Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Study on Stock-Selection and Market-Timing Performance: Evidence from Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Funds (MPF)

This paper presents the first comprehensive study of the performance and market timing ability of the equity funds that comprise the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Funds (MPF) scheme. In general, our results suggest that US equity funds consistently underperform relative to the market, while the other fund groups consistently outperform the market. The stock-selection ability of MPF constituent equity funds in times of changing economic condition is also investigated. The evidence is consistent with previous studies, which suggest that the conditional models decrease the individual fund traditional alpha measure. The market timing models of Treynor–Mazuy and Henriksson–Merton provide evidence of superior market timing ability.
Are Some Degrees Worth More than Others? Evidence from College Admission Cutoffs in Chile

Understanding how returns to higher education vary across degree programs is critical for effective higher education policy. Yet there is little evidence as to whether all degrees improve labor market outcomes, and whether they do so for students from different types of backgrounds. We combine administrative and archival data from Chile with score-based admissions rules at more than 1,100 degree programs to study how the long-run earnings effects of college admission depend on selectivity, field of study, and student characteristics. Our data link admissions outcomes for 30 cohorts of college applicants to administrative records of labor market outcomes up to 30 years post-application. We estimate regression discontinuity specifications for each degree, and describe how threshold-crossing effects vary by degree type. In addition, we use variation in admissions outcomes driven by threshold-crossing to estimate a simple model that maps our discontinuity estimates into causal effects of admission by degree. Observed choice and survey data indicate that the assumptions underlying this model are consistent with student behavior. We find that returns are heterogeneous, with large, positive returns to highly selective degrees and degrees in health, science, and social science fields. Returns to selectivity do not vary by student socioeconomic status. Our findings suggest a role for policies that guide students toward higher-return degrees, such as targeted loans and better college preparation for students from low-income backgrounds.
Speech recognition at simulated soft, conversational, and raised-to-loud vocal efforts by adults with cochlear implants.

Ten postlinguistically deaf adults who used the Nucleus Cochlear Implant System and SPEAK speech coding strategy responded to vowels, consonants, words, and sentences presented sound-only at 70, 60, and 50 dB sound-pressure level. Highest group mean scores were at a raised-to-loud level of 70 dB for consonants (73%), words (44%), and sentences (87%); the highest score for vowels (70%) was at a conversational level of 60 dB. Lowest group mean scores were at a soft level of 50 dB for vowels (56%), consonants (47%), words (10%), and sentences (29%); all except subject 7 had some open-set speech recognition at this level. For the conversational level (60 dB), group mean scores for sentences and words were 72% and 29%, respectively. With this performance and sound-pressure level, it was observed that these subjects communicated successfully in a variety of listening situations. Given these subjects' speech recognition scores at 60 dB and the fact that 70 dB does not simulate the vocal effort used in everyday speaking situations, it is suggested that cochlear implant candidates and implantees be evaluated with speech tests presented at 60 dB instead of the customary 70 dB sound-pressure level to simulate benefit provided by implants in everyday life. Analysis of individuals' scores at the three levels for the four speech materials revealed different patterns of speech recognition among subjects (e.g., subjects 1 and 5). Future research on the relation between stimuli, sound processing, and subjects' responses associated with these different patterns may provide guidelines to select parameter values with which to map incoming sound onto an individual's electrical dynamic range between threshold and maximum acceptable loudness level to improve speech recognition.
Factors predicting subcutaneous implanted central venous port function: the relationship between catheter tip location and port failure in patients with gynecologic malignancies.

OBJECTIVE We set out to determine the factors that predict subcutaneous implanted central venous port function. Specifically, we sought to determine whether the location of the catheter tip is correlated with port failure. METHODS A review of all gynecologic oncology patients who underwent initial port placement between 1993 and 1998 was undertaken. The initial chest radiograph following port placement was reviewed, and the venous location of the catheter tip was recorded. Patients were followed until port removal, death, or the last documentation of port function. RESULTS Two hundred thirty-six patients underwent port placement during the study period. The majority of patients (97%) had their port placed for intravenous chemotherapy. The median time of port duration in patients with a functional port was 21.6 months. Forty of the 236 ports (17%) were removed because of device malfunction. Catheter tips were located in the central venous system in 164 (69%) cases and outside of the central venous system in 72 (31%) cases. Removal secondary to malfunction was significantly higher when the catheter tip was located outside of the central venous system (30/72 (42%) versus 10/164 (6%), P = 0.001). By life-table analysis, ports removed for malfunction with their tips located centrally had a significantly longer median duration of functional use than those whose tips were located peripherally (78 versus 44 months, P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The rate of port removal secondary to malfunction is significantly less if the catheter tip is located in the central venous system. Confirmation of the location of the catheter tip is imperative for the long-term function of a subcutaneous implanted central venous port.
Small dense low-density lipoproteins cholesterol can predict incident cardiovascular disease in an urban Japanese cohort: the Suita study.

