Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
When Credit Bites Back

This paper studies the role of credit in the business cycle, with a focus on private credit overhang. Based on a study of the universe of over 200 recession episodes in 14 advanced countries between 1870 and 2008, we document two key facts of the modern business cycle: financial-crisis recessions are more costly than normal recessions in terms of lost output; and for both types of recession, more credit-intensive expansions tend to be followed by deeper recessions and slower recoveries. In addition to unconditional analysis, we use local projection methods to condition on a broad set of macroeconomic controls and their lags. Then we study how past credit accumulation impacts the behavior of not only output, but also other key macroeconomic variables such as investment, lending, interest rates, and inflation. The facts that we uncover lend support to the idea that nancial factors play an important role in the modern business cycle.
An Economic Evaluation of Soybean-Based Biodiesel Production on Commercial Farms in the Soybean-Producing Regions of KwaZulu-Natal: Some Preliminary Results

Global biofuel production has risen substantially in recent years, driven primarily by government support for biofuel industries. The stated motivations for these initiatives are numerous and have varied over time. Soybeans are the only field crop produced in sufficient quantities in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) that the South African (SA) industrial biofuel strategy identifies as a potential biodiesel feedstock. Preliminary results from a mixed integer linear programming model support the notion of Funke et al. (2009), who contend that the incentives and commitments outlined by the industrial biofuel strategy are inadequate to both establish and sustain a domestic biodiesel industry.
The plant hormone abscisic acid increases in human plasma after hyperglycemia and stimulates glucose consumption by adipocytes and myoblasts

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is released from glucose‐challenged human pancreatic β cells and stimulates insulin secretion. We investigated whether plasma ABA increased during oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs and IVGTTs) in healthy human subjects. In all subjects undergoing OGTTs (n=8), plasma ABA increased over basal values (in a range from 2‐ to 9‐fold). A positive correlation was found between the ABA area under the curve (AUC) and the glucose AUC. In 4 out of 6 IVGTTs, little or no increase of ABA levels was observed. In the remaining subjects, the ABA increase was similar to that recorded during OGTTs. GLP‐1 stimulated ABA release from an insulinoma cell line and from human islets, by ~10‐ and 2‐fold in low and high glucose, respectively. Human adipose tissue also released ABA in response to high glucose. Nanomolar ABA stimulated glucose uptake, similarly to insulin, in rat L6 myoblasts and in murine 3T3‐L1 cells differentiated to adipocytes, by increasing GLUT‐4 translocation to the plasma membrane. Demonstration that a glucose load in humans is followed by a physiological rise of plasma ABA, which can enhance glucose uptake by adipose tissues and muscle cells, identifies ABA as a new mammalian hormone involved in glucose metabolism. —Bruzzone, S. , Ameri, P., Briatore, L. , Mannino, E. , Basile, G. , Andraghetti, G. , Grozio, A. , Magnone, M. , Guida, L. , Scarfì, S. , Salis, A. , Damonte, G. , Sturla, L. , Nencioni, A. , Fenoglio, D. , Fiory, F. , Miele, C. , Beguinot, F. , Ruvolo, V. , Bormioli, M. , Colombo, G. , Maggi, D. , Murialdo, G. , Cordera, R. , De Flora, A. , Zocchi, E. The plant hormone abscisic acid increases in human plasma after hyperglycemia and stimulates glucose consumption by adipocytes and myoblasts. FASEB J. 26, 1251‐1260 (2012). www.fasebj. org
Corruption and Trade

Using a panel data set for 146 countries over the period 1984~2007, this study contributes in the area of trade-corruption linkages by highlighting the non-monotonic relationship between trade and corruption and significance of complementary policy reforms in shaping the link. Findings of the study suggest that trade increases corruption in a linear specification while its effect on corruption decreasing in a non-linear specification. The analysis exhibits that this non-linear nature of the relationship is worth noting and help answering the question why the literature on the relationship between trade and corruption is not conclusive. Furthermore, we make argument and find empirical support to our proposition that this is not just openness to trade that can reduce corruption but there are complimentary policy reforms that cause a decline in corruption. Findings of the study are robust to alternative specifications, econometric techniques, control of nonlinearity, control of interactive effects, and exclusion of outliers.
Effect of Plant Location Decisions on Raw Material Input Prices

