Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early Predictors of High School Mathematics Achievement

Identifying the types of mathematics content knowledge that are most predictive of students’ long-term learning is essential for improving both theories of mathematical development and mathematics education. To identify these types of knowledge, we examined long-term predictors of high school students’ knowledge of algebra and overall mathematics achievement. Analyses of large, nationally representative, longitudinal data sets from the United States and the United Kingdom revealed that elementary school students’ knowledge of fractions and of division uniquely predicts those students’ knowledge of algebra and overall mathematics achievement in high school, 5 or 6 years later, even after statistically controlling for other types of mathematical knowledge, general intellectual ability, working memory, and family income and education. Implications of these findings for understanding and improving mathematics learning are discussed.
Joint consideration of production scheduling, maintenance and quality policies: a review and conceptual framework

Performance of a manufacturing system depends on its ability to simultaneously meet several requirements such as: quick response to market demand, high product quality, low manufacturing costs and timely deliveries; which in turn strongly depend on performance at the shop floor level. In the past, the shop floor level operational policies in the context of scheduling, maintenance and quality have been examined in isolation. However, it is hypothesised that these three aspects of operations planning may also have some interaction effect and hence joint consideration of various policy options pertaining to quality, maintenance and scheduling on the performance of the manufacturing system is an important area for investigation. In this paper, a review of literature addressing the joint consideration of these three aspects is presented and research gaps are highlighted. As a preliminary work, some numerical investigations are also presented to highlight the importance of joint consideration of these three aspects. Finally, a conceptual methodology is presented that can lead to further developments in this field. Some potential research areas in this context are identified.
Possible association between mother's periodontal status and preterm delivery.

BACKGROUND A case-control study was undertaken to detect whether initial chronic localized periodontitis could be a risk factor for preterm birth (PB) and foetal growth restriction. METHODS A PB case was defined if a patient had a threatening premature event during pregnancy pre-term premature rupture of membranes, or spontaneous pre-term delivery, before the 37th week of pregnancy, and/or the weight of the newborn was <2500 g. Into the PB (case) group, 77 women were allocated, while 84 were included in the control group, all of whom had delivery after the 37th gestational week and with a newborn weighing >or=2500 g. RESULTS A significant association was found between PB and initial chronic localized periodontitis, the criteria being bleeding at >or=50% of the examined teeth and having at least at one site at >or=4 mm probing depth (p=0.0001). The adjusted odds ratio for initial chronic localized periodontitis was 3.32, 95% CI: 1.64-6.69. The average weight of newborns of mothers with periodontitis was significantly less than that of the women without periodontitis (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS The results support the hypothesis that initial chronic localized periodontitis of pregnant women could lead to PB, and birth-weight reduction.
Disaggregation in Mandatory Risk Disclosure, Audit Conservatism and Implied Cost of Equity Capital

This research investigates the association between discretionary disaggregation in mandatory risk disclosures, audit conservatism and the implied cost of capital (ICOE). Based on a sample of 141 financial firms from six GCC countries over the 2007-2011 period, we find that the ICOE is significantly negatively associated with discretionary disaggregation in mandatory market risk disclosures after controlling for firm-specific characteristics and country-specific institutional factors. Further, our interaction term between audit conservatism and firms’ disaggregation in mandatory risk disclosures is negatively associated with the ICOE, particularly for small to medium size firms. These findings are robust to a series of sensitivity tests. Collectively, these results demonstrate that more discretionary disaggregation in risk disclosure provides more private information to investors.
A procurement model with material purchasing value analysis in construction supply chain

As the source of the modern enterprise value chain, purchasing value drives the value updated and added constantly. Based on construction supply chain, the origin of the purchasing value was analyzed from three dimensions which consist of materials value, suppliers value, and social value in this paper. A multi-objective linear programming model was proposed and solved by the fuzzy mathematics. Meanwhile by the application of the model based on the example of EHDC procurement, the distribution result kept with the purchasing intention of the owner. Compared to the traditional purchasing model which was just to control the cost as the core, the order quantities was distributed according to materials value, suppliers value, and social value further in this model.
Empowerment for sustainable tourism development

Introduction. Tourism and development: theories and relationships. What is empowerment? Tourism development in the South Pacific. International cooperation or disguised dependency? The South Pacific region. Empowerment at the national level. Empowerment and disempowerment at the village level. Empowerment and sustainability through village ownership. Sustainability through empowerment and an adaptive response. Tourism development, sustainability and empowerment. References.
Doped Bi-Se thin films for photovoltaic applications

