Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Job Hazards and Worker Quit Rates: An Analysis of Adaptive Worker Behavior

Workers seldom have perfect information about the health and safety implications of their jobs. For many hazards, the true probabilities of being killed or injured are not known by anyone. Due to the retarded state of occupational medicine, even the underlying medical ramifications of different exposures to aspects of the workplace such as radiation, noise, high temperatures, and chemical vapors are little understood. This uncertainty is compounded by uncertainty with regard to the characteristics of the work situation, for example, the concentration of asbestos fibers in the air. The past experiences of other workers are likely to be of little assistance in eliminating this uncertainty. Unlike wage rates which can be compared in relative and absolute terms, there is no single recognized metric for measuring health and safety hazards. Differences in individual preferences for varying risks limit the usefulness of any summary index. More fundamentally, the job outcome information that would be used to evaluate past injury or illness frequencies is inadequate since many ailments are difficult to monitor or occur so infrequently that only the weakest of inferences can be drawn from the small samples available. These shortcomings are particularly acute for hazards that do not have immediate and recognizable effects. Finally, to the extent that the probabilities of job outcomes depend on the worker's own actions and health characteristics, any assessment of the probabilities of job outcomes would involve modifying the average job outcome probabilities to take these differences into account. The imperfect nature of worker information implies that workers will base their job choices on their subjective assessments of the risk rather than on a definitive objective index. Recent applications and extensions of Adam Smith's [1937] compensating wage differential analysis by Oi [1973], Thaler and Rosen [1976], R. Smith [1976], and myself in Viscusi [forthcoming-b] indicate that workers will demand wage premiums for jobs posing added risks. In the static models that have been developed, the probabilities associated with different job outcomes
Relationship between human sperm-hyaluronan binding assay and fertilization rate in conventional in vitro fertilization.

BACKGROUND Sperm-hyaluronan-binding assay (HBA) is one of the commercial kits being marketed for routine testing of sperm maturity and fertility. However, there is no report of whether the HBA can provide additional information over standard semen analysis for sperm-fertilizing ability. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between HBA and fertilization rate in conventional IVF. METHODS A total of 175 IVF patients with > or = 3 mature oocytes inseminated were included in the study. Both the standard semen analysis and the HBA were performed on the same ejaculated sperm samples used for IVF treatments. Relationships between the semen analysis and the HBA results and fertilization rate were analysed by both the Spearman test and the multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Both total and progressive sperm motility and normal morphology were highly correlated with HBA scores. While both normal sperm morphology and HBA scores were statistically significantly related to fertilization rates, the HBA was less significant than normal sperm morphology. The HBA does not provide additional information for identifying patients with a poor fertilization rate. CONCLUSION HBA is highly significantly correlated with sperm motility and morphology but is less significant than sperm morphology in relation to the fertilization rate in IVF. Thus, the clinical predictive value of HBA for sperm-fertilizing ability in vitro is limited.
The Voluntary Inclusion of Forecasts in the MD&A Section of Annual Reports

In this study, we appeal to theories advanced by Darrough and Stoughton (1990) to enhance our understanding of why some firms may voluntarily include directional forecasts in their annual reports while others do not. The data are consistent with their predictions that a firm's disclosure policy reflects its concern for both financial market valuation and product market competition. We find that for good news firms, the probability of forecasting is increasing in the financing requirements but decreasing in the threat of competitor entry. The converse holds for "bad news" firms. These results lend further empirical support to the observation that the familiar good news hypothesis tested in the management earnings forecast literature offers only a partial explanation for the decision to forecast. Interestingly, however, even after controlling for financial and product market considerations, an overall voluntary disclosure bias still exists in the data. The data also provide support for the OSC's concern about a voluntary disclosure bias. Only 17.5 percent of our sample forecasts represent revisions downward relative to the previous year's results. However, in contrast to the OSC's concern about a general lack of forward-looking disclosures in annual reports, 35.9 percent of our sample firms include directional forecasts in their MD&A or elsewhere in the annual report.
Two-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Axial Magnetic Flux Compression in Z-θ Pinch Configuration

