Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Taking the Time to Think: A Portrait of Reflection

This article examines the meanings that students make of self-assessment work in school. Using the portraiture method (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997) to reveal the students ’ multifaceted understandings, this article details the experiences of first and second grade children engaged in the complex work of looking at themselves as learners and thinkers. Through close observations, formal and informal interviews, and attention to children’s reflective work, the author, a researcher and former teacher in the Adventurers’ classroom, discusses the tensions children confront when they are asked to assess their thinking and their school work. As children talk about the importance of “ looking back ” as they grow, searching to find “ right ” answers, and struggling to tell “ the truth ” about themselves, they teach us that self-assessment is a challenging task — intellectually, emotionally, and relationally. They also teach us that selfassessment is a process that can help students and teachers know each other in fundamental ways. This portrait seeks to help teachers and researchers understand the cognitive and relational demands that students confront when engaged in self-reflective work in school.
Exploring the drivers of new product success for businesses in Asia: a meta-analysis

Even though a large amount of research has investigated how different factors impact new product performance in different contexts, little attention has been paid to exploring the drivers of new product success for businesses in Asia. This study therefore focuses on this issue by using a meta-analytic approach to aggregate the empirical findings of studies published before 2011. By controlling several contextual factors (product type, unit of analysis and time), the results from generalized least-squared analyses show that the predictor–performance relationships are stronger for Asian firms when the predictors are market orientation, marketing synergy, technological synergy, product advantage, product innovativeness, cross-functional integration, top management support, pre-development proficiency, technological proficiency, market potential and technological turbulence. In addition, the results also reveal that most of the performance effects of the predictors are different between low-technology and high-technology products.
Predictability of Stock Returns: Robustness and Economic Significance

This article examines the robustness of the evidence on predictability of U.S. stock returns, and addresses the issue of whether this predictability could have been historically exploited by investors to earn profits in excess of a buy-and-hold strategy in the market index. We find that the predictive power of various economic factors over stock returns changes through time and tends to vary with the volatility of returns. The degree to which stock returns were predictable seemed quite low during the relatively calm markets in the 1960s but increased to a level where, net of transaction costs it could have been exploited by investors in the volatile markets of the 1970s. Copyright 1995 by American Finance Association.
Exploring Tourists and Gatekeepers' Attitudes Towards Integrated Rural Tourism in the England–Wales Border Region

Abstract This paper investigates the perceptions of tourists and gatekeepers (such as tour operators and destination marketing organizations) on integrated rural tourism (IRT), noting their role in consuming and marketing the more recently acknowledged qualities of rurality, such as food processing, creativity and the arts, heritage and outdoor recreation. The focus is on the potential for IRT development in the England–Wales border region, an atypical tourist destination, peripheral in character and lacking a consolidated tradition of well-established destinations. Results from tourist questionnaires suggest that their overall experience in the region is positive, but one that can improve further with progress on the key dimensions of IRT. Findings also indicate that, while the national border presents a unique opportunity for cooperative branding and marketing efforts, only a few gatekeepers are capitalizing on the brand of the ‘Marches’ (the border) to promote the market and visual presence of the region, both nationally and internationally.
Non-Production-Related Effort and the Limits of Contracting

Empirical and behavioral research suggests that workers don't always see work only as a means of obtaining income in return for production-related effort. Rather, they also exert nonproduction-related effort in order to obtain greater control over their jobs, achieve balance with non-work activities and to further such personal goals as flexibility, self-growth and jobsatisfaction. By contrast, the large accounting literature on incentive mechanism design has focused solely on production-related effort, making the implicit assumption that omitting nonproduction-related effort is without loss of generality. In this paper we develop a model with both types of effort in order to endogenously determine whether non-production-related effort impacts the ability of the firm to achieve its goal through incentive contracts. We show that while introducing non-production-related effort to the principal/agent model limits the power of contracting — meaning that the firm cannot guarantee that it can achieve its desired productionrelated effort and profit goals — that is not to say that the firm will always be worse off. Depending on the nature of the interaction between the two kinds of effort and their impact on the worker's utility, it is also conceivable that both firm and worker become better off than the standard principal/agent model would predict.
Prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor D in breast carcinoma with long-term follow-up.

PURPOSE Expression of angiogenic and lymphangiogenic factors by tumors may influence the route of metastatic spread. The angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth D (VEGF-D) is implicated in the development of lymphatic vessels and promotion of lymphatic metastases. The purpose of this study is to determine whether VEGF-D correlates with lymph node metastasis or prognosis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We assessed VEGF-D expression using immunohistochemistry in 105 invasive breast carcinomas with long-term follow-up. The relationship among VEGF-D expression, lymph node status, and other established clinicopathological parameters was assessed. Whether VEGF-D expression plays prognostic role in breast cancer was also investigated. RESULTS VEGF-D expression was identified in 86 cases (81.9%). Positive VEGF-D was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0238) and high c-erbB-2 expression (P = 0.0211). Survival curves determined by the Kaplan-Meier method and univariate analysis demonstrated that positive VEGF-D was associated with both disease-free survival (P = 0.0023) and overall survival (P = 0.0222). In multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model, positive emerged as an independent indicator for disease-free survival (P = 0.0452). CONCLUSIONS VEGF-D expression is associated with lymph node metastasis and may be a novel prognostic factor in breast cancer. VEGF-D may be useful in the treatment of breast cancer as a decision-making biomarker for aggressive treatment after operation.
Integrating workplace affect with psychological contract breach and employees' attitudes

Contributing to the exploration of the role of emotions/affect in the employee-employer relationship, a study of 250 white-collar and blue-collar workers from eight public- and private-sector organizations in Pakistan integrated affective reactions (psychological contract violation and affective commitment) with the concept of psychological contract breach and work attitudes. The researchers found that affective reactions are elicited by employees' experience of breach of psychological contract and have negative effects on work attitudes, specifically job satisfaction and turnover intention. Their results, which may be generalized to other developing countries in South Asia, also showed that affective reactions mediate the direct relationship between psychological contract breach and workplace attitudes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Empirical Examination of Dividend Policy Following Debt Issues

Abstract This paper empirically examines the underinvestment problem and the use of dividends to expropriate lenders' wealth. Rather than analyzing the market's reaction to potential wealthexpropriating events, a different aspect of potential conflicts of interest is addressed: do managers who control dividends act in a manner consistent with wealth expropriation? If so, then debt issues should be followed by increases in dividends. Two samples of firms are used: those issuing straight debt and those issuing convertible debt. The study finds no evidence that firms manipulate dividend policy to transfer wealth from the bondholders to stockholders. Two possible explanations are suggested. First, wealth expropriation may be a potential problem, but existing bond covenants restricting a firm's ability to pay dividends are effective. Second, firms may believe that reputation has greater value than what can be transferred from creditors in a one-time expropriation of wealth. Since the paper fails to find support for the covenant argument, it concludes that reputation is the most plausible explanation.
Arachidonic acid and its metabolites are involved in the expression of neocortical spike‐and‐wave spindling episodes in DBA/2J mice

This work was undertaken to study the effects of dexamethasone, indometacin and mifepristone plus dexamethasone on the neocortical spike‐and‐wave spindling episodes (S&W) in the electrocorticogram of DBA/2J mice. Our data indicate that both dexamethasone and indometacin (1, 10, 100 μg kg−1, i.p.) reduced the S&W of DBA/2J mice. This effect appeared 30 min after drug administration and lasted for the duration of the recording period (240 min). Mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist (1, 10, 100 μg kg−1, i.p.), injected 2 h before dexamethasone, totally blocked the steroid effect. These results indicate that both dexamethasone and indometacin significantly reduce the S&W of DBA/2J mice, suggesting a possible involvement of arachidonic acid and its metabolites in the development of brain excitability.
Entrepreneurial marketing and accommodation businesses in East Peninsular Malaysia

The development of tourism and the hospitality industry has paved the way for the proliferation in this region of many small- and medium-accommodation businesses, which are usually dependent on the attractiveness of tourism products offered in each tourist destination. The present study focuses on the entrepreneurial marketing aspect of accommodation businesses in three urban cities and islands in East Peninsular Malaysia. Mixed-method research was conducted on 64 urban hotels and 52 island chalet operators in East Peninsular Malaysia. The results indicate that urban operators are more entrepreneurial than island operators. To remain competitive, urban operators adopt various marketing practices. Different tourist destinations attract different tourist profiles and deploy different marketing strategies. The present study explores in detail the significant differences in the types of entrepreneurial marketing practiced by urban and island operators.
“Should They Dance with the One Who Brung 'Em?” Latinos and the 2008 Presidential Election

Although Latinos have grown substantially as a percent of the American population to now comprise the largest ethnic-racial minority group in the U.S., whether or not this national population growth can translate into direct political influence in presidential elections has always been unclear (DeSipio 1996; Fraga and Ramírez 2003–04). At least since the 1988 election, however, scholars of Latino politics have argued that Latino voters could serve as key swing voters if certain contextual and strategic conditions existed in specific contests (Guerra 1992). Among these are: a competitive election in states where Latinos are a determinative segment of the electorate; strategic mobilization of Latino voters; active engagement in the election by Latino elected officials, related organizational leaders, and Latino campaign strategists; a viable Latino candidate; and issues of specific relevance to Latino voters (Guerra and Fraga 1996).
The construction and characteristics of a BAC library for Cucumis sativus L. ‘B10’

Cloning using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) can yield high quality genomic libraries, which are used for the physical mapping, identification and isolation of genes, and for gene sequencing. A BAC genomic library was constructed from high molecular weight DNA (HMW DNA) obtained from nuclei of the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Borszczagowski; B10 line). The DNA was digested with the HindIII restriction enzyme and ligated into the pCC1BAC vector. The library consists of 34,560 BAC clones with an average insert size of 135 kb, and 12.7x genome coverage. Screening the library for chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA content indicated an exceptionally low 0.26% contamination with chloroplast DNA and 0.3% with mitochondrial DNA.
The development of scales to measure students', teachers' and scientists' views on STS.

The starting point for this work on the development of scales was an existing instrument concerned with Views on Science, Technology and Society (STS) which had been prepared in Canada. This Australian study developed scales to measure views towards Science, Technology and Society, and, it was necessary initially to specify scores to the alternative responses or views for each of the statements included in the scales used in this study. The initial scores or codes for the scales were based upon preliminary analysis and the researcher's judgment derived from a review of the literature. Subsequently, a validation study used the opinions of experts to confirm the numerical codes assigned to the responses. It was also necessary to test the items in each of the scales to see whether the model of a unidimensional scale was consistent with recorded data. It was possible to show that by using the numerical codes, the chosen items fitted well their respective scales. Once the three scales (a) effects of Society on Science and Technology (Society), (b) the effects of Science and Technology upon Society (Science), and (c) characteristics of Scientists (Scientists), had been specified and items were identified that satisfied the requirement of unidimensionality, it was possible to calibrate the three scales and the items within them using the partial credit model for Rasch scaling. The construction and calibration of these three scales permitted an investigation to proceed that involved the accurate measurement of students’, teachers’ and scientists’ views on STS. Science, technology and society, Science education, Australia, Rasch scaling, scales, validation
High-Frequency Analysis of Foreign Exchange Interventions: What Do We Learn?

The high-frequency analysis of foreign exchange dynamics is helpful in order to better identify the impact of central bank interventions. Evidence robustly shows that interventions do indeed move the exchange rate level in the desired direction. Interventions increase volatility in the short run as they are regarded as information; but they can reduce volatility overall. Ways of transmission may reach beyond the signaling channel and also include the portfolio balance and a damping channel. Finally, interventions are more successful if they obey certain conditions, such as being coordinated among central banks and going with the market and fundamentals.
Losing control, literally: Relations between anger control, trait anger, and motor control

Self-control perspectives of multiple traits have been proposed, perhaps most particularly so in the anger realm. Four studies sought to examine potential relations between anger control, trait anger, and motor control. Across the four studies, individuals (total N=366) were asked to hold a joystick cursor on a spatial target as accurately and steadily as possible and two indices of motor control were quantified. Studies 1 and 2 found that higher levels of (trait) anger control were predictive of better motor control. Studies 3 and 4 then showed that higher levels of trait anger were predictive of worse motor control. All studies also examined possible state-related influences on motor control (e.g., as a function of aversive noise), but no such effects were found. Thus, the trait-related findings were basic in nature and informative for this reason. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding personality variations in anger control and anger and the value of motoric probes of self-control.
Right prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE The efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the right prefrontal cortex for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was studied under double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions. METHOD Patients were randomly assigned to 18 sessions of real (N=10) or sham (N=8) rTMS. Treatments lasted 20 minutes, and the frequency was 1 Hz for both conditions, but the intensity was 110% of motor threshold for real rTMS and 20% for the sham condition. RESULTS No significant changes in OCD were detected in either group after treatment. Two patients who received real rTMS, with checking compulsions, and one receiving sham treatment, with sexual/religious obsessions, were considered responders. CONCLUSIONS Low-frequency rTMS of the right prefrontal cortex failed to produce significant improvement of OCD and was not significantly different from sham treatment. Further studies are indicated to assess the efficacy of rTMS in OCD and to clarify the optimal stimulation characteristics.
The Community Initiative on Depression: Report from a Multiphase Work Site Depression Intervention

Objective:We sought to further understand depression, a common, disabling condition with considerable ramifications for the workplace, including higher costs, absenteeism, and reduced work performance. Methods:A multidisciplinary health care coalition recently implemented a multiphase workplace depression initiative in Kansas City. We report results from its first phase, a 22-item, self-administered survey of depression knowledge and attitudes among employees of 13 large, local work sites. Results:There were 6,399/38,945 respondents (16% response rate). Most respondents (>90%) appropriately recognized the signs and symptoms of depression. A minority (29%) would feel comfortable discussing depression with their supervisor. Sixty-two percent knew how to access company resources for depression care. Conclusions:Employees were knowledgeable about depression but were less aware of employee-assistance programs for depression care. These findings support increased attempts to raise the awareness of depression and promote of help-seeking behavior in the workplace. Clinical Significance:Depression is a prevalent illness with risk for many deleterious outcomes if under-recognized or undertreated. Depression is a leading cause of work-related disability worldwide. Most people with depression are employed (an estimated 68%). Recognizing and initiating depression care in the workplace will facilitate depression treatment in clinical settings.
Prepayment Penalty as a Screening Mechanism for Default and Prepayment Risks

The objective of this article is to offer a theoretical model of asymmetric information to analyze the screening role of prepayment penalty. We consider both default risk and prepayment risk. What makes the role of prepayment penalty interesting and more complicated is that a borrower's contract choice could send conflicting signals to the lender about that borrower's default and prepayment risk type. This is different from earlier theoretical models of mortgage choice under asymmetric information where a certain aspect of the contract (e.g., discount points or loan‐to‐value ratio) is explored as a screening mechanism for a single risk dimension (default risk or prepayment risk) of the borrower type. We show the existence of separating equilibria where different default and prepayment risk types choose contracts with different combinations of prepayment penalty and interest rate. For certain parameter combinations, the model also generates a pooling equilibrium where all borrower types obtain the same contract. Our analysis could offer a partial explanation for the observation that contracts with prepayment penalties are a lot less prevalent than contracts with points.
Employee perception of diversity in Morocco: empirical insights

Purpose – The present paper aims to shed light on workers ' perception of diversity and their demographical characteristics as well as characteristics of their organizations. Design/methodology/approach – Descriptive statistics and multiple regression technique were used to, respectively, describe the sample and test the research hypothesis. Findings – The current study findings reveal that three variables influence employee perception about diversity within Moroccan organizations, namely, education, industry and nationality. The more employees are educated, the more positively they perceive diversity. The same logic applies to nationality and industry. Diversity is better perceived by foreign workers in Morocco and is most prevalent in the services industry. Research limitations/implications – The sample size (N = 87) is too small compared to the number of variables included in the research. Practical implications – Enhancing employees’ diversity climate perceptions may have financial and non-financial i.
Irrigation and fruit canopy position modify oil quality of olive trees (cv. Frantoio).

BACKGROUND Fruit development and oil quality in Olea europaea L. are strongly influenced by both light and water availability. In the present study, the simultaneous effects of light environment and irrigation on fruit characteristics and oil quality were studied in a high-density orchard over two consecutive years. Olive fruits were harvested from three canopy positions (intercepting approximately 64%, 42% and 30% of above canopy radiation) of fully-productive trees subjected to full, deficit or complementary irrigation. RESULTS Fruits receiving 61-67% of above canopy radiation showed the highest fruit weight, mesocarp oil content and maturation index, whereas those intercepting only 27-33% showed the lowest values. Palmitoleic and linoleic acids increased in oils obtained from fruits exposed to high light levels, whereas oleic acid and the oleic-linoleic acid ratio decreased. Neither canopy position, nor irrigation affected K232 , K270 , ΔK and the concentration of lignan in virgin olive oils (VOOs). Total phenols, 3,4-DHPEA-EDA [2-(3,4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl (3S,4E)-4-formyl-3-(2-oxoethyl)hex-4-enoate] and p-HPEA-EDA (decarboxymethyl ligstroside-aglycone) increased in VOOs produced from fruits harvested from the top of the canopy, whereas full irrigation decreased total phenols and 3,4-DHPEA-EDA concentrations with respect to the complementary irrigation treatment. CONCLUSION Light and water availability are crucial not only for tree productivity, but also they clearly affect olive oil quality. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.