Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conjugated linoleic acid intake and breast cancer risk in a prospective cohort of Swedish women.

BACKGROUND Studies in animals and in vitro suggest that conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs), a group of fatty acids found mainly in dairy products and in the meat of ruminants, have protective effects against mammary carcinogenesis. However, findings from epidemiologic studies on CLA intake in relation to breast cancer risk are sparse and inconsistent. OBJECTIVE The objective was to examine prospectively the association between CLA intake and the incidence of invasive breast cancer in the Swedish Mammography Cohort. DESIGN In 1987-1990, 61,433 cancer-free women completed a food-frequency questionnaire from which we estimated each woman's CLA intake. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks, adjusted for breast cancer risk factors. RESULTS During a mean follow-up of 17.4 y, 2952 incident cases of breast cancer were ascertained. In multivariate analyses, no significant association was observed between dietary CLA intake and risk of breast cancer, overall or by estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status. The multivariate relative risks (95% CI) for the highest quintile of CLA intake (> or =155.7 mg/d) compared with the lowest quintile (<78.1 mg/d) were 1.04 (0.92, 1.17) for overall breast cancer, 1.09 (0.90, 1.31) for ER+/PR+ tumors, 1.09 (0.78, 1.53) for ER+/PR- tumors, and 0.84 (0.57, 1.24) for ER-/PR- tumors. CONCLUSION The results provide no evidence of a protective effect of CLA against breast cancer development in women.
Coherence between marine and land use planning: public attitudes to landscapes in the context of siting a wind park along the Latvian coast of the Baltic Sea

The aim of this paper is to contribute to coherence in marine, coastal and land use planning and management from the perspective of landscape values. At a time when new sea uses are emerging and marine spatial planning laws and regulations are being adopted, but have not yet been put into practice, research studies are required that provide spatial planners with informed insights concerning public stakeholder attitudes to controversial policies. The undertaken research explored the attitudes of two important social groups (local residents and tourists/recreational users) regarding locating wind parks in the marine and/or terrestrial environment along the Latvian coast of the Baltic Sea. The results of the study indicate that both groups support land-based wind park development versus offshore. Moreover, the visibility of wind turbines influences the willingness of tourists to visit recreation sites and impacts directly on their duration of stay. Research findings indicate that policy makers and spatial planners from both marine and land domains should adopt a broader and more integrated approach when setting priorities and allocating space for development activities where both domains are involved.
Diagnostic value of histology in non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: In the absence of oesophageal erosions longterm pH monitoring is the present gold standard for diagnosing gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). This method, however, is invasive, time consuming, expensive, and not generally available. AIMS: As histological changes have been described in GORD, this study looked at the possibility of whether the diagnosis of non-erosive reflux disease could be made by histological examination routinely during endoscopy. SUBJECTS: A total of 24 prospectively selected patients with symptoms suggestive of GORD and seven healthy volunteers. METHODS: Oesophageal erosions and other peptic lesions were excluded by oesophago-gastroduodenoscopy. Oesophageal pinch biopsy specimens were taken 2 cm and 5 cm above the oesophagogastric junction and evaluated blindly for the histological parameters cellular infiltration, basal zone hyperplasia, and papillary length. Twenty four hour pH monitoring was used as gold standard for the definition of reflux disease. It was abnormal in 13 patients (reflux patients) and normal in 11 patients (symptomatic controls) and in seven healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Sparse infiltration of the epithelium with lymphocytes in at least one biopsy specimen was found in all patients and volunteers, with neutrophils in three reflux patients, and with eosinophils in two reflux patients and in two healthy volunteers. The basal zone thickness was increased in three reflux patients, in one symptomatic control, and in one healthy volunteer. The papillary length was greater than two thirds of total epithelium in six of 13 reflux patients in contrast with none in 11 symptomatic controls (p < 0.05) and to one healthy volunteer. The sensitivity of the parameter papillary length hence was only 46%. CONCLUSIONS: Although gastro-oesophageal reflux produces slight histological changes apart from oesophageal erosions in a few subjects, none of the established histological parameters can fulfil the for the diagnosis of GORD in patients without visible oesophageal erosions.
EXAMINING ROLE ISSUES IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS THROUGH PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH

This participatory action research study engaged classroom teachers, special education teachers, teacher assistants, and a principal in examining and resolving role issues within inclusive classrooms. Analysis of data from multiple sources revealed three predominant findings: (a) when teachers were confronted with role problems, they identified an underlying issue of instruction; (b) when tasked with transforming instruction, there was a tendency for participants to add supplementary programs and supports; and (c) role issues were resolved through action planning and equipping classroom teachers with instructional strategies, materials, and support to teach all students within their classrooms. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Ethics of Future Accounting Professionals: Evidence from Malaysia

