Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Preference of Women and Men Regarding Female Genital Depilation

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the preferences of women and men regarding female pubic hair depilation and identify possible reasons for these preferences. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of men and women over 18 years old who were invited by the official blog of our institution to respond anonymously to an online and self-administered questionnaire made by the researchers. The analyses were made using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS, SAS Inc., Cary, NC, US) software, version 9.3, and contingency tables were used to verify the distribution of variables. The univariate statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson chi-squared test, and the differences for values of p < 0.05 were considered significant. Results We obtained data from 69,920 subjects (52,787 women and 17,133 men). The mean age was 31.9 years for men, and 28.5 years for women. Most women (64.3%) and men (62.2%) preferred complete removal of female pubic hair, and this preference was more pronounced in younger women and men. Most women reported performing depilation at home (55.8%), with 44.4% using hot wax and 40.1% using a razor blade. About half of the women (44.7%) and men (50.1%) reported sexual activity, having intercourse 2 to 3 times per week. The frequency of intercourse and sexual satisfaction in women correlated with total pubic hair removal. Conclusion Most Brazilian women and men prefer the complete removal of female pubic hair, especially those who are younger and more sexually active. Women who are satisfied with the appearance of their own genitalia have a stronger preference for complete removal of pubic hair.
Enhancing self-efficacy to enable entrepreneurship: The case of CMI’s Connections

Enhancing levels of innovation and entrepreneurship to grow a more competitive economy is the focus of much government effort. Attention is paid to changing a culture seen as antagonistic to entrepreneurship through initiatives designed to promote an entrepreneurial spirit. Universities, aware of the importance of developing entrepreneurial potential, are focusing on equipping students with the skills and abilities to contribute to innovation within organisations they join upon graduation, while also providing opportunities for the development of student aspirations. Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI) has developed a one week event designed to influence deep personal values and the underlying motivations of potential entrepreneurs. This paper reports on the Connections course content as it was offered at the University of Strathclyde in 2003, content premised on the belief that students are motivated to start new enterprises through enhancement of self-confidence in their entrepreneurial skills. Measures of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and other outcomes are offered, followed by a report of the results found at the end of the event and then six months later. The programme is found to have created enduring improvements in entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and a related strengthening of pre-entrepreneurial awareness and exploration of ideas for starting companies. Other assessment results are presented suggesting the need to include explicit course content on entrepreneurial career paths. The implications of the Connections findings for entrepreneurship teaching in general are discussed.
Analytical investigation of marine casualties at the Strait of Istanbul with SWOT–AHP method

The Strait of Istanbul is one of the most dangerous and busiest sea passages, according to its narrowness, sharp turns, currents, heavy traffic and many other important factors. Despite the latest precautions, marine incidents still occur, especially in narrow seaways. This study shows that a management tool that is specifically applied for reducing marine casualties and consequently enhancement of safety and ship management performance can be used to prevent accidents and casualties in maritime transportation. In this study, factors which affect marine casualties examined and determined with SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis method and weighting of the factors determined by using the AHP (analytic hierarchy process) method. With this approach, strategic action plans were developed for minimizing shipping casualties at the Strait of Istanbul, taking into account the weighting factors and previously happened accidents.
Usability Evaluation of a Learning Management System

In this paper current usability evaluation methods are systematically examined and assessed. Thereupon, suitable evaluation methods are selected and applied in the evaluation of a learning management system. Usability evaluation methods can be distinguished in analytical and empirical procedures with either summative or formative objectives. A case example in the form of a usability evaluation of a learning management system is presented. The co-active e-learning platform koaLA provides teaching and learning material and integrates Web 2.0-technologies such as wikis, weblogs and forums. A cross-sectional survey revealed that although koaLA offers collaborative features, the majority of users of all user groups does not use them. Recommendations for koaLA are derived based on the qualitative and quantitative data from the survey.
The Effect of Evidence Strength and Internal Rewards on Intentions to Report Fraud in the Dodd-Frank Regulatory Environment

SUMMARY: There are many unanswered questions and concerns regarding the consequences of the fraud whistleblowing environment created by the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and Dodd-Frank Acts. While SOX requires audit committees to implement anonymous internal reporting channels, the Dodd-Frank Act offers substantial monetary incentives that encourage reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). To mitigate concerns that employees might bypass internal channels, some companies are considering offering internal whistleblowing incentives. However, it is unclear how internal incentives will affect employee whistleblowing behavior. We experimentally examine the impact of an internal incentive on employees' intentions to report fraud. Across treatments, we find a greater likelihood of reporting internally than to the SEC. Evidence strength interacts with the presence of an internal incentive such that SEC reporting intentions are greatest when evidence is strong and an internal incentive is present. When ev.
A Note on Job Tenure and Collective Contracts

This paper analyses the relationship between individual tenure and the application of collective contracts at the firm level under the specific institutional settings in Germany. The empirical approach is based on a multilevel model and a linked employer-employee data set for the years 1990, 1995, and 2001. The main result is that elapsed tenure is longer in firms applying collective contracts than in companies with individual wage setting: workers in firms with collective contracts benefit not only from higher wages, but also from higher job stability. Furthermore, we find no significant changes in mean tenure during the 1990s as well as stable differences across wage-setting regimes. Copyright 2008 The Authors.
Does Intelligence Improve Environmental Sustainability? An Empirical Test

We explore the effect of intelligence on environmental sustainability, using data from more than 150 nations over the period 2000–2014, taking into consideration various control variables as documented in related studies. Our measure of intelligence is national IQ scores. The results show that a 10‐point increase in national IQ scores yields a 12‐point increase in sustainability, measured by the Environmental Performance Index. We also document that the intelligence–environment association varies with GDP per capita levels. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Characterization of MOCS1A, an Oxygen-sensitive Iron-Sulfur Protein Involved in Human Molybdenum Cofactor Biosynthesis*

The human proteins MOCS1A and MOCS1B catalyze the conversion of a guanosine derivative to precursor Z during molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis. MOCS1A shares homology with S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent radical enzymes, which catalyze the formation of protein and/or substrate radicals by reductive cleavage of AdoMet through a [4Fe-4S] cluster. Sequence analysis of MOCS1A showed two highly conserved cysteine motifs, one near the N terminus and one near the C terminus. MOCS1A was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and purified under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Individual mutations of the conserved cysteines to serine revealed that all are essential for synthesis of precursor Z in vivo. The type and properties of the iron-sulfur (FeS) clusters were investigated using a combination of UV-visible absorption, variable temperature magnetic circular dichroism, resonance Raman, Mössbauer, and EPR spectroscopies coupled with iron and acid-labile sulfide analyses. The results indicated that anaerobically purified MOCS1A is a monomeric protein containing two oxygen-sensitive FeS clusters, each coordinated by only three cysteine residues. A redox-active [4Fe-4S]2+,+ cluster is ligated by an N-terminal CX3CX2C motif as is the case with all other AdoMet-dependent radical enzymes investigated thus far. A C-terminal CX2CX13C motif that is unique to MOCS1A and its orthologs primarily ligates a [3Fe-4S]0 cluster. However, MOCS1A could be reconstituted in vitro under anaerobic conditions to yield a form containing two [4Fe-4S]2+ clusters. The N-terminal [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster was rapidly degraded by oxygen via a semistable [2Fe-2S]2+ cluster intermediate, and the C-terminal [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster was rapidly degraded by oxygen to yield a semistable [3Fe-4S]0 cluster intermediate.
The stability of cigarette demand

The relative effects of various governmental interventions upon cigarette consumption is important to policy-makers. Historically, the demand for cigarettes has been quite unstable. Previous studies employ fixed parameter models and use dummy variables associated with interventions to stabilize the demand function. In contrast, we use a varying parameter model aplied to data from the United States for 1953–84 to investigate the stability of demand and show that the demand function is stabilized when dummy variables are employed. Our results suggest that industry advertising increases aggregate consumption while government interventions decrease it. However, the marginal effect of government warnings seems to be small, at least in the US: while the effect of the 1964 health warning is statistically significant, the effect of the 1979 health warning is not.
The Financial Crisis of 2007–2009: Why Did It Happen and What Did We Learn?

This review of the literature on the 2007–2009 crisis discusses the precrisis conditions, the crisis triggers, the crisis events, the real effects, and the policy responses to the crisis. The precrisis conditions contributed to the housing price bubble and the subsequent price decline that led to a counterparty-risk crisis in which liquidity shrank due to insolvency concerns. The policy responses were influenced both by the initial belief that it was a market-wide liquidity crunch and the subsequent learning that insolvency risk was a major driver. I suggest directions for future research and possible regulatory changes.
Industrial Relations in Greenfield Sites

