Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Malaysian companies’ use of the internet for investor relations

Purpose – This study focuses on Malaysian companies because of the confidence shown by the international business community in what is considered to be the best country for corporate governance practice. Additionally, the Malaysian stock market is considered to be the largest stock market in terms of market capitalization in Asia. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the utilization of the internet by Malaysian‐listed companies for investor information or communication. It also examines the content of such investor relations (IR) information compared with similar web sites from other parts of the world.Design/methodology/approach – The sample for the study consists of 100 stock market index‐linked firms listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.Findings – Using a disclosure index for measuring investor information disclosure published in the companies’ web sites, this study revealed that only 70 firms provided investor‐related materials on their web sites. The highest‐ranking investor‐rel.
Compensation and Firm Performance

This paper uses stochastic simulation and my U.S. econometric model to examine the optimal choice of monetary policy instruments. Are the variances, covariances, and parameters in the model such as to favor one instrument over the other, in particular the interest rate over the money supply? The results show that the interest rate and the money supply are about equally good as policy instruments in terms of minimizing the variance of real GNP. The variances of some of the components of GNP are, however, much larger when the money supply is the policy instrument, as is the variance of the change in stock prices. Therefore, if one's loss function is expanded beyond simply the variance of real GNP to variances of other variables, the interest rate policy does better. The results thus provide some support for what seems to be the Fed's current choice of using the interest rate as its primary instrument. Stochastic simulation is also used to estimate how much of the variance of real GNP is due to the error terms in the demand for money equations. The results show that the contribution is not very great even when the money supply is the policy instrument.
Abundance of stable flies on heifers treated for control of horn flies with organophosphate impregnated ear tags

Abstract. Ear tags containing 40% organophosphate insecticides (diazinon or diazinon plus chlorpyrifos‐ethyl) were applied to control Haematobia irritans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) in treated (TG01 and TG02) and untreated (UG01 and UG02) groups of Holstein heifers born in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Control and treated groups were assessed for the abundance of Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) from August 2001 to April 2002 and again from August 2002 to April 2003. The treatment had a high efficacy for control of horn flies (maximum median number per heifer of TG01 and TG02 = 5) but a low effect on the abundance of stable flies. The total numbers of S. calcitrans were 1251 (42.9% of the total) and 1668 (57.1%) for TG01 and UG01, and 1423 (48.8%) and 1494 (51.2%) in TG02 and UG02, respectively. No significant difference in stable fly burden was found in 55 of the 76 weeks evaluated. A unimodal peak of abundance in the spring was found during the first fly season, and a bimodal abundance, with peaks in the spring and autumn, during the second season. No strong associations between horn fly and stable fly burdens was found in individuals of the CG01 (correlation coefficient = 0.13, P > 0.05) or CG02 (correlation coefficient = 0.538, P < 0.05, determination coefficient = 0.289).
Requirement of ATM in Phosphorylation of the Human p53 Protein at Serine 15 following DNA Double-Strand Breaks

ABSTRACT Microinjection of the restriction endonuclease HaeIII, which causes DNA double-strand breaks with blunt ends, induces nuclear accumulation of p53 protein in normal and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) primary fibroblasts. In contrast, this induction of p53 accumulation is not observed in ataxia telangiectasia (AT) fibroblasts. HaeIII-induced p53 protein in normal fibroblasts is phosphorylated at serine 15, as determined by immunostaining with an antibody specific for phosphorylated serine 15 of p53. This phosphorylation correlates well with p53 accumulation. Treatment with lactacystin (an inhibitor of the proteasome) or heat shock leads to similar levels of p53 accumulation in normal and AT fibroblasts, but the p53 protein lacks a phosphorylated serine 15. Following microinjection of HaeIII into lactacystin-treated normal fibroblasts, lactacystin-induced p53 protein is phosphorylated at serine 15 and stabilized even in the presence of cycloheximide. However, neither stabilization nor phosphorylation at serine 15 is observed in AT fibroblasts under the same conditions. These results indicate the significance of serine 15 phosphorylation for p53 stabilization after DNA double-strand breaks and an absolute requirement for ATM in this phosphorylation process.
Locus of Control and Human Capital Investment Revisited

This paper examines the effect of teenagers’ outlooks—specified as their locus of control—on educational attainment and labor market outcomes. I replicate the study of Coleman and DeLeire (2003) and test the predictions of their theoretical model using a different data set—National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). The findings fail to support the predictions of the model and suggest that locus of control is not a significant determinant of educational outcomes once cognitive ability is controlled for; however, locus of control is rewarded in the labor market later in life.
The Sustainability of the Entrepreneurial Orientation—Performance Relationship

