Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Religiosity, Heavy Alcohol Use, and Vicarious Learning Networks Among Adolescents in the United States

Previous research has found that religiosity may protect against risky alcohol and drug use behaviors among adolescents, but the social mechanics underpinning the relationship are not well understood. This study examined the relationship between religiosity, heavy drinking, and social norms among U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, using the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n = 14,556). Based on a vicarious learning networks theoretical perspective, the effect of religiosity on heavy drinking behavior was hypothesized to be exerted indirectly through the norms of key reference groups in the social network (close friends and parents). Support was found for reference group norms as one underlying mechanism of the religiosity–alcohol relationship. Religiosity and nonpermissive drinking norms of parents, close friends, and peers maintained a strong protective association with adolescent heavy drinking. Supplementary analyses elaborated on the role of competing and complementary normative orientations among reference groups in the social network.
Jeffrey D. Ullman Speaks Out on the Future of Higher Education, Startups, Database Theory, and More

Welcome to the first article in a new SIGMOD Record column: Distinguished Database Profiles, featuring interviews with pillars of the database community. I am not much of a traveler, but I plan to leave my nest in east central Illinois to bring you a new interview in each issue. In June I traveled to California to join in the festivities associated with Professor Gio Wiederhold’s retirement from Stanford University. While there, I interviewed Gio and his fellow professors Jeff Ullman and Hector Garcia-Molina, so you will find conversations with all three of these Stanford faculty members in upcoming issues of the Record.
Leadership Perceptions in the Marketing Organization and Technological Uncertainty

There are various aspects of marketing requiring influential leadership, including transmitting a culture of market orientation throughout the firm, new product development, and market development. However, the concept of leadership is rarely discussed in the marketing literature. The primary objective of this exploratory research is to uncover the dimensions of leadership that lead to perceptions of high performance in the marketing organization contrasted with those in other business functions such as engineering, manufacturing, and R&D. We then seek to determine how these leadership perceptions differ under conditions of technological uncertainty.
The predictive power of dividend yields analyzed by methods preserving time-dependent structures

This paper analyzes the predictability of dividend-price-ratio for long horizon stock returns with the help of methods that preserve the time dependence of the underlying problem. Bootstrapping and subsampling approaches are employed to handle serial correlation in the data and to achieve reliable t-statistics. Optimization procedures were used to obtain the optimal moving-block-size and subsampling-size respectively. Furthermore to get valid results, it is necessary to calculate the calibration function and hence the corresponding nominal significance level to a requested level. Both moving-block bootstrapping with the optimal block size and the calibrated significance level as well as the optimized subsampling technique strongly reject the hypothesis of predictability in dividend-price-ratio for long horizon returns of the equities at NYSE.
Portfolio management of mixed-species forests

We propose to test the portfolio selection theory on the historical data of tree species’ productivities obtained from the French National Forest Inventory (IFN). We determine the optimal timber productivity-vulnerability arrangements out of the combinations of tree species and map the optimal compositions per administrative department in France. We also estimate the survivals of optimal portfolios using the species’ probabilities of presence. Our results show that greater weights in the optimal portfolios correspond to higher probabilities of presence.
When Can Trend-Cycle Decompositions Be Trusted?

In this paper, we examine the results of GDP trend-cycle decompositions from the estimation of bivariate unobserved components models that allow for correlated trend and cycle innovations. Three competing variables are considered in the bivariate setup along with GDP: the unemployment rate, the inflation rate, and gross domestic income. We find that the unemployment rate is the best variable to accompany GDP in the bivariate setup to obtain accurate estimates of its trend-cycle correlation coefficient and the cycle. We show that the key feature of unemployment that allows for precise estimates of the cycle of GDP is that its nonstationary component is "small" relative to its cyclical component. Using quarterly GDP and unemployment rate data from 1948:Q1 to 2015:Q4, we obtain the trend-cycle decomposition of GDP and find evidence of correlated trend and cycle components and an estimated cycle that is about 2 percent below its trend at the end of the sample.
Experimental study on alcoholic pancreatitis.

One hundred and five Wistar rats were divided into six groups according to the compositions of diet and fed on the respective diet for four to six months, and then received orally 15% ethyl alcohol instead of drinking water for two months. The following results were obtained. 1) The serum amylase levels were above 64 units in most of the rats, except for the group of high carbohydrate diet in which 57% of rats showed a normal value. 2) Pancreatic edema was observed in almost all cases of each dietary group, but fat necrosis, ascites or pancreatic necrosis was not noted at all at laparotomy. 3) Histologic changes of the pancreas were significantly different from those of controls in groups of high protein, high fat, high protein and high fat diets, but not in the high carbohydrate group.
Response Inhibition in Children With Conduct Disorder and Borderline Intellectual Functioning

