Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Simple and Flexible Alternative to the Stability and Growth Pact Deficit Ceilings: Is it at Hand?

There have been widespread criticisms of EMU fiscal institutions. We consider a simple alternative to the deficit ceilings envisaged in the Stability and Growth Pact. We advocate the adoption of deficit targets. National governments should retain discretion in setting deviations from targets, but these deviations should then be reversed following a predetermined rule. This ensures fiscal discipline and leaves room for stabilisation policies. For the rule to be credible, only small changes are required to current EMU institutions. Our scheme performs well in comparison with existing reform proposals and is consistent with the golden rule of deficit financing.
AMPK as a metabolic switch in rat muscle, liver and adipose tissue after exercise.

UNLABELLED An increasing body of evidence has revealed that activation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-activated protein kinase increases fatty acid oxidation by lowering the concentration of malonyl coenzyme A (CoA), an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1. Studies carried out primarily in skeletal muscle suggest that AMPK modulates the concentration of malonyl CoA by concurrently phosphorylating and inhibiting acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), the rate limiting enzyme in malonyl CoA synthesis, and phosphorylating and activating malonyl CoA decarboxylase (MCD), an enzyme involved in its degradation. We have recently observed that AMPK and MCD activities are increased and ACC activity diminished in skeletal muscle, liver and, surprisingly, in adipose tissue 30 min following exercise (treadmill run) in normal rats. In liver and adipose tissue these changes were associated with a decrease in the activity of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), which catalyses the first committed reaction in glycerolipid synthesis and, which like ACC, is phosphorylated and inhibited by AMPK. Similar changes in ACC, MCD and GPAT were observed following the administration of 5-aminoimidazole 4-carboxamide-riboside (AICAR), further indicating that the exercise-induced alterations in these enzymes were AMPK-mediated. CONCLUSIONS (1) AMPK plays a major role in regulating lipid metabolism in multiple tissues following exercise. (2) The net effect of its activation is to increase fatty acid oxidation and diminish glycerolipid synthesis. (3) The relevance of these findings to the regulation of muscle glycogen repletion in the post-exercise state and to the demonstrated ability of AMPK activation to decrease adiposity and increase insulin sensitivity in rodents remains to be determined.
Size and Political Trust: Evidence from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom

This paper deals with two questions on the relations between the size of political systems and political trust. First, does citizens' trust in national elected officials differ from their trust in local elected officials? Second, what is the relationship between citizens' trust in elected local government officials and the size of local government units? These questions were answered on the basis of survey data from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom. We found that trust in local officeholders is typically and often considerably higher than trust in national politicians. Moreover, the evidence from these four countries suggests that size of municipality has a modest negative effect on political trust. Further evidence suggests that this negative effect is the result of a tendency of citizens in small municipalities to be more satisfied with their local government than residents in large units. This further evidence also shows that whatever its origins (intensive personal relations or a dense network of civil organisations) social trust is not vital for an adequate understanding of political trust.
A Pure Financial Explanation for Trade Credit

This paper provided a pure financial explanation for the existence of trade credit and for the values of the credit terms offered to customers. Two motives for extending trade credit were identified. The pure operating flexibility motive arises because the opportunity to change credit policy provides the seller an efficient way to respond to fluctuations in demand. This motive was eliminated from consideration in this paper by assuming constant demand. The seller must hold a liquid reserve when the financial markets are imperfect and the desire to earn an excess rate of return on this reserve explains the pure financial intermediary motive for trade credit. The pure financial incentive to lend this liquid reserve to customers was examined by viewing a market borrowing rate of interest that exceeds the market lending rate of interest as a hindrance to trade or, equivalently, as a financial market tariff. This tariff imposes a wedge between the market prices paid and received for the product plus a loan and thereby inflicts a loss of surplus on the seller and buyers. Trade credit lending enables the seller and/or the buyers to recapture at least part of this loss when the source of the tariff does not apply to direct loans to customers. Financial market tariffs caused by transactions costs fulfill this requirement because the trade credit lender's familiarity with its customers and product provide it with information and collection cost advantages over financial intermediaries. Tariffs caused by financial intermediary rents fulfill this requirement as well because the parties to a trade credit loan do not employ the services of a financial intermediary. Increasing opportunity costs and financial market imperfections in addition to the ones described above establish the limits of credit policy. The optimal amount of accounts receivable is derived from the condition that the marginal revenue of trade credit lending is equal to the marginal cost. This condition combined with factoring costs produces a unique, finite optimal credit period. Accrual accounting for income tax purposes imposes an additional restriction because the firm is taxed on the recovery of its opportunity costs. These limitations on credit policy were examined separately in this paper for clarity but they are in effect simultaneously in practice.
An analysis of the interaction among savings, investments and growth in Turkey

