Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of capital flows to developing countries: a structural VAR analysis

Purpose - The aim of the study is to investigate the relative significance of the determinants of disaggregated capital flows (foreign direct investment and portfolio flows) to five developing countries, across different time horizons. Design/methodology/approach - An empirically tractable structural VAR model of the determinants of capital flows is developed, and variance decomposition and impulse response analyses are used to investigate the temporal dynamic effects of shocks to push and pull factors on foreign direct investment and portfolio flows. Findings - Estimation of the model using quarterly data for the period 1976-2001 provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that shocks to real variables of economic activity such as foreign output and domestic productivity are the most important forces explaining the variations in capital flows to developing countries. Research limitations/implications - These findings highlight the concomitant need for policy makers in developing countries to design domestic policy that accounts for both external and internal shocks to real variables of economic activity. Originality/value - Previous empirical studies on the determinants of capital flows to developing countries have mostly examined the capital flow variable in aggregate, and have largely overlooked the possibility that the relative significance of estimated coefficients of such determinants may vary across time horizons.
Public Sector Management, Trust, Performance, and Participation

This paper is part of an international project assessing the quality of public sector management and public sector performance as well as public trust and satisfaction with the public sector and the degree to which the public is involved in decision making in the public sector. The results are based on an initial and exploratory sample of 1,104 citizens who represent to a great (though not comprehensive) degree the adult population of the United States. The analysis and discussion focus on three main aspects: (1) satisfaction with public services, (2) trust in various public organizations, agencies and their employees, and (3) various attitudes and perceptions of the public sector and its employees. The paper demonstrates the fundamental problems of the American public sector in its relations with citizens. The level of satisfaction with many organizations is relatively low and so is the level of trust in these organizations. Specifically, organizations and agencies related to the political representative system mostly suffer a trust problem, and so do organizations related to the management of the financial system. At the same time, organizations and agencies related to homeland security and national defense enjoy high levels of satisfaction and trust. These indications are consistent to a large extent with findings in other Western countries.
Lamprey lymphocyte-like cells express homologs of genes involved in immunologically relevant activities of mammalian lymphocytes

To shed light on the origin of adaptive immunity, a cDNA library was prepared from purified lymphocyte-like cells of a jawless vertebrate, the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Randomly selected cDNA clones were sequenced, and their homologies to proteins in the databases were determined. Of the sequences homologous to proteins involved in immune responses, five were selected for further characterization. Their encoding genes corresponded to loci that in jawed vertebrates are essential for activities of lymphocytes. These activities include regulation of T and B cell stimulation and proliferation (CD45); stabilization of molecular complexes involved in lymphocyte activation, adhesion, migration, and differentiation (CD9/CD81); adaptor functions in signaling leading to the activation of B lymphocytes (BCAP) and T lymphocytes (CAST); and amino acid transport associated with cell activation (CD98). The presence of these genes in the lamprey genome and their expression in lymphocyte-like cells support the notion that these cells perform many of the functions of gnathostome lymphocytes. It reopens the question of the stage jawless fishes reached in the evolution of their immune system.
Alternative methods of selection for litter size in mice: II. Response to thirteen generations of selection.

Selection was conducted on an index of components of litter size (I = 1.21 x ovulation rate + 9.05 x ova success; ovulation rate measured by number of corpora lutea and ova success measured as number of pups born + number of corpora lutea), on uterine capacity (measured as number of pups born to unilaterally ovariectomized dams) and on litter size concurrent with an unselected control for 13 generations. Selection criteria (IX = index, UT = uterine capacity, LS = litter size and LC = control) were applied in each of three replicates. In an evaluation after five generations, IX and LS each exceeded LC by about . 5 pups, with no response in UT. After 13 generations, mean ovulation rate, ova success and litter size (measured as number of fetuses at 17 d gestation in intact females) were, for IX, 14.25, . 84, 11.95; for LS, 14.15, . 82, 11.64; for UT, 12.61, . 86, 10.77; and for LC, 12.27, . 82, 9.98. The regression of number born (litter size in IX, LS and LC; uterine capacity with only a functional left uterine horn in UT) on cumulative selection differential across 13 generations was . 12 +/- . 01, . 09 +/- . 02 and . 08 +/- . 02 for IX, LS and UT, respectively. The regression of breeding value for litter size on each selection criterion, estimated as response in the generation-13 evaluation divided by cumulative selection differential, was . 11 +/- . 02, . 08 +/- . 01 and . 05 +/- . 03 for IX, LS and UT, respectively. Regression of response in number born on generation number was . 17 +/- . 01, . 15 +/- . 04 and . 10 +/- . 02 for IX, LS and UT, respectively. Selection in IX was promising relative to LS, and selection in UT changed number born.
Return Seasonality in Stocks and Their Underlying Assets: Tax-Loss Selling Versus Information Explanations