AIM Several lines of evidence indicate that small dense low-density lipoproteins (sd-LDL) are more atherogenic than large buoyant LDL; however, few prospective studies have addressed the role of sd-LDL in cardiovascular disease (CVD). We therefore examined the association between sd-LDL cholesterol (sd-LDL-C) and CVD in a Japanese cohort. METHODS An 11.7-year prospective study was performed using a general population aged 30-79 without a history of cardiovascular disease. Direct LDL-C and sd-LDL-C were measured in samples from 2034 participants (968 men and 1066 women). RESULTS During the follow-up period, there were 116 incident cases of CVD. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of sd-LDL-C for CVD were calculated using a proportional hazards regression model after adjusting for age, hypertension, diabetes, use of lipid-lowering drugs, body mass index, and current smoking and alcohol drinking, and found that increasing quartiles of sd-LDL-C were associated with increased risk of CVD. We also determined that age and sex-adjusted HRs per 10 mg/dL of sd-LDL-C and HRs for CVD, stroke, cerebral infarction, and coronary artery disease were 1.21 (95% CI: 1.12-1.31), 1.17 (95% CI: 1.05-1.30), 1.15 (95% CI: 1.00-1.33), and 1.29 (95% CI: 1.14-1.45), respectively. CONCLUSIONS It was demonstrated that sd-LDL-C was significantly associated with CVD in a Japanese population, providing evidence of sd-LDL-C as an important biomarker to predict CVD.
A Sraffian interpretation of classical monetary controversies

Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore the contrasting views of inflation, exchange rate misalignments and determinants of gold flows held by different branches of the classical school during the first half of the nineteenth century. The properties of money neutrality and money endogeneity within the classical system are studied by reinterpreting these controversies through the analytical framework of the surplus approach as reconstructed by Sraffa [Production of Commodities by Means of Commodities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1960] and his followers.
Estimating Intertemporal Allocation Parameters using Simulated Expectation Errors

There is widespread agreement that given currently available data, we cannot accurately estimate the parameters of intertemporal allocation using GMM on Euler equations, whether they be exact or approximate. Our reading of this literature and our own results is that this is a small sample (strictly, short panel) problem. The alternative seems to be to move to full structural modelling. In the current state of the art this is cumbersome, fragile and unable to deal with significant heterogeneity. We present a novel structural estimation procedure that is based on simulating expectation errors; we refer to it as Simulated Residual Estimation (SRE). We develop variants of the basic procedure that allow us to account for measurement error in consumption, the `news` in interest rate realisations and for heterogeneity in discount factors.
The casual management of casual work: Casual workers' perceptions of HRM practices in the highly casualised firm

The increasing use of flexible labour forms such as casual employment has come under scrutiny in recent times. Investigations into casualisation have typically stemmed from either a labour-market economics perspective or a managerial focus. In contrast, this paper attempts to capture the experience of casual employment from the casual workers' perspective. The decline of the institutional regulation of workers points to a need for the enterprise to assume a more active role in the provision of support and opportunities for casual workers. Ignoring casual workers needs may impact negatively on their quality of work life as well as their quality of service provision. The research findings indicate that there is a need to reconceptualise HRM practices in the highly casualised firm. The implications for HR practice, particularly those associated with ethics and the issue of service provision in the casualised firm, are discussed in light of the results.
Cognitive disorders in a patient with an arachnoid cyst of the sylvian fissure and improvement after surgical treatment: Case description

ABSTRACT Arachnoid cysts cause a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms. Often it is difficult to clearly establish the relation between the presence of an arachnoid cyst and problems reported by the patient, which may, although not necessarily, be due to chronically elevated intracranial pressure. In recent years, increasing attention is paid to cognitive disorders accompanying arachnoid cysts, such as memory disorders, attention disorders, or language function disorders. This article presents a case of an 11-year-old patient, treated at the University Children’s Hospital in Cracow for an arachnoid cyst, located in the left middle cranial fossa. This analysis is focused on the description of cognitive and intellectual deficits of the child, as well as the discussion on their connection with the arachnoid cyst. Prior to the neurosurgical procedure, the boy presented significant deficits in cognitive functions, especially mnestic and attention functions and, also, a quite low level of intellectual functioning. Neuropsychological examination performed after the procedure indicated a significant improvement of cognitive functioning for all the functions, as well as a higher level of intellectual functioning. This analysis attempts to answer whether and to what extent the child still suffers from cognitive deficits from the organic lesions.
Molecular Characterization of the Substance P·Neurokinin-1 Receptor Complex

