Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reliability and Validity of the Diabetes Family Behavior Scale (DFBS)

The Diabetes Family Behavior Scale (DFBS) was designed to measure diabetes-specific family support. The purposes of this study were to refine the scale and to assess reliability and criterion validity in terms of relationship to metabolic control. The DFBS was administered to 321 children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Blood was drawn for determination of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Based on an item-analysis procedure, the DFBS was revised to include 47 items with two subscales, one to reflect guidance-control and one to reflect warmth-caring. Acceptable internal consistency was found for the DFBS total score (.86), and for the guidance-control (.81) and warmth-caring (.79) subscales. There was a statistically significant relationship in the expected direction between DFBS total score and HbA1c (r = -.12, P<.03), and between the guidance-control subscale and HbA 1c. (r=-.17, P<.002).
Gene Expression of Commensal Lactobacillus johnsonii Strain NCC533 during In Vitro Growth and in the Murine Gut

ABSTRACT Work with pathogens like Vibrio cholerae has shown major differences between genes expressed in bacteria grown in vitro and in vivo. To explore this subject for commensals, we investigated the transcription of the Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC533 genome during in vitro and in vivo growth using the microarray technology. During broth growth, 537, 626, and 277 of the 1,756 tested genes were expressed during exponential phase, “adaptation” (early stationary phase), and stationary phase, respectively. One hundred one, 150, and 33 genes, respectively, were specifically transcribed in these three phases. To explore the in vivo transcription program, we fed L. johnsonii containing a resistance plasmid to antibiotic-treated mice. After a 2-day washout phase, we determined the viable-cell counts of lactobacilli that were in the lumina and associated with the mucosae of different gut segments. While the cell counts showed a rather uniform distribution along the gut, we observed marked differences with respect to the expression of the Lactobacillus genome. The largest number of transcribed genes was in the stomach (n = 786); the next-largest numbers occurred in the cecum (n = 391) and the jejunum (n = 296), while only 26 Lactobacillus genes were transcribed in the colon. In vitro and in vivo transcription programs overlapped only partially. One hundred ninety-one of the transcripts from the lactobacilli in the stomach were not detected during in vitro growth; 202 and 213 genes, respectively, were transcribed under all in vitro and in vivo conditions; but the core transcriptome for all growth conditions comprised only 103 genes. Forty-four percent of the NCC533 genes were not detectably transcribed under any of the investigated conditions. Nontranscribed genes were clustered on the genome and enriched in the variable-genome part. Our data revealed not only major differences between in vitro- and in vivo-expressed genes in a Lactobacillus gut commensal organism but also marked changes in the expression of genes along the digestive tract.
Structural Change, Growth and Poverty Reduction in Asia: Pathways to Inclusive Development

Growth alone does not guarantee sustained poverty reduction, and it may also create threats to social cohesion that in turn can undermine growth. While development thinking remains dominated by a 'growth-first' paradigm, Asian experience helps to moderate this view, illustrating the important role of government policy in creating pro-poor growth, providing public goods and social protection mechanisms, and creating the institutional conditions for more inclusive and equitable development. This article examines the structural transformations which accompany growth, and their implications for appropriate policies to progress towards the MDGs. Copyright 2006 Overseas Development Institute.
Essays on the Aggregate Burden of Alcohol Abuse

In presenting this dissertation as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree from Georgia State University, I agree that the Library of the University shall make it available for inspection and circulation in accordance with its regulations governing materials of this type. I agree that permission to quote from, to copy from, or to publish this dissertation may be granted by the author or, in his or her absence, the professor under whose direction it was written or, in his or her absence, by the Dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. Such quoting, copying, or publishing must be solely for scholarly purposes and must not involve potential financial gain. It is understood that any copying from or publication of this dissertation which involves potential gain will not be allowed without written permission of the author. ________________________________ Signature of the Author NOTICE TO BORROWERS All dissertations deposited in the Georgia State University Library must be used only in accordance with the stipulations prescribed by the author in the preceding statement. Users of this dissertation not regularly enrolled as students at Georgia State University are required to attest acceptance of the preceding stipulations by signing below. Libraries borrowing this dissertation for the use of their patrons are required to see that each user records here the information requested. ACCEPTANCE This dissertation was prepared under the direction of the candidate's Dissertation Committee. It has been approved and accepted by all members of that committee, and it has been accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Economics in the iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to my Advisor, Dr. Inas Rashad, for the endless support and guidance she provided throughout my dissertation process. She has always been supportive, available, helpful, understanding, and tolerant. She provided help for every aspect of my dissertation: from simple Stata commands to empirical methodology I used in my dissertation. Without her genuine support, I could not have managed to come this far. I will always be indebted to her. I am impressed by the insightfulness and deliberate approach of Dr. Jorge Martinez, who is one of my dissertation committee members. I benefited tremendously from his comments in establishing the core argument of my dissertation. Many thanks. I am also thankful to my other dissertation committee members: Dr. They each provided very helpful comments which helped me …
Optimal Taxes and Transfers in a Multilevel Public Sector

