Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ingestion of Polonium (210Po) via dietary sources in high background radiation areas of south India

Abstract Purpose: To study the distribution of Polonium (210Po) activity in dietary sources in the high background radiation zone of Puttetti in southern Tamil Nadu. Materials and methods: 210Po was analyzed in the food materials consumed by the male and female individual representatives living in the high background areas by 24-h Duplicate Diet Study (DDS) and Market Basket Study (MBS). The MBS was performed by collecting the food samples such as, cereals, fruits, leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, other vegetables, fish, meat and milk grown in the high background radiation zone of southern Tamil Nadu as a part of baseline study in this region. The DDS was done by collecting the food materials consumed including the beverages in 24 h from different age groups of male and female individuals living in the village of Puttetti. The intake and ingestion dose of the radionuclide 210Po was estimated. Results: The average concentration of 210Po in DDS (n = 33) was found to be 74 mBq.kg− 1 of fresh weight. The MBS was collected based on food consumption representing more than 85–95% of annual supply, and were divided into eight food groups. The average concentration of 210Po in the eight food groups namely leafy vegetables was 2176 mBq.kg− 1 (n = 3), vegetables 55 mBq.kg− 1 (n = 10), roots and tubers 251 mBq.kg− 1 (n = 4), fruits 65 mBq.kg− 1 (n = 5), fish 345 mBq.kg− 1 (n = 2), meat food 117 mBq.kg− 1 (n = 3), milk 20 mBq.kg− 1 (n = 1) and cereal 290 (n = 1) mBq.kg− 1 of fresh weight, respectively. The annual intake and ingestion dose due to 210Po was estimated by DDS and MBS in adults, adolescents and children. The overall results showed that the MBS was moderately higher than the DDS in all age groups. Moreover, a DDS approach may even be more realistic, as cooked foodstuffs are used for dietary exposure assessment. Conclusion: The study confirms that the current levels of 210Po do not pose a significant radiological risk to the local inhabitants.
The role of management consultancy in implementing operations management in the public sector

Purpose - This paper reflects on the growing trend of engaging management consultancies in implementing operations management innovations in the public sector. Whilst the differences between public and private sector operations have been documented, there is a dearth of material detailing the impact of public sector engagements on the consultancies themselves and the operations management products and services they develop. Drawing on qualitative data the paper seeks to identify both the impact of operations management in the public sector and, the impact this engagement on the consultancies that are involved. Design/methodology/approach - This paper draws on rich, qualitative data from six large management consultancies, amounting to over 48 interviews. An inductive methodology sought to identify both how consultancies have adapted their operations management products and services, and why. Findings - The paper finds that the different context of the public sector provides consultants with considerable challenges when implementing operations management projects. The research shows that public services are often hampered by different cultures, structures, and managerial knowledge and investment patterns. Such constraints have an impact on both the projects being implemented and the relationship between consultants and clients. Originality/value - There are few studies that consider the implementation of operations management in the public sector and fewer still which examine the impact of public sector engagement on the products that consultancies develop. This paper aims to develop understanding in both. At a more theoretical level, the paper contributes to considering operations management through knowledge management literature in seeking to understand how consumers of management knowledge influence its producers.
Secondary to Postsecondary Technical Education Transitions: An Exploratory Study of Dual Enrollment in Georgia.

An exploratory study of credit-based transition programs was conducted to better understand the processes, outcomes, facilitators, and barriers to high school student access to and continuation in postsecondary education. This qualitative case study research examined characteristics and operations of dual enrollment programs and their links to key transition outcomes to address the question: Do credit-based-transition programs, specifically dual enrollment, facilitate college access and success for students who participate in them? Research questions focused on organization, participation, and outcomes of dual enrollment in the state of Georgia. Findings from site visits to technical colleges and high schools address emerging issues in organization, staffing, credit policies, funding, collaboration, student characteristics and motivation, programs of study, barriers to student access, benefits to students, follow-up, and program outcomes. This research is the first phase of a longitudinal, comprehensive multi-method study of dual enrolled students in Georgia and factors related to their transition into postsecondary education and work.
Economics and politics in the United States: a state‐level investigation

We examine state income and government spending data to investigate the role of political parties and elections in state business cycles of the United States, and find strong support for the partisan political business cycles, both traditional and rational versions. The growth rate of per capita real income and government spending tend to be higher (lower) with a Democratic (Republican) governor as well as a Democratic (Republican) president. In case of economic growth, we find some evidence for opportunistic cycles induced by national level politics; meanwhile, both national and state governments seem to generate expansionary policy in election years.
PDM3, a pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein, affects chloroplast development

