Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A needs assessment study of undergraduate surgical education.

BACKGROUND There is compelling evidence to suggest that undergraduate surgical education may fail to provide appropriate instruction in basic surgical principles and skills. METHODS We completed a descriptive, cross-sectional survey of stakeholder groups (surgeon educators and recent medical school graduates) to assess the perceived relevance and learning for surgical principles, surgical skills, teaching environments and teaching interventions. RESULTS Graduates returned 123 surveys, and surgeons returned 55 surveys (response rates: graduates 46%, surgeons 45%). Both graduates and surgeons considered 8 of 10 surgical principles highly relevant to current medical practice. Despite this, the surgical clerkship seemed to enable proficiency in far fewer principles (graduates: 3, surgeons: 5). Graduates believed that each of the 15 basic surgical skills is relevant to current medical practice, whereas surgeons indicated that more invasive skills (i.e., central venous lines, thoracentesis) are much less relevant. Graduates and surgeons indicated that medical students will achieve proficiency in only 3 basic skills areas as a result of the surgical clerkship. Graduates and surgeons considered each surgical specialty relevant and effective in undergraduate surgical education. According to graduates and surgeons, the most effective teaching environments are outpatient settings (emergency department, outpatient clinics). Graduates and surgeons ranked resident teaching as the most effective teaching intervention, and traditional interventions (grand rounds, formal rounds) and electronic resources (computer-assisted learning, web-based learning) were ranked the least effective. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we assessed the learning needs of contemporary medical students in surgery. The results suggest that respondent graduate students and surgeons believe that the level of proficiency achieved in surgical principles and basic skills through undergraduate surgical educations is much less than anticipated. Outpatient settings and resident teaching are believed to provide the most effective teaching for medical students. Information from this study has important implications for Canadian undergraduate surgery programs and curricula.
Exploring Russian central government accounting in its context

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to knowledge about Russian public sector accounting in times of change by exploring the emergence of a new way of accounting for Russian central government.Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, accounting is viewed as a social and institutional practice. A frame of reference guided by three theoretical perspectives is elaborated on. This troika incorporates a system approach to accounting, an accountability approach, and an institutional approach. Document search represents the major method of collecting data for this paper.Findings – This paper suggests that launching a nascent version of Russian central government accounting is better comprehended in terms of legitimacy rather than in terms of instrumentality.Research limitations/implications – This paper focuses on the appearance of up‐to‐date accounting provisions at macro‐level and does, therefore, have limitations with regard to scope. This makes it intellectually rewarding to link the cent.
Housing Market Dynamics and Regional Migration in Britain

Economic conditions exert a strong influence on regional migration. On the one hand, strong labour market conditions, as exemplified by low unemployment rates and high earnings, draw migrants into regions. On the other hand, strong housing market conditions can prevent movement since expensive housing can deter migrants and commuting may often be an alternative. This can be thought of as giving rise to a migration equilibrium, where high house prices choke off migration caused by strong labour market conditions. Expected capital gains in housing and expected earnings growth however, can offset high levels of house prices, effects ignored in previous literature. Migration can also be influenced more directly by the availability of housing relative to population without this being mediated through prices. This paper presents evidence from a 28 year panel on net and gross migration for the regions of Britain that is broadly in accord with these expectations.
The disappearing day-of-the-week effect in the world's largest equity markets

The well-documented day-of-the-week effect has shown that stock returns on some days of the week are often significantly higher than on other days. To investigate whether improvements in market efficiency may have caused this anomaly to disappear over time, this study examines the day-of-the-week effect in the world's largest developed equity markets over the last 22 years. The results indicate that, during the 1980s, this anomaly was clearly evident in the vast majority of developed markets, but it appears to have faded away in the 1990s. The implications of these findings are that long-run improvements in market efficiency may have diminished the effects of certain anomalies in recent periods.
Research Note: Environmental Innovation as a Competitiveness Factor in the Balearic Islands

This paper analyses the importance of environmental innovations as a key competitiveness factor for tourism firms in the Balearic Islands. Empirical evidence from a sample of tourism firms confirms the importance of environmental innovation, especially in the lodging and accommodation sector and as firm size and/or scale of operations increases. Firms belonging to a corporation are more environmentally innovative than independent firms. Environmental innovations are mainly process and technological ones. When investing in new destinations, Balearic hotel chains transfer and incorporate environmental technologies in new establishments. Finally, the main objectives when introducing environmental innovations are to satisfy customer needs and to improve service quality and the image and competitiveness of the firm.
Dividend tunneling and joint expropriation: empirical evidence from China's capital market

