Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of an Increase in the Retirement Age on Health: Evidence from Administrative Data

IZA DP No. 14893 NOVEMBER 2021 The Effects of an Increase in the Retirement Age on Health – Evidence from Administrative Data* This study analyzes the causal effect of an increase in the retirement age on health. We exploit a sizable cohort-specific pension reform for women using two complementary empirical approaches – a Regression Discontinuity Design and a Difference-in-Differences approach. The analysis is based on official records covering all individuals insured by the public health system in Germany and including all certified diagnoses by practitioners. This enables us to gain a detailed understanding of the multi-dimensionality in these health effects. The empirical findings reflect the multi-dimensionality but allow for deriving two broader conclusions. We provide evidence that the increase in the retirement age negatively affects health outcomes as the prevalence of several diagnoses, e.g., mental health, musculoskeletal diseases, and obesity, increases. In contrast, we do not find support for an improvement in health related to a prolonged working life since there is no significant evidence for a reduction in the prevalence of any health outcome we consider. These findings hold for both identification strategies, are robust to sensitivity checks, and do not change when correcting for multiple hypothesis testing. JEL Classification: I10, I12, I18, J14, J18, J26
Relationship between on the Job Training and Employee's Performance in Courier Companies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

This research was conducted with an intention of finding out the relationship between on_the_job training and employee performance in DHL and FedEx courier companies that operate in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. The objectives which were of the research were to examine the existing on_the_job training programs in the courier companies in Dar es Salaam and to assess employee’s performance in courier companies in Dar es Salaam. Correlation survey methodology was used and questionnaires were used as research instrument. The sample population of 150 employees was taken and the respondents were randomly chosen and samples from each courier organization were proportionately taken. 50% of the total number of employees in each company was taken. Field findings showed that different programs of on_the_job training are conducted in DHL and FedEx. Those training programs are mainly conducted according to the general need of the company or due to the normal changes that do take place in the company. The level of performance is measured against well set standards and generally the Key Performance Indicators are used. At the same time it was found out that performance to a big extent depends on the training employees received. It may be, with certainty, stated that there is a big relationship between on_the_job training and employee performance in DHL and FedEx. On_the_job training programs really positively influence on employee performance. It is recommended that governments should invest more in practical education through Vocational Educational Training Authority schools (VETA). Students who complete their studies in those schools will not need to spend much resource on further training the moment they join the companies. Employers should also try the best way possible to train their employees so that they perform.
Assessment of Multi-Wythe Stone Masonry Subjected to Seismic Hazards

Heritage stone buildings are typically vulnerable to seismic events. Results of an experimental program were analyzed to evaluate the shear strength and intrinsic damping of stone masonry representative of the West Block of the Canadian Parliamentary Precinct in Ottawa. Eight representative wall specimens with different rehabilitation schemes had been tested under different static and dynamic loadings. Each wall had wythes of sandstone and limestone connected by a rubble core. The results show the shear strength of the walls could be predicted accurately and that no strengthening scheme was particularly beneficial. The effective viscous damping ratios varied between 7 and 9%.
University of Groningen Age- and Sex-Specific Analyses of Diet Quality and 4-Year Weight Change in Nonobese Adults Show Stronger Associations in Young Adulthood Vinke,

Background: Although the general importance of diet quality in the prevention of unintentional weight gain is known, it is unknown whether its influence is age or sex dependent. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the strength of the association between diet quality and 4-y weight change was modified by age and sex. Methods: From the Dutch population-based Lifelines Cohort, 85,618 nonobese adult participants (age 18–93 y), recruited between 2006 and 2013, were included in the study. At baseline, diet was assessed with a 110-item foodfrequency questionnaire. The Lifelines Diet Score, based on international evidence for diet-disease relations at the food group level, was calculated to assess diet quality. For analyses, the score was divided in quintiles (Qs). Body weight was objectively measured at baseline and after a median follow-up of 44 mo (25th−75th percentile: 35–51 mo). In between, body weight was self-reported twice. Linear mixed models were used to investigate the association between diet quality and weight change by sex and in 6 age categories (18–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, and ≥70 y). Results: Mean 4-y weight change decreased over age categories. Confounder-adjusted linear mixed models showed that the association between diet quality and weight change was modified by sex (P-interaction = 0.001). In women, the association was also modified by age (P-interaction = 0.001). Poor diet quality was most strongly associated with weight gain in the youngest men [Q1 compared with Q5: +0.33 kg/y (95% CI: 0.10, 0.56)] and women [+0.22 kg/y (95% CI: 0.07, 0.37)]. In contrast, in women aged ≥70 y, poor diet quality was associated with greater weight loss [−0.44 kg/y (95% CI: −0.84, −0.05)]. Conclusions: Poor diet quality was related to higher weight gain, especially in young adults. Oppositely, among women aged ≥70 y, poor diet quality was related to higher weight loss. Therefore, a healthful diet is a promising target for undesirable weight changes in both directions. J Nutr 2020;150:560–567.
XIII. On the apparent direction of eyes in a portrait

It may seem, at first view, that portrait painting is not altogether a fit subject to be brought before the Royal Society, since the delicate touches by which the skill and feeling of an accomplished artist convey an expression of sense, and grace, and sensibility to the finished representation of the human form, cannot admit of such strict analysis as the ordinary subjects of our inquiry. Nevertheless, since the rules of perspective, which are strictly mathematical, are perfectly within our province, it may be presumed that a question, in which some principles of that science are involved, may be considered a legitimate subject of communication ; that effects not anticipated on any received principles must deserve attention; and that the explanation of them will be found to have some pretensions to utility.
Time of flight transient analysis in a molecular doped polymer using a dispersive-trapping formalism

The spatio-temporal spreading features of charge packets from time of flight (TOF) current transients in a molecular doped polymer system are analysed based on TOF current modelling and experimental results related to the thermal and electric field dependences of the dispersion parameters as well as the charge carrier mobility. The parameters describing the charge spatial spread are the velocity distributions within the moving charge packet, the trapping time and the trapping lengths. These parameters supplement our understanding of charge transport in these systems in addition to our previous experimental mobility investigations.
Structural, impedance, dielectric and optical characteristics of Cd- substituted Zn(1−x)CdxO nanoparticles at low temperatures

Nanocrystalline Cd substituted ZnO nanoparticles with common formula Zn1−xCdxO (x = 0%, 3%, 6%, and 10%) were fabricated by a co-precipitation technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the microstructures and morphology of synthesized nanoparticles at room temperature. The outcome of the x-ray diffraction (XRD) study supports the existence of wurtzite crystal structure for ZnO, and Cd substituted ZnO samples conformed that substituted Cd ions are catching up Zn site. The morphological assessments of the fabricated nanoparticles indicated that the nature of the nanoparticles is a slightly hexagonal and mostly spherical shape with size ranges 46–55 nm. The electric impedance of the samples was measured in a wide range of frequency 100 Hz–2 MHz at different temperatures (140 K-260 K) using an LCR meter. It was observed that the dielectric constants (ε′), ( ε″ ), loss tangent (tan δ), and ac conductivity of pure and Cd substituted ZnO nanoparticles depended on frequency. The calculations of dielectric measurement showed that the parameters (ε′), ( ε″ ), loss tangent (tan δ) decreased with the increase in frequency. But the ac conductivity enhanced with the frequency, whereas the values of the above parameters increased with the temperature rise. The dielectric parameters are also found to improve with the increase in Cd concentrations. The correlated barrier-hopping (CHB) model dominated in ac conductivity. The reduction in the bandgap was also observed with Cd concentration.
Research on the Design of Digital Signal Processing Algorithm Based on Spark Parallel Calculation

Digital signal processing as a key and difficult point of network technology research and development, currently commonly used content such as LabVIEW. But from a practical point of view, while these techniques can be used to process real-time signals, they can’t handle historical offline data. The Spark parallel computing studied in this paper can be used to process offline signals. Therefore, on the basis of understanding the development trend of Spark parallel computing framework, the distributed Mallat algorithm is analyzed based on Spark parallel computing engine, and the application performance of the corresponding algorithm is verified.
Construction related factors influencing the choice of concrete floor systems

Designers have a wide choice of concrete floor systems for their buildings. They can choose from three basic types available: in situ, precast or hybrid construction. A survey was conducted within the UK construction industry to investigate, in particular, the construction related factors influencing the choice of concrete floor systems. The data collected were subjected to frequency and severity index analyses, Kendall's concordance test and the chi-squared tests to produce a rank ordering of 12 construction related factors. Five factors were identified as being the most important, namely ‘appropriateness of use’, ‘cost’, ‘constructability’, ‘speed’ and ‘health and safety’. These five factors reflect current industry emphasis, and therefore could be adopted as the principal criteria for evaluating and selecting concrete floor systems during the design stage. They could also be used as assessment criteria for developing future systems.
Cold forging of a hollow flanged part by an unconventional extrusion method

This paper presents a numerical analysis of a new cold forming process for a hollow part with an external flange. The following techniques were used: forward extrusion, an unconventional method of extrusion with a moving sleeve, and upsetting in a tapered die cavity. The billet (42CrMo4 steel tube) was formed at ambient temperature. The study aimed to investigate the proposed method in terms of forged part accuracy. The following are examined and discussed: material flow, process force parameters in relation to tool strength, energy consumption of individual operations, as well as the distributions of strains, stresses, temperature and Cockcroft-Latham integrals in the produced part. The study has confirmed that hollow forged parts with external flanges of relatively large diameters and heights can be cold formed in several operations using different techniques.
Splenectomy and Major Sickle Cell Syndromes in Ouagadougou: What is the Benefit for Patients after Surgery?

