Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are Transparent Banks More Efficient? Evidence from Russia

This study examines the relationship between bank transparency and efficiency. Using a unique data set for Russian banks, we find that transparency is important and that, among the dimensions of transparency, the transparency in board and management structure and process represents the most significant determinant. These results are controlled for size effects, the structure of liabilities, the structure of assets, and nonperforming loans. This highlights the role of transparency in improving efficiency, particularly in transition economies.
Can access to spirometry in asthma education centres influence the referral rate by primary physicians for education?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Asthma remains uncontrolled in a large number of asthmatic patients. Recent surveys have shown that a minority of asthmatic patients are referred to asthma educators. The objective of the present study was to assess the influence of increased access to spirometry in asthma education centres (AECs) on the rate of patient referrals to these centres by general practitioners. METHODS A one-year, prospective, randomized, multicentric, parallel group study was conducted over two consecutive periods of six months each, with added spirometry being offered in the second six-month period to the experimental group. Ten AECs were enrolled in the project. An advertisement describing the AECs' services was sent by mail to a total of 303 general practitioners at the start of each period, inviting them to refer their patients. Measures of the frequency of medical referrals to the AECs were assessed for each period. RESULTS The group of AECs randomly selected for spirometry in the second six-month period received 48 medical referrals during the first period and 32 during the second one, following proposed spirometry. AECs that had not offered spirometry received five referrals during the first period and seven during the second period. One AEC withdrew a few weeks after the study began and others encountered administrative problems, reducing their ability to provide interventions. CONCLUSIONS Referral to AECs is not yet integrated into the primary care of asthma and offering more rapid access to spirometry in the AECs does not seem to be a significant incentive for such referrals.
Examining risk reporting in UK public companies

Purpose – This paper examines risk information disclosed by UK public companies within their annual reports. The types of risk information disclosed are analyzed and the authors examine whether a relationship exists between company size or level of risk and risk disclosure totals. Design/methodology/approach – No prior empirical studies of the risk information content of annual reports have been undertaken. To analyze the risk disclosures, a sentence-based approach was used. Findings – Overall the results indicate that the companies sampled are not providing a complete picture of the risks they face. There is minimal disclosure of quantified risk information and a significant proportion of risk disclosures consist of generalized statements of risk policy. More usefully directors are releasing forward-looking risk information. The principal driver affecting levels of risk disclosure is company size and not company risk level. Research limitations/implications – Further risk disclosure research is possible in many different areas. Cross-country studies could be undertaken as could risk disclosure studies within specific industry sectors. A limitation of the sentence-based methodology is that it does not measure the quality of the risk disclosures and therefore different methods may be adopted in future studies. Practical implications – Professional bodies attempting to improve risk reporting have not convinced directors of the benefits associated with greater voluntary risk disclosure. In the UK this has led to a mandatory requirement to provide better risk information being forced upon companies through legislation enacted by the UK government. Originality/value – The area this paper researches is of particular importance given recent accounting scandals that have occurred. No previous risk disclosure studies have been published, therefore this exploration is also valuable in linking risk management and transparency.
The EBC Monetary Policy and its Taylor-type Reaction Function

In this paper we review and estimate Taylor-type reaction functions of the ECB for the first five years of EMU. We find economically plausible specifications indicating that the ECB has attached a large and stabilizing weight to inflation but no significant weight to money growth. This result supports the view that the ECB strives to maintain low inflation, but contradicts the claim made by the ECB that the monetary pillar is of particular importance. In a further step, we analyse the structural stability of the estimated reaction functions. While a recursive analysis indicates some signs of instability in June 2003, which almost coincides with the strategy revision of the ECB announced in May 2003, it is difficult to verify this by means of formal statistical tests. Overall, the estimation and test results indicate that reaction functions with survey indicators as explanatory variables have plausible inflation and output gap weights and show least evidence of instability.
The Leontief Paradox, Reconsidered

Using the Heckscher-Ohlin-Vanek model of trade, it is shown that a country is revealed to be relatively well endowed in capital compared with labor if and only if one of the following three conditions holds, where K"x, K"m, L"x, L"m, K"c, L"c are capital and labor embodied in exports, imports, and consumption: (a) K"x - K"m > 0, L"x - L"m < 0; (b) K"x - K"m > 0, L"x - L"m > 0, (K"x - K"m)/(L"x - L"m) > K"c/L"c; (c) K"x - K"m < 0, L"x - L"m < 0, (K"x - K"m)/(L"x - L"m) < K"c/L"c. Leontief's data for the United States in 1947 satisfy b, and the United States is actually revealed by trade to be capital abundant. The comparison by Leontief of K"x/L"x with K"m/L"m is shown to be theoretically inappropriate.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Occupational Environment during Exposure to Bitumen Fumes