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has become an important and extensively researched topic in the literature. Empirical results suggest that EO may influence firm performance. However, it is important to determine whether the EO-performance relationship is sustainable since EO can be a resource-consuming strategic orientation. This research examines the sustainability of the EO-performance relationship; i.e., whether EO affects performance during an extended period of time or is a “quick fix” where performance is only temporarily affected. Using data from Swedish small firms, the results indicate that there is indeed a positive relationship between EO and performance. This relationship also increases over time. The results show that investments in EO may be worthwhile for small firms since they pay off over an extended period of time.
Dairy Farmer Policy Preferences

Dairy policy often becomes a contentious topic during U.S. farm bill negotiations. The dairy subtitle of the 2012 farm bill has been debated and discussed since 2009. This research uses best-worst scenario methods to analyze dairy farmer preferences for policy options, including eliminating existing dairy policies, implementing new dairy policies related to income support and growth management, and ending ethanol subsidies. Results indicate that large and small dairy herd operators have differing preferences. Large herd operators prefer to end ethanol subsidies rather than specific dairy policy changes, while small herd operators most preferred support for income over feed-cost margins.
Does the Basketball Market Believe in the 'Hot Hand'?

Most people who watch basketball believe in the "hot hand": Players who make a shot are more likely to hit the next shot than players who miss a shot (i.e., shots are positively autocorrelated rather than independent). Almost everyone in the sample studied by Thomas Gilovich, Robert Vallone, and Amos Tversky (1985), including several successful professionals, believed in the hot hand.
Family ownership and firm performance: evidence from Taiwanese firms

Purpose - Using the panel data of 465 Taiwanese listed companies and taking into consideration endogeneity issues this paper aims to examine the influence of family ownership on firm performances. Design/methodology/approach - The use of a panel data set encompassing a five-year period enables one to examine both cross-sectional and within-firm variations in the relationships between family ownership and firm performances. The paper also uses a simultaneous equation system to account for the endogeneity between family ownership and firm performances, and apply the quadratic equations to identify the percentage of family ownership that maximizes firm performance. Findings - When either a profitability indicator (ROA) or a valuation indicator (Tobin's Q) is applied, the empirical results show that family ownership positively affects firm performance. The results also show that the profitability of a firm (ROA) first increases and then decreases with family ownership. In other words, when families have more than 30 per cent control of the firm, the potential for entrenchment and poor performance becomes greater. Originality/value - This paper is the first to examine the relationships between family ownership and firm performances, while simultaneously addressing the issue of endogeneity and identifying the optimal level of family ownership in Taiwanese firms. The finding that family ownership positively affects firm performance elucidates why a family firm is one of the most important business development models in Taiwan. Meanwhile, the finding that the percentage of family ownership should not exceed 30 per cent to avoid the occurrence of poor performance also suggests that excessive family shareholdings may not be necessarily healthy for a family firm in Taiwan.
Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor 1 Is Required for MMP-2 Function in Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Implications for Cytoskeleton Assembly and Proliferation

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell- (BM-MSC-) based therapy is a promising option for regenerative medicine. An important role in the control of the processes influencing the BM-MSC therapeutic efficacy, namely, extracellular matrix remodelling and proliferation and secretion ability, is played by matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 2. Therefore, the identification of paracrine/autocrine regulators of MMP-2 function may be of great relevance for improving BM-MSC therapeutic potential. We recently reported that BM-MSCs release the bioactive lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and, here, we demonstrated an impairment of MMP-2 expression/release when the S1P receptor subtype S1PR1 is blocked. Notably, active S1PR1/MMP-2 signalling is required for F-actin structure assembly (lamellipodia, microspikes, and stress fibers) and, in turn, cell proliferation. Moreover, in experimental conditions resembling the damaged/regenerating tissue microenvironment (hypoxia), S1P/S1PR1 system is also required for HIF-1α expression and vinculin reduction. Our findings demonstrate for the first time the trophic role of S1P/S1PR1 signalling in maintaining BM-MSCs' ability to modulate MMP-2 function, necessary for cytoskeleton reorganization and cell proliferation in both normoxia and hypoxia. Altogether, these data provide new perspectives for considering S1P/S1PR1 signalling a pharmacological target to preserve BM-MSC properties and to potentiate their beneficial potential in tissue repair.
Introducing an electronic Palliative Care Summary (ePCS) in Scotland: patient, carer and professional perspectives.

