Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sustainability accounting and reporting: fad or trend?

Purpose - The paper aims to discuss the current development of sustainability accounting research, the identification of critical and managerial paths, and to assess of the future of sustainability accounting and reporting. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is a review of recent literature in sustainability accounting. Findings - Assessment of recent literature leads to the conclusion that both management decision making, through problem solving and scorekeeping, and a critical approach, through awareness raising, contribute to the development of sustainability accounting and reporting; however, the development of sustainability accounting and reporting should be orientated more towards improving management decision making. Originality/value - The paper is a systematic review of recent research developments in sustainability accounting.
Student Perceptions of the “Learning” in Service-Learning Courses

SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of student impact of service learning on academic, personal, and civic development. All participants (n = 202) submitted journals and completed questionnaires which contained a combination of categorical and Lik-ert-type items and open-ended questions. The study was conducted over a period of three semesters. Students reported perceiving a positive impact of service learning on understanding of course concepts and class learning, increased understanding of and ability to relate to differences in others, increased self-awareness and self-confidence, and increased appreciation for and commitment to service. Student perceptions were examined using ANOVA and non-parametric tests. Test results were supplemented with student journal entries. Results support the positive outcomes on student academic, personal, and social development reported in service learning literature.
Cutting Edge: Monovalency of CD28 Maintains the Antigen Dependence of T Cell Costimulatory Responses1

CD28 and CTLA-4 are the major costimulatory receptors on naive T cells. But it is not clear why CD28 is monovalent whereas CTLA-4 is bivalent for their shared ligands CD80/86. We generated bivalent CD28 constructs by fusing the extracellular domains of CTLA-4 or CD80 with the intracellular domains of CD28. Bivalent or monovalent CD28 constructs were ligated with recombinant ligands with or without TCR coligation. Monovalent CD28 ligation did not induce responses unless the TCR was coligated. By contrast, bivalent CD28 ligation induced responses in the absence of TCR engagement. To extend these findings to primary cells, we used novel superagonistic and conventional CD28 Abs. Superagonistic Ab D665, but not conventional Ab E18, predominantly ligates CD28 bivalently at low CD28/Ab ratios and induces Ag-independent T cell proliferation. Monovalency of CD28 for its natural ligands is thus essential to provide costimulation without inducing responses in the absence of TCR engagement.
The Embryonic Preoptic Area Is a Novel Source of Cortical GABAergic Interneurons

GABA-containing (GABAergic) interneurons play an important role in the function of the cerebral cortex. Through mostly inhibitory mechanisms, interneurons control hyperexcitability and synchronize and shape the spatiotemporal dynamics of cortical activity underlying various brain functions. Studies over the past 10 years have demonstrated that, in most mammals, interneurons originate during development from the subcortical telencephalon—the subpallium—and reach the cerebral cortex through tangential migration. Until now, interneurons have been demonstrated to derive exclusively from two subpallial regions, the medial ganglionic eminence and the caudal ganglionic eminence. Here, we show that another subpallial structure, the preoptic area, is a novel source of cortical GABAergic interneurons in the mouse. In utero labeling and genetic lineage-tracing experiments demonstrate that neurons born in this region migrate to the neocortex and hippocampus, where they differentiate into a distinct population of GABAergic interneurons with relatively uniform neurochemical, morphological, and electrophysiological properties.
The Identity Paradox? Reflections on Fluid Identity of Female Artist

The aim of this paper is to explore the paradoxes in the evolving identity of a professional artist, contributing to theorisation of identity formation and performance. I use an example of a Warsaw‐based female artist of the 1970s’ generation, who has engaged her life experiences in critical practice, Zofia Kulik. Kulik’s identity formation encompasses the process of privately infused professionalism. Her story provides an alternative account of organising identity and professional practice from the local perspective, contributing to the problem of ‘difference’ in work and offers insights into how female professionals, here in the occupation of an artist, can challenge disadvantage and discrimination created by the work context, the art world. The story reveals that contextual factors infuse fluidity in the evolution of creative careers and occupational identities. I conclude that identity construction is an open‐ended process, embracing temporal discontinuities.
MAINTENANCE HORMONAL TREATMENT IMPROVES PROGRESSION FREE SURVIVAL AFTER A FIRST LINE CHEMOTHERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH METASTATIC BREAST CANCER

