Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Formative assessment: A systematic and artistic process of instruction for supporting school and lifelong learning

Formative assessment is a potentially powerful instructional process because the practice of sharing assessment information that supports learning is embedded into the instructional process by design. If the potential of formative assessment is to be realized, it must transform from a collection of abstract theories and research methodologies and become a creative and systematic classroom practice. Policy-makers and school administrators must support this transition from theory into practice, particularly in the early stages of professional adaptation, and design assessment systems that teachers may internalize and enact efficiently. The article explores the hypothesis that many public school teachers are ‘trapped’ within environments which deter them from enacting open and inventive social learning strategies in their own classrooms, which when implemented have great potential to support autonomous learning, realize achievement, and create economically productive lifelong learners. This article therefore reviews the literature on formative assessment in practical settings, and investigates the extent to which teachers perform the basic functions of gathering and using evidence to further learning and development in pursuit of the lifelong learning competencies that are essential in the ‘new economy. ’
Capital budgeting practices used by selected listed South African firms

This article investigates the application of capital budgeting techniques and the incorporation of risk into the capital budgeting process among a sample of South African industrial firms listed on the JSE Securities Exchange for at least ten years. Previous international and local research on this topic indicated a preference for the internal rate of return (IRR) as a capital budgeting method over the net present value (NPV), and that risk incorporation was relatively rarely incorporated into the capital budgeting process. The results of this study indicate that the NPV is just as popular as, and sometimes more so than, the IRR. Furthermore, compared to previous studies, risk is incorporated into evaluating capital budgeting projects more often. Sensitivity analysis is the most popular method, but adjustments to the cash flows and discount rate are becoming more popular. During the last decade the use of non-financial criteria to accept or reject a project has also increased in South Africa.
The Firm-Level Credit Multiplier

We study the effect of asset tangibility on corporate financing and investment decisions. Financially constrained firms benefit the most from investing in tangible assets because those assets help relax constraints, allowing for further investment. Using a dynamic model, we characterize this effect — which we call firm-level credit multiplier — and show how asset tangibility increases the sensitivity of investment to Tobin’s Q for financially constrained firms. Examining a large sample of manufacturers over the 1971–2005 period as well as simulated data, we find support for our theory’s tangibility–investment channel. We further verify that our findings are driven by firms’ debt issuance activities. Consistent with our empirical identification strategy, the firm-level credit multiplier is absent from samples of financially unconstrained firms and samples of financially constrained firms with low spare debt capacity.
Impact of Asthma Intervention in Two Elementary School‐Based Health Centers in the Bronx, New York City

This study examines healthcare utilization over time in Bronx, New York schoolchildren with asthma who were previously identified via parent surveys in six elementary schools. Four of the schools have on‐site school‐based health centers (SBHCs), and two do not have on‐site health services (control schools). At baseline, we reported an asthma prevalence of 20%, and high rates of emergency department (ED) use (46%) in the previous year. To determine if asthma morbidity (specifically, ED use, community provider use, and hospitalizations for asthma) could be reduced by incorporating an aggressive intervention at two schools with SBHCs, we prospectively followed children for up to 3 years. Parents were scheduled for interviews every 6 months, and were queried about their children's use of health services for asthma in the prior 6 months. In multivariate models, children in the two intervention SBHC schools were less likely to have visited a community provider for asthma (relative rate ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.30–0.88) or an emergency department for asthma (odds ratio, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.14–1.38; P = 0.059) in the prior 6 months compared to children attending control schools. There was no difference in community provider use or emergency department use for asthma between children attending nonintervention SBHCs and control schools. However, school type did not affect asthma hospitalization rates, which declined in all groups. Our findings support the effectiveness of aggressive school‐based asthma services provided by SBHCs to reduce asthma morbidity and complement community health services. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Financial characteristics of banks involved in acquisitions: evidence from Asia

This study examines the financial characteristics of 52 targets and 47 acquirers that were involved in acquisitions in the Asian commercial banking sector over the period 1998 to 2004 and a control sample of non-merged banks matched by country and year. Three logistic regression models are estimated to determine the factors that influence the probability of being involved in an acquisition either as a target or as an acquirer. The results indicate that more asset risky portfolios increase this probability. Higher liquidity also increases the probability of being acquired. The probability of being involved in an acquisition as acquirer also increases with size and cost efficiency. Finally, more profitable banks are more likely to be involved in acquisitions as acquirers rather than as targets. When we partition our sample in two sub-periods we find that only the higher loan loss provisions of targets and the higher size of acquirers remain robust over time.
The interaction of income smoothing and conditional accounting conservatism: Empirical evidence from Iran

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interaction of conditional conservatism with income smoothing in Tehran Stock Exchange. In order to test the hypotheses, 117 firms were selected during 2001 to 2009. We use Eckel (1981) model to classify smoothing and no smoothing firms and then we apply Ball and Shivakumar (2005) type measures of conditional conservatism on each group. The results indicate that the smoothing firms in Tehran Stock Exchange use the veil of conservative accounting to manage earnings. In fact managers in smoothing firms in comparison to no smoothing firms have incentive to smooth earning downwards, toward conservatism so it casts doubt on the ability of accounting conservatism to constrain managers’ opportunistic behavior.
The Determinants of Service Exports from Central and Eastern Europe

The transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have become important exporters of many types of services to Western Europe. We identify the sources of CEE’s advantages over competing exporters, such as India, China and Brazil, using disaggregated data on service exports and a novel estimation technique for the gravity equation. Our results indicate that the importance of geographical distance varies substantially across types of service exports. Geography is important for exports of construction services, but it has a negligible impact on computer-related services. However, the relative quality of legal institutions influences trade across a broad range of service categories. The results demonstrate that aggregating services that are not homogeneous could conceal important differences in the effects of geographical distance and other variables on the pattern of service trade.
Antecedents and consequences of dimensions of human resource management practices in Vietnam

The purpose of this study is to extend the empirical research concerning the impact of human resource management (HRM) practices on organizational effectiveness into the context of developing and transitional economy countries. From a survey of 137 cross-sector companies, it was discovered that there are five dimensions of HRM practices currently in use in Vietnam. Variation in the application of these dimensions can be partly traced to several organizational characteristics, but most salient is the perception of management on the value of human resources. In some dimensions, this variation constitutes a source of the difference in the perceptual company performance. These findings break new ground to propose a process for implementing HRM practices in Vietnam.
A case study related to the improvement of working and rest hours of oil tanker deck officers

Navigation safety on coastal waters is an extremely important issue. Fatigue is an important factor threatening navigation safety. Considering that the vessel type is an oil tanker, such a threat is not posed only to the crew but also to the environment. Most of the tankers navigating coastal waters are in the small tanker category. Therefore, this study examined the working and resting hours of the deck officers in the oil tankers navigating coastal waters. The study utilized the ISF Watchkeeper 3 program for assessing and interpreting the working periods. The study reached the conclusion that the first and second officers in particular are working under unsuitable conditions. To improve the working conditions of the deck officers, effects of additional cargo officer on board was investigated. This study is in quality of recommendation. The study elucidated that the cargo officer practice determines the working and resting hours of deck officers, in the work on the oil tankers, and compliance with the related conventions.
Wages, Exchange Rates, and the Great Inflation Moderation: A Post-Keynesian View

Several explanations of the "great inflation moderation" (1982-2006) have been put forth, the most popular being that inflation was tamed due to good monetary policy, good luck (exogenous shocks such as oil prices), or structural changes such as inventory management techniques. Drawing from Post-Keynesian and structuralist theories of inflation, this paper uses a vector autoregression with a Post-Keynesian identification strategy to show that the decline in the inflation rate and inflation volatility was due primarily to (1) wage declines and (2) falling import prices caused by international competition and exchange rate effects. The paper uses a graphical analysis, impulse response functions, and variance decompositions to support the argument that the decline in inflation has in fact been a "wage and import price moderation," brought about by declining union membership and international competition. Exchange rate effects have lowered inflation through cheaper import and oil prices, and have indirectly affected wages through strong dollar policy, which has lowered manufacturing wages due to increased competition. A "Taylor rule" differential variable was also used to test the "good policy" hypothesis. The results show that the Taylor rule differential has a smaller effect on inflation, controlling for other factors.
An Examination of Destination Loyalty

The objective of the study was to examine how first-time and repeat visitors develop loyalty differently. A multiple group analysis in LISREL was conducted using data collected from a major tourism destination in the southern United States. The findings revealed that (a) repeat visitors reported higher levels of revisit and referral intentions (used to infer destination loyalty) compared with first-time visitors and (b) previous experiences moderated the relationship between tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty—satisfaction played a more important role in leading to loyalty for first-timers than for repeaters. The theoretical and managerial implications were drawn based on the study findings, and recommendations for future researchers were made.
CARDIOVASCULAR MECHANISMS AND CONSEQUENCES OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNOEA

Abstract Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is considered as a risk factor for the development of arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction and stroke. These clinical manifestations are the consequences of elevated sympathetic activity, cardiovascular variability, intrathoracic pressure changes, inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, insulin resistance and thrombosis provoked by OSA. As a result, OSA is often present in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the increased prevalence of CVD in OSA population raises both cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and the demand of healthcare resources. Observational cohort studies indicate that untreated patients with OSA have an increased risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, an increased risk of sudden cardiac death during the sleeping hours and a higher risk of stroke or death from any cause. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and oral appliance therapy are the two treatments for OSA whose effects on cardiovascular endpoints have been assessed in randomised trials. There is increasing evidence that adequate CPAP therapy leads to a significant reduction in cardiovascular morbidity.
Effects of government policies on foreign direct investment as a strategic choice of firms: an expansion of internalization theory

Government policies are integral to the internalization theory of foreign direct investment (FDI). However, the role of government policies in affecting FDI as a strategic choice of firms has not been fully explored. This article therefore expands the analysis of the role of government policy in the internalization theory of FDI. Some government policies reduce market imperfections while others create them. Some of those policies and their effects on market imperfections furthermore make FDI less attractive as a strategic alternative, while other policies and their effects on market imperfections make FDI more attractive. This study also argues that a comprehensive integration of political variables in FDI theory requires several levels of analysis of both political and economic variables.
[An interventional study on amnestic mild cognitive impairment with small dose donepezil].

OBJECTIVE To observe the effect of small dose donepezil (Aricept) on the cognition status and the changes of metabolites in brain tissue in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) in order to find out the effective way to prevent and cure dementia. METHODS 33 patients with aMCI were selected. There were 21 cases in a treatment group taking 2.5 mg of Aricept daily for 3 months and 12 cases in a control group taking basic internal medicines. Before and after taking the medicine, cognition tests such as clinical memory test, basic IQ test, language fluency test and drawing-clock test were carried out. Before and after treatment, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in hippocampus region was carried out in 5 patients of the treatment group. RESULTS Compared with the results before treatment, the memory IQ test, mini-mental state examination (MMSE) total scores as well as delayed memory scores in the treatment group were improved significantly after treatment. The difference was statistically significant. MRS results indicated that after treatment NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr in hippocampus region did not change significantly and MI/Cr was increased. CONCLUSIONS 2.5 mg/d of Aricept can improve general cognition function in patients with aMCI as shown by memory IQ and delayed memory scores. The results of MRS indicate that no apparent change of NAA/Cr and increase of MI/Cr imply improvement of memory with Aricept through activating astrocytes, stabilizing neurons and regulating the signal transmission among synapses.
Production of beta-galactosidase from Streptococcus thermophilus grown in whey

beta-D-Galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23) was extracted from Streptococcus thermophilus grown in deproteinized cheese whey. Cultural conditions optimum for maximum enzyme production were pH 7.0, 40 degrees C, and 24 h. Proteose peptone (2.0%, wt/vol) and corn steep liquor (2.8%, wt/vol) were highly stimulatory, increasing the enzyme units available in their absence from 660 U/liter of medium to 18,200 and 10,000 U/liter of medium, respectively, in their presence. There was an insignificant increase in the production of enzyme in the presence of added inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus sources. Enzymatic hydrolysis for recuction of lactose content in aqueous solution and in skim milk was studied.
Cochlear implantation in unique pediatric populations

Purpose of reviewOver the last decade, the selection criteria for cochlear implantation have expanded to include children with special auditory, otologic, and medical problems. Included within this expanded group of candidates are those children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, cochleovestibular malformations, cochlear nerve deficiency, associated syndromes, as well as multiple medical and developmental disorders. Definitive indications for cochlear implantation in these unique pediatric populations are in evolution. This review will provide an overview of managing and habilitating hearing loss within these populations with specific focus on cochlear implantation as a treatment option. Recent findingsCochlear implants have been successfully implanted in children within unique populations with variable results. Evaluation for cochlear implant candidacy includes the core components of a full medical, audiologic, and speech and language evaluations. When considering candidacy in these children, additional aspects to consider include disorder-specific surgical considerations and child/caregiver counseling regarding reasonable postimplantation outcome expectations. SummaryCochlear implants are accepted as the standard of care for improving hearing and speech development in children with severe-to-profound hearing loss. However, children with sensorineural hearing loss who meet established audiologic criteria for cochlear implantation may have unique audiologic, medical, and anatomic characteristics that necessitate special consideration regarding cochlear implantation candidacy and outcome. Individualized preoperative candidacy and counseling, surgical evaluation, and reasonable postoperative outcome expectations should be taken into account in the management of these children.
Quality perceptions of internal and external customers: a case study in educational administration