This paper analyzes taxes and transfers in an economy with three distinct levels of government. It is assumed that the different levels of government raise revenue through distortionary income taxation, resulting in vertical fiscal externalities. We show how to implement a socially optimal resource allocation when (i) the different levels of government act as Nash competitors to one another, and (ii) when one or several of the governmental entities act as Stackelberg leaders.
Nitric oxide in the human uterine cervix: Endogenous ripening factor

The human uterine cervix can produce nitric oxide (NO), a free radical with an ultra‐short half‐life. The release of NO changes during pregnancy and is increased in early nonviable pregnancies compared to normal uncomplicated pregnancies. This review concentrates on the role of NO release in cervical ripening in pregnant women. Also some suggestions on future aspects are discussed.
Developing a Typology of Sustainable Tourism Partnerships

Partnerships and collaboration have come of age in the tourism field. However, our understanding of how partnerships form and how to build the capacity of appropriate collaborative ventures has lagged behind developments in the field. This paper first discusses how, within a United States context, partnerships are contributing to sustainable tourism development and then reviews past partnership research across several disciplines. Next, this research is extended by developing a preliminary typology of sustainable tourism partnerships, identifying dimensions by which tourism partnerships vary or are similar across time and geographic region. Representative tourism partnerships are selected and plotted along a number of dimensions including: geographic scale, legal basis, locus of control, organisational diversity and size, and time frame. By better understanding the diversity of forms partnerships take in response to societal pressures, tourism managers can begin to design partnerships that provide the app.
A Prospective Study of the Risk of Congenital Defects Associated with Maternal Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of maternal obesity and diabetes mellitus on the risk of nonchromosomal congenital defects. We used data from 22,951 pregnant women enrolled in a prospective cohort study of early prenatal exposures and pregnancy outcome. The relative risks [prevalence ratios (PRs)] of major nonchromosomal congenital defects associated with obesity and diabetes, alone or in combination, were calculated using multiple logistic regression analysis. In this study, in the absence of diabetes, obese women (body mass index ≥28) had no higher risk, overall, of having an offspring with a major defect [PR = 0.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.62–1.5[. Their offspring, however, did have a higher prevalence of certain types of defects, including orofacial clefts; club foot; cardiac septal defects; and, to a lesser extent, hydrocephaly and abdominal wall defects. Women with pre-existing or gestational diabetes who were not obese also had no excess risk overall of having offspring affected by a major defect (PR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.43–2.2), although they did have a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal defects. The pregnancies of women who were both obese and diabetic were 3.1 times as likely (95% CI = 1.2–7.6) to result in an offspring with a defect than were those of nonobese, nondiabetic women, which suggests that obesity and diabetes mellitus may act synergistically in the pathogenesis of congenital anomalies. The defects were largely craniofacial or musculoskeletal.
Service Climate in Self-Managing Teams: Mapping the Linkage of Team Member Perceptions and Service Performance Outcomes in a Business-to-Business Setting

Drawing from the organizational behaviour and services marketing literature, we develop a conceptual model of self-managing team (SMT) service climate, taking into account characteristics of the organizational context, the SMT, and the individual employee. In order to assess the impact of SMT service climate, we include a number of internal consequences (i.e., in-company performance data) and external service performance outcomes (i.e., customer-perceived service quality). As a result of the hierarchically nested data-structure (i.e., groups and individuals), we investigate the antecedents of SMT service climate in service groups using a multi-level approach. Our results reveal that organizational and group factors have a significant cross-level influence on individual employee perceptions of SMT service climate. Furthermore, we demonstrate that employee perceptions of SMT service climate are positively related to customer-perceived service quality, while there is no relationship with service productivity measures.
Assessment of an Age-Adjusted Warfarin Initiation Protocol

