Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The performance of performance indicators in the arts

The introduction of performance indicators into the field of the arts and culture has been fraught with difficulties. It is the premise of this article that many of those difficulties can be traced to tensions arising out of the actual uses of performance indicators in the arts. Based on concrete examples of the use of performance indicators, the author examines four different functions—affecting behavior, evaluating behavior, monitoring behavior, and inferring behavior—and explores some of the issues arising from each one.
Cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1) Inhibition of Cardiac Myocyte Apoptosis via a Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase-dependent Pathway

Cardiac myocyte survival is of central importance in the maintenance of the function of heart, as well as in the development of a variety of cardiac diseases. To understand the molecular mechanisms that govern this function, we characterized apoptosis in cardiac muscle cells following serum deprivation. Cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1), a potent cardiac survival factor (Sheng, Z., Pennica, D., Wood, W. I., and Chien, K. R. (1996) Development (Camb.) 122, 419-428), is capable of inhibiting apoptosis in cardiac myocytes. To explore the potential downstream pathways that might be responsible for this effect, we documented that CT-1 activated both signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)- and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-dependent pathways. The transfection of a MAP kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) dominant negative mutant cDNA into myocardial cells blocked the antiapoptotic effects of CT-1, indicating a requirement of the MAP kinase pathway for the survival effect of CT-1. A MEK-specific inhibitor (PD098059) (Dudley, D. T., Pang, L., Decker, S.-J., Bridges, A. J., and Saltiel, A. R. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92, 7686-7689) is capable of blocking the activation of MAP kinase, as well as the survival effect of CT-1. In contrast, this inhibitor did not block the activation of STAT3, nor did it have any effect on the hypertrophic response elicited following stimulation of CT-1. Therefore, CT-1 promotes cardiac myocyte survival via the activation of an antiapoptotic signaling pathway that requires MAP kinases, whereas the hypertrophy induced by CT-1 may be mediated by alternative pathways, e.g. Janus kinase/STAT or MEK kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase.
Predictive modeling of cardiovascular complications in incident hemodialysis patients

The administration of hemodialysis (HD) treatment leads to the continuous collection of a vast quantity of medical data. Many variables related to the patient health status, to the treatment, and to dialyzer settings can be recorded and stored at each treatment session. In this study a dataset of 42 variables and 1526 patients extracted from the Fresenius Medical Care database EuCliD was used to develop and apply a random forest predictive model for the prediction of cardiovascular events in the first year of HD treatment. A ridge-lasso logistic regression algorithm was then applied to the subset of variables mostly involved in the prediction model to get insights in the mechanisms underlying the incidence of cardiovascular complications in this high risk population of patients.
“Do it for all Your Pubic Hairs!”

The literature on masculinity lacks thorough and sustained in situ examinations of how diverse boys employ their bodies to construct masculine identities during pubescence. To address this gap, the present article examines how a group of 10 sixth-grade Latino boys, who publicly acknowledged that they were experiencing puberty, employed their bodies at school to construct their masculine identities. The data suggest that among the boys, puberty was a social accomplishment connected to masculine enactments informed by the dominant gendered expectations of peers at school and in their neighborhoods, the hegemonic masculine practices espoused by commercial hip hop rappers, and the dominant gender orders in the U.S and both Dominican and Puerto Rican societies. With physical displays of corporeal strength and tolerance for pain, the boys sought to signal that they were entering adulthood and preparing their bodies for a social world wherein physical confrontations between males were commonplace. The findings contribute to our understanding of how second-generation children who reside in low-income, working-class neighborhoods and have social ties to their nations of origin and their respective cultures construct masculinities in the United States. The article concludes with a call for longitudinal ethnographic studies examining how boys from various social backgrounds construct masculine identities during their pubescent development.
Quadriceps Strength Predicts Self-reported Function Post-ACL Reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE Quadriceps strength is a useful clinical predictor of self-reported function after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). However, it remains unknown if quadriceps strength normalized to body mass (QBM) or quadriceps strength limb symmetry index (QLSI) is the best predictor of self-reported function in individuals with ACLR. We sought to determine whether QBM and QLSI are able to predict individuals with ACLR who self-report high function (≥90% on the international knee documentation committee (IKDC) index). METHODS Ninety-six individuals with a history of a primary unilateral ACLR were recruited for a multisite cross-sectional descriptive laboratory experiment. Bilateral isometric quadriceps strength was collected at 90° of knee flexion to calculate QBM and QLSI (ratio of the ACLR limb to the contralateral limb). Area under the curve (AUC) values were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses to determine the capacity of QBM and QLSI to predict individuals with high self-reported function on the IKDC index. RESULTS QBM displayed high accuracy (AUC = 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.86) for identifying participants with an IKDC index ≥90%. A QBM cutoff score of 3.10 N·m·kg was found to maximize sensitivity (0.61) and specificity (0.84), and displayed 8.15 (3.09-21.55) times higher odds of reporting high function. QLSI displayed a moderate accuracy (AUC = 0.62, 0.50-0.73) for identifying participants with an IKDC index ≥90%. A QLSI cutoff score of 96.5% maximized sensitivity (0.55) and specificity (0.70), and represented 2.78 (1.16-6.64) times higher odds reporting high function. CONCLUSION QBM is a stronger predictor of high self-reported function compared with QLSI in individuals with ACLR. Rehabilitation guidelines may benefit from incorporating the use of QBM measurements for the purpose of predicting participants that may maintain high self-reported function.
Learning styles across cultures: suggestions for educators

