Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Mass Media's Political Agenda-Setting Power

Do mass media determine or codetermine the political agenda? Available answers on this question are mixed and contradictory. Results vary in terms of the type of political agenda under scrutiny, the kind of media taken into account, and the type of issues covered. This article enhances knowledge of the media's political agenda-setting power by addressing each of these topics, drawing on extensive longitudinal measures of issue attentiveness in media, Parliament, and government in Belgium in the 1990s. Relying on time-series, cross-section analyses, the authors ascertain that although Belgium is characterized by a closed political system, the media do to some extent determine the agenda of Parliament and government. There is systematic variation in media effects, however. Newspapers exert more influence than does television, Parliament is somewhat more likely to follow media than government, and media effects are larger for certain issues (law and order, environment) than for others (foreign policy, economic issues).
Bounding Practice: How people act in sociomaterial practices

What does it mean to act in a competent manner in sociomaterial practices? When I read Bratteteig and Verne’s (2012) paper “Conditions for autonomy in the information society: Disentangling as a public service”, published in this issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, I was intrigued by the approach to investigating the enactment of the Scandinavian democratic information society as sociomaterial practices. If we are to open up the black box of what the increased digitalization of all types of communication between citizens and government might bring, sociomateriality as an analytical tool is an opportunity for us to increase our awareness toward essential challenges and complexities otherwise neglected in sociotechnical studies. This is not to say that increased digitalization does not support efficient and timely handling of routine issues from citizens. It certainly does, and personally I really appreciate the decreased time and effort I need to spend on such matters. Instead my argument is that increased digitalization also create a black box around otherwise complex interrelations between society, technology, law, and the practices of citizens. This makes it difficult for citizens to interact in a qualified manner with the ‘system’, since we are not educated to manage the complex interwoven networks that are covered up by the smooth surfaces of websites. Bratteteig and Verne provide inspiring empirical examples that depict the complexity involved in the communication practices between government and citizens. They propose making evident the differences between the two sociomaterial concepts—entanglement and imbrication—and suggest that disentanglement describes the process by which sociomaterial practices are addressed to create space for action and change. My interest is how practitioners disentangle and act within sociomaterial practices. But, in opposition to Bratteteig and Verne, I will argue that their suggestion to make the distinction between entanglement and imbrication has embedded the dichotomy of the social and the technical, from which they do not escape in their
CAPM anomalies and the pricing of equity: evidence from the Hong Kong market

Using a sample of equity stocks traded on the Hong Kong stock market, this study examines empirically the independent and joint roles of the more commonly hypothesized variables in explaining cross-sectional variation in average returns over the period from January 1980 to December 1994. Evidence indicates that beta, book leverage, earnings-price ratio and dividend yield are not priced, whereas significant book-to-market equity, market leverage (absorbed by book-to-market equity), size, and share price effects are observed. The findings should prove valuable in portfolio management and corporate financial decisions.
Isolation of Phlebotomus fever virus from Phlebotomus papatasi and determination of the host ranges of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in West Pakistan.

Sandflies collected in the vicinity of Lahore and Peshawar, West Pakistan were identified to species and sex. The source of the blood-meal of freshly-engorged sandflies was determined by precipitin testing using avian, bovine, canine, equine, human, sheep, murine and reptilian antisera. Most Phlebotomus papatasi had fed on humans or cattle, but birds, dogs, and horses were also identified as hosts. P. sergenti had fed on birds, bovines, and humans. Most of the blood-engorged Sergentomyia yielded negative test results, but one S. baghdadis had fed on a human, and 2 blood smears from S. babu blood-meals reacted weakly with avian antiserum. The single virus isolate obtained was from a pool of P. papatasi and this agent was identified by neutralization tests in suckling mice as Sicilian phlebotomus fever virus.
How International Are Undergraduate Political Science Programs at Liberal Arts and Sciences Colleges and Universities in the Midwest?