CuxBiySez thin films with copper concentration x up to 29 mol. % are synthesized on glass substrates by chemical-bath deposition. Films with thickness in the range of 550–597 nm are fabricated by a multiple-dip process. Deposition parameters for a single-coating run are optimized to avoid re-dissolution of the particles, and to obtain large-area composition homogeneity in the films. Routine film composition Cu:Bi:Se and thickness are analyzed by X-ray fluorescence. To evaluate the doped Bi-Se thin films for potential use in photovoltaic devices, systematic investigations of the films' structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties are performed. The physical properties of as-deposited and annealed films are analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV-Vis-IR photospectroscopy, and Hall effect and Seebeck effect measurements.
Development of the human retina: Patterns of cell distribution and redistribution in the ganglion cell layer

Neurogenesis in the ventricular layer and the development of cell topography in the ganglion cell layer have been studied in whole‐mounts of human fetal retinae. At the end of the embryonic period mitotic figures were seen over the entire outer surface of the retina. By about 14 weeks gestation mitosis had ceased in central retina and differentiation of photoreceptor nuclei was evident within a well‐defined area which constituted about 2% of total retina area. This area was approximately centered on the site of the putative fovea, identified by the exclusive development of cone nuclei at that location. The area of retina in which mitosis had ceased increased as gestation progressed. By mid‐gestation mitosis in the ventricular layer occupied about 77% of the outer surface of the retina and by about 30 weeks gestation mitosis in the ventricular layer had ceased. Cell density distributions in the ganglion cell layer were nonuniform at all stages studied (14–40 weeks). Densities were highest at about 17 weeks gestation, and by mid‐gestation the adult pattern of cell topography was present with maps showing elevated cell densities in posterior retina and along the horizontal meridian. Cell densities generally declined throughout the remainder of the gestation period, except in the posterior retina, where densities in the perifoveal ganglion cell layer remained high during the second half of gestation. There is a rapid decline in cell density in the foveal ganglion cell layer toward the end of gestation, and it is suggested that the persistence of high densities in the perifoveal region may be related to migration of cells away from the developing fovea. The total population of cells in the ganglion cell layer was highest (2.2–2.5 million cells) between about weeks 18 and 30 of gestation. After this the cell population declined rapidly to 1.5–1.7 million cells. It is suggested that naturally occurring neuronal death is largely responsible for this decline.
Hormonal Influences on Reproductive Aging in Mice

Reproductive aging in the female, measured as the progressive decline in fertility and fecundity, is the consequence of multiple aging processes affecting ovulatory cyclicity, implantation, embryonic survival and parturition.j4 This paper focuses on the causes of the age-related changes in the first of these reproductive functions, ovulatory cyclicity. The objective is to present data showing the relative importance of age-associated changes in neuroendocrine and ovarian loci, as well as of chronic exposure to ovarian hormones, to the alteration and ultimate cessation of cyclicity. The discussion is limited to studies at this and other laboratories in the C57BL/6J mouse because most studies concerned with identifying the relative contributions of these components have been done in this strain. A wealth of important knowledge about neuroendocrine and hormonal changes associated with reproductive aging has been gained from studies in rats and other rodent species and has been reviewed elsewhere.
Destination Branding and Sport Event Equity

Keller's (1993) Brand Association framework is used to examine the role that sport events have in the formation of event image and destination branding. A model of Sport Event Equity (SEE) is introduced which proposes that identity construction mediates the development of event image that contributes to destination image. Two propositions for future research are outlined and implications for event and destination managers are discussed.
SQUEEZING OUT THE MIDDLEMAN.

8 ASUBTITLE: WITH PERCEPTIONS GROWING THAT WHOLESALERS SHOULD BE CUT OUT OF THE DISTRIBUTION PIPELINE BECAUSE THEY ONLY ADD TO DELIVERED COSTS, MIDDLEMEN NEED TO REPOSITION THEMSELVES AS QUARTERBACKS WHO CAN CALL THE RIGHT OPTIONS AS PRODUCTS MOVE THROUG
MARKETING INSTRUMENTARIUM IN THE PROCESS OF ACCEPTING PROJECTS FOR DEVELOPMENTAL ACCELERATION IN BACK-WARDED REGIONS

The aim of the study is to present and describe a possible interaction between currently en vogue economic spheres – project management and marketing. On the basis of the research carried out, the authors identify key elements of marketing instrumentary which might be applied by project planning and implementation within a developing region of the Slovak republic. The method was analysed in practice for a chosen type of a project related to life-long learning education which was implemented in the Presov self-governing region. The article is one of the outcomes of the research project Research on determinants and activating elements accelerating regional development and proposal for an informed model aimed at increasing competitiveness of the region with the support of a specific marketing instrumentary registered at the Grant Agency of the Slovak Republic, filed under 1/4638/07 and at the Centre of excellence CEVKOG.
A voltage‐gated chloride channel in ascidian embryos modulated by both the cell cycle clock and cell volume.