A strong ethical sense needs to be imbued in potential entrants to the accountancy profession. This paper explores the ethical attitudes of the final year accounting students in the International Islamic University Malaysia. There were 210 students who responded to the self‐administered questionnaire survey. Of these respondents, 38 per cent would opt to become whistleblowers. About 3 per cent would accept bribes. Once an element of risk of being caught was introduced, the percentage opting for whistleblowing increased by 6 per cent. However, none chose the bribe option. These responses indicate that only a small porportion of students will depend on punishment and penalty in order to behave ethically. A larger proportion of male students as compared to female tend to behave unethically. The study indicates that the majority of respondents would prefer not to indulge in unethical behavior. The primary contribution of this paper is that it offers insight on Malaysian accountancy students’ ethical attitudes.
Freehand Biopsy Guided by Electromagnetic Needle Tracking: A Phantom Study

Zusammenfassung Ziel: Bewertung der Genauigkeit und des Zeitaufwands bei einer Biopsie mittels elektromagnetischen Nadeltrackings an einem Phantom im Vergleich zur Standardtechnik der ultraschallgestützten Biopsie mit angeschlossener Lenkeinrichtung. Darüber hinaus die Bewertung der Biopsie außerhalb der Ebene gestützt duch Nadeltracking. Material und Methoden: An einem Phantom wurden drei verschiedene Biopsieserien durchgeführt: eine, bei der die Lenkeinrichtung an den Meßwandler ohne Nadeltracking angeschlossen ist und somit der Standardtechnik der ultraschallgestützten Biopsie ähnelt (Serie 1), eine Freihand innerhalb der Scan-Ebene mittels elektromagnetischen Nadeltrackings (Serie 2) und eine Freihand außerhalb der Scan-Ebene mittels elektromagnetischen Nadeltrackings (Serie 3). Das Phantom enthielt Kugeln von 1 cm Durchmesser, die mit roter Farbe gefüllt waren. Jede Perforation der Phantomoberfläche wurde als eine Biopsie gewertet. Ergebnisse: 180 Biopsien wurden durchgeführt. Die mittlere Zeitdauer pro Biopsie betrug in Serie eins 19,9 s (SD: 9,1), in Serie zwei 34,1 s (SD 17,9) und in Serie drei 34,4 s (SD: 14,0). Die Erfolgsrate betrug insgesamt: 88 % für die nadelgeführte Biopsie in der Ebene, 87 % für das Nadeltracking in der Ebene und 92 % für das Nadeltracking außerhalb der Ebene. Zwischen den Methoden konnte kein statistisch signifikanter Unterschied ausgemacht werden. Schlussfolgerung: Die Nadelnavigation ist ein möglicherweise wertvolles Hilfsmittel der bildgestützten Biopsie mit einer ähnlichen Erfolgsquote im Vergleich zur konventionellen bildgestützten Biopsie. Darüber hinaus ermöglicht sie die bildgestützte Biopsie außerhalb der Ebene.
Intergenerational Continuity of Child Abuse Among Adolescent Mothers

Among the negative sequelae of child maltreatment is increased risk for continuity of maltreatment into subsequent generations. Despite acknowledgment in the literature that the pathways toward breaking the cycle of maltreatment are likely the result of dynamic interactions of risk and protective factors across multiple ecological levels, few studies have followed high-risk samples of maltreated and nonmaltreated parents over time to evaluate such processes. In the current investigation, exposure to community violence and authoritarian parenting attitudes were evaluated as predictors of the intergenerational continuity of abuse, and the moderating effect of African American race was examined. The sample included 70 mothers and their 18-year-old children, who have been followed longitudinally since the third trimester of the adolescent mothers’ pregnancy. Results revealed that among mothers with a child abuse history, higher exposure to community violence and lower authoritarian parenting attitudes were associated with increased risk for intergenerational continuity of abuse. The relation of authoritarian parenting attitudes to intergenerational continuity was moderated by race; the protective effects of authoritarian parenting were limited to the African American families only. The salience of multiple ecological levels in interrupting the intergenerational continuity of child abuse is discussed, and implications for preventive programs are highlighted.
Can there be an Asian model of public administration

SUMMARY This article examines the conceptual possibilities of an Asian model of public administration, challenging some pre‐established paradigms along the way. There are two basic contentions. First, there is no such thing as one universal model of public administration that satisfies all national political and cultural situations so that each public administration system is also shaped by its own national tradition and historical evolution. The historical process is as important as the horizontal process of policy learning and transfer from others in the world. Second, Asia has its unique administrative civilization that has been under‐studied in the larger context of contemporary public administration theories and practices. The article does not argue for an Asian‐dominated governance model per se. Rather, the point is that the rapid social and economic growth of some emerging Asian nations has cast further doubt on any deterministic ‘good governance’ model driven predominantly by the Western growth experience. No definite thesis is concluded, and this must involve a process of drawing wisdoms from more Asian ‘national’ and local narratives of administrative histories and practices. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Does acute TBI-related sleep disturbance predict subsequent neuropsychiatric disturbances?

Abstract Primary objective: To determine whether sleep disturbance in the acute post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) period predicts symptoms of depression, anxiety or apathy measured 6 and 12 months after TBI. Research design: Longitudinal, observational study. Methods and procedures: First time closed-head injury patients (n = 101) were recruited and evaluated within 3 months of injury and followed longitudinally, with psychiatric evaluations at 6 and 12 months post-injury. Pre- and post-injury sleep disturbances were measured via the Medical Outcome Scale (MOS) for Sleep. Subjects were also assessed for anxiety, depression, apathy, medical comorbidity and severity of TBI. Main outcomes and results: Sleep disturbance in the acute TBI period was associated with increased symptoms of depression, anxiety and apathy 12 months post-injury. Conclusions: Sleep disturbances experienced soon after trauma (i.e. <3 months after injury) predicted neuropsychiatric symptoms 1 year after injury, raising two important clinical questions: (1) Is sleep disturbance soon after trauma a prognostic marker of subsequent neuropsychiatric symptoms? and (2) Can early treatment of sleep disturbance during the post-TBI period reduce subsequent development of neuropsychiatric symptoms? Future studies with larger sample sizes and appropriate control groups could help to answer these questions, using evidence-based methods for evaluating and treating sleep disturbances.
Human resource practices and individual knowledge-sharing behavior – an empirical study for Taiwanese R&D professionals

Knowledge sharing is of central importance for the research and development (R&D) process. Because the process is extremely complicated and an employee possesses expertise only in a specific area, knowledge will not be available to others until the owner makes the objects of the knowledge available. It is, therefore, valuable to investigate how R&D professionals share knowledge with one another. This study explores the relationship between human resource (HR) practices and individual knowledge sharing in Taiwan's high-tech industries. The cross-sectional dataset comes from a sample of 368 R&D professionals from nine different high-tech companies. The findings indicate that the factor representing the perceived self-efficacy of knowledge sharing plays a very important role in the integrated knowledge-sharing model we developed. R&D professionals who believe that sharing will influence their performance will be more willing to share knowledge, and thus an effective sharing of knowledge will be more likely to take place. The results also show that HR practices, incentive compensation plans, performance appraisal systems, and face-to-face communication foster knowledge sharing among R&D professionals through the mediation of perceived self-efficacy and the willingness of knowledge sharing.
Assessing think-pair-square in distributed modeling of use case diagrams

In this paper, we propose a new method for the modeling of use case diagrams in the context of global software development. It is based on think-pair-square, a widely used cooperative method for active problem solving. The validity of the developed technology (i.e., the method and its supporting environment) has been assessed through two controlled experiments. In particular, the experiments have been conducted to compare the developed technology with a brainstorming session based on face-to-face interaction. The comparison has been performed with respect to the time needed to model use case diagrams and the quality of the produced models. The data analysis indicates a significant difference in favor of the brainstorming session for the time, with no significant impact on the requirements specification.
Performance of semi‐autonomous public bodies: linkage between autonomy and performance in Japanese agencies

The creation of semi-autonomous public bodies or agencification has been diffused around the world. The basic concept lies in giving more autonomy in operations in exchange for strengthening accountability for results. It is assumed that granting more flexibility in management produces more efficient and effective outcomes. However, the causal relationship between autonomy and performance has been inconclusive despite many empirical studies. This is because institutional factors are neglected, as are other measurement problems such as using cross-section data. Consequently, in this article, the relationship is examined using institutional factors and a retrospective survey method to study Japanese agencies. The analysis shows that there is a causal relationship between operational autonomy and performance, but only partial causal linkages between other types of autonomy like structural or legal autonomy and performance. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Limits of Popular Participation in Salvador, Brazil

This article focuses on the changing nature of state-society interactions in the state of Bahia, Brazil and on the factors that condition democratic participation. During several research trips, conducted between 2001 and 2006, I collected data on participatory budgeting and on participatory urban planning in the city of Salvador. I was therefore able to compare two thematic sites where local states interacted with society in general, and with civil society speci? cally. In both cases, I found a very wide gap between the de jure mandate of citizen participation and the de facto state of affairs. The examined empirical cases point to some of the conditionalities of democratic participation at the local level. The existence of this gap between law and reality can, in part, be explained by the continued importance of ‘Carlismo’ as a way of doing local politics in Bahia and therefore, to the persistence of local political regimes persisting despite changes in political leadership.
Pension Plan Choice among University Faculty