Results of tests contrasting tax-loss selling with intertemporal information variation as explanations of the January seasonal in stock returns are reported. Closed-end fund shares display the typical size-related January seasonal while their net asset values do not. Interpreting the net asset value return as a proxy for information about underlying assets, this result indicates information variation is not a necessary condition for the January effect in stocks. The share returns at the turn of the year are negatively related to their mean preceding year returns and positively related to the standard deviations of their preceding year returns. These results are consistent with tax-loss selling. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
Cardiac risk factor awareness and management in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE To assess awareness and management of traditional cardiac risk factors (CRFs) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and physicians. METHODS SLE patients (n=110) completed a questionnaire concerning CRFs. Medical records were reviewed blinded to questionnaire results for the presence and management of 6 CRFs: hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and physical inactivity. RESULTS Subjects were predominantly female (97%), mean (+/-SD) age was 43.4 years (+/-11.8), mean SLE duration was 15.3 years (+/-7.2), and 51% had > or =2 CRFs by self report. Twenty-three percent had never had their cholesterol levels checked. Hypercholesterolemia was more frequently documented in the medical records than reported by the patient (33% versus 24%). Physical inactivity was more frequently self reported than documented (59% versus 23%). Rheumatologists and patients had low interrater reliability for the presence of hypercholesterolemia (kappa=0.26) and physical inactivity (kappa=-0.02). More than half (58%) of CRFs were treated, and 21% of subjects with elevated cholesterol received a medication. CONCLUSION Recognition, recording, and management of CRFs falls short given the significance of the problem.
Tetrahedral structure or chains for liquid water.

It has been suggested, based on x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) experiments on liquid water [Wernet, Ph. , et al. (2004) Science 304, 995-999], that a condensed-phase water molecule's asymmetric electron density results in only two hydrogen bonds per water molecule on average. The larger implication of the XAS interpretation is that the conventional view of liquid water being a tetrahedrally coordinated random network is now replaced by a structural organization that instead strongly favors hydrogen-bonded water chains or large rings embedded in a weakly hydrogen-bonded disordered network. This work reports that the asymmetry of the hydrogen density exhibited in the XAS experiments agrees with reported x-ray scattering structure factors and intensities for Q > 6.5 A(-1). However, the assumption that the asymmetry in the hydrogen electron density does not fluctuate and is persistent in all local molecular liquid water environments is inconsistent with longer-ranged tetrahedral network signatures present in experimental x-ray scattering intensity and structure factor data for Q < 6.5 A(-1).
Title III Policy: State of the States. ESEA Evaluation Brief: The English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act.

Department of Education under Contract Number ED-04-CO0025/0017 with the American Institutes for Research (AIR); Andrea Ramsey and Jennifer O’Day are the authors. Liz Eisner, who serves as the contracting officer’s representative (COR) for the National Evaluation of Title III Implementation, also served as COR for this brief. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education is intended or should be inferred. Title III Policy: State of the States
Sirolimus Versus Cyclosporine in Kidney Recipients Receiving Thymoglobulin®, Mycophenolate Mofetil and a 6‐Month Course of Steroids

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)‐free regimen, 145 renal recipients were prospectively randomized to receive either sirolimus (n = 71) or cyclosporine (CsA; n = 74). All patients received polyclonal antilymphocyte antibodies, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroids (6 months). The primary endpoint, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was not significantly different at 12 months comparing sirolimus‐ and CsA‐treated patients (60 ± 27 vs. 57 ± 21 mL/min). At 12 months, patient and graft survival, incidence of biopsy‐proven rejection and rates of steroid withdrawal were not statistically different (97% vs. 97%; 90% vs. 93%; 14.3% vs. 8.6% and 82.8% vs. 84.1%, respectively). Delayed and slow graft function (SGF) was not significantly different (18.6% vs. 12.3% and 11.4% vs. 13.7%, respectively). In patients who remained on treatment according to protocol at 12 months, eGFR was significantly higher with sirolimus (69 ± 19 vs. 60 ± 14 mL/min, p = 0.01). Overall study drug discontinuation rates were 28.2% with sirolimus and 14.9% with CsA. Adverse events (wound complications, mouth ulcers, diarrhea, hypokalemia, bronchopneumonia) and proteinuria >0.5 g/24h (38.8% vs. 5.6%, p < 0.001) were significantly more frequent in sirolimus‐treated patients. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections were significantly less frequent with sirolimus (6% vs. 23%, p < 0.01). A CNI‐free regimen using sirolimus‐MMF can achieve excellent renal function, but patients on sirolimus experienced a high rate of adverse events and study drug discontinuation.
Graduate unemployment in South Africa: social inequality reproduced