The present study was conducted in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Its aim was to identify the factors which influence progression -free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after the first line of chemotherapy in patients with positive tumour hormone receptor status. The patients with early disease progression during first-line chemotherapy were not included. In total, 560 patients who achieved a stable disease or a response to first-line chemotherapy were studied. The factors identified to improve the duration of PFS or OS in multivariate analysis were: number of metastatic sites (p = .01; p = .01), metastatic sites (p = .02; p = .04), Disease free interval (p = .001; p < .0001), previous hormonal therapy (p = .03; p = ns), response to first line chemotherapy (p < .0001; p = 0.0001) and an administration of maintenance hormonal therapy (p < .0001; p = .001). The major impact obtained by maintenance hormonal treatment after first-line chemotherapy in this study seems to indicate that this strategy should be recommended in patients with an ER or PgR positive tumour.
Inhibitory and Bactericidal Activities of Daptomycin, Vancomycin, and Teicoplanin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Collected from 1985 to 2007

ABSTRACT The inhibitory and bactericidal activities of daptomycin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin against a collection of 479 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates were assessed. The isolates were collected from U.S. and European hospitals from 1985 to 2007 and were primarily from blood and abscess cultures. The MICs and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of the three agents were determined, and the MBC/MIC ratios were calculated to determine the presence or absence of tolerance. Tolerance was defined as an MBC/MIC ratio of ≥32 or an MBC/MIC ratio of ≥16 when the MBC was greater than or equal to the breakpoint for resistance. Tolerance to vancomycin and teicoplanin was observed in 6.1% and 18.8% of the strains, respectively. Tolerance to daptomycin was not observed.
Decreased Expression of Thyroglobulin and Sodium Iodide Symporter Genes in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Aim. The aim of the study was to compare the expression of sodium iodide symporter (NIS), thyroglobulin (Tg), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), and interleukin-1β genes in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and healthy individuals. Subjects and Methods. Thyroid cells were obtained from 39 patients with HT and 15 controls by an ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy. Results. The patients with HT had lower Tg and NIS mRNA (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, resp.), as well as higher TNFα mRNA expression (P = 0.049) than the controls. In the HT group Tg mRNA expression correlated positively with NIS mRNA expression (R = 0.739, P = 0.0001) and thyroid volume (R = 0.465, P = 0.0005), as well as negatively with TNFα mRNA expression (R = −0.490, P = 0.001) and anti-peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) level (R = −0.482, P = 0.0002), whereas NIS mRNA expression correlated positively with thyroid volume (R = 0.319, P = 0.02), as well as negatively with TNFα mRNA expression (R = −0.529, P = 0.0006) and TPOAb level (R = −0.422, P = 0.001). Conclusions. Our results suggest that decreased Tg and NIS expression in thyroid cells may result in reduced active iodide transport and reduced thyroid volume in patients with HT.
Effect of ractopamine on growth performance, carcass composition, and cutting yields of pigs slaughtered at 107 and 125 kilograms.

At approximately 68 kg live weight, crossbred barrows and gilts (n = 144) were allocated to be fed to one of two weight end points (107 kg and 125 kg). Pigs from each weight group were treated with Ractopamine (RAC) (0, 10, or 20 ppm; n = 24/ treatment for the last 40 kg of gain. Feed consumption and weight gain were measured. Pigs were slaughtered and carcass measurements made at 24 h postmortem. Carcasses were fabricated into wholesale, trimmed wholesale, and boneless wholesale cuts for cutting yields. Hams were separated into muscle, fat, and bone. The RAC improved growth characteristics and carcass characteristics. Pigs fed RAC had increased (P < .01) average daily gain and improved (P < .01) feed:gain ratio over controls in each weight group. Carcasses from pigs treated with RAC had larger (P < .01) longissimus muscle area and reduced (P < .01) fat at the 10th rib. Cuts from 125-kg pigs were generally heavier than those from 107-kg pigs. The RAC increased (P < .05) the boneless cut weights of both weight groups. Percentage of dissected lean from the hams of RAC-treated pigs was (P < .05) higher than that of controls. Few consistent differences were observed between the 10 and 20 ppm of RAC treatments. Results from this study indicate that RAC had positive effects on the growth characteristics, carcass characteristics, and carcass cutting yields of pigs representative of the broad spectrum of market weights.
Problems associated with ultraviolet dosimetry in the photochemotherapy of psoriasis

A hypothetical action spectrum for the regression of lesions in photochemotherapy of psoriasis is proposed. An ideal detector should have a wavelength response which matches this action spectrum but this is generally not the case with commercially available photometers. The problems that may arise by indiscriminate use of such detectors are discussed, together with a suggested solution.
Utilizing a Wristband Sensor to Measure the Stress Level for People with Dementia