This paper examines the association between cash dividends and the shareholders balancing mechanism (SBM) using the exogeneity and endogeneity assumptions of corporate ownership structure. This paper identifies, in the case of China, whether paying cash dividends is a means of protection or expropriation of minority shareholders’ interests. With 4810 observations from companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange over the period 2004–2008, the authors find significant negative associations between cash dividend payments and the SBM of non-controlling large shareholders under the exogeneity assumption and the SBM of tradable shareholders under the endogeneity assumption. The findings suggest that cash dividends are used as a manner of tunneling by the controlling shareholder. This paper also shows that the SBM of non-controlling shareholders has a significant positive effect on cash dividends, especially for companies paying high and abnormal dividends. The results imply that in China's capital market, cash dividend payments are not only expropriations of minority shareholders’ interests by the controlling shareholder but also coalitions of controlling and non-controlling large shareholders. The findings confirm the tunneling and joint expropriation incentive of corporate dividend policy.
Nigeria and the Boko Haram Sect: Adopting a Better Strategy for Resolving the Crisis

Abstract : The purpose of this thesis is to examine the growth and activities of the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria with the aim of suggesting a strategy for resolving the crisis. The thesis will focus on the evolution of the sect and the enabling environment that served to support its growth especially in the North East region of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States of Nigeria. This thesis will demonstrate that the present response of the government which is more focused on addressing the symptoms of terrorism, remains inadequate, and requires a strategy that addresses the root cause and symptoms of terrorism to resolve the crisis. Such a strategy involves a government-wide approach whereby the military expands its operations to limit the operating space for the sect, and the government simultaneously addresses the root causes of the crisis as well as the conditions that facilitated the growth of Boko Haram in North-Eastern Nigeria.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Skeletal Muscle of Amyloid Precursor Protein-overexpressing Mice*

Background: Intracellular accumulation of β-amyloid is a key step in pathogenesis of the inclusion body myositis (IBM). Results: Intramyofiber accumulation of β-amyloid in MCK-βAPP mice leads to structural and functional mitochondrial abnormalities. Conclusion: Mitochondrial abnormalities precede IBM-related histological and motor deficits in MCK-βAPP mice. Significance: The diminished mitochondrial function may play a key role during the β-amyloid mediated pathogenesis in IBM. Inclusion body myositis, the most common muscle disorder in the elderly, is partly characterized by abnormal expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and intracellular accumulation of its proteolytic fragments collectively known as β-amyloid. The present study examined the effects of β-amyloid accumulation on mitochondrial structure and function of skeletal muscle from transgenic mice (MCK-βAPP) engineered to accumulate intramyofiber β-amyloid. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that a large fraction of myofibers from 2–3-month-old MCK-βAPP mice contained numerous, heterogeneous alterations in mitochondria, and other cellular organelles. [1H-decoupled]13C NMR spectroscopy showed a substantial reduction in TCA cycle activity and indicated a switch from aerobic to anaerobic glucose metabolism in the MCK-βAPP muscle. Isolated muscle fibers from the MCK-βAPP mice also exhibited a reduction in cytoplasmic pH, an increased rate of ROS production, and a partially depolarized plasmalemma. Treatment of MCK-βAPP muscle cells with Ru360, a mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter antagonist, reversed alterations in the plasmalemmal membrane potential (Vm) and pH. Consistent with altered redox state of the cells, treatment of MCK-βAPP muscle cells with glutathione reversed the effects of β-amyloid accumulation on Ca2+ transient amplitudes. We conclude that structural and functional alterations in mitochondria precede the reported appearance of histopathological and clinical features in the MCK-βAPP mice and may represent key early events in the pathogenesis of inclusion body myositis.
Pacemaker shift in the gastric antrum of guinea‐pigs produced by excitatory vagal stimulation involves intramuscular interstitial cells

Intracellular recordings were made from isolated bundles of the circular muscle layer of guinea‐pig gastric antrum and the responses produced by stimulating intrinsic nerve fibres were examined. After abolishing the effects of stimulating inhibitory nerve terminals with apamin and l‐nitroarginine (NOLA), transmural nerve stimulation often evoked a small amplitude excitatory junction potential (EJP) and invariably evoked a regenerative potential. Neurally evoked regenerative potentials had similar properties to those evoked in the same bundle by direct stimulation. EJPs and neurally evoked regenerative potentials were abolished by hyoscine suggesting that both resulted from the release of acetylcholine and activation of muscarinic receptors. Neurally evoked regenerative potentials, but not EJPs, were abolished by membrane hyperpolarization, caffeine and chloride channel blockers. In the intact antrum, excitatory vagal nerve stimulation increased the frequency of slow waves. Simultaneous intracellular recordings of pacemaker potentials from myenteric interstitial cells (ICCMY) and slow waves showed that the onset of each pacemaker potential normally preceded the onset of each slow wave but vagal stimulation caused the onset of each slow wave to precede each pacemaker potential. Together the observations suggest that during vagal stimulation there is a change in the origin of pacemaker activity with slow waves being initiated by intramuscular interstitial cells (ICCIM) rather than by ICCMY.
Immigrants of the world unite?