Molecular models for the interaction of substance P (SP) with its G protein-coupled receptor, the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), have been developed. The ligand·receptor complex is based on experimental data from a series of photoaffinity labeling experiments and spectroscopic structural studies of extracellular domains of the NK-1R. Using the ligand/receptor contact points derived from incorporation of photolabile probes (p-benzoylphenylalanine (Bpa)) into SP at positions 3, 4, and 8 and molecular dynamics simulations, the topological arrangement of SP within the NK-1R is explored. The model incorporates the structural features, determined by high resolution NMR studies, of the second extracellular loop (EC2), containing contact points Met174 and Met181, providing important experimentally based conformational preferences for the simulations. Extensive molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to probe the nature of the two contact points identified for the Bpa3SP analogue (Bremer, A. A., Leeman, S. E., and Boyd, N. D. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 22857–22861), examining modes of ligand binding in which the contact points are fulfilled sequentially or simultaneously. The resulting ligand·receptor complex has the N terminus of SP projecting toward transmembrane helix (TM) 1 and TM2, exposed to the solvent. The C terminus of SP is located in proximity to TM5 and TM6, deeper into the central core of the receptor. The central portion of the ligand, adopting a helical loop conformation, is found to align with the helices of the central regions EC2 and EC3, forming important interactions with both of these extracellular domains. The model developed here allows for atomic insight into the biochemical data currently available and guides targeting of future experiments to probe specific ligand/receptor interactions and thereby furthers our understanding of the functioning of this important neuropeptide system.
Market Services and the Productivity Race, 1850-2000: British Performance in International Perspective

Preface and acknowledgements 1. Introduction and overview Part I. Measuring Comparative Productivity Performance: 2. The contribution of services to the productivity performance of the whole economy 3. Comparative productivity performance in market services 4. A sectoral data base: Britain, the United States and Germany, 1870-1990 Part II. Explaining Comparative Productivity Performance: 5. Technology, organisational change and the industrialisation of services 6. Investment in physical and human capital 7. Competition and the institutional framework Part III. Reassessing the Performance of British Market Services: 8. The 'golden age' of British commerce, 1850-1914 9. The collapse of the liberal world economic order, 1914-50 10. Completing the industrialisation of services, 1950-90 11. British services in the 1990s: a preliminary assessment 12. Summary and conclusions Bibliography.
Canada's School-to-Work Report Card: Grade F.

Canada's school-to-work transition efforts have failed too many youth and adults because there has not been a framework for essential life and work skills for all to learn. These skills are needed to complement the academic and technical skills now required for completion of formal education and training. The Blueprint for Life and Work Design, adopted from the national career guidelines, are an attempt to solve this problem. The blueprint core competencies are sorted into three areas (personal management, learning and work exploration, and life-work building). Another competency deals with developing abilities for building positive relationships in life and work. Adopting such a framework and implementing curricula such as The Real Game series will help all ages master these skills. (Contains 17 references.) (JDM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the ori inal document. 2001 Canada's School-to-Work Report Card: Grade F Phillip S. Jarvis National Life/Work Centre Ottawa, Ontario, Canada U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 0 This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position cr policy. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) CO 2001 (Phillip S. Jarvis) The author owns the copyright of this article. You may photocopy or reprint this article, or a section of it, provided that you acknowledge the author
Soft Power and Desirable Relationship Outcomes: The Case of Zimbabwean Distribution Channels

The current research attempts to investigate the use of the two sources of dealers' soft channel power (i.e., expert power and referent power) as a means of achieving three desirable channel relationship outcomes in Zimbabwe's channel of distribution system. The field study is conducted in Harare and Chitungwiza, and research data are collected from 447 small and medium-size enterprise (SME) manufacturers. Dealers' expert power and referent power are found to be important sources of channel power that positively influence SME manufacturers' trust, relationship commitment, and relationship satisfaction. It is concluded that managers in dealers' firms can improve their channel relationships with SME manfacturers if they acquire or enhance their expert power and referent power.
The Politics of Economic Diversification: Reconceptualizing the Rural Informal Sector in South-East Tanzania

