Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of FEFC Funding 1997‐99: Research on 14 colleges

This article is based upon research undertaken by NATFHE and the Lifelong Learning Group, Institute of Education, University of London (Lucas et al., 1999). It looks at the impact of funding on 14 FE colleges (spread across England and including inner city, suburban and rural colleges, two sixth form and an agricultural college) and follows up the research carried out in 1996-97 by NATFHE and the Institute of Education: Learning Funding: the impact of FEFC funding, evidence from twelve FE colleges, (1998). The research we examined focuses on the effects of the FEFC funding methodology upon colleges and the further education curriculum during the period immediately following the crisis in 1997 over the 'demand-led element' of funding (DLE). A full report can be obtained from NATFHE or the Institute of Education.
Functional and biochemical studies of the Vps4 ATPase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The multivesicular body (MVB) is a late endosomal compartment containing intralumenal vesicles enriched with a subset of transmembrane cargoes that form as a result of the inward budding of the endosomal limiting membrane. In Sacchoromyces cerevisiae ESCRT (endosomal sorting complexes required for transport) machinery, consisting of distinct protein complexes ESCRT-0, I, II and III, together with the AAA+ (ATPases associate with the variety of cellular activities) Vps4 (vacuolar protein sorting 4) ATPase are responsible for the MVB sorting. Solubilization of ESCRTs by the active Vps4 oligomer is thought to be the final step in the biogenesis of MVB. Vps4 consists of N-terminal ESCRT-III-interacting MIT (microtubule interaction and trafficking) domain, C-terminal nucleotide ATPase domain and the linker region that connects them. Function of the Vps4 is regulated through its recruitment from the cytoplasm through a complex network of interactions with ESCRT-III-associtaed proteins Did2, Ist1, Vta1 and Vps60 to the endosomeassociated ESCRT-III consisting of Vps20, Snf7, Vps2 and Vps24 where Vps4 assembles into an active oligomer. ATPase domains of Vps4 subunits promote oligomerization into closed rings and two stacked rings form an active Vps4 oligomer that contains a functionally important central cavity. Position of the MIT domains in the oligomer varies, suggesting that function of the active Vps4
Rapporteurs as legislative entrepreneurs: the dynamics of the codecision procedure in Europe's parliament

Recent literature on the European Parliament has focused on its powers arising from the co-operation and codecision procedures, although little attention has been paid as to who exercises this power. Rapporteurs are appointed to draft parliamentary reports on proposed legislation during the committee stages before presenting them to the plenary, negotiating across political groups and with the Commission and Council in order to maximize consensus and the influence of Parliament if inter-institutional bargaining takes place. ;>Case studies contribute to an analysis of the role of rapporteurs. The extent to which rapporteur self-selection occurs, according to the specific preferences of potential rapporteurs, is also assessed. This allows us to conclude which parties and nationalities value the allocation of reports and consequently have an impact on the content of European legislation.
Synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial studies of some Schiff-base metal(II) complexes

Neutral complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) have been synthesized from the Schiff bases derived from 3-nitrobenzylidene-4-aminoantipyrine and aniline (L1)/p-nitro aniline (L2)/p-methoxy aniline (L3) in the molar ratio 1 : 1. The structural features have been determined from microanalytical, IR, UV-Vis, 1H-NMR, mass, and ESR spectral data. The Cu(II) complexes are square planar, while Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) complexes are tetrahedral. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and molar conductance data provide evidence for the monomeric and neutral nature of the complexes. The X-band ESR spectrum of Cu(II) complexes at 300 and 77 K were recorded. The electrochemical behavior of the complexes in MeCN at 298 K was studied. The in vitro biological screening effects of the investigated compounds were tested against the bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungal species Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus flavus, Rhizoctonia bataicola, and Candida albicans by the well-diffusion method. Comparison of the inhibition values of the Schiff bases and their complexes indicate that the complexes exhibit higher antimicrobial activity.
Agroforestry for Sustainability of Lower-Input Land-Use Systems

Abstract Agriculture and forestry are too often treated separately, yet these two sectors are often interwoven on the landscape and share many common goals. The age-old practice of growing crops and trees together was ignored or bypassed in the single-commodity paradigm of agricultural and forestry development. Thanks to 25 years of efforts, agroforestry the integration of multipurpose trees into farming systems-has now become a robust, science-based, integrated discipline. Agroforestry offers a unique set of opportunities for alleviating poverty and arresting land degradation, and providing ecosystem services in both low-income and industrialized nations. Improvement and exploitation of the large number of fruit trees and medicinal plants is but one of several promising opportunities for enhancing the food and nutritional security without causing the environmental hazards that are characteristic of input-intensive land-use systems. These agroforestry practices are particularly suitable for resource-limited conditions and lower-input situations, which cover an estimated 1.9 billion hectares of land and 800 million people in developing countries.
Letter from the editors