In this study, I examine the influence of demographic and educational characteristics of South African graduates on their employment/unemployment status. A sample of 1175 respondents who graduated between 2006 and 2012 completed an online survey. Using binary logistic regression, the strongest determinants of unemployment were the graduates’ race, their socio-economic status and their year of their graduation. Surprisingly, the graduates’ field of study, level of study, marks obtained and whether or not they had received career guidance at their higher education institution did not significantly influence their employment/unemployment status. Of the employed graduates, 27% reported that they consider themselves to be underemployed. The results show the strong influence structural factors have on determining employment prospects of graduates and question the extent to which higher education institutions and graduate employers reproduce social inequality through their graduate recruitment services and practices.
China's Fiscal Decentralization and Regional Economic Growth

The present paper applies Lucas's theory of endogenous growth and Stiglitz's theory of local public goods to build an econometric model consisting of five simultaneous equations to study China's fiscal decentralization effects on regional economic growth. The model is estimated by two‐stage least squares using a set of panel data on 31 Chinese provinces during 1996–2005. The estimated results show that China's fiscal decentralization increased the local governments' expenditure on physical infrastructure and education, which led to the rising local physical capital stock and human capital levels, respectively, and then resulted in the growth of regional economies.
Economic Forces, Fundamental Variables, and Equity Returns

We investigate whether size and book-to-market values of equity are proxying for macroeconomic risks found in Chen, Roll, and Ross's multifactor model or are measures of stocks' risk exposure to relative distress. We find that the role of size subsumes stocks' risk exposures associated with the Chen, Roll, and Ross's factors and that the Chen, Roll, and Ross's multifactor model does not explain the book-to-market values of equity effect. We also find that size and book-to-market values of equity are related to relative distress and that relative distress can explain the size effect, but only partially the effect of book-to-market values of equity, on average stock returns. Copyright 1994 by University of Chicago Press.
Evaluation of hormonal and physical factors responsible for male infertility in Sagamu South Western Nigeria

Gonadotropins (FSH, LH) and testosterone abnormalities are usually associated with abnormal spermatogenesis. Plasma luteinizing hormone (LH), follicule stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone levels were estimated in sixty eight infertile men (age group 20-56 years) of at least 2 years duration of infertility, being a stepping toe into investigating the causes of infertility in the couples and before embarking on more expensive investigating procedures in the female partners. Thirty normal males (age group 27- 46 years) of the same socioeconomic status were selected as control group. Clinical examination was carried out on all the subjects and information about age and history of infertility in the family was obtained. Results showed that 14 (20.6%) of the infertile men were azoospermic, 50 (73.5%) were oligozoospermic and 4 (5.9%) were normospermic. Using the physical factors, 32 physical challenges were observed comprising of 5 (15.6 %) hyhpoplastic testes, 1 (3.1%) testicular atrophy and 26 (81.3 %) varicocele. There was a statistically significant (p< 0.05) increase in the mean FSH and LH levels in all the infertile males studied when compared with the controls (n=30). However, there was no significant difference in the mean levels of testosterone between the infertile and fertile men.
Cadmium Toxicity toward Caspase‐Independent Apoptosis through the Mitochondria‐Calcium Pathway in mtDNA‐Depleted Cells

Abstract: Mitochondria are believed to be integrators and coordinators of programmed cell death in addition to their respiratory function. Using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)‐depleted osteosarcoma cells (ρ0 cells) as a cell model, we investigated the apoptogenic signaling pathway of cadmium (Cd) under a condition of mitochondrial dysfunction. The apoptotic percentage was determined to be around 58.0% after a 24‐h exposure to 25 μM Cd using flow cytometry staining with propidium iodine (PI). Pretreatment with Z‐VAD‐fmk, a broad‐spectrum caspase inhibitor, failed to prevent apoptosis following Cd exposure. Moreover, Cd was unable to activate caspase 3 using DEVD‐AFC as a substrate, indicating that Cd induced a caspase‐independent apoptotic pathway in ρ0 cells. JC‐1 staining demonstrated that mitochondrial membrane depolarization was a prelude to apoptosis. On the other hand, the intracellular calcium concentration increased 12.5‐fold after a 2‐h exposure to Cd. More importantly, the apoptogenic activity of Cd was almost abolished by ruthenium red, a mitochondrial calcium uniporter blocker. This led us to conclude that mtDNA‐depleted cells provide an alternative pathway for Cd to conduct caspase‐independent apoptosis through a mitochondria‐calcium mechanism.
Does financing behavior of Tunisian firms follow the predictions of the market timing theory of capital structure

