Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Revisiting a Social Constructionist Approach to Crisis Communication– Investigating Contemporary Crises in China

ABSTRACT The current study provides a social constructionist approach to crisis communication in the Chinese context. Crisis communication is viewed as a form of strategic communication, involving multiple stakeholders in situations that are dependent on context, space and time. This approach provides a much-needed path for investigating and understanding crisis communication practices in contemporary China. The distinct Chinese context for crisis communication, with both an authoritarian government structure and a digital transformation of society, challenges theories originally developed in the Western countries. To address this issue, this study proposes a three-theme analytical framework to examine crisis communication practices in the Chinese context: (1) an audience (or stakeholder) orientation—focusing sense-making, (2) a proactive and interactive approach—focusing communication, and (3) a community—focused approach—focusing a long-range precrisis perspective.
Design as Contract and Blueprint – Tackling Maturity Level 1 Software Vendors in an e-School Project

Process improvements have drawn much attention in practical software engineering. The capability maturity levels from CMMI have become an important index to assess a software company’s software engineering capability. However, in countries like Taiwan, customers often have no choices but to deal with vendors that are not CMMI prepared or qualified. We call these vendors maturitylevel-1 (ML1) vendors. In this paper, we describe our experience from consulting an e-school project. We propose an approach to help our client tackle the ML1 vendors. Through our system analysis, we produce a design. This design is suggested to be used as part of contract and a blueprint to guide the implementation. Keywords—CMMI, Software Engineering, Software Design, Design as Contract.
The S-Curve: China versus Its Major Trading Partners

China has been accused of manipulating its currency to gain international competitiveness and enjoy a trade surplus. The S-Curve is a hypothesis that could be used to test the effectiveness of currency devaluation or depreciation. It claims that while future values of the trade balance and current exchange rate are positively correlated, the past values of the trade balance and current exchange rate are negatively correlated. While Chinai¯s aggregate trade flows with the rest of the world conforms to the S-Curve hypothesis, disaggregating trade flows by trading partner reveals that not all partners are affected equally by devaluation. Indeed, trade with 8 out of the 24 partners does not support the S-Curve hypothesis.
Dynamic Linkages among Foreign Exchange, Stock, and Commodity Markets in Northeast Asian Countries: Effects from Two Recent Crises

This paper investigates the interaction among the foreign exchange, stock, and commodity markets of Northeast Asian countries according to the cross-correlation function (CCF) approach. We analyze the impact of the global financial crisis and the European sovereign crisis on the financial market interactions of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The empirical results show that financial markets in different countries show different causality relationships. While interactions in both mean and variance are relatively strong in Japanese financial markets, they are relatively weak in Korean markets. We cannot find any financial market interactions in Taiwan
Assessment of Disease Activity and Treatment Outcomes in Rheumatoid Arthritis

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease which primarily causes a symmetric polyarthritis. Clinical manifestations of the disease include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Unless treated, this debilitating disease can progress into long-term disability. Medications for RA include synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic agents. The rapid expansion of new RA drugs into the market has led to a need for health care practitioners to understand the effectiveness of each medication and the indications of use including when to initiate and stop therapies. Clinical assessment tools, including biomarkers used to indicate RA and the progression of the disease, have been proven effective for making a diagnosis and determining effective treatment regimens. Disease activity scales are also useful for guiding diagnoses and monitoring patients to assess treatment effectiveness. OBJECTIVES: To review the various clinical assessment tools that have been designed to confirm an early diagnosis of RA, measure disease progression, and assist in determining the most optimal treatment regimens for patients with RA. SUMMARY: The diagnosis of RA combines the patient history of joint pain and stiffness and the physical examination documentation of symmetric polyarticular joint swelling (synovitis). Laboratory tests including radiographs and blood tests for biomarkers can provide useful information to confirm the diagnosis of RA. Various autoantibodies have been reported in the blood of RA patients, but only the rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) have been incorporated as diagnostic measures in routine clinical practice. Monitoring and assessment instruments for RA include the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), and the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI). Although these clinical assessment tools have limitations, health care providers can use them as measures of disease progression and to assist in planning treatment strategies to modify disease activity and improve the quality of life for the patient.
A cross-national comparison of news coverage of Michelle Obama’s visit to China in American and Chinese media