Internationalization is a hot topic on college and university campuses today. It is also one of the hot button topics facing the APSA (see Varshney 2004; Breuning 2005). Although relatively recent to APSA, internationalizing the higher education curriculum has long been a concern of educational scholars. Arum (1987) identifies three areas in which campuses can pursue internationalization: promoting the international content of curricula, tracking the international movement of scholars and students, and providing technical assistance and educational cooperation programs that engage American education in efforts abroad. Rivers (1994) adds a fourth dimension: promoting awareness of other cultures and ways of thinking through extracurricular cross-cultural experiences, which would ideally include outreach to the surrounding community.
The early adoption of consolidated accounting in Spain

Consolidated accounting for corporations in Spain was rare before the Seventh European Directive, adopted by the European Union in 1983, and only became compulsory in 1991. During the intervening years a number of firms elected to adopt consolidated accounting even though they were not required to do so. These circumstances provide a useful insight into the early adoption of accounting practices as, in contrast with most previous studies of early adoption, (a) many firms adopted the accounting techniques well in advance of the required date, (b) consolidation makes a substantial impact on reported financial statements, and (c) the effect of consolidation can be beneficial or adverse. We find that those firms which adopted consolidated accounting early reported a significantly better change in reported performance at the time of adoption than those firms which only consolidated when required to do so. Firms that are subject to government regulation also tended to adopt early but the impact of consolidation on reported performance was not beneficial for regulated early adopters.
Business Cycle Correlations in Asia-Pacific

In this paper business cycle correlations between countries in the Asia-Pacific region are examined. A number of authors have suggested that trade intensity between pairs of countries increases business cycle synchronisation, though theoretically it is not clear that this should be the case. In this paper trade intensity and a number of other macroeconomic and structural variables are used to try and explain synchronisation. Our findings suggest that trade does not explain correlations in the Asia-Pacific region.
Localization of monoamine oxidase A and B and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase in human peripheral tissues

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B and semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) localizations in peripheral human tissues were compared by immunohistochemistry. The primary antibodies used were mouse monoclonal anti-human MAO-A (6G11/E1) and anti-human MAO-B (3F12/G10/2E3) and a rabbit polyclonal anti-bovine SSAO antibody. Immunoreactivities of the samples, obtained from 6 routine autopsy cases, showed different distributions in the tissues studied (heart, lung, duodenum, liver, pancreas, spleen, thyroid gland, adrenal gland and kidney). The relative MAO-A, MAO-B and SSAO distributions indicated a widespread distribution of these enzymes in the human body that is characterized by a matching cellular pattern in only few tissues. These differences suggest that each amine oxidase may play a specific function in, at least some, peripheral tissues.
Functional Characterization of Protein Variants Encoded by Nonsynonymous Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in MARC1 and MARC2 in Healthy Caucasians

Human molybdenum-containing enzyme mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component (mARC), cytochrome b5 type B, and NADH cytochrome b5 reductase form an N-reductive enzyme system that is capable of reducing N-hydroxylated compounds. Genetic variations are known, but their functional relevance is unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the incidence of nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mARC genes in healthy Caucasian volunteers, to determine saturation of the protein variants with molybdenum cofactor (Moco), and to characterize the kinetic behavior of the protein variants by in vitro biotransformation studies. Genotype frequencies of six SNPs in the mARC genes (c.493A>G, c.560T>A, c.736T>A, and c.739G>C in MARC1; c.730G>A and c.735T>G in MARC2) were determined by pyrosequencing in a cohort of 340 healthy Caucasians. Protein variants were expressed in Escherichia coli. Saturation with Moco was determined by measurement of molybdenum by inductively coupled mass spectrometry. Steady state assays were performed with benzamidoxime. The six variants were of low frequency in this Caucasian population. Only one homozygous variant (c.493A; MARC1) was detected. All protein variants were able to bind Moco. Steady state assays showed statistically significant decreases of catalytic efficiency values for the mARC-2 wild type compared with the mARC-1 wild type (P < 0.05) and for two mARC-2 variants compared with the mARC-2 wild type (G244S, P < 0.05; C245W, P < 0.05). After simultaneous substitution of more than two amino acids in the mARC-1 protein, N-reductive activity was decreased 5-fold. One homozygous variant of MARC1 was detected in our sample. The encoded protein variant (A165T) showed no different kinetic parameters in the N-reduction of benzamidoxime.
Do Central Bank Forecasts Influence Private Agents? Forecasting Performance versus Signals

Focusing on a set of central banks that publish their internal macroeconomic forecasts in real time enables one to shed light on the expectations channel of monetary policy. The main contribution of this paper is to assess whether central bank forecasts influence private forecasts. The response is positive for inflation forecasts in Sweden, the UK and Japan. To disentangle the sources of influence of central banks, two concepts are proposed: endogenous influence, which is due to more accurate central bank forecasts, and exogenous influence, which is due to central bank signals on either future policy decisions or private information. Original empirical evidence on the central bank forecasting performance relative to private agents is provided, and estimates show that in Sweden, more accurate inflation forecasts generate specific central bank influence that is different from the influence from signals. The publication of forecasts may therefore refer to two central banking strategies that aim to shape private expectations: forecasting or policymaking.
African Coffee on Kilimanjaro: A Chagga Kihamba