Turkey has been implementing tight fiscal and monetary policies for years. These policies rely on the basic understanding that savings trigger growth and investments. However there are alternative theoretical discussions and empirical findings related to the interaction among these variables. In this study, while one of the purposes is to analyse the interaction among these variables for the Turkish case, the other is to try to bring an insight for other developing countries for the issues such as data production, econometric analysis, and as well as making policy suggestions in line with the evidence from the Turkish case. The findings of this study show that, it is the growth that induces both savings and investments. Hence, it is necessary to question policies that assume it is the savings triggering growth and investments.
Growing supranational identities in a globalising world? A multilevel analysis of the World Values Surveys

Are globalisation and regional integration producing a postnational identity among a wide variety of publics? Using the World Values Surveys (WVS), this article shows that there is a global pattern in public attitudes toward supranational identity: the younger the respondent, the more supranational. Yet a life-cycle effect, as opposed to a generational one, underlies this pattern. A multilevel analysis confirms this age effect on supranational identification in 43 countries covered in the recent wave of the WVS, but provides little support for the idea that a country's integration into the global economy and world society promotes supranational attachments among mass publics, especially youths. Regional integration and globalisation appear either complementary or contradictory to this identity shift, depending upon how ordinary citizens perceive their country's involvement in the processes of regional integration and globalisation, respectively.
Impact of mandibular implant prostheses on the oral health-related quality of life in partially and completely edentulous patients.

OBJECTIVE To assess the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients provided with mandibular implant fixed partial prostheses (IFPP) for rehabilitation of two adjacent missing posterior teeth and complete denture patients provided with mandibular implant-supported overdenture (ISOD). The response to change in OHRQoL with implant prostheses was additionally compared. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this prospective study, 20 IFPP (mean age 47.0; SD 12.9 years) and 28 ISOD (mean age 61.5; SD 9.1 years) patients received 2 mandibular implants. Metal ceramic nonsplinted fixed prostheses were provided in IFPP group, while in ISOD group, the mandibular overdentures were retained by nonsplinted attachments. Patients rated their oral health-related quality of life using OHIP-14 Malaysian version at baseline (T0), 2-3 months (T1) and 1 year (T2) postimplant treatment. Mean OHIP-14 for total and domain scores between groups and intervals was analysed using repeated-measures ANOVA and t-test. Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for the comparison of mean score change and effect size, while the association between pre- and post-treatment scores was determined using multivariate linear regression modelling. RESULTS The total OHIP and domain scores before implant treatment were significantly higher (lower OHRQoL) in IFPP than in ISOD groups, except for physical pain where this domain showed similar impact in both groups. Postimplant scores between groups at T1 and T2 showed no significant difference. The mean score changes at T0-T1 and T0-T2 for total OHIP-14 and domains were significantly greater in IFPP except in the domains of physical pain and disability which showed no difference. Large effect size (ES) was observed for total OHIP-14 in IFPP while moderate in ISOD. Improved OHRQoL was dependent on the treatment group and pretreatment score. CONCLUSION Improvement in OHRQoL occurred following both mandibular implant-supported overdentures and implant fixed partial prostheses.
The Tourism Industry and the Process of Internationalization in the Middle East: The Example of Jordan

SUMMARY Ongoing internationalization processes have resulted in significant changes on the supply side in many fields of the economy and specifically in tourism. Although the scientific discourse is working hard to keep pace with these rapid changes, there is nevertheless a considerable deficit in research on the problems and risks as well as the potential and opportunities associated with intensifying processes of internationalization. This paper focuses on the internationalization process of small and medium‐sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) in the Middle East, specifically in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which continues to be a tourist destination for Westerners in spite of major political and other crises. Internationalization of SMTEs is a complex process, and studies that take a more holistic view of this phenomenon are needed. This paper will therefore attempt to investigate the internationalization process in Jordan from a problem‐centred perspective and to critically examine and discuss it on the basis of comments made by leading actors in the Jordanian tourism business. The thus gained insights should help to reduce the still existing theoretical deficits in the study of the internationalization process. Particularly, the impact of the Arab Spring on the Jordanian tourism market must be included in a critical assessment. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Complexity of cerebral blood flow velocity and arterial blood pressure in subarachnoid hemorrhage using time-frequency analysis

We investigated changes of time-frequency (TF) complexity, in terms of Rényi entropy and a measure of concentration, of middle cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) and arterial blood pressure in relation to the development of cerebral vasospasm in 15 patients after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Interhemispheric differences in the period of no vasospasm and vasospasm were also compared. Results show reduced complexity of TF representations of CBFV on the side of aneurysm before vasospasm was identified. This potentially can serve as an early-warning indicator of future derangement of cerebral circulation.
Evidence for endocytosis of E‐selectin in human endothelial cells

E‐selectin is an inducible adhesion molecule on endothelial cells. The internalization of this glycoprotein was investigated on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐activated cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Kinetics of intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) were studied in parallel experiments. Internalization studies were performed with radioiodinated antibodies in an acid elution endocytosis assay, and by immunohistology; both approaches gave equivalent results. [125I]ENA1, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for E‐selectin, was internalized at a rate of approximately 1.7% of the membranebound [125I]mAb per minute. In contrast, less than 0.1% of membrane‐bound [125I]RR1/1, an mAb specific for ICAM‐1, was internalized per minute. TNF‐activated HUVEC were immunostained and examined by light microscopy (LM) and electron microscopy (EM). LM revealed the presence of ENA1, but not RR1/1, after 30 minutes of incubation with these mAb in cytoplasmic vesicles, which were characterized as multivesicular bodies by EM. Without previous mAb exposure of the endothelial cells, both high amounts of E‐selectin and bovine serum albumin complexed to colloidal gold, used as a marker for fluid‐phase internalization, were detected in the same organelles, thus arguing against mAb interaction‐induced E‐selectin internalization. Furthermore, the amount of E‐selectin surface expression was not influenced by ongoing mAb presence, also arguing against mAb interference with normal E‐selectin kinetics.
Why Do Reits Repurchase Stock? Extricating the Effect of Managerial Signaling in Open Market Share Repurchase Announcements

This paper explores the effect of stock repurchase announcements on equity returns for publicly traded real estate investment trusts (REITs). In addition to providing analysis of the corporate decision to repurchase shares, the study of share repurchases in the context of REITs provides a novel opportunity to disentangle the impact of competing theories for the abnormal returns observed around repurchase announcements. Prior literature advances six hypotheses to explain the stock price reaction associated with repurchases. Given that the theories all predict the same stock price reaction, existing studies are unable to disentangle the competing hypotheses. The intent of this research is to extricate the signaling hypothesis from the competing explanations to determine whether the managerial signaling hypothesis is a credible explanation for the abnormal returns observed around share repurchase announcements. After controlling for relevant economic variables, we provide evidence for the efficacy of the managerial signaling hypothesis.
Strategic Disclosures of Litigation Loss Contingencies When Customer–Supplier Relationships Are at Risk

ABSTRACT: In the presence of litigation-facing suppliers, the supply chain relationship is at risk. Suppliers with principal customers (dependent suppliers) have a higher concentration of sales to customers, and they are more at risk relative to suppliers without principal customers (non-dependent suppliers). As a result, we predict and find that litigation disclosure patterns differ for the two supplier types: dependent suppliers are more likely to delay bad news and accelerate good news related to litigation outcomes, compared to non-dependent suppliers. Such strategic disclosure patterns in our end-game setting are opposite to those documented in the existing supply chain literature for the repeated-game setting (for example, Hui, Klasa, and Yeung 2012). JEL Classifications: M41; M48; K22.
Innervation of the serotonin‐immunoreactive cells distributed in the wall of the common carotid artery and its branches in the chicken

In the chicken, serotonin‐immunoreactive cells were widely distributed not only in the carotid body but also in the wall of the common carotid artery and around each artery arising from the common carotid artery. Almost all of the serotonin cells in the wall of the common carotid artery were intensely immunoreactive to the neuropeptide Y, met‐ and leu‐enkephalin antisera, whereas in the carotid body only a few cells were immunoreactive to these antisera. Innervation of the serotonin cells in and around arteries of chickens was investigated by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy, in comparison with that of the carotid body. The serotonin cell groups in and around arteries, as well as the carotid body, received numerous peptidergic nerve fibers. Calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP)‐and substance P‐immunoreactive varicose nerve fibers were densely distributed, and somatostatin‐immunoreactive fibers were moderately distributed in the serotonin cell groups. Galanin‐and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)‐immunoreactive fibers were sparsely distributed in the cell groups. By electron microscopy, the serotonin cells in and around arteries were characterized by the presence of numerous dense‐cored vesicles, 70–220 nm in diameter. The granule‐containing cells were in close association with numerous axons. Naked axons regarded axon terminals were frequently apposed on the granular cells. The axon terminals were usually long and often partly invested the granular cells. Numerous synaptic junctions were detected along the contact between the granular cells and axon terminals. Most of the synaptic junctions showed afferent morphology; the secretory granules were accumulated near and attached to the asymmetrical membrane thickenings. Thus, the serotonin cells in and around arteries, like the carotid body, constitute chemoreceptive tissue.
Feasibility of Cell Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review of 83 Studies

Multiple Sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in which T cells experience a second phase of activation, which ultimately leads to axonal demyelination and neurological disability. The recent advances in stem cell therapies may serve as potential treatments for neurological disorders. There are broad types of stem cells such as neural, embryonic, mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells with unprecedented hope in treating many debilitating diseases. In this paper we will review the substantial literature regarding experimental and clinical use of these stem cells and possible mechanisms in the treatment of MS. These results may pave the road for the utilization of stem cells for the treatment of MS.
A study of the effects of exposure on cleanup workers at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident using multiple end points.

Blood samples were collected from 192 exposed workers who participated in the cleanup after the April 26, 1986, nuclear reactor accident at Chernobyl, Ukraine. These samples, together with samples from 73 individuals living in Russia but not involved in Chernobyl cleanup activities, were collected during September 1991 to May 1996 and shipped to the U.S. for evaluation by three bioassays: cytogenetic analysis based on chromosome painting, HPRT mutation analysis and glycophorin A (GPA) variant analysis. Univariate statistical analyses of the results of each bioassay (including adjustments for age, smoking status and estimated precision of the bioassay) found greater frequencies of chromosome translocations and HPRT mutant T lymphocytes among the exposed individuals compared to the controls (P < or = 0.01). GPA analyses showed no significant difference for exposed compared to controls for either hemizygous, N/O, or homozygous, N/N, variant cell frequency. Multivariate analysis of variance of the subset of 44 exposed and 14 unexposed individuals with measurements from all three bioassays found elevated frequencies of chromosomal translocations and HPRT mutants, and reduced frequencies for both GPA end points among the exposed persons compared to the controls. However, none of these differences, considered singly or in combination, was statistically significant (although statistical power is low due to small sample sizes). Mean estimated dose, based on cytogenetic response, for those exposed was 9 cGy (range 0 to 51 cGy) and was less than that estimated by physical dosimetry (25 cGy). Correlation between the end points of the bioassays and estimated physical dosimetry was low (r < 0.2); the only significant correlation found was for physical dose estimate and dates worked at Chernobyl (r = 0.4, P < 0.01), with those working soon after the accident receiving greater estimated doses.
CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR ORGANIC STANDARDS: GUIDING DEMAND-EXPANSION STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIC FOOD

Organic agriculture is a rapidly growing segment of the food industry. According to the Organic Trade Association, organic food sales totalled $4 billion in 1997, having posted sales growths of 20 percent or greater for nine consecutive years. Nationwide, 31 percent of consumers state they buy organic at least once a month and 23 percent buy it once a week or more. Organic agriculture plays a prominent role states such as New York as wellone certifying agency, NOFA-NY, certifies 172 farms that produce a full array of farm products including fruits, vegetables, fruit juices, hay, grains, beef, transplants, dairy products, and eggs. Many farmers in the northeast see organic agriculture as a way of diversifying their operations, gain a premium and stay in business in this era of declining farm numbers. The market for organic agricultural products is of interest to food marketers not only because of its rapid growth and importance to smaller growers but because of the interactions of public policy, private firm strategy, and consumer preferences. Organic is a credence good trait (Darby and Kami), i.e., a consumer cannot easily verify whether an item is truly organic either by observation (search goods) or consuming (experience goods) trait (Darby and Karni). Consequently, a third party is needed to verify such claims to protect consumers from fraud and to legitimate producers, processors, etc. Until late last year, this function was served by a number of independent certifying agencies, each of which potentially had a different definition of organic. Lohr observed that creating a unified national set of standards would help dispel the confusion over the exact meaning of organic, facilitating both international and domestic commerce of organic foods. Beginning in the early 1990s the USDA began work on drafting such a set of standards. The original proposed rule was met with much controversy. USDA received over 275,000 comments on the proposal, many of which expressed concern over the inclusion of what came to be known as the Big 3: Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Biosolids (Municipal Sewage Sludge), and Irradiation. When the Final Rule was announced in early 2001, use of the Big 3 was not allowed for foods labeled organic. Given this controversy, it is important to know if this Final Rule actually reflects consumer preferences, and what implications it holds for private strategy and public policy. This paper builds upon the empirical analysis of a survey administered to current consumers of organic food in Ithaca, NY, a town known for its vibrant market for organic food. It discusses the implications of this rule for public policy and private strategy. Three fundamental issues at hand are how much consumers are willing to pay to have or to avoid the Big 3 in organic food, the policy implications of these results, and how firms can use this information to guide marketing strategies.