Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intergenerational comparison of education attainment and implications for empowerment of women in rural Kenya

An intergenerational comparison of education attainment and empowerment across two generations of Kenyan rural women population was undertaken. The study employed a longitudinal analysis of quantitative data derived from the Demographic and Health Survey databases. The survey captures relevant demographic background on the two generations of women. The study undertakes to compare the education attainment and empowerment outcome measures of socioeconomic status, household size, and fertility rates between the two cohorts of women. It also contrasts the experience of the women who accessed education in the era characterized by the welfare state (1989 cohort) with those who came of age in the austerity years of neoliberalism (2008/2009 cohort). The research established that the majority of women in both cohorts had limited access to education. However, women who accessed more education were more likely to show characteristics of empowered individuals – they had smaller households, fewer children, and were relatively wealthier. The results demonstrate that meaningful empowerment through education can only be realized if more women access levels of education beyond the basic education focus that is dominant in international development discourse.
Reassessing the Racial Divide in Support for Capital Punishment

This project investigates the racial divide in support for capital punishment. The authors examine whether race has a direct effect on support for capital punishment and test whether the influence of race varies across class, being a native southerner, confidence in government officials, political orientation, and religious affiliation. Using data drawn from the General Social Survey, they find a substantial racial divide, with African Americans much less likely to support the death penalty. Furthermore, the analysis revealed little support for the “spurious/social convergence” hypothesis; shared factors that might be expected to bring African Americans and Whites together—class, confidence in government, conservative politics, regional location, and religious fundamentalism—either did not narrow African American-White punishment attitudes or, at best, had only modest effects. The Results suggest that the racial divide in support for capital punishment is likely to remain a point of symbolic contention in African American-White conceptions of criminal injustice in the United States.
Mental Stress Hemodynamic Responses and Myocardial Ischemia: Does Left Ventricular Dysfunction Alter These Relationships?

Objective: To assess if mental stress hemodynamic responses are impaired and related to mental stress (MS) ischemia in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Background: Impaired LV function is an important coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor and hemodynamic characteristics play an important role in clinical outcomes. Patients with severe LV dysfunction (SLVD) are frequently excluded from prior studies and the effects of LV dysfunction on MS hemodynamic responses are not known. Methods: Fifty-eight patients with CAD, consisting of 22 patients with normal LV function (ejection fraction (EF) ≥50%), 16 patients with mild-to-moderate LV dysfunction (30% < EF < 50%), and 20 patients with severe LV dysfunction (EF ≤30) underwent bicycle exercise (EX) and MS testing with 12-lead electrocardiogram and monitoring of vital signs on consecutive days in random order. Blood pressure and heart rate (HR) measurements were obtained. Ischemia was measured using single photon emission computed tomography. Results: Both MS and EX produced significant increases in all hemodynamic measurements. HR levels were higher both at rest and during MS in SLVD patients. LV groups increased similarly from rest to stress (both MS and EX) for all measurements except HR during MS, which increased more in patients with SLVD than patients with normal LV function. Hemodynamic responses to MS were not related to myocardial ischemia or heart failure symptoms. Conclusions: HR response during MS is increased in patients with SLVD, whereas blood pressure responses are similar to those in patients with preserved LV function. Hemodynamic reactivity is unrelated to MS-induced ischemia. CAD = coronary artery disease; ICD = implantable cardioverter defibrillator; MI = myocardial infarction; ECG = electrocardiogram; LV = left ventricular; EF = ejection fraction; SVR = systemic vascular resistance; DP = double product; NYHA = New York Heart Association; SPECT = single photon emission computed tomography; EX = exercise; MS = mental stress; SLVD = severe left ventricular dysfunction; MLVD = mild-to-moderate left ventricular dysfunction; NLVF = normal left ventricular function.
Polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and sarcoidosis.