In addition to his 3.7 acre kihamba, Marealle has a 4.2 acre rema (farmland) four miles down Kilimanjaro's shoulder on the dry plain where he grows maize for his family and for sale in the African market. An acre of beans adds variety to his diet, and an acre of millet makes pombe to drink. Up the mountain side Marealle, like the other Chagga, intertills his coffee with bananas to furnish the necessary shade from the equatorial sun. The bananas are picked year-round, but coffee is a one-season crop. He prunes his arabica coffee trees during the first two months of the year, sprays them in March, and picks the red berries from late August until December. His 560 trees yield seven bags of first-grade coffee, running 112 pounds to the bag, for which he receives the East African sterling equivalent of $. 10 a pound. Of this, $. 08 is paid immediately and $. 02 when the crop is resold by the Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union (K.N.C.U.), which markets the whole Chagga crop. The coffee is cured in nearby Moshi before being sent to the port of Mombasa in Kenya, from where it is normally shipped to England. Marealle's family does most of the agricultural work, though an extra man is hired for about ten days a year to help prune at the rate of what equals $. 005 a tree. Spray and the jute bags in which the coffee is shipped are supplied free by the K.N. C.U. , but Marealle has to buy the jembes (hoes) for digging and scissors for pruning. Only a Chagga would be permitted to buy or inherit Marealle's land. When he dies, it will be divided, according to custom, between the eldest and youngest sons. Tradition holds that the oldest son, having benefited from parental attention over a longer period of time, should leave the family homestead to his youngest brother, who most needs a start in life. Until recently tribal holdings were sufficient to allow chiefs to allot new land (after the gift of a bull) to young Chagga requiring it. Alienation has thus been avoided and land tenure stabilized. Of late, however,
Anticoagulant Patient Information Material Is Written at High Readability Levels

Background Warfarin therapy requires frequent monitoring and dose adjustment. Elderly patients with atrial fibrillation, prior stroke, and lower literacy skills may have difficulty reading brochures that explain dosing instructions, procedures to follow, and the risks and benefits of anticoagulants. In general, it is recommended that brochures be written at or below the 6th-grade level. We determined the readability of patient information material being offered to patients receiving anticoagulants. Methods and Results We used the SMOG grade formula to measure readability of written patient materials. We obtained 50 brochures commonly used in anticoagulation management units from industry and health advocacy groups. Patient information was related to atrial fibrillation (16%, n=8), warfarin (44%, n=22), low-molecular-weight heparins (12%, n=6), or other related topics (28%, n=14). The mean readability was found to be grade 10.7 (95% CI 10.1 to 11.2); none had a readability score at the 6th-grade level or below, 12% of the brochures had readability scores at the 7th- to 8th-grade levels (n=6), 74% at the 9th- to 12th-grade levels (n=37), and 14% at higher than 12th-grade level (n=7). The readability grade level was similar for brochures produced by industry or health advocacy groups (P =0.9) but higher for information obtained from the Internet (12.2±1.3 grades) compared with other sources (10.3±2.1 grades;P =0.01). Conclusions Patient education materials related to the use of anticoagulants are written at grade levels beyond the comprehension of most patients. Low-literacy brochures are needed for patients on anticoagulants.
Calculating Life Years from Transplant (LYFT): Methods for Kidney and Kidney‐Pancreas Candidates