The aim of the study was to investigate impulse control in children with conduct disorder (CD) plus borderline intellectual functioning (BIF), in children with BIF-only, and in a control group with a normal IQ. For this purpose, a Go-No-Go test with varying inter-stimulus-intervals was used. The group CD plus BIF made more errors of commission than the group with BIF only. Therefore, it was concluded that poor impulse control in the group CD plus BIF was associated with CD, not with IQ level. Poor impulse control in the group CD plus BIF was independent of the presentation rate of the stimuli.
Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis: Current Theories and Management Strategies

The combination of nasal polyposis, crust formation, and sinus cultures yielding Aspergillus was first noted in 1976 by Safirstein, 1 who observed the clinical similarity that this constellation of findings shared with allergic bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA). Eventually this disease came to be known as allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFS). As clinical evidence of AFS accumulated, controversy regarding its etiology, pathogenesis, natural history, and appropriate treatment naturally emerged. Despite past and current efforts, many of these controversies remain incompletely resolved, but continuing clinical study has illuminated some aspects of the disease and has led to an improved understanding of AFS and its treatment. Fungi associated with the development of AFS are ubiquitous and predominantly of the dematiaceous family. The eosinophilic host response to the presence of these fungi within the nose and paranasal sinuses gives rise to those clinical manifestations of the disease (nasal polyps, expansile mucocele formation, allergic fungal mucin, etc.). Exposure alone to these fungi, however, appears to be insufficient to initiate the disease. At the present time it is likely that initiation of the inflammatory cascade leading to AFS is a multifactorial event, requiring the simultaneous occurrence of such things as IgE‐mediated sensitivity (atopy), specific T‐cell HLA receptor expression, exposure to specific fungi, and aberration of local mucosal defense mechanisms. A variety of treatment plans for AFS have emerged, but the potential for recidivism remains well recognized, ranging from 10% to nearly 100%, suggesting the need for continued study of this disease and fueling present controversy. This article is intended to review current data and theories regarding the pathophysiology of AFS, as well as the role of various surgical and nonsurgical forms of therapy.
Increasing Effect of a Chitosan and Ascorbic Acid Mixture on Fecal Dietary Fat Excretion

Rats were fed for 2 weeks on five different high-fat diets containing cellulose (control) or chitosan with and without organic acids (i.e., ascorbic, lactic and citric acids) as the dietary fiber. The apparent fat digestibility in the chitosan-receiving groups was significantly lower than in the control group. The addition of ascorbic acid to chitosan caused a larger increase in the fecal fat excretion than otherwise, without considerably affecting the apparent protein digestibility.The effect is thought to have occurred because chitosan was so well dissolved and mixed with fat by the action of ascorbic acid that it encapsulated fine fat droplets on its gel after contacting the pancreatic juice in the samll intestine. The intake of a mixture of chitosan and ascorbic acid is suitable for reducing excess fat.
How Do Shareholders Respond to Downsizing? A Meta-Analysis

Massive layoffs announcements often attract extensive media coverage. Beyond the newsworthiness of such events, is such a decision in any way correlated to the company's stock market performance? Do some firms resort to massive layoffs simply to please shareholders? In this paper, we offer a thorough review of the literature in an attempt to answer these questions. The core of the paper is a meta-analysis. We show that layoffs announcements have an overall negative effect on stock market prices, and this remains true whatever the country, the period of time or the type of firm considered. However, some factors may ease as well as worsen the stock market's reaction to such announcements. The reason for the layoff decision is among the most decisive factors and the market sanction will be more severe in the case of defensive layoffs (taken by firms facing difficulties) than for offensive layoffs (when they are part of a more general reorganization strategy).
Association between the TaqIB polymorphism in the cholesteryl ester transfer protein gene locus and plasma lipoprotein levels in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) facilitates the exchange of triglycerides (TG) and cholesteryl ester between lipoprotein particles. Subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) have been reported to have higher CETP activities, which could contribute to the lower high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and increased cardiovascular risk observed in some of these patients. Several polymorphisms have been reported in the CETP locus; the common TaqlB polymorphism is associated, in normolipidemic subjects, with decreased CETP activity and levels and with increased HDL-C levels. No data is available on the influence of this polymorphism in FH subjects. We have examined the TaqIB polymorphism in a group of 101 FH heterozygotes from Valencia, Spain. We have observed a frequency of 0.43 for the B2 allele, similar to those reported in the general population. Based on analysis of variance (ANOVA), we found significant associations between the presence of the B2 allele and increased plasma HDL-C (P <.04) and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) levels (P <.01). An opposite association was observed for low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, with the B2/B2 subjects having lower levels than B1/B1 and B1/B2 subjects. The plasma apoB levels followed the same trend as those for LDL-C. In addition, the response to a National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)-I diet was studied in 77 of these subjects. The TaqlB polymorphism did not have a significant effect over the individual dietary response for any of the variables examined, as demonstrated by the lack of significant gene by diet interactions. In summary, the CETP TaqlB polymorphism is associated with a less atherogenic lipid profile, consisting of lower LDL-C, higher HDL-C levels, and a lower LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in heterozygous FH subjects. Moreover, the B2 allele was associated with a lower appearance of arcus cornealis, xanthomata, and clinical arteriosclerotic disease in these subjects.
Reliability of two visual-perceptual tests for children with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVE We examined the reliability of the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test-Revised (MVPT-R) and the Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills-Revised (TVPS-R) in 52 children with cerebral palsy. METHOD The MVPT-R and TVPS-R were initially assessed by a single rater and then randomly assigned to the same rater or another rater after 6 to 14 days. RESULTS For scale-level reliability of both tests, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were high. The smallest real differences (SRDs) were largely acceptable. The OICCs of most subscale-level reliability of the TVPS-R were satisfactory. The SRD of each TVPS-R subscale score was notable (>29%). The internal consistency was high for both tests. CONCLUSION The scale-level reliabilities of both tests were satisfactory in children with cerebral palsy. Although most subscales of the TVPS-R had acceptable test-retest or interrater agreement, all subscales of the TVPS-R had large SRDs, limiting their clinical utility.
Everybody Follows the Crowd?: Effects of Opinion Polls and Past Election Results on Electoral Preferences