There are ideas to combine advantages of inertial and magnetic approaches to issues of controlled nuclear fusion, when high enough magnetic field, applied to the system, is able to localize thermonuclear plasma in space, suppress diffusion heat outflow and alpha particles losses from the syntheses area. It is shown theoretically that obtaining of ultra-high (up to 100 MG) magnetic fields could be achieved by radial compression of initial axial magnetic field in Z-θpinch configuration. Existence of the magnetic field "shear" in such plasma systems stipulates their high stability to various magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities development, able to destroy initial cylindrical symmetry of the configuration. Stable >20-fold radial compression of annular plasma shell, formed by hollow gas-puffs, were obtained in different experiments with Z-θ pinches in the currents amplitude of 1.2-7.5 MA. Study of the processes in Z-/sp0l theta/ pinch, formed by multi-wire array, is of independent interest from the points of view of diagnostics and investigation of multi-wire liners implosion physics. In this paper we present calculation results of longitudinal magnetic field compression at sub-microsecond Z-θpinch implosion, powered with current of ~6 MA amplitude from helical magnetocumulative generator (MCG) of 200 mm diameter, equipped with explosive current opening switch (EOS).
Do Politics Cause Regime Shifts in Monetary Policy?

type="main" xml:lang="en"> Whether or not politics cause changes in monetary policy is controversial in the literature. This article re-examines the link between politics and regime shifts in monetary policy using two alternative approaches. First, empirical results show that both the presidential and Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) chairmanship regimes do not influence monetary policy under the assumption that the Fed closely follows an interest rate rule. On the other hand, evidence also suggests that changes in political regimes are able to account for the deviations from the optimal Taylor rule. (JEL E52, E58, D78)
Economic Growth and Tourism Demand in Croatia: the Cyclical Component Analysis

Development of tourism has often been considered as a positive contributor to economic growth. The impact of tourism to a country economy is multifaceted. As such, tourism may represent an excellent tool for development. This paper presents preliminary findings using descriptive statistics and spectral analysis. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between the cyclical components of Croatian economy for periods 1972-2013. Using spectral analysis the authors compare the cyclical fluctuations of gross domestic product (GDP) and total tourist arrivals. VAR analysis is also applied in order to detect the relationship between analysed cyclical components in Croatia. JEL Classification: E42, L83, E27, O40, C22
Community perceptions of carbon sequestration: insights from California

Over the last decade, many energy experts have supported carbon sequestration as a viable technological response to climate change. Given the potential importance of sequestration in US energy policy, what might explain the views of communities that may be directly impacted by the siting of this technology? To answer this question, we conducted focus groups in two communities who were potentially pilot project sites for California’s DOE-funded West Coast Regional Partnership (WESTCARB). We find that communities want a voice in defining the risks to be mitigated as well as the justice of the procedures by which the technology is implemented. We argue that a community’s sense of empowerment is key to understanding its range of carbon sequestration opinions, where ‘empowerment’ includes the ability to mitigate community-defined risks of the technology. This sense of empowerment protects the community against the downside risk of government or corporate neglect, a risk that is rarely identified in risk assessments but that should be factored into assessment and communication strategies.
The 150‐hour rule: does it improve CPA exam performance?

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has established 150 semester hours as the minimum education requirement to qualify to take the CPA examination. This educational requirement is generally believed to impose additional potential costs on students, academic accounting departments, public accounting firms, and audit clients. Since a goal of the 150‐hour rule is to improve the overall quality of work performed by CPAs, it is worthwhile to examine whether an association exists between the number of semester hours of education and performance on the CPA exam. After controlling for SAT scores (verbal and quantitative), accounting credit hours, and enrollment in CPA coaching courses, this study found that first‐time candidates, on a national basis, having a minimum of 150‐semester hours of education performed better on the CPA exam. We interpret these results as indicating that there are benefits to students, CPA firms, and their audit clients from the higher education standard.
Ownership Structure, Deregulation, and Bank Risk Taking

This paper investigates the relationship between bank ownership structure and risk taking. It is hypothesized that stockholder controlled banks have incentives to take higher risk than managerially controlled banks and that these differences in risk become more pronounced in periods of deregulation. In support of this hypothesis, the authors show that stockholder controlled banks exhibit significantly higher risk taking behavior than managerially controlled banks during the 1979-82 period of relative deregulation. Copyright 1990 by American Finance Association.
Determinants for South African SMEs to Adopt Broadband Internet Technologies