OBJECTIVE: To examine the time taken to reach a stable international normalized ratio (INR), as well as the incidence of overanticoagulation of an age-adjusted warfarin initiation protocol. METHODS: Inpatients and outpatients commencing warfarin therapy at 2 teaching hospitals were dosed according to the age-adjusted protocol. Data were collected prospectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Time to reach a stable INR of 2–3 and the number of patients experiencing an INR ≥4 during the first week of warfarin therapy. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients were assessed; at the completion of the 4-day titration protocol, 63% had achieved a stable INR. After an additional 2 days of empiric dosage adjustment by the attending physician, 86% of the subjects demonstrated a stable INR. Five patients (7%) experienced an INR ≥4. These patients had a nonsignificant trend toward a lower plasma albumin level compared with other patients (p = 0.057, Student's t-test). The INR-driven dose adjustments on days 3 and 4 of this protocol coped with other variables that have been shown to affect maintenance warfarin dosing. These included weight, gender, pharmacologic factors affecting clearance, and the presence of certain predesignated risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The age-adjusted dosing protocol rapidly achieved a stable INR with minimal overanticoagulation. Patients with low serum albumin levels (<3.0 g/dL) may be sensitive to the effects of warfarin during the loading phase.
Expatriate cross‐cultural training for China: views and experience of “China Hands”

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the views and experience of cross-cultural training (CCT) of experienced Western business expatriates (“China Hands”) assigned to China. Design/methodology/approach - Data for this study were extracted from a mail questionnaire that targeted business expatriates assigned by Western firms to China. A net-targeted sample of 651 respondents produced 165 usable questionnaires, following the extraction of questionnaires from respondents who were no longer in China or who were not engaged in business. Findings - Findings of this study further highlight the need for more CCT for business expatriates destined for China. A clear majority of respondents preferred pre-departure training a few weeks before departing for China and only a few of them claimed that CCT would not have been useful at any time. Most of the China Hands thought that CCT improved core managerial activities and therefore could have helped them to become better managers in China. Practical implications - The views of experienced China Hands will be of use to a wide variety of management practitioners, given the competitive nature of the Chinese business environment. Original/value - The paper offers the view of experienced management practitioners concerning the Chinese business environment. The findings will be of value to both Western business people in China as well as business people considering an expatriate positing to China.
Exploring the Role of Incentives in Agricultural Extension Programs

While many governments subsidize extension programs, financial incentives for participation in extension programs are rare and little is known about such initiatives. This article assesses whether a financial incentive for an agricultural extension program for dairy farmers in Ireland has an impact on the type of farmer that participates in extension services. The findings reveal that financial incentives encourage participation, especially with cohorts of farmers that previously eschewed such programs. Several aspects of the overall economic effectiveness of the extension program are discussed and policy recommendations are outlined.
Elasticity of demand for Rugby League attendance and the impact of BskyB

This note adds to the literature on price elasticity of demand for attendance at sports league fixtures using a cross-section study of English Rugby League for 1994/95. A price elasticity of demand of -0.57 we found. Impacts on attendance of live televising of matches by BSkyB are identified and uncertainty of outcome effects is shown.
INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT Providing Formative Feedback From a Summative Computer-aided Assessment

Objectives. To examine the effectiveness of providing formative feedback for summative computer-aided assessment. Design. Two groups of first-year undergraduate life science students in pharmacy and neuroscience who were studying an e-learning package in a common pharmacology module were presented with a computer-based summative assessment. A sheet with individualized feedback derived from each of the 5 results sections of the assessment was provided to each student. Students were asked via a questionnaire to evaluate the form and method of feedback. Assessment. The students were able to reflect on their performance and use the feedback provided to guide their future study or revision. There was no significant difference between the responses from pharmacy and neuroscience students. Students’ responses on the questionnaire indicated a generally positive reaction to this form of feedback. Conclusions. Findings suggest that additional formative assessment conveyed by this style and method would be appreciated and valued by students.
Anatomical and molecular design of the Drosophila antenna as a flagellar auditory organ

The molecular basis of hearing is less well understood than many other senses. However, recent studies in Drosophila have provided some important steps towards a molecular understanding of hearing. In this report, we summarize these findings and their implications on the relationship between hearing and touch. In Drosophila, hearing is accomplished by Johnston's Organ, a chordotonal organ containing over 150 scolopidia within the second antennal segment. We will discuss anatomical features of the antenna and how they contribute to the function of this flagellar auditory receptor. The effects of several mutants, identified through mutagenesis screens or as homologues of vertebrate auditory genes, will be summarized. Based on evidence gathered from these studies, we propose a speculative model for how the chordotonal organ might function. Microsc. Res. Tech. 63:388–399, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Do Institutions Receive Favorable Allocations in IPOs with Better Long-Run Returns?