In processing industries, plant location decisions are costly and have consequences for firm profitability. When raw materials are heavy or perishable, transportation costs limit shipping distances and processors must compete locally for raw material inputs. To determine the likely profitability of a new plant, a processor must forecast the effect entry will have on local post-entry raw material price. This requires anticipating how entry will affect market structure and intensify competition for raw materials. Using an econometric representation of game-theoretic Nash equilibria relating input prices to processor competition in local procurement areas, an empirical model is developed to ex ante forecast the likely impact of entry on input price. The methods developed are applicable to a wide variety of industries where historic data are available.
Combined signal approach: evidence from the Asian–Pacific equity markets

This article tests the profitability of the Combined Signal Approach (CSA) (Lento and Gradojevic, 2007) in the Asian–Pacific equity markets. The CSA is based on the premise that the consensus agreement of profitable trading signals should outperform any single signal. The results present further evidence that the CSA improves the profitability of individual trading rules and consistently earns profits in excess of the buy-and-hold trading strategy. The significance of the results is tested through a bootstrap simulation.
NATO enlargement and Russian security: A comparison of findings from two analytical approaches

The article compares the results of two model analyses on the implications of NATO enlargement for Russia's security in six regions: North‐West, West, South‐West, Caucasus, Central Asia, and Far East. One was done by Vitali Tsygichko using his ‘Model of Defense Sufficiency’ (MDS), the other one by these authors using Tsygichko's data as input to the ‘Generalized Force Ratio Model’ (GEFRAM). While agreeing with regard to the general trend in the development of Russia's security situation, the results differ significantly as to whether these trends indicate a reduction of security below Russia's stated requirements. The results are preliminary and meant as an input to a continued debate on the subject among analysts.
The Application of a Relationship Marketing Perspective in Retail Banking

This article considers the development of relationship marketing in retail financial services. It begins by examining the relationship marketing literature and considering its application to the retail banking industry. Following a discussion of the research methodology, four in-depth retail bank case studies are presented. These cases form the basis of a qualitative analysis of the state of relationship marketing in retail banking. Many banks have already reached a higher level of relationship marketing than businesses in other sectors. Yet generic relationship marketing models such as the one applied in this research do not necessarily reflect these differences. A modified version of a relationship marketing model, which caters for the particular characteristics of retail banks and which may be applicable to other services businesses, is therefore proposed.
Pancreatic Extracellular Matrix Alterations in Chronic Pancreatitis

The proliferation of pancreatic extracellular matrix, which characterizes chronic pancreatitis, has been analysed using immunohistochemistry. The relationship of matrix components to intraductal precipitates and the presence of serum proteins in precipitates were also studied to investigate the suggestion that ductal permeability increases in chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic tissue from organ donors was compared with that from patients with chronic calcifying or chronic obstructive pancreatitis. Frozen sections were labeled with monospecific antibodies to collagen types I, III, pro-III and IV, laminin, fibronectin, IgG, IgA, and IgM and then visualized by indirect immunofluorescence. In chronic pancreatitis, interstitial collagens and fibronectin appeared increased and disorganized in both fibrous tissue and areas that appeared histologically normal. Type IV collagen distribution was abnormal and in some sites was present with interstitial collagen. In addition, intraductal precipitates were shown to contain immunoglobulins, and defects were identified in the duct basal lamina associated with precipitates. These results demonstrate that in chronic pancreatitis interstitial collagens are extensively disorganized, the fibrosis possibly being relatively labile. The presence of serum proteins in intraductal precipitates confirms an increase in ductal permeability, and associated defects in the basal lamina appear to define a route via which serum proteins may enter the intraluminal compartment.
Gender Equality and Economic Growth: Is it Equality of Opportunity or Equality of Outcomes?

ABSTRACT This article explores the impact of gender equality on economic growth. In particular, we focus on the multidimensional nature of gender equality with the object of identifying the relative salience of different aspects of equality. Using exploratory factor analysis on five measures of gender equality, we identify two distinct dimensions: equality of economic opportunities and equality in economic and political outcomes. Regression analysis conducted on an unbalanced panel of 101 countries taken over nonoverlapping five-year periods from 1990 to 2000 reveals that a standard deviation improvement in equality in economic opportunity increases growth by 1.3 percentage points and a corresponding improvement in participatory equality improves growth by an average of about 1.2 percentage points. However, this impact is contingent on a country's stage of development: while developing economies experience significant improvements in growth from greater equality in opportunity, developed societies see significant improvements resulting from greater equality in outcomes.
Considerations for more effective social norms based alcohol education on campus: an analysis of different theoretical conceptualizations in predicting drinking among fraternity men.