This study examines how economic diversification is changing a Tanzanian village under economic liberalization. More specifically, it asks how different wealth groups are able to incorporate income-generating activities into their livelihood strategies. The conclusion is that while diversification (as a division of labour) is advanced at the village level, it appears that different activities enhance the division of the village into segregated cultural spheres and increase economic differentiation. At village level the diversity of income-generating activities reduces any single line of economic dependency either on the state or on market actors.
Socio-Legal Integration: Polish Post-2004 EU Enlargement Migrants in the United Kingdom

Contents: Preface Introduction Theoretical approaches to understanding migrants in a new socio-legal environment Polish post-2004 EU enlargement migrants in the UK: case study The British legal environment in the context of the 2004 EU enlargement free movement regime Polish migrants in the British legal environment: the question of semi-legality The Polish socio-legal tradition Polish contemporary legal culture in comparative perspective Gradual legality: changing behaviour, changing attitudes Appendix Bibliography Index.
Emptiness of the left iliac fossa: a new clinical sign of sigmoid volvulus

BACKGROUND Diagnostic difficulties are common in sigmoid volvulus. This diagnostic delay contributes to high morbidity and mortality. AIM This paper recognises visible or palpable emptiness of the left iliac fossa as a new clinical sign of sigmoid volvulus. Predictive accuracy of the sign was assessed in this study. METHODS 519 patients with acute abdomen of non-traumatic origin were prospectively studied. RESULTS The new sign was present in 24 out of 86 patients (28%) with sigmoid volvulus. It was absent in all those who did not have sigmoid volvulus. The positive predictive value of the sign was 100%. CONCLUSION Emptiness of the left iliac fossa is a valuable diagnostic adjunct. Positive sign is pathognomonic of sigmoid volvulus. Nevertheless, a negative sign warrants further investigations.
The Transition From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: A Theoretical Perspective

Life transitions are periods in time when individuals experience major changes. Transitions may occur during periods between two relatively stable states of human development. The associated changes with the transition bring instability as the person passes through the period. During this period, the individual is typically required to make major adjustments, to develop new skills, or to learn to cope with new experiences. One major life transition begins during the final year or years of high school. This transition, unlike childhood transitions, for many individuals will include a move from one’s childhood home and away from their family of origin and from an established network of friends. A successful transition to young adulthood will form a foundation for the individual in future stages of development and transitions. Three frameworks of transition, developmental psychology, counseling, and nursing, are described.
Industry clockspeed's impact on business innovation success factors

Purpose – The literature prescribing important determinants of innovation success is grouped into four main areas encompassing strategic leadership, competitive intelligence, management of technology, and specific characteristics of the company's innovation process. Further, industry clockspeed has been considered to be a possible moderator for these determinants of innovation success. While these major areas of study may indeed be important to enhance company innovation and competitiveness, the existing literature on each area is not being shared by researchers in the other areas. That has led until now to the study of models relatively narrow in scope and primarily focused on the particular research area. This study aims to test these constructs as a set of determinants of innovation success and the possible moderating effect of industry clockspeed.Design/methodology/approach – A field test using a mailed questionnaire to collect a relatively large sample has been used to test the proposed model. To eli.
Difficult tracheal intubation: a retrospective study

This is a retrospective study of patients whose tracheas were impossible to intubate on a previous occasion. There is a correlation between the degree of difficulty and the anatomy of the oropharynx in the same patient. The study was initially on obstetric patients but was extended to nonobstetric surgical patients in order to increase the number of cases investigated. The incidence of failed intubations in the obstetric group over a 3‐year period was seven out of 1980 cases, whereas in the surgical group the results were six out of 13 380 patients. Any screening test which adds to our ability to predict difficulty in intubation must be welcomed, as failure to intubate can potentially lead to fatality.
Mitozantrone and cytosine arabinoside as first‐line therapy in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukaemia

We have prospectively evaluated a regimen of mitozantrone and cytosine arabinoside (Ara‐C) as first‐line therapy in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). One hundred and four patients with a median age of 68 (range 60–81) were studied, in whom 86 had de‐novo AML, and 18 had preceding myelodysplasia or secondary AML. Complete remission was achieved in 64% of de‐novo cases, in 28% of MDS/secondary cases, and in 58% overall. The incidence of early death within 28 d of chemotherapy was 11%. The median disease‐free survival (DFS) was 11 months with an actuarial DFS of 15% at 43 months. The median overall survival was 9 months with an actuarial survival of 10% at 44 months. The incidence of non‐haematological toxicity was acceptably low, and usually of mild to moderate severity. Quality of life was improved, or unchanged, in 90% of responders. We conclude that mitozantrone and ara‐C is an effective and well‐tolerated regimen which produces high remission rates in elderly patients with AML.