Social and political influences are increasing the importance of quality in the higher education (HE) sector as in other areas of public service. Quality is an elusive concept in most services, but it is particularly so in public service with the wide range of customers and stakeholders involved. Describes an exercise to measure perceived quality with two distinct customer groups, academic and technical staff and students, within the context of a university faculty office using a questionnaire developed from the SERVQUAL instrument. In common with other researchers, it is found that SERVQUAL does not give a good fit to the situation, and that expectation contributes nothing to the predictive value of the data. Significant differences in the factors determining perceived quality are found to exist between internal and external customers. It is suggested that the differences arise from the degree of dependence and frequency/length of contact between the service and the customer, and that this might be a more general phenomenon related not only to the internal/external divide, but to other customer characteristics in both public and private sectors.
Optical coherence tomography: a noninvasive method to assess wound reepithelialization.

BACKGROUND Accurate assessment of wound healing may require invasive tissue biopsies, limiting its clinical usefulness in humans. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel, high-resolution method using light reflection to obtain noninvasive cross sectional imaging of biological tissues. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the utility of OCT for assessing wound reepithelialization in a porcine model. METHODS The authors conducted an animal study with two domestic pigs. Excisional cutaneous wounds were created over the ventral surface of the animals using an electric dermatome set at a depth of 600 microm. The wounds were excised two or three days later and precisely marked to guide initial OCT and subsequent tissue slicing and microscopy. Comparing hematoxylin and eosin-stained histologic sections and the corresponding OCT images from each tissue sample permitted identification of the correlative micromorphology. Scatter and Bland-Altman plots were used to present the data. The primary measure of agreement was the standard deviation of the pairwise differences in percent reepithelialization between OCT and histology together with a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS In normal skin, the epidermis was characterized by a thin, bright layer indicating a high degree of light scattering on OCT. The dermis below was characterized by a thicker, darker area indicating less scattering of light. All fresh excisional wounds lacked an outer bright layer of epidermis immediately after injury. At days 2 and 3, the wounds were partially reepithelialized. A new bright layer with intense light scattering was present on OCT corresponding to the neoepidermis on hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. The correlation between percent reepithelialization measured with OCT and histology was 0.66 (p < 0.001), and the standard deviation of the differences was 11.0% (95% confidence interval = 8.4% to 16.1%). CONCLUSIONS OCT accurately detects the presence or absence of the epidermal layer of skin, allowing noninvasive tracking of wound reepithelialization.
EVALUATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING OF WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS VIRGINIANUS) ON THE PREVALENCE OF BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS IN THE MICHIGAN WILD DEER POPULATION

A retrospective study was conducted to test the hypothesis that supplemental feeding of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from 1995 to 1997 was associated with the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in free-ranging deer in northeastern Michigan. Bovine TB prevalence data were obtained from an ongoing surveillance program, while data relating to supplemental feeding and other risk factors were collected via in-person interviews. A multivariable Poisson regression modeling approach was used to test the stated hypothesis while controlling for other risk factors. Of the 389 potential participants, 59% agreed to participate in the study. Results showed that supplemental feeding of deer was associated with bovine TB in white-tailed deer. Specific risk factors associated with increasing risk for bovine TB were locating feed sites in areas with high levels of hardwood forests (O.R.=1.8, 95% C.I.=1.3–2.4), other large-scale feeding sites in the area (O.R.=1.1, 95% C.I.=1.0–1.2), the number of deer fed per year (O.R.=3.9, 95% C.I.=1.4–11.4), the numbers of feed sites spreading grain (O.R.=14.7, 95% C.I.=2.2–98.9), the quantity of grains provided at the site (O.R.=1.4, 95% C. I.=1.1–1.7), and the quantity of fruits and vegetables provided (O.R.=1.4, 95% C.I.=1.2–1.7). Conversely, factors associated with decreasing risk of bovine TB were locating feed sites in areas with high levels of hardwood forests (O.R.=0.1, 95% C.I.=0.02–0.4), locating feed sites in forests (O.R.=0.05, 95% C.I.=0.01–0.4), and the level of sites providing grain (O.R.=0.1, 95% C.I.=0.01–0.3). The results of this study suggest that banning the practice of supplemental feeding is a valid policy for control of bovine tuberculosis in free-ranging white-tailed deer.