Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consumer Credit Scoring: Do Situational Circumstances Matter?

Although credit history scoring offers benefits to lenders and borrowers, failure to consider situational circumstances raises important statistical issues that may affect the ability of scoring systems to accurately quantify an individual's credit risk. Evidence from a national sample of credit reporting agency records suggests that failure to consider measures of local economic circumstances and individual trigger events when developing credit history scores can diminish the potential effectiveness of such models. There are practical difficulties, however, associated with developing scoring models that incorporate situational data, arising largely because of inherent limitations of the credit reporting agency databases used to build scoring models.
Circulating GH Isoforms and GH Bioactivity in Preterm Neonates

Among the molecular variants of human GH, the monomeric 22-kD is the predominant isoform, whereas the 20-kD is the second most abundant isoform. Because little is known on the pattern of human GH isoforms in the early postnatal period, we evaluated serum levels of 22-kD GH by an immunofluorometric assay and of 20-kD GH by an ELISA using an anti-20-kD antibody, and measured GH bioactivity with the Nb2 cell bioassay in 19 preterm neonates (gestational age, 32 ± 0.5 wk; mean ± SEM) on the fourth and 15th days of life. As control subjects, we studied 19 full-term neonates (gestational age, 39 ± 0.3 wk) on the fourth day of life and 20 healthy adults, aged 20 ± 0.3 y. Four-day-old preterm neonates showed significantly higher serum values of 20-kD GH (0.99 ± 0.14 ng/mL) than full-term neonates (0.33 ± 0.07 ng/mL;p < 0.001) and adults (0.09 ± 0.02;p < 0.0001). Likewise, 22-kD GH and GH levels by Nb2 cell bioassay were also significantly higher (p < 0.001) in preterm than in full-term neonates and young adults. A significant decrease (p < 0.01) in 20-kD, 22-kD, and Nb2-determined GH was observed in preterm neonates on the 15th day of life The percentage of the 20-kD isoform was similar in the preterm infants at the fourth and 15th day, in full-term infants, and in adults (2.7%, 2.7%, 2.8%, and 3.16%, respectively). Our results indicate that 20-kD GH serum levels change throughout life as regards total amount, but not as regards percentage.
Was it worth it? Gender boundaries and the role of adult education in labour market progress

Despite a number of relevant longitudinal studies carried out in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United States of America, there is a relative paucity of research into the long-term outcomes of adult return to learning. This paper uses data from the first survey in Scotland into the longterm outcomes of adult learning (in this case, formal education/training) in order to explore the potential of adult learning for enhancing social citizenship,by facilitating labour market insertion and progress. The paper focuses particularly on an analysis of gender patterns. The issues addressed are: the extent to which respondents expected participation in adult education to benefit them in the labour market; whether labour-market-orientated participation in adult education brought positive occupational outcomes; the extent to which unintended labour market outcomes arose from participation in adult education; how women who undertook adult education did in labour market terms compared to men; to what extent personal perception of labour market progress was related to income; the kind of adult education which appeared to bring the most beneficial labour market outcomes; and any differences between men and women in this respect.
Double Bolt Regulation of Rad51 by p53: A Role for Transcriptional Repression

The regulation of homologous recombination (HR) by p53 has been currently associated with its non-transactivating function; now the transcriptional repression of the Rad51 gene by p53 has been elucidated. This extra control by p53 involves the transcriptional down-regulation of Rad51 protein, which in turn accounts for the reduction of functional Rad51 foci. Down regulation of Rad51 protein might be relevant, considering that Rad51 is a rate-limiting factor in HR. Moreover, impaired Rad51-repression by p53 mutant proteins may contribute to malignant transformation.
Trading volume, bid–ask spread, and price volatility in futures markets

In this study, we examined the relations between trading volume, bid–ask spread, and price volatility on four financial and metal futures. Hausman’s (1978) tests of specification confirmed that trading volume, bid–ask spread, and price volatility are jointly determined. We estimated the parameters and elasticities of trading volume, bid–ask spread, and price volatility in a three‐equation structural model, using the generalized method of moments (GMM) procedure. Results indicate that there was a positive relationship between trading volume and price volatility but an inverse relationship between trading volume and bid–ask spread after we controlled for other factors. Furthermore, results show that price volatility had a positive relationship with bid–ask spread and a negative relationship with lagged trading volume. In addition, we found that the ordinary least‐squares parameter estimates of each equation model were often severely underestimated in comparison with those consistent estimates obtained from the GMM estimation. Results from this study have important policy implications. Our results indicate that a transaction tax, which is analogous to a greater bid–ask spread, will reduce trading volume, although the reduction is not as great as we previously estimated. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 20:943–970, 2000
Olfactory Bulbectomy Modifies Photic Entrainment and Circadian Rhythms of Body Temperature and Locomotor Activity in a Nocturnal Primate

Studies on rodents have emphasized that removal of the olfactory bulbs modulates circadian rhythmicity. Using telemetric recordings of both body temperature (Tb) and locomotor activity (LA) in a male nocturnal primate, the gray mouse lemur, the authors investigated the effects of olfactory bulbectomy on (1) the circadian periods of Tb and LA in constant dim light condition, and (2) photic reentrainment rates of circadian rhythms following 6-h phase shifts of entrained light-dark cycle (LD 12:12). Under free-running condition, bulb-ectomized males had significantly shorter circadian periods of Tb and LA rhythms than those of control males. However, the profiles of Tb rhythms, characterized by a phase of hypothermia at the beginning of the subjective day, and Tb parameters were not modified by olfactory bulbectomy. Under a light-dark cycle, olfactory bulbectomy significantly modified the expression of daily hypothermia, especially by an increase in the latency to reach minimal daily Tb, suggesting a delayed response to induction of daily hypothermia by light onset. Re-entrainment rates following both a 6-h phase advance and a 6-h phase delay of entrained LD were also delayed in bulbectomized males. Olfactory bulbectomy led to significant fragmentation of locomotor activity and increased locomotor activity levels during the resting period. The shortening of circadian periods in bulbectomized males could partly explain the delayed responses to photic stimuli since in control males, the longer the circadian period, the better the response to light entrainment. This experiment shows for the 1st time that olfactory bulbs can markedly modify the circadian system in a primate.
Exploring Heterogeneous Mobile Architectures with a High-Level Programming Model

The development of new technologies is setting a new era characterized, among other factors, by the rise of sophisticated mobile devices containing CPUs and GPUs. This emerging scenario of heterogeneous mobile architectures brings challenging issues regarding the use of the available computing resources. Such issues are mainly related to the intrinsic complexity of coordinating these processors in order to increase application performance. In this sense, this paper presents a high-level programming model to implement parallel patterns that can be executed in a coordinate way by heterogeneous mobile architectures. A comparative analysis of performance and programming complexity is presented, contrasting code generated automatically from the proposed programming model with low-level manually-optimized implementations.
The Separation of Real Estate Operations By Spin-Off

In this paper, we consider spin-offs as a vehicle to separate real estate operations from other real estate and/or non-real estate operations. For a sample of 33 such spin-offs announced and completed between 1962 and 1982, we document significantly positive abnormal returns around spin-off announcements. Using the standard event-time methodology, we find average excess returns of 5.7% in the two-day interval surrounding the first Wall Street Journal report of a pending spin-off. While the gains associated with spin-offs by real estate firms are positive on average, they are small in comparison to the 9.1% two-day announcement period abnormal returns surrounding proposals by non-real estate firms to divest real estate operations. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.
Pharmacological complications of the chronic baclofen infusion in the severe spinal spasticity. Personal experience and review of the literature.

AIM To evaluate the pharmacological complications and side effects of the chronic intrathecal baclofen infusion in patients suffering from intractable spinal spasticity in our Department as well as in the literature. METHODS The pharmacological complications and side effects observed at long-term follow-up in 25 patients with chronic intrathecal baclofen infusion are evaluated; the search of the literature complications was carried out in Medline and in Ingenta web sites. RESULTS We have been able to observe in our