– This paper seeks to present research findings on the relationship between culture and learning styles, as defined by Honey and Mumford in a Higher Education setting. , – The research was conducted with first semester students studying in an International Institute of Higher Education. A questionnaire administered to students (n=113) of Indonesian, Chinese and French origin was analysed in order to compare their learning style preferences. This was followed by a detailed item‐by‐item analysis of their responses to the same questionnaire. , – In the first instance, the data support a relationship between learning styles preferences and cultural background at the outset of a programme of Higher Education. Subsequent analysis provides insight into the nature of these differences. , – The generalizability of the research findings is limited owing to the nature of the sample. , – Educators in both Higher Education and business settings can draw on these research findings. It is suggested that allowing incoming students to explore learning style differences will enhance their understanding of how they go about learning as well as possibly influence their learning outcomes. Parallels have been drawn with incoming international employees. , – These findings have relevance for educators, both in Higher Education and in industry, concerned with how to best develop international graduates and managers.
Culture and Its Influence on Advertising

This study reports results from a content analysis of comparative advertising studies published in 11 major journals between 1975 and 2005. In the context of sociology of knowledge, the objective was to determine how we come to know what we know about the relationship between culture and advertising in cross-national settings in terms of competing theories and common methodological practices, and to propose concrete solutions to analytical problems encountered in comparative advertising research. The results show that the framework of existing studies was often misguided and the comparative design inadequate to determine the effect of culture on advertising, leaving the knowledge claim of a causal relationship dubious.
Work–Life Balance: Practitioner Well-Being in the Social Work Education Curriculum

Drawing on the debates of ‘work–life balance’ (WLB), subjective well-being (SWB) and life satisfaction (LS), this article seeks to reflect on the issue of social work practitioner well-being in the social work education curriculum. The authors argue that, to enable the elusive ‘work–life balance’ for social work practitioners, we need conversations about the life domains that define balance for each individual. Discussions about life satisfaction or dissatisfaction in social work education can be a crucial starting point for ongoing assessment of aspects of balance for the individual as part of the future workforce. We propose that awareness of, and dialogue about, core domains of life satisfaction during training will also eventually enable more effective management of stress and burnout and quality of service delivery in practice, as well as provide a framework for professional development and career progression of practitioners. We adopt a three-fold discussion: first, we explore the meaning of work–life balance and sketch the implications thereof within social work; second, we trace the relationship between work–life balance, subjective well-being and life satisfaction; and finally, we outline issues for social work education and suggest practices that can enhance practitioner well-being in the longer term and promote safe habits within social work education.
Reading for Success in a Tenth-Grade Global-Studies Class: A Qualitative Study

This study explored the reading-related perspectives of participants in a 10th-grade global-studies class. Conducted according to the qualitative research traditions associated with symbolic interactionism, it was a collaboration between a university-based reading education specialist and the class's teacher. Data were collected and analyzed inductively according to the constant comparative method. The students and teacher shared understandings about the constitution of classroom activities; however, their opinions about what it meant to be successful in these settings differed. For the teacher, reading to understand was most important. For students, it was getting an adequate grade. We conclude that there is a need for more understanding of students' purposes for reading and the ways in which these purposes affect the results of their efforts. Likewise, teachers need to craft instruction that responds to these understandings.
Improvisational theatre as team development intervention for climate for work group innovation

