years have seen something of a reaction against partnerships. This article reviews lessons learned from a case study of a forensic mental health partnership, arguing that the service in question reveals a number of common pitfalls in terms of the way that partnerships are established and put into practice. In many ways, this was not the fault of the case study partnership, but the product of the wider institutional context in which health and social care partnerships have been developed and promoted. Ultimately, the article suggests some additions to the partnership theoretical literature, before concluding that the current concept of partnership working may lose credibility without additional work to clarify its meaning and contribution.
Too much pressure? Retailer power and occupational health and safety in the food processing industry

This article examines the impact of supply chain pressures on the UK food processing industry and the implications for occupational health and safety. Based upon case studies in three meat processing plants, the research found that although the number of accidents is declining, little progress has been made in dealing with the widespread ill-health problems associated with largely repetitive and, in some cases, heavy work regimes. Supermarkets play a contradictory role in that they provide incentives to improve health and safety while at the same time their price and delivery demands have a detrimental impact. Despite these intense supply chain pressures, there is some room for `manoeuvrability' in that both employers and workplace trade unions can make a difference to health and safety outcomes.
The question of inclusion and representation in rural South Africa: challenging the concept of water user associations as a vehicle for transformation

The promotion of local governance and the transfer of water management responsibilities to Water User Associations (WUAs) have been central in water reform processes throughout the world, including in the reforms that took place in post-apartheid South Africa. This paper reflects on the notions of inclusion and representation as put forward by the various actors involved in the establishment of a WUA in a tertiary catchment in the Thukela River Basin. The paper describes how the WUA in the study catchment came to be dominated by commercial farmers, despite the South African government’s aim to redress the inequities of the past by the inclusion and representation of historically disadvantaged individuals. The authors argue that the notions of inclusion and representation as embedded in the concept of the WUA are highly contested and more aligned with the institutional settings familiar to the commercial farmers. The paper concludes that, unless the inherently political nature of the participatory process is recognized and the different institutional settings become part of the negotiation process of the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of progressive collaboration at catchment level, the establishment of the WUA in the study catchment will not contribute to achieving the envisioned transformation.
Studying the effect of HRM practices on the knowledge management process

Purpose – This paper aims to study the effect of HRM practices on the knowledge management process, focusing on HRM practices both in isolation and forming a knowledge‐oriented HR system.Design/methodology/approach – After reviewing the relevant literature, the paper empirically analyzes the relationship between knowledge‐oriented HR practices and the processes of knowledge acquisition, distribution, interpretation and storing, using a sample of 701 firms.Findings – Findings provide evidence of a positive relationship between the adoption of a knowledge‐oriented HR system and each of the knowledge management processes, but also show that the HRM practices comprising that system have different effects on the knowledge management processes.Research limitations/implications – The main limitations of this paper are the cross‐sectional design of the empirical research and the fact that data were collected from one source only.Practical implications – Findings can guide managers hoping to enhance the developmen.
A game of balance and disguise: Examining experiential value and game attributes in social marketing m-games

Experiential value is an important driver of customer repeat behaviour and is necessary for achieving sustained behaviour. Understanding the value gained by consumers is particularly important when adopting innovative techniques, such as new technology. Social marketing (behaviour change) practice is increasingly using the technology of mobile games (m-games), yet there is little scholarly research to explain how these games can create experiential value for the user, or which game attributes influence this value. A key finding of this thesis is the importance of achieving a balance between entertainment value and behaviour value through the use of key game attributes relating to disguise and performance. The research offers a contribution to address current managerial problems faced by social marketing practitioners looking to employ m-games to achieve behavioural outcomes. ; Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology, 2015.
A contemporary evaluation of carotid endarterectomy outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease in the United States

Objectives Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been identified as a significant risk factor for poor post-surgical outcomes. This study was designed to provide a contemporary analysis of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) outcomes in patients with CKD, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and normal renal function (NF). Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample data 2006–2012 was queried to select patients aging 40 years old and above who underwent CEA during two days after admission and had a diagnosis of ESRD on long-term hemodialysis, patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD, or NF. Patients with acute renal failure were excluded. We subsequently compared procedure outcomes and hospital resource utilization in these patients. Results Totally 573,723 CEA procedures were estimated: 4801 (ESRD)‚ 32,988 (CKD)‚ and 535,934 (NF). Mean age was 71.0 years, 57.7% were males, and 73.7% were white. Overall hospital mortality was 0.20%: 0.69% (ESRD), 0.35% (CKD), and 0.19% (NF), p < 0.0005 between groups. The overall stroke rate was 1.6%: 1.8% (ESRD), 2.0% (CKD), and 1.6% (NF). Comparing NF to CKD there was a significant difference: p < 0.0001. For CKD patients, compared to NF patients, there was an increased risk in cardiac complications (odds ratio = 1.2; 95% CI 1.15–1.32), respiratory complications (odds ratio = 1.2; 95% CI 1.15–1.32), and stroke (odds ratio = 1.1; 95% CI 1.04–1.23). For ESRD patients compared to NF patients there was an increased risk in respiratory complications (odds ratio = 1.3; 95% CI 1.08–1.47) and sepsis (odds ratio = 4.4; 95% CI 3.23–5.94). Mean length of stay and cost were: 2.8 d and $13,903 (ESRD), 2.2 d and $12,057 (CKD), and 1.8 d and $10,130 (NF), all p < 0.0001. Conclusions Patients with ESRD undergoing CEA had an increased risk of respiratory and septic complications, but not a higher risk of stroke compared to patients with normal renal function. The greatest risks of postoperative stroke, respiratory, and cardiac complications were found in patients with CKD. A diagnosis of ESRD and CKD were both found to significantly increase hospital mortality, length of stay and cost. Where clinicians typically consider ESRD patients the highest risk for CEA, further consideration should be given to patients with CKD not yet on dialysis as they had the higher risk of cardiac complications and stroke compared to the others evaluated.