Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Food Practices and Transnational Identities

Abstract Food has long been understood as a potent marker of cultural identity. In the context of transnational migrant communities, food practices express group and individual identities as well as multiple social positionings within the current environment. At the same time, food practices are part of navigating between local and global attachments. This article examines how food practices in two Punjabi-Canadian families are implicated in identity constructions in the context of transnational migration. In particular, we challenge notions of dietary acculturation, and resistance to acculturation as a form of ethnic identity maintenance, instead exploring how food practices may reflect simultaneous, ongoing attachments to multiple national identities. Participants' food practices reproduced, challenged and reinvented cultural norms, particularly in gender roles concerning food preparation, and the consumption of Punjabi food. Their food practices were products of, as well as tools for the production of, transnational migrant identities.
MicroRNA signatures in tissues and plasma predict development and prognosis of computed tomography detected lung cancer

The efficacy of computed tomography (CT) screening for early lung cancer detection in heavy smokers is currently being tested by a number of randomized trials. Critical issues remain the frequency of unnecessary treatments and impact on mortality, indicating the need for biomarkers of aggressive disease. We explored microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of lung tumors, normal lung tissues and plasma samples from cases with variable prognosis identified in a completed spiral-CT screening trial with extensive follow-up. miRNA expression patterns significantly distinguished: (i) tumors from normal lung tissues, (ii) tumor histology and growth rate, (iii) clinical outcome, and (iv) year of lung cancer CT detection. Interestingly, miRNA profiles in normal lung tissues also displayed remarkable associations with clinical features, suggesting the influence of a permissive microenvironment for tumor development. miRNA expression analyses in plasma samples collected 1–2 y before the onset of disease, at the time of CT detection and in disease-free smokers enrolled in the screening trial, resulted in the generation of miRNA signatures with strong predictive, diagnostic, and prognostic potential (area under the ROC curve ≥ 0.85). These signatures were validated in an independent cohort from a second randomized spiral-CT trial. These results indicate a role for miRNAs in lung tissues and plasma as molecular predictors of lung cancer development and aggressiveness and have theoretical and clinical implication for lung cancer management.
Linking Processes and Dynamic Capabilities of International SMEs: The Mediating Effect of International Entrepreneurial Orientation

Previous research on the internationalization of small and medium‐sized enterprises (s) has highlighted the role of knowledge and learning about foreign markets. However, empirical results on the performance implications of foreign market scanning and planning have been mixed. Following the dynamic capability perspective, we argue that s can capitalize on scanning and planning processes because of their international entrepreneurial orientation. We test our hypotheses with a sample of 604 established s and find that entrepreneurial orientation completely mediates the relationship between scanning and planning and international performance. Moreover, the results implicate a bidirectional relationship between processes and international entrepreneurial orientation.
Economic, Political and Resource-Based Models of Chinese Contracts in Africa: An Empirical Analysis

This paper studies the pattern and determinants of contractual projects by Chinese contractors in Africa. Contracts by Chinese in Africa are a dominant component of China’s economic relations with Africa. They exceed China’s foreign direct investment in Africa. While similar to direct investments, contracts are based on some different considerations and are, therefore, subject to different determinants from foreign investment. This work is the first empirical study conducted on China’s contracts overseas. It explores three models: economic, political, and resource based. Of the three, the resource-based model best explains the pattern and determinants of China’s contracts in Africa. The countries abundant in petroleum and minerals tend to have Chinese projects. In addition to natural resources, we also look into the effects on contracts of market size, economic growth, education, investment, inflation, economic openness, exchange rate, regime type, governance, and bilateral relations with China. Our finding indicates that China’s contractual projects are drawn to the African countries that are well endowed in natural resources.
Analysts Earnings Forecasts and the Roles of Earnings and Book Value in Equity Valuation

This study examines the effect of the degree of association between current earnings and expected future earnings on the relative importance of earnings and book value for explaining equity price. Consensus analysts forecasts of one-year-ahead earnings are used to proxy for expected future earnings and are compared to reported current earnings to measure the degree of the association. We find that the value-relevance of current earnings negatively correlates with the extent to which consensus analysts forecasts deviate from current earnings. We also find that the "incremental" explanatory power of book value for equity price positively correlates with this measure. These results remain robust after controlling for factors known to be affecting the value-relevance of earnings such as negative earnings and the earnings-to-book ratio. Our results also show that this analysts' forecast-based measure of `earnings persistence' dominates historical earnings variance in explaining cross-sectional variations in the value-relevance of earnings and book value. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd 2002.
EUROPEAN INDUSTRIAL AND COMPETITION POLICY

