Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mother's Knowledge Regarding Weaning Process in Infants

Fifty consecutive mothers of infants above 6 months of age attending in an outpatient service at Dr. D.Y. Patil Hospital and Research Centre, Nerul, Navi Mumbai were interviewed using questionnaire to determine how well they were informed about weaning process. Methodology: A cross sectional survey was conducted using questionnaire method regarding definition, age at which weaning should be initiated, foodstuffs to be included, principles to be followed and myths in context to weaning. Findings: Majority of the mothers are having wrong concept about weaning and are not knowledgeable about current weaning recommendations. Conclusion: Improved health facilities, child and maternal health progammes, easy access to mass media along with the increased rate of literacy in women, it has been seen that many mothers are well aware about weaning process. Though a still few mothers are lacking knowledge.
The Effect of Reduced Dietary Fat and Soy Supplementation on Circulating Adipocytokines in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled 2-Month Trial

ABSTRACT The reduced risk of breast cancer observed in Asia has been linked with diets rich in soy foods, and observational studies suggest that regular soy food intake is related to lower circulating levels of some inflammatory markers which have been implicated in breast cancer risk. However, short-term intervention studies with soy-based diets in small numbers of women have shown few significant changes in adipocytokine levels. This 8-wk dietary intervention study in 57 healthy postmenopausal women investigated whether soy food supplementation (50 mg isoflavones or 15 g soy protein in the form of tofu) or a very low-fat diet (11.3% of total energy), similar to the traditional Asian diet, is associated with beneficial effects on serum levels of the following adipocytokines: TNF-α, IL-6, adiponectin, and resistin. We found no statistically significant changes in the levels of these adipocytokines in association with the very low-fat diet or soy supplementation. Only the change in TNF-α levels between the very low-fat and control diet groups had borderline statistical significance. We conclude that ingestion of a very low-fat diet or a soy food supplemented diet for 8 wk does not significantly alter important circulating adipocytokines.
Inflation Targeting: The UK Experience

Abstract I first review the background to the adoption of an inflation target in 1992 and the subsequent development of the regime, in particular the delegation of operational responsibility for monetary policy to the Bank of England in 1997 and the associated institutional framework. I then go on to explain some aspects of the way the MPC formulates and conducts policy at the Bank, relating it to some of the burgeoning literature on inflation targeting. I next review some aspects of performance since the Bank’s independence. I conclude with a discussion of the topical question of how monetary policy should respond to asset price booms and high rates of debt accumulation.
Regret in the On-Line Decision Problem

Abstract At each point in time a decision maker must make a decision. The payoff in a period from the decision made depends on the decision as well as on the state of the world that obtains at that time. The difficulty is that the decision must be made in advance of any knowledge, even probabilistic, about which state of the world will obtain. A range of problems from a variety of disciplines can be framed in this way. In this paper we survey the main results obtained, as well as some of their applications. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C70, C73.
FRONTIER PRODUCTION FUNCTION: THE STOCHASTIC COEFFICIENTS APPROACH

In the literature, technical efficiency generally is used as a relative concept. The potential output of the firm is used as the norm with which the firm's actual output is compared with to arrive at a measure of technical efficiency. While setting up the norm and modeling the actual production behavior of the firm, it is always assumed that the production coefficients of the material inputs are constant across sample observations. This is unrealistic. This restrictive assumption is relaxed in this paper and the advantage of measuring technical efficiency is then demonstrated using firm-level data from the machine building industry in China. Copyright 1994 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Decreasing hepatitis B viral load is associated with a risk of significant liver fibrosis in hepatitis B e antigen positive chronic hepatitis B

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels and age are used commonly to assess liver histology in chronic hepatitis B. Increasing levels of HBV DNA are associated with the increasing prevalence of significant fibrosis in HBeAg‐negative patients. It is unclear whether these data can be applied to HBeAg‐positive patients. In present study, liver biopsies were performed and clinical parameters were measured in 234 treatment‐naive chronic HBeAg‐positive patients. The proportion of significant fibrosis in patients with ALT 1–2 × ULN was similar to in patients with ALT more than 2 × ULN (48.4% vs. 51.8%). Patients over 30 years of age (>30 years) had a higher prevalence of significant fibrosis than patients 30 years of age and younger (61.0% vs. 33.6%). Negative correlation between HBV DNA levels and significant fibrosis was observed in patients >30 years. The optimal level of serum HBV DNA to evaluate low risk of significant fibrosis was ≥6.7 log10 IU/ml. Patients with serum HBV DNA levels ≥8.5 log10 IU/ml all had no significant fibrosis, however, patients with HBV DNA levels <4.7 log10 IU/ml all had significant fibrosis. Logistic regressions showed that age, aspartate aminotransferase, platelet count, and HBV DNA levels were independent predictors of significant fibrosis. In summary, older age, elevated ALT, and lower HBV DNA levels are associated with significant fibrosis. Decreasing levels of HBV DNA are associated with increasing prevalence of significant fibrosis in patients >30 years. The threshold of HBV DNA levels for treatment of HBeAg‐positive patients needs to be combined with age. J. Med. Virol. 86:1828–1837, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Renal biopsy in lupus nephritis