It has recently been shown that an insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphism exists in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene, and that this polymorphism affects the serum ACE level. There are three genotypes: DD, DI, and II, with the ACE level highest in DD, intermediate in DI, and lowest in II. In the present investigation of the possible significance of the polymorphism for sarcoidosis, a total of 207 patients and 314 normal control subjects were examined. There were no significant differences in the I/D ratio and the genotype distribution between the two groups, and no significant variation in organ involvement (i.e., eye, skin, and heart) was noted among the three genotypes. To determine any prognostic influence of the polymorphism, we examined the disappearance ratio of abnormal shadow on chest radiography over 3 and 5 yr. No significant difference among the three genotypes was observed. New normal ranges of serum ACE level were determined for each genotype, and found to be 22% more sensitive overall than the conventional normal range and 39% more so for II type, suggesting an advantage for diagnosis and assessment of the disease activity of sarcoidosis.
Couple-oriented interventions for chronic illness

There is emerging evidence that couple-oriented behavioral interventions (CIs) for chronic illness yield benefits for patients. However, conceptual and methodological advances are critical for strengthening the impact and evaluation of this treatment approach. First, it would be useful to develop CIs that work for multiple chronic conditions and are tailored to couples’ needs, and that can be delivered in ways that help couples apply new skills to challenges that they encounter in daily life. Second, there is a need for studies that compare CIs to evidence-based, patient-oriented interventions, and that assess mechanisms in ways which improve our understanding of how intimate relationships affect illness management. Finally, new directions in research on marriage and health will yield findings that are important for the next generation of CIs.
The legitimacy of absenteeism from work: a nine nation exploratory study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a model in which work centrality, locus of control, polychronicity, preference for gender‐role differentiation, and perceived social support were expected to vary between nations and to be associated with general perceptions of absence legitimacy and self‐reported absenteeism.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 1,535 employees working in ten large multinationals organizations, mostly in the consumer products and technology sectors located in nine countries.Findings – The explanatory variables differed significantly across countries, as did perceived legitimacy, responses to absence scenarios, and self‐reported absence. The variables of interest, as a package, partially mediated the association between country and one dimension of legitimacy and country and the scenario responses.Research limitations/implications – Although absenteeism from work is a universal phenomenon, there is very little cross‐cultural research on the subject. This s.
Stroke frequency, but not swimming speed, is related to body size in free-ranging seabirds, pinnipeds and cetaceans

It is obvious, at least qualitatively, that small animals move their locomotory apparatus faster than large animals: small insects move their wings invisibly fast, while large birds flap their wings slowly. However, quantitative observations have been difficult to obtain from free-ranging swimming animals. We surveyed the swimming behaviour of animals ranging from 0.5 kg seabirds to 30 000 kg sperm whales using animal-borne accelerometers. Dominant stroke cycle frequencies of swimming specialist seabirds and marine mammals were proportional to mass−0.29 (R2=0.99, n=17 groups), while propulsive swimming speeds of 1–2 m s−1 were independent of body size. This scaling relationship, obtained from breath-hold divers expected to swim optimally to conserve oxygen, does not agree with recent theoretical predictions for optimal swimming. Seabirds that use their wings for both swimming and flying stroked at a lower frequency than other swimming specialists of the same size, suggesting a morphological trade-off with wing size and stroke frequency representing a compromise. In contrast, foot-propelled diving birds such as shags had similar stroke frequencies as other swimming specialists. These results suggest that muscle characteristics may constrain swimming during cruising travel, with convergence among diving specialists in the proportions and contraction rates of propulsive muscles.
Interaction between human placental microvascular endothelial cells and a model of human trophoblasts: effects on growth cycle and angiogenic profile