Stress is a common problem that affects most people with dementia and their caregivers. Stress symptoms for people with dementia are often measured by answering a checklist of questions by the clinical staff who work closely with the person with the dementia. This process requires a lot of effort with continuous observation of the person with dementia over the long term. This article investigates the effectiveness of using a straightforward method, based on a single wristband sensor to classify events of “Stressed” and “Not stressed” for people with dementia. The presented system calculates the stress level as an integer value from zero to five, providing clinical information of behavioral patterns to the clinical staff. Thirty staff members participated in this experiment, together with six residents suffering from dementia, from two nursing homes. The residents were equipped with the wristband sensor during the day, and the staff were writing observation notes during the experiment to serve as ground truth. Experimental evaluation showed relationships between staff observations and sensor analysis, while stress level thresholds adjusted to each individual can serve different scenarios.
Analytical and Experimental Comparison of Packet Loss Recovery Methods Based on AMR-WB for VoIP

Forward error control (FEC) and multiple description coding (MDC) are two classical techniques to resist packet loss for Voice over IP (VoIP). AMR-WB codec has been standardized for wideband speech conversational applications and has widely potential applications in the migration of wireless or wired networks toward a single converged IP network. However, how to choose the optimal FEC or MDC for AMR-WB in different loss rate conditions is an unexplored option. In this paper, we compare the performance of different FEC and MDC techniques for AMR-WB codec both analytically and experimentally. Based on the comparison results, some practical configurations of FEC and MDC for AMR-WB codec are obtained.
Chapter 3: The Development of Children’s Motivation in School Contexts

Research on student motivation has burgeoned in the last 20 years. We have learned much about the nature of students' motivation, how it develops, how it relates to students' school performance, and how it is influenced by different teacher practices, classroom environments, and school environments (for reviews of the research on motivation, see Eccles, Wigfield, & Schiefele, 1998; Pintrich & Schunk, 1996). Very broadly, motivation theorists are interested in the "whys" of human behavior: what moves people to act (see Weiner, 1992). In terms of school performance, researchers studying school motivation look at factors such as the choices students make about which academic activities to do, their persistence in continuing the activities, and the degree of effort they expend. But what determines individuals' choices, effort, and persistence at different academic activities? Over the last 25 years, many motivation researchers have focused on students' self-perceptions and interests and on how their self-perceptions and interests regulate their achievement behaviors, such as choice, persistence, and performance (Eccles et al., 1998; Pintrich & Schunk, 1996; Renninger, Hidi, & Krapp, 1992; Schunk & Meece, 1992; Schunk & Zimmerman, 1994). Because of this emphasis on self variables, much of the research on motivation has focused on motivation as a characteristic of the individual. However, there has been increasing recognition of the importance of social influences on learning and motivation (Eccles et al., 1998; Marshall, 1992; McCaslin & Good, 1996). Indeed, many researchers and theorists now posit that learning is an inherently social activity (Marshall, 1992; McCaslin & Good, 1996; Shuell, 1996; Vygotsky,
Masculine Discourses and Dissonances: Strutting ‘Lads’, Protest Masculinity, and Domestic Respectability

In this paper I explore the social construction of masculinities among white working-class youth in contemporary Britain. The literatures of urban sociology, cultural studies, and education have been remarkably ambivalent about ‘lads’, both celebrating and criticising the anti-authority young men who have strutted across the pages of numerous books, papers, and reports. Policymakers, on the other hand, have feared rather than envied this group, representing them as a danger to respectable society. First, through an analysis of these discourses and, second, through an empirical study of two groups of young men, one in a northern English city, the other in a southern city, over a twelve-month period, I explore contemporary versions of masculinity, assessing the extent to which the attitudes and behaviour of the young men whom I interviewed reflect hegemonic notions of working-class masculinity. I suggest that this version of masculinity is itself complex and variable, combining not only protest and resistance but also respectability and domestic aspirations. These latter attributes have generally been ignored in studies of lads'.
The Structure and Content of Social Inclusion: Voices of young adults with learning difficulties in Guangzhou

The aim of the research described here was to examine the issue of social inclusion in relation to young people with a learning difficulty in Guangzhou. Ten families were included in this study based on their willingness to participate. The young people had to be over the age of 16 and not attending school. In each family the young person and a family carer (usually one of the parents) was interviewed separately. The article focuses mainly on the experience and words of the young people who express their feelings towards work and other social contacts. The conclusion is that despite greater government awareness of the needs of people with a disability, and the formulation of social and economic policies designed to encourage inclusion this is far from happening at grassroots level.
The Destructiveness of Perfectionism Revisited: Implications for the Assessment of Suicide Risk and the Prevention of Suicide

