Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The demand for car fuel efficiency: some evidence for the UK

This paper uses the Atkinson-Halvorsen (1984) hedonic method to estimate the effect of petrol price changes on fuel efficiency and other attributes using data for new cars in the UK. In contrast to Atkinson and Halvorsen, the estimated long-run petrol price elasticity of demand for fuel efficiency is very small. The empirical results imply that the adjustment process within the new car market permits little substitution for more fuel efficient cars in response to petrol price changes.
Surgical Technique and Initial Clinical Experience with a Novel Extracapsular Articulating Implant for Treatment of the Canine Cruciate Ligament Deficient Stifle Joint.

OBJECTIVE To describe the surgical technique, clinical efficacy, and complications using the Simitri Stable in Stride(®) extracapsular articulating implant (EAI) to treat naturally occurring stifle instability due to cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) insufficiency. STUDY DESIGN Prospective case series. ANIMALS Client-owned dogs with CrCL-deficient stifles (n=60 dogs; 66 stifles). METHODS An EAI was applied to the medial aspect of the distal femur and proximal tibia after stifle exploration and treatment of joint pathology. Outcome measures included lameness score, time to weight bearing, and bilateral assessment of stifle stability, stifle range of motion (ROM), and thigh circumference (TC). Outcome measures were determined preoperatively and at intervals from 4.5 to 16.0 months (median 8.9 months) postoperatively. Data were excluded from bilaterally affected dogs <6 months after CrCL surgery on the contralateral limb, and from dogs with contralateral limb lameness. RESULTS Within 24 hours of EAI surgery, dogs were weight bearing on 64 of 66 limbs at the walk. Incidence of major complications requiring surgical revision was 15.3% and minor complications was 10.2%. Postoperatively, there were significant improvements in lameness scores and ROM in 34 EAI-treated limbs meeting inclusion criteria, and the mean ROM returned to within normal limits. TC did not change in the operated limb, but decreased significantly in the control limb. CONCLUSION The EAI effectively stabilized the CrCL-deficient stifle, and significantly improved lameness scores and stifle ROM. Decreased TC in control limbs may have been due to early return to mobility and weight bearing on the EAI-treated limb.
Antihyperalgesic effects of dexketoprofen and tramadol in a model of postoperative pain in mice – effects on glial cell activation

To define likely targets (i.e. glia) and protocols (analgesic combinations) to improve postoperative pain outcomes and reduce chronic pain after surgery. Specifically, to assess the antihyperalgesic effects of the dexketoprofen : tramadol (DEX : TRM) combination, exploring the implication of glial activation.
Inflation Developments and Perceptions after the Euro Cash Changeover

Abstract This paper analyses the evolution of inflation and of consumers’ inflation perceptions in the aftermath of the euro cash changeover. It finds that the cross-country variation of food product inflation was dependent on the complexity of conversion rates, with statistically significant and economically sizeable effects especially for low-priced items sold in mid-priced stores. The paper also shows that cross-country differences in the mismatch of perceived and actual inflation were linked to differences in the complexity of conversion rates. These results are in line with theories of finite information-processing capacities on the side of consumers.
State and Stateless Violence in Somalia

Abstract Violent conflict has engulfed much of Somalia for decades. Marked most dramatically by the fall of Mohamed Siad Barre's dictatorship early in 1991, southern Somalia remains in an untenable state of civil strife that amounts to a humanitarian disaster. In this article our goal is not to explain why violence occurs, but to investigate where and when it has occurred. To achieve this we employ precisely georeferenced conflict event data to analyze dynamics of Somalia's violent political landscape from before the Ogaden wars of the late-1970s through Ethiopia's intervention in Somalia beginning in December 2006. We utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools and spatial statistical methods to characterize the distribution of violence over time and across space within Somalia. We argue that Somalia's conflict meets some expectations of civil war violence described in the conflict studies literature, but some unexpected trends also appear. Country-wide, for instance, we show that conflict intensity is characterized by a limited degree of spatial clustering during the period of centralized state-rule in Somalia, but also during stateless years. Despite this national trend, using sub-national analyses we present evidence that spatial patterns of conflict during state tenure vary from distributions conflict after state collapse. Finally, we elaborate upon how our methodological approach can contribute to the study of other conflict-prone African states.
Comparative Bank Efficiency across Select ASEAN Countries

