Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Market-Oriented Urban Planning – Constraining Citizen Participation

Abstract Urban planning in Norway can be characterised as market oriented, with responsibilities for the formulation of planning largely delegated to private developers. Even though the principle of citizen participation has a strong and longstanding tradition in Norway, the market-oriented practices challenge the ability of citizens to influence their spatial surroundings. Based on broad surveys and qualitative case studies, this article maps the attitudes of developers, councillors and planners towards citizen participation and studies the strategies of local community associations. Our analysis shows that developers value citizen participation to a much lesser degree than councillors and planners, which can explain the lack of participatory channels in early phases. Official avenues for participation occur later, primarily through hearings. Local associations find this to be too late, characterising urban planning as a path dependent process; as a consequence, local associations attempt to influence planning processes in a more informal way by contacting councillors directly.
Suppressor cell induction in vitro. I. Kinetics of induction of antigen‐specific suppressor cells

The induction of antigen‐specific suppressor cells in vitro, using high concentrations (100 μg/ml) of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) in Marbrook flasks is described. Spleen and cortisone‐resistant thymocytes were the richest source of suppressor cell precursors, compared to lymph node cells, peripheral blood lymphocytes or thoracic duct lymphocytes. Suppressor cells induced with KLH only suppressed KLH‐reactive helper cells, and not B cells or helper cells of other specificity. The suppressor cells were T cells, as judged by their sensitivity to anti‐Thy‐1.2, heterologous anti‐T, but not anti‐B antisera.
Upper brachial plexus injury in adults: comparative effectiveness of different repair techniques.

OBJECT Adult upper trunk brachial plexus injuries result in significant disability. Several surgical treatment strategies exist, including nerve grafting, nerve transfers, and a combination of both approaches. However, no existing data clearly indicate the most successful strategy for restoring elbow flexion and shoulder abduction in these patients. The authors reviewed the literature to compare outcomes of the three surgical repair techniques listed above to determine the optimal approach to traumatic injury to the upper brachial plexus in adults. METHODS Both PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for English-language articles containing the MeSH topic "brachial plexus" in conjunction with the word "injury" or "trauma" in the title and "surgery" or "repair" as a MeSH subheading or in the title, excluding pediatric articles and those articles limited to avulsions. The search was also limited to articles published after 1990 and containing at least 10 operated cases involving upper brachial plexus injuries. The search was supplemented with articles obtained through the "Related Articles" feature on PubMed and the bibliographies of selected publications. From the articles was collected information on the operation performed, number of operated cases, mean subject ages, sex distribution, interval between injury and surgery, source of nerve transfers, mean duration of follow-up, year of publication, and percentage of operative success in terms of elbow flexion and shoulder abduction of the injured limb. The recovery of elbow flexion and shoulder abduction was separately analyzed. A subanalysis was also performed to assess the recovery of elbow flexion following various neurotization techniques. RESULTS As regards the restoration of elbow flexion, nerve grafting led to significantly better outcomes than either nerve transfer or the combined techniques (F = 4.71, p = 0.0097). However, separating the Oberlin procedure from other neurotization techniques revealed that the former was significantly more successful (F = 82.82, p < 0.001). Moreover, in comparing the Oberlin procedure to nerve grafting or combined procedures, again the former was significantly more successful than either of the latter two approaches (F = 53.14; p < 0.001). In the restoration of shoulder abduction, nerve transfer was significantly more successful than the combined procedure (p = 0.046), which in turn was significantly better than nerve grafting procedures (F = 5.53, p = 0.0044). CONCLUSIONS According to data in this study, in upper trunk brachial plexus injuries in adults, the Oberlin procedure and nerve transfers are the more successful approaches to restore elbow flexion and shoulder abduction, respectively, compared with nerve grafting or combined techniques. A prospective, randomized controlled trial would be necessary to fully elucidate differences in outcome among the various surgical approaches.
Comparing the Effects of Negative and Mixed Emotional Messages on Predicted Occasional Excessive Drinking

In this work we present two types of emotional message, negative (sadness) versus mixed (joy and sadness), with the aim of studying their differential effect on attitude change and the probability estimated by participants of repeating the behavior of occasional excessive drinking in the near future. The results show that for the group of participants with moderate experience in this behavior the negative message, compared to the mixed one, is associated with higher probability of repeating the risk behavior and a less negative attitude toward it. These results suggest that mixed emotional messages (e.g. joy and sadness messages) could be more effective in campaigns for the prevention of this risk behavior.
GENDER WAGE DIFFERENTIALS IN THE MALAYSIAN MANUFACTURING SECTOR