One of the many consequences of the mass immigration waves of the 20th century was a creation of significant immigrant communities from the same country of origin in the various western countries. In the past, these communities failed to keep regular connection with their motherland and with their compatriots in other countries as a result of technological discrepancies and geographical distance, or even as a consequence of legal restrictions posted by receiving countries or countries of origin. Nevertheless, due to recent technological developments and the geopolitical changes, immigrant communities dispersed all over the globe can now enjoy online connections with their former homeland and with friends and relatives in other countries (Van Hear 1998). In these circumstances, even citizenship and political participation are becoming bifocal, since some countries of origin allow emigrants to preserve their citizenship and to vote in national elections. These new developments had encouraged an establishment of transnational communities which remain loyal to their former homeland and to their compatriots in other countries and which share common history, language and culture (Ben-Rafael2001; Cohen 1997; Glick Schiller, Basch & Blanc-Szanton 1995; Guarnizo & Smith 1998; Vertovec 2001). Furthermore, most scholars agree today that the internet offers a new context for thinking of transnational communities, as it becomes a major medium of 'selective social interaction and symbolic belonging' (Castells 2001, p.37), which expands the space for intra-community communication, self-expression and self-representation, and which challenges the national boundaries and political restrictions (Cohen 1997). Therefore, in order to understand immigration and transnationalism in the 21st century, we must understand the electronic communication tools with which immigrant groups increasingly forge community.
Food choices at lunch during the third year of life: high selection of animal and starchy foods but avoidance of vegetables.

AIM The objective was to show patterns of food selection by 2- to 3-y-old children for a wide variety of foods in a self-service cafeteria and to assess the effect of individual variables (gender, BMI, mode of feeding after birth and rank in sibship). METHODS In a nursery self-service canteen, food choices at lunch made by children (n=418, 24-36 mo; 109 observations per child on average) were recorded by trained assistants who monitored portion size. An offer of eight dishes (animal products, starchy foods, combination dishes, vegetables and dairy products), excluding dessert-type foods, was proposed. Choice level was calculated for each food. Analysis of variance was used to compare choices for the various foods and to assess the effect of the individual variables. RESULTS The choice of a food largely depended upon its nature: animal products, starchy foods and their combinations were widely chosen, whereas vegetables were not often selected; the choice for dairy products depended upon the type. The mode of preparation of the food influenced its choice. Segmenting products were identified; however, except for cheeses, a given child did not refuse an entire food category. Children's characteristics did not explain the choice variability. CONCLUSION At the age of 2 to 3 y, children preferentially choose animal products and starchy foods and avoid vegetables; the high individual variability of their food choices could be related to previous food experiences.
Eastward bound: A case study of post-soviet labour migration from a rural Ukrainian town

Abstract This case study uses ethnographic interviews and survey data to explore temporary work migration from Komsomolsk, a rural town in central Ukraine. At the time of the Soviet collapse, experts expected temporary work migrants to orient toward labour markets in Western Europe but our data show that in 2002 the majority of temporary migrants made trips to Russia and parts of the former Soviet Union from Komsomolsk. Women were less likely than men to engage in temporary work migration, yet those women who did migrate for work were more likely to migrate west. Men, particularly older, ethnically Russian men, sought work in the east. Ethnographic data indicate language skills and knowledge of the Russian labour market influenced migrants' choice of destination. Social contacts, such as recruiters from Russian construction firms, helped to bring Ukrainian workers east. Survey data show that younger ethnic Russians and ethnic Ukrainians from all age groups were more likely to seek work within the country or in Western job markets than in Russia.
ON THE PLAUSIBILITY OF THE SUPPLY‐DRIVEN INPUT‐OUTPUT MODEL: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ON JOINT STABILITY*

This paper addresses the issue of the plausibility of the supply-driven input-output model from an empirical standpoint. We suggest that requiring production coefficients to remain perfectly fixed during an application of the supply-driven input-output model is unnecessarily restrictive given the extensive use of approximation methods in mathematics, economics and regional science. Simulations with the supply-driven version of an input-output table for a representative region are shown to result in changes in the corresponding production coefficients well within conventional tolerance levels.
Heterogeneous Preferences for Greek Heritage Attractions