The First Lady is not only a celebrity, the president’s wife, the public face of the White House, but also a representative of modern American women. The First Lady traveled to China from March 19 to March 26, 2014. She visited Beijing, Xi’an and Chengdu. The theme of the trip is the importance of education. This comparative study investigates American and Chinese news coverage of Michelle Obama’s visit to China from March 19, 2014 to March 26, 2014. This study employed quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze a total 292 paragraphs from American media and 82 paragraphs from Chinese media. By systematically comparing the issue agenda and attribute agenda in American and Chinese media coverage, this study identified differences and similarities in both levels of agenda in the two countries’ media coverage. The findings showed that there were some significant differences in the issues covered between the Chinese and US press. The data suggested that diplomacy, foreign policy, freedom, human rights, race, and culture, (six out of these eleven) issues revealed significant differences between American and Chinese media. However, American and Chinese media seemed to employ similar attributes of the First Lady, which reflected certain gender stereotypes. Dominant ideology, glocalization and four theories of press were discussed to explain the differences of issue agenda between two countries.
Nasopharyngeal flora in HIV seropositive men who have sex with men.

OBJECTIVES: To assess, in men who were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and who identified themselves as having had sex with men; the nasopharyngeal prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, N meningitidis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and candida species; oral sexual behaviour; the relation between oral flora and oral sexual behavior. METHOD: Nasopharyngeal swabs were taken from HIV seropositive men for culture. The men were also asked to complete a self administered questionnaire. RESULTS: 390 men were recruited; 286 (73.3%) provided nasopharyngeal samples and questionnaires; 41 (10.5%) provided nasopharyngeal samples only; 63 (16.2%) provided questionnaires only. From the 327 nasopharyngeal samples N meningitidis was cultured in 49 (15%) and candida species in 165 (50.5%). Cultures for N gonorrhoeae and C diphtheriae were all negative. Data from the 349 completed questionnaires indicated that 285 men were practising oro-penile sex, over 90% did not consistently use condoms; 150 men were practising oro-anal sex, one used dental dams. In those providing both nasopharyngeal samples and sexual behaviour data meningococcal carriage was identified in 40 (17.5%) of the 228 men practising receptive oro-penile sex, compared with one (2.3%) of the 43 non-practisers (p < 0.025); in 21 (20%) of the 105 men practising insertive oro-anal sex, compared with 17 (12.5%) of the 136 non-practisers (p = 0.12). No correlation was identified between yeast carriage and oro-genital sex. Conclusion: Oro-genital sex, usually without barrier protection, is common among HIV infected men who have sex with men. It appears to be associated with increased meningococcal carriage but is autonomous to candida species isolation. Routine screening for nasopharyngeal N gonorrhoeae is not deemed necessary.
Analysis of Country of Origin Labeling for Food Products in Taiwan Using Auction Experiment

This study attempts to evaluate the economic benefits of the country of origin labeling (COOL) in Taiwan. A Vickrey second-price sealed-bid auction was conducted to estimate the consumer’s willingness to pay for Taiwan products vs. those from China and Vietnam. Our experiment was designed to investigate the impacts of product tasting on bidding behavior. The regression results show that tasting raised bids for Taiwan and China teas, but lowered bids for Vietnam tea. The econometric results show very high premiums for Taiwan products. Taiwanese consumers and food producers stand to benefit greatly with COOL.
New Welfare States in East Asia: Global Challenges and Restructuring

Contents: 1. New Global Challenges and Welfare State Restructuring in East Asia: Continuity and Change 2. The Welfare Modelling Business Revisited: The Case of East Asian Welfare Regimes 3. Analysing the Productive Dimensions of Welfare: Looking Beyond East Asia 4. Labour Market Risks in Deindustrializing East Asian Economies: The Cases of Korea, Japan and Taiwan 5. Welfare-work link in East Asia after the Economic Crisis: Korea and Japan since the 1990s 6. Social Safety Net for the Working Poor in Japan, Korea and Taiwan 7. Economic Restructuring and Changing Work/Family Life: The Cases of Japan and China 8. Right Diagnosis and Appropriate Treatment for the Global Financial Crisis? Social Protection Measures and Social Policy Responses in East Asia
Consumer Typology and Online Travel Websites