Introduction: Splenectomy in major sickle cell syndromes have specific indications. The main one is hypersplenism. The aim of our research was to study and to compare the clinical and hematological parameters pre and postoperatively. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study with an analytical aim of splenectomy performed in patients with major sickle cell syndromes from 2010 to 2019 at two hospitals (University hospital center of Yalgado Ouédraogo and Saint Camille Hospital of Ouagadougou) in Ouagadougou. Results: In 10 years, 31 cases were collected. The mean age of the patients was 27.6 ± 2 years. A history of at least three vaso-occlusive crises per year was noted in all cases. Before splenectomy, clinical anemia was noted in all cases. Physical examination revealed painful splenomegaly in 19 cases (61.3%). Hemoglobin phenotypes were: 16 cases (SC), 10cases (SS), 5 cases (Sβ+). The average blood transfusion was 6 ± 2/person/year. Splenectomy was indicated for repeated attacks of hypersplenism in 18 cases. Twenty-nine patients underwent total splenectomy and two underwent partial splenectomy. In 40.8% of cases, splenectomy was associated with cholecystectomy. In one month postoperatively, the hematological parameters showed clear improvement with an increase in the hemoglobin level of 3.7 points (p=0.001), red blood cells (p=0.03) and platelets (p=0.02). Morbidity was 3.7% and mortality 0%. Conclusion: Splenectomy decreases the postoperative transfusion needs in the short and medium term. A good follow-up limits postoperative complications.
PII: S0005-7967(98)00180-6

A growing body of literature suggests that individuals with high levels of general anxiety form threatening interpretations of ambiguous events. Although theoretical formulations of pathological social anxiety emphasize the importance of a negative interpretive-style in the etiology and maintenance of the disorder, we are unaware of any study that documents this presumed phenomenon. To address this issue, we assessed for possible interpretive biases in a group of high and low socially-anxious students. The results indicated that socially-anxious subjects showed more threatening interpretations of ambiguous, interpersonal events when compared to the low-anxious participants. However, this bias was marked not so much by an outright negative interpretation style, but rather by a failure of the sociallyanxious subjects to show a positive interpretation as was evinced by the low-anxious individuals. These group dierences in interpretive style appeared to be in ̄uenced by trait aspects of social anxiety rather than dierences in current mood state. No group dierences emerged in interpretations of events that involved non-personal stimuli suggesting there is content speci®city in the interpretive biases associated with social-anxiety. # 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Neural support for contributions of utility and narrative processing of evidence in juror decision making

Efforts to explain complex human decisions have focused on competing theories emphasizing utility and narrative mechanisms. These are difficult to distinguish using behavior alone. Both narrative and utility theories have been proposed to explain juror decisions, which are among the most consequential complex decisions made in a modern society. Here, we asked jury-eligible male and female subjects to rate the strength of a series of criminal cases while recording the resulting patterns of brain activation. We compared patterns of brain activation associated with evidence accumulation to patterns of brain activation derived from a large neuroimaging database to look for signatures of the cognitive processes associated with different models of juror decision making. Evidence accumulation correlated with multiple narrative processes, including reading and recall. Of the cognitive processes traditionally viewed as components of utility, activation patterns associated with uncertainty, but not value, were more active with stronger evidence. Independent of utility and narrative, activations linked to reasoning and relational logic also correlated with increasing evidence. Hierarchical modeling of cognitive processes associated with evidence accumulation supported a more prominent role for narrative in weighing evidence in complex decisions. However, utility processes were also associated with evidence accumulation. These complementary findings support an emerging view that integrates utility and narrative processes in complex decisions. Significance Statement The last decade has seen a sharply increased interest in narrative as a central cognitive process in human decision making and as an important factor in the evolution of human societies. However, the roles of narrative versus utility models of decision making remain hotly debated. While available models frequently produce similar behavioral predictions, they rely on different cognitive processes and so their roles can be separated using the right neural tests. Here, we use brain imaging during mock juror decisions to show that cognitive processes associated with narrative, and to a lesser extent utility, were engaged while subjects evaluated evidence. These results are consistent with interactions between narrative and utility processes during complex decision making.
The Short-Run Effects of Unexpected Job Loss on Health

This paper provides new evidence on the effect of job loss on health. Using a unique combination of detailed micro level panel data from the Netherlands with detailed information on health measures, employment, and job loss expectations, we estimate the immediate effect of unexpected job loss on health. We find no evidence for decreases in health, either physical or mental, upon job loss, but clear evidence for immediate reductions in headaches and fatigue. Our results suggest that the immediate effect of reduced work stress are bigger than the immediate increase in financial stress from job loss. JEL-codes: D84, I10, J22, J60
Effects of different anesthesia methods on heart rate variability in senile cataract surgery patients with cardiovascular diseases

Objective: To explore effects of local anesthesia and retrobulbar anesthesia on heart rate variability (HRV) in elderly patients with cataract phacoemulsification complicated with cardiovascular disease. Methods: Patients were divided into topical anesthesia group (group T) and retrobulbar anesthesia group (group R) according to different anesthesia methods. Based on the risk level of cardiovascular diseases, group T and group R were divided into three subgroups. HRV frequency domain was detected by 24 h dynamic electrocardiogram (DCG). The changes of low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) between group T and group R under the same risk and at three different time points were compared. Results: Under the same risk, HRV indexes in group R were significantly lower than those in group T (P<0.05). LF and LF/HF in group T during operation were significantly lower than those 2 h before operation (P<0.05), while HF increased after operation. Each HRV index in group R 2 h during and after operation was significantly lower than those 2 h before operation (P<0.05). Conclusion: The risk level of cardiovascular disease was positively correlated with LF, HF and LF/HF values. The risk of cataract surgery for patients with cardiovascular diseases should be evaluated before operation and various indexes should be actively controlled.
Application and effectiveness of Plan-Do-Check-Action cycle method for quality control in rigid container handling

Objective: To explore the quality control and application effects of a Plan-Do-Check-Action (PDCA) cycle in rigid container sterilization in a central sterile supply department. Methods: A total of 2,422 pieces of minimally invasive surgical instruments went through rigid container disinfection from our disinfection supply room, and the quality control results, sterile barrier damage, wet package rate, as well as the satisfaction rate of clinical departments for rigid container disinfection were compared before and after the application of a PDCA cycle. Results: After the application of PDCA cycle, the sterile barrier damage rate and wet package rate were significantly lower than those before PDCA cycle application. The comparison between groups was significantly different (P<0.05). The quality control scores and satisfaction rate of clinical departments for rigid container sterilization were significantly higher than those before the application of PDCA cycle (P<0.05). Conclusion: PDCA cycle can reduce the sterile barrier damage rate and wet package rate, ultimately improving the quality control results of rigid container sterilization and the satisfaction rate of clinical departments.
OP-SCIP200058 876..889

R&D collaborations between industry, government, civil society, and research (also known as ‘quadruple helix collaborations’ (QHCs)) have recently gained attention from R&D theorists and practitioners. In aiming to come to grips with their complexity, past models have generally taken a stakeholder-analytical approach based on stakeholder types. Yet stakeholder types are difficult to operationalise. We therefore argue that a processual model is more suited for studying the interaction in QHCs because it eschews matters of titles and identities. We develop such a model in which the QHC is represented as a process of generating four types of value: research value, market value, political value, and societal value. We then apply this processual model in analysing reallife cases of friction in QHCs. Friction is seen, not as an interpersonal clash, but as a discrepancy between two or more value-creation processes that compete for limited resources (some overperforming while others under-performing).
The effectiveness of couple therapy on improving marital adjustment, emotional divorce and reducing extramarital relationships in Behshahr

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of couple therapy on improving marital adjustment, emotional divorce and reducing extramarital affairs of couples in Behshahr. The method of this research was quasi-experimental in two groups (experimental and control) with pre-test and post-test. The statistical population included all couples who referred to Behshahr social emergency were 373 people. According to Morgan's table, 60 people were selected for pre-test or screening by multi-stage cluster sampling method and completed standard spinner (couple) compatibility questionnaires Spinner (1976), Guttman (1955) emotional divorce and justification of extramarital affairs Glass (1988). After conducting the questionnaires, 30 couples who had the lowest score at the same time were selected and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). The experimental group received emotion-centered couple therapy in groups for 10 sessions of 90 minutes, twice a week for two and a half months. Data were analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance and SPSS software. The results of data analysis show that there is a significant difference between the post-test scores of the experimental and control groups in at least one of the dependent variables (marital adjustment, emotional divorce and extramarital relationships) (F (3, 23) = 65.950, wilks . lambda = 0.109 The results also showed that emotion-based couple therapy is suitable for improving marital adjustment, emotional divorce and reducing couples' extramarital affairs and can be used as an effective intervention method.