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a leading cause of perinatal complications, and is commonly associated with reduced placental vasculature. Recent studies demonstrated over‐expression of IGF‐1 in IUGR animal models maintains placental vasculature. However, the cellular environment of the placental chorionic villous is unknown. The close proximity of trophoblasts and microvascular endothelial cells in vivo alludes to autocrine/paracrine regulation following Ad‐HuIGF‐1 treatment. We investigated the co‐culturing of BeWo Choriocarcinoma and Human Placental Microvascular Endothelial Cells (HPMVECs) on the endothelial angiogenic profile and the effect Ad‐HuIGF‐1 treatment of one cell has on the other. HPMVECs were isolated from human term placentas and cultured in EGM‐2 at 37°C with 5% CO2. BeWo cells were maintained in Ham's F12 nutrient mix with 10% FBS and 1% pen/strep. Co‐cultured HPMVECS+BeWo cells were incubated in serum‐free control media, Ad‐HuIGF‐1, or Ad‐LacZ at MOI 0 and MOI 100:1 for 48 h. Non‐treated cells and mono‐cultured cells were compared to co‐cultured cells. Angiogenic gene expression and proliferative and apoptotic protein expression were analysed by RT‐qPCR and immunocytochemistry, respectively. Statistical analyses was performed using student's t‐test with P < 0.05 considered significant. Direct Ad‐HuIGF‐1 treatment increased HPMVEC proliferation (n = 4) and reduced apoptosis (n = 3). Co‐culturing HPMVECs+BeWo cells significantly altered RNA expression of the angiogenic profile compared to mono‐cultured HPMVECs (n = 8). Direct Ad‐HuIGF‐1 treatment significantly increased Ang‐1 (n = 4) in BeWo cells. Ad‐HuIGF‐1 treatment of HPMVECs did not alter the RNA expression of angiogenic factors. Trophoblastic factors may play a key role in placental vascular development and IGF‐1 may have an important role in HPMVEC growth.
Attachment style differences in relational maintenance and conflict behaviors: Friends' perceptions

This study explores how attachment style affects individuals’ relationship maintenance behaviors and conflict management behaviors as evaluated by their close friend. Findings revealed that friends reported greater relationship satisfaction, greater use of prosocial maintenance strategies, and more integrating and compromising conflict behavior for securely attached individuals as compared to preoccupieds, dismissives, and fearfuls. Findings are discussed in terms of the need to consider friendship‐specific relational maintenance behaviors, the conceptual link between attachment styles and conflict styles, and the implications for friendships.
Variability in multi-rater competency assessments

The purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences exist between the multi-rater competency evaluations of employees operating within a flat organisational structure. Sixty-eight marketing employees were each evaluated by a number of raters including themselves, their managers, customers and peers. A competency questionnaire was developed by using the input of the employees who took part in the appraisal. Using paired t- tests significant differences between the various groups of raters were found. These findings and the implications thereof are discussed. Opsomming Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of daar beduidende verskille bestaan tussen die multi-beoordelaar bevoegdheidsevaluerings van werknemers wat binne 'n plat organisasiestruktuur funksioneer. Agt-en-sestig bemarkingswerknemers is elk beoordeel deur 'n aantal beoordelaars wat die werknemers self, hul bestuurders, kliente en kollegas ingesluit het. 'n Bevoegdheidsvraelys is ontwikkel deur gebruik te maak van die insette van die werknemers wat deel geneem het aan die evaluering. Deur die gebruik van gepaarde t-toetse is gevind dat daar beduidende verskille bestaan tussen sommige van die groepe beoordelaars. Hierdie bevindinge en die implikasies daarvan word bespreek.
Deconcentration by Demolition: Public Housing, Poverty, and Urban Policy

During the 1990s, local and federal urban policymakers, neoliberal politicians, and advocates for the poor came to a broad consensus: the geographic concentration of low-income, minority residents in public housing projects located in the inner city constitutes the fundamental problem facing US cities. Accordingly, to solve the problems allegedly associated with the spatial concentration of poverty, public housing, which concentrates low-income people in the inner city, must be demolished and the residents relocated. In this paper I argue that such federal public housing policies are based on a conceptually inadequate understanding of the role of space and of spatial influences on poverty and on the behavior of poor people. The use of spatial metaphors such as the ‘concentration of poverty’ or the ‘deconcentration of the poor’ disguises the social and political processes behind poverty and helps to provide the justification for simplistic spatial solutions to complex social, economic, and political problems.
Liver intracellular L-cysteine concentration is maintained after inhibition of the trans-sulfuration pathway by propargylglycine in rats