Studies have found that on average males earn substantially higher wages than females. Females are paid lower than their male counterparts due to several reasons such as educational attainment, job characteristics and types of industries. Even after accounting for variations in these productivity- related characteristics, gender wage differentials may still prevail as a result of discriminatory practice by employers. This paper attempts to measure the determinants of wage differentials by gender in the Malaysian manufacturing sector. The analysis is based on a survey of 2,046 workers in six major industriesconducted in 1999. These are the electrical and electronics, textile, wood-based, transport equipment, food and chemical industries. The determinants of wage differentials are obtained by using the coefficients of the earnings functions. These factors are decomposed into several categories, namely, demographic factors, human capital, job characteristics and industry characteristics. The results reveal that demographic factors and human capital variables play a major role in determining the wage differentials by gender. The divergence coefficient, which might include discriminatory practice by the employers, is also quite small.JEL classification: J16, J24, J31
Comparison of national and personal identity between person with internet addiction disorder and normal internet users

Backgrounds: The present study was carried out in order to compare national and personal identity and their subscales in internet addicts and nonaddicts. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytical research, and was carried out on 384 student internet users in different universities in the city of Isfahan who were selected using quota sampling. Subjects completed the questionnaires, then, subscales of personal and national identity questionnaires in internet addict and nonaddict were analyzed via SPSS16 software. Results: Results indicated a significant difference between the scores of national identity and personal identity as well as all subscales in internet addicts and nonaddicts, except for national heritage and homeland defence factors. In addition, there was a negative and significant relationship between addiction to internet and personal and national identity, except for the fourth and fifth factors of national identity (viewpoints of others considering the national group and homeland defence). Moreover, after controlling for the sex variable, internet addiction had an effect on personal and national identity. Conclusion: The findings of this research indicate that an excess of internet use and overinvolvement in cyberspace and the addiction to them, could be associated with defects in some aspects of national and personal identity.
Preoperative Embolization of Hypervascular Skull Base Tumors

The purpose of the present study is to review the results and complications of preoperative embolization of hypervascular skull base tumors at a neurosurgical center with a team of neurosurgeons cross-experienced in the application of both microsurgery and endovascular techniques. One hundred and twenty-eight endovascular approaches were performed in 66 patients treated for skull base meningiomas (n = 41), paragangliomas of the temporal bone (n = 18), and juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas (n = 7). One death and 2 permanent disabilities were attributable to endovascular therapy. These complications occurred early in our experience (1982-1989) and were related to thromboembolic events rather than complications of transcatheter embolization itself. Our current standard is to perform transfemoral superselective embolizations with either finely corpuscular embolizing substances (PVA particles) or cyanoacrylates (NBCA) under local anesthesia. Using this protocol no embolization-related complications have occurred over the last 9 years. We thus conclude that preoperative embolization of hypervascular skull base tumors can be accomplished safely with the endovascular techniques now available.
Anemia in Adult Celiac Disease; Presentation with Iron Deficiency Anemia Masked by Colon Cancer

An elderly physician with iron deficiency anemia and early stage colon cancer localized in the cecum was treated successfully with laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. Despite treatment, her iron deficiency anemia persisted. Subsequent investigations revealed occult celiac disease that completely resolved with a gluten-free diet alone. Iron deficiency anemia in celiac disease may have multiple causes including reduced duodenal iron absorption because of reduced absorptive surface area, alterations or mutations in iron regulatory proteins critical for normal iron absorption, superimposed occult blood loss from different causes including benign and malignant small bowel ulceration, and low grade intravascular hemolysis. Although iron deficiency anemia may be the sole presenting clinical manifestation of occult celiac disease without other typical symptoms, such as diarrhea or weight loss, a very thorough gastrointestinal assessment is essential to exclude other causes of iron deficiency anemia. Conversely, persistent or refractory iron deficiency anemia may represent a clue to unrecognized celiac disease, even in the elderly.
Compulsory Audit Tendering and Audit Fees: Evidence from Australian Local Government

This study uses data collected from annual reports of Australian local councils in the state of New South Wales (NSW) to provide longitudinal evidence on the impact of compulsory audit tendering, as introduced by the NSW Local Government Act 1993, on audit fees over the nine-year period from 1993 to 2002, and including both the initial and second tender periods. The results show that (i) a relatively large audit fee decrease was associated with the introduction of compulsory audit tendering, and (ii) the fee decrease was non-transitory in that, following the initial decline, fees did not increase during the remainder of the six-year first tender period and did not change on the second tender. Our results are consistent with the economic literature on auctions and tenders and on compulsory competitive tendering. The results also have implications for policy-setters and regulators in both the governmental public sector and, potentially, the private sector, in that they provide a benchmark for what might be expected if compulsory audit tendering is adopted in other contexts.
Poverty comparisons : a guide to concepts and methods