Although perfectionism is recognized as a factor that is linked with suicide, we maintain that the role of perfectionism as an amplifier of the risk of suicide has been underestimated due to several factors. In the current article, contemporary research on the role of perfectionism in suicide is reviewed and summarized. Several themes are addressed, including: (a) consistent evidence linking suicide ideation with chronic exposure to external pressures to be perfect (i.e., socially prescribed perfectionism); (b) the roles of perfectionistic self-presentation and self-concealment in suicides that occur without warning; and (c) how perfectionism contributes to lethal suicide behaviors. We also summarize data showing consistent links between perfectionism and hopelessness and discuss the need for a person-centered approach that recognizes the heightened risk for perfectionists who also tend to experience hopelessness, psychache, life stress, overgeneralization, and a form of emotional perfectionism that restricts the willingness to disclose suicidal urges and intentions. It is concluded that when formulating clinical guidelines for suicide risk assessment and intervention and public health approaches to suicide prevention, there is an urgent need for an expanded conceptualization of perfectionism as an individual and societal risk factor. We also discuss why it is essential to design preventive programs tailored to key personality features with specific components that should enhance resilience and reduce levels of risk among perfectionists who hide behind a mask of apparent invulnerability.
Exploring the reproducibility of functional connectivity alterations in Parkinson’s disease

Since anatomic MRI is presently not able to directly discern neuronal loss in Parkinson’s Disease (PD), studying the associated functional connectivity (FC) changes seems a promising approach toward developing non-invasive and non-radioactive neuroimaging markers for this disease. While several groups have reported such FC changes in PD, there are also significant discrepancies between studies. Investigating the reproducibility of PD-related FC changes on independent datasets is therefore of crucial importance. We acquired resting-state fMRI scans for 43 subjects (27 patients and 16 normal controls, with 2 replicate scans per subject) and compared the observed FC changes with those obtained in two independent datasets, one made available by the PPMI consortium (91 patients, 18 controls) and a second one by the group of Tao Wu (20 patients, 20 controls). Unfortunately, PD-related functional connectivity changes turned out to be non-reproducible across datasets. This could be due to disease heterogeneity, but also to technical differences. To distinguish between the two, we devised a method to directly check for disease heterogeneity using random splits of a single dataset. Since we still observe non-reproducibility in a large fraction of random splits of the same dataset, we conclude that functional heterogeneity may be a dominating factor behind the lack of reproducibility of FC alterations in different rs-fMRI studies of PD. While global PD-related functional connectivity changes were non-reproducible across datasets, we identified a few individual brain region pairs with marginally consistent FC changes across all three datasets. However, training classifiers on each one of the three datasets to discriminate PD scans from controls produced only low accuracies on the remaining two test datasets. Moreover, classifiers trained and tested on random splits of the same dataset (which are technically homogeneous) also had low test accuracies, directly substantiating disease heterogeneity.
Correlates of Individual Physical Activities in Older Adults

ABSTRACT Although physical activity facilitates successful aging, involvement in such activity declines with age. Factors that correlate with physical activities may be used for targeting individuals for interventions and developing interventions that promote such activity in older adults. The current investigation used data from 158 community-dwelling older adults from the Accelerate study, who were administered several cognitive, health, and lifestyle measures, including a physical activity questionnaire. Participants indicated how often they engaged in ten distinct physical activities such as walking or biking. Exploratory step-wise regressions were used to determine which factors were associated with activity participation levels. Factors that repeatedly emerged were age, social networks, alcohol use, and number of medical conditions. However, it was also found that no one set of factors were consistently associated with involvement in all the physical activities. This indicates that interventions designed to increase physical activity levels in older adults should consider both the types and indices of activities to be employed.
Early Versus Delayed Feeding After Placement of a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, tube feedings have been delayed after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement to the next day and up to 24 h postprocedure. However, results from various randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicate earlier feeding may be an option. We conducted a meta-analysis to analyze the effect of early feedings (≤4 h) after PEG placement.METHODS: Multiple databases were searched (November 2007). Only RCTs on adult subjects that compared early (≤4 h) versus delayed or next-day feedings after PEG placement were included. Meta-analyses for the effect of early and delayed feedings were analyzed by calculating pooled estimates of complications, death ≤72 h, and significant increases in postprocedural gastric residual volume during day 1.RESULTS: Six studies (N = 467) met the inclusion criteria. No statistically significant differences were noted between early (≤4 h) and delayed or next-day feedings for patient complications (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.47–1.58, P = 0.63) or death in ≤72 h (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.18–1.74, P = 0.31). A statistically significant increase in gastric residual volumes during day 1 was noted (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.02–3.19, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Early feeding ≤4 h after PEG placement may represent a safe alternative to delayed or next-day feedings. Although an increase in significant gastric residual volumes at day 1 was noted, overall complications were not affected.