1. Eggs of the ascidian Boltenia villosa have an inwardly rectifying Cl‐ current whose amplitude varies by more than 10‐fold during each cell cycle, the largest amplitude being at exit from M‐phase. We examined whether this current was also sensitive to changes in cell volume. 2. Cell swelling, produced by direct inflation through a whole‐cell recording pipette, greatly increased the amplitude of the Cl‐ current at all stages of the cell cycle in activated eggs. Swelling was much less effective in unfertilized eggs. 3. The increase in Cl‐ current amplitude continued for 10‐20 min after an increase in diameter that was complete in 10 s, suggesting the involvement of a second messenger system in the response. 4. Treatment of unfertilized eggs with 6‐dimethylaminopurine (DMAP), an inhibitor of cell cycle‐dependent protein kinases, increased the amplitude of the Cl‐ current and its sensitivity to swelling to levels characteristic of fertilized eggs. 5. Osmotically produced swelling also increased Cl‐ current amplitude in unfertilized eggs. 6. We propose that dephosphorylation renders the Cl‐ channel functional, and that swelling or activation of the egg increases the sensitivity of the channel to dephosphorylation, perhaps by disrupting its links to the cytoskeleton.
Peri-implant marginal bone loss: an academic controversy or a clinical challenge?

PURPOSE The aim of this narrative review was to explore and discuss marginal bone loss around transmucosal oral implants and the related incidence of this biologic complication. RESULTS Treatment with osseointegrated implants is most often successful and improves the quality of life for the patient. At present only limited data are available to evaluate long-term technical and biological complications. When peri-implant tissue destruction occurs, little is known about the initiating process. Possible factors of relevance for the initiation and progression of peri-implantitis are discussed. Periodontitis, smoking and a variety of local factors are among the most plausible putative reported risk factors. Also, oral hygiene and the inability to clean the reconstruction were reported. The unit for reporting incidence of peri-implant bone loss varies in different studies between implants and patients. Since there seems to be a clustering effect, and implants in the same mouth cannot be considered independent from each other, it is recommended to use the patient as a unit. The different cut-off values for clinical parameters reported in different studies will exert a significant influence on the magnitude of the reported incidence of peri-implantitis. It is suggested that the composite variables including bone loss > or =2 mm, compared to initial radiographs at delivery of the prosthetic device, in combination with bleeding on probing should be interpreted as a 'red flag' for the clinician to critically evaluate if any intervention is indicated in the individual case. CONCLUSION Until more solid scientific evidence has been made available, it is likely that the academic controversy in relation to peri-implant bone loss and peri-implantitis will continue.
Draagvlak voor energiebesparende maatregelen: principes en processen om huurders bij energiebesparing te betrekken

Het is van belang te begrijpen waarom huurders weinig interesse tonen in energiebesparingsprojecten. Hiervoor wordt inspiratie geput uit de gedragspsychologie, met name het omgaan met sociale dilemma’s (Kollock 1998), het begrip motivatie en zelfrealisatie en gedrag van mensen in groepen (Gagné & Deci 2005). Een strategische benadering wordt ontwikkel, puttend uit positieve praktijkervaringen. De Ladder van Bewonersparticipatie (Arnstein 1969) wordt geactualiseerd voor het betrekken van huurders bij energiebesparingprojecten.
Characterization of Expression of Hypothalamic Appetite-Regulating Peptides in Obese Hyperleptinemic Brown Adipose Tissue-Deficient (Uncoupling Protein-Promoter-Driven Diphtheria Toxin A) Mice* *This work was supported by a grant from Eli Lilly & Co. (to E.M.F.), NIH Grant DK-R37-28082 (to J.S.F.), 

Brown adipose tissue-deficient [uncoupling protein (UCP)-promoter-driven diphtheria toxin A (DTA)] mice develop obesity as a result of both decreased energy expenditure and hyperphagia. The hyperphagia occurs despite high serum leptin levels. Hence, this is a model of leptin-resistant obesity in which the mechanism driving hyperphagia is unknown. Leptin is a regulator of a number of hypothalamic neuropeptides involved in energy homeostasis. In ob/ob mice, leptin deficiency results in increased expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti-related protein (AGRP), and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), and decreased expression of POMC. We have previously shown that NPY is reduced in the UCP-DTA mouse, suggesting a normal NPY response to leptin. To define other potential sites of leptin resistance, we used in situ hybridization to evaluate the expression of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) encoding a number of peptides, including NPY, AGRP, MCH, and POMC. We confirmed that the decrease in NPY expression previously detected by Northern blots reflects a decrease in NPY expression in the arcuate nucleus. AGRP mRNA was also decreased, whereas POMC mRNA levels in the arcuate nucleus were the same as control. MCH mRNA levels in the lateral hypothalamic area were also decreased. In contrast, there was induction of NPY expression in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus in the UCP-DTA animals but not in the controls. The results indicate that these neuropeptides generally respond to leptin and that the hyperphagia seen in the UCP-DTA mice is likely the result of dysregulated expression of other, as yet unexamined, hypothalamic peptides, or lies at sites distal to the hypothalamus.
Limited genetic covariance between autistic traits and intelligence: Findings from a longitudinal twin study

Intellectual disability is common in individuals with autism spectrum conditions. However, the strength of the association between both conditions and its relevance to finding the underlying (genetic) causes of autism is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between autistic traits and intelligence in a general population twin sample and to examine the etiology of this association. Parental ratings of autistic traits and performance on intelligence tests were collected in a sample of 8,848 twin pairs when the children were 7/8, 9, and 12 years old. Phenotypic and longitudinal correlations in the sample as a whole were compared to the associations in the most extreme scoring 5% of the population. The genetic and environmental influences on the overlap between autistic traits and IQ and on the stability of this relationship over time were estimated using structural equation modeling. Autistic traits were modestly negatively correlated to intellectual ability, both in the extreme scoring groups and among the full‐range scores. The correlation was stable over time and was mainly explained by autistic trait items assessing communication difficulties. Genetic model fitting showed that autistic traits and IQ were influenced by a common set of genes and a common set of environmental influences that continuously affect these traits throughout childhood. The genetic correlation between autistic traits and IQ was only modest. These findings suggest that individual differences in autistic traits are substantially genetically independent of intellectual functioning. The relevance of these findings to future studies is discussed. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hedging and Performance Evaluation

This paper begins by investigating the value of hedging in a one-period agency setting, where the manager's actions affect both the operating profits and hedging profits of the firm. Hedging takes place in a futures market in which some traders may be informed (about the future spot price). The paper identifies conditions under which the manager's hedging activities are valuable to shareholders. If the manager is an uninformed trader, hedging is valuable because it alleviates the moral hazard problem between the manager and the shareholders. I also establish that the shareholders' benefits are greater if no traders are informed than if some trader (but not the manager) is informed. Moreover, shareholders may prefer that the manager is uninformed rather than informed, even though an informed manager earns positive trading profits. Subsequently, this paper evaluates the economic consequences of deferred hedge accounting and mark-to-market accounting in a two-period agency framework where the manager's activities are confined to collecting information about the basis risk of a futures contract. I show that, with deferral hedge accounting, the manager never deviates from a first best hedging strategy, whereas with mark-to-market accounting, hedging distortions must occur.
Mowat–Wilson syndrome: Facial phenotype changing with age: Study of 19 Italian patients and review of the literature

Mowat–Wilson syndrome (MWS; OMIM #235730) is a genetic condition caused by heterozygous mutations or deletions of the ZEB2 gene, and characterized by typical face, moderate‐to‐severe mental retardation, epilepsy, Hirschsprung disease, and multiple congenital anomalies, including genital anomalies (particularly hypospadias in males), congenital heart defects, agenesis of the corpus callosum, and eye defects. Since the first delineation by Mowat et al. [Mowat et al. ( 1998 ); J Med Genet 35:617–623], ∼179 patients with ZEB2 mutations, deletions or cytogenetic abnormalities have been reported primarily from Europe, Australia and the United States. Genetic defects include chromosome 2q21–q23 microdeletions (or different chromosome rearrangements) in few patients, and ZEB2 mutations in most. We report on clinical and genetic data from 19 Italian patients, diagnosed within the last 5 years, including six previously published, and compare them with patients already reported. The main purpose of this review is to underline a highly consistent phenotype and to highlight the phenotypic evolution occurring with age, particularly of the facial characteristics. The prevalence of MWS is likely to be underestimated. Knowledge of the phenotypic spectrum of MWS and of its changing phenotype with age can improve the detection rate of this condition. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The role of user involvement in requirements quality and project success

User involvement is the key concept in the development of useful and usable systems and has positive effects on system success and user satisfaction. This paper reports the results of interviews and a survey conducted to investigate the role of user involvement in defining user requirements in development projects. The survey involved 18 software practitioners working in software related development projects in 13 companies in Finland. In addition, eight software practitioners working in three companies were interviewed. By combining qualitative and statistical analysis, we examine how users are involved in development projects and how user involvement influences projects. The analysis shows that, although it is rare in development projects, early user involvement is related to better requirements quality. The analysis also shows that involving users and customers as the source of information is related to project success.