Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stalking victimization among police officers.

The purpose of this study was to assess nonprofessional and professional related stalking victimization in a selective sample of 542 Swiss police officers. The stalking lifetime prevalence rate was 5.2% (N 28). Four percent (n 22, 4.1%) were stalked by nonprofessionally related stalkers, and 1.1% (n 6) of the police officers were stalked for professional reasons. Lifetime stalking victimization among officers was 10% for women and 4% for men. Both groups showed more similarities than differences. A number of police officers were reluctant to inform their private and professional network about the stalking for various reasons, including embarrassment about stalking victimization. Only the minority of the stalking cases were officially reported to the justice system. Further implications are discussed.
Simple Tests of Distributional Effects on Macroeconomic Equations

The presence of distributional effects in macroeconomic equations is shown to coincide with nonlinearity in micro behavioral relationships. Parameters estimated with aggregate data, as in representative agent models, contain distributional biases that are not measurable using aggregate data alone. Tests for distributional effects and other measures of the extent of aggregation problems are derived using distributional data observed over time. Significant distributional effects are noted for a model of annual aggregate U.S. commodity expenditure data. A static model that accommodates individual heterogeneity is found to be statistically equivalent to a simply dynamic model that accommodates first-order autocorrelation.
The frequency and magnitude of earnings management in China

Earnings management is an indicator of the corporate governance quality and investor protection standard. We study the frequencies and magnitudes of earnings management under two different thresholds, zero earnings and prior earnings, in the Chinese market from 1997 to 2004. We model earnings as a mixed-normal distribution and obtain parameter estimators that measure the frequency and magnitude of earnings management. We show that the practice of earnings management has gone up both in frequency and magnitude during the post-2000 period. We also find that the frequency and magnitude of earnings management are higher when firms try to avoid negative earnings than when firms try to report earnings increase. Our findings reflect the current economic environment in China and caution investors on the low-disclosure quality in the Chinese stock market.
Impact of Different Levels of iPTH on All-Cause Mortality in Dialysis Patients with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism after Parathyroidectomy

Background Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) usually required parathyroidectomy (PTX) when drugs treatment is invalid. Analysis was done on the impact of different intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) after the PTX on all-cause mortality. Methods An open, retrospective, multicenter cohort design was conducted. The sample included 525 dialysis patients with SHPT who had undergone PTX. Results 404 patients conformed to the standard, with 36 (8.91%) deaths during the 11 years of follow-up. One week postoperatively, different levels of serum iPTH were divided into four groups: A: ≤20 pg/mL; B: 21–150 pg/mL; C: 151–600 pg/mL; and D: >600 pg/mL. All-cause mortality in groups with different iPTH levels appeared as follows: A (8.29%), B (3.54%), C (10.91%), and D (29.03%). The all-cause mortality of B was the lowest, with D the highest. We used group A as reference (hazard ratio (HR) = 1) compared with the other groups, and HRs on groups B, C, and D appeared as 0.57, 1.43, and 3.45, respectively. Conclusion The all-cause mortality was associated with different levels of iPTH after the PTX. We found that iPTH > 600 pg/mL appeared as a factor which increased the risk of all-cause mortality. When iPTH levels were positively and effectively reducing, the risk of all-cause mortality also decreased. The most appropriate level of postoperative iPTH seemed to be 21–150 pg/mL.
Load adaptive power control in LTE Uplink

In LTE Uplink, the slow varying pathgain and shadowing are compensated by the standardized open loop power control (OLPC) which is based on a power density offset and a compensating factor for the pathloss experienced by the users. The optimization of those parameters reveals a dependency on the allocated bandwidth. A Load Adaptive Power Control (LAPC) algorithm is proposed to handle the bandwidth variations and ensure optimal system performance. In this contribution it is shown that using closed loop power control commands to adapt the transmission power density to the used bandwidth, it is possible to achieve coverage gains up to 60% while maintaining a cell throughput comparable to the reference case.
Investors’ Order Placement Strategies Around the Time of a Market Sensitive Announcement