This article discusses alternative perspectives on competition and industrial policies (IP) in theory and in practice and critically assesses recent European IP in this context. It develops a new framework for IP that emphasises the sustainability of value creation at the firm, meso and national levels, and explores its implications for IP in general and European IP in particular. It views current EU policies as a step in the right direction, but argues that they need to pay more attention to the issue of sustainability, the link between corporate and public governance, and the impact of different power structures and hierarchies of agencies on industrial policies for sustainable value creation. The limitations of self-monitoring and diversity suggest the need for an international competition and regulatory policy organisation, along the lines of the WTO.
Special Dividend Distributions, Firm Characteristics, and Economic Conditions

We show that the firm’s decision to pay special dividends is related to its investment opportunities based on growth options that are available within the prevailing economic environment. Specifically, firms are more likely to pay special dividends when their investment opportunities are restricted by a weak economy. We also show that the share price response of special dividend payments is more favorable when the firm’s investment opportunities are restricted by a weak economy. Furthermore, the share price response to a special dividend distribution during a period in which a higher dividend tax is anticipated is more favorable when economic conditions are weak.
PHYLOGEOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE AND CRYPTIC SPECIATION IN THE TRANS-ANTARCTIC MOSS PYRRHOBRYUM MNIOIDES

Abstract Many bryophyte species have distributions that span multiple continents. The hypotheses historically advanced to explain such distributions rely on either long-distance spore dispersal or slow rates of morphological evolution following ancient continental vicariance events. We use phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence variation at three chloroplast loci (atpB-rbcL spacer, rps4 gene, and trnL intron and 3′ spacer) to examine these two hypotheses in the trans-Antarctic moss Pyrrhobryum mnioides. We find: (1) reciprocal monophyly of Australasian and South American populations, indicating a lack of intercontinental dispersal; (2) shared haplotypes between Australia and New Zealand, suggesting recent or ongoing migration across the Tasman Sea; and (3) reciprocal monophyly among Patagonian and neotropical populations, suggesting no recent migration along the Andes. These results corroborate experimental work suggesting that spore features may be critical determinants of species range. We use the mid-Miocene development of the Atacama Desert, 14 million years ago, to calibrate a molecular clock for the tree. The age of the trans-Antarctic disjunction is estimated to be 80 million years ago, consistent with Gondwanan vicariance, making it among the most ancient documented cases of cryptic speciation. These data are in accord with niche conservatism, but whether the morphological stasis is a product of stabilizing selection or phylogenetic constraint is unknown.
Organizational Transparency and Sense-Making: The Case of Northern Rock

Organizational transparency is associated with mutual understanding and consensus between the organization and its constituents, but is typically defined as information disclosure. Such definitions pose the risk of simplification and provide incomplete understandings of the transparency phenomenon. Additionally, research rarely focuses on how transparency is translated within crisis situations. This article presents a sense-making and discourse analysis perspective of transparency. We use the case of the British bank Northern Rock to show how this bank and its stakeholders enacted transparency in a critical moment, and to demonstrate how different zones of meaning emerged among the players involved.
Oral ovulation induction agents combined with low-dose gonadotropin injections and intrauterine insemination: cost- and clinical effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of different induction protocols involving gonadotropins with intrauterine insemination (IUI). STUDY DESIGN We performed a retrospective chart review of 648 IUI cycles. Some patients had gonadotropin injections alone before human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and IUI (human menopausal gonadotropin protocol); others were given oral medications, then gonadotropins before hCG and IUI (combination protocol). Outcomes included pregnancy rates, multiple birth rates, endometrial thickness, number of ovarian follicles, injection days, ampules of gonadotropins and cost. RESULTS The combination protocol was more cost-effective. In first cycles, pregnancy rates, multiple birth rates, number of large follicles produced and cancellation rates were similar. The combination group had fewer days of injections and fewer ampules used. When all cycles were analyzed, the multiple birth rate was lower in the combination group. Comparing the different oral medications in the combination protocols, letrozole yielded higher pregnancy rates than tamoxifen or clomiphene. Multiple birth rates were similar for all oral medications. CONCLUSION Combination protocols are less costly and equally effective, with potentially fewer multiple births than with gonadotropins alone. Letrozole may be more effective than clomiphene and tamoxifen in a combination protocol.
The Mount Sinai international enhancement of social work leadership program: The past and the future