Abstract We analyze allocations to institutional and retail investors in 441 initial public offerings (IPOs). In addition to the well-known favorable first-day returns, we show that institutions also obtain more allocations in IPOs with better long-term performance. We find that initial institutional flips help predict future returns, suggesting that at least some institutions retain valuable private information about IPO firms. Collectively, these findings illustrate the importance of aftermarket relations between underwriters and investors and that underwriters have discretionary means to compensate IPO investors beyond first-day returns and price stabilization.
Reporting Trends and Outcomes in ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction National Hospital Quality Assessment Programs

Background— For patients who undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, the door-to-balloon time is an important performance measure reported to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and tied to hospital quality assessment and reimbursement. We sought to assess the use and impact of exclusion criteria associated with the CMS measure of door-to-balloon time in primary PCI. Methods and Results— All primary PCI-eligible patients at 3 Massachusetts hospitals (Brigham and Women’s, Massachusetts General, and North Shore Medical Center) were evaluated for CMS reporting status. Rates of CMS reporting exclusion were the primary end points of interest. Key secondary end points were between-group differences in patient characteristics, door-to-balloon times, and 1-year mortality rates. From 2005 to 2011, 26% (408) of the 1548 primary PCI cases were excluded from CMS reporting. This percentage increased over the study period from 13.9% in 2005 to 36.7% in the first 3 quarters of 2011 (P<0.001). The most frequent cause of exclusion was for a diagnostic dilemma such as a nondiagnostic initial ECG, accounting for 31.2% of excluded patients. Although 95% of CMS-reported cases met door-to-balloon time goals in 2011, this was true of only 61% of CMS-excluded cases and consequently 82.6% of all primary PCI cases performed that year. The 1-year mortality for CMS-excluded patients was double that of CMS-included patients (13.5% versus 6.6%; P<0.001). Conclusions— More than a quarter of patients who underwent primary PCI were excluded from hospital quality reports collected by CMS, and this percentage has grown substantially over time. These findings may have significant implications for our understanding of process improvement in primary PCI and mechanisms for reimbursement through Medicare.
Subtenures and Housing Outcomes for Low Income Renters in New York City

New York has devised a variety of policy approaches to improve the housing status of low-income households, including public housing, publicly subsidized private housing, rent vouchers, welfare shelter allowances, rent regulation, and tax incentives to landlords. Little systematic attention has been paid to how these various subtenures compare when judged by the housing outcomes they produce for low-income households in the city. Using data from the 1996 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey, this article compares New York City’s rental subtenures in terms of the following outcomes: housing quality, crowding, affordability, residential mobility/stability, and various indicators of neighborhood quality. Adjusting for differences in household and housing stock characteristics, we find that the tenant-based Section 8 program seems to produce the best set of overall outcomes for low-income renters in the city.
THE IMPACT OF A PORT ON ITS LOCAL ECONOMY: THE CASE OF PLYMOUTH.

It has been suggested in two potentially influential documents that the development of ports could be an important tool of regional economic growth in areas such as South West England. This proposition is analysed in this article by detailed examination of the case of Plymouth, one of the areas in the region for which port development has been mooted. It is concluded that the Plymouth evidence suggests that it is easy to exaggerate the existing and potential role of ports in the regional development process. Ports are not big employers of labour and are no longer the inter-related industrial complexes that they once were. In most cases, therefore, they serve industry in areas distant from their own.
Effect of smoking on semen quality, FSH, testosterone level, and CAG repeat length in androgen receptor gene of infertile men in an Indian city

This study was conducted as part of an epidemiological survey of 126 nonsmokers and 178 smokers, showing primary infertility residing around Kolkata region of Eastern India. Their lifestyle history including smoking habits along with semen and blood were collected. The study examined the association of cigarette smoking with the risk of infertility, by determining the semen quality, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone levels, and androgen receptor (AR)-CAG repeat length in a group of smokers compared with a control group (non smokers). Based on conventional WHO criteria, lower sperm motility (P < 0.001) and increased sperm morphological defects (P < 0.0001) were associated with smoking habits. Binary logistic regression analysis for the effect of smoking status on sperm DNA integrity demonstrated significant positive correlation (p = 0.006). Serum FSH and LH levels were higher for smokers compared with non-smokers while the testosterone level decreased significantly with the increasing smoking habit. The mean length of CAG repeats in AR gene was significantly higher for smokers with low testosterone compared to non-smokers. The study suggested that smoking is associated with altered semen quality, endocrine hormonal status, and number of CAG repeats in the AR gene.