Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regimes, institutions and foreign policy change

vi CHAPTER 1. INRODUCTION . 1 CHAPTER 2. COMPARATIVE FOREIGN POLICY AND THE STUDY OF FOREIGN POLICY CHANGE . 4 The Development of Comparative Foreign Policy: Antecedents . 5 The Development of Comparative Foreign Policy.6 Comparative Foreign Policy Approaches.9 Comparative Foreign Policy Methods and Events Data . 10 Re-Evaluation . 11 The Question of Foreign Policy Change . 15 Why Study Foreign Policy Change? 16 Foreign Policy Change: A ‘Neglected Phenomenon’ . 18 The Development of Foreign Policy Change . 20 The Dissertation: Contributions to the Study of Foreign Policy Change.30 CHAPTER 3. REGIME TYPE AND FOREIGN POLICY CHANGE . 35 Introduction . 35 Approaches to Foreign Policy Change . 36 Regimes . 37 Democratic Regimes and Non-Democratic Regimes . 38 Regime Effects in the Literature . 39 Structural Constraints in Democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes and Prospects for Foreign Policy Change . 43 Political Constraints in Democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes and Prospects for Foreign Policy Change . 47 The Nature of Opposition in Democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes and Prospects for Foreign Policy Change . 53 Audience Costs in Democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes and Prospects for Foreign Policy Change . 60 ‘Two-Level Games’ and Prospects for Foreign Policy Change . 62 The Nature of Legitimacy in Democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes and Prospects for Foreign Policy Change . 65 The Nature of the Public in Democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes and Prospects for Foreign Policy Change . 70 The Nature of Organized Interests in Democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes and Prospects for Foreign Policy Change . 74 Summary . 78
Activation of suppressor cells by syngeneic tumor transplants in mice.

Spleen cells from mice with syngeneic tumor transplants are hyporesponsive in mixed-lymphocyte culture. The hyporesponsiveness is due to the activation of suppressor cells. Spleen from tumor-bearing mice, treated with mitomycin and added to normal mixed lymphocyte culture (with responding cells syngeneic to the added cells), inhibits proliferation of the responding cells. Suppressor activity in the spleen cells can be detected as early as 5 days after s.c. transplantation of P-815 mastocytoma into DBA/2 mice. Tumor cells placed in cell-impermeable i.p. diffusion chambers can also activate splenic suppressor cells. Suppressor cells can be activated in syngeneic mice by (DBA/2) P-815 cells, by (C3H) L25-cells, or by recent (C57BL/6) methylcholanthrene-induced tumors. The latter tumors retain their ability to activate suppressor cells after passaging in syngeneic mice. Only one tumor, induced with methylcholanthrene in DBA/2 mice, failed to activate suppressor cells. Suppressor activity in the spleen cells from mice with 20-day s.c. tumor transplants is not reduced after removal of glass-adherent cells. Suppressor activity is significantly decreased after removal of thymus-derived cells with anti-theta treatment and complement.
18Fluoro-deoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Evaluation of Benign Versus Malignant Osteochondromas: Preliminary Observations

Objective: To determine the contribution of 18fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG PET) in distinguishing benign from malignant osteochondromas. Materials and Methods: From 2000 to 2004, 10 patients (4 females, 6 males, 12 to 64 years old) with osteochondromas were referred for whole body PET by clinicians for metabolic evaluation before planned surgery for pain or cosmesis. Two PET readers and 1 pathologist, blinded to their diagnoses and imaging studies (except for radiographs), correlated results post surgery. The PET average and maximum standard uptake value (SUV) generated by computer for Regions of Interest and correlated with radiographs, were based on axial 3.37 mm thick, 3×3 mm pixel images. Since SUVs vary from site to site depending on scanning devices and techniques, a 2.0 maximum cutoff SUV separated benign and malignant osteochondromas based on our standard protocols and specific equipment (Siemens Ecat Exact Knoxville, Tenn) used with our prior oncological studies. Results: Results showed that no definitive statistical conclusions could be drawn due to the small number of patients involved, but they were, nevertheless, deemed promising. Conclusions: The 18FDG whole body PET aided the identification of malignant osteochondromas, their local recurrence and metastases by both displaying and quantifying their metabolic activity. Although the current study is limited by a small cohort, which precludes statistical analysis, additional experience with PET analysis of osteochondromas may further support its value as a physiological parameter supplementing anatomically based imaging modalities most often used for their evaluation.
The Council’s REACH? National governments’ influence in the European Parliament

The presence of cross-institutional partisan links between the Council and the European Parliament is a key feature of bicameral law-making in the European Union. However, assessing the conditions under which national parties can and do influence ‘their’ Members of the European Parliament is complicated by a lack of measurements of the national interest at stake. Analysing the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals regulation, this article shows that national parties represented in the Council only seek to influence ‘their’ Members of the European Parliament when the national interest at stake is sufficiently large and, more importantly, when a legislative deal has been struck. These findings have implications for our understanding of legislative politics in the European Union and the relationship between Members of the European Parliament, European Parliamentary Groups and the Council.
Estimating the cost of delivering direct nutrition interventions at scale: national and subnational level insights from India

Abstract India's national nutrition and health programmes are largely designed to provide evidence‐based nutrition‐specific interventions, but intervention coverage is low due to a combination of implementation challenges, capacity and financing gaps. Global cost estimates for nutrition are available but national and subnational costs are not. We estimated national and subnational costs of delivering recommended nutrition‐specific interventions using the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) costing approach. We compared costs of delivering the SUN interventions at 100% scale with those of nationally recommended interventions. Target populations (TP) for interventions were estimated using national population and nutrition data. Unit costs (UC) were derived from programmatic data. The cost of delivering an intervention at 100% coverage was calculated as (UC*projected TP). Cost estimates varied; estimates for SUN interventions were lower than estimates for nationally recommended interventions because of differences in choice of intervention, target group or unit cost. US$5.9bn/year are required to deliver a set of nationally recommended nutrition interventions at scale in India, while US$4.2bn are required for the SUN interventions. Cash transfers (49%) and food supplements (40%) contribute most to costs of nationally recommended interventions, while food supplements to prevent and treat malnutrition contribute most to the SUN costs. We conclude that although such costing is useful to generate broad estimates, there is an urgent need for further costing studies on the true unit costs of the delivery of nutrition‐specific interventions in different local contexts to be able to project accurate national and subnational budgets for nutrition in India.
Numerical simulation of dental bone remodeling induced by implant‐supported fixed partial denture with or without cantilever extension

The current study aims to evaluate and compare the bony biomechanical response and possible long‐term restorative consequences stemming from the use of two‐unit fixed partial dentures (FPDs) with or without cantilever configuration. The numerical simulations of bone remodeling were performed using an adaptive strain energy density algorithm, which incorporates an overloading bone resorption process. A patient specific 3D finite element model of a maxillary bone with two absent central incisors was constructed on the basis of clinical computed tomography data. Two different implant‐supported two‐unit FPD models were developed. The simulated remodeling results were visualized by examining the variation of apparent bone density. Different bone responses under normal and overload conditions were compared quantitatively and qualitatively between the cantilever and non‐cantilever models. The mechanical stress/strain distributions were also examined. Furthermore, the simulation results were compared with a similar clinical X‐ray image of the implant site. This study revealed that bone resorption due to overloading was more severe in the cortical neck around the implant‐supported cantilever FPD, as compared with the non‐cantilever configuration, which is better for maintaining the overall health of bone tissue. It is expected that such simulation methodology can be helpful in improving longevity and reliability of future dental implants. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Business Groups Reconsidered: Beyond Paragons and Parasites

In this paper, we consider the potential paths of Business Group’s (BGs) evolution. We organize our analysis around the two dominant perspectives on BGs: institutional voids (IV) and entrenchment/exploitation (EE). We suggest that the empirical evidence does not entirely support either perspective, and neither fully predicts what we sometimes observe; namely that BGs not only persist and thrive, but also sometimes do so as internationally competitive firms. This indicates that a more contextualized approach is required, and we propose a conceptual framework that can guide future thinking. In so doing, we take explicit account of two key factors relevant to the dynamics of BG evolution: the state’s capacity to create market-supporting institutions and the ability of business groups to adapt to evolving institutions. Our framework accommodates the possibility of multiple outcomes, including ones consistent with the IV and EE perspectives, but also ones consistent with the internationalization of BGs, including those from emerging markets.
A preliminary study of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children mania rating scale for children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE To construct a mania rating scale designed for children and adolescents. METHODS Fourteen questions from the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present Episode (K-SADS-P) 1986 version plus a new item assessing mood lability were used to construct a clinician-rated mania rating scale (K-SADS-MRS). Interrater reliability was determined prospectively with 22 patients from a bipolar outpatient clinic. Sensitivity to treatment effects was determined in a separate cohort of 23 patients. RESULTS Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) and interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97 between two raters) were high. Convergent validity with the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity scale (bipolar version) was good (r(s)= 0.91, p < 0.001). Treatment responders had significantly greater reduction in K-SADS-MRS scores than nonresponders (-15.6 +/- 8.7 vs. 0.3 +/- 8.8), t(21) = 4.2, p < 0.001. The K-SADS-MRS scores differentiated bipolar patients who had clinically significant manic symptoms from those who did not, with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 81%. CONCLUSION The K-SADS-MRS shows promise as a rating scale for measuring manic symptom severity in pediatric bipolar patients.
Regional Alterations of Type I Collagen in Rat Tibia Induced by Skeletal Unloading