To study the fate of l-cysteine and amino acid homeostasis in liver after the inhibition of the trans-sulfuration pathway, rats were treated with propargylglycine (PPG). At 4 h after the administration of PPG, liver cystathionase (EC 4.4.1.1) activity was undetectable, l-cystathionine levels were significantly higher, l-cysteine was unchanged and GSH concentration was significantly lower than values found in livers from control rats injected intraperitoneally with 0.15 M-NaCl. The hepatic levels of amino acids that are intermediates of the urea cycle, l-ornithine, l-citrulline and l-arginine and blood urea were significantly greater. Urea excretion was also higher in PPG-treated rats when compared with control rats. These data suggest a stimulation of ureagenesis in PPG-treated rats. The inhibition of γ-cystathionase was reflected in the blood levels of amino acids, because the L-methionine: l-cyst(e)ine ratio was significantly higher in PPG-treated rats than in control rats; blood concentration of cystathionine was also greater. Histological examination of liver and kidney showed no changes in PPG-treated rats when compared with controls. The administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) to PPG-treated rats reversed the changes in blood urea and in liver GSH. These data suggest that when liver l-cysteine production was impaired by the blockage of the trans-sulfuration pathway, the concentration of this amino acid was maintained mainly by an increase in protein degradation and by a depletion in GSH concentration that may spare l-cysteine.
Lung concentric laminar organelle. Hydrolase activity and compositional analysis.

Abstract An analytical study was made of the concentric lamellar organelles (CLO) isolated from rabbit lung. These subcellular structures, which are normally located in the type II cells of mammalian lungs, were purified by flotation using a discontinuous sucrose density gradient. Electron microscopy of the isolated CLO revealed many intact structures about 1 µm in diameter with densely packed trilaminar membranes having, also, a granular core and an outer limiting membrane. The CLO contained a preponderance of polar lipids, mostly as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, with trace amounts of neutral lipid. A phospholipid to protein ratio of approximately 12:1, was repeatedly obtained and served as a criterion for organelle purification. Acrylamide gel electrophoresis of the detergent-solubilized CLO revealed a prominent staining band migrating with albumin. These structures had numerous hydrolases similar to those observed in lysosomes. High specific activities were observed for such enzymes as acid phosphatase, aryl sulfatase and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. Multiple forms of the latter enzyme were observed in zonal electrophoresis studies. Purification of the CLO resulted in a 20- to 40-fold increase in specific activity over homogenates for most of the hydrolases. Cathepsin D, acid DNase, acid RNase and neuraminidase, other lysosome-associated hydrolases, were not detected in the CLO fraction. It is suggested from these and other studies that CLO are secreted to the acellular lining of lung where they contribute surfactant phospholipids, and possibly, functional hydrolases. The lung CLO also appear to have many properties in common with those subcellular structures associated with certain human genetic lipidoses.
A socio-ecological framework of social justice leadership in education

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the gap between conceptualizations of social injustices and the desired social transformation that addresses multiple social subsystems and levels on one hand, and social justice leadership that addresses intra-school efforts on the other. The paper aims to expand the conceptualization of social justice leadership and tie it together with concepts of activism and social change. Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a socio-ecological perspective. It reviews works about social justice leadership in education, activism, and social change to present the notion that in light of existing social justice barriers educational leaders should serve as activists in schools and in the community and policy areas. Findings – The paper presents a macro framework, focussing on individual leaders in the field and on the consolidation of intentions, actions, and outcomes in a manner necessary for using social justice as an effective socio-political agenda in a soci.
Modelling the Effects of Formal Literacy Training on Language Mediated Visual Attention