A pension plan is an important component of lifetime earnings, and thus the decision between a defined benefit pension and a defined contribution pension is an important one. This study uses data from annual faculty censuses of the University of North Carolina system, where new hires are given a choice between a state defined benefit pension and a defined contribution plan. Newly hired faculty members who are older, female, and nonwhite are found to be more likely to choose the defined benefit plan. Some differences across university Carnegie classification are also seen. In addition, a declining trend in defined benefit participation is shown.
INDONESIAN RICE PRODUCTION: POLICIES AND REALITIES

Abstract Indonesian rice production grew rapidly between 1977 and 1982, but the self-sufficiency achieved in 1984 was short-lived. Growth declined gradually from about 1982, eventually stabilising at a low rate in the late 1990s. This paper discusses factors that have influenced these outcomes over the last five decades, in an attempt to inform policy makers interested in trying to restore self-sufficiency. The earlier experience showed that self-sufficiency was technically feasible, but also that its achievement was costly, both fiscally and in economic opportunities forgone. Little appears to have changed in this regard, and recent attempts to shift this cost to consumers by raising rice prices have increased poverty. We show that increases in rice production could best be achieved by rehabilitating irrigation infrastructure and revitalising research and extension activities. However, large investments by the government in rice should not be undertaken in the absence of thorough economic cost-benefit analysis.
Short-Run Independence of Monetary Policy Under Pegged Exchange Rates and Effects of Money on Exchange Rates and Interest Rates

Economists generally assert that countries sacrifice monetary independence when they peg their exchange rates. At the same time, central bankers frequently assert that pegging an exchange rate does not eliminate the independence of monetary policy. This paper examines the effects of money-supply changes on exchange rates, interest rates, and production in an optimizing two-country model in which some sectors of the economy have predetermined nominal prices in the short run and other sectors have flexible prices. Money-supply shocks have liquidity effects both within and across countries and induce a cross-country real-interest differential. The model predicts that liquidity effects are highly non-linear and are not likely to be captured well empirically by linear models, particularly those involving only a single country. The most striking implication of the model is that countries have a degree of short-run independence of monetary policy even under pegged exchange rates.
Fiscal Policy, Profits, and Investment

This paper evaluates the effects of fiscal policy on investment using a panel of OECD countries. In particular, we investigate how different types of fiscal policy affect profits and , as a result, investment. We find a sizable negative effect of public spending -- and in particular of its public wage component -- on business investment. This result is consistent with models in which government employment creates wage pressure for the private sector. Various types of taxes also have negative effects on profits, but, interestingly, the effects of government spending on investment are larger than the effect of taxes. Our results have important implications for the so called 'Non-Keynesian' (i.e. expansionary) effects of fiscal adjustments.
The effective performance measures for store managers on restaurant chain growth

Chain organization has become the most prevalent form of the restaurant industry. Facing asymmetric information, however, many chains encounter difficulties in monitoring chain store managers who serve different markets. A proper incentive scheme for store managers must be designed to solve the agency problem. However, measuring performance is a critical element of any incentive system. Thus, this study examined the appropriate performance measures of assessing the performance of a store manager. Results revealed that emphasizing quality-related performance measures of assessing store managers produces significant effects on chain growth. Furthermore, placing greater emphasis on quality-related performance measures produces a greater effect on chain growth if the operation can be easily standardized. Contrary to the negative effect of stock-based compensation, bonus-based compensation could strengthen the positive relationship between quality-related performance measures and chain growth. The alignment among quality-related performance measures, operation standardization, and reward modes was considered crucial for managing restaurant chains.
Bereavement after homicide: a synergism of trauma and loss.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the intensity and relationship of trauma and responses to bereavement in family members after homicide. METHOD The authors established an outpatient clinic that offered evaluation and supportive psychotherapy after the homicide of a family member. A standardized evaluation protocol was followed with 18 adults in order to detail variables of previous trauma, bereavement, and psychiatric disorder. Standardized measures of bereavement (Texas Revised Inventory of Grief) and trauma (Impact of Event Scale and Dissociative Experiences Scale) were also administered. RESULTS As a group, the 18 adults were characterized by a high frequency of antecedent psychiatric disorder (N = 12), the homicide of a child (N = 12), and an intensely idealized attachment to the decreased, whose image of violent dying recurred as a disorganizing flashback and dream. The measures of bereavement and trauma showed generally higher levels of intensity in the 18 subjects in the present study than in normal subjects and other cohorts of bereaved subjects. CONCLUSIONS For those who have lost a family member through homicide, recognition of a relatively specific pattern of dysfunctional responses of grief and trauma would promote early identification and psychiatric referral.