The chloroplast, as the photosynthetic organelle of plants, plays a crucial role in plant development. Extensive studies have been conducted on chloroplast development; however, the related regulatory mechanism still remains elusive. Here, we characterized a mutant with defective chloroplasts in Arabidopsis, termed pigment-defective mutant3 (pdm3), which exhibits a distinct albino phenotype in leaves, eventually leading to pdm3 seedling lethality under autotrophic growth conditions. Electron microscopy demonstrated that the number of thylakoids was reduced and the structure of those thylakoids was disrupted in the pdm3 mutant, which eventually led to the breakdown of chloroplasts. Sequence analysis showed that PDM3 encodes a chloroplast protein consisting of 12 pentratricopeptide repeat domains that belongs to the P subgroup. Both confocal microscopic analysis and immunoblotting in the chloroplast protein fraction showed that PDM3 was located in the stroma. Furthermore, analysis of the transcript profiles of chloroplast genes revealed that plastid-encoded polymerase-dependent transcript levels were markedly reduced, while nuclear-encoded polymerase-dependent transcript levels were increased in pdm3 mutants. In addition, we found that the splicing of introns in trnA, ndhB, and clpP-1 is also affected in pdm3. Taken together, we propose that PDM3 plays an essential role in chloroplast development in Arabidopsis.
A data envelopment model for aggregating preference rankings

This paper presents a general model for aggregating votes from a preferential ballot. The thrust of the model is to accord each candidate a fair assessment in terms of his overall standing vis-a-vis first place, second place, ', kth place votes. The form of the model is a combined index Σj = 1kWjvij where vij is the number of the jth place votes received by the ith candidate. The weights Wj are assumed to form a monotonically decreasing sequence with Wj-Wj + 1 â¥ dj, e. These constraints correspond to the assurance region AR side constraints in the DEA framework. The properties of the model are examined in terms of this discrimination intensity function d, and in the special case that dj, e = e, our model is shown to be equivalent to the consensus models of Borda and Kendall.
A Randomized, Pilot Trial to Evaluate Glomerular Filtration Rate by Creatinine or Cystatin C in Naive HIV-Infected Patients After Tenofovir/Emtricitabine in Combination With Atazanavir/Ritonavir or Efavirenz

BackgroundGlomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated by Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation based on creatinine or cystatine C may be more accurate methods especially in patients without chronic kidney disease. There is lack of data on GFR estimated by these methods in patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy. MethodsAntiretroviral-naive HIV-infected patients were randomized to tenofovir/emtricitabine in association with atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r) or efavirenz (EFV) Patients had to have an actual creatinine clearance >50 mL/minute (24-hour urine collection) and were followed for 48 weeks. ResultsNinety-one patients (48 ATV/r, 43 EFV) were recruited. Using the CKD-EPI creatinine formula, there was a significant decrease in GFR up to week 48 in patients receiving ATV/r (4.9 mL/minute/m2, P = 0.02) compared with a not statistically significant increment in patients prescribed EFV. Using the cystatin C–based equation, we found greater decrease in GFR in both arms, although, in the EFV arm, the decrease was not statistically significant (5.8 mL/minute/m2, P = 0.92). At multivariable analysis, ATV/r was a significant predictor of greater decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (P = 0.0046) only with CKD-EPI creatinine. ConclusionsATV/r plus tenofovir caused greater GFR decreases compared with EFV. The evaluation of eGFR by cystatin C confirmed this result, but this method seemed to be more stringent, probably precluding the possibility to detect a significant difference in the pattern of eGFR evolution between the two arms over time. More studies are needed to understand the clinical relevance of these alterations and whether cystatin C is a more appropriate method for monitoring GFR in clinical practice.
Awarenes of MRSM’s Students Towards Accountancy As A Profession

This study is taken to investigate the Maktab Rendah Sains MARA’s (MRSM) student’s awareness towards accountancy as a profession. The objectives of this study are to identify factors that attract students in choosing the subject Principle of Accounts (PA) in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination and to examine their awareness of accountancy as a profession. The study found out that most of the students chose PA on their own. The study also indicated that the students choose PA subject because they have interest in the subject. Overall, the findings show that MRSM students have a low level of awareness towards accountancy as a profession.
Is the tourism-led growth hypothesis stable for Malaysia? A note

This letter extends the Gunduz and Hatemi-J study on the tourism-led growth hypothesis with the Malaysian data. The rolling subsample causality test was employed to demonstrate the validity and stability of the tourism–growth causality relationship. Our result shows the causality relationship is valid and stable over the sample period. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Investigation of Transactions Data for NYSE Stocks