Poverty assessments are typically clouded in conceptual and methodological uncertainties. How should living standards be assessed? Is a household survey necessary, and is it a reliable guide? Where should the poverty line be drawn, and does the choice matter? What poverty measure should be used in aggregating data on individual living standards? Does that choice matter? This paper surveys the issues that need to be considered in answering these questions, and discusses a number of new tools of analysis which can greatly facilitate poverty comparisons, recognizing the uncertainties involved. Various applications in poverty assessment and policy evaluation for developing countries are used to show how these methods can be put into practice. Recommendations are made for future applied work.
Competitive ligand exchange between Cu–humic acid complexes and methanobactin

Copper has been found to play a key role in the physiology of methanotrophic micro‐organisms, and methane oxidation may critically depend on the availability of Cu. In natural environments, such as soils, sediments, peat bogs, and surface waters, the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) can control the bioavailability of Cu by forming strong metal complexes. To promote Cu acquisition, methanotrophs exude methanobactin, a ligand known to have a high affinity for Cu. In this study, the capability of methanobactin for Cu acquisition from NOM was investigated using humic acid (HA) as a model substance. The kinetics of ligand exchange between Cu–HA and methanobactin was observed by UV–vis spectroscopy, and the speciation of Cu bound to methanobactin was determined by size‐exclusion chromatography coupled to an ICP‐MS. The results showed that Cu was mobilized from HA by a fast ligand exchange reaction following a second‐order rate law with first‐order kinetics for both methanobactin and Cu–HA complexes. The reaction rates decreased with decreasing temperature. Equilibrium experiments indicated that methanobactin was not sorbed to HA and proved that methanobactin is competitive with HA for Cu binding by forming strong 1:1 Cu–methanobactin complexes. Consequently, our results demonstrate that methanobactin can efficiently acquire Cu in organic‐rich environments.
A proposal of development and verification environment of network applications based on a Co-Simulator

With mature development of wired and wireless communications technologies, a variety of applications based on systems with the technologies have emerged. The industry in which time-to-market has become a significant factor requires conditions under which network applications are able to be developed as rapidly as possible. As the network applications are executed in wired and wireless communications system environment where multiple nodes are distributedly arranged, it takes enormous amounts of time and efforts to verify such applications in a real environment. Therefore, to address such an issue, this paper proposes a simulator that makes it possible to execute and verify network applications in a virtual environment. With repect to performance, the proposed integration simulator shows high process performance, because the integration of simulators led to the additional operation cost of 10% only. With regard to functions, it makes real network appliations executed easily, because it provides an interface highly similar to one in common operating systems.
Forced Relocation vs. Voluntary Mobility: The Effects of Dispersal Programmes on Households

The deconcentration of poverty in the US has involved both voluntary mobility programmes for low-income households and involuntary relocation of families through government action. This paper examines the effects on families of these two different strategies. Using data on over 600 families in the Twin Cities region of Minneapolis/Saint Paul, the study reveals only sporadic support for the hypothesis that voluntary or involuntary participants in the deconcentration effort will report improvements in their living conditions, or report better conditions than a control group of public housing and Section 8 residents. Several possible explanations for the lack of programme effects are offered.
Shifting the Goal Posts for Design Management in Capital Goods Projects: 'Design for Maintainability'

Two case studies of capital goods projects, both of which were faced with new forms of demand for their products, are reported in this paper. In both cases, the contracting organisations involved were adjusting to new customer requirements for the long-term provision of the services associated with the capital goods they normally produced, rather than for the capital goods themselves. While both contracting organisations recognised the need to re-focus their equipment design efforts, to reflect the need for long-term service reliability (both contracting organisations were tied to penalties associated with agreed service levels), they nevertheless responded differently to this challenge, and their differing responses reflected the differing natures of the extended networks which comprised both projects and the organisational architectures in which the projects were themselves embedded. The paper explores the differing opportunities and barriers to the management of design in complex projects presented by these two case studies. In so doing it points to the conclusion that successful design management in complex projects can depend upon the successful management of the (multiple) contexts in which design takes place.
Rankings Methodology for International Comparisons of Institutions and Individuals: An Application to Economics in Australia and New Zealand