Orientation: Changes in business environments have resulted in a need for the development of innovative teams. Improvisational theatre as a technique could contribute to the understanding of how individuals can work together and be innovative. Research purpose and motivation: This study evaluates the influence of a team development intervention utilising improvisational theatre exercises on innovative work group climate. Research design, approach and method: A quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design was employed with an experimental group and a control group from a healthcare managerial division. Main findings: Repeated-measures ANOVA results indicated that for innovative work group climate as a whole, as well as for three of its factors, namely participative safety, vision, and task orientation, the experimental group’s scores improved significantly (p < 0.05). Support for innovation did not show significant differences. Practical/Managerial implications: This research has shown that improvisational theatre is a team development tool that can be used to assist work teams in creating a climate for innovation. Contribution/value-add: This study extends the body of knowledge in the field of team building and highlights the contribution that improvisational theatre can make toward the development of work teams.
A Comparison of the SB5 and the CAS in Educational Psychology Practice

Two tests of intellectual ability were compared in terms of quantitative measures and professional utility in the context of 41 students who were referred for psychoeducational investigation of their learning. Full-scale, Composite, and Factor scores from The Stanford Binet Intelligence Scales — Fifth Edition (SB5) and the Das Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) were compared and individual profiles were examined. The SB5 is the latest version of a traditional test referenced to the Cattell-Horn-Carroll factor model of intelligence, while the CAS was developed from an information processing theory of intelligence. Full-scale measures of intellectual ability were found to differ significantly, with the SB5 approximately 8 points higher than the CAS. Analysis of the profiles assisted in understanding specific learning abilities and guided interventions. The implications of this for the relative utility of the two instruments, their interchangeablity, the meaningful interpretation of results, and their complementary contribution to practice are discussed.
Introspecting about Reasons can Reduce Post-Choice Satisfaction

This study tested the prediction that introspecting about the reasons for one's preferences would reduce satisfaction with a consumer choice. Subjects evaluated two types of posters and then chose one to take home. Those instructed to think about their reasons chose a different type of poster than control subjects and, when contacted 3 weeks later, were less satisfied with their choice. When people think about reasons, they appear to focus on attributes of the stimulus that are easy to verbalize and seem like plausible reasons but may not be important causes of their initial evaluations. When these attributes imply a new evaluation of the stimulus, people change their attitudes and base their choices on these new attitudes. Over time, however, people's initial evaluation of the stimulus seems to return, and they come to regret choices based on the new attitudes.
Computer Skills Acquisition: A Review and Future Directions for Research

This article provides an overview of past research on training employees for computer-mediated work. The article develops theory and propositions concerning the relationships between (a) individual factors, (b) task and person-computer interface, (c) characteristics of training design for the acquisition of computer skills and (d) the learning outcomes, namely the computer skills acquired by the employee. The review of existing research indicates that most studies are based on a narrow disciplinary and methodological focus, thereby ignoring important intervening variables that might help explain learning outcomes. Within the framework presented in this paper several otherfundamental concerns regarding existing research are identified and discussed and propositions forfurther empirical investigations are outlined. This article concludes with projections for the future based on past research and the present research climate.
A Comparison of Working Conditions Among Nurses in Magnet® and Non-Magnet® Hospitals

Objectives: To compare working conditions (ie, schedule, job demands, and practice environment) of nurses working in American Nurses Credentialing Center-designated Magnet® and non-Magnet® hospitals. Background: Although nurse retention has been reported as more favorable among Magnet hospitals, controversy still exists on whether Magnet hospitals have better working conditions. Method: A secondary data analysis was conducted of the Nurses Worklife and Health Study using responses from the 837 nurses working in 171 hospitals: 14 Magnet and 157 non-Magnet facilities in the Wave 3 follow-up survey. Contingency tables and t tests compared working conditions by Magnet status. To accommodate clustering of nurses in hospitals, the Huber-White sandwich estimator was used to obtain robust SEs and variance estimates. Result: Nurses in Magnet hospitals were significantly less likely to report jobs that included mandatory overtime (P =.04) or on-call (P =.01), yet hours worked did not differ. They also reported significantly lower physical demands (P =.03), although the means for Magnet hospital nurses and non-Magnet nurses were quite similar (30.1 vs 31.0). Furthermore, comparison of the groups on nursing practice environment and perceived patient safety found no significant differences. Conclusion: Working conditions reported by nurses working in Magnet and non-Magnet hospitals varied little.
POOR, RELATIVELY SPEAKING