This research attempts to investigate differences in past experiences of using internet in repurchasing. In doing so, the authors identify online consumer characteristics, particularly one-time and repeat users comparison across geographical borders of Korean and Taiwanese teenage customers. Results show that there are significant differences in online shopping typologies between Korean and Taiwanese customers. While attitude serves as a distinguishing factor for both data sets along the other two dimensions, trust does not. Since researchers have focused on comparisons between Western cultures and Asian cultures` online purchase behavior or Internet use, the current study provides a valuable comparison for this niche population of young customers at least in a Korean-Taiwanese context. The authors also make a brief argument that these findings can influence marketing practitioners and site developers in their strategies.
Predictors of Condom Use and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Test Seeking Among Women Living in Inner‐City Public Housing Developments

Background and Objectives: To examine prevalence and predictors of condom use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test seeking among women living in inner‐city housing developments. Study Design: Between April and June 1994, 671 women living in low‐income housing developments in five cities in the United States completed an anonymous self‐report questionnaire eliciting information on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) risk behavior and characteristics indicative of risk. Results: Most participants were women of color who were economically disadvantaged. Fifteen percent reported multiple sex partners, and 30% of women with one sex partner believed he had sex with someone else in the past year. Predictors of condom use included increased rates of safe‐sex negotiation, stronger risk reduction intentions, absence of condom barrier beliefs, and multiple sex partners. Women tested for HIV in the past year were younger, perceived themselves to be at risk for HIV infection, reported more conversations with other women about AIDS concerns, and had condoms readily available. Conclusions: HIV public health prevention interventions are urgently needed for women who live in low‐income urban housing developments.
Polyphyletic Strains of Hepatitis E Virus Are Responsible for Sporadic Cases of Acute Hepatitis in Japan

ABSTRACT Among 87 patients who were previously treated for acute hepatitis of unknown etiology between 1992 and 2001 at five hospitals in Japan, 11 (13%) patients were positive for immunoglobulin M-class antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) by enzyme immunoassay and had detectable HEV RNA by reverse transcription-PCR with two independent sets of primers derived from well-conserved genomic areas in open reading frames 1 and 2. Clinical HEV infection was significantly associated with male sex (9 of 11 versus 29 of 76 patients [P < 0.01]) and older age (52 ± 11 [mean ± standard deviation] versus 41 ± 17 years [P < 0.05]), and its prevalence differed by geographic region (6 to 25%), with a higher rate in the northern part of Japan. At admission, the 11 patients with HEV-associated hepatitis had elevated alanine aminotransferase levels of 914 to 4,850 IU/liter, and all but 1 had elevated bilirubin levels of 1.5 to 24.0 mg/dl. The 11 HEV isolates were of genotype III or IV and were segregated into three groups with intergroup nucleotide differences of 9.5 to 22.0%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that four isolates of genotype III were closely related to a Japanese isolate, while the other four isolates of the same genotype were nearest those from the United States. The remaining three isolates were close to known isolates of genotype IV in China and Taiwan but shared less than 88% identity with them. These results indicate that multiple genotypes of HEV cocirculate in Japan and contribute to the development of sporadic acute hepatitis, with the prevalence differing by age, sex, and geographic region.
Defining “Normophilic” and “Paraphilic” Sexual Fantasies in a Population‐Based Sample: On the Importance of Considering Subgroups

Abstract Introduction According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM‐5), a sexual fantasy (SF) is paraphilic if it concerns activities outside the realm of “genital stimulation or preparatory fondling with phenotypically normal, physically mature, consenting human partners” (normophilic). Intensity of the paraphilic SF is also “greater than or equal to normophilic interests. ” Surprisingly, however, very few data are available to corroborate that definition of a paraphilic SF. Although the relatively high prevalence of paraphilic SF in the general population is well known, the magnitude of difference between intensity of “normophilic” and “paraphilic” SF remains to be assessed. Aim The main goal of this study was to analyze the SF of adults recruited in the general population to obtain person profiles based on the nature and intensity of their SF. Methods Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) were used with data collected from 1,501 adults recruited in the general population to generate subgroups of participants based on the nature and intensity of their SF. Main outcome measures The main outcome measures used was a revised version of the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire. Results When all participants are considered as a unique group, the mean intensity of the most intense “normophilic” SF (oral sex) is significantly higher than the mean intensity of the most intense “paraphilic” SF (being sexually dominated for women and watching two women having sex for men), as expected from the DSM‐5. When clusters of participants are considered separately, however, conclusions are nuanced. Four significant clusters of participants (two predominantly female and two predominantly male) reported at least one paraphilic SF with intensity as high as that of their most intense “normophilic” SF. In fact, 57% of this sample met the criteria of paraphilia. Conclusion These results suggest that the current criteria for paraphilia are too inclusive. Suggestions are given to improve the definition of pathological sexual interests, and the crucial difference between SF and sexual interest is underlined. Joyal CC. Defining “normophilic” and “paraphilic” sexual fantasies in a population‐based sample: On the importance of considering subgroups. Sex Med 2015;3:321–330.
Disruption of sexual behavior in male aromatase-deficient mice lacking exons 1 and 2 of the cyp19 gene.

Aromatase is known to be involved in the control of morphological, neuroendocrine, and behavioral sex differences in the brain. To study the detailed functions of aromatase in mouse brain, we generated aromatase-deficient mice that lack exons 1 and 2 and the proximal promoter region of the cyp19 gene by homologous recombination. The genotypes of offspring from heterozygous matings conformed to the Mendelian rule. The aromatase knockout (ArKO) male and female mice displayed no significant external morphological abnormalities, although the uteri of adult ArKO female mice were remarkably underdeveloped. Male-typical sexual behavior directed toward females was, however, strongly modified in the ArKO male mice. The ArKO male mice showed significantly prolonged latencies to mount and decreased numbers of mounts in response to receptive stimulus females. These results suggest an important participation of the aromatase gene in the reproductive behaviors.
Oxytocin, the peptide that bonds the sexes also divides them

Significance To interpret and respond appropriately to social cues is a fundamental aspect of human nature that becomes impaired in many mental disorders. The past decade has witnessed unprecedented excitement across neuroscience, psychology, and psychiatry regarding the role of oxytocin in human social cognition and its potential therapeutic use. There is also a considerable long-established public interest in behavioral sex differences and the molecular and brain mechanisms responsible. The current findings provide the first mechanistic explanation, to our knowledge, for how this key social molecule has evolved sex-dependent actions on amygdala function to influence the salience and attractiveness of positive social attributes in women but negative ones in men. Facilitation of social attraction and bonding by the evolutionarily conserved neuropeptide oxytocin is well-established in female mammals. However, accumulating behavioral evidence suggests that oxytocin may have evolved sex-specific functional roles in the domain of human social cognition. A critical question is how oxytocin differentially modulates neural processing of social information in men and women, leading to divergent behavioral responses. Here we show that intranasal oxytocin treatment produces sex- and valence-dependent increases in amygdala activation when women view individuals identified as praising others but in men those who criticize them. Women subsequently show increased liking for the faces of these individuals, whereas in men it is reduced. Thus, oxytocin may act differentially via the amygdala to enhance the salience of positive social attributes in women but negative ones in men. We hypothesize that oxytocin may have evolved different but complementary roles to help ensure successful reproduction by encouraging mothers to promote a prosocial rearing environment for offspring and fathers to protect against antisocial influences.
How Do Firms Respond to Political Tensions? The Heterogeneity of the Dalai Lama Effect on Trade

Little is known about the firm-level dynamics behind trade responses to political tensions. This article reinvestigates variation in the travel pattern of the 14th Dalai Lama to study how political tensions affect trading decisions of Chinese importers. Using monthly trade data from China Customs covering imports of machinery and transport equipment from 173 countries over the 2000-2006 period, our empirical results show a significant reduction of imports in response to foreign government members’ meetings with the Dalai Lama. In line with the idea that Chinese importers face a trade-off between bearing costs from suboptimal trade transactions and costs from not accommodating the government, this ‘Dalai Lama Effect’ operates at the intensive margin, i.e., via a decrease in the import volume per importer. Examining differential effects across types of firm ownership, we find that the observed effect is driven by state-owned enterprises (and foreign-invested firms) and not by private companies. Moreover, while direct importers temporarily reduce their trade with Dalai Lama-receiving countries, there is some evidence that trade intermediaries even benefit. Overall, we find the effects to be much more short-lived than previously thought.