We recently read the article Complexity and conflicts of interest statements: A case-study of emails exchanged between Coca-Cola and the principal investigators of the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE) published by Stuckler and colleagues in J Publ Health Pol [1]. We absolutely share the authors’ appreciation for the need for transparency, the need to minimize conflicts of interest, and the important role that conflict of interest statements play in the integrity of the research process. We believe that anyone who reads the emails provided in the online appendix of the article by Stuckler et al. [1] will realize that we, as the ISCOLE Principal investigators (PIs), had a cordial and professional relationship with The CocaCola Company (TCCC). However, this should not be interpreted as evidence that the TCCC influenced our decisions. TCCC did not have any role and did not exert any influence on the development of the protocol and methods, data acquisition, data management, statistical analysis, interpretation of results, or manuscript development at any stage of ISCOLE. In trying to make sure that all the facts are clearly reported and properly interpreted, we make the following comments: First, we agree with a major conclusion of the paper: Overall, apart from influencing the total number of study sites, we found no evidence of Coca-Cola exerting ‘hard power’ over the Pennington PIs, where the funder directly changes core methodological principles or points in the research [1]. We note that this conclusion does not appear in the abstract of the paper. Indeed, the abstract is vague in its conclusion, stating . the correspondence describes detailed exchanges on the
Business cycle convergence and trade: Brazil and China in a changing world

The recent economic interaction between Latin America and Asia, particularly between Brazil and China, has attracted the attention of the academic world that seeks to understand the effects of this approach in terms of business cycle convergence, economic structure and development trajectory. This paper contributes to this debate, presenting new evidence about the type and quality of this relationship. Our results reveal that Brazil and China present different patterns of relationship between trade and productive specialization: while Brazil has an intra-industry trade pattern, China has an inter-industry trade pattern. We explore some normative implications and future research possibilities.
Distribution of lead in selected animal organs and tissues in Probistip and its surroundings

Lead belongs to the group of heavy metals and is one highly toxic. Lead polluted environments constitute a serious problem for human beings. This paper is aimed at throwing light on the concentrations of lead in the muscles, liver, kidneys, spleen and hearts of different animals (swine, sheep, and goat) from three different localities around Probistip. A total of 98 samples were collected for this purpose and lead concentrations were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results showed that lead concentrations are dependent on the sampling locality, the organ and animal species. The highest concentrations of lead were detected in kidney of swine taken at the mine waste landfill near the central town area of Probistip (1.025 and 2.454mg/kg respectively). Chicken kidney taken in the Strmosh area contained the highest concentration of lead (1.125 mg/kg). The concentrations of lead in liver and kidney taken from the industrial area were higher compared to other localities from which samples of tissue were taken for analysis.
It is not just a matter of having the time: job-related training participation of Hong Kong employees

Participation in job-related training as part and parcel of lifelong learning is widely advocated. While many empirical research about job-related training of employees are about advanced western economies, little is known about advanced Asian economies. To fill this void in the literature, this study applies the human capital, institutional and cultural approach to examine the pursuit of job-related training of Hong Kong employees. The characteristics of the labour market institutions (unions, employers’ organisations and government regulations) in Hong Kong are important contextual factors for understanding job-related training which local employees arrange for themselves. Analyses of survey data collected from a random sample of employees show that time constraints due to long working hours and heavy family responsibilities were not crucial in affecting training participation. Instead, higher education level, experiences of new skills requirements at work and intrinsic job values have positive effects on whether or not employees arranged training for themselves. The training undertaken involved generic rather than firm-specific workskills. We argue that the pursuit of training and the preference for generic workskills need to be understood against the labour demand situation and the relatively free labour market in Hong Kong. The paper ends with theoretical and policy implications of the study.
Polymer Nanoparticles Synthesized with Solvent Shifting

Abstract Controlled precipitation has been often used as a method of creating dispersions of organic and inorganic molecules. One way to induce nucleation and growth in this method is by adjusting the ratio of components of a binary solvent, also called “solvent shifting. ” We have applied this method to the production of polymer nanoparticle dispersions. Monomers are induced to aggregate by a solvent exchange, followed by or simultaneous with the introduction of a polymerization initiator. The exchange can be slow, in which case the ternary mixture (monomer and two solvent components) is gradually brought near the phase transition, followed by polymerization, or rapid, where the monomer in solution is rapidly injected into the poorer solvent, inducing fast aggregation of primary particles. Using the latter method, monodisperse nanoparticles of poly methyl methacrylate and polystyrene were synthesized without the use of surfactants.
A New Pseudo-Bayesian Model with Implications for Financial Anomalies and Investors’ Behavior