ABSTRACT Developed in 1988, the Mount Sinai International Enhancement of Social Work Leadership Program brings 4-6 social workers from several countries each year to the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where they meet with leaders from the hospital, community based organizations and graduate schools of social work, to enhance their leadership ability, strengthen management and research skills, and build upon global social work relationships. This article reviews the results of a survey conducted in 2016 to assess whether the visiting scholars met established learning objectives of the Program. Survey outcomes, presented in quantitative and qualitative terms, show positive results, and the scholars reported that the Program was extremely beneficial. The Program is viewed through the lens of two select adult learning theories: Social Learning Theory, which incorporates collaboration and learning from others, and Transformative Learning Theory, which is comprised of self-reflection and individualized learning. The inclusion of these theories in the implementation of the Program will be discussed. An analysis of the survey’s outcomes, through pre- and post-Program participation and learning, facilitates assessment of potential programmatic adjustments to help evaluate long-term viability of the Program and potential duplication by other academic medical centers.
Monetary Transmission in an Emerging Targeter: The Case of Brazil

This paper lays out a structural model that incorporates key features of monetary transmission in typical emerging-market economies, including a bank-credit channel and the role of external debt accumulation on country risk premia and exchange rate dynamics. We use an SVAR representation of the model to study the monetary transmission in Brazil. We find that interest rate changes have swifter effects on output and inflation compared to advanced economies and that exchange rate dynamics plays a key role in this connection. Importantly, the response of inflation to monetary policy shocks has grown stronger and the output-inflation tradeoff improved since the introduction of inflation targeting.
Cerebral lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus detected by magnetic resonance imaging. Relationship to anticardiolipin antibody.

OBJECTIVE To detect cerebral lesions in neuropsychiatrically symptomatic or asymptomatic patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and investigate the relationship of these lesions to clinical and laboratory variables. METHODS Brain magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 31 patients with SLE under the age of 50, including 2 patients with central nervous system (CNS) lupus and 29 neuropsychiatrically asymptomatic patients. RESULTS Abnormal high intensity spots on T2 weighted images were found in 10 patients (32%), of which 5 were neuropsychiatrically asymptomatic throughout the disease course. The high intensity spot was significantly associated with the presence of high levels of anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) of IgG isotype, livedo reticularis and CNS lupus. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that asymptomatic cerebral lesions are not rare in patients with SLE and screening of aCL would be helpful in predicting cerebral lesions. A followup study of these asymptomatic patients is necessary to clarify the clinical significance of a high intensity spot.
A comparison of benign and inflammatory manifestations of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome

Background Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS) manifests as a benign or an inflammatory type disease. The nosography differences between these types remain to be elucidated. We aimed to analyze and compare the clinical presentations of benign and inflammatory THS. Methods The ward patients who presented with THS from January 1990 to May 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. THS was diagnosed according to the recommendations of the International Headache Society. Results Of the 53 THS cases (49 patients), 30 (56.6%) were classified as benign and 23 (43.4%) as inflammatory THS. There were strong similarities between the groups in terms of clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, responses to glucocorticoid treatment, and outcomes. However, patients with inflammatory THS tended to be younger (mean age, 43.4 years; p < 0.05) and have optic nerve dysfunction (56.5%; p < 0.05) and longer disease duration (2.3 ± 1.0 months; p < 0.05) compared to those with benign THS (mean age, 56.4 years; mean disease duration, 1.6 ± 0.7 months). The patients with additional involvement of both the optic nerve and the second division of the trigeminal nerve experienced a longer disease duration (p < 0.05). Additionally, patients with orbital pseudotumors had diplopia that responded poorly to treatment with glucocorticoids (p < 0.05). High-dose (>0.5 mg/kg/day) and low-dose (≤0.5 mg/kg/day) prednisolone were equally effective in relieving symptoms in both groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion Benign and inflammatory THS were highly similar in terms of nosography. The responses to glucocorticoid treatment were generally good except in patients with orbital pseudotumors.
Safe Exploration and Optimization of Constrained MDPs Using Gaussian Processes

We present a reinforcement learning approach to explore and optimize a safety-constrained Markov Decision Process(MDP). In this setting, the agent must maximize discounted cumulative reward while constraining the probability of entering unsafe states, defined using a safety function being within some tolerance. The safety values of all states are not known a priori, and we probabilistically model them via aGaussian Process (GP) prior. As such, properly behaving in such an environment requires balancing a three-way trade-off of exploring the safety function, exploring the reward function, and exploiting acquired knowledge to maximize reward. We propose a novel approach to balance this trade-off. Specifically, our approach explores unvisited states selectively; that is, it prioritizes the exploration of a state if visiting that state significantly improves the knowledge on the achievable cumulative reward. Our approach relies on a novel information gain criterion based on Gaussian Process representations of the reward and safety functions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on a range of experiments, including a simulation using the real Martian terrain data.
Stability of Pole Solutions for Planar Propagating Flames: I. Exact Eigenvalues and Eigenfunctions

