Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Five Things You Should Know about Cost Overrun

This paper gives an overview of good and bad practice for understanding and curbing cost overrun in large capital investment projects, with a critique of Love and Ahiaga-Dagbui (2018) as point of departure. Good practice entails: (a) Consistent definition and measurement of overrun; in contrast to mixing inconsistent baselines, price levels, etc. (b) Data collection that includes all valid and reliable data; as opposed to including idiosyncratically sampled data, data with removed outliers, non-valid data from consultancies, etc. (c) Recognition that cost overrun is systemically fat-tailed; in contrast to understanding overrun in terms of error and randomness. (d) Acknowledgment that the root cause of cost overrun is behavioral bias; in contrast to explanations in terms of scope changes, complexity, etc. (e) De-biasing cost estimates with reference class forecasting or similar methods based in behavioral science; as opposed to conventional methods of estimation, with their century-long track record of inaccuracy and systemic bias. Bad practice is characterized by violating at least one of these five points. Love and Ahiaga-Dagbui violate all five. In so doing, they produce an exceptionally useful and comprehensive catalog of the many pitfalls that exist, and must be avoided, for properly understanding and curbing cost overrun.
Skin conductance responsivity during acute episodes of schizophrenia as a predictor of symptomatic improvement

SYNOPSIS Skin conductance responses to a series of tones were measured in 41 patients during an acute episode of schizophrenia before they received treatment and after 4 weeks of treatment with either α-flupenthixol, β-fiupenthixol or placebo. Patients who did not habituate to the tones prior to treatment tended to show no symptomatic improvement during the course of treatment. Patients who habituated and also showed an acute onset of their current symptoms (‘Feighner negative’ patients) showed a marked improvement even without active medication. Skin conductance responsivity did not change with improvement in symptoms alone, but decreased in patients on active medication (α-flupenthixol). Non-habituation of skin conductance and insidious onset (i.e. fulfilment of the Feighner criteria) were found to be independent predictors of poor outcome. Taken together, these criteria may define a group of patients with particularly poor prognosis.
Robots, Tasks and Trade

This paper examines the effects of robotization on trade patterns, wages and welfare. It develops a Ricardian model with two-stage production and trade in intermediate and final goods in which robots can take over some tasks previously performed by humans in a subset of industries. An increase in robot adoption in the North reduces the cost of production and thereby impacts trade in final and intermediate goods with the South. The empirical analysis uses ordinary least squares and instrumental variable regressions exploiting variation in exposure to robots across countries and sectors. Both reveal that greater robot intensity in own production leads to: (i) a rise in imports sourced from less developed countries in the same industry; and (ii) an even stronger increase in exports to those countries. Counterfactual simulations indicate that Northern robotization raises domestic welfare, but initially depresses wages. However, this adverse effect is likely to be reversed by further reductions in robot prices. Northern robotization may lead to higher wages and welfare in the South.
Smoking cessation and the course of Crohn's disease: an intervention study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS To evaluate the benefit of smoking cessation in individuals with Crohn's disease, we performed an intervention study in a large cohort of smokers with the disease. METHODS Repeated counseling to stop smoking, with easy access to a smoking cessation program, was given to 474 consecutive smokers with Crohn's disease. Patients who stopped smoking for more than 1 year (quitters) were included in a prospective follow-up study, which compared disease course and therapeutic needs with 2 control groups, continuing smokers and nonsmokers, paired for age, gender, disease location, and activity. RESULTS There were 59 quitters (12%). Predictors of quitting were the physician, previous intestinal surgery, high socioeconomic status, and in women, oral contraceptive use. During a median follow-up of 29 months (1-54 months), the risk of flare-up in quitters did not differ from that in nonsmokers and was less than in continuing smokers (P < 0.001). Need for steroids and for introduction or reinforcement of immunosuppressive therapy, respectively, were similar in quitters and nonsmokers and increased in continuing smokers. The risk of surgery was not significantly different in the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS Patients with Crohn's disease who stop smoking for more than 1 year have a more benign disease course than if they had never smoked.
What not to eat: inequalities in healthy eating behaviour, evidence from the 1998 Scottish Health Survey.

BACKGROUND The role that healthy eating plays in good health is well documented. Government policy in Scotland recommends reducing salt, refined sugar and saturated fat in the diet and increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates, fibre and oily fish. METHODS Using data from the 1998 Scottish Health Survey a composite measure of healthy eating behaviour was derived by scoring low levels of consumption of salt, refined sugar and saturated fat and higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates, fibre and oily fish. This paper presents results from logistic regression analysis of the risk factors for this measure of healthy eating behaviour. RESULTS Young people, men, those on low income, those without qualifications, those who take little exercise, who lack access to car, live in deprived areas and women who smoke were less likely to show healthy eating behaviour. CONCLUSION Healthy eating reflects dietary policy and guidelines for those with higher socio-economic status and who demonstrate other health seeking behaviour. Health education policy needs to be targeted at young people, men, and those of lower socio-economic status, and deprived areas, not just the population or country as a whole.
The impact of index funds on grain futures markets revisited

We analyse the impact of index investment on four grain futures markets by applying several vector auto-regression models, generalised impulse response functions (GIRF), and a structural break analysis. We also test for effects of long-short index funds, an aspect widely ignored so far. Index funds have some price-disturbing effects. These are, however, short-term and variable. In all markets, significant effects vanish after 2010 and we conclude that markets learned and adjusted to rising index investment. GIRF of different trader types imply that index investment serves actual hedging needs and does not generally contribute to the financialisation of futures markets.
Mis-regulation of Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Complexes Induced by Albuminuria in Proximal Tubules*

Background: There is a correlation between overload of albumin in the lumen of the PT and progression of renal disease. Results: Physiologic albumin concentrations activate the PI3K/mTORC2/PKB/mTORC1/S6K pathway, whereas pathophysiologic concentrations disrupt this pathway overactivating mTORC1. Conclusion: Albumin overload promotes a mis-regulation of mTOR complexes. Significance: These results help to elucidate the mechanism behind mTORC1 activation during renal disease. High albumin concentrations in the proximal tubule of the kidney causes tubulointerstitial injury, but how this process occurs is not completely known. To address the signal transduction pathways mis-regulated in renal injury, we studied the modulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complexes by physiologic and pathophysiologic albumin concentrations in proximal tubule cells. Physiologic albumin concentrations activated the PI3K/mTORC2/PKB/mTORC1/S6 kinase (S6K) pathway, but pathophysiologically high albumin concentrations overactivated mTORC1 and inhibited mTORC2 activity. This control process involved the activation of ERK1/2, which promoted the inhibition of TSC2 and activation of S6K. Furthermore, S6K was crucial to promoting the over activation of mTORC1 and inhibition of mTORC2. Megalin expression at the luminal membrane is reduced by high concentrations of albumin. In addition, knockdown of megalin mimicked all the effects of pathophysiologic albumin concentrations, which disrupt normal signal transduction pathways and lead to an overactivation of mTORC1 and inhibition of mTORC2. These data provide new perspectives for understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the effects of albumin on the progression of renal disease.
Patients' experiences with learning a complex medical device for the self-administration of nocturnal home hemodialysis.

UNLABELLED The purpose of this study was to explore patient training experiences related to the self-administration of hemodialysis at home. Researchers used a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and a focus group. The setting was a hospital-based patient education program in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Qualitative interviews and focus group study were conducted with 23 patients (who had end stage renal disease) and caregivers who have participated in Toronto General Hospital's Nocturnal Home Hemodialysis training program to learn how to operate a hemodialysis machine and to administer their own treatments at home without the supervision of clinicians. RESULTS Experience as a trainee in the Nocturnal Home Hemodialysis program was framed by 5 diverse themes: patients' perceptions of anxiety, peer support, clinician empathy and understanding learning while ill, and the compatibility of learning preferences with training practices employed. CONCLUSIONS The study revealed the complexity of the patients' experience with being prepared for a self-treatment regime at home. Although it was anticipated that the most important barrier to patient preparation would be the challenges of managing complex medical technology, psychosocial dimensions of their experiences were the primary factors impacting on the patients' ability to learn and to take on self-care responsibility. If the trend of patient self-treatment at home continues to increase, it is important for clinician educators to be attentive to self-treatment as a socially situated activity.
MPRA Munich Personal RePEc Archive

Social media have been credited with the potential of reinvigorating trust by offering new opportunities for social and political participation. This view has been recently challenged by the rising phenomenon of online incivility, which has made the environment of social networking sites hostile to many users. We conduct a novel experiment in a Facebook setting to study how the effect of social media on trust varies depending on the civility or incivility of online interaction. We find that participants exposed to civil Facebook interaction are significantly more trusting. In contrast, when the use of Facebook is accompanied by the experience of online incivility, no significant changes occur in users’ behavior. These results are robust to alternative configurations of the treatments.
Field trips, friendships and societies: Exploring student engagement in the School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Student engagement in Higher Education is increasingly seen as having a critical influence on achievement and overall university experience. However, engagement is predominantly evaluated through survey instruments, and in-depth studies of small student populations that explore the dynamics of the construct, and diversity of student experiences are currently lacking. This paper addresses this gap by exploring student perspectives of the factors impacting student engagement in the School of Earth and Environment, [University]. Focus groups were held with students across six degree programmes and four years of study and data were analysed using Kahu’s (2013) conceptual framework of engagement, antecedents and consequences. Findings emphasise prominent feedback loops between and within the various elements of the framework. In the School of Earth and Environment, key enablers of positive feedback loops are field trips, friendships and societies, which interact dynamically with inter alia increased sense of belonging and community. These, in turn, lead to motivation, confidence, deeper learning, further positive relationships and further engagement. Future student engagement initiatives should therefore seek to nurture and develop community to promote positive engagement feedback loops.
An echocardiographic assessment of cardiac morphology and common ECG findings in teenage professional soccer players: reference ranges for use in screening

OBJECTIVE To assess physiological cardiac adaptation in adolescent professional soccer players. SUBJECTS AND DESIGN Over a 32 month period 172 teenage soccer players were screened by echocardiography and ECG at a tertiary referral cardiothoracic centre. They were from six professional soccer teams in the north west of England, competing in the English Football League. One was excluded because of an atrial septal defect. The median age of the 171 players assessed was 16.7 years (5th to 95th centile range: 14–19) and median body surface area 1.68 m2 (1.39–2.06 m2). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Standard echocardiographic measurements were compared with predicted mean, lower, and upper limits in a cohort of normal controls after matching for age and surface area. Univariate regression analysis was used to assess the correlation between echocardiographic variables and the age and surface area of the soccer player cohort. ECG findings were also assessed. RESULTS All mean echocardiographic variables were greater than predicted for age and surface area matched controls (p < 0.001). All variables except left ventricular septal and posterior wall thickness showed a modest linear correlation with surface area (r = 0.2 to 0.4, p < 0.001); however, left ventricular mass was the only variable that was significantly correlated with age (r = 0.2, p < 0.01). Only six players (3.5%) had structural anomalies, none of which required further evaluation. All had normal left ventricular systolic function. Sinus bradycardia was found in 65 (39%). The Solokow–Lyon voltage criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy were present in 85 (50%) and the Romhilt–Estes points score (five or more) in 29 (17%). Repolarisation changes were present in 19 (11%), mainly in the inferior leads. CONCLUSIONS Chamber dimensions, left ventricular wall thickness and mass, and aortic root size were all greater than predicted for controls after matching for age and surface area. Sinus bradycardia and the ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy were common but there was poor correlation with echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy. The type of hypertrophy found reflected the combined endurance and strength based training undertaken.
T-lymphocyte number and function and the course of hepatitis B in hemodialysis patients

To study the relation between general cellular immunity and the course of hepatitis B within a group of chronic hemodialysis patients, T-lymphocyte number and function were investigated in 13 persistently hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAg)-positive patients, in 32 HBSAg-negative patients, and in 11 patients who had recovered from hepatitis B and compared with that of 21 age-matched controls. Phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte stimulation in vitro and the number of circulating T-cells in the HBSAg-positive group were significantly decreased as compared with those of the recovered group and the controls. Lymphocyte stimulation by pokeweed mitogen and by an antigen cocktail showed the same tendency, but no significant differences between the HBSAg-positive and the recovered groups. Uremic sera from the three patient groups had similar depressive effects on phytohemagglutinin induced lymphocyte stimulation of controls. Serum immunoglobulin G, (IgG), IgA, and IgM were normal in the three patient groups. It is concluded that chronic hemodialysis patients, who have become persistent HBSAg-carriers, have a significantly decreased T-lymphocyte number and function as compared with hemodialysis patients who are able to eliminat hepatitis B virus (HBV). The difference could not be ascribed to the HBV infection itself. This indicates that T-cells play an important role in the elimination of HBV in hemodialysis patients.
Understanding How Parent Choice and Program Leadership Foster Socioeconomic Diversity within High-Quality Early Learning Programs: A Case Study of Two Baltimore City Sites

III! LIST OF TABLES! VIII! LIST OF FIGURES! IX! CHAPTER 1: AT A POLICY CROSSROAD: REALIZING THE PROMISE OF SOCIOECONOMICALLY DIVERSE EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS! 1! The Rationale for Addressing the Socioeconomic Diversity Challenge in Early Learning Programs! 3! The Need for Further Study of Drivers of Socioeconomic Diversity within Early Learning Programs! 4! Research Questions! 6! Dissertation Organization! 7! CHAPTER 2: CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS, AND REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE! 9! Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks! 9! Socioeconomic Integration in the K-12 Domain! 15! Strengthening Socioeconomic Diversity within Early Childhood Learning Environments! 18! The Early Childhood Education Policy Landscape and Parent Choice! 22! Parent Choice and Socioeconomically Diverse Early Learning Programs! 25! The Role of Program Leadership in Developing Socioeconomically Diverse Early Learning Environments! 34! The Development and Sustainability of Socioeconomically Diverse Early Care and Learning Programs! 37! Understanding Race and Resistance in Socioeconomic Integration! 41! CHAPTER 3: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT! 44! vi Setting! 44! Program Settings! 48! Definitions of Key Terms! 51! Personal and Professional Positionality! 53! CHAPTER 4: METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH DESIGN! 55! Rationale of the Methodological Approach! 56! Site and Participant Selection! 58! Methods and Research Design! 60! Sequencing of Methods! 63! Data Analysis! 63! CHAPTER 5: PARENT PERCEPTIONS ANALYSIS, FINDINGS, AND DISCUSSION! 66! Parent Characteristics and Analysis of Parent Perceptions! 66! Parent Perceptions Findings and Discussion! 69! Parent Choice Trends Across Affordability, Accessibility, and Quality! 69! The Influence of Social Capital, Social Networks, and Class Identity on Perceived Parent Agency! 76! How Parent Perceptions of Choice, Socioeconomic Diversity and Quality Intersect with Cultural and Racial Bias! 89! CHAPTER 6: PROGRAM LEADER PERCEPTIONS ANALYSIS, FINDINGS, AND DISCUSSION! 94! Leader Characteristics and Analysis of Leader Perceptions! 94! Findings and Discussion of Leader Perceptions! 98! CHAPTER 7: IMPLICATIONS, POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SUGGESTED FURTHER RESEARCH! 115! Possible Limitations of this Research! 115! Implications! 116!
Copy number variation in potato - an asexually propagated autotetraploid species.

Copy number variation (CNV) has been revealed as a significant contributor to the genetic variation in humans. Although CNV has been reported in several model animal and plant species, the presence of CNV and its biological impact in polyploid species has not yet been documented. We conducted a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)-based CNV survey in potato, a vegetatively propagated autotetraploid species (2n = 4x = 48). We conducted FISH analysis using 18 randomly selected potato bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones in a set of 16 potato cultivars with diverse breeding backgrounds. Six BACs (33%) with insert sizes of 137-145 kb were found to be associated with large CNV events detectable at the cytological level. We demonstrate that the large CNVs associated with two specific BACs (RH102I10 and RH83C08) were widespread among potato cultivars developed in North America and Europe. We measured the transcript abundance of four genes associated with the CNV spanned by BAC RH102I10. All four genes displayed a dosage effect in transcription. Although potato is vegetatively propagated, we observed that female gametes lacking the RH102I10-associated CNV were inferior to those with at least one copy of this CNV, indicating that the RH102I10-associated CNV can impact on the growth and development of the potato plants. Our results show that CNV is highly abundant in the potato genome and may play a significant role in genetic variation of this important food crop.
Financial Globalization and the International Transmission of Interest Rate Shocks: The Federal Reserve and China

This paper evaluates the spillovers from U.S. monetary policy to China's domestic interest rates over 1999-2016, focusing on the impacts of long-term interest rate and exchange rate regimes on the capacity of China to moderate external interest rate shocks. We find that China's central bank owns some extent of autonomy as it has a significant preference to control inflation and stimulate the economy even beyond the potential growth. However, China’s interest rates are significantly impacted by U.S. monetary policy especially after the crisis. The transmission from U.S. interest rates to China at the long-end even exists before the crisis, but only for the positive change of U.S. interest rates. The comparison with New Zealand's experience provides some evidence that central banks are more likely facing a "monetary dilemma" and China's fixed exchange rate regime with capital controls might help to mitigate the spillovers of external monetary shocks in a turmoil period.
Solitary pancreas allografts. The role of percutaneous biopsy and standardized histologic grading of rejection.

OBJECTIVE To determine the potential impact of ultrasound-guided percutaneous pancreas allograft biopsy and standardized histologic grading on graft and patient survival in a solitary pancreas transplant program. DESIGN Retrospective case series survey. SETTING Tertiary care, university teaching hospital. PATIENTS Thirty-five recipients of solitary pancreas transplants. INTERVENTIONS Percutaneous pancreas allograft biopsies were performed in solitary pancreas transplant recipients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Actuarial graft and patient survival, cause of graft loss. RESULTS Initiation of ultrasound-guided percutaneous pancreas allograft biopsy with standardized histologic grading is associated with a 70% 1-year graft survival and 93% 1-year patient survival in solitary pancreas transplantation. Acute rejection was responsible for only 11% of cases of graft loss. The presence of endotheliitis, vasculitis, or confluent acinar necrosis is associated with decreased pancreas allograft survival, poor response to corticosteroid therapy, and shortened time interval to ultimate graft loss. Clinical criteria for acute rejection such as elevated serum amylase or lipase levels, 50% decrease in urinary amylase levels, unexplained fever, or hyperglycemia are associated with a positive predictive value of only 72%. CONCLUSION Pancreas allograft biopsy and standardized histologic grading are associated with significantly improved 1-year graft and patient survival in solitary pancreas transplantation.