been repeatedly posed. Should the focus be on "absolute" poverty or "relative" poverty? Should poverty be estimated with a cut-off line that reflects a level below which people are in some sense "absolutely impoverished", or a level that reflects standards of living "common to that country" in particular? These questions-it will be presently argued do not bring out the real issues clearly enough. However, a consensus seems to have emerged in favour of taking a "relative" view of poverty in the rich countries. Wilfred Beckerman and Stephen Clark put it this way in their important recent study of poverty and social security in Britain since 1961: "we have measured poverty in terms of a 'relative' poverty line, which is generally accepted as being the relevant concept for advanced countries. "' There is indeed much merit in this "relative" view. Especially against the simplistic absolute conceptualisation of poverty, the relative view has represented an entirely welcome change. However, I shall argue that ultimately poverty must be seen to be primarily an absolute notion, even though the specification of the absolute levels has to be done quite differently from the way it used to be done in the older tradition. More importantly, the contrast between the absolute and the relative features has often been confused, and I shall argue that a more general question about ascertaining the absolute standard of living lies at the root of the difficulty. In particular, it will be claimed that absolute deprivation in terms of a person's capabilities relates to relative deprivation in terms of commodities, incomes and resources. That is going to be my main theme, but before I get to that general issue, I ought to make clear the sense in which I believe that even the narrow
An investigation of session impact and alliance in internet based psychotherapy: Preliminary results

Although psychotherapy has been and continues to be a face-to-face activity primarily, a growing minority of therapists are conducting text-based (i.e. e-mail) psychotherapy over the Internet. This study compared the session impact (measured by the Session Evaluation Questionnaire, SEQ; Stiles, Gordon, & Lani, 2002) and the client-therapist alliance (measured by the Agnew Relationship Measure, ARM; Agnew-Davies, Stiles, Hardy, Barkham, & Shapiro, 1998) of the exchanges between clients and therapists who are engaged in e-mail therapy with previously published results on face-to-face therapy. According to preliminary results, the online clients provided similar session impact and therapeutic alliance ratings compared to face-to-face clients. Although online therapists followed this general trend, they evaluated the depth, smoothness, and positivity aspects of session impact and confidence aspect of therapeutic alliance more highly than face-to-face therapists.
Effects of Personality on Psychiatric and Somatic Symptoms in Pregnant Women

The authors examined the effects of personality and pregnancy worries on pregnant women’s mental and physical health with 154 women in the first half of their gestational period. Self-report questionnaires were used to collect information about control variables, sociodemographic (age, educational level, and work), and pregnancy variables (previous miscarriages, weeks of gestation, and planned pregnancy). Personality was measured using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, pregnancy worries by the Cambridge Worry Scale, psychiatric clinical symptomatology using the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), and physical symptomatology with the Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy Instrument. Significant relations were observed between pregnancy worries, the traits of agreeableness and neuroticism, and all the SCL-90-R dimensions. The analyses revealed a direct effect of neuroticism and agreeableness on pregnancy worries. Pregnancy worries mediated the effects of both neuroticism and agreeableness on interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and paranoid ideation. Worries were found not to have mediating effects between personality and somatic symptomatology. These results suggest that neuroticism exerts a negative effect on the psychological health of pregnant women, whereas agreeableness has a positive effect (both as a direct effect and as an indirect effect mediated by pregnancy worries). These findings have important practical implications regarding the planning of health care programs for pregnant women: Specifically, health professionals must take personality into account as a potential determinant of pregnant women’s health, not only for the prevention of risks (in the case of neuroticism) but also for promoting health (in the case of agreeableness).
Logical versus Empirical Readability and Human Interest Scores: Refinement and Update

Two studies, one using 27 and the other 25 general psychology textbooks published between 1982 and 1989, compared several readability and human interest scores for topics presented in the appropriate context. In both cases, Flesch's (logical) scores were significantly correlated (median Pearson r of .49) with students' (empirical) ratings but insufficiently for justifying interchanging them. Another finding was that neither the students' ratings nor Flesch's scores based on the selections yielded significant correlations (median Pearson r of .21) with the corresponding Flesch scores for the books as a whole. An adequate profile of a book may require a number of readability and/or interest scores instead of single global measures.