Recent empirical evidence suggests that language-mediated eye gaze is partly determined by level of formal literacy training. Huettig, Singh and Mishra (2011) showed that high-literate individuals' eye gaze was closely time locked to phonological overlap between a spoken target word and items presented in a visual display. In contrast, low-literate individuals' eye gaze was not related to phonological overlap, but was instead strongly influenced by semantic relationships between items. Our present study tests the hypothesis that this behavior is an emergent property of an increased ability to extract phonological structure from the speech signal, as in the case of high-literates, with low-literates more reliant on more coarse grained structure. This hypothesis was tested using a neural network model, that integrates linguistic information extracted from the speech signal with visual and semantic information within a central resource. We demonstrate that contrasts in fixation behavior similar to those observed between high and low literates emerge when models are trained on speech signals of contrasting granularity.
Nonaudit Fees, Auditor Independence, and Bond Ratings

Recent accounting scandals and perceived audit failures have resulted in excessive criticism of the accounting and auditing professions. The financial press has expressed disdain at the presumably substandard work that was completed on audit clients, ostensibly at the expense of the public good. Our research investigates one aspect of this situation by exploring the effects that nonaudit services performed by a firm's external auditors have on perceived auditor independence in the bond market. Specifically, we analyze the effects that the magnitude and relative degree of nonaudit services have on the bond rating process. Regression results indicate that the amount of nonaudit services provided by a firm's external auditors is negatively associated with that client's bond rating. However, results of classification accuracy analyses fail to demonstrate any improvement in performance as a consequence of adding nonaudit fees to a benchmark prediction model, indicating no economic effect on the actual bond rat.
Towards the End of a Long Transition? Bipolarity and Instability in Italy's Changing Political System

This article analyses the significance of the 2008 general election for the prospects of an early conclusion to Italy's transition from a First to a Second Republic. The election saw not only the return of Berlusconi to power, but also a radical simplification of Italian politics, with a considerable reduction in the number of parliamentary groups and the emergence of much more straightforward and clear-cut governing and opposition roles. The likelihood of a successful conclusion to the transition was increased by the agreement of governing and opposition forces in the immediate aftermath of the campaign to search actively for mutually acceptable institutional reforms.
Free-Riding in Group Projects: Control Mechanisms and Preliminary Data

The article discusses the causes of free-riding in group activities and reviews the empirical literature, then makes 15 recommendations for reducing free-riding by students in academic marketing group projects. The recommendations are based on a review of empirical work in the fields of free-riding and social loafing. The authors also offer preliminary data on student perceptions regarding the effectiveness of six techniques for reducing free-riding: (1) group cohesiveness (group self-selection), (2) group size, (3) unilateral expulsion of teammates, (4) unilateral withdrawal from the group, (5) instructor discussion of the free-riding problem, and (6) evaluation of teammates.
Integrating esthetic dentistry and space closure in patients with missing maxillary lateral incisors.

T plans for patients with missing max­ illary lateral incisors have traditionally included either space closure or space reopen­ ing.1-9 The most common objections to orthodon­ tic space closure are that the treatment outcome may not look “natural”, that retention is difficult, and that the functional occlusion may be com­ promised. Many clinicians have therefore pre­ ferred to create space for missing lateral incisors with single-tooth implants or resin-bonded bridges.8,9 In the past, however, neither approach produced results that were entirely satisfactory from an esthetic and functional standpoint. Now, with the possibility of esthetic tooth restorations using bonded ceramics and resin composites, together with various procedures for at-home or in-office tooth whitening, the profes­ sion is changing its way of thinking.10 The pur­ pose of this article is to show the considerable improvement that can be achieved today with the space-closure alternative by combining tech­ niques from esthetic dentistry and carefully detailed orthodontic treatment. Such treatment