In this paper, we show how capital structure decisions made by non-financial firms listed in the Tunis Stock Exchange are affected by the predictions of the so-called market timing theory. Using a set of some relevant variables which reflect the market-timing signals, the firm fundamentals, and the performance of local stock market, we mainly find that leverage ratio of Tunisian firms is short-term driven by their current market valuations. In the long run, the market timing effects are not present at all. Rather, Tunisian firms seem to behave according to the tradeoff theory of capital structure by attempting to adjust their leverage levels towards a target ratio.
The World Series of Quality Control

Abstract Internal competition has been a part of many interventions in organizational behavior management as well as in nonbehavioral management programs. Often competition is implicit in feedback programs. The use of internal competition is endorsed by some theorists and questioned by others. In the present study, formal competition was used as an intervention to improve quality control in a package delivery company. In this industry, speed and accuracy of package delivery are critical to company success. For uie major companies in the industry, these outcomes are dependent upon the quality of sorting and loading at central loading facilities located throughout the United States. In order to improve quality control in sorting and loading, a competitive program of feedback and positive reinforcement was implemented using a baseball analog system. Extant work groups were paired in daily games in which points were scored based on company quality control measures. Fourteen teams were divided into leagues and.
The Long-Run Performance of Mergers and Acquisitions: Evidence from the Canadian Stock Market

We study the long-term performance of 267 Canadian mergers and acquisitions that take place between 1980 and 2000, using different calendar-time approaches with and without overlapping cases. Our results suggest that Canadian acquirers significantly underperform over the three-year post-event period. Further analysis shows that our results are consistent with the extrapolation and the method-of-payment hypotheses; that is, glamour acquirers and equity financed deals underperform. We also find that cross-border deals perform poorly in the long run.
The effects of delayed auditory and visual feedback on speech production.

Monitoring the sensory consequences of articulatory movements supports speaking. For example, delaying auditory feedback of a speaker's voice disrupts speech production. Also, there is evidence that this disruption may be decreased by immediate visual feedback, i.e., seeing one's own articulatory movements. It is, however, unknown whether delayed visual feedback affects speech production in fluent speakers. Here, the effects of delayed auditory and visual feedback on speech fluency (i.e., speech rate and errors), vocal control (i.e., intensity and pitch), and speech rhythm were investigated. Participants received delayed (by 200 ms) or immediate auditory feedback, while repeating sentences. Moreover, they received either no visual feedback, immediate visual feedback, or delayed visual feedback (by 200, 400, and 600 ms). Delayed auditory feedback affected fluency, vocal control, and rhythm. Immediate visual feedback had no effect on any of the speech measures when it was combined with delayed auditory feedback. Delayed visual feedback did, however, affect speech fluency when it was combined with delayed auditory feedback. In sum, the findings show that delayed auditory feedback disrupts fluency, vocal control, and rhythm and that delayed visual feedback can strengthen the disruptive effect of delayed auditory feedback on fluency.
Comprehensive approach to Chiari malformation in pediatric patients.

Chiari malformation is a developmental disorder that is often associated with other abnormalities of the cerebrospinal axis. Despite widespread recognition of this association, there is relatively little information on the treatment of these coexisting disorders in the setting of cerebellar tonsillar ectopia. In an effort to improve the care provided to pediatric patients with Chiari malformations the authors reviewed their management practices over the last 20 years. Specifically, they recorded presenting symptoms, radiological studies, comorbidities, and management (surgical and nonsurgical) of 112 patients (all < 20 years of age) with Chiari malformation without myelodysplasia. They found an associated syrinx in 29% of patients, basilar invagination in 17%, and scoliosis in 14%. The basal angle varied from 120 to 190 degrees and Boogard's angle varied from 120 to 220 degrees ; both angles were larger than those measured in normal controls. The vertical height of the posterior fossa was shortened and the volume decreased as compared with normal controls. The surgical management of this group of patients included posterior decompressive (44%), combined transoral and posterior decompressive (31%), combined posterior decompressive and posterior fusion (8%), and multiple posterior decompressive procedures in the same patient (5%). The authors conclude that pediatric patients with a Chiari malformation should be specifically examined for evidence of additional craniovertebral malformations so that procedures are directed at correcting both the comorbidities and the herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen.