Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hormonal Contraceptives and the Length of Their Use Are Not Independent Risk Factors for High-Risk HPV Infections or High-Grade CIN

Aims: To evaluate the role of hormonal contraceptives as a risk factor of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN) and cervical cancer in our multi-center population-based LAMS (Latin American Screening) study. Methods: A cohort study with >12,000 women from Brazil and Argentina using logistic regression to analyze the covariates of hormonal contraception (HOC – oral, injections, patches, implants, vaginal ring and progesterone intrauterine system) use followed by multivariate modeling for predictors of HR-HPV and CIN2+. Results: HR-HPV infection was a consistent risk factor of high-grade CIN in all three groups of women. The length of HOC use was not significantly related to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL)+ Pap (p = 0.069), LSIL+ Pap (p = 0.781) or ASCUS+ (p = 0.231). The same was true with the length of HOC use and histology CIN3+ (p = 0.115) and CIN2+ (p = 0.515). Frequently, HOC users have previously shown more HPV-related lesions, as well as lower HPV prevalence if they were current smokers. But HOC use and time of usage were not independent risk factors of either HR-HPV infection or high-grade CIN using multiple logistic regressions. Conclusions: No evidence was found for an association between the use of HOC with an increased risk for HR-HPV infection or high-grade CIN in this cohort.
When the Tail Wags the Dog: Hedge Accounting and its Influence on Financial Hedging

We analyse the application of hedge accounting and its influence on hedging behaviour in German and Swiss non-financial corporations. Of our sample companies, 72% apply hedge accounting. The likelihood of its use is associated with frequency of derivatives usage, size, IFRS experience, perceived importance of reduced earnings volatility and low growth opportunities. More than half of the companies using hedge accounting indicate that the accounting rules influence their hedging behaviour. Companies are more likely to be affected if they use derivatives only occasionally, are smaller, are highly leveraged, have dispersed shareholding, have fewer growth opportunities and hedge selectively.
Fish-oil supplementation enhances the effects of strength training in elderly women.

BACKGROUND Muscle force and functional capacity generally decrease with aging in the older population, although this effect can be reversed, attenuated, or both through strength training. Fish oil (FO), which is rich in n-3 (omega-3) PUFAs, has been shown to play a role in the plasma membrane and cell function of muscles, which may enhance the benefits of training. The effect of strength training and FO supplementation on the neuromuscular system of the elderly has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE The objective was to investigate the chronic effect of FO supplementation and strength training on the neuromuscular system (muscle strength and functional capacity) of older women. DESIGN Forty-five women (aged 64 ± 1.4 y) were randomly assigned to 3 groups. One group performed strength training only (ST group) for 90 d, whereas the others performed the same strength-training program and received FO supplementation (2 g/d) for 90 d (ST90 group) or for 150 d (ST150 group; supplemented 60 d before training). Muscle strength and functional capacity were assessed before and after the training period. RESULTS No differences in the pretraining period were found between groups for any of the variables. The peak torque and rate of torque development for all muscles (knee flexor and extensor, plantar and dorsiflexor) increased from pre- to posttraining in all groups. However, the effect was greater in the ST90 and ST150 groups than in the ST group. The activation level and electromechanical delay of the muscles changed from pre- to posttraining only for the ST90 and ST150 groups. Chair-rising performance in the FO groups was higher than in the ST group. CONCLUSIONS Strength training increased muscle strength in elderly women. The inclusion of FO supplementation caused greater improvements in muscle strength and functional capacity.
TAT CARD "12MF" AND HYPNOSIS THEMES IN FEMALES.

Abstract Modification of TAT Card 12M so that the supine figure was usually seen as female did not increase the frequency of hypnosis themes among female Ss. The hypothesis that difficulty in identifying with a male figure accounted for the card's inability to predict attitudes toward hypnosis in females was, therefore, not supported. However, the modified card elicited significantly more identifications of the standing figure as a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.
EAAE 2008 Congress- Market Driven Entrepreneurship: The Convergence of Market Orientation and the Resource Based View

The dramatically changing marketing structure for agricultural products is forcing agricultural producers to become more entrepreneurial, but what does this mean? How do agricultural producers produce sustainable competitive advantage within a commodity market characterised by homogeneous producers? The convergence of two academic literatures - Market orientation from market strategy and Resource Based View from strategic management - provide a number of insights. In this paper we lay the foundation for research into the market orientation-performance link in terms of production agriculture. Building on the previous market orientation literature, we examine its ability to create a sustainable competitive advantage using a resource based view (RBV). Focusing primarily on the U.S. beef industry, we examine these two distinct literatures in tandem and show that the concept of a market orientation meets all the necessary conditions laid out in the RBV literature to create a sustainable competitive advantage, even in a commodity marketplace such as agriculture. This convergence between these two literatures has important implications and direction for future research as we attempt to analyze and evaluate the heterogeneous responses of firm the new global agri-food business environment.
International publicity: concepts and applications

This article examines the issue of publicity within an international context. The tools and processes for a publicity campaign are similar for the domestic and foreign market, although the task of international publicity is more complex, given the various constraints posed by different foreign environments, notably cultural differences, language barriers, media availability and differing regulatory frameworks. The “standardisation” versus “adaptation” debate will be applied, albeit sparingly, to international publicity planning, bearing in mind that, as with all other communication tools, successful international publicity campaigns are largely dependent on the consideration of the peculiarities of foreign environments. The impact of these constraints in terms of strategy and planning are also considered and further areas for research identified.
Measurements and Statistical Analysis of On-Body Channel Fading at 2.45 GHz

The fading of an on-body transmission channel at 2.45 GHz is investigated. For the first time a large amount of data has been gathered in practical environments, for realistic activities, and has been subject to statistical analysis. It is clear that significant variations of the path gain and fading can occur due to the movements of body. Extensive statistical analysis has shown that fading in on-body channels is a non stationary process. This letter presents results of a number of significant statistical parameters, including level crossing rate and average fade duration.
Limited-host-range plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens: molecular and genetic analyses of transferred DNA

A tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid from a strain of Agrobacterium tumefaciens that induces tumors on only a limited range of plants was characterized and compared with the Ti plasmids from strains that induce tumors on a wide range of plants. Whereas all wide-host-range Ti plasmids characterized to date contain closely linked oncogenic loci within a single transferred DNA (T-DNA) region, homology to these loci is divided into two widely separated T-DNA regions on the limited-host-range plasmid. These two plasmid regions, TA-DNA and TB-DNA, are separated by approximately 25 kilobases of DNA which is not maintained in the tumor. The TA-DNA region resembles a deleted form of the wide-host-range TL-DNA and contains a region homologous to the cytokinin biosynthetic gene. However, a region homologous to the two auxin biosynthetic loci of the wide-host-range plasmid mapped within the TB-DNA region. These latter genes play an important role in tumor formation because mutations in these loci result in a loss of virulence on Nicotiana plants. Furthermore, the TB-DNA region alone conferred tumorigenicity onto strains with an intact set of vir genes. Our results suggest that factors within both the T-DNA and the vir regions contribute to the expression of host range in Agrobacterium species. There was a tremendous variation among plants in susceptibility to tumor formation by various A. tumefaciens strains. This variation occurred not only among different plant species, but also among different varieties of plants within the same genus.
Ways of Knowing in Nursing: The Historical Evolution of a Concept

Using^ Rodger's (2000) model of concept analysis the historical evolution of ways of knowing in nursing will be discussed. The ways of knowing in nursing will be explored through their antecedents of learning styles and knowledge, their attributes, and their consequences. The primary focus of the article is the four ways or patterns of knowing in nursing identified by Carper (1978) which have become known as nursing's epistemology. facobs-Kramer and Chinn (1997) later described these elements of the epistemology in depth with Silva, Sorrell, and Sorrell (1995) using them to explicate the ontology of nursing.
Application of Laparoscopy in the Management of Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is considered obscure when it persists or recurs after negative endoscopy. Small bowel lesions account for approximately 1-fourth of cases of obscure GI bleeding. These lack specific clinical symtoms and signs, and tend to be inaccessible to routine examinations. The management of patients with intermittent obscure GI bleeding poses both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. The aim of this study was to report the importance of laparoscopy in diagnosing and treating small bowel lesions responsible for obscure bleeding in 5 patients with subacute presentations. Data were collected from 2 hospitals' in-patient records and a prospective database. All patients underwent laparoscopic exploration. After the identification of the diseased segments, laparoscopy-assisted segmental resection of the small bowel and enteroentorostomy were carried out in all cases. This approach enabled a successful minimally invasive treatment of the obscure GI bleeding. The overall procedure was safe and our results were satisfactory.
Actuarial Fairness of Crop Insurance Rates with Constant Rate Relativities

Increased availability and demand for low-deductible crop insurance policies have increased focus on crop insurance rating methods. Actuarial fairness cannot be achieved if constant multiplicative factors are used to determine how premiums change as coverage levels increase. A comparison of premium rates generated by the factors used by the two most popular crop insurance products with those generated by a standard yield distribution shows that the popular insurance products overcharge for low-deductible policies in most counties. This overpricing may explain why large premium subsidies were required to induce farmers to move from low-deductible to high-deductible policies beginning in 2001.
Incidence of the involvement of the cardiovascular system in HIV infection

The epidemiology of cardiac complications related to HIV, including cardiomyopathy, increased left ventricular mass, myocarditis, pericardial effusion, endocarditis, and malignancy, are discussed. An increased number of HIV-infected individuals may present with cardiac complications in the next decade as chronic viral infection, co-infections, drug therapy, and immunosuppression affect the heart. Understanding the nature and course of cardiac illness related to HIV infection may allow appropriate monitoring, early intervention and therapy, and will provide a baseline to evaluate the effects of new therapeutic regimens such as highly active antiretroviral therapy on the cardiovascular system.
Universities as sources of information: comparing the role of 'open innovation' and companies' motivations

The paper investigated the role Universities play as sources of information for companies' innovation. This study compared the explanations proposed by the 'open innovation' literature with those suggested by the 'resource view' of the firm, concluding that the way 'open innovation' variables have been constructed should be questioned and the 'resource view' theory should be augmented with innovation motivations, as companies rely on universities to source knowledge not generally available within companies' technological paradigm.
Administrative or survey data for measuring organizational performance: what's the difference?

Debate about the best way to measure performance in studies of management in public organizations is longstanding. We address this topic through a review of the evidence from 93 studies that use administrative and/or survey measures of organizational performance. We find that administrative data typically reflect the performance judgements of government (at the central, regional and local level) and regulators, while survey data is based on the perceptions of citizens, service users and public sector managers. We undertake a critical review of the twelve articles that use both administrative and survey measures of organizational performance. This reveals limited differences in the impact of management variables on the two types of performance measures. However, in those studies using survey measures, management variables are more likely to have a positive link with the performance judgements of service consumers than the judgements of managers themselves. This implies that public managers may underestimate their impact on citizens’ perceptions of organizational performance.
Dividend Policy at the Amman Stock Exchange:The Stability Issue during 1995-2005

The issue of the financing choice of firms and their dividend policies are important because the cost of capital and hence the value of firms depend on these financial choices. Based on this, one can argue for the importance of understanding dividend policy in the developing countries. The primary objective of this paper is to determine whether or not listed Jordanian companies have stable cash dividend policy. In addition, this paper compares the cash dividend policy of the various sectors in Jordan. Based on the time period 1995 - 2005, and panel data analysis, the results indicate that listed Jordanian companies follow stable policies albeit at a lesser degree than companies which operate in advanced countries.
Review of Literature on Factors Influencing Public Sector Disclosure: The Way Forward

This study aims to review the development of research undertaken in understanding the factors influencing public sector disclosure and to suggest future research in this area. This study focuses on academic online databases by conducting keyword searches which are supplemented by backward and forward searching techniques. Relevant articles found are then reviewed and discussed based on four phases of their publication period: prior to 1990, from 1990 to 1999, from 2000 to 2009, and from 2010 and after. Three important observations are made. First, studies on US dominated research in this area but in recent years, more European and other developed countries are being included. Second, a vast majority of these studies tend to focus on local authorities. Third, the financial aspect of disclosure appears to be receiving the greatest attention but it is noted that researchers are starting to show a greater interest in reporting the concept of sustainability. From these observations, it is suggested that more studies be conducted on developing countries and other types of governments besides those carried out on local governments. Apart from focusing on financial disclosures, it is also recommended that future research should look at other aspects such as accountability disclosure.Keywords: Disclosure, Factors, Literature Review, Motivations, Public Sector, ReportingJEL Classification: M41, M48, H83
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY: EVIDENCE FROM THE CZECH AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

Agriculture is an important sector of the economy which is often monitored by the government and which is often subject of international disputes. Given the importance of this sector, it is necessary to measure its performance. In this article, we calculated and compared the development of two measures of performance of the agricultural sector of the Czech Republic: the total factor productivity measured by the Fisher index of productivity, and the financial performance measured by three profitability ratios: return on equity, return on assets and return on sales. It is considered that productivity and financial performance do not necessarily move in the same direction. However, we observed a connection between these measures and suggested that this dependence is due to the data interrelatedness. We suggest that total factor productivity, when measured by monetary aggregates such as value added, will be positively correlated to the financial profitability ratios when measured on the basis of the same data. However, for the Czech sector, data are not available due to the transition from the centrally-planned economy to the market economy in 1989 and a turbulent development since that time
Improvement of glucose production by raw starch degradingenzyme utilizing acid-treated sago starch as substrate

The native sago starch exists as a compact crystalline structure and is not efficiently hydrolyzed by Raw Starch Degrading Enzyme (RSDE). In order to enhance its hydrolysability, the starch was treated with acid and heated below its gelatinization temperature, thus increasing the accessibility of the sago starch granule to enzymatic attack. Results showed that treatment of sago starch with acid at pH 2.0 and temperature 65 o C for 2 hours greatly enhanced its conversion rate to glucose from 53.3% to 71.9%. It is clearly shown that high yield of glucose is produced during hydrolysis of acid-treated sago starch using the Raw Starch Degrading Enzyme from Acremonium sp. The difference between the acid-treated and untreated sago starch in this study could be due to the differences on the surface of the sago starch granule which may influence the accessibility and diffusion of enzyme into the starch during hydrolysis.
A Trillion Dollar Question: What Predicts Student Loan Delinquencies?

The recent significant increase in student loan delinquencies has generated interest in understanding the key factors predicting the non-performance of these loans. However, despite the large size of the student loan market, existing analyses have been limited by data. This paper studies predictors of student loan delinquencies using a nationally representative panel dataset that anonymously combines individual credit bureau records with Pell Grant and Federal student loan recipient information, records on college enrollment, graduation and major, and school characteristics. We show that borrower-level credit characteristics are important predictors of student loan delinquencies. In particular, credit scores of young borrowers are highly predictive of future student loan delinquencies, even when measured well before borrowers enter repayment. In marked contrast, our results point to only a limited power of student debt levels in predicting future student loan credit events. Our findings have potentially useful practical implications. For example, access to credit file information when borrowers exit school could help to more effectively target student loan borrowers who might benefit from enrolling in income-driven repayment or loan modification plans.
Customer involvement and interaction in retail banking: an examination of risk and confidence in the purchase of financial products

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to examine bank customer involvement and the importance of risk when contemplating the purchase of financial products.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a discussion of the literature on customer involvement, risk and interaction forms the basis for a series of focus discussion groups and facilitates the design of a questionnaire. The questionnaire is used to collect information on bank customer involvement and confidence when purchasing a comprehensive range of financial products. The data is analysed using cluster analysis.Findings – The paper finds that the clusters provide evidence to suggest that the market consist of a number of distinctive customer segments. Although the research suggests that the market might be changing and becoming more “active”, the majority of bank customers are still essentially “passive”. Research limitations/implications – The sample size means that it is not fully representative of the UK banking population. The findings also ra.
Analysis of Multi-objective Decision of Marketing Scheme of New Products in Super-competition Era

The characteristics of new products marketing in super-competition era were discussed from the perspectives of the limitation of marketing strategy,diversity of marketing intention,complexity of marketing mode.The multi-objective fuzzy decision model of marketing schemes of new products were set up.The decision basis of marketing schemes of new products in super-competition era was proposed.
The impact of subclinical hypothyroidism on anthropometric characteristics , lipid , glucose and hormonal profile of PCOS patients : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is encountered in 10–25% of women with PCOS. To date, it remains unclear whether this coexistence influences the severity of metabolic and hormonal profile of these patients. The purpose of our systematic review is to investigate this potential relation. Methods: We systematically searched Medline, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and Google Scholar databases together with reference lists from included studies. All prospective and retrospective observational cohort studies that investigated the impact of subclinical hypothyroidism on hormonal and metabolic parameters of PCOS patients were included. The methodological quality of studies was assessed with the Ottawa–Newcastle criteria. Statistical meta-analysis was performed with the RevMan 5.3 software. Results: Twelve studies were finally included in the present review, which enrolled 2341 PCOS patients. Among them, 577 had subclinical hypothyroidism, whereas the remaining 2077 were PCOS women with normal thyroid function. The presence of SCH significantly affected HDL (MD –3.92 mg/dL 95% CI: –6.56, –1.29) and triglycerides levels (26.91 mg/dL 95% CI: –3.79, 50.02). HOMA-IR was also affected (MD 0.82 95% CI: 0.15, 1.50). On the other hand, LDL, fasting glucose and 2-h OGTT were not influenced. Similarly, prolactin, FSH, LH, LH/FSH ratio and sex hormone-binding globulin remained unaffected. Conclusion: Subclinical hypothyroidism does not influence the hormonal profile of women with PCOS. On the other hand, it results in mild metabolic abnormalities, which are not clinically important in a short-term setting.