Bitumens are produced and commonly used in paving, roofing and flooring operations, as well as corrosion-protective materials in Polish industry. During these processes bitumens, heated to the temperature range from 140°C to 200°C, emit multicomponent mixtures of toxic substances into the workplace air. Assessment of workers’ exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during road paving and production of roofing papers, asphalt-rubber blend and lute was the aim of this study. The results indicated that PAHs were detected in the breathing zone of all workers. Especially dangerous to human health was the process of roofing paper production. Exposure factors for PAHs (benzo [a] pyrene, benzo [a] anthracene, anthracene, dibenzo [a, h,] antracene, benzo [b] fluoranthene, benzo [k] fluoranthene, indeno [1,2,3-c, d] pyrene, chrysene, benzo [g, h, i] perylene) went up to 20.88 μg/m 3
To trust or not to trust: the consumer’s dilemma with e-banking

The purpose of this research is to investigate whether a consumer’s perception of risk in transacting on the internet (Perceived Risk) would have an influence on their trust of a bank’s e-banking website (Specific Trust) and their willingness to use e-banking. Data were collected from a survey and a usable sample of 202 was obtained. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to test the model. The results showed that Perceived Risk has a direct influence on a consumer’s willingness to use e-banking and Specific Trust has a positive moderating influence on the relationship between Perceived Risk and a consumer’s willingness to use e-banking. Consumers who have low perceived risk of transacting on the internet are generally more willing to use e-banking. Their willingness to use e-banking was also shown to be more pronounced in cases where the consumer also trust their bank’s e-banking website. These findings are of particular relevance to banks. It highlights that a consumer’s willingness to use e-banking primarily depends on their perception of risk in transacting on the internet; trust of the specific e-banking website was secondary. This suggests the need for banks to not only employ mechanisms to build trust for their specific e-banking website, but that banks should first take measures to educate their customers and manage general consumer perceptions of the risks of transacting on the internet.
Public Works as a Safety Net: Design, Evidence, and Implementation

From the Victorian poor laws in nineteenth century Britain to the post-war recovery of the 1940s, public works programs have historically played an important role as countercyclical interventions to address seasonal and short-term unemployment. In recent times, the role of public works has broadened, because globalization and economic integration, while expanding opportunities for all, has also increased the exposure to and transmission of risk, especially to the poorest. Public works are now being used increasingly across the developing world as an essential part of the social protection toolkit to respond to risk and persistent poverty. And recent flagship public works programs in Argentina, Ethiopia, India, and elsewhere have sparked even greater interest in their effective use in other developing-country contexts. This book provides a comprehensive overview of public works programs as a safety net instrument and their impacts. It also provides a practical review of program design features and implementation methods, and a compendium of operational and how-to knowledge, combining technical expertise with ongoing country experiences. The book thus fills a major knowledge gap in this field. To date, much attention has been devoted to making the case for improved public works, with less attention paid to the how-to aspects. The target audience of the book includes policy makers and practitioners in national and sub-national governments, donors and international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations, particularly those working in countries where a new wave of social protection interventions has been seen in recent years (e.g., Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda) or is likely to emerge in the future (e.g., countries emerging from the Arab Spring in the Middle East, like the Arab Republic of Egypt).
PROFESSIONAL SOCIALISATION, COMMERCIAL PRESSURES AND JUNIOR STAFF'S TIME-PRESSURED IRREGULAR AUDITING—A CONTEXTUAL INTERPRETATION

Abstract Research suggests a correlation between commercial concerns, time pressures and junior staff's ‘irregular auditing’ that results in audit failures. This article examines junior staff's irregular auditing in the context of trainees' normal auditing responsibilities and the specific nature of time pressures at their firms. The discussion recognises that omnipresent commercial concerns often leads to adoption of new audit methods that may militate against time pressures. Empirical evidence from in-depth interviews is used to highlight that firms that use risk-based auditing expect their trainees to help realise commercial gains by focusing audit work on areas where material misstatements could occur. The evidence shows that trainees do concentrate work on areas where material misstatements could occur. Acts that reduce audit quality occur in other areas and may often be seen by senior staff who may sanction extra work, if necessary. The article uses these findings to infer that junior staff do not have low regard for audit protocol.
Transmission Mechanisms of Monetary Policy in Armenia: Evidence from VAR Analysis