The paper uses the method of discrete choice modelling to evaluate tourists' preferences for two heritage attractions in Greece. This methodology offers the opportunity to gain useful insights regarding the direction of future policy actions in this important area of revenue generation. The paper provides empirical justification for the frequently cited argument in favour of the adoption of a more market-oriented rationale for an optimal use of heritage resources. Overall, the authors support the claim that Greek heritage tourism manifestations will be substantially better off if they divert attention away from the exhibits and towards specialization in accordance with visitors' preferences.
Replication control genes of plasmid pE194

pE194, a 3.7-kilobase plasmid, confers resistance to macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin B antibiotics. The previously identified cop and repF genes of pE194 have been further localized by molecular cloning and mutational analysis together with DNA sequencing. The CfoIB fragment of pE194 is capable of autonomous replication and contains both genes. Most of this region has been resequenced, and two errors reported in a previous study have been corrected. The corrected sequence indicates that the replication region contains a single large open reading frame, which we propose encodes the repF product. Northern blot (RNA blot) analysis of this region detected six transcripts, all transcribed in the same direction as one another and opposite to repF. A 350-base transcript is synthesized from the region containing cop. No in vivo transcript for the repF gene was detected, but a protein was observed in an in vitro transcription-translation system which appears to be its product. An ochre mutation was inserted in the putative repF open reading frame, and a nonsense fragment was detected in the in vitro system. When carried passively on a pUB110 replicon, this mutant product appears capable of inhibiting pE194 replicons in trans. The pE194 origin of replication has been localized to within 200 bases.
The relationship between vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphism and the occurrence of osteoporosis in menopausal Iranian women.

BACKGROUND Osteoporosis, a multifactorial disease with reduced bone mineral density which increases the probability of bone fractures, is caused by calcium deficiency, and its incidence increases with age. It has been determined that mutations in functional regions of vitamin D receptor gene will affect the metabolism of minerals especially calcium and, therefore, bone density. The present study evaluates the relation between vitamin D receptor polymorphisms, TaqI (rs731236) and ApaI (rs7975232), and osteoporosis in menopausal Azari women in Zanjan province. MATERIALS AND METHODS This case-control study has been conducted on 50 menopausal women suffering from osteoporosis and 50 menopausal women who did not suffer from osteoporosis in Zanjan province. The diagnosis of osteoporosis was confirmed using DEXA instrument. Peripheral blood was collected from the subjects and controls to extract DNA and assess the ApaI and TaqI polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP method. The results were interpreted using independent T-test, chi-square, and Pearson correlation coefficient with a p-value less than 0.05. RESULTS There was not a significant difference between the frequency of ApaI (AA/Aa/aa) and TaqI (TT/Tt/tt) genotypes in cases (mean age 68.72) and controls (mean age 64.7) (p=0.37 and p=0.64, respectively). In addition, ApaI/TaqI allele haplotype in osteoporotic population showed non-significant relation (p value=0.563) compared with the control group. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The relationship between the genotypes and osteoporosis, cancers, and mineral metabolism disorders has been studied for a long time. Although there has been a significant relation between the aforementioned genotypes and osteoporosis or reduced mineral density-related bone fractures in some studied, some other studies have opposing results. Therefore, it is only possible to reach an acceptable conclusion by studying the haplotype of the polymorphisms in subjects.
Development of a small prototype for a proof-of-concept of OpenPET imaging

The OpenPET geometry is our new idea to visualize a physically opened space between two detector rings. In this paper, we developed the first small prototype to show a proof-of-concept of OpenPET imaging. Two detector rings of 110 mm diameter and 42 mm axial length were placed with a gap of 42 mm. The basic imaging performance was confirmed through phantom studies; the open imaging was realized at the cost of slight loss of axial resolution and 24% loss of sensitivity. For a proof-of-concept of PET image-guided radiation therapy, we carried out the in-beam tests with 11C radioactive beam irradiation in the heavy ion medical accelerator in Chiba to visualize in situ distribution of primary particles stopped in a phantom. We showed that PET images corresponding to dose distribution were obtained. For an initial proof-of-concept of real-time multimodal imaging, we measured a tumor-inoculated mouse with 18F-FDG, and an optical image of the mouse body surface was taken during the PET measurement by inserting a digital camera in the ring gap. We confirmed that the tumor in the gap was clearly visualized. The result also showed the extension effect of an axial field-of-view (FOV); a large axial FOV of 126 mm was obtained with the detectors that originally covered only an 84 mm axial FOV. In conclusion, our initial imaging studies showed promising performance of the OpenPET.