OBJECTIVE Recent alcohol education campaigns targeting college students have focused on correcting the erroneous perception students have of the amount of alcohol their peers consume. This strategy is based on assumptions that college students overestimate the amount of alcohol their peers consume and that correcting that misperception will lessen the pressure they feel to consume heavily. However, other theoretical constructs of normative influence may be as or more valuable in improving effectiveness of social norms based education for high-risk college students. This study evaluates the effects of three social normative influence factors on alcohol consumption among fraternity men. METHOD Participants were 379 members of randomly selected chapters from two large student fraternity organizations. We used hierarchical linear models to analyze the predictive value of normative influence variables in explaining alcohol consumption differences, both across individuals within chapters and across chapters. RESULTS Perceived consumption norms and perceived subjective norms were significant predictors of alcohol consumption levels. Both normative influence variables are significant in predicting differences in consumption within chapters and across chapters of fraternity men. General approval of alcohol use did not account for significant variance within chapters in consumption or any unique variance in consumption between chapters. CONCLUSIONS Perceived subjective norms as defined by long-standing behavior theory may provide an alternative and potentially more promising intervention target for this high-risk student population than does the current focus on correcting students' errors in estimating the amount of alcohol their peers consume.
Technology adoption: on the non equivalence of tariffs and quotas

This paper examines the effects of trade policies on the adoption of new technologies. A two-sector model with international-trade is developed where technological progress is neutral. A group of interest (suppliers of skilled labor), acting in coalition, decide which technology will be available for firms. The key findings are the following. (i) With free trade, or a tariff, the best technology is always used; (ii) Under a quota, generally the best technology is not used. In other words, with respect to adoption of new technologies we have equivalence between free trade and tariffs. A quota generates resistance to new technologies while with free trade or tariffs this resistance is eliminated.words, with respect to adoption of new technologies we have equivalence between free trade and tariffs. A quota generates resistance to new technologies while with free trade or tariffs this resistance is eliminated.
Title Profile of rhythmic gene expression in the livers of obese diabetic

Although a number of genes expressed in most tissues, including the liver, exhibit circadian regulation, gene expression profiles are usually examined only at one scheduled time each day. In this study, we investigated the effects of obese diabetes on the hepatic mRNA levels of various genes at 6-h intervals over a single 24-h period. Microarray analysis revealed that many genes are expressed rhythmically, not only in control KK mice but also in obese diabetic KK-A mice. Real-time quantitative PCR verified that 19 of 23 putative circadianly expressed genes showed significant 24-h rhythmicity in both strains. However, obese diabetes attenuated these expression rhythms in 10 of 19 genes. More importantly, the effects of obese diabetes were observed throughout the day in only two genes. These results suggest that observation time influences the results of gene expression analyses of genes expressed circadianly.
The Need for Output Measurements in the Service Industries: A Comment

Generally economics as a discipline takes it for granted that the output of a firm or industry can be measured. With the service industries, however, measurement of output is difficult and often ambiguous. It is here suggested that this lack of suitable measures of output, and the consequent difficulties of applying standard economic analysis to the service sector has led to a neglect of this important sector and an over-emphasis on the manufacturing sector. This article discusses both definition and measurement problems with illustrations frgm various service activities, and ends by stating that the problems should not dissuade researchers from analysing the activities of the service sector.
Perceptions of small-scale fishermen on the value of marine resources and protected areas: case of Claveria, Northern Philippines

Establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) helps to restore and sustain marine and fishery resources, but in the Philippines only 20% of total MPAs are achieving their management objectives. We conducted a case study of a small MPA in Northern Philippines to understand socio-economic status and livelihoods of the fishermen stakeholders, and examine their attitudes and perceptions on marine resource values and conservation. Using an ordered probit model, we also investigated factors affecting these perceptions. We found a lower fish income ratio in higher income quartiles, a small share of local non-fishery income, and an apparent lack of other livelihood opportunities within the rural economy. The majority of fishermen had positive perceptions of the non-market value of marine resources, agreed with the need for MPAs, and perceived positive potential income benefit from MPAs. Level of education and fishing income were consistent significant positive determinants of these perceptions. Policy implications suggest: involving likely-to-be-displaced reef fishers in the crafting of management plans; conducting intensive research on appropriate and feasible livelihood options, for example, marine culture technologies; and designing explicit strategies to increase the propensity of coastal households to invest in children's education as a strategy for long-term sustainability of resource management.
The reluctant workforce: undergraduates’ part‐time employment