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Kidney Committee is considering a proposal for a new deceased donor kidney allocation system. Among the components under consideration is a strategy to rank candidates in part by the estimated incremental years of life that are expected to be achieved with a transplant from a specific available deceased donor, computed as the difference in expected median lifespan with that transplant compared with remaining on dialysis. This concept has been termed life years from transplant or LYFT. Median lifespans could be calculated, based on objective medical criteria, for each candidate when a deceased donor kidney becomes available, based on Cox regression models using current candidate and donor medical information. The distribution of the calculated LYFT scores for an average nonexpanded criteria donor kidney is similar across candidate sex, race/ethnicity, insurance status and, with the exception of diabetes, diagnosis. LYFT scores tend to be higher for younger candidates and lower for diabetics receiving a kidney‐alone rather than a simultaneous kidney‐pancreas transplant. Prioritizing candidates with higher LYFT scores for each available kidney could substantially increase total years of life among both transplant candidates and recipients. LYFT is also a powerful metric for assessing trends in allocation outcomes and for comparing alternative allocation systems.
THE CHALLENGE OF PROMOTING AND SUSTAINING MEANINGFUL CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Increased interest in achieving more meaningful involvement of citizens in the deliberative process presents many challenges for public administrators. Broad goals of shared partnerships and collaborative relationships between citizens and public managers provide little direction for public administrators. This lack of direction causes frustration and confusion among citizens, public administrators and elected officials. This article reviews the literature on citizen participation and then recommends incremental steps that can be taken to achieve more meaningful public participation. The key factor to achieving more meaningful citizen participation is the presence of clearly articulated goals and objectives.
Where are we in the Political Economy of Reform

We review the experiences of developing countries with market-oriented reforms, using the tools of modern political economy. We impose intellectual discipline by requiring that actors behave rationally using available information and that basic economic relationships such as budget constraints be accounted for. We attempt to integrate two approaches, one based on dynamic games played by interest groups, with one that focus on limited information and the dynamics of learning. We describe the “starting point” as the set of “old” policies and we attempt to explain the dynamics (political, economic and informational) that lead to reform (section II). We analyze strategies for reformers subject to political constraints (section Ш). We evaluate the aggregate and distributional costs of reforms, emphasizing the importance of looking at the right counterfactuals (section IV). We conclude by pointing to the challenges ahead: the second-stage institutional reforms necessary to take off from underdevelopment.
Estimation of Regression Coefficients in the Presence of Spatially Autocorrelated Error Terms

Spatial autocorrelation occurs when population members are related through their geographic location. This paper presents a maximum likelihood procedure for simultaneously estimating the parameters of the correlation function and the regression coefficients. A test for the presence of spatial autocorrelation is also provided. Estimation of an hedonic regression illustrates the technique. Copyright 1988 by MIT Press.
Dietary determinants of pregnancy induced hypertension in Isfahan

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is a pregnancy-specific condition that occurs after the 20 th week of gestation. These physiologic changes can be aggravated by undernutrition. There are some evidence based on the importance of nutrient deficiency in developing this syndrome. Therefore, the aim of present study was to determine the nutritional risk factors for pregnancy induced hypertension in a group of pregnant women in Isfahan. METHODS: In this case-control study, we recruited 46 Isfahanian pregnant women in two groups (with and without PIH). They were 19 to 45 year-old and they did not consume any antihypertensive or diuretic medications. Demo- graphic questionnaire and food frequency questionnaire were filled in both groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in energy and vitamin E and C intakes between the two groups. Zinc and calcium intakes were lower in women with PIH compared to those without PIH (P = 0.04 and P = 0.007, respec- tively). Riboflavin and protein intakes were lower in women with PIH compared to subjects without PIH (P = 0.03 and P = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Lower intake of calcium, zinc, riboflavin and protein should be considered as possible risk factors for PIH. Adequate intake of dairy products which are good sources of mentioned nutrients are recommended to prevent PIH.
Robust Voltage Control of Floating Interleaved Boost Converter for Fuel Cell Systems

In this paper, a robust voltage control is designed for a floating interleaved boost converter with high voltage gain. The proposed controller has an inner loop based on super-twisting sliding mode algorithm, which has continuous control signal and the sliding surface is defined for the inductor current. The reference current value is generated by active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) algorithm in the outer loop, based on the output voltage error. The stability of the sliding mode inner loop and the ADRC outer loop are proven using Lyapunov stability theorem and Routh–Hurwitz criteria, respectively. The robustness of the proposed controller is analyzed in depth, and validated by the simulations and experimental results obtained with a 100 W prototype converter.
Groundwater use in Spain: an overview in light of the EU Water Framework Directive

In semi-arid regions, aquifers provide a series of practical advantages that make them preferential sources of water supply. In Spain, groundwater meets about one-fifth of the total water demand and is used to irrigate over one-third of the total irrigated land. This article examines groundwater use in Spain from the perspective of the EU Water Framework Directive. Analysis of different sector uses suggests that core problems (and solutions) related to groundwater lie in agricultural uses and that the Directive's environmental requirements remain distant from reality on the ground, where economic, political and social reasons prevail on legal obligations set by national and supranational authorities.