While previous studies find little evidence of an increase in the placement of new orders before a market sensitive announcement, existing limit orders are revised significantly more often. In this study, we extend the research in three ways. First, we extend the range of announcements studied. Second, we study the aggressiveness of orders to determine the strategies of informed and uninformed traders. Third, we investigate a more powerful test of abnormal trading behaviour, to enhance the experiment. We find market sensitive announcements are associated with abnormal order flow and a significant absolute price change. We also find non-market sensitive announcements exhibit abnormal order activity and significant absolute price change, inconsistent with prior studies. We explain this result as a consequence of the nature of the statistical test used to determine whether order flow is “abnormal”. In our aggressiveness analysis, we find new and revised orders are mostly less aggressive around the time of a market sensitive announcement, reflecting the price protective strategies investors continually undertake in uncertain times. When split into different order sizes, we find evidence contrary to the stealth-trading hypothesis.
Determinants of Merchant Participation in Credit Card Payment Schemes

This paper aims to empirically establish the determinants of merchant participation in credit card payment schemes. It is found that a merchant's personal background, type of business and total value of sales are significant in determining a merchant's acceptance of cards in payment transactions. Further, it is found that customers' usage of credit cards and other merchants acceptance of credit cards in payments have a significant influence on a merchant's decision. Findings also indicate that non-pecuniary strategic factors are stronger drivers and barriers to a merchant's participation in credit cards payments services compared to monetary related factors.
Assessment of Estrogenic and Androgenic Activities of Tetramethrin in Vitro and in Vivo Assays

Tetramethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, is used globally for agriculture, and thus potential environmental exposure to tetramethrin is a concern. Environmental chemicals that are hormonally active (particularly estrogen or androgen) may adversely affect the reproductive and endocrine systems. However, little is known about the estrogenic and androgenic activities of tetramethrin. In this study, uterine CaBP-9k gene expression assay and a uterotrophic assay were conducted for estrogenic activity assessment of tetramethrin, and a Hershberger assay was conducted for androgenic activity. Estrogen receptor (ERα and ERβ) protein levels were also measured in tetramethrin-treated rat uteri. Northern blot analysis showed reduction in uterine CaBP-9k mRNA levels in response to tetramethrin, as well as when rats were given both tetramethrin and 17β-estradiol (E2). In the uterotrophic assay using 18-d-old female Sprague-Dawley rats, subcutaneous treatment with tetramethrin (5 to 800 mg/kg/day) for 3 d led to a statistically significant decrease in absolute and relative uterine wet weights at all doses tested. Moreover, tetramethrin blocked the effect of E2 on uterine weights. In addition, tetramethrin reduced absolute and relative vaginal wet weights, and also inhibited the increases of vaginal weights produced by E2. Tetramethrin showed no androgenic on antiandrogenic activities in the Hershberger assay. These results suggest that tetramethrin might exert endocrine-disrupting effects on female rats through antiestrogenic action.
Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Expression in Unresectable Gastric Cancers: Relationship with CT Characteristics

Objective To retrospectively analyze the qualitative CT features that correlate with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-expression in pathologically-proven gastric cancers. Materials and Methods A total of 181 patients with pathologically-proven unresectable gastric cancers with HER2-expression (HER2-positive [n = 32] and negative [n = 149]) were included. CT features of primary gastric and metastatic tumors were reviewed. The prevalence of each CT finding was compared in both groups. Thereafter, binary logistic regression determined the most significant differential CT features. Clinical outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier method. Results HER2-postive cancers showed lower clinical T stage (21.9% vs. 8.1%; p = 0.015), hyperattenuation on portal phase (62.5% vs. 30.9%; p = 0.003), and was more frequently metastasized to the liver (62.5% vs. 32.2%; p = 0.001), than HER2-negative cancers. On binary regression analysis, hyperattenuation of the tumor (odds ratio [OR], 4.68; p < 0.001) and hepatic metastasis (OR, 4.43; p = 0.001) were significant independent factors that predict HER2-positive cancers. Median survival of HER2-positive cancers (13.7 months) was significantly longer than HER2-negative cancers (9.6 months) (p = 0.035). Conclusion HER2-positive gastric cancers show less-advanced T stage, hyperattenuation on the portal phase, and frequently metastasize to the liver, as compared to HER2-negative cancers.
Lipoproteins in the Central Nervous System