Internet based technology is globally endorsed as a stimulant for small business success (Chibelushi and Costello, 2009). For the last twenty years, the Small Medium Enterprise (SME) business segment is seen as a key driver to social and economic growth in South Africa (Manuel, 1995). The purpose of the research was to identify and rank all socio‐psychological influences on South African SMEs at macro (institutional), meso (industrial) and micro (individual) levels to adopt and use broadband based internet. The Technology‐Organisational‐Environmental (TOE) model proposed by Tornatzky and Fleischer (1990) was augmented with the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) (Fishbein and Ajzen, 2011) to ensure reasonable inter‐relatedness and defragmentation of the various socio‐psychological items, including environmental, industry and technology level influences. Exploratory factor analysis was used to establish specific factors influencing broadband adoption amongst SMEs in South Africa. Three levels of statistical testing were conducted: testing strength of all items using exploratory factor analysis, testing factor impact on independent variables (business activity and turnover) through one‐way ANOVA and predictability testing using logistic regression analysis. This was done across multiple SME sectors and business sizes. Purposive sampling was used, with a target of both users and non‐users of broadband technologies, and a response rate of 14.1% (211 valid observations) was obtained across both sets. From the ANOVA analysis, there was a significant impact of technology drivers on retail businesses, and higher impact on manufacturing than on transport. It was found that organisational elements related significantly differently across varying sizes of businesses, especially between retail versus manufacturing entities. Finally, for the environmental factor, supplier and customer influence on SMEs weighed in relatively higher than competitor pressure. It is recommended that to enhance business climate for broadband adoption, key operator tactics for supply need to be defined and market conditions adjusted to influence demand. Ultimately, the paper suggests that an ecosystem of elements that must be managed to assist in widespread adoption, over and above technology readiness and possibilities in using broadband based ICT for SME growth.
A Smooth-Transition Model of the Australian Unemployment Rate

Models of the aggregate unemployment rate have traditionally been estimated from structural models of the labour market or in a linear single-equation framework. However, theory as well as evidence suggest that the unemployment rate is asymmetric and should be modelled in a non-linear framework. In this paper the unemployment rate in Australia is modelled as a non-linear function of aggregate demand and real wages. Negative changes in aggregate demand cause the unemployment rate to rise rapidly, while real wage rigidity contributes its to slow adjustment back towards a lower level of unemployment. The model is developed by exploiting recent developments in automated model-selection procedures.
HRM in the Knowledge Economy: Realising the Potential

In the knowledge economy, knowledge-based capabilities are the key to competitive advantage. At the firm level, this places the enterprise’s people, their knowledge and innovative capacity at the heart of strategic potential, and organisations that excel in attracting, creating, managing and sustaining knowledge capabilities are advantaged. Human resource management (HRM) has over recent years been exhorted to demonstrate its position as a strategic partner to executive management: this promise has been only partially realised.In this article, we explore the knowledge economy and the management of knowledge from an HRM perspective. Commanding a central position in realising value from knowledge assets is proposed as a strategic role for HRM. Specifically, HRM must respond to the key challenges presented by the knowledge economy. We identify four HRM priorities: becoming expert in identifying and defining strategic knowledge capabilities; developing and managing knowledge workers by leveraging the knowing-.
Interactive measurement and characterization of DNA molecules by analysis of AFM images

In the past few years, computer‐based analysis of atomic‐force microscopic images has acquired increasing importance for studying biomolecules such as DNA. On the one hand, fully automated methods do not allow analysis of complex shapes; on the other hand, manual methods are usually time consuming and inaccurate. The semiautomated approach presented in this report overcomes the drawbacks of both methods.
Regulation of zygotic gene activation in the mouse

Zygotic gene activation (ZGA) is the critical event that governs the transition from maternal to embryonic control of development. In the mouse, ZGA occurs during the 2‐cell stage and appears to be regulated by the time following fertilization, i.e. a zygotic clock, rather than by progression through the first cell cycle. The onset of ZGA must depend on maternally inherited proteins, and post‐translational modification of these maternally derived proteins is likely to play a role in ZGA. Consistent with this prediction is that protein phosphorylation catalyzed by the cAMP‐dependent protein kinase is involved in ZGA and that protein synthesis is not required for ZGA. Recent results suggest that ZGA may occur earlier than previously thought, i.e. not during the 2‐cell stage, but rather in G2 of the 1‐cell embryo. Thus ZGA may comprise a period of minor gene activation in the 1‐cell embryo that is followed by a period of major gene activation in the 2‐cell embryo. Following ZGA, the expression of constitutively activated genes may require an enhancer.
The politics of European union regional policy

Abstract Integration in the European Community/Union has progressed on three fronts: the creation of a common market; the development of common institutions; and the forging of common policies. Contrary to the expectations of early functionalist and neo‐functionalist observers, the three have not proceeded in concert. Market integration has progressed a long way, albeit in fits and starts. Institutional integration has lagged. Common policies have proved most difficult of all, especially where they have required funding. The budget of the European Union will amount to a maximum of 1.27 per cent of GDP by 1999. There are two notable exceptions to this: the Common Agricultural Policy, and regional policy, now encompassed in the ‘structural funds’. This article examines two issues. First, we ask how and why regional policy has been able to advance to the point that structural funds now account for almost a third of the Union budget. Second, we ask about the effects of this expansion on political mobilization.
A Test of Audit Pricing in the Small-Client Segment: A Comment