Using transactions data, the behavior of returns and characteristics of trades at the micro level is examined. A minute-by-minute market return series is formed and tested for normality and autocorrelation. Evidence of differences in return distributions is found among overnight trades, trades during the first 30 minutes following the market opening, trades at the close, and trades during the remainder of the day. The latter distribution is found to be normal. Unusually high returns and standard deviations of returns are found at the beginning and the end of the trading day. When the beginningand end-of-the-day effects are omitted, autocorrelation in the market return series is reduced substantially. A number of patterns in trading are reported. THIS PAPER EMPIRICALLY INVESTIGATES the nature of the return-generating process and the characteristics of trade size, price changes, trading frequency, and trading interval at the level of individual trades for a large sample of NYSE stocks. Previous studies of market indices have used daily, weekly, or monthly
Positive and negative earnings and their interaction with stock returns: empirical evidence from the emerging market of Greece

This study investigates the informational content of losses and their effect on the association between earnings and stock returns. Previous studies demonstrated that losses are less informative than positive earnings since they are not expected to prolong (Hayn, 1995). Our results prove that this hypothesis is existent in the Greek capital market. Additionally, the results indicate that the frequency of losses varies with firm size. Also, the estimated Earnings Response Coefficients (ERC) increases as the measurement interval of earnings and returns expands. Finally, the tests for the effect of mean reversion in earnings, as the cause for the low informativeness of losses, did not verify our initial hypothesis. Our results are consistent to earlier studies in the USA, Finland, Australia and the Baltic region.
A Possible Solution to the Paradox of Voter Turnout

The paradox of voter turnout is a major empirical puzzle that has been unresolved in rational choice theory. Why do rational actors contribute to the public good of electoral outcomes, especially since the likelihood that their vote will be decisive is nearly zero? I propose a possible solution to this paradox based on the stochastic learning model rather than the subjective expected utility maximization model. In the stochastic learning model, actors are conceived to be backward-looking adaptive learners, rather than forward-looking utility maximizers, and use the past correlations between their choices and collective action outcomes as a guide for their decision whether or not to vote. The stochastic learning model of calculus of voting can solve the paradox because now p ≅ . 500 instead of p ≅ 0. The analyses of the 1972-74-76 panels of the American National Election Study largely support the hypotheses derived from the stochastic learning model.
The Relationships between National Identity, Hospitality, and Satisfaction among Foreign Hotel Guests

ABSTRACT The main objectives of this paper are to examine the effect of hotel hospitality on the satisfaction level of foreign guests in the context of the hotel industry, as well as to explore the moderating effect of national identity (country-specific hospitality) on the relationship between hospitality and guests’ level of satisfaction. In this study, “national identity” refers to the distinctive cultural elements of a specific country that are incorporated into the hotel’s service design. This study, involving 315 foreign guests at Malaysian hotels, used survey administration as the main data collection method. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was performed and statistical support for the effect of hospitality on the patrons’ satisfaction with their hotel stays, as well as the moderating effect of national identity on satisfaction levels, were found. This study also proposes a new scale to measure “country-specific hospitality”.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in relation to body mass index and polycystic ovarian syndrome in Indian women

Objective: To study the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MBS) in Indian women and to see how does it correlate to body mass index (BMI) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in this population. Study Design: Prospective cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Infertility clinic of a tertiary center. Materials and Methods: Two hundred women, 120 with PCOs and 80 age-matched controls were enrolled. The prevalence of MBS was studied in the women with and without and was co related to BMI by further subgrouping as team (BMI <23 kg/m3) and obese (BMI >23 kg/m2). The sample size was: team controls-40, obese controls-40, team PCOS-80. Each subject underwent a physical examination and laboratory evaluation for the diagnosis of MBS, which was defined according to the guidelines of National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Pamel (NCEP ATP III) 2005. INTERVENTION: None. Main Outcome Measures: Main Outcome Measures: Subjects with and without PCOs were compared with each other for the prevalence of MBS, and similarly team subjects were compared with obese subjects. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were obtained for both the PCOS and non PCOS population separately, co-relating the prevalence of MBS with BMI. These ROC curves were used to establish the cut off values of BMI, which could best predict the risk of MBS. Results: The prevalence of MBS was significantly higher in the women with PCOS, as compared to age-matched controls. Similarly, when BMI was considered, MBS was more prevalent in overweight subjects than in lean subjects with or without PCOS. In subgroup analysis, the presence of PCOS had a lesser impact on the prevalence of MBS as compared to non-PCOS controls with higher BMI. The relative risk of MBS increased as follows: lean controls-1, lean PCOS-2.66, obese controls-5.33, and obese PCOS-6.5. The most appropriate cut-off level of BMI for predicting the risk of MBS in Indian women without PCOS seems to be 23 kg/m 2 , whereas, with PCOS, it was 22.5 kg/m 2 . Conclusion: MBS is more prevalent in women with PCOS. However, obesity is an independent and stronger risk factor for developing MBS. To reduce the risk of MBS and its related long-term health consequences, lifestyle modification is advisable above BMI of 23 kg/m 2 in the normal population and 22.5 kg/m 2 in women with PCOS.
From ‘foreign body’ to the party leadership and beyond: explaining Matteo Renzi’s path to power through the evolution of his primary election voters