Abstract: Although the synthesis and metabolism of plasma lipoproteins are well characterized, little is known about lipid delivery and clearance within the central nervous system (CNS). Our work has focused on characterizing the lipoprotein particles present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the nascent particles secreted by astrocytes. In addition to carrying lipids, we have found that β‐amyloid (Ab) associates with lipoproteins, including the discoidal particles secreted by cultured astrocytes and the spherical lipoproteins found in CSF. We believe that association with lipoproteins provides a means of transport and clearance for Aβ. This process may be further influenced by an interaction between Ab and apoprotein E (apoE), the primary protein component of CNS lipoproteins. Specifically, we have investigated the formation and physiologic relevance of a SDS‐stable complex between apoE and Aβ. In biochemical assays, native apoE2 and E3 (associated with lipid particles) form an SDS‐stable complex with Ab that is 20‐fold more abundant than the apoE4:Aβ complex. In cell culture, native apoE3 but not E4 prevents Aβ‐induced neurotoxicity by a mechanism dependent on cell surface apoE receptors. In addition, apoE and the inhibition of apoE receptors prevent Aβ‐induced astrocyte activation. Therefore, we hypothesize that the protection from Aβ‐induced neurotoxicity afforded by apoE3 may result from clearance of the peptide by SDS‐stable apoE3:Aβ complex formation and uptake by apoE receptors.
Liver cell dysplasia in normal, cirrhotic, and hepatocellular carcinoma patients

An assessment was made of the frequency of liver cell dysplasia and the mean age of each group in 56 normal, 13 cirrhotic, and 50 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, 40 with cirrhosis, from southern Africa. Dysplasia increased from 7.1% in normal subjects to 38.5% in cirrhotic, 40% in noncirrhotic HCC, and 52.5% in cirrhotic HCC patients, three statistically similar frequencies. Average patient ages were as follows: patients with normal livers, 37.3 years; with cirrhosis, 42.4 years; with noncirrhotic HCC, 36.5 years; and with cirrhotic HCC, 34 years, the mean age with dysplasia being lower than that of the whole group. With no increase in frequency of dysplasia from cirrhosis to HCC with cirrhosis, with a similar high frequency in HCC without cirrhosis, and with a mean age of all HCC patients 8 years less than that of cirrhotics and 3 years less than normals, chronologic evolutionary progression from cirrhosis to dysplasia to HCC in southern Africa cannot be demonstrated. Cancer 57:1535–1538, 1986.
Endogenous Market Structures and the Optimal Financial Structure

We characterize the optimal financial structure as a strategic device to optimize the value of a firm competing in a market where entry is endogenous. Debt financing is always optimal under quantity competition, and, contrary to the Brander-Lewis-Showalter results based on duopolies, we show the optimality of moderate debt financing also under price competition with cost uncertainty (but not with demand uncertainty). We derive the formulas for the optimal financial structure, which does not affect the strategies of the other firms but reduces their number.
Disparity for the minor histocompatibility antigen HA‐1 is associated with an increased risk of acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) but it does not affect chronic GvHD incidence, disease‐free survival or overall survival after allogeneic human leucocyte antigen‐identical sibling donor transplanta