Bank efficiency becomes critically important in an environment of increasingly contestable international markets. As such, information regarding the efficiency of banks in a particular country as compared with their counterparts in other countries is important, as it enables policy-makers to make better decisions regarding the direction of their banking industry. Hence, by using a stochastic cost frontier approach, this study investigates whether there are significant differences in bank efficiency across select countries in the ASEAN region (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand). The results indicate that there are significant differences. The results also show that, on average, the ASEAN banks enjoy increasing returns to scale. Although scale economies for the ASEAN banks decrease with asset sizes, larger banks tend to have higher cost efficiency than smaller banks. These results support the policy of banking sector consolidation in the ASEAN countries.
Mavericks, Mergers, and Exclusion: Proving Coordinated Competitive Effects under the Antitrust Laws

Antitrust law has long been concerned that the loss of a firm, through merger or exclusion, may improve the prospects for tacit or express collusion in a concentrated market. In merger law, this perspective has been codified as a presumption of anticompetitive effect arising from high and increasing market concentration. Antitrust's structural presumption has been eroding in the courts, however, in part because its economic underpinnings increasingly are seen as unsettled. This Article explains how coordinated competitive effects analysis can be reconstructed around the role of a maverick firm that constrains prices when industry coordination is incomplete. Doing so helps distinguish procompetitive mergers from anticompetitive ones, and may aid in the analysis of alleged exclusion. It also provides a new economic justification for the structural presumption and points toward a continuing role for that presumption when the maverick cannot be identified or when it is not possible to determine the effect of a merger on the maverick's incentives. The resulting approach to coordinated competitive effects analysis is illustrated with an extended example involving oligopoly conduct in the U.S. passenger airline industry.
Unique precursors for the mesenchymal cells involved in injury response and fibrosis

We investigated an alternative pathway for emergence of the mesenchymal cells involved in epithelial sheet wound healing and a source of myofibroblasts that cause fibrosis. Using a mock cataract surgery model, we discovered a unique subpopulation of polyploid mesenchymal progenitors nestled in small niches among lens epithelial cells that expressed the surface antigen G8 and mRNA for the myogenic transcription factor MyoD. These cells rapidly responded to wounding of the lens epithelium with population expansion, acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype, and migration to the wound edges where they regulate the wound response of the epithelium. These mesenchymal cells also were a principal source of myofibroblasts that emerged following lens injury and were responsible for fibrotic disease of the lens that occurs following cataract surgery. These studies provide insight into the mechanisms of wound-healing and fibrosis.
Association of Chronic Cough and Pulmonary Function With 6-Minute Walk Test Performance in HIV Infection

Objective:Chronic lung disease has been associated with greater impairment in self-reported physical function in HIV-infected patients. We sought to study this association using objective measures of physical function and pulmonary function. Design:Baseline data from the Examinations of HIV Associated Lung Emphysema study, a multicenter observational cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected veterans. Methods:We assessed the association between clinical, laboratory, and pulmonary function measures with 6-minute walk test (6-MWT). Multivariable linear regression models were generated to identify factors associated with 6-MWT performance. Results:Three hundred forty participants completed 6-MWT (mean age 55 years), with 68% blacks, 94% men, and 62% current smokers. Overall, 180 (53%) were HIV-infected and 63 (19%) had spirometry-defined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In a multivariable model, age, current smoking, and obesity (body mass index > 30) were independently associated with lower 6-MWT performance, but HIV infection was not; there was a significant interaction between HIV and chronic cough, such that distance walked among HIV-infected participants with chronic cough was 51.76 m less (P = 0.04) compared with those without cough or HIV. Among HIV-infected participants, the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1, percent predicted), to a greater extent than total lung capacity or diffusing capacity, attenuated the association with chronic cough; decreased FEV1 was independently associated with lower 6-MWT performance in those with HIV. Conclusions:Older age, current smoking, and airflow limitation were important determinants of 6-MWT performance in the HIV-infected participants. These findings suggest that potential interventions to improve physical function may include early management of respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation.
The effects of ultraviolet radiation on the human immune system

The adverse outcome of increased ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on human health is currently of concern. While many experiments have been carried out in rodent models, fewer have been designed to test the effects of UV exposure in human subjects. This review concentrates on the modulations induced in the human immune system by UV, and outlines changes in antigen presentation by Langerhans cells and macrophages, in the activities of natural killer cells and T cells, and in cytokine regulation. Precautionary measures which might be taken to help protect people against the immunosuppressive action of UV irradiation are considered.
ONE CITY, THREE MODELS : COMPARISON OF LAND USE TRANSPORT POLICY SIMULATION MODELS FOR DORTMUND

The paper reports on simulation experiments conducted by the International Study Group on Land‐Use/Transport Interaction (ISGLUTI) for the metropolitan region of Dortmund in the Federal Republic of Germany. Three land‐use/transport simulation models were applied to the Dortmund region: the DORTMUND model developed at the University of Dortmund, the LILT model being used at University College London and the MEPLAN package developed by Marcial Echenique & Partners in Cambridge. The three models are briefly characterized and their ex‐post forecasts are compared with the actual development of the region. The final section of the paper compares how the three models respond to a common set of assumptions and policies from the fields of land‐use control, traffic management and transport investment. The differences in model response give insights into the validity of the theoretical foundations and internal structure of the models.
Firm size, disclosure and cost of equity capital

Purpose - Prior studies argue that larger firms could get more net benefit from higher disclosure compared to smaller firms due to economies of scale (lower relative costs to produce) and lower proprietary cost (risk of information disclosed being used by competitor). However, this has not been empirically tested. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide a formal test on whether larger firms benefit more from higher disclosure compared to the smaller firms. Design/methodology/approach - In prior studies, size is included as a control variable because it has been found to influence cost of equity capital. However, this study treats firm size as a moderating variable to the relationship between disclosure and cost of equity capital. The sample comprises 460 firms listed under the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia. Findings - The result shows that there is a significant negative relationship between disclosure and cost of equity capital for large firms and not significant for small firms. The managers of firms could strategize the firm's disclosure policy by taking into consideration that the benefit of disclosure in reducing the cost of equity may depend on the size of the firms. Originality/value - This is the first study that investigates the effect of size on the disclosure and cost of equity relationship. Thus, the evidence can support Diamond and Verrecchia's argument that larger firms benefit more from their disclosure policy compared to smaller firms. The nature of the information environment in the Malaysian capital market as well as legal background in Malaysia provides the authors with enough variations in disclosure and cost of equity to investigate this issue.
DIVIDEND POLICY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO INVESTMENT AND FINANCING POLICIES: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

In this paper it is argued that dividend policy is not determined as a residual, but rather that firms adopt independent dividend and investment policies. Empirical evidence, based on a questionnaire survey, supports this view. Independent dividend and investment policies are possible because debt finance is usually raised in sufficient quantities to accommodate the financial demands created by dividend and investment decisions.
Impact of systemic lupus erythematosus on ovarian reserve in premenopausal women: Evaluation by using anti-Muellerian hormone

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease which may negatively influence fertility. Treatment with cyclophosphamide can damage the ovaries. The ovarian function can also be reduced by autoimmune oophoritis in lupus patients. We analysed the influence of SLE on the ovarian reserve against disease intensity and duration of illness. We determined the ovarian reserve in 33 premenopausal SLE patients without previous cyclophosphamide-treatment by measuring the anti-Muellerian hormone (AMH) and compared these with the AMH values of 33 age-matched healthy controls. Numbers of children and miscarriages were reported. Disease intensity of the SLE patients was determined using SLEDAI and ECLAM and duration of illness was taken into account. We found that the AMH values in the SLE group were significantly lower than in the healthy control group. No significant differences between the groups regarding number of children and miscarriages were noted and no correlation between the AMH value and the duration of illness or the SLEDAI as an indicator of disease activity was found. Despite mild disease activity SLE patients had a significantly lower ovarian reserve than age-matched healthy women. This could be a sign that SLE itself has a negative influence on the ovarian reserve.
Corruption – the challenge to good governance: a South African perspective

The effect of corruption in South Africa has seriously constrained development of the national economy and has significantly inhibited good governance in the country. South Africa's complex political design is a contributing factor to the rise of corruption, which has adversely affected stability and trust and which has damaged the ethos of democratic values and principles. Although the South African government has been instrumental in systems to fight the evils of corruption, practical problems have increasingly emerged over the years. The most notable problems are: insufficient coordination of anti‐corruption work within the South African public service and among the various sectors of society; poor information about corruption and the impact of anti‐corruption measures and agencies; and the impact of corruption on good governance. This paper is a part of a broader study undertaken on corruption. It addresses issues related to corruption and good governance in the South African (National) Public Service. To articulate and analyse the challenges confronting the country, issues regarding coordination of anti‐corruption agencies will be explored.
Herbivore physiological response to predation risk and implications for ecosystem nutrient dynamics

The process of nutrient transfer through an ecosystem is an important determinant of production, food-chain length, and species diversity. The general view is that the rate and efficiency of nutrient transfer up the food chain is constrained by herbivore-specific capacity to secure N-rich compounds for survival and production. Using feeding trials with artificial food, we show, however, that physiological stress-response of grasshopper herbivores to spider predation risk alters the nature of the nutrient constraint. Grasshoppers facing predation risk had higher metabolic rates than control grasshoppers. Elevated metabolism accordingly increased requirements for dietary digestible carbohydrate-C to fuel-heightened energy demands. Moreover, digestible carbohydrate-C comprises a small fraction of total plant tissue-C content, so nutrient transfer between plants and herbivores accordingly becomes more constrained by digestible plant C than by total plant C:N. This shift in herbivore diet to meet the altered nutrient requirement increased herbivore body C:N content, the C:N content of the plant community from which grasshoppers select their diet, and grasshopper fecal C:N content. Chronic predation risk thus alters the quality of animal and plant tissue that eventually enters the detrital pool to become decomposed. Our results demonstrate that herbivore physiology causes C:N requirements and nutrient intake to become flexible, thereby providing a mechanism to explain context dependence in the nature of trophic control over nutrient transfer in ecosystems.
Why do life spans differ? Partitioning mean longevity differences in terms of age-specific mortality parameters.

