Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Psychological Distress, Negative Cognitions, and Expectancies on Problem Drinking

Few studies have sought to understand the concurrent relationship between cognitive and affective processes on alcohol use and negative alcohol-related consequences, despite both being identified as predictive risk factors in the college population. More research is needed to understand the relationships between identified factors of problem drinking among this at-risk population. The purpose of this study was to test if the relationship between psychological distress and problem drinking among university students (N = 284; M–age = 19.77) was mediated by negative affect regulation strategies and positive alcohol-related expectancies. Two latent mediation models of problem drinking were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The parsimonious three-path mediated latent model was supported by the data, as evidenced by several model fit indices. Furthermore, the alternate saturated model provided similar fit to the data, but contained several direct relationships that were not statistically significant. The relationship between psychological distress and problem drinking was mediated by an extended contributory chain, including negative affect regulation and positive alcohol-related expectancies. Implications for prevention and treatment, as well as future directions, are discussed.
Pay equity and the national minimum wage: what can theories tell us?

The article discusses the effect of the national minimum wage (NMW) in Great Britain on pay levels and pay dispersion vary with different theories of wages. A review of main theories of wages proposed by leading economists suggests that effects are less determinate than is often thought and that they depend on the role of pay within the motivational structure of firms. An alternative view is presented that examines the dual role of wages. The article also discusses monopsony models and efficiency wage theory.
Website Usability of the Most Populous Counties in the United States

Abstract This research develops a methodology to examine the usability of the Websites of the most populous counties in the United States. It establishes that there are variables that enhance users' abilities to benefit from e-government along six dimensions (online services, user-help, navigation, legitimacy, information architecture, and accessibility accommodations). Benchmarks are derived using a composite usability index through online content analysis. Descriptive statistics characterize variations among counties while addressing a gap in the local government literature about e-government. The research supports establishment of county Website usability benchmarks and speculates on the implications of such benchmarks for improved public management practice.
Stability of parathyroid hormone in blood from renal patients on haemodialysis

Serial measurements of parathyroid hormone (PTH) are useful in assessing the response to medical management of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients receiving renal replacement therapy. Generally, adequate control is achieved by maintaining PTH concentrations at approximately two to three times the upper limit of the reference range. PTH is known to be rapidly degraded in vivo and has been shown to be unstable in blood when stored at room temperature. This can present a dif®culty when specimens are collected at dialysis units that are distant from the laboratory, or are collected at dialysis sessions outside the hours when a full laboratory service operates. In order to de®ne better the requirements for blood specimens received from renal dialysis units, we undertook a study to determine the stability of PTH in whole blood at room temperature. Two blood samples from each of eight patients were collected at 8.30 a.m., immediately prior to commencing renal dialysis. One sample was collected into a serum separator tube and the other into an EDTA tube. Each sample was divided into four aliquots (within 15 min of collection before extensive clotting had occurred in the serum samples). One aliquot of serum and one of EDTA±plasma from each patient were separated immediately and frozen at 7208C; these served as the respective `zero-time’ values for each patient. The remaining aliquots were stored for 3, 6 or 12 h at room temperature (238C) prior to centrifugation and freezing at 7208C. PTH was determined by the DPC Intact PTH assay carried out on the Immulite automated immunoassay analyser. Samples for a particular patient were analysed together in sequence and all samples were analysed in a single run. All samples were stored at 7208C and thawed immediately prior to analysis. PTH concentrations at the zero time-points were not signi®cantly different between serum (mean 25 ́7 pmol/L, range 3 ́0±73 ́2 pmol/L) and EDTA±plasma (mean 26 ́9 pmol/L, range 3 ́1±83 ́2 pmol/L) (P=0 ́43). When values for each time-point were compared with the zero time-point values using a paired t-test, there was no signi®cant difference in EDTA±plasma at 3, 6 or 12h (P=0 ́59, 0 ́06 and 0 ́48, respectively). However, PTH in serum was signi®cantly reduced at 3, 6 and 12 h (P=0 ́03, 0 ́04 and 0 ́03, respectively). The non-parametric Wilcoxon paired signed ranks test gave similar results. Figure 1 shows that after 12h there was a decrease of PTH concentrations by approximately 10% in serum samples, but concentrations in EDTA±plasma remained constant up to this time. This is in agreement with a previous study in which investigators found that PTH concentrations in whole blood (without Short Report Ann Clin Biochem 2000; 37: 800±801
A Risk Analysis Of Farmers In Mexico: Prices, Risk Rationing And Conflict

The need for creating mechanisms that reduce price risk for farmers in developing countries has been cited as a priority for economic development by the World Bank (2005). Accordingly, this paper develops a market driven mechanism for commodity price insurance in those target countries. Our model incorporates futures, exchange rate and local basis risk under the Black-Scholes framework to develop quanto (Quantity Adjusting Option). When the domestic price of a commodity in a developing country is strongly correlated to the price in a futures market, price support premiums can be estimated. We calculated the price insurance premium at various local markets in Mexico for corn and sorghum. Our results are consistent with those for the US, showing that relative price premiums are similar.
Economic performance of ‘weak’ governments and their interaction with central banks and labour: Deficits, economic growth, unemployment and inflation, 1961–1998

Comparative political economists have conventionally claimed that the strength and stability of governments affect policy making and performance, and that what they call ‘weak governments’– multiparty, minority and short-lived governments – show poorer economic performance. This article tests this and related hypotheses on deficits, economic growth, unemployment and inflation by examining data from 17 OECD countries. I find that there is generally little evidence to indicate that so-called ‘weak governments’, when considered independently, produce poorer performance than strong ones. However, the effects of different government types are partly contingent on central bank independence and labour organization. When central banks are independent, coalition governments exhibit better inflation and economic growth performance than one-party governments, but the opposite happens when central banks are dependent. I attempt an explanation for these relationships. I also find that independent central banks, under certain conditions, lead to lower growth and higher inflation. Thus, some of the benefits of central bank independence are context-specific, depending on other political-economic factors.
Cytokine-Stimulated T Lymphocyte Proliferation Is Regulated by p27Kip1 1

T lymphocyte growth is regulated by the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1. Mice deficient in p27Kip1 have increased proliferative responses to multiple cytokines, including IL-2, IL-4, and IL-12, but not to anti-CD3. In the absence of p27Kip1, T cells proliferate faster than control cells, as evidenced by increased [3H]thymidine uptake, increased cell growth and division, and an increased number of cells in S phase. Importantly, this regulation is specific for p27Kip1 in T cells, because hyperproliferation of T cells from mice deficient in p21Cip1/Waf1 was not observed. In vivo, there is an expansion of activated/memory CD4+ cells in p27Kip1-deficient mice before and after immunization. Furthermore, Ag-stimulated spleen cells from immunized p27Kip1-deficient mice demonstrated increased proliferative responses to IL-2 and increased secretion of IFN-γ. Although IL-4 stimulated proliferative responses are diminished in Stat6-deficient T cells, activated T cells from mice doubly deficient in both p27Kip1 and Stat6 recover normal proliferative responses to IL-4. Together, these data firmly support a role for p27Kip1 as a negative regulator of cytokine-stimulated T cell growth.
A knowledge management application in enterprises

Knowledge Management (KM) in organisations has already been recognised as an important factor of the competitiveness of an enterprise. One of the advantages it brings is speeding up the innovative process by accessing the right knowledge at the right time. It also helps managers to make the right decisions, providing them with all the knowledge relevant to actual problems. This paper presents an approach for applying knowledge discovery in databases to KM. The proposed knowledge discovery application extracts and analyses the data and information kept in a large enterprise information system, creating knowledge that is very functional and workable for management and decision makers.
Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase directly interacts with a novel nuclear protein that is homologous to p65

Background Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (TdT) is a DNA polymerase that enhances Ig and TcR gene diversity in the N region in B‐ and T‐cells. TdT is found as a member of a large protein complex in the lysate of the thymocytes. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of the synthesis of the N region, we first attempted to isolate the genes with products that are interacting directly with TdT.
Public Expenditure, Private Investment and Income: Evidence in Indian States

The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act 2003 was introduced in India in order to reduce revenue deficit by curtailing revenue expenditure. This paper examines the impact of public expenditure by type and nature on the income by constructing new data on combined capital expenditure and combined revenue expenditure of Centre and State governments of 15 major States during the period 1993–94 to 2004–05. This paper finds that, though public expenditure crowds-out private investment, public expenditure of all types and nature positively contributes to state income due to the inclusion of some productive expenditure in the revenue account. All revenue expenditures are not growth retarding, and specifically, infrastructure investment may be used as an instrument by the Central and State governments directly for equitable allocation of private investment to achieve balanced income across states and higher economic growth as a whole.
Genetic characterization of warfarin sensitivity in a population of cardiovascular patients on chronic anticoagulation.

BACKGROUND Genetic factors account for 35-40% of the interindividual variation observed in response to warfarin. The most important genes involved are CYP2C9 (cytochrome P450 2C9) and VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1). OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of the different genotypes influencing response to oral anticoagulants in a population of cardiovascular patients on chronic anticoagulation and to investigate the correlation between genotype and the warfarin dose required for optimal anticoagulation. METHODS A total of 91 chronically anticoagulated consecutive patients were genotyped for CYP2C9 and VKORC1, using PCR and reverse hybridization. RESULTS Of the 91 patients, 57.1% were male and mean age was 67.4 +/- 13.1 years. most frequent indication for warf was atrial fibrillation (56.8%). We analyzed the prevalence of the different CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotypes in this population and found that the warfarin doses required to maintain patients at their desired anticoagulation target were significantly different among carriers of the different genotypes. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the importance of genetic study in the clinical management of patients on chronic anticoagulation, increasing the safety and efficacy of warfarin therapy.
Are Stocks Real Assets? Sticky Discount Rates in Stock Markets

Local stock markets adjust sluggishly to changes in local inflation. When the local rate of inflation increases, local investors subsequently earn lower real returns on local stocks, but not on local bonds or foreign stocks, suggesting that local stock market investors use sticky long-run nominal discount rates that are too low when inflation increases because they are slow to update the inflation expectations in discount rates. Small amounts of stickiness in inflation expectations suffice to match the real stock return predictability induced by inflation in the data. We also consider other explanations, such as nominal cash flow extrapolation.Received September 14, 2015; editorial decision June 30, 2016 by Editor Stefan Nagel.
Musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and shoulder in dental hygienists and dental hygiene students.

PURPOSE Dental hygienists have been found to have high rates of neck and shoulder disorders, but there is very limited information on risk factors associated with those disorders, the level of risk for students, and the relationship of prior work as dental assistants for dental hygiene students. This study examines self-reported and physician-diagnosed neck and shoulder pain. METHODS A cohort consisting of 27 dental hygiene students with no prior dental occupation experience (mean age 24, 6.2 SD), and 39 dental hygiene students with prior experience as dental assistants (mean age 28, 6.0) and 94 experienced dental hygienists (mean age 46, 8.8) completed a questionnaire on risk factors and self reported pain, and were examined by a physician in reference to upper extremity findings and diagnoses. Analysis included tabular, trend, and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS There were significant differences for risks, symptoms, and physician findings. Risk factors had a stepwise progression for students, student/assistants, and experienced dental hygienists, including working with a bent neck often or very often (79%, 89%, 96%, respectively, p<.001), static posture (39%, 50%, 63%, p<.001), precise motions (58%, 67%, 90%, p<.001), and repetition (79%, 86%, 98%, p<.001). Neck symptoms were reported by 37%, 43%, and 72%, respectively (p<.001), and 11%, 20%, and 35% for shoulder symptoms (p<.05). Similar patterns were demonstrated in physician findings, particularly for neck disorders (18%, 36%, 50%, p<.01). In regressions, self-reported shoulder pain was significantly associated with working above shoulder height (OR=1.5, CI 1.0-2.4), and neck symptoms with working with a bent neck (OR=2.1, CI 1.3-3.4), with a protective effect from high supervisor support (OR=0.5, CI 0.2-1.0). CONCLUSION Risk factors and both self-reported and physician-diagnosed neck and shoulder symptoms increase in frequency from students to experienced hygienists, and students have higher prevalence if they are also dental assistants.
A framework for developing entrepreneurship education in a university context

This article studies the field of entrepreneurship and education with respect to changes in the university context. It is our claim that the educational system at the university level at present is not capable of developing students' motivation, competences and skills concerning innovation and entrepreneurship. Instead, entrepreneurship education requires learning methods, pedagogical processes and frames for education, which universities at the moment have not mastered, Such changes, however, involve parallel transformations of didactics, pedagogy and university context.
Vitamin D supplementation and risk of toxicity in pediatrics: a review of current literature.

CONTEXT Although vitamin D toxicity is rare in children, increased use of vitamin D formulations, re-examination of optimal vitamin D levels, and use of higher doses lend potential for an increased incidence of vitamin D toxicity. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A PubMed search was conducted through May 2013 for cases of vitamin D intoxication and vitamin D trials in pediatrics. Safety data were collected and reviewed. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS A small number of pediatric studies tested vitamin D doses at or above the currently recommended upper tolerable intake. In children and adolescents, vitamin D excess was rare and usually asymptomatic. Recent cases of intoxication relate to errors in manufacturing, formulation, or prescription; involve high total intake in the range of 240,000 to 4,500,000 IU; and present with severe hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, or nephrocalcinosis. However, mild hypercalcemia and hypervitaminosis using currently recommended doses have been reported in infants with rickets. CONCLUSIONS Although rare, cases of vitamin D intoxication that present with dramatic life-threatening symptoms still occur in children. Moreover, recent studies in infants raise a potential need for monitoring vitamin D levels when doses at or above the currently recommended upper range are used. Further studies are needed to clarify these findings. The Drugs and Therapeutics Committee of the Pediatric Endocrine Society suggests obtaining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in infants and children who receive long-term vitamin D supplementation at or above the upper level intake that is currently recommended.
Institutional, Macroeconomic and Firm-Specific Determinants of Capital Structure: The African Evidence

Purpose - – The study aims to investigate the role of institutions, macroeconomic conditions, industry and firm characteristics on firm's capital structure decision within the context of nine African countries. Design/methodology/approach - – A sample of 986 firms over the period 1999-2008 were analysed using a series of models that link institutional, macroeconomic, industry and firm-specific characteristics, on the one hand, and measures of capital structure, on the other. The paper used system generalized method of moments and seemingly unrelated regression which are robust to data heterogeneity and endogeneity problems to estimate the relationships between variables. Furthermore, the paper checked the robustness of findings using various estimation procedures. Findings - – The paper found evidence that the legal and financial institutions, income level of the country in which a firm operates, growth rate of the economy and inflation matter in capital structure choices of firms in the sample countries. Furthermore, capital structure choice of firms in the sample countries was affected by industry and firm-specific characteristics. These findings signify the role that probability of bankruptcy, agency costs, transaction costs, tax issues, information asymmetry problems, access to finance and market timing play in capital structure decisions of firms in Africa. Research limitations/implications - – As in most empirical studies, this study focused on listed firms. Nonetheless, future studies that focus on non-listed firms could add additional insights to the extant literature. Practical implications - – The findings have practical implications for corporate managers, governments, legislators and policymakers in the African continent. Originality/value - – The study focuses on firms in African countries for which cross-country studies such as this are rare. It also explicitly models industry variable as one of the determinants of capital structure, a marked departure from previous studies on capital structure decision of firms.
The Murine Norovirus Core Subgenomic RNA Promoter Consists of a Stable Stem-Loop That Can Direct Accurate Initiation of RNA Synthesis

ABSTRACT All members of the Caliciviridae family of viruses produce a subgenomic RNA during infection. The subgenomic RNA typically encodes only the major and minor capsid proteins, but in murine norovirus (MNV), the subgenomic RNA also encodes the VF1 protein, which functions to suppress host innate immune responses. To date, the mechanism of norovirus subgenomic RNA synthesis has not been characterized. We have previously described the presence of an evolutionarily conserved RNA stem-loop structure on the negative-sense RNA, the complementary sequence of which codes for the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS7). The conserved stem-loop is positioned 6 nucleotides 3′ of the start site of the subgenomic RNA in all caliciviruses. We demonstrate that the conserved stem-loop is essential for MNV viability. Mutant MNV RNAs with substitutions in the stem-loop replicated poorly until they accumulated mutations that revert to restore the stem-loop sequence and/or structure. The stem-loop sequence functions in a noncoding context, as it was possible to restore the replication of an MNV mutant by introducing an additional copy of the stem-loop between the NS7- and VP1-coding regions. Finally, in vitro biochemical data suggest that the stem-loop sequence is sufficient for the initiation of viral RNA synthesis by the recombinant MNV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, confirming that the stem-loop forms the core of the norovirus subgenomic promoter. IMPORTANCE Noroviruses are a significant cause of viral gastroenteritis, and it is important to understand the mechanism of norovirus RNA synthesis. Here we describe the identification of an RNA stem-loop structure that functions as the core of the norovirus subgenomic RNA promoter in cells and in vitro. This work provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of norovirus RNA synthesis and the sequences that determine the recognition of viral RNA by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
Financial performance measurement: not a total solution

Describes a framework for analysis which is capable of measuring the value‐adding capability of the entire manufacturing chain. This provides a means of benchmarking organizational performance irrespective of market‐related profit margin. The method of analysis provides: a measure of existing value‐adding capability; guidance for investment, constraint removal and measurement of the new state and a measure of the untapped potential available in an organization and thus benchmarking against world‐class standards. The methods could also be used to aid company share evaluation since the relative improvement potential can be measured as intercompany comparisons become available.
To Delegate or Not to Delegate to Stock Markets? The Case of Boards with Related Industry Expertise

I examine the extent to which boards with expertise in the firm’s related industries, i.e., downstream (customer) or upstream (supplier) industries, delegate their monitoring and advisory functions to stock markets. Directors from related industries (DRIs) are argued to acquire information about product markets more readily. This, in turn, is predicted to alleviate the need for stock-based incentives particularly for firms with greater dependence on product markets and those with less informative stock prices. The evidence documented in this paper is largely consistent with these predictions. A number of additional tests suggest that this evidence is not likely to be explained by the potential conflict of interests between the firm’s stockholders and DRIs. Hence, I conclude that boards with related industry expertise delegate to stock markets to an optimally lesser extent due to their informational advantages.