Barberis, Shleifer, and Vishny [1998] and others have developed Bayesian models to explain investors’ behavioral biases by using conservative heuristics and representative heuristics in making decisions. To extend their work, Lam, Liu, and Wong [2010] have developed a model of weight assignments using a pseudo-Bayesian approach that reflects investors’ behavioral biases. In this parsimonious model of investor sentiment, weights induced by investors’ conservative and representative heuristics are assigned to observations of the earning shocks of stock prices. Such weight assignments enable us to provide a quantitative link between some market anomalies and investors’ behavioral biases. This paper extends their work further by developing a theory to explain some market anomalies, including short-term underreaction, long-term overreaction, and excess volatility. We also explain in detail the linkage between these market anomalies and investors’ behavioral biases.
Trading Volume, Heterogeneous Expectations, and Earnings Announcements

Using the experimental method, this paper provides evidence that the dispersion of beliefs is the main driver behind trading volume. However, in contrast with existing literature, we show that the relationship between trading volume and heterogeneity of expectations is more concave than linear. We study investors' reactions in terms of trading volume to the announcement of earnings. The experiment shows that heterogeneity of expectations does not decrease when investors have more information about the final results. This heterogeneity is also the main factor behind transactions in our experimental asset markets. However, too large a dispersion in expectations dissuades investors from trading.
Who is protected from budget cuts?

Standard policy advice at times of fiscal adjustment is to protect public spending on the poor. However, the political economy of fiscal adjustment could well indicate the opposite direction, to protect the non‐poor from adjustment. This point is illustrated by three case studies based on research on social programs in Argentina, Bangladesh, and India, focusing on how targeting performance varied with aggregate outlays. The results suggest a tendency for program spending on the non‐poor that is protected from budget cuts.
Quality assurance policies and practices in Scandinavian higher education systems: convergence or different paths?

ABSTRACT Because there is close cooperation on quality assurance in the Scandinavian countries, one would expect there to be convergence of quality assurance policies and practices in Scandinavian higher education. Few studies have analysed these quality assurance policies and practices from a comparative viewpoint. Based on empirical evidence produced in connection with studies of recent quality reforms in Scandinavia and an approach based on linking diffusion and translation theories with institutionalist perspectives focusing on path dependency, the paper contributes to the current debate on Scandinavian quality assurance. The debate is compelling with regard to the Swedish case in particular, with its ‘one size fits all’ approach and exclusive focus on outcomes which has been heavily criticised by the higher education institutions and has turned out to be controversial from the European viewpoint.
Delaying first pregnancy in reducing burden of unintended pregnancy among married adolescents in urban slums of Bangladesh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the effect of delaying first pregnancy in reducing burden of unintended pregnancy (UP) among married adolescent girls in urban slums of Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 783 married adolescents in five urban slums of Bangladesh during January 2013–January 2014. Findings Half of the respondents’ first pregnancy was reported as unintended. Of the respondents, 58 percent with no school education had experienced UP which was 38 percent among respondents with eight year’s education. Respondents who did not willingly agreed to their marriage experienced more UP (61 percent) than those who were agreed/got married by their own choice (51 percent). Respondents having five years of age difference with their husbands experienced more UP (58 percent) than those with ten years of age difference (46 percent). Respondents aged 14 years at first conception experienced 63 percent UP, while the respondents aged 18 years had 35 percent UP experience. Of the respondents, 66 percent who became pregnant within one year of marriage reported their pregnancy as unintended which was 29 percent among those who delayed their first pregnancy for three years. Originality/value Significant association was observed between pregnancy intention with respondents’ educational status (p=0.03), age difference with husbands (p=0.02), age at first conception (p<0.01) and delaying first pregnancy (p<0.001).
RCEA: Real-time, Continuous Emotion Annotation for Collecting Precise Mobile Video Ground Truth Labels

Collecting accurate and precise emotion ground truth labels for mobile video watching is essential for ensuring meaningful predictions. However, video-based emotion annotation techniques either rely on post-stimulus discrete self-reports, or allow real-time, continuous emotion annotations (RCEA) only for desktop settings. Following a user-centric approach, we designed an RCEA technique for mobile video watching, and validated its usability and reliability in a controlled, indoor (N=12) and later outdoor (N=20) study. Drawing on physiological measures, interaction logs, and subjective workload reports, we show that (1) RCEA is perceived to be usable for annotating emotions while mobile video watching, without increasing users' mental workload (2) the resulting time-variant annotations are comparable with intended emotion attributes of the video stimuli (classification error for valence: 8.3%; arousal: 25%). We contribute a validated annotation technique and associated annotation fusion method, that is suitable for collecting fine-grained emotion annotations while users watch mobile videos.
Accuracy of a Factory Calibrated Retrospective CGM Device and the Comparison to a Conventionally Calibrated Retrospective CGM Device: A Pilot Study