It is well known that the nonlinear PDE describing the dynamics of a hydrodynamically unstable planar flame front admits exact pole solutions as equilibrium states. Such a solution corresponds to a steadily propagating cusp-like structure commonly observed in experiments. In this work we investigate the linear stability of these equilibrium states---the steady coalescent pole solutions. In previous similar studies, either a truncated linear system was numerically solved for the eigenvalues or the initial value problem for the linearized PDE was numerically integrated in order to examine the evolution of initially small disturbances in time. In contrast, our results are based on the exact analytical expressions for the eigenvalues and corresponding eigenfunctions. In this paper we derive the expressions for the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. Their properties and the implication on the stability of pole solutions is discussed in a paper which will appear later.
Serum prolactin level as a biological marker of severity in liver cirrhosis

Background Cirrhosis of the liver is a chronic disease that involves the whole organ. In liver cirrhosis, the gonadal axis is affected. Hyperprolactinemia is often present in these patients as well as hyperestrogenemia, both are responsible for the clinical characteristics of feminization. Patients and methods We investigated 50 patients with cirrhosis. The diagnosis of cirrhosis was based on biochemical evidence and clinical diagnosis including ascites or encephalopathy. Moreover, prognostic indices (Child–Pugh) and prolactin (PRL) levels are assessed. Results Mean age was 51.94±5.99. Mean Child–Pugh score was 9.16±3.16. Mean PRL level was 18.76±9.14 ng/ml. Patients with hepatic encephalopathy compared with patients without encephalopathy had significantly higher levels of PRL. PRL levels were also significantly related to ascites degree. Mean PRL levels were 13.67 versus 20.05 versus 21.6 ng/ml in patients with first, second, and third degree of ascites, respectively. In regression analysis, PRL level was significantly dependent on Child–Pugh score. Conclusion PRL level increases significantly with severity of liver disease particularly in patients with ascites and hepatic encephalopathy. High PRL level could therefore be considered as a negative prognostic marker of liver cirrhosis.
Nonmonotonic Effects of Chronic Low-Dose Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate on Gonadal Weight and Reproductive

ABSTRACT Endocrine disruptors have been concerned in toxicology but now challenged as physiological point especially concerned with exposing dose and period. In this study the low-dose chronic administration of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthaltae (DEHP) during reproductive period was examined to evaluate the possible roles. Adult male and female CD-1 mice were exposed to DEHP with drinking water containing 133 1g/L and 1,330 /g/L DEHP in water according to OECD 433 guide line and sacrificed just after weaning. The weights of uterus and ovary were decreased by drinking of 1,330 /g/L DEHP water. There was not adverse effects on either accumulated mating rate and mating rate depend on estrus stage, pregnancy duration, and sex ration at birth. However, the accumulated rate of successful delivery and litter size were significantly high at 1,330 dg/L DEHP water. The number of epididymal sperm was significantly increased by drinking of 1,330 g/L DEHP water. In addition, the number of follicles (primary, secondary, tertiary) were more many than control at 1,330 /g/L DEHP water drunk mother. Though further studies are needed to identify what are the mechanism of DEHP in folliculogenesis and spermatogenesis. From this study we firstly report the effect of low-dose chronic administration of DEHP with drinking could change the ovarian follicle population size and spermatogenesis rate. Put together, those finding is different from previous high-dose effects and suggest the physiological role of DEHP in gonads and uterus.
Determinants of Corporate Debt Ratios: Evidence from Manufacturing Companies Listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange

The aim of this article is to estimate how firm-specific indicators and macroeconomic conditions affect capital structure choices and to determine whether or not the current financial crisis may have a significant impact on corporate financing decisions. The sample analyzed consists of 196 companies operating in the manufacturing industry and it refers to a period of ten years (2003-2012). To reflect the capital structure, three indicators were included in the analysis: short-term debt, long-term debt and total debt. The potential capital structure determinants considered are asset tangibility, size, profitability, liquidity, tax, business risk and interest rate. The first stage of the analysis was to obtain results from pooled-OLS model, and least square dummy variable model, that absorbs the particular effects of each company. Then fixed effect and random effect models were used and based on the Hausman test, the best model is chosen in order to run a final regression corrected for heteroskedasticity or autocorrelation problems. Results indicate that asset tangibility, profitability and liquidity have a significant negative relationship with total debt and short-term debt ratios, while tax, risk and interest rate have a positive impact on the same ratios. In order to identify the influence of financial crisis on capital structure across Romanian manufacturing companies, the sample was divided in two, before and during recession, and retested.