Increasing numbers of full‐time undergraduates are supplementing their income by seeking paid employment during term‐time. This article details the results of a survey of 368 students at Crewe + Alsager Faculty of Manchester Metropolitan University carried out in March 2000. The survey found that 59 per cent of students were working on a part‐time basis during term‐time, with a significant majority working for financial reasons. Although many students found working to be beneficial to their studies, the students are generally reluctant to work, with many stating that they would leave their paid employment if they could afford to do so. The majority of the employed students perceived that working had a detrimental effect on their academic studies and a quarter of them considered that they could not remain at university without their term‐time jobs.
Helping Hands for Healthy Living: A Collaborative Service Learning Project with Occupational and Physical Therapy Students

The purpose of this article is to describe the development of a unique interdisciplinary service-learning course and to evaluate the impact of this experience on allied health students' professional development. One hundred and twenty-seven students from occupational and physical therapy programs served medically uninsured individuals (n = 170) at a community health clinic through provision of direct patient care services, depression screens, and a health promotion program. Surveys and personal reflections were used to measure the outcome of the course. The results indicated that student cognitive skills, ability to work with diverse populations, social responsibility, beliefs and opinions about service learning, and appreciation of each other's discipline were enhanced by their participation in the class.
The Role of Policy in the Great Recession and the Weak Recovery

This paper reports on recent research showing that the severe recession of 2007-2009 and the weak recovery have been due to poor economic policies and the failure to implement good policies during the past decade. Monetary policy, fiscal policy, and regulatory policy became more discretionary, more interventionist, and less predictable in comparison with the previous two decades of better economic performance. At best these policies led to growth spurts, but were followed by retrenchments, averaging to poor performance. The paper also considers alternative views-that the equilibrium interest rate declined during the decade and that the seriousness of financial crisis caused the slow recovery.
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION: MAKING POSTGRADUATE LEVEL TRAINING RELEVANT TO AFRICA’S AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

While modest success has been realized in agricultural development in Africa, food insecurity and challenges brought about by global changes continue to impact greatly on human health, energy and environment. As Africa endeavours to achieve the first of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), that is, reducing the number of poor and hungry people by one-half by the year 2015, these challenges have affected the drive towards the MDGs. Success of African agriculture and rural development will certainly come from good governance, strong rural policy, new research institutions and dedication to relevant training. This demands knowledge-based agricultural capacity development and focused science-based policies and institutions. This paper present new approaches to postgraduate level training in agriculture and related sciences that are deemed to have lasting impressions on the drive to make African Universities relevant to current and future agricultural and rural development needs of the region. It highlights existing cases of regional postgraduate programmes and argues for quality and policy relevance of training programmes in the context of sustainability as universities lead the science –policy interface and action research for farmer technology generation and support. The paper poses a number of institutional and individual capacity development questions and outlines an outlook-based approach to address the issues.
Family-friendly management: testing the various perspectives

The emphasis in recent research on family-friendly practices has been on the determinants of their use rather than on the nature of this usage. Yet within the institutional-based organisational adaptation perspective, adopted in recent research, the existence of a family-friendly management cannot be automatically assumed from the use of certain practices. This article explores through latent trait analysis whether there is any pattern to the use of family-friendly practices, and then, having found there is, uses regression analysis to assess the determinants of family-friendly management.
Are Political Institutions Substitutes for Democracy? A Political Economy Analysis of Economic Growth

This manuscript empirically assesses the effects of political institutions on economic growth. It analyzes how political institutions affect economic growth in different stages of democratization and economic development by means of dynamic panel estimation with interaction terms. The new empirical results obtained show that political institutions work as a substitute for democracy promoting economic growth. In other words, political institutions are important for increasing economic growth, mainly when democracy is not consolidated. Moreover, political institutions are extremely relevant to economic outcomes especially in periods of transition to democracy and in poor countries with high ethnical fractionalization.
How innovative are Dutch immigrant entrepreneurs? Constructing a framework of assessment

Asks how innovative Dutch immigrant entrepreneurs are. Since the mid‐1980s the number of immigrant firms has more than tripled. This coincides with a huge increase in the number of start‐ups in the Dutch economy as a whole. However, international comparisons show that this increase has not resulted in an equal rise in the number of fast growing firms that add value and create employment – the so‐called gazelles – and are hence the preferred ideal of policy makers. This raises the question of how innovative the Dutch economy might be. To address this issue, constructs a framework of assessment, derived from the divergent capitalisms approach of Richard Whitley and associates, as this approach offers a useful conceptual instrument to do so. Concludes that, despite appearances, the Dutch institutional setting is not very conducive for value creating innovations, but instead seduces firms, especially small and medium enterprises, to follow reactive strategies. Offers some general remarks on how the conditions for innovation can be improved.