BACKGROUND An electronic Palliative Care Summary (ePCS) is currently being implemented throughout Scotland to provide out-of-hours (OOH) staff with up-to-date summaries of medical history, patient understanding and wishes, medications and decisions regarding treatment of patients requiring palliative care: automatic twice daily updates of information from GP records to a central electronic repository are available to OOH services. AIMS To identify key issues related to the introduction of ePCS from primary care and OOH staff, to identify facilitators and barriers to their use, to explore the experiences of patients and carers and to make recommendations for improvements. METHODS Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposive sample of health professionals [practice nurses (3 interviews), GPs (12 interviews), a practice manager (1 interview) from practices using different computing software systems] and patients and/or carers (6 interviews for whom an ePCS had been completed). Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. RESULTS Patients and carers were reassured that OOH staff were informed about their current circumstances. OOH staff considered the ePCS allowed them to be better informed in decision making and in carrying out home visits. GPs viewed the introduction of ePCSs to have benefits for in-hours structures of care including advance care planning. No interviewee expressed concern about confidentiality. Barriers raised related to the introduction of new technology including unfamiliarity with the process, limited time and information technology skills. CONCLUSIONS The ePCS has clear potential to improve patient care although several implementation issues and technical problems require to be addressed first to enable this. GPs and community nurses should identify more patients with malignant and non-malignant illnesses for completion of the ePCS.
Health Status and the Worlds of Welfare

One of the most substantial additions made by the ‘three worlds of welfare’ thesis to the welfare state modelling business is that comparisons should examine what welfare states actually do rather than how much they are afforded or which services they provide. This paper extends this basic principle by comparing the health outcomes (measured in terms of infant mortality rates) of welfare states and welfare state regimes. It examines whether there are significant differences in health status between the ‘three worlds of welfare’ and to what extent a relationship exists between health and decommodification. It concludes by reflecting upon the implications for the ‘three worlds of welfare’.
The Rate of Imitation of a Capital-Embodied Process Innovation

Over the past two decades there have been several empirical studies of the diffusion of industrial innovations. The work of Carter and Williams (1957, 1958), Mansfield (1968), Mansfield, et al. (1971), Metcalfe (1970), Hsia (1973), Nabseth (1973), Ray (1969) and others has generated much evidence about the nature of the diffusion process and about the determinants of the rate at which it occurs. However, it seems that in many respects we still know very little. One area where this is perhaps most obvious is in understanding differences in the way different industries react to innovations. In a recent study the author (Romeo, 1975) attempted to deal explicitly with this problem by examining interindustry differences in the rate at which a capital-embodied process innovation displaced older methods. Specifically, he examined the rate at which numerically controlled machine tools (NC) replaced conventional machine tools in ten US industries' new machine tool purchases. Although such a displacement process had not been expressly considered before, it was found that Mansfield's (1968) widely used model of the imitative process could be usefully applied. Furthermore, the interindustry differences were pronounced and were in large part explainable by a number of characteristics of the innovation and the industries. In this paper, we again consider the diffusion of numerically controlled machine tools. However, the rate of diffusion studied is a more "traditional" one, the rate of imitation-the rate at which first use of an innovation spreads from firm to firm in an industry. In the case of NC this rate of imitation, which is measured as a rate of increase in the percentage of firms using NC (regardless of their extent of use) is not significantly correlated across industries (r = 0.193) with the aforementioned rate of displacement. The goal of the work here is threefold: first, to determine the existence of any interindustry differences in this rate; second, to,explain determinants of these differences and third, to check the dependency of these results on the particular measure of the rate of diffusion employed.
Old Curses, New Approaches? Fiscal Benchmarks for Oil-Producing Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Buoyant oil prices have allowed oil-producing countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA OPCs) to increase oil exports and fiscal revenues, providing them with resources necessary to address the pressing social needs. To preclude another boom-bust cycle, this paper advocates the definition of a fiscal benchmark anchored in sustainability grounds, following Leigh-Olters (2006). The difference between current primary deficits and those that could be maintained after oil reserves are exhausted represent an indication of the degree to which fiscal positions will have to be adjusted-either gradually, while the overall balances remain in surplus, or abruptly, once oil revenues begin to dwindle.
EGFR突变状态对可手术切除的肺腺癌患者复发及生存的预测价值