Objective: This study aimed to examine the accuracy of FreeStyle Libre Pro, a factory calibrated retrospective continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device, and compare its measurements to those by iPro2, a conventionally calibrated retrospective CGM device. Methods: FreeStyle Libre Pro and iPro2 were simultaneously used in 15 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. As these devices have different sensor duration, data from the initial 168 hours period were used. Finger prick glucose tests were performed using a conventional glucose meter, OneTouch UltraVue. The mean absolute relative difference (MARD) and mean absolute difference (MAD) of FreeStyle Libre Pro compared to conventional finger prick blood glucose tests were calculated. Furthermore, the paired glucose measurements obtained by FreeStyle Libre Pro and iPro2 were compared. Results: Overall MARD of FreeStyle Libre Pro was 17.4%, and, when limited to range ≥ 100 mg/dl, MARD was 16.8%. Overall MAD of FreeStyle Libre Pro was 32.0 mg/dl, and, when limited to range < 100 mg/dl, MAD was 21.1 mg/dl. Mean glucose measurements obtained by FreeStyle Libre Pro were significantly lower than those obtained by iPro2 (151.3±60.4 mg/dl vs. 179.4±64.1 mg/dl, P < 0.01). Linear regression analysis revealed significant correlation between glucose measurements obtained by FreeStyle Libre Pro and those obtained by iPro2: Glucose (FreeStyle Libre Pro) (mg/dl) = 0.86 × Glucose (iPro2) - 3.31 (mg/dl), r = 0.914, P < 0.01. Conclusions: FreeStyle Libre Pro is convenient to use because it does not need calibration by finger prick glucose tests, however our results supports the importance of confirming the measurements of FreeStyle Libre Pro by conventional finger prick glucose tests or central laboratory tests.
The ‘New Narrative Project’ and the politicisation of the EU

Abstract The notion that the European Union (EU) lacks a narrative for its contemporary challenges conveys a general explanation for this disconnection with its citizens. This ‘narrative turn’ encompasses previous reflections on the EU’s democratic deficit, identity issues and the lack of a European public sphere. The turn of politics towards narratives – in the EU and beyond – adds to the debates on unity and diversity, legitimacy and the politicisation of the EU by focusing on the sociopolitical dynamics. This article discusses whether the recent narrative turn is compatible with the increasing contention on EU issues. It shows that the increasing use of the notion of narrative to account for political debates in the EU seems to ignore a significant part of the existing literature and debates on the emergence and limits of the ‘infrastructure’ of such narrative, the European public sphere of communication. By analysing the recent interest of the European Commission in narratives, this article finds that the current focus on narratives by EU institutions is so far explained by an attempt at re-creating a broad consensus on what the EU is and ought to be, which is, however, not addressing the dynamics of politicisation of the EU.
Metabolic Correction Therapy As Adjuvant Treatment For Breast Cancer Patients: A Case Report

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. In the United States, is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. In Puerto Rico between 2008 and 2012, breast cancer was the most diagnosed type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. This is a case of 54 years old female diagnosed with stage IV right breast carcinoma. The patient complaints were weakness and a right breast ulcer. She started a metabolic correction therapy, which consisted of high intravenous vitamin C infusions, a nutritional supplementation plan, and Paleolithic diet. During treatment, both Glycohemoglobin and Carcinoembryonic Antigen levels decreased significantly, the right breast ulcer decreased in size, and the patient’s quality of life improved. Over the years, vitamin C studies have demonstrated a cytotoxic action against malignant cells. Based on the results from this case, we advocate continue studying possible adjuvant treatments for cancer patients, involving IV infusions of vitamin C and metabolic correction plans. DOI : coming soon Corresponding Author : Michael Gonzalez, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, School of Public Health, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Emai: michael.gonzalez5@upr.edu
SAPS III or APACHE IV: Which score to choose for acute trauma patients in intensive care unit?

BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) III and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) IV in the prediction of in-hospital mortality in surviving multi-trauma patients. METHODS This study was conducted in the 13-bed intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital. A retrospective review of multi-trauma patients whose care was managed in the ICU was performed. Data collection included details of age, gender, ICU admission, and outcome. APACHE IV and SAPS III scores, as well as the predicted mortality rate (PMR), were calculated using web-based calculators. RESULTS Of the 90 patients 20% (n=18) were female and 80% (n=72) were male. The overall mortality rate was 25.6%. The mean APACHE IV, Acute Physiology Score (APS) and SAPS III score was 69.27+-34.51, 66.42+-33.72, and 26.36+-27.14, respectively. The mean PMR according to the APACHE IV and the SAPS III was 26.36+-27.14 and 17.07+-24.88, respectively. The area under the curve result of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was 0.87 for the APACHE IV and 0.93 for the SAPS III. CONCLUSION The performance of the SAPS III was more sensitive and discriminative than the APACHE IV scoring system for multi-trauma ICU patients.