Opinion polls are a well-established part of political news coverage, especially during election campaigns. At the same time, there has been controversial debate over the possible influences of such polls on voters’ electoral choices. The most prominent influence discussed is the bandwagon effect: It states that voters tend to support the expected winner of an upcoming election, and use polls to determine who the likely winner will be. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying the effect. In addition, we inquired into the role of past electoral performances of a candidate and analyzed how these (as well as polls) are used as heuristic cues for the assessment of a candidate’s personal characteristics. Using an experimental design, we found that both polls and past election results influence participants’ expectations regarding which candidate will succeed. Moreover, higher competence was attributed to a candidate, if recipients believe that the majority of voters favor that candidate. Through this attribution of competence, both information about prior elections and current polls shaped voters’ electoral preferences.
Speech Perception of Elderly Cochlear Implant Users Under Different Noise Conditions

Objective: The primary objective of this study was the comparison of younger and older (>75 yr) CI recipients’ performance for speech perception in quiet and in competing continuous and fluctuating noise. Study Design: Prospective, comparative clinical study. Setting: University hospital. Patients: Fifty patients, 25 older and 25 younger than 75 years, with a postlingually acquired profound hearing loss who received a cochlear implant at least 1 year before study start were enrolled. Interventions: Cochlear implantation. Main Outcome Measures: We measured speech perception using monosyllable (Freiburg monosyllables) and sentence materials (Göttingen sentences) in quiet. In addition, speech perception for sentences was measured under two different noise conditions: with a continuous, speech-simulating noise signal (CCITT noise) and the FASTL noise (fluctuating noise). Results: We did not find a significant difference between the performance for younger and the older cohort on speech perception tasks in quiet for Freiburg monosyllables (63.4% ± 20% and 61.7% ± 18.1%, respectively) and for the Göttingen sentences in quiet (73.5% ± 24.3% and 75% ± 25%, respectively). No significant difference was observed for performance between the two age groups when listening in continuous CCITT noise (18.9% ± 24.0% and 29.5% ± 25.2% perception score respectively) or in FASTL noise (27.8% ± 24.2% and 34.4% ± 27.8% perception score, respectively). Conclusion: There is no supporting evidence from our evaluations of word and sentence perception in quiet and noise that elderly CI users older than 75 years of age perform more poorly than those younger than 75 years of age.
Diffusion Games

Behaviors and information often spread via person-to-person diffusion. This paper highlights how diffusion processes can facilitate coordination. I study contagion in a discrete network with Bayesian players. In addition to characterizing the extent and rate of adoption, we uncover a new effect: when large cascades are possible in equilibrium, exposure conveys information about a player’s network position. This effect underscores a novel trade-off in the design of marketing campaigns, suggesting conditions under which word-of-mouth is relatively more effective. A generalization of the model to multi-type networks suggests a new approach to targeted seeding. (JEL D83, D85, M31, M37, Z13)
Ambient Interfaces that Motivate Changes in Human Behavior

Peripheral or ambient displays move information from the periphery to the center of human attention and back. Our research group is interested in the interaction and interface design goal of how to best design ambient displays that help users to understand and change their behavior. We have found that there is often a disconnect between a person’s perceived and actual behavior, and we hypothesize that appropriately designed ambient displays can address this problem. Choosing physical activity as our first domain of exploration, we have developed the IMPACT system, which monitors physical activity throughout the day and provides feedback to the user in the form of detailed and abstracted displays. To date, we have explored abstraction and symbols, agents and avatars, and speech and sound user interfaces as display modalities that can present appropriate amounts of information in a lightweight fashion without being too distracting.
Inhibitory effect of atrial natriuretic factor on sympathetic ganglionic neurotransmission in humans.