Skeletal unloading induces loss of mineral density in weight‐bearing bones that leads to inferior bone mechanical strength. This appears to be caused by a failure of bone formation; however, its mechanisms still are not well understood. The objective of this study was to characterize collagen, the predominant matrix protein in bone, in various regions of tibia of rats that were subjected to skeletal unloading by 4 weeks tail suspension. Sixteen male Sprague‐Dawley rats (4 months old) were divided into tail suspension and ambulatory controls (eight rats each). After the tail suspension, tibias from each animal were collected and divided into five regions and collagen was analyzed. The collagen cross‐linking and the extent of lysine (Lys) hydroxylation in unloaded bones were significantly altered in proximal epiphysis, diaphysis, and, in particular, proximal metaphysis but not in distal regions. The pool of immature/nonmineralized collagen measured by its extractability with a chaotropic solvent was significantly increased in proximal metaphysis. These results suggest that skeletal unloading induced an accumulation of post‐translationally altered nonmineralized collagen and that these changes are bone region specific. These alterations might be caused by impaired osteoblastic function/differentiation resulting in a mineralization defect.
Hand Hygiene Practices among Nursing Staff in Public Secondary Care Hospitals in Kuwait: Self-Report and Direct Observation

Objective: To assess the compliance with hand hygiene guidelines among nursing staff in secondary care hospitals in Kuwait. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through direct observation using the Lewisham observation tool and self-administered questionnaire in six major public secondary care hospitals in Kuwait. Only patient care activities that are described as ‘dirty contacts’ by the Fulkerson scale were considered as indications for hand hygiene while any attempt for hand hygiene was considered as compliance. A self-administered questionnaire was prepared and pilot tested and then distributed to nursing staff at each ward immediately after conducting the inspection; 550 were distributed and 454 were completed and returned. Among 204 observation sessions, a total of 935 opportunities and 312 hand hygiene practices were recorded. Results: The overall compliance was 33.4%. The observed compliance significantly varied between different ward categories from 14.7% in emergency to 55% in medical wards. Of the 454 nursing staff who participated in self-reported compliance, 409 (90%) indicated that they always washed their hands upon practicing patient care activities. Nurses consistently reported higher compliance after conducting patient care activities rather than before. Being busy with work (42.2%), having sore/dry hands (30.4%) and wearing gloves (20.3%) were the most frequently reported hindrances to improving hand hygiene. Conclusion: Observed hand hygiene compliance among nursing staff in secondary care hospitals in Kuwait was poor. High self-reported compliance may reflect a high level of awareness of hand hygiene but may also suggest that improving compliance through increasing awareness has probably reached saturation.
Low production capacity of interleukin-10 associates with the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes : the Leiden 85-Plus Study.

It has been suggested that the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes are manifestations of the inflammatory host response. This host response is orchestrated by the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines that are under genetic control. We therefore hypothesized that a low production capacity of interleukin-10 (IL-10), a centrally operating cytokine with strong anti-inflammatory properties, associates with the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in old age. In the current study, 599 inhabitants of the city of Leiden, age 85 years, were visited at their place of residence. The production capacity of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was assessed in a whole-blood assay in which lipopolysaccharide was used as a stimulus. Serum concentrations of lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, and HbA(1c) were determined, and a history of type 2 diabetes was obtained. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and HbA(1c) gradually decreased over strata representing higher IL-10 production capacity, whereas the concentration of HDL cholesterol gradually increased (all P < 0.01). The odds ratio for type 2 diabetes was 2.7 (95% confidence interval 1.5-4.9) when subjects with the lowest IL-10 production capacity were compared with those with the highest IL-10 production capacity. These findings showed that low IL-10 production capacity (i.e., a pro-inflammatory response) is associated with the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
Leaders, elites and coalitions: The politics of free public services in decentralised Indonesia. Developmental Research Program Policy Paper 16

Since the implementation of decentralisation in Indonesia in 2001, district governments—which under the country’s decentralisation laws are assigned primary responsibility for health and education policy—have varied considerably in their response to the issue of user fees for basic education and health services. Many have done little to support the provision of free public services in their districts while a small number have adopted well-funded programs to support free basic education and health. The purpose of this report is to explain this cross-district variation and assess the policy implications for donors and other development actors interested in improving citizens’ access to basic education and health services. We argue that a key determinant of district governments’ varying responses to the issue of user fees has been the nature of district heads’ strategies for maintaining and advancing their political careers. Where district heads have pursued strategies of ‘political entrepreneurship’—that is, where they have sought to develop a popular base among the poor—and become dependent upon their electoral support to remain in power, district governments have been more likely to promote free public services than where political leaders have focused on consolidating patronage networks. At the same time, we suggest that these strategies have in turn reflected the incentives created by district head’s respective personal networks, alliances, and constituencies. In policy terms, we conclude that donors and other development actors need to find ways of enhancing the scope for political entrepreneurship at the local level, that they can make a contribution in this respect by supporting and collaborating with anticorruption institutions and promoting awareness of successful instances of political entrepreneurship, and that they should draw on political analysis in determining whether to engage in particular countries or, within countries, in particular regions.
Effects of Corticosterone on Activity and Home-Range Size of Free-Ranging Male Lizards

The purpose of our study was to examine whether corticosterone (B) affects the spacing behavior of free-ranging male side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana). Furthermore, we wanted to determine if the density, reflected in seasonal changes in population size, or behavior, as a result of hormonal manipulation, of "neighboring" males influences these effects. Field studies were conducted on four naturally isolated "neighborhoods" of lizards. Half of the males on three of the sites were randomly implanted with either saline or B, while on the fourth site all males were implanted with B. Pre- and postimplant home-ranges and activity levels were determined. Home-range size and activity level were significantly reduced by corticosterone if normally aggressive saline-implanted males were also present in the neighborhood. However, B had no effect on home-range if all males in the neighborhood were implanted with B. Space lost by B-implanted males was incorporated into the home-ranges of saline-implanted males so that the sum of all the male home-ranges in a neighborhood remained unchanged after implantation. These results suggest that elevated B levels put male lizards at a competitive disadvantage and, therefore, force these lizards to reduce their home-range.
Comparison of lipid profile in type-2 obese diabetics and obese non-diabetic individuals. a hospital based study from Western Nepal.

BACKGROUND Type-2 diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease and risk of coronary disease is three to four fold increased in patients with diabetes compared with non-diabetic population and 60-80% 0f type-2 diabetics are obese. METHODS This study was conducted in Nepalgunj Teaching Hospital, Kohalpur, Banke, Nepal, between 1st March, 2011 and 28th February, 2012. A total of 150 samples were taken to assess the lipid profile in type-2 diabetic patients associated with obesity and 25 obese controls for their lipid profile. Venous blood samples were taken from all the subjects in the morning after fasting overnight. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy, chronic infectious disease, heart failure; renal failure and drug allergy were confirmed from the subject's personal physician report and a detailed history. The data was analyzed using Excel 2003, R 2.8. 0 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows Version 16.0 (SPSS Inc; Chicago, IL, USA) and the EPI Info 3.5. 1 Windows Version. RESULTS The mean ± SD age of diabetic patients with obesity was 53.76± 6.23 while the mean ± SD age of control was 49.61 ± 4.8. Out of 150 patients 105 (70%) were males and 45 (30%) were females. Among control subjects 16 (64%) were males and 9 (36%) were females. Obese type-2 diabetic patients when compared to obese control subjects showed statistically significant increase in the levels of serum total cholesterol (p < 0.001), serum triglycerides (p < 0.001), serum LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001) while serum HDL-cholesterol levels did not show statistically significant difference in the two group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION This study showed obese diabetic individuals have dyslipidemia and more prone to develop cardiovascular diseases.
IκB Kinase α (IKKα) Regulation of IKKβ Kinase Activity

ABSTRACT Two related kinases, IκB kinase α (IKKα) and IKKβ, phosphorylate the IκB proteins, leading to their degradation and the subsequent activation of gene expression by NF-κB. IKKβ has a much higher level of kinase activity for the IκB proteins than does IKKα and is more critical than IKKα in modulating tumor necrosis factor alpha activation of the NF-κB pathway. These results indicate an important role for IKKβ in activating the NF-κB pathway but leave open the question of the role of IKKα in regulating this pathway. In the current study, we demonstrate that IKKα directly phosphorylates IKKβ. Moreover, IKKα either directly or indirectly enhances IKKβ kinase activity for IκBα. Finally, transfection studies to analyze NF-κB-directed gene expression suggest that IKKα is upstream of IKKβ in activating the NF-κB pathway. These results indicate that IKKα, in addition to its previously described ability to phosphorylate IκBα, can increase the ability of IKKβ to phosphorylate IκBα.