This study is the second to provide a richer test of the association between auditor size and audit fees by using three audit firm size classes in the small-client segment of the U.S. audit market. The finding of a Big 8 (now Big 6) price premium is consistent with Francis and Simon [1]. However, this price premium exists only with respect to local/regional firms. Francis und Simon showed that the Big 8 price premium exists with respect to both second-tier and local/regional firms. The present study also provides evidence of a second-tier price premium over local/regional firms. The results imply product differentiation to both Big 8 and second-tier firms. Plausible reasons for differences in results between the two studies are given.
Detection and Discrimination of Cryptosporidium parvum and C. hominis in Water Samples by Immunomagnetic Separation-PCR

ABSTRACT Cryptosporidium parvum and C. hominis have been the cause of large and serious outbreaks of waterborne cryptosporidiosis. A specific and sensitive recovery-detection method is required for control of this pathogen in drinking water. In the present study, nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), which targets the divergent Cpgp40/15 gene, was developed. This nested PCR detected only the gene derived from C. parvum and C. hominis strains, and RFLP was able to discriminate between the PCR products from C. parvum and C. hominis. To evaluate the sensitivity of nested PCR, C. parvum oocysts inoculated in water samples of two different turbidities were recovered by immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and detected by nested PCR and fluorescent antibody assay (FA). Genetic detection by nested PCR and oocyst number confirmed by FA were compared, and the results suggested that detection by nested PCR depends on the confirmed oocyst number and that nested PCR in combination with IMS has the ability to detect a single oocyst in a water sample. We applied an agitation procedure with river water solids to which oocysts were added to evaluate the recovery and detection by the procedure in environmental samples and found some decrease in the rate of detection by IMS.
Do Passive or Active Investors Make Better Asset Allocation Decisions?

Mutual fund investors demonstrate their asset allocation preferences through their investment dollars, or net fund flows. Gruber [1996] and Zheng [1999] noted that mutual fund investors appear to be “smart” because the short-term performance of funds that experience inflows is significantly better than the short-term performance of those that experience outflows. However, Frazzini and Lamont [2008] countered those findings and noted that mutual fund investors appear to be “dumb,” because retail investors reduce their wealth in the long run by reallocating across different mutual funds. What is not clear from these findings is the difference in the “intelligence” of active and passive investors. The results of the analysis conducted for this article suggest that when net flows are ranked and sorted for all active and passive mutual funds across the nine domestic equity styles, both types of investors are “smart” over the short term, which is consistent with past research. Active investors are “dumb” in the long term,however,while passive investors remain “smart” in the long term (i.e., they make wise long-term asset allocation investing decisions).
A COST-UTILITY ANALYSIS OF PREGABALIN IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHIC PAIN

Abstract OBJECTIVES: To assess the cost per QALY (quality-adjusted life years) of pregabalin in the management of peripheral neuropathic pain. METHODS: We compared pregabalin on top of “usual care” with “usual care” alone. In this study, usual care was defined as a mix of drug therapies, excluding anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), because the latter represented only 9% of current use, and clinical evidence of pregabalin was demonstrated versus usual care without anti-epileptic drugs. A Markov model was developed to simulate the evolution of a patient cohort over 1 year, and applied cycles of 4 weeks. During each cycle, patients remained in 1 out of 4 possible states: severe, moderate or mild pain, and therapy withdrawal. The health care payers perspective was taken into account. Clinical data were obtained from a trial comparing usual care plus placebo to usual care plus pregabalin, at either 150, 300, or 300/600 mg/day (the latter depending on clearance of creatinin). Resulting effects on pain were transformed into transition-probabilities between different pain levels. Cost and SF36 utility data of pain levels were obtained from a 1-month observational study in 88 patients. RESULTS: Usual care resulted in a yearly cost of € 6,200 compared to € 5,984 for an all dose pregabalin-mix, meaning a cost saving of € 216 per patient. Utility increase was 0.01 for the pregabalin-mix (QALY 0.510 usual care; 0.520 pregabalin-mix). MonteCarlo analysis showed cost savings were not significant. However, the utility gain, albeit small, was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this analysis, it may be concluded, that in the considered patient population, at the specialist level, pregabalin is at least cost neutral to current usual care (without AEDs) and offers a slight but significant increase in quality of life.