Renal biopsy can be extremely valuable in the management of patients with lupus nephritis. It is remarkably common to find pathological evidence of substantial nephron loss in patients with low grade laboratory abnormalities. This is due to compensatory hypertrophy and hemodynamic adjustments within the less diseased nephron mass. It has been shown that the decision to institute immunosuppressive therapy is highly informed by the results of renal biopsy and offers the prospect of achieving more favorable renal outcomes. Kidney biopsies should be evaluated by dedicated renal pathology services experienced in diagnostic light, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Biopsies should be classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) system and specific lesions semiquantitatively scored against a checklist of features comprising activity (reversible) and chronicity (irreversible damage) indices. The renal biopsy findings should be reviewed jointly by pathologists and the clinicians caring for patients with lupus nephritis.
Evidence for Rise in Meningococcal Serogroup C Bactericidal Antibody Titers in the Absence of Booster Vaccination in Previously Vaccinated Children

Background: The introduction of meningococcal serogroup C (MenC) conjugate vaccines in the United Kingdom and Australia led to an impressive decline in the incidence of invasive disease. This study examined bactericidal antibody titers over time in the UK and Australian children who received a MenC conjugate vaccine in early childhood to test the hypothesis that ongoing boosting of immunity in the absence of further doses of vaccine in some children may contribute to ongoing protection from disease. Methods: Serum bactericidal assay using rabbit complement (rSBA) titers at each follow-up visit were compared with all preceding visits to identify any ≥4-fold rise in titers. The proportion of children with a ≥4-fold rise in rSBA titers in paired sera at any visit-to-visit comparison was calculated. Results: Of 392 children with at least one set of paired sera in the Australian cohort, 72 (18.4%) had a ≥4-fold increase in rSBA titers at least one year after vaccination, including six children (1.5%) who showed evidence of boosting twice. Of 234 children with at least one set of paired sera in the UK cohort, 39 (16.7%) had a ≥4-fold rise in rSBA titers at least one year after vaccination including 2 children (0.9%) with evidence of boosting twice. Conclusions: A substantial minority of children immunized with MenC conjugate vaccine in early childhood had a rise in bactericidal antibody titers in the years after immunization in the absence of booster vaccination. This occurs most commonly at around 6–7 years of age corresponding to school entry and greater social mixing and might indicate exposure to MenC carriage.
Sustainable Local Food Production and Consumption

Local food systems (LFS) are considered as alternative approaches to mainstream food systems in industrialized countries. The authors apply the normative concept of sustainable development as an analytical framework within which to critique and summarize common arguments in favour of LFS and to confront them with contradicting evidence from empirical case studies. Most of the expected effects turn out to be bidirectional. For sustainable implementation, tradeoffs have to be evaluated. Several path dependencies may also hamper successful implementation. It is clear that scientific evaluation is crucial for sound policy guidance. Therefore, an orientation towards holistic ex ante assessments is suggested.
Maintenance therapy with oxytocin antagonists for inhibiting preterm birth after threatened preterm labour.

BACKGROUND In some women, an episode of preterm labour settles and does not result in immediate preterm birth. Subsequent treatment with tocolytic agents such as oxytocin receptor antagonists may then have the potential to prevent the recurrence of preterm labour, prolonging gestation, and preventing the adverse consequences of prematurity for the infant. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of maintenance therapy with oxytocin antagonists administered by any route after an episode of preterm labour in order to delay or prevent preterm birth. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (June 2008), sought ongoing and unpublished trials by contacting experts in the field and searched the reference lists of relevant articles. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials comparing oxytocin antagonists with any alternative tocolytic agent, placebo or no treatment, used for maintenance therapy after an episode of preterm labour. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Standard methods of the Cochrane Collaboration and the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group were used. Two review authors independently undertook evaluation of methodological quality and extracted trial data. MAIN RESULTS This review includes one trial of 513 women. When compared with placebo, atosiban did not reduce preterm birth before 37 weeks (risk risk (RR) 0.89; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.71 to 1.12), 32 weeks (RR 0.85; 95% CI 0.47 to 1.55), or 28 weeks (RR 0.75; 95% CI 0.28 to 2.01). No difference was shown in neonatal morbidity, or perinatal mortality. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is insufficient evidence to support the use of oxytocin receptor antagonists to inhibit preterm birth after a period of threatened or actual preterm labour. Any future trials using oxytocin antagonists or other drugs as maintenance therapy for preventing preterm birth should examine a variety of important infant outcome measures, including reduction of neonatal morbidity and mortality, and long-term infant follow up. Future research should also focus on the pathophysiological pathways that precede preterm labour.
Does Board Independence Influence the Top Management Team? Evidence from Strategic Decisions Toward Internationalization

Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question/Issue: Using insights from the upper echelon perspective and agency theory, this paper examines the effects of TMT characteristics on internationalization and the moderating effect of independent directors on the TMT characteristics – internationalization relationship. Research Findings/Insights: Based on a panel of listed firms in Taiwan, this study finds positive associations of TMT tenure and international experience and a negative association of TMT age with internationalization, supporting the upper echelon perspective. There is also some support for agency theory. The findings suggest that the positive relationships of TMT tenure and international experience with internationalization are stronger as more independent directors are included on the board, supporting the view that independent directors as monitors and resource providers may offer better advice and counsel to executives and enhance their strategic action capabilities in moving toward internationalization. However, the support for agency theory is limited, as this study finds no evidence of a moderating effect of independent directors on the relationship between TMT age and internationalization. Theoretical/Academic Implications: This study contributes to corporate governance knowledge by bridging the gap in the relationship between TMT characteristics and internationalization via an empirical inquiry into the influence of independent directors on the TMT. Specifically, it reinforces the important role of the TMT in the strategic decision to internationalize and highlights the significant influence of independent directors on the TMT characteristics – internationalization relationship, expanding our understanding of the important strategic role of boards involved in TMTs' strategic action in a contextually appropriate manner. Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study suggests that the board of a firm realizing that internationalization is a necessary strategy may consider choosing executives who are younger and have a longer tenure and more international experience in order to develop and execute international operations effectively. To improve board effectiveness and the quality of corporate governance, this study also demonstrates that a firm should include more independent directors on the board.
The High-Frequency Responses of Australian Financial Futures to Unexpected Cash Rate Announcements

This study examines the high-frequency responses of Australian financial futures to monetary surprises using intra-day futures data. Using the event window method with tick data to control for the endogeneity between market interest rates and the cash rate, our empirical findings support the following. First, monetary policy announcements significantly impact not only short-term interest rate futures but also longer-term treasury security future markets. Second, the most significant responses of these markets occur in the event window that contains the policy announcement. Third, we also find that the monetary policy is not well anticipated by market participants until the Reserve Bank of Australia’s policy release.
Effect of heat treatment on transformation temperatures and bending properties of nickel-titanium endodontic instruments.

AIM To investigate the effect of heat treatment on the bending properties of nickel-titanium endodontic instruments in relation to their transformation behaviour. METHODOLOGY Nickel-titanium super-elastic alloy wire (1.00 mm Ø) was processed into a conical shape with a 0.30 mm diameter tip and 0.06 taper. The heat treatment temperature was set at 440 or 500 degrees C for a period of 10 or 30 min. Nonheat-treated specimens were used as controls. The phase transformation behaviour was examined using differential scanning calorimetry. A cantilever-bending test was used to evaluate the bending properties of the specimens. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and the Tukey-Kramer test (P = 0.05). RESULTS The transformation temperature was higher for each heat treatment condition compared with the control. Two clear thermal peaks were observed for the heat treatment at 440 degrees C. The specimen heated at 440 degrees C for 30 min exhibited the highest temperatures for M(s) and A(f), with subsequently lower temperatures observed for specimens heated at 440 degrees C for 10 min, 500 degrees C for 30 min, 500 degrees C for 10 min, and control specimens. The sample heated at 440 degrees C for 30 min had the lowest bending load values (P < 0.05), both in the elastic range (0.5 mm deflection) and in the super-elastic range (2.0 mm deflection). The influence of heat treatment time was less than that of heat treatment temperature. CONCLUSIONS Change in the transformation behaviour by heat treatment may be effective in increasing the flexibility of nickel-titanium endodontic instruments.
Do Board Characteristics Influence the Shareholders' Assessment of Risk for Small and Large Firms?