The objectives of this paper are threefold. First, we critically survey and analyse the different methodologies that have been adopted in the rankings literature. Second, using journal articles included in the ECONLIT database and on the basis of two criteria - one based on citations and the other on perceptions of journal quality, we rank economics teaching departments in Australia and New Zealand for 1988-2002 and 1996-2002 and for individual academic economists for the periods 1988-2002, 1988-1995 and 1996-2002. Furthermore, we identify individual star performers and recognize them in a designated 'Hall of Fame' for 1988-2002. Third, our methodology enables us to make international comparisons on total and per capita bases. Previous multi-country ranking studies in economics do not rank economics departments. They provide rankings based on total publications in economics in universities regardless of whether the economists are in the economics departments or in other departments. Thus, no rankings on per capita bases are provided. We correct this shortcoming by providing total and per capita rankings and analysing the correlations between total and per capita rankings. This is the first study to examine whether the size of the economics department matters with regard to productivity. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2006.
Early identification: are speech/language-impaired toddlers at increased risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder?

BACKGROUND Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a movement skill disorder which impacts upon a child's ability to perform age-appropriate self-care and academic tasks. DCD is commonly comorbid with speech/language learning disabilities. AIM The present study was conducted to determine whether children who had been identified with speech/language delays as toddlers demonstrated characteristics of DCD and/or speech/language problems at kindergarten age. RESULTS Speech/language and motor assessments who were followed up at 63-80 months of age. Of the 40 children, 18 showed evidence of significant motor impairment and two-thirds of these met diagnostic criteria for DCD at follow-up. Twelve children were identified as having persistent speech/language problems and, of these, nine presented with significant motor co-ordination difficulties. Parental report of gross motor and fine motor problems at follow-up correlated highly with actual motor impairment scores. CONCLUSIONS Young children who are in early intervention programmes for speech/language delays may have significant co-ordination difficulties that will become more evident at kindergarten age when motor deficits begin to impact self-care and academic tasks. Clinical implications for early recognition of motor issues by speech/language pathologists and the potential use of parental reporting tools are addressed.
Active Heave Crown Compensation Sub-System

This paper outlines an active heave compensation system used in conjunction with a crown mounted compensator. The objective is to reduce the heave disturbance at the suspended load above sea floor using an active sub-system comprising controller, sensors and a suitable hydraulic power unit driving an actuator attached to the compensator. In this case the compensator system behaves much like a spring mass system and is described by a second order differential equation.
Comparison of proliferative and multilineage differentiation potentials of cord matrix, cord blood, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Background: Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the two widely studied and characterized adult stem cells. Thus far, MSCs were obtained from the bone marrow, which is a painful procedure. Therefore, MSCs from less common sources like cord blood, adipose tissue, tooth pulp, and so on, have been the subject of research. The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility of finding MSCs from a less controversial, easy, and abundant source, such as the umbilical cord, for potential regenerative medicine applications. Study Design and Methods: Five bone marrow samples (BM), seventy cord blood units (CB), and four umbilical cord matrix (CM) samples have been used for the study. Expanded MSCs were checked for biomarker expression by flow cytometry and were also checked for their differentiation to mesodermal and ectodermal lineages. Results: MSCs could be isolated from 100% BM and CM samples, as compared to only 6% of CB samples. The fold expansion of the mesenchymal stem cells observed in CB (CB-MSCs) was distinctly higher as compared to BM (BM-MSCs) and CM (CM-MSCs). MSCs isolated from all the three sources expressed a characteristic mesenchymal phenotype of CD45 − /vWF − /CD14 − /CD31 − /CD73 + /CD105 + /SSEA4 + /CD29 + /CD44 + /HLAABC +, whereas, the HLA DR was conspicuously absent in CM-MSCs and CB-MSCs. Although osteogenic, chondrogenic, and neural differentiation was observed in MSCs from all sources, adipogenic differentiation was observed only in BM-MSCs. Conclusion: CM-MSCs are a dependable source of an unlimited number of MSCs for autologous and allogenic use in regenerative medicine.
The Influence of the Nation-State on Individual Support for the European Union

The paper seeks to explain variations in EU support, arguing that several factors might influence public opinion about the European Union. National factors are believed to be more important than European ones because of a lack of knowledge about the EU and the more direct influence of the nation-state on citizens. It is argued that the evaluation of the EU depends on the performance of the nation-state. The citizens' perception of the nation-state is used as a proxy for the formulation of attitudes towards the EU. The results of diverse exogeneity tests and a three-stage least-square regression confirm that support for the EU reflects national attitudes, and shows that the EU represents the hope of surmounting national problems.