Populations typically differ in mean life spans because of genetic, environmental, or experimental factors. In this paper methods are presented that clarify the relationship between differences in the longevity of two populations and differences in their underlying age-specific patterns of mortality. Data are examined from rodent and fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) experiments that investigated the longevity effects of a variety of environmental and genetic manipulations, including temperature, dietary restriction, laboratory selection for increased longevity, and severe inbreeding. Analyses suggest that longevity differences mediated by temperature and dietary restriction result predominantly from differences in the rate of increase in mortality with age. Increases in longevity through laboratory selection result primarily from a reduction in baseline mortality and not a slowing of the rate of aging. Although the methods are applied primarily in the context of simple mathematical models of mortality (e.g., the Gompertz model), they are quite general and can be applied to mortality models of arbitrary complexity. Mathematica protocols ("notebooks") and computer software have been developed to perform all the analyses discussed and are available from the first author.
Towards a theory of urban fragmentation: A cross-cultural analysis of fear, privatization, and the state

This paper employs a cross-cultural analysis to explore regional and national variations in residential gating and enclosure as a first step in developing an integrated theory of urban fragmentation. Utilizing data from the urban and suburban United States, Latin America and China, a series of dimensions are compared: 1) domestic architecture, 2) urban/suburban settlement pattern, 3) the role of the state, 4) governance, 5) citizenship, 6) cultural meaning, 7) identity, 8) provision of goods and services, 9) taxation, 10) degree of privatization, 11) cultural pattern of social sanction, and 12) fear of crime and others. This comparative analysis locates culturally meaningful and theoretically significant distinctions among the regions and provides data for the development of explanatory models in which each region varies along a dimensional continuum. At the macro-level of analysis, the impact of globalization and flexible accumulation with increased local heterogeneity, increases in inequality and changes in perceived crime rate emerge as the major underlying factors in the fear of crime and others found in all three regions. At a micro-level, differences in cultural meanings are explained by local social and political contexts, while provision of goods and services and governance depend on club realm economic explanations.
Cosmic no-hair theorem in power-law inflation.

We prove a cosmic no-hair theorem for Bianchi models in power-law inflation. Provided that the potential of an inflaton {phi} is exp({minus}{lambda}{kappa}{phi}) with 0{le}{lambda}{lt} {radical}2/3 , we find that the isotropic power-law solution is the unique attractor for any initially expanding Bianchi-type models except type IX. For Bianchi type IX, this conclusion is also true if the initial ratio of the vacuum energy to the maximum three-curvature is larger than one half.
Occlusal caries detection and quantification by DIAGNOdent and Electronic Caries Monitor: in vitro comparison

The Electronic Caries Monitor (ECM) and the recently introduced laser-based KaVo DIAGNOdent have been developed as clinical diagnostic aids in the detection and quantification of occlusal carious lesions. The aim of this in vitro study was to compare their reproducibility and validity. The ability of DIAGNOdent to retrieve sites of occlusal carious lesions without reference to photographs or drawings from previous assessments was also tested. The material comprised 87 premolar teeth: the occlusal surfaces were sound or exhibited non-cavity carious lesions of varying severity. All were photographed and measured by DIAGNOdent and ECM on 2 occasions, 2 weeks apart. The teeth were then sectioned into 300 µm thick slices. Two observers independently classified the sections according to the histopathology, into 5 categories, ranging from sound to dentinal caries in the inner part of the dentin. Statistical analysis comprised intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) to test reproducibility and regression analysis of validity. Sensitivity and specificity were also calculated for detection of D3 lesions for both devices. DIAGNOdent recorded maximum readings at identical sites on both occasions in 89% of the teeth. The ICC for readings on 2 separate occasions was 0.97 for DIAGNOdent and 0.71 for ECM. The correlations with histology were r = 0.93 and 0.83, for DIAGNOdent and ECM, respectively. For detection of D3 lesions, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.8 and 1 for DIAGNOdent and 0.75 and 0.88 for ECM. In this in vitro study, DIAGNOdent was superior to ECM for occlusal caries detection.