This paper examines monetary policy transmission in Armenia in light of the authorities' intention to shift to an inflation-targeting regime over the medium term. We find that the capability of monetary policy to influence economic activity and inflation is still limited, as important channels of monetary transmission are not fully functional. In particular, the interest rate channel remains weak, even though there is some evidence of transmission to prices of changes in the repo rate, the central bank's new operating target for inflation. As in other emerging and transition economies with a high degree of dollarization, the exchange rate channel has a strong impact on the inflation rate. Moreover, we find that inflation does respond to broad money shocks, once foreign currency deposits are included.
Does a win bonus help to increase profit or wins in professional team sports

In a sports league, team owners can expect to increase player performance, and the team’s winning percentage or profits, by providing a win bonus on top of the players’ fixed salary level. In some clubs, the guaranteed player salary is relatively low and the premium, in case of a winning game, relatively high, whereas in other clubs, hardly any win bonus is paid. In this theoretical paper, we investigate what the impact of a win bonus is on the winning percentage, the competitive balance, the owner profits and the overall quality in a professional sports league. The model we start from is an extension of the well-known Quirk and Fort (1992) two-club model where a premium system is introduced consisting of a win bonus that is paid on top of a fixed salary. Assuming that players are motivated to increase effort if their salary depends on the winning percentage, we derive the Nash-Cournot equilibrium under both the profit and a win maximisation hypothesis. The impact of a premium system turns out to be rather complex, given the fact that clubs react to the strategies of other clubs in the league. The team that introduces a premium system can expect to increase its profits or its winning percentage by paying a bonus combined with a reduced fixed salary. A crucial factor, though, is the players’ response to the win bonus. If the team’s effort is not enhanced enough by the bonus, the team’s profits and wining percentage can go down. Also the effect that an increased winning percentage has on the current season revenue is an important factor.
Dividend Yields and Stock Returns: Evidence of Time Variation between Bull and Bear Markets

This study documents persistent shifts in the relationship between stock returns and dividend yields over bull and bear markets. The shift in this relationship appears as a separate effect, distinct from the January effect, and after controlling for firm size and systematic risk. After controlling for these other factors, dividend yield is positively related to return during bear markets but negatively related to return during bull markets. This time-varying relationship between dividend yield and stock return helps to explain the anomalous results of earlier studies. Copyright 1993 by MIT Press.
Immune function is more compromised after closed bone fracture and hemorrhagic shock than hemorrhage alone.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether closed bone fracture in conjunction with hemorrhagic shock compromises immune functions more severely than hemorrhagic shock alone. DESIGN In a randomized, controlled trial, closed bone fracture of the right lower leg and/or hemorrhagic shock (mean +/- SEM arterial blood pressure, 35 +/- 5 mm Hg for 90 minutes) were induced in male C3H/HeN mice (weight, 25 g). Animals subjected to hemorrhage were resuscitated with the shed blood and lactated Ringer solution. At 72 hours after the experiment, all animals were killed to obtain whole blood, splenocytes, and splenic and peritoneal macrophages. Macrophage interleukin-1 and splenocyte interleukin-2 and interleukin-3 release were determined by bioassay, and splenocyte proliferation was measured by tritiated thymidine incorporation. RESULTS Closed bone fracture alone did not affect immune functions 72 hours after the trauma. Hemorrhagic shock, however, induced a significant depression of splenocyte and macrophage functions. Bone fracture followed by hemorrhagic shock further depressed splenocyte proliferation and splenocyte interleukin-2 and interleukin-3 release as well as interleukin-1 release. CONCLUSION Since bone injury coupled with hemorrhagic shock produces more severe depression of immune functions than hemorrhage alone, bone injury appears to play a contributory role in further depressing immune functions in trauma patients who experience major blood loss.
Technology, Growth and Competitiveness: Selected Essays

Part 1 Technology and growth: a technology gap approach to why growth rates differ modern capitalism in the 1970s and 1980s East Asian growth - a critical assessment heading for divergence? regional growth in Europe reconsidered technology, growth and unemployment across European regions vision and fact - a critical essay on the growth literature. Part 2 Technology, trade and structural change: structural changes in international trade - who gains, who loses? the method of constant market shares analysis reconsidered diffusion, structural change and intra-regional trade - the case of Nordic countries 1961-1983 small open economies in the world market electronics - the case of Nordic countries Europe at the crossroads - the challenge from innovation-based growth. Part 3 Technology and competitiveness: international competitiveness user-producer interaction, learning and comparative advantage is there a large-country advantage in high-tech? competitiveness, scale and R technology and competitiveness.
Interleukin-18 ( rs 187238 ) and glucose transporter 4 ( rs 5435 ) polymorphisms in Euro-Brazilians with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease with a strong genetic component that has been associated with several genetic loci. Interleukin 18 (IL-18) is a potent proinflammatory cytokine, which is involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses, and in the pathogenesis of various diseases including T1D. Glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) is known to be an insulin-responsive glucose transporter and has been associated with various diseases, including diabetes mellitus. We investigated the association of the polymorphisms rs187238 (IL18) and rs5435 (GLUT4) in a case-control study in Euro-Brazilians with T1D (N = 136) and healthy subjects (N = 144). Real-time PCR with TaqMan® fluorescent probes were applied for genotyping. All polymorphisms were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The minor allele frequencies for the G-allele (rs187238; IL-18) in healthy and T1D groups were 28.5% [95%CI = 23-34%] vs 31.6% [95%CI = 2637%], P = 0.416, and for the T-allele (rs5435, GLUT4) were 33% 2 Y. Al-Lahham et al. Genetics and Molecular Research 16 (3): gmr16039755 [95%CI = 28-39] vs 27% [95%CI = 23-33%], P = 0.167, respectively. Genotype comparisons for both polymorphisms showed no significant differences (P > 0.05). The polymorphisms rs187238 and rs5435 were not associated with T1D in the studied population. The minor allele frequencies for both polymorphisms were similar to those of other Caucasian populations.
An analysis of bilateral intra-industry trade in the food processing sector

This paper analyses determinants of intra-industry trade in food processing for a 30-country sample over the period 1964–85. Previous studies have tested the hypothesis that imperfect competition is a major determinant of intra-industry trade (IIT) in the durable goods manufacturing sectors. This study is distinguised from the earlier studies of IIT by; the examination of the processed food sector (SIC=20), the use of a panel data set for 22 years and 30 countries available at the four-digit SIC level, the use of purchasing power parity measures of GDP, and the use of a weighted tobit model with fixed effects to account for the censored cross-section time-series nature of the date. The results indicate that ITI in food processing is a positive function of a country's GDP per capita and equality if GDP per capita between countries. In addition, it is also found that such trade is strongly influenced by distance between trading partners, membership in customs unions and free trade blocs, and also exchange r.
Propofol Affects Neurodegeneration and Neurogenesis by Regulation of Autophagy via Effects on Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis

Background: In human cortical neural progenitor cells, we investigated the effects of propofol on calcium homeostasis in both the ryanodine and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate calcium release channels. We also studied propofol-mediated effects on autophagy, cell survival, and neuro- and gliogenesis. Methods: The dose–response relationship between propofol concentration and duration was studied in neural progenitor cells. Cell viability was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and lactate dehydrogenase release assays. The effects of propofol on cytosolic calcium concentration were evaluated using Fura-2, and autophagy activity was determined by LC3II expression levels with Western blot. Proliferation and differentiation were evaluated by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and immunostaining with neuronal and glial markers. Results: Propofol dose- and time-dependently induced cell damage and elevated LC3II expression, most robustly at 200 µM for 24 h (67 ± 11% of control, n = 12 to 19) and 6 h (2.4 ± 0.5 compared with 0.6 ± 0.1 of control, n = 7), respectively. Treatment with 200 &mgr;M propofol also increased cytosolic calcium concentration (346 ± 71% of control, n = 22 to 34). Propofol at 10 µM stimulated neural progenitor cell proliferation and promoted neuronal cell fate, whereas propofol at 200 µM impaired neuronal proliferation and promoted glial cell fate (n = 12 to 20). Cotreatment with ryanodine and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor antagonists and inhibitors, cytosolic Ca2+ chelators, or autophagy inhibitors mostly mitigated the propofol-mediated effects on survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Conclusions: These results suggest that propofol-mediated cell survival or neurogenesis is closely associated with propofol’s effects on autophagy by activation of ryanodine and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors.