Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Occupational exposure to pesticides and respiratory health

This article aims to review the available literature regarding the link between occupational exposure to pesticides and respiratory symptoms or diseases. Identification of epidemiological studies was performed using PubMed. 41 articles were included, 36 regarding agricultural workers and five regarding industry workers. Among the 15 cross-sectional studies focusing on respiratory symptoms and agricultural pesticide exposure, 12 found significant associations with chronic cough, wheeze, dyspnoea, breathlessness or chest tightness. All four studies on asthma found a relationship with occupational exposure, as did all three studies on chronic bronchitis. The four studies that performed spirometry reported impaired respiratory function linked to pesticide exposure, suggestive of either obstructive or restrictive syndrome according to the chemical class of pesticide. 12 papers reported results from cohort studies. Three out of nine found a significant relationship with increased risk of wheeze, five out of nine with asthma and three out of three with chronic bronchitis. In workers employed in pesticide production, elevated risks of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (two studies out of three) and impaired respiratory function suggestive of an obstructive syndrome (two studies out of two) were reported. In conclusion, this article suggests that occupational exposure to pesticides is associated with an increased risk of respiratory symptoms, asthma and chronic bronchitis, but the causal relationship is still under debate. A review of occupational (agricultural and industry) exposure to pesticides and associated respiratory health effects http:///ow.ly/M09Gc
Environmental leadership and competitive advantage through environmental management system standards

Stakeholders exert pressures on businesses to demonstrate environmental responsibility. However, it is the source and extent of such pressures that determine business response. At present it would appear that the principal pressure on UK businesses to demonstrate environmental responsibility is that exerted by government through legislation and regulations. Businesses must comply with such legislation or risk punitive action. Compliance is the basis of environmental responsibility. However, businesses may elect to go beyond compliance which implies that they are implementing a leadership strategy, balancing risk against competitive advantage. An environmental leadership strategy can provide competitive advantage for a company in two ways: firstly, by catering for a demand in the market place for environmentally responsible products or services ahead of its rivals; secondly, by generating cost savings from practices that conserve energy and materials and reduce waste. Companies that have determined that their strategy should be one of environmental leadership will want to publicize this to their stakeholders. One way of doing this is through an environmental management system standard. This paper presents a case study on Autosmart Ltd., one of the first companies in the UK to obtain BS7750. The case study describes the motives for seeking certification, the changes made to products and processes to improve environmental performance, and the commercial and competitive benefits gained through certification. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Learning Fast and Slow: Levels of Learning in General Autonomous Intelligent Agents

We propose two distinct levels of learning for general autonomous intelligent agents. Level 1 consists of fixed architectural learning mechanisms that are innate and automatic. Level 2 consists of deliberate learning strategies that are controlled by the agent's knowledge. We describe these levels and provide an example of their use in a task-learning agent. We also explore other potential levels and discuss the implications of this view of learning for the design of autonomous agents.
Comparison of analytical and clinical performance of three methods for detection of Clostridium difficile.

CONTEXT Diagnostic laboratory testing for Clostridium difficile infection has undergone considerable and rapid evolution during the last decade. The ideal detection method(s), which should exhibit high analytical and clinical sensitivity and specificity, remains undefined. OBJECTIVE We sought to evaluate the analytical and clinical performance characteristics of three methods for the laboratory detection of C difficile. DESIGN This study used 114 consecutive stool samples to compare three methods of C difficile detection: an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for toxins A/B, a lateral flow membrane immunoassay for glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and a qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Medical records of all patients having ≥1 positive test result were reviewed to estimate the clinical likelihood of C difficile infection. RESULTS Based upon laboratory result consensus values, analytical sensitivity was significantly higher for GDH (94%) and PCR (94%) assays than for toxin EIA (25%). Analytical specificity was significantly higher for PCR (100%) and EIA (100%) than for GDH assay (93%). In contrast, assay performance based upon clinical probability of C difficile infection suggested lower discriminatory power (ie, clinical specificity) of the more analytically sensitive methods. CONCLUSIONS Higher rates of C difficile detection will be realized upon implementation of GDH assay and/or real-time PCR-based testing algorithms than by testing with EIA alone. Further study is required to elucidate potential downstream costs for higher detection rates.
Risk management beyond correlation

Effects of dependencies are an important component of risk management in an aggregate setting, for example, when different risk types or business lines are to be modeled jointly. Classical approaches to portfolio theory rely on the notion of linear correlation and thus on the ellipticity of the underlying distribution—a requirement which is typically not fulfilled in a risk management context. For each of market, credit and operational risks, this thesis examines situations where linear correlation reaches its limits and may lead to an underestimation of or counterintuitive effects on aggregate risk. Copulas and tail dependence coefficients are considered, estimated and analyzed as alternatives to correlation. These measures are able to detect extremal dependence structures otherwise neglected. However, due to restrictions by sample sizes and asymptotic considerations, there is no “one–size–fits–all” approach to measuring dependencies among extremes. Instead, this thesis suggests a joint consideration of parametric and nonparametric methods in order to gain a picture of aggregate risk as comprehensive as possible. Zusammenfassung Abhängigkeitseffekte stellen einen wichtigen Baustein eines aggregierten Risikomanagement–Prozesses dar, z. B. , wenn unterschiedliche Risikotypen oder Geschäftsbereiche gemeinsam modelliert werden. Die klassischen Ansätze der Portfoliotheorie beruhen auf der Idee der linearen Korrelation und damit auf der Elliptizität der zugrunde liegenden Verteilung—eine Voraussetzung, welche typischerweise im Risikomanagement–Kontext nicht erfüllt ist. Für Markt–, Kredit– und operationelle Risiken betrachtet die vorliegende Arbeit jeweils Situationen, in welchen die lineare Korrelation an ihre Grenzen stößt und zu einer Unterschätzung von oder kontraintuitiven Effekten auf das Gesamtrisiko führen kann. Copulas und Tail Dependence–Koeffizienten werden als Alternativen zur Korrelation betrachtet, geschätzt und analysiert. Diese Maße sind in der Lage, anderenfalls unberücksichtigte Abhängigkeitsstrukturen in den Extrembereichen zu erfassen. Aufgrund der Restriktionen durch Stichprobengrößen und asymptotische Betrachtungen ergibt sich jedoch kein allgemein bester Ansatz zur Messung von Abhängigkeiten zwischen Extremen. Vielmehr schlägt die vorliegende Arbeit eine gemeinsame Betrachtung parametrischer und nichtparametrischer Methoden vor, um ein möglichst umfassendes Bild des Gesamtrisikos zu erhalten.
Ependymal Denudation, Aqueductal Obliteration and Hydrocephalus after a Single Injection of Neuraminidase into the Lateral Ventricle of Adult Rats

To investigate the role of sialic acid in the ependyma of the rat brain, we injected neuraminidase from Clostriditum perfingens into the lateral ventricle of 86 adult rats that were sacrificed at various time intervals. After administration of 10 µg neuraminidase, ciliated cuboidal ependymal cells of the lateral ventricles, third ventricle, cerebral aqueduct, and the rostral half of the fourth ventricle died and detached. The ependymal regions sealed by tight juntions such as the choroid plexus and the subcommissural organ were not affected. Debris was removed by infiltrating neutrophils and macrophagic cells. At the same time, after ependymal disappearance, the aqueduct was obliterated. In this region, mitoses were evident and cystic ependymal cells were frequent. Hydrocephalus of the lateral and third ventricles was evident 4 days after neuraminidase injection. Gliosis was restricted to the dorsal telencephalic wall of the injected lateral ventricle. It is thought that cleavage of sialic acid from ependymal surface glycoproteins or glycolipids, likely involved in cell adhesion, led to the detaching and death of the ependymal cells. Thereafter, ependymal loss, together with edema, led to fusion of the lateral walls of the cerebral aqueduct and this in turn provoked hydrocephalus of the third and lateral ventricles. This model of experimental hydrocephalus is compared with other models, in particular those of hydrocephalus after viral invasion of the cerebral ventricles.
Deposit insurance, bank capital structures and the demand for liquidity

This paper provides an economic explanation for the extraordinary and historically unprecedented accumulation of liquid assets by the banking system in the aftermath of the Great Depression. At the end of the decade (1938 to 1939) the banking system held over 35 percent of their assets in non-interest bearing cash. Why are these holdings so high and why didn't we observe the same phenomenon in Canada? My theory is that, contrary to what happened in Canada, U.S. banks came out of the Depression severely undercapitalized and they did not immediately replenish the capital account because, at the time, it would have been extremely expensive to do so. In order to calm depositors' fears, bank managers increased the share of liquid assets in their portfolios to reduce their risk exposure on the asset side. In order to shed some light into this observation I construct a banking model that generates some empirically testable implications. The model generates a negative correlation between the equity-to-assets ratio and the liquidity ratio. Using aggregate time-series data (1929-1940), I find that this prediction is borne out in the data. The banking system held a higher share of liquid assets during periods of more severe undercapitalization. With Call Report data (1985Q1-1989Q4) on over 10,000 U.S. banks, I test the cross-sectional implications of the model. I perform a pooled time-series, cross-section, fixed-effects regression across different asset size classes and find evidence of the negative correlation suggested by the model. In fact the banks with higher shares of liquidity were the ones with more precarious capital positions. I also do a theoretical experiment on the optimal design of deposit insurance policies. I derive six propositions characterizing bank risk-taking and portfolio composition under three different deposit insurance arrangements: (i) Fixed-rate (FDIC type), (ii) Actuarially fair, and, Bank-neutral. Banks would never hold actuarially fair deposit insurance voluntarily and there is a moral hazard problem with fixed-rate deposit insurance. Bank-neutral deposit insurance eliminates the moral hazard incentive and allows implementation without coercion. It has an imbedded subsidy given by the FDIC but with good countercyclical properties.
2,4,6-Trifluorobenzoic acid

In the title compound, C7H3F3O2, the C—C—C angles in the ring are greater than 120° for F-bonded C atoms [123.69 (13), 123.88 (12) and 123.66 (12)°]. In the crystal, intermolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between carboxyl groups give rise to the formation of a centrosymmetric dimer, while dispersive F⋯O contacts [2.8849 (16) Å] connect the dimers into infinite strands along the a axis.
Positive and Negative Assessment Center Feedback in Relation to Development Self-Efficacy, Feedback Seeking, and Promotion

In this field study we examined both positive and negative developmental feedback given in managerial assessment centers in relation to employees’ self-efficacy for their ability to improve their relevant skills assessed in the centers, the extent to which they sought subsequent feedback from others at work, and the career outcome of being promoted to a higher level position within the organization. We found that feedback was related to self-efficacy for improvement which was in turn positively related to feedback seeking, which was positively linked to the career outcome of promotion (e.g., feedback leads to self-efficacy for improvement leads to feedback seeking leads to promotion). In addition, we tested boundary variables for the effects of feedback in this model. Both social support for development and implicit theory of ability moderated the effects of negative feedback on self-efficacy. Having more support and believing that abilities can be improved buffered the detrimental impact of negative feedback on self-efficacy. We discuss implications for theory, future research and practical implications drawing upon literature on assessment centers, feedback and feedback seeking, employee development and career success.
A Web Tool for the Identification of Potential Interactive Effects of Chemical Mixtures

This project was undertaken to develop a toxicological database allowing the identification of possible additive or other interactive effects of mixtures present in the work environment. In the first phase of the project, whose findings have already been published, critical toxicological data were compiled for each of the 695 chemical substances in the Quebec Occupational Health Regulation, allowing the prediction of potential additivity among components of a mixture. In the second phase of this project, the types of interactions for mixtures most likely to be found in workplaces and for which primary literature data are available were specified. The toxicological data were evaluated only for realistic exposure concentrations up to the short-term exposure limit or ceiling value or five times the 8-hr time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) for human data and up to 100 times the 8-hr TWA PEL or ceiling value for animal studies. In total, 675 studies were evaluated covering 209 binary mixtures of substances. For the majority of cases where potential additivity was identified in Phase 1, there is a lack of toxicological data in the primary literature. In these cases, the results of the first phase will be useful as the default hypothesis. The resulting database integrates the results from both phases of the project. A web-based computer tool allows the user to determine whether there is potential additivity or interaction among components of a mixture.
Collection-mode near-field imaging with 0.5-THz pulses

High spatial resolution imaging with terahertz pulses is implemented with a novel collection-mode near-field probe. The spatial resolution capabilities of the system are in the range of few micrometers. We demonstrate resolution of 7 /spl mu/m using 0.5-THz pulses and discuss performance of the collection-mode near-field probes and image properties.
Charting Chicago School Reform: Democratic Localism As A Lever For Change

In 1989, Chicago began an experiment with radical decentralization of power and authority. This book tells the story of what happened to Chicago's elementary schools in the first four years of this reform. Implicit in this reform is the theory that expanded local democratic participation would stimulate organizational change within schools, which in turn would foster improved teaching and learning. Using this theory as a framework, the authors marshal massive quantitative and qualitative data to examine how the reform actually unfolded at the school level.With longitudinal case study data on 22 schools, survey responses from principals and teachers in 269 schools, and supplementary system-wide administrative data, the authors identify four types of school politics: strong democracy, consolidated principal power, maintenance, and adversarial. In addition, they classify school change efforts as either systemic or unfocused. Bringing these strands together, the authors determine that, in about a third of the schools, expanded local democratic participation served as a strong lever for introducing systemic change focused on improved instruction. Finally, case studies of six actively restructuring schools illustrate how under decentralization the principal's role is recast, social support for change can grow, and ideas and information from external sources are brought to bear on school change initiatives. Few studies intertwine so completely extensive narratives and rigorous quantitative analyses. The result is a complex picture of the Chicago reform that joins the politics of local control to school change.This volume is intended for scholars in the fields of urban education, public policy, sociology of education, anthropology of education, and politics of education. Comprehensive and descriptive, it is an engaging text for graduate students and upper-level undergraduates. Local, state, and federal policymakers who are concerned with urban education will find new and insightful material. The book should be on reading lists and in professional development seminars for school principals who want to garner community support for change and for school community leaders who want more responsive local institutions. Finally, educators, administrators, and activists in Chicago will appreciate this detailed analysis of the early years of reform.
Barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence in developed countries: a qualitative synthesis to develop a conceptual framework for a new patient-reported outcome measure

ABSTRACT Suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains common. Patient-centered tools are needed to comprehensively assess adherence barriers in HIV clinical practice. Thus, we conducted a research synthesis to produce a conceptual framework for a new patient-reported outcome measure (PRO) for use in routine HIV care in Canada and France. A PRO’s conceptual framework graphically represents the concepts to be measured and the potential relationships between them. Towards ensuring the framework’s relevance to the target populations’ concerns, qualitative studies with HIV-positive adults on barriers to ART adherence in developed countries were synthesized with thematic analysis, attending to the cross-study prevalence and interrelationships of barrier themes. In March 2016, searches within Medline, PsychINFO, and Embase produced 5,284 records. Two reviewers determined the final sample (n = 41). Analysis generated three levels of ART adherence barrier themes. Twenty Level 2 themes and their component subthemes (Level 3) were organized into 6 higher-order themes (Level 1): Cognitive and emotional aspects (100% of studies contributing content -prevalence), Lifestyle factors (95%), Social and material context (95%), Characteristics of ART (90%), Health experience and state (73%), and Healthcare services and system (66%). As to interrelationships, study authors articulated relationships between all higher-order themes (Level 3). Linkages between Level 2 barrier themes showed great variability, from 21% to 95%. Overall, this synthesis contributes an exceptionally detailed conceptual framework and report of ART adherence barriers, applicable to a wide range of PLHIV. It suggests that a key to understanding many barriers is through their interconnections. It also identifies gaps in barrier research. Concerning the new PRO’s development, comprehensiveness will need to be weighed against other concerns (e.g., respondent burden) and the provision of barrier-specific guidance for clinically addressing its scores seems essential.
Stochastic Frontiers Approach: an Empirical Analysis of Italian Environmental Spending

Using the stochastic frontiers approach (SFA) on a panel of Italian regional data, this paper tries to analyse the optimal design of environmental spending. The main question is, so forth, studying when it is better to centralize or decentralize a public economic function, such as the protection of the environment, in order to improve the welfare of a country. Empirical results are ambiguous: if Italy changes its administrative structure from a centralized to a decentralized government, and gives to local levels more autonomy in choosing how to spend public money, the improvement in regional economic performance is not clearly highlighted.
Testing the induced innovation hypothesis in South African agriculture (an error correction approach)

The authors investigate whether factor prices matter in agricultural production and in the selection of production technology. Each stage of the analysis corroborates the inducement hypothesis, which implies that factor prices do matter in agricultural production and in the selection of production technology. The empirical results also suggest that observed rates and biases of technological change are influenced by average farm size, by spending on research and extension, and by favorable tax and interest-rate policies. In South Africa, the authors contend, more attention should be focused on the technological needs of small-scale farmers. The lobbying power of the large commercial farmers, combined with policies followed under apartheid, must have influenced the allocation of research and development funds between labor- and land-saving technical change. This will have distorted the technological bias toward labor saving technical change, which is hardly appropriate for a labor-surplus economy in which small farmers in the former homelands face a chronic scarcity of land. These results show that factor prices do matter in agricultural production and the selection of production technology. And there seems to be merit to the World Bank's usual policy prescription - structural adjustment and market liberalization - for economies in which prices are controlled and distorted. They investigate the role of factor prices by applying cointegration techniques to a model of induced innovation based on the two-stage constant elasticity of substitution production function. This approach results in direct tests of the inducement hypothesis, which are applied to data for South African agriculture for the period 1947-92. They check the time series properties of the variables, establish cointegration, and construct an error correction model (ECM) that allows factor substitution to be separated from technological change. Finally, they subject the ECM formulation to tests of causality, which show that the factor price ratios induce the factor saving biases of technological change.