There is a popular stereotype that at greenfield sites managers practice, and sustain over time new forms of human resource management and that in doing so they obtain highly positive performance outcomes. A persisting theme in this stereotype is that greenfield sites are characterised by a highly collaborative form of employee relations and that they are largely strike and conflict free. The aim of this paper is to test the stereotype by reviewing what is known about the subject. Existing research on greenfield sites is places within a broad conceptual framework, key issues are highlighted and gaps in our knowledge identified. The discussion in foreign-owned firms; how well greenfield sites cope with the ageing process; and the industrial relations and human resource outcomes obtained in greenfield sites. The review finds that most research ignores the last two issues. At present it is impossible to conclude with confidence that IR/HR practices adopted in these firms are any more effective than traditional systems. There is also little or no evidence about how greenfield site practices adapt over time. The review provides the point of departures for research being undertaken at the LSE''s Centre for Economic Performance; the research agenda is briefly discussed.
Antecedents of Principal–Agent Relationship Value: The Differential Impact of Social Capital and Dynamic Learning Factors

Although the critical role of relationship value to business has been widely acknowledged, a review of the extant literature reveals that understanding on antecedents of relationship value is limited to relationship-specific factors, and impacts of key customer relationship value on performance still await empirical substantiation. Grounded in dynamic learning capability and social capital perspective, this study collected a sample of 411 principal–agent relationships to examine the relative impact of predictors in creating relationship values from the supplier angle. The result shed light on the significant mediating role of dynamic learning over the linkage between social capital and relationship value.
Response to Travel Information: A Behavioural Review

Abstract Innovation in information and communication technologies (ICTs) is providing us with a myriad of travel information sources. Knowledge on the influence of information on human travel behaviour (mainly route and mode choice) and their implications on network levels of service remains fragmented. We distinguish between experiential, descriptive, and prescriptive information sources. We draw on recently developed theoretical concepts in behavioural and cognitive sciences to examine the state of the knowledge on information and travel behaviour. Key theoretical concepts used to explore the relationship between information and travel behaviour include: reinforced learning; framing; risk and loss aversion; probability weighting; affect; anchoring and ambiguity aversion; and regret aversion. We review studies focusing on individual travel behaviour as well as network studies involving collective behaviours. While information seems to assist individual travellers in coping with uncertainty, the impacts relating to collective behaviour on networks remain unclear. Many open questions remain, yet research provides important insights and suggests that ICTs will enable the design of persuasive information systems that motivate cooperative and efficient use of the transportation network beyond what is possible today.
E-commerce trading activity and the SME sector: an FSB perspective

Purpose – This study aims to examine e-commerce within UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, it seeks to explore associations between e-commerce and internal and external antecedents including trading behaviour, owner/manager characteristics, innovation, public sector involvement, business advice and finance sources. Design/methodology/approach – An 8,500+ sample derived from the 2008 UK Federation of Small Businesses survey was utilised. An OLS regression equation was generated where the percentage of sales made using e-commerce constituted the dependent variable. Independent variables were constructed for several sets of factors including innovation, business advice and sources of finance, as well as a range of owner and SME typology variables. Findings – The results suggest that e-commerce is more strongly apparent in SMEs started from scratch and where they were involved in basic or high knowledge services or the tourist trade. SMEs undertaking e-commerce were also associate.
PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS RESULTING FROM INSTABILITIES IN PHYSIOLOGICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS *

A large number of human diseases are characterized by changes in the qualitative dynamics of physiological control systems: Systems that normally oscillate. stop oscillating, or begin to oscillate in a new and unexpected fashion, and systems that normally d o not oscillate, begin oscillating. These changes in qualitative dynamics often have a sudden onset, and in many instances it has not been possible to identify the factors that lead to the disease. By dynarnical disease we mean a disease that occurs in an intact physiological control system operating in a range of control parameters that leads to abnormal dynamics and human p a t h ~ l o g y . ~ ’ In this paper, the changes in qualitative dynamics associated with the onset of the disease are identified with bifurcations in the dynamics of mathematical models of the physiological control systems. We shall consider in some detail dynamical diseases in the respiratory and haematopoietic systems. Our starting point is the ordinary differential equation
Development of an optimal contracting strategy using genetic algorithms in the England and Wales standing reserve market

This paper presents a genetic algorithm (GA)-based economic contracting strategy for optimal selection of tenders in the England and Wales standing reserve market. The aim of the contracting strategy is three fold-first, to identify potential tenders to be contracted, second, to determine the volume of electric power that each tender should supply, and thirdly how often they should provide the service. The third issue is easy to deal with using a contracting strategy where all tenders bid for a full service window (fixed tenders); however, it becomes troublesome if tenders are allowed to bid for a flexible, partial service window (flexible tenders). In this paper, a GA strategy with a special encoding scheme, order-based crossover and mutation operators (OBGA), has been developed to deal with flexible tenders within the tender selection process. The proposed method has been investigated using four test cases, with different tender flexibility and constraints. The test results clearly demonstrate that the OBGA performs as well as the conventional GA when all tenders bid for fixed contracts; however, OBGA gradually outperforms the conventional GA as the number of flexible tenders progressively increases.
Back to the Ordinalist Revolution: Behavioral Economic Concerns in Early Modern Consumer Choice Theory

The paper argues that theoretical work on consumer choice theory during the early 20th century addressed some of the same issues discussed in recent behavioral economics. This is not generally recognized because the discussion was tied up with the integrability question, the theoretical framework did not involve risky choice or expected utility theory, and the relevant evidence was introspective rather than experimental. The paper makes the case for the similarity and discusses why it is important.
Self-Silencing and Age as Risk Factors for Sexually Acquired HIV in Midlife and Older Women

Objectives: This study explores the contribution of psychosocial factors on sex behaviors of midlife and older women. Methods: A community-based sample of ethnically diverse women (N = 572) between the ages of 50 and 93 completed standardized measures of self-silencing, self-esteem, sensation-seeking behavior, HIV-related stigma behavior, sexual assertiveness, and safer sex behaviors. Results : Results from the regression analysis indicated the model significantly predicted safer sex behaviors (p < .001), with self-silencing (β = —.115, p < .05) and age (β = .173, p < .001) as significant predictors. Bivariate correlation analysis indicated an inverse correlation between HIV stigma (p < .05) and safer sex behaviors. Discussion: Implications for further study and practice are discussed to include considerations for development of age- and gender-appropriate prevention interventions assisting women with interpersonal processes combined with skills for active involvement in addressing high-risk sex behaviors.
The neuroinflammatory response in humans after traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. An epidemiological association between head injury and long‐term cognitive decline has been described for many years and recent clinical studies have highlighted functional impairment within 12 months of a mild head injury. In addition chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a recently described condition in cases of repetitive head injury. There are shared mechanisms between traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer's disease, and it has been hypothesized that neuroinflammation, in the form of microglial activation, may be a mechanism underlying chronic neurodegenerative processes after traumatic brain injury.
AHA! An open Adaptive Hypermedia Architecture

Abstract Hypermedia applications generate comprehension and orientation problems due to their rich link structure. Adaptive hypermedia tries to alleviate these problems by ensuring that the links that are offered and the content of the information pages are adapted to each individual user. This is done by maintaining a user model. Most adaptive hypermedia systems are aimed at one specific application. They provide an engine for maintaining the user model and for adapting content and link structure. They use a fixed screen layout that may include windows (HTML frames) for an annotated table of contents, an overview of known or missing knowledge, etc. Such systems are typically closed and difficult to reuse for very different applications. We present AHA, an open Adaptive Hypermedia Architecture that is suitable for many different applications. This paper concentrates on the adaptive hypermedia engine, which maintains the user model and which filters content pages and link structures accordingly. The engine.
Influence of late Quaternary climate change on present patterns of genetic variation in valley oak, Quercus lobata Née

Phylogeography and ecological niche models (ENMs) suggest that late Quaternary glacial cycles have played a prominent role in shaping present population genetic structure and diversity, but have not applied quantitative methods to dissect the relative contribution of past and present climate vs. other forces. We integrate multilocus phylogeography, climate‐based ENMs and multivariate statistical approaches to infer the effects of late Quaternary climate change on contemporary genetic variation of valley oak (Quercus lobata Née). ENMs indicated that valley oak maintained a stable distribution with local migration from the last interglacial period (~120 ka) to the Last Glacial Maximum (~21 ka, LGM) to the present compared with large‐scale range shifts for an eastern North American white oak (Quercus alba L.). Coast Range and Sierra Nevada foothill populations diverged in the late Pleistocene before the LGM [104 ka (28–1622)] and have occupied somewhat distinct climate niches, according to ENMs and coalescent analyses of divergence time. In accordance with neutral expectations for stable populations, nuclear microsatellite diversity positively correlated with niche stability from the LGM to present. Most strikingly, nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite variation significantly correlated with LGM climate, even after controlling for associations with geographic location and present climate using partial redundancy analyses. Variance partitioning showed that LGM climate uniquely explains a similar proportion of genetic variance as present climate (16% vs. 11–18%), and together, past and present climate explains more than geography (19%). Climate can influence local expansion–contraction dynamics, flowering phenology and thus gene flow, and/or impose selective pressures. These results highlight the lingering effect of past climate on genetic variation in species with stable distributions.