Disparity for the minor histocompatibility antigen HA‐1 between patient and donor has been associated with an increased risk of acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐identical sibling donor stem cell transplantation (SCT). However, no data concerning the impact of such disparity on chronic GvHD, relapse or overall survival are available. A retrospective multicentre study was performed on 215 HLA‐A2‐positive patients who received an HLA‐identical sibling SCT, in order to determine the differences in acute and chronic GvHD incidence on the basis of the presence or absence of the HA‐1 antigen mismatch. Disease‐free survival and overall survival were also analysed. We detected 34 patient–donor pairs mismatched for HA‐1 antigen (15·8%). Grades II–IV acute GvHD occurred in 51·6% of the HA‐1‐mismatched pairs compared with 37·1% of the non‐mismatched. The multivariate logistic regression model showed statistical significance (P: 0·035, OR: 2·96, 95% CI: 1·07–8·14). No differences were observed between the two groups for grades III–IV acute GvHD, chronic GvHD, disease‐free survival or overall survival. These results confirmed the association between HA‐1 mismatch and risk of mild acute GvHD, but HA‐1 mismatch was not associated with an increased incidence of chronic GvHD and did not affect relapse or overall survival.
Does emotional intelligence predict breaking bad news skills in pediatric interns? A pilot study

Background While both patients and physicians identify communication of bad news as an area of great challenge, the factors underlying this often complex task remain largely unknown. Emotional intelligence (EI) has been positively correlated with good general communication skills and successful leadership, but there is no literature relating EI to the delivery of bad news. Purpose Our objectives were to determine: 1) performance of first-year pediatric residents in the delivery of bad news in a standardized patient (SP) setting; and 2) the role of EI in these assessments. Our hypothesis was that pediatric trainees with higher EI would demonstrate more advanced skills in this communication task. Methods Forty first- year residents participated. Skill in bad news delivery was assessed via SP encounters using a previously published assessment tool (GRIEV_ING Death Notification Protocol). Residents completed the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI) as a measure of EI. Results Residents scored poorly on bad news delivery skills but scored well on EI. Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated moderate to substantial inter-rater reliability among raters using the delivering bad news assessment tool. However, no correlation was found between bad news delivery performance and EI. Conclusions We concluded that first-year pediatric residents have inadequate skills in the delivery of bad news. In addition, our data suggest that higher EI alone is not sufficient to effectively deliver death news and more robust skill training is necessary for residents to gain competence and acquire mastery in this important communication domain.
Segment 2D and 3D Filaments by Learning Structured and Contextual Features

We focus on the challenging problem of filamentary structure segmentation in both 2D and 3D images, including retinal vessels and neurons, among others. Despite the increasing amount of efforts in learning based methods to tackle this problem, there still lack proper data-driven feature construction mechanisms to sufficiently encode contextual labelling information, which might hinder the segmentation performance. This observation prompts us to propose a data-driven approach to learn structured and contextual features in this paper. The structured features aim to integrate local spatial label patterns into the feature space, thus endowing the follow-up tree classifiers capability to grouping training examples with similar structure into the same leaf node when splitting the feature space, and further yielding contextual features to capture more of the global contextual information. Empirical evaluations demonstrate that our approach outperforms state-of-the-arts on well-regarded testbeds over a variety of applications. Our code is also made publicly available in support of the open-source research activities.
Conspicuous Consumption: A Study of Exceptional Consumer Behaviour

The thesis offers a detailed study of that part of consumer behaviour which is status-directed and which encourages individuals to purchase and consume products not for their intrinsic value (i.e. their value in use) but for their extrinsic (i.e. prestige) value. The work is in two parts. Part One (7 Chapters) explores the nature of conspicuous consumption and seeks to explain why and under what conditions such exceptional behaviour occurs. The treatment of conspicuous consumption in economic and social thought is examined and evaluated (Cn.l) and Chapter 2 proposes a theoretical explanation of the propensity to conspicuously consumer. Chapter 3 develops a research methodology appropriate to the theory. Chapters 4, 5 and 6, then comprise a study of conspicuous consumption as observed in traditional, achieving and affluent societies, while Chapter 7 draws these studies together in perspective. Part 2 (3 Chapters) focuses more specifically on conspicuous consumption in the modern, affluent society and seeks to develop a theoretical model of consumer decision processes relating to such behaviour. Chapter 8 is concerned with evaluating the treatment of conspicuous consumption within behavioural theories of consumer demand. Chapter 9 complements Chapter 8 in assessing the contribution of economics and of economic demand theories to the subject. Drawing on Chapters 8 and 9, Chapter 10 then proposes a theoretical model of consumer decision processes with respect to conspicuous consumption in the modern, industrialised society.
Inflation, Corporate Growth, and Corporate Leverage

M The effect of inflation on firms' financing and investment decisions has been a recurring topic of analysis. Attention has been devoted to both the managerial implications and the security valuation consequences of broad-based upward movements in nominal product and factor-input prices. ' A generally separate stream of research has dealt with the equilibrium rate of growth a corporation can sustain, given its operating characteristics.2 Because the two topic areas have only occasionally intersected, there are some influences of inflation on the investment opportunities and financial strategies of the growing firm that we feel have yet to be fully appreciated. We attempt to address those here. Our objectives are both pedagogical and analytical. We synthesize various elements of prior research and extend the content of that research, within a unified framework. The analysis is differentiated from previous literature by a more thorough treatment of the effects of the corporate income tax, asset turnover, fixed asset replacement requirements, and corporate debt and liquidity policies on sustainable growth. We thereby provide a more complete statement of the conditions under which inflation will preserve a firm's real growth opportunities. The potential implications of those conditions for the corporate leverage decision are then examined.
An integrative approach to eWOM and marketing communications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of how different forms of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and simultaneous marketing communications (MC), two crucial components of relationship marketing, affect consumer persuasion when presented in a business-to-customer (B2C)-sponsored vs a customer-to-customer (C2C)-sponsored social network site (SNS). A concise typology of eWOM is also proposed. Design/methodology/approach – An experiment involving different social network movie sites was conducted testing the effects of different eWOM along with a comparison to MC on consumers’ interest in, and likelihood to watch movie DVDs. Findings – The empirical results showed that not all eWOM types have the same persuasiveness and community sponsorship as a source credibility cue is more influential from a C2C-sponsored SNS than from a B2C one, particularly for many-to-one eWOM communications. Research limitations/implications – Future research should include both positive and negative types.
The Evolving Role of Institutional Investors in South Korean Corporate Governance: Some Empirical Evidence

South Korea, one of East Asia's most powerful tigers before the 1997 financial crisis, is in the process of extensive corporate governance reform. The excessive debt financing of the" chaebol" and the lack of accountability prevalent in Korea's corporate governance system have been blamed for the country's economy succumbing to the crisis. The current process of reform is taking place within a global agenda for corporate governance harmonisation, reflected in the publication of internationally acceptable principles for "good" corporate governance by, for example, the OECD and CalPERS. In this paper we present and analyse the findings of a questionnaire survey and a series of interviews conducted in Korea which canvassed the views of fund managers. Our findings indicate that Korea's financial institutions support initiatives to reform the country's corporate governance system. Further, they agree strongly that: investor relations need to be improved; "chaebol's" accountability to shareholders should be improved; and shareholder activism should be encouraged. They also support the view that the "chaebol's" activities were chiefly responsible for Korea succumbing to the East Asian crisis. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd 2002.
Hedge accounting and its influence on financial hedging: when the tail wags the dog

We analyse the application of hedge accounting and its influence on hedging behaviour in German and Swiss non-financial corporations. Of our sample companies, 72% apply hedge accounting. The likelihood of its use is associated with frequency of derivatives usage, size, IFRS experience, perceived importance of reduced earnings volatility and low growth opportunities. More than half of the companies using hedge accounting indicate that the accounting rules influence their hedging behaviour. Companies are more likely to be affected if they use derivatives only occasionally, are smaller, are highly leveraged, have dispersed shareholding, have fewer growth opportunities and hedge selectively.