This article examines the path to power of the current Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, by assessing the evolution of his voters’ characteristics between the 2012 and 2013 national primaries. The analysis is based on two extensive data sets the author herself has created together with the other members of the standing group, ‘Candidate and Leader Selection’, working within the Società Italiana di Scienza Politica (Italian Society of Political Science). The socio-demographic and political characteristics of participants in the primaries are described, while the characteristics of Renzi’s voters (RVs) are compared to those of non-Renzi voters (NRVs) and to the averages for the primaries’ participants generally. The findings clearly demonstrate that in the space of only one year RVs changed significantly: in 2012 they perfectly reflect the role of ‘foreign body’ played by their own candidate, who strongly distinguished himself from the primaries’ other candidates by gaining higher-than-average support among young voters and people having a centrist or even a right-wing political background. By contrast, in 2013 RVs become much more similar to the traditional left-wing and aged electorate used to voting in primary elections organised by the Democratic Party (PD) or the centre–left coalition as a whole. The analysis testifies that Renzi faced a kind of ‘normalisation’ in the eyes of the centre-left’s sympathisers, something that was both a cause and an effect of his acceptance by the party elite – an acceptance that allowed him to become PD general secretary first, and Prime Minister immediately thereafter.
An assessment of performance-related practices in service operational settings: measures and utilization patterns

The objective of this study is to examine the current practices related to performance measurement in service operational settings. Several statistical procedures are utilized to analyse the data collected from Portuguese service organizations. These procedures include multiple regression analysis, cluster analysis, and gap analysis. Overall, the results of this study indicate that service organizations are beginning to view performance from a broad, organizational perspective. However, they are still, to a certain extent, emphasizing financial measures of performance. This study provides managers of service organizations with valuable insights into the organizational role of performance measures and measurement. This line of research is consistent with the significant growth of the service sector in recent years.
Indexing, cointegration and equity market regimes

This paper examines, from a market efficiency perspective, the performance of a simple dynamic equity indexing strategy based on cointegration. A consistent 'abnormal' return in excess of the benchmark is demonstrated over different time horizons and in different real world and simulated stock markets. A measure of stock price dispersion is shown to be a leading indicator for the abnormal return and their relationship is modelled as a Markov switching process of two market regimes. We find that the entire abnormal return is associated with the high volatility regime as the indexing model implicitly adopts a strategic position that pays off during market crashes, whilst effectively tracking the benchmark in normal market circumstances. Therefore we find no evidence of market inefficiency. Nevertheless our results have implications for equity fund managers: we show how, without any stock selection, solely through a smart optimization that has an implicit element of market timing, the benchmark performance can be significantly enhanced. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Management in South Korea: a review

The purpose of this article is to analyse and illustrate selected aspects of management in South Korea. South Korean management is placed within its South East Asian context; but western influences on it are also identified. Parallels with French management are drawn. The article describes the national and business culture of South Korea. It analyses prevailing approaches to organisation and communication. It discusses and illustrates the changing role of the taipan, the family, the clan, and professional management within the context of the ownership and management of Korean enterprises. It examines working practices and relations. It analyses and comments on style of management. It deals with issues of internationalisation and globalisation. The article concludes by analysing a number of issues that are likely to affect South Korean management after the crisis of 1997‐1998, and more generally in the foreseeable future. The analysis is illustrated by a variety of case examples.
How Common is Workplace Transformation and Who Adopts it?

The author, using data on 694 U.S. manufacturing establishments from a 1992 survey, examines the incidence of innovative work practices (teams, job rotation, quality circles, and Total Quality Management) and investigates what variables, including human resource practices, are associated with the adoption of these practices. He finds that about 35% of private sector establishments with 50 or more employees made substantial use of flexible work organization in 1992. Some factors associated with an establishment's adoption of these practices are being in an internationally competitive product market, having a technology that requires high levels of skill, following a “high road” strategy that emphasizes variety, service, and quality rather than low cost, and using such human resource practices as high levels of training and innovative pay systems.