This paper investigates the association between board characteristics and shareholders' assessment of their exposure to economic and agency risks as reflected in the volatility of stock returns. Our hypotheses incorporate prior evidence that small and large firms have ‘dramatically’ different board structures, reflecting the firms' different monitoring and advising needs. We hypothesize and find evidence that only the shareholders of well-established large firms are able to generate positive net benefits, in the form of lower equity risk, from independent boards and well-connected independent directors with multiple directorships. We also find professional and formal industry degree qualifications on the board are associated with shareholders' risk assessment for some small firms consistent with the focus of small firms on building growth and scale. While we find evidence that formal industry professional affiliations (weak evidence) and MBAs provide benefits for the shareholders of large firms, there is limited evidence that financial expertise on the board systematically influences shareholders' risk assessments for small or large companies. The key conclusion from the evidence in this paper is that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to governance in relation to the board of directors may not meet the diverse needs of companies at different stages of economic development.
Economic Growth and Potential Punishment under Dictatorship

This paper explores whether the probability of being punished after losing power leads dictators to restrain their level of predation and, thus, increase economic growth. To do so, a simple model of predatory rule is developed, and the consequences of an increasing probability of punishment after loosing power explored. New data on dictators' post-exit fate have permitted to estimate the predicted probability of punishment taking place by using multinomial logit. Outgoing dictators' strength and the international context are shown to be the main determinants of post-exit scenarios. The probability of punishment is proven to have a positive and significant effect on the rate of growth of GDP under alternative specifications of growth regressions.
The Use of Advanced Simulation in the Training of Anesthesiologists to Treat Chemical Warfare Casualties

Training anesthesiologists to treat nerve gas intoxication in a mass casualty scenario is a complicated task. The scenario is an unfamiliar medical situation involving the need to decontaminate patients before providing definitive medical treatment, and the need for physical protection to the medical team before decontamination. We describe the development of a simulation-based training program. In one site of a virtual hospital, anesthesiologists were trained in initial airway and breathing resuscitation before decontamination while wearing full protective gear. In another site, they were trained in the treatment of critically-ill patients with combined conventional and chemical injuries or severe intoxication. Intubation simulators of newborn, pediatric, and adult patients, advanced full-scale simulators, and actors simulating patients were used. Initial airway, breathing, and antidotal treatment were performed successfully, with or without full protective gear. The gas mask did not interfere with orotracheal intubation, but limited effective communication within the medical team. Chemical protective gloves were the limiting factor in the performance of medical tasks such as fixing the orotracheal tube. Twenty-two participants (88%) pointed out that the simulated cases represented realistic problems in this scenario, and all 25 participants found the simulated-based training superior to previous traditional training they had in this field. Using advanced simulation, we were able to train anesthesiologists to treat nerve gas intoxication casualties and to learn about the limitations of providing medical care in this setting. IMPLICATIONS: Advanced medical simulation can be used to train anesthesiologists to treat nonconventional warfare casualties. The limitations of medical performance in full protective gear can be learned from this training.
Economic Progress, Social Regress?

A central issue in the debate regarding the relevance of social capital is whether the decline in social embeddedness that has attended modernization over the last 40 years in the United States is as harmful as Putnam, among others, claim it to be. Critics of Putnam's thesis argue that various arms-length institutions fulfil the roles performed by social capital thereby mitigating the negative impact of its recent decline. We develop a framework that provides insight into when such institutions may be adequate and when they might not. We find that if market (economic) and non-market (social) interactions differ in their payoffs but are interlinked through the modernization of the economy, the optimal level of modernization in market interactions will be higher than that in non-market interactions. Further, market supporting institutions are likely to increase the divergence between economic and social interactions since analogs for market institutions that constrain opportunistic behavior are usually nonexistent in social contexts. In this sense, economic progress may be accompanied by social regress. Copyright 2007 Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
Becoming a tutor: exploring the learning experiences and needs of novice tutors in a PBL programme

The tutor plays an important role in facilitating learning in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. This paper explored the ways that novice tutors were educated in a PBL programme at McMaster University. Thirteen novice tutors were interviewed in this qualitative, ethnographic study to identify their learning needs and culture at the entry phase of ‘becoming a tutor’. Ten tutor guides were also interviewed to provide additional information and perspectives regarding the data generated by the novice tutors. Categories that emerged were: (1) benefiting from the experience, (2) managing the challenges, (3) transitioning to a new role, (4) uncovering learning opportunities, (5) maintaining vigilance, and (6) explicating the implicit. The overarching framework that wove the categories together was that of the theme of storytelling in the teaching–learning process. Implications for practice for tutor training are addressed considering the oral tradition.