Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Pursuit of Sustainability? Challenges for Deliberative Democracy in a Tasmanian Local Government

Sustainability may be viewed as a principled form of conduct. Among its effects is a growing emphasis on civil society and local governance through which the members of communities are encouraged to rethink democratic ideas and practices, and reconfigure how to live. Although normative, sustainability cannot properly be conceived as prescriptive; such a characteristic would undermine central elements of it, such as participation and equity. In this sense, requiring both mechanisms for community participation in decisionmaking and planning, and an ethic of engagement based on trust, reciprocity, and an acceptance of the rights of noncitizens and nonhuman nature, sustainability might also be construed as a deliberative form of democratic governance. Perhaps problematically, in the last decade this governmental aspect of sustainability has come to be associated with the procedures of communicative rationality. Supported by research conducted over three years in a local government in Tasmania, Australia, we argue that a deliberative and democratic praxis of sustainability may be effective only if and when underpinned by substantive changes to the exercise of power and leadership, and to the ways in which deliberative decisionmaking and planning are pursued. Communicative rationality alone is unlikely to achieve these ends.
Opportunities, Incentives and the Collective Patterns of Technological Change

In a few pages, in the introductory article for this debate, Vernon Ruttan succeeds in the unlikely task of flagging many issues at the core of the economic interpretation of technological change (and by doing so he implicitly addresses also a few sensitive spots for the economic discipline at large). Here I will not attempt to provide any thorough view of what I consider the achievements and limitations of the current state-of-the-art (see, however, Freeman (I 994) for a critical survey which I largely share). Rather, I shall put forward a series of remarks which, hopefully, could be seen as part of a much wider, and still largely unexplored, research programme. As a premise, just note that some form of attention to technology-related phenomena has spread over the last 20-30 years from small enclaves of heterodox economists and economic historians to become an important concern even for quite mainstream theories of e.g. the firm, industrial organisation, macroeconomics, trade, growth, etc. From 'patent races' all the way to 'New Trade' and 'New Growth' theories and even Real Business Cycle macro models, technical change has drawn a consideration which is less by default than it was, say, in Robert Solow's original growth models orJoe Bain's barriers-to-entry views on industrial structures. And, in parallel, empirical studies at the levels of specific technologies, firms, sectors and countries have boomed (for overviews cf. Dosi (I988), Nelson (I993), Freeman (I982, I 994), Cohen (I 995) and Granstrand (I 994), among others). So, at least in this sense, those 'decreasing returns' to the economics of technical change suggested by Ruttan do not seem to have set in. However, Ruttan's paper raises also substantive questions about the relative success of three interpretative perspectives which he calls 'induced', 'evolutionary' and 'path-dependent'. In the following I shall argue that an evolutionary perspective, broadly defined, can easily accommodate both inducement effects and path-dependent patterns of technical change. Let me start from what I consider the major building blocks of an
Les relations entre les budgets et les systèmes de mesure de la performance non financière : une étude empirique

(VF)La recherche s’interesse aux rapports entre les systemes budgetaires et les systemes de mesure de la performance non financiere (SMPNF). Les resultats d’une enquete realisee aupres de 79 grandes entreprises montrent que les deux systemes se completent plus qu’ils ne se concurrencent au sein des dispositifs de controle de gestion. La complementarite entre les budgets et les SMPNF est neanmoins conditionnee a la compatibilite des strategies de controle attachees aux deux outils. (VA)The present article examines the relationship between non financial performance measurement systems and budgeting systems. The results of a postal survey covering 79 companies show that budgeting systems and non financial performance measurement systems are complements rather than substitutes. However, their fit crucially depends on the mutual consistency of the control strategies they depend on.
Taking Legal Rules into Consideration: EU Asylum Policy and Regulatory Competition

This article applies regulatory competition theory to an unexplored case of competition among legal norms: asylum. The asylum case study allows for a discussion of two main assumptions of regulatory competition theory: the spontaneous emergence of competition among rules and the mechanical response of regulators to market forces. The article explains to what extent the current legal framework impacts on the emergence and development of the competitive process. This framework determines the existence of a market of legal norms, it impacts on the arbiters' mobility and on States' decision to compete. The article then addresses the mechanical vision of competition. It shows that law frames the response given by regulators to market forces. It discusses the hypothesis that competing legal rules evolve in a linear way and converge. Finally, the asylum case shows the limits of competition theory's ability to explain the evolution of law.
Psychological distress and risk of long-term disability: population-based longitudinal study

Background Common mental disorders are known to cause long-term disability, although not much is known about long-term consequences of milder forms of psychological distress. Objective To investigate the association between increasing levels of psychological distress and 5-year risk of long-term disability pensions awarded for somatic or psychiatric conditions. Methods In this longitudinal population-based study, a cohort of 17 205 individuals, aged 18–64 years, recruited in 2002 in Stockholm County was prospectively followed up for new disability pension awards. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to measure baseline psychological distress, and participants were categorised as having no, mild, moderate or severe psychological distress (GHQ-12 scores of 0; 1–2; 3–7 and 8–12, respectively). Details of new disability pension awards were obtained through record linkage with the Swedish National Insurance register. Comprehensive information on a range of sociodemographic, lifestyle and health characteristics was available. Results Increasing levels of psychological distress at baseline were associated with an increased likelihood of obtaining a disability pension later in life. Even mild psychological distress was independently associated with the award of a disability pension for both somatic (HR=1.7; 95% CI 1.3 to 2.2) and psychiatric diagnoses (2.2; 1.4 to 3.6). Over a quarter of disability pensions awarded for a somatic diagnosis, and almost two-thirds awarded for a psychiatric diagnosis, could be attributed to psychological distress. Conclusions Mild psychological distress may be associated with more long-term disability than previously acknowledged and its public health importance may be underestimated.
Servitization: Disentangling the Impact of Service Business Model Innovation on Manufacturing Firm Performance

As manufacturing businesses operate in an ever more competitive, global economy where products are easily commoditized, innovating by adding services to the core product offering has become a popular strategy. Contrary to the economic benefits expected, recent findings pinpoint implementation hurdles that lead to a potential performance decline, the so-called ‘servitization paradox’. In this paper, we analyze this paradox by disentangling the value creation and value appropriation processes of 44 national subsidiaries of a global manufacturing firm turned product-service provider, in the 2001–2007 period. Our findings show that the firm under study is able to successfully transcend the inherent substitution of products by services and to enact complementary sales dynamics between the two activities. Moreover, labor-intensive services such as maintenance, which imply higher levels of customer proximity, further enhance product sales. Empirical results also reveal a positive yet non-linear relationship between the scale of service activities and profitability: while initial levels of servicing result in a steep increase in profitability, a period of relative decline is observed before the positive relationship between the scale of services and profitability re-emerges. These findings suggest the presence of initial short-term gains but also indicate the existence of a ‘profitability’ hurdle; profitable growth seems feasible only to the extent that investments in service capability are translated into economies of scale. In helping to clarify the performance implications of service innovation, our findings suggest pathways to sustainable growth through servitization for manufacturing firms
An Optimized Control Method Based on Dual Three-Level Inverters for Open-end Winding Induction Motor Drives

An optimized space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) method with common mode voltage elimination and neutral point potential balancing is proposed for an open-end winding induction motor. The motor is fed from both of the ends with two neutral point clamped (NPC) three-level inverters. In order to eliminate the common mode voltage of the motor ends and balance the neutral point potential of the DC link, only zero common mode voltage vectors are used and a balancing control factor is gained from calculation in the strategy. In order to improve the harmonic characteristics of the output voltages and currents, the balancing control factor is regulated properly and the theoretical analysis is provided. Simulation and experimental results show that by adopting the proposed method, the common mode voltage can be completely eliminated, the neutral point potential can be accurately balanced and the harmonic performance for the output voltages and currents can be effectively improved.
What explains Bordeaux wine prices?

The aim of this article is to explain Bordeaux wine prices for the 1996–1999 vintages. The hedonic price method is applied to determine the main explanatory factors of price differences. It shows that reputation remains an important determinant of the price. However sensory characteristics have greater explanatory power compared to previous studies. Increasing competition and reductions in information asymmetries on the wine market are two important factors explaining this result.
Organic bendable and stretchable field effect devices for sensing applications

In this paper we propose a detailed investigation on the electrical response of Organic Field Effect Transistors (OFETs) assembled on flexible plastic substrates to mechanical deformations. We will demonstrate that, by applying a surface deformation by an external mechanical stimulus we are inducing morphological and structural changes in the organic semiconductor, giving rise to a marked, reproducible and reversible variation of the device output current. We will show how the intrinsic properties of the employed active layers play a crucial role in determining the final sensitivity to the mechanical deformation. Finally we will also demonstrate that the fabricated flexible system can be successfully employed for different applications that go from the detection of bio-mechanical parameters (joints motion, breath rate, etc.) in the wearable electronics field, to tactile transduction for the realization of artificial “robot skins”.
Exploring five common assumptions on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and treated with medication is steadily increasing. The aim of this paper was to critically discuss five debatable assumptions on ADHD that may explain these trends to some extent. These are that ADHD (i) causes deviant behaviour, (ii) is a disease, (iii) is chronic and (iv) is best treated by medication and (v) that classification should precede treatment.
Fine-structure mapping and functional analysis of temperature-sensitive mutants in the gene encoding the herpes simplex virus type 1 immediate early protein VP175

Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific proteins fall into at least three kinetic classes whose synthesis is sequentially and coordinaely regulated. Temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of one complementation group (1-2) are defective in the transition from immediate early to early and late protein synthesis. To elucidate the function of the 1-2 gene product in the HSV type 1 replicative cycle, nine ts mutants in this group were mapped by fine-structure analysis and characterized members of the group lie within the terminally repeated sequences of the S region of the genome. Fine-structure genetic and physical mapping permitted the mutations to be ordered within these sequences. Because it has been shown that the message for VP175 and the DNA template specifying this protein extend beyond the limits of the physical map of the mutations, it follows that the mutations must lie within the structural gene for VP175. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis showed that most members of the group overproduced the immediate early proteins VP175, -136, -110, and -63 and markedly underproduced early and late proteins at the nonpermissive temperature. In temperature shiftup experiments, it was fund that the synthesis of early and late proteins ceased, whereas the synthesis of immediate early proteins began again. Thus, it is postulated that VP175 is (i) involved in the transition from immediate early to early protein synthesis, (ii) requird continuously to maintain early protein synthesis, (iii) autoregulated, acting to inhibit immediate early protein synthesis.
Diagnosis of colon cancer with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on the malignant colon tissue samples.

BACKGROUND Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) combined with chemometrics discriminant analysis technology could improve diagnosis. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of FT-IR on malignant colon tissue samples in diagnosis of colon cancer. METHODS Principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machine classification were used to discriminate FT-IR spectra from malignant and normal tissue. Colon tissues samples from 85 patients were used to demonstrate the procedure. RESULTS For this set of colon spectral data, the sensitivity and specificity of the support vector machine (SVM) classification were found both higher than 90%. CONCLUSIONS FT-IR provided important information about cancerous tissue, which could be used to discriminate malignant from normal tissues. The combination of PCA and SVM classification indicated that FT-IR has a potential clinical application in diagnosis of colon cancer.
Mr. Smith and the Preachers: The Economics of Religion in the Wealth of Nations

The extension of economic analysis to problems beyond the domain of formal markets and explicit prices represents a major recent intellectual development. But "economic imperialism" is not new and was not invented in Chicago. Adam Smith, in his Wealth of Nations, extended economic reasoning to a variety of nonmarket exchange problems. One example is his analysis of religious behavior. Smith viewed participation in religion as a rational device by which individual enhanced the value of their human capital. He also explained the behavior of the clergy and other suppliers of religious services from an economic perspective.
Fructose‐Fed Rhesus Monkeys: A Nonhuman Primate Model of Insulin Resistance, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes

The incidence of insulin resistance has increased dramatically over the past several years, and we and others have proposed that this increase may at least in part be attributable to increased dietary fructose consumption. However, a major limitation to the study of diet‐induced insulin resistance is the lack of relevant animal models. Numerous studies, mostly in rodents, have demonstrated that diets high in fructose induce insulin resistance; however, important metabolic differences exist between rodents and primates. Thus, the results of metabolic studies performed in primates are substantively more translatable to human physiology, underscoring the importance of establishing nonhuman primate models of common metabolic conditions. In this report, we demonstrate that a high‐fructose diet in rhesus monkeys produces insulin resistance and many features of the metabolic syndrome, including central obesity, dyslipidemia, and inflammation within a short period of time; moreover, a subset of monkeys developed type 2 diabetes. Given the rapidity with which the metabolic changes occur, and the ability to control for many factors that cannot be controlled for in humans, fructose feeding in rhesus monkeys represents a practical and efficient model system in which to investigate the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of diet‐induced insulin resistance and its related comorbidities. Clin Trans Sci 2011; Volume 4: 243–252
Scale Economies in Statistical Analyses of Market Power

B AINis (1956) analysis of the sources of barriers to new competition suggests that scale economies to the plant or firm allow sellers to elevate price somewhat above average cost without attracting new rivals. Multivariate statistical analyses of the determinants of seller concentration and profits henceforth have included measures of scale economies among their independent variables. However, direct measures, based on engineering or survey evidence, have been available to only a few investigators (Bain, 1956; Eastman and Stykolt, 1967). Others have employed various statistical proxies for the missing firsthand evidence. This paper proposes a new way to form these surrogate measures, compares its properties with those of previous approaches, and reports its performance in two recent studies of allocative efficiency in manufacturing industries.
Trade reorientation and recovery in transition economies

How do we define transition and when can we say that transition to a market economy is complete? Here we suggest that one way of addressing this issue is to analyse current economic data and ask whether, in ignorance of the past, we can identify countries in central and eastern Europe as being somehow different from comparable western market economies. In this paper we focus on international trade and argue that several indicators, such as the geographical structure of trade and the undervaluation of the exchange rate, cannot distinguish the more advanced countries in central and eastern Europe. We also seek to explain how the reorientation of trade towards the West has been achieved and, in particular, assess whether improvements on design and quality are a prerequisite for export expansion. Copyright 1997 by Oxford University Press.
Suitability of Thoracic Cytology for New Therapeutic Paradigms in Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma: High Accuracy of Tumor Subtyping and Feasibility of EGFR and KRAS Molecular Testing

Introduction: The two essential requirements for pathologic specimens in the era of personalized therapies for non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) are accurate subtyping as adenocarcinoma (ADC) versus squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) and suitability for EGFR and KRAS molecular testing. The aim of this study was to comprehensively review the performance of cytologic specimens for the above two goals in a high-volume clinical practice. Methods: Subtyping of primary lung carcinomas by preoperative cytology was correlated with subsequent resection diagnoses during a 1-year period (n = 192). The contribution of various clinicopathologic parameters to subtyping accuracy and utilization of immunohistochemistry (IHC) for NSCLC subtyping were analyzed. In addition, the performance of cytologic specimens submitted for EGFR/KRAS molecular testing during a 1-year period (n = 128) was reviewed. Results: Of the 192 preoperative cytology diagnoses, tumor subtype was definitive versus favored versus unclassified in 169 (88%) versus 15 (8%) versus 8 (4%) cases, respectively. Overall accuracy of cytologic tumor subtyping (concordance with histology) was 93% and accuracy of definitive diagnoses 96%. For a group of patients with ADC and SqCC (n = 165), the rate of unclassified cytologic diagnoses was 3% and overall accuracy 96%. IHC was used for subtyping of 9% of those cases, yielding 100% accuracy. The strongest predictors of difficulty in subtyping of ADC and SqCC were poor differentiation (p = 0.0004), low specimen cellularity (p = 0.019), and squamous histology (p = 0.003). Of 128 cytologic specimens submitted for molecular testing, 126 (98%) were suitable for analysis, revealing EGFR and KRAS mutations in 31 (25%) and 25 (20%) cases, respectively. Conclusions: Cytologic subtyping of NSCLC is feasible and accurate, particularly when morphologic assessment is combined with IHC. Furthermore, routine cytologic specimens can be successfully used for EGFR/KRAS mutation analysis. Our data strongly support the suitability of cytologic specimens for the new therapeutic paradigms in NSCLC.
Sociodemographic Differences in the Receipt of Colorectal Cancer Surveillance Care Following Treatment With Curative Intent

Background.Despite limited evidence of its effectiveness, most guidelines recommend colorectal cancer survivors undergo posttreatment surveillance care. This article describes the posttreatment use of colon e-aminations, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) testing, and metastatic disease testing among a managed care population. Methods.Two hundred fifty-one patients with colorectal cancer enrolled in a managed care organization at diagnosis (1/1/90–12/31/95) and treated with curative intent. Patients were identified via a Cancer Registry maintained by a large group practice. Cumulative incidences of service receipt were estimated using actuarial (Kaplan-Meier) survival analyses. Co- Proportional Hazard Models were used to evaluate the relation of patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics to service receipt. Average 8-year medical care e-penditures were calculated. Results.Within 18 months of treatment, 55% of the cohort received a colon examination, 71% received CEA testing, and 59% received metastatic disease testing. Whites were more likely than minorities to receive CEA testing (RR = 1.47, P = 0.04) and tended to be more likely to receive a colon examination (RR = 1.43, P = 0.09). As the median household income of a patient’s zip code of residence increased, so too did the likelihood of colon examination and metastatic disease testing receipt (RR = 1.09, P = 0.03 and RR = 1.12, P <0.01, respectively). Average 8-year medical care expenditures among the cohort were $30,247. Conclusions.Among a population with financial access to care, differences were found in the receipt of colorectal cancer surveillance care by race and income. Additional investigations are needed to understand why minorities and those residing in low-income areas are less likely to receive surveillance care.