Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Municipal activation policy: A case study of the practical work with unemployed social assistance recipients ♣♦

In the 1990s, many municipalities developed local activation programs for social assistance recipients as a response to increasing social assistance expenditures. This study investigates the practical implementation of municipal activation policies in two different activation programs, Jobbcentrum in Skarholmen and Kallan in Osby. The purpose with the study is to highlight how the front-line workers systematically translate activation policy into practice in their interactions with the clients. The study utilizes a street-level bureaucracy perspective, which illuminates the role of bureaucratic and professional discretion and how institutional factors shape the practical responses of front-line staff. Coping behaviors at the ground influences the practical work with activation requirements. The staff develop such coping strategies to manage working conditions marked by ambiguous legislation, organizational pressures, limited resources, and little responsibility for program accountability. Findings from this study suggest that the implementation practices in Skarholmen and Osby frequently diverge from formal intentions of activation policy and the programs’ own goals and descriptions of their work.
Building Tourism Excellence at the Community Level: Capacity Building for Community-Based Entrepreneurs in Uganda

The recuperation of tourism in Uganda will be a slow process. The tourist industry must overcome years of neglect, bad publicity, and the devastation of its most treasured tourism products—its wildlife and natural beauty. With tourism's resurgence, it will be important for people living around Uganda's natural areas to benefit economically from the existence of those areas and from the potential tourist income. Tourism offers the only legal avenue by which people living in rural communities can derive economic benefits from wildlife. However, most rural entrepreneurs and community organizations interested in the tourist market possess neither the skills nor the know-how to operate successful tourism establishments. This article describes a training program aimed at building those skills and establishing strong institutional linkages to ensure the existence of a viable community-based tourism sector so that Uganda's nature based tourism embraces ecotourism principles, with benefits accruing to those most affected by wildlife.
Examination of the impact of political and country risk on foreign direct investment inflows in Tunisia.

The paper attempts to highlight the essence of the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and political risk in particular. In fact, the thorough review of the literature that attempted to analyze the issue of the firm link between foreign investors to implement and the risk of the host countries. The prime contribution of the present article focuses on identifying the nature of the causality existing between the political climate and the decision of foreign investors. We could sum up the methodology adopted in the paper by steps: we attempted in a first step to analyze the evolution of political risk and FDI in Tunisia through the utilization of a descriptive approach. In second step, we carried out an empirical investigation focusing on the utilization of the time series methodology. The choice of Tunisia as subject to study is motivated by the recent events occurred in the country after the popular uprising, called “Arabic Spring”, led us to attempt to find out if the short political instability affected the intention of foreign investors to invest in the country. The investigation authorized to underline the positive correlation between country risk and political risk in Tunisia on the intention of foreign investors, because of the macroeconomic policies implementing targeting the improvement of the stability of the country.
Worker Participation - Some Under-Considered Issues

This paper deals with a variety of issues regarding participation that may have received too little attention or that may be viewed from a different perspective. These include the sometimes faddist interest in the topic, participation as a form of bargaining, and alternate research strategies. It also reports on the current status of several once-publicized participation sites.
Efficacy, Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Biomarkers of Cediranib Monotherapy in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Phase II Study

Purpose: We conducted a single-arm phase II study of cediranib, a pan-VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Experimental Design: Patients with histologically confirmed measurable advanced HCC and adequate hematologic, hepatic, and renal functions received cediranib 30-mg orally once daily (4 weeks/cycle). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 3 months. Other endpoints included response rates, overall survival (OS), pharmacokinetics (PK), and biomarkers for cediranib. Results: Cediranib treatment resulted in an estimated 3-month PFS rate of 77% (60%, 99%). Median PFS was 5.3 (3.5,9.7) months, stable disease was seen in 5/17 patients (29%), and median OS was 11.7 (7.5–13.6) months. Grade 3 toxicities included hypertension (29%), hyponatremia (29%), and hyperbilirubinemia (18%). Cediranib PK were comparable to those seen in cancer patients with normal hepatic function. Plasma levels of VEGF and PlGF increased and sVEGFR1, sVEGFR2, and Ang-2 decreased after cediranib treatment. PFS was inversely correlated with baseline levels of VEGF, sVEGFR2, and bFGF and with on-treatment levels of bFGF and IGF-1, and directly associated with on-treatment levels of IFN-γ. OS was inversely correlated with baseline levels of sVEGFR1, Ang-2, TNF-α, CAIX, and CD34+CD133+CD45dim circulating progenitor cells and on-treatment levels of sVEGFR2. Conclusions: Despite the limitations of primary endpoint selection, cediranib at 30-mg daily showed a high incidence of toxicity and preliminary evidence of antitumor activity in advanced HCC. Hepatic dysfunction did not seem to affect the steady-state PK of cediranib. Exploratory studies suggested proangiogenic and inflammatory factors as potential biomarkers of anti-VEGF therapy in HCC. Clin Cancer Res; 19(6); 1557–66. ©2013 AACR.
Recovering service failure through resource integration