背景与目的 近年来, 肺腺癌在非小细胞肺癌(non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC)中的比例正越来越高, 对肺腺癌预后的研究有着极其重要的意义。 表皮生长因子受体(epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR)突变状态是否会影响到手术切除的肺腺癌患者的复发及生存, 国内尚缺乏报道。 本研究旨在探讨EGFR突变状态与可手术肺腺癌的复发及生存的关系。 方法 回顾性分析301例Ⅰa期-Ⅲa期手术切除肺腺癌患者的复发及生存资料。 采用荧光定量PCR法筛查+基因测序法确认检测EGFR基因突变状态。 结果 EGFR突变率为52. 5%(158/301)。 EGFR突变型与野生型的2年无疾病生存期(disease-free survival, DFS)率分别为76. 8%、83.0%, 5年总生存期(overall survival, OS)率分别为67. 7%、65.7%, 皆无统计学差异(P=0.252, P=0.715)。 进一步的亚组分析显示, Ⅰ期、Ⅱ期患者中突变型与野生型的2年DFS率、5年OS率数值相近且无统计学差异。 而Ⅲa期患者中突变型的中位DFS、2年DFS率为12. 2个月、21.1%, 明显低于野生型的22. 2个月、42.1%, 但无统计学差异(P=0.584, P=0.295);突变型的中位OS、5年OS率为34. 0个月、30.8%, 野生型为38. 7个月、22.9%, 无统计学差异(P=0.907, P=0.444)。 结论 在可手术肺腺癌患者中, 仅Ⅲa期患者EGFR突变型较野生型有复发早的趋势, 但无统计学差异。 EGFR突变状态与术后复发及长期生存无关。
Endogeneity and the relationship between board structure and firm performance: a simultaneous equation analysis for the Athens Stock Exchange

The main goal of this paper is to examine the relationship between the three most important characteristics of the board of directors with firm performance. More specifically, we investigate whether the independence of the board, the leadership structure and the board size, are exogenous determinants to the firm's performance, using a simultaneous equations framework. Our database is composed of firms quoted in the ASE, starting from 146 observations in 2000 and ending with 232 firms in 2006. The findings suggest that the board independence and the leadership structure do not affect the firm performance. On the other hand, an inverse relationship between board size and firm performance is observed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How Loss Averse are Investors in Financial Markets?

We investigate loss aversion in financial markets using a typical asset allocation problem. Our theoretical and empirical results show that investors in financial markets are more loss averse than assumed in the literature. Moreover, loss aversion changes depending on market conditions; investors become far more loss averse during bull markets than during bear markets, indicating their more profound disutility for losses when others enjoy gains. Contrary to most previous results, we find that investors are more sensitive to changes in losses than changes in gains.
Optimal Capital Accumulation and the Allocation of Investment between Traded and Nontraded Sectors in Oil-Producing Countries

How should oil-exporting countries allocate revenues from the production of oil over capital accumulation and consumption? How should investment be allocated over traded and nontraded sectors? Most oil-exporting countries are confronted with the problem of maintaining or developing a nonoil traded goods sector because higher oil revenues lead to a high real exchange rate, thereby pulling resources into the nontraded sector-the so-called "Dutch disease". The optimal savings response and investment allocation to temporary and permanent increases in oil revenues are derived in this paper.
The Puzzle of Abu Ghraib: Are Democratic Institutions a Palliative or Panacea?

The events of Abu Ghraib exposed politicians, journalists, military and law enforcement personnel, NGOs, activists and ordinary citizens to the potential brutality of state repression. Many were left stunned that the agents of a liberal democracy would perpetrate such horrific acts against individuals in the state's control. Such shock makes sense if one believes that liberal democratic institutions constrain leaders from acting on the utilitarian incentive to employ torture during interrogations. While such a belief is apparently widespread, is it consistent with the recent historical record? Extant theories of repression and global evidence about torture suggest that it is not. We distinguish among three mechanisms that might constrain the use of torture in liberal democracies: voice, veto, and freedom of expression. We then argue that voice is unlikely to have a strong effect when the state is faced with violent dissent, and that the effect of veto and freedom of expression will be substantially reduced when the state is faced with a violent challenge. To test our hypotheses we use data from 146 countries covering the years 1980-1999 and investigate the extent to which voice, veto, or freedom of expression inhibit countries' use of torture both in times of quiescence and in times when dissidents challenge the state with violence. We find that rather than being aberrant, state-sponsored torture like that in Abu Ghraib is perfectly consistent with both theory and previous experience. More specifically, democratic institutions reduce the probability that a state uses torture in only limited circumstances.
An FMECA-based approach to process analysis

This paper presents a new methodological approach named 'Dysfunction Mode and Effects Critical Analysis' (DMECA) to determine and analyse possible dysfunctions in complex management processes. The proposed approach is conceptually derived from the Failure Mode Effect and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) technique. The method represents an analytical tool to work according to the new ISO 9000:2000 standard and the Total Quality Management (TQM) principle concerning the 'process approach'. DMECA enables users to: build a systematic structure (map) of a management process; evaluate potential dysfunctions of the elementary activities comprising the process; evaluate a Risk Priority Number (RPN) for each cause of dysfunction; support the definition and evaluation of the possible improvement actions in a structured way. In order to illustrate the performance and characteristics of the technique, an industrial application concerning an analysis of the order process in an Engineering-to-Order (ETO) company is reported.