I have previously documented an inhibitory effect of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) on postganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in normal subjects that was consistent with either a central or ganglionic sympathoinhibitory action. To test the latter hypothesis, I examined, in seven young normotensive men, the effect of saline (as vehicle) and ANF (50 micrograms, then 50 ng.kg-1.min-1), given on 2 separate days according to a random double-blind study design, on blood pressure, heart rate, and MSNA before and after ganglionic neurotransmission was stimulated with edrophonium (ED; 12 mg iv), a rapidly reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor without central nervous system effects, and during subsequent augmentation of central sympathetic outflow by a cold pressor test (CPT). In five of these subjects, the protocol was replicated during nitroprusside infusion (0.4 micrograms.kg-1.min-1). ED increased MSNA during vehicle (P < 0.005) and nitroprusside (P < 0.003) but not during ANF infusion. The sympathoneural response to the combined stimuli of ED and CPT was also attenuated by ANF compared with either saline or nitroprusside infusions. Conclusions were that 1) postganglionic MSNA is increased by ED, 2) this facilitative effect of ED is attenuated by ANF, and 3) modulation of ganglionic neurotransmission is one mechanism for the relative sympatho-inhibition observed when ANF is infused at this dose.
An Integrated Model for Bidding Behavior in Internet Auctions: Whether, Who, When, and how Much

The authors develop a general parametric modeling framework for bidding behavior in Internet auctions. Toward this end, they incorporate four key components of the bidding process under their framework: whether people bid on an auction, (if so) who bids, when they bid, and how much they bid over the entire sequence of bids in an auction. This integrated framework is based on a single, latent, time-varying construct of consumer willingness to bid, which bidders have and update for a particular auction item over the course of the auction duration. Using a database of notebook auctions from one of the largest Internet auction sites in Korea, the authors demonstrate that this general (yet parsimonious) model captures the key behavioral aspects of bidding behavior. Furthermore, the authors provide a valuable tool for managers at auction sites to conduct their customer relationship management efforts, which require them to evaluate the ”goodness” of the listed auction items (whether people bid) and the goodness of the potential bidders (who bids, when they bid, and how much they bid).
IS: interest set to enhance flow transmission in named-data networking

Named-data Networking (NDN) is a promising future Internet architecture, which introduces some evolutionary elements into layer-3, e.g., consumer-driven communication, soft state on data forwarding plane and hop-by-hop traffic control. And those elements ensure data holders to solely return the requested data within the lifetime of the request, instead of pushing data whenever needed and whatever it is. Despite the dispute on the advantages and their prices, this pattern requires data consumers to keep sending requests at the right moments for continuous data transmission, resulting in significant forwarding cost and sophisticated application design. In this paper, we propose Interest Set (IS) mechanism, which compresses a set of similar Interests into one request, and maintains a relative long-term data returning path with soft state and continuous feedback from upstream. In this way, IS relaxes the above requirement, and scales NDN data forwarding by reducing forwarded requests and soft states that are needed to retrieve a given set of data.
Managing Human Resources for Competitive Entrepreneurial Advantage in Ghana: A Resource-Based View

In developing countries like Ghana, though human resources managers can play an important role in making their firms competitive, it is not really the case, and it has also not been fully explained in research. The purpose of this paper is to develop a model that uses the Resource Based View to highlight how Human Resources Departments in establishments in Ghana can contribute to their competitive entrepreneurial advantage and to sustain the advantage through the application of best human resources management practices. The study found that it is also very important for Human Resources Practitioners in Ghana, to make a determined effort to enhance their empathetic thinking, their willingness to see the world through the eyes of their customers, willing to accept and initiate change. In a general term they must adopt a “can do” attitude towards their activities. Key words: Management, Human Resources, Competitive entrepreneurial advantage, Ghana, RBV.
An Analysis of the Concordance Among 13 U.S. Wine Competitions*

Abstract An analysis of over 4000 wines entered in 13 U.S. wine competitions shows little concordance among the venues in awarding Gold medals. Of the 2,440 wines entered in more than three competitions, 47 percent received Gold medals, but 84 percent of these same wines also received no award in another competition. Thus, many wines that are viewed as extraordinarily good at some competitions are viewed as below average at others. An analysis of the number of Gold medals received in multiple competitions indicates that the probability of winning a Gold medal at one competition is stochastically independent of the probability of receiving a Gold at another competition, indicating that winning a Gold medal is greatly influenced by chance alone. (JEL Classification: D02, Q19)