Customers and employees can co-create a resolution following a service failure through integrating their resources. Their activities and interactions during resource-integration shape the customers' service recovery experiences. Prior research overlooks resource integration between all involved actors in a co-created service recovery process. This research details the process with two empirical studies. Study 1 is a qualitative analysis of narratives of service recovery experiences; Study 2 is a quantitative assessment of scenario-based survey data. The results show that a favourable service recovery experience is resulted from integrating all involved actors' resources in a mutually beneficial manner. Three key resources are financial compensation, service skills including communication and timing. Our findings indicate that co-created service recovery fails in the absence of just one resource or mismatches in their integration. The combined studies reveal that customers use their justice perceptions to assess activities and interactions for resource integration in service recovery.
Tonometric devices for central aortic systolic pressure measurements in patients with type 1 diabetes: comparison of the BPro and SphygmoCor devices

ObjectiveCentral blood pressure may be a better risk marker than brachial blood pressure and can be measured noninvasively by tonometric devices. We investigate whether tonometric measurements are feasible in patients with diabetes and whether the degree of albuminuria or increased arterial stiffness affects measurements. Patients and methodsIn 676 patients with type 1 diabetes, comparison of central aortic systolic pressure (CASP) measurements by the BPro and the SphygmoCor devices were made. The BPro device can obtain both office and 24-h measurements, whereas the SphygmoCor device is an accepted device for CASP measurements. ResultsMeasurements of CASP with both BPro and SphygmoCor were available in 598 (88.5%) patients (mean age 54 years; mean diabetes duration 33 years; 45.2% women), and mean±SD of CASP was 122±17 and 118±17 mmHg, respectively (P<0.001). Linear and intraclass correlation coefficients between CASP estimated from BPro and SphygmoCor were r equal to 0.96 and 0.95 (P<0.001 for both). The mean±SD difference between devices was 3.6±4.8 mmHg (P<0.001). Analyses according to the level of albuminuria or degree of arterial stiffness were confirmatory. ConclusionIn patients with type 1 diabetes, tonometric measurements of CASP with BPro and SphygmoCor showed strong correlations, although values differed by ∼4 mmHg between devices. Level of CASP, arterial stiffness, and degree of albuminuria did not interfere with the agreement between devices.In addition, the BPro device can obtain 24-h measurements and may thus be useful to assess the diurnal patterns of CASP.
Endogenous Fertility Policy And Unfunded Pensions

We study the joint determination of fertility subsidies and Social Security taxes in an overlapping generations model where agents are heterogeneous in endowments. In equilibria where Social Security is valued, old and poor young agents form a coalition that sustains Social Security. When voting for fertility subsidies, the young take into account both the deadweight loss of such subsidies and the gains from a higher future tax base. They also take into account a third effect of increasing population growth: that of a decrease in future Social Security benefits as a consequence of a change in the identity of the future decisive voter.
Underwater and Not Walking Away: Shame, Fear and the Social Management of the Housing Crisis

Despite reports that homeowners are increasingly “walking away” from their mortgages, most homeowners continue to make their payments even when they are significantly underwater. This article suggests that most homeowners choose not to strategically default as a result of two emotional forces: 1) the desire to avoid the shame and guilt of foreclosure; and 2) exaggerated anxiety over foreclosure’s perceived consequences. Moreover, these emotional constraints are actively cultivated by the government and other social control agents in order to encourage homeowners to follow social and moral norms related to the honoring of financial obligations - and to ignore market and legal norms under which strategic default might be both viable and the wisest financial decision. Norms governing homeowner behavior stand in sharp contrast to norms governing lenders, who seek to maximize profits or minimize losses irrespective of concerns of morality or social responsibility. This norm asymmetry leads to distributional inequalities in which individual homeowners shoulder a disproportionate burden from the housing collapse.
The impacts of information on returns from farming: evidence from a nationally representative farm survey in India

Using a nationally representative sample of farm households from India, this paper examines the impact of use of information on net farm incomes. Employing methodologies that mitigate potential biases in the estimation of the impact, the empirical results show that farmers who use information realize over 12% higher net returns per hectare. The paper also establishes a pecking order in access to information. Small farmers and those at the bottom of social hierarchy (based on caste) have access to fewer information sources, and they depend more on informal social networks and input dealers for their information needs. The larger farmers and those from upper caste rely relatively more on sources such as radio, television and newspaper.
Impaired plasma membrane targeting or protein stability by certain ATP1A2 mutations identified in sporadic or familial hemiplegic migraine

Mutations in three different genes have been implicated in familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM), two of them code for neuronal voltage-gated cation channels, CACNA1A and SCN1A, while the third encodes ATP1A2, the α 2-isoform of the Na+/K+-ATPase's catalytic subunit, thus classifying FHM as an ion channel / ion transporter disorder. The Na+/K+-ATPase maintains the physiological gradients for Na+ and K+ ions and is therefore critical for the activity of ion channels and transporters involved in neurotransmitter uptake or Ca2+ signaling. Diverse functional abnormalities have been identified for disease-linked ATP1A2 mutations, which reach far beyond simple loss-of-function. We have shown recently that ATP1A2 mutations frequently lead to changes in the enzyme's voltage-dependent properties, kinetics, or apparent cation affinities. Here, we present functional data on a so far uncharacterized set of ATP1A2 mutations (G301R, R908Q, and P979L) upon expression in Xenopus oocytes and HEK293FT cells, and provide evidence for a novel pathophysiological mechanism. Whereas the G301R mutant was inactive, no functional changes were observed for mutants R908Q and P979L in the oocyte expression system. However, the R908Q mutant was less effectively expressed in the plasma membrane of oocytes, making it the first missense mutation to result in defective plasma membrane targeting. Notably, the P979L mutant exhibited the same cellular expression profile as the wild-type protein, both in Xenopus oocytes and in transfected HEK293FT cells grown at 28{degree sign}C, but much less P979L protein was found upon cell growth at 37{degree sign}C, showing for the first time that temperature-sensitive effects on protein stability can underlie ATP1A2 loss-of-function.
Effects of similarity and repetition on memory: registration without learning?

We investigated judgments of the frequency of test items (Y) that were highly similar to studied items (X) to test a prediction made by several memory models: that the judged frequency of Y should be proportional to the judged frequency of X. Whether stimuli were pictures or words, judged frequency of Y was bimodally distributed with 1 mode at zero, suggesting that frequency judgments involve a 2-stage process in which a zero judgment is made if there is a mismatch between retrieved information and the test item. Nonzero judgements, taken by themselves, were consistent with the prediction of proportionality. In 2 experiments, the percentage of zero judgments made to Y increased with repetition of X, but in 2 others the percentage did not change beyond frequency = 1. The percentage of "new" judgments in recognition memory followed this same pattern. Because the judged frequency of X increased even as X-Y discrimination showed no improvement, we characterize the result as "registration without learning. "
Effects on body composition of different short-term rehabilitation programs in long-stay hospitalized elderly women

Background and aims: Long-stay hospitalized elderly women usually reduce daily living activities: this may lead to an accelerated worsening of body composition, cardio-metabolic condition and falls risk. Exercise training and electrical stimulation may ameliorate such condition. Methods: The effects of 3 different short-term rehabilitation programs on lower limbs (kinesitherapy [KT], electrical stimulation [ES], KT combined with ES [KT+ES], 3 day/week for 6 weeks) were assessed on 40 hospitalized elderly women (82±7 yrs, 59.5±12.3 kg, 152±7 cm [m±SD]; n=10 for each intervention group and n=10 as control subjects [no intervention]). Segmental (upper and lower limbs) and total body fat mass (FM), fat free mass (FFM), bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD), resting energy expenditure (REE), maximum voluntary force (MVC) of leg extensor muscles and cardiorespiratory performance (6-min walking test [6MVT]) were evaluated before and after intervention. Results: Compared to baseline, the distance covered by the 6MWT significantly increased after all rehabilitation programs (from 247±79 to 271±87 m, p<0.01), whereas significant increases in leg extensor muscles MVC were found after ES (+26%) and KT+ES (+16%) only, p<0.05. No changes in segmental and total body FM, FFM and REE were observed, whereas legs BMC significantly increased (2.7%) after KT only (p<0.05). Conclusions: Although all treatments increased cardiorespiratory performance, and KT and ES ameliorated muscle force, the proposed short-term exercise programs had poor effects on body composition. This suggests that longer programs, maybe combined with a tailored dietary intervention, should be administered to improve body composition in rehabilitating institutionalized elderly people.
A Qualitative Study of Factors Contributing to International Students’ Satisfaction of Institutional Quality

This study explores the factors contributing to institutional quality at five private higher learning institutions in Malaysia. There have been numerical quantitative researches on the perceptions of university quality learning environment but it is argued that a qualitative approach would add to existing knowledge by providing deeper insights from a different perspective. A random sample of 15 international students studying in institutions of higher education in Malaysia were investigated. The study was based on the data collected through open-ended interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded accordingly. A number of constructs emerged from this study and were categorized into a few main themes. The results of the study indicate that constructivist approach, lecturers’ teaching styles, campus experiences, state-of-the-art facilities and career preparation influence students’ perceptions of quality campus experiences. This study provides useful insight that offer opportunities for stakeholders to plan and initiate appropriate strategies for the betterment of the educational institution.
5,7‐DHT‐induced hippocampal 5‐HT depletion attenuates behavioural deficits produced by 192 IgG‐saporin lesions of septal cholinergic neurons in the rat

Adult Long–Evans male rats sustained injections of 5,7‐dihydroxytryptamine into the fimbria–fornix (2.5 µg/side) and the cingular bundle (1.5 µg/side) and/or to intraseptal injections of 192 IgG‐saporin (0.4 µg/side) in order to deprive the hippocampus of its serotonergic and cholinergic innervations, respectively. Sham‐operated rats were used as controls. The rats were tested for locomotor activity (postoperative days 18, 42 and 65), spontaneous T‐maze alternation (days 20–29), beam‐walking sensorimotor (days 34–38), water maze (days 53–64) and radial maze (days 80–133) performances. The cholinergic lesions, which decreased the hippocampal concentration of ACh by about 65%, induced nocturnal hyperlocomotion, reduced T‐maze alternation, impaired reference‐memory in the water maze and working‐memory in the radial maze, but had no effect on beam‐walking scores and working‐memory in the water maze. The serotonergic lesions, which decreased the serotonergic innervation of the hippocampus by about 55%, failed to induce any behavioural deficit. In the group of rats given combined lesions, all deficits produced by the cholinergic lesions were observed, but the nocturnal hyperlocomotion and the working‐memory deficits in the radial maze were attenuated significantly. These results suggest that attenuation of the serotonergic tone in the hippocampus may compensate for some dysfunctions subsequent to the loss of cholinergic hippocampal inputs. This observation is in close concordance with data showing that a reduction of the serotonergic tone, by pharmacological activation of somatodendritic 5‐HT1A receptors on raphe neurons, attenuates the cognitive disturbances produced by the intrahippocampal infusion of the antimuscarinic drug, scopolamine. This work has been presented previously [Serotonin Club/Brain Research Bulletin conference, Serotonin: From Molecule to the Clinic (satellite to the Society for Neuroscience Meeting, New Orleans, USA, November 2–3, 2000)].
Lending decision making and financial information: the usefulness of corporate annual reports to lenders in Botswana

This study sought to determine the usefulness of annual report information to lenders in Botswana with a view to establishing whether users of financial statement information derive any utility from information presented in the Corporate Annual Report (CAR). The findings on the basis of analysis of responses from seven lenders suggest that financial statement information is required by formal lenders in making the lending decision. The most recent Annual Report (AR) appears to be the most favoured. Formal lenders in Botswana make greater use of the income statement than other components of the annual report. Finally, formal lenders in Botswana regard the audit report as being important to their lending decisions. Notes to the financial statements are not particularly used by these institutions. Also not used is the report from the chairman or directors.
Factors Influencing Treatment Entry in Sex Offenders Against Children

The study examined the psychosocial characteristics of 99 sex offenders against children referred for treatment to a forensic community sex offender programme. The subjects had high levels of substance misuse problems and personality disorder but low rates of Axis I disorder. Subjects accepted for treatment could not be distinguished from those rejected as unsuitable on the Child Sex Questionnaire (CSQ) (Beckett et al., 1994), apart from the question on whether or not subjects believed it was wrong to have sexual contact with children. Substance misuse, antisocial personality disorder and past criminal history did not determine whether subjects were accepted or rejected. Differences in scores on actuarial measures of risk (STATIC-99) were also not significant. Clinicians' ratings of motivation, level of denial and poor social skills were the key factors determining rejection for treatment. Reconviction rates in the treatment group were low (7%) at five-year follow-up.
Mandatory disclosures and firm characteristics: evidence from the Athens Stock Exchange

This paper examines the association between the extent of mandatory disclosure and eight corporate characteristics: firm size, ownership dispersion, leverage, profitability, liquidity, audit firm size, board independence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) duality. For this purpose, a disclosure index comprising 29 mandatory items was developed and applied on a sample of 72 annual reports of non–financial companies listed on the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE). The relationship between the level of disclosure and the above firm characteristics was examined with the use of multiple linear regression. The results showed that the aforementioned companies listed on the ASE present an adequate degree of average compliance with mandatory disclosure requirements. As far as the relationship with firm characteristics is concerned, the level of mandatory disclosure was found to be significantly positively associated with firm size and liquidity and negatively associated with CEO duality.
Fame and the Fortune of Academic Economists: How the Market Rewards Influential Research in Economics

We analyze the pay and position of 1,009 faculty members who teach in doctoral-granting economics departments at fifty-three large public universities in the United States. Using the Web of Science, we have identified the journal articles published by these scholars and the number of times each of these articles has been subsequently cited in published research articles. We find that research influence, as measured by various measures of total citations, is a surprisingly strong predictor of the salary and the prestige of the department in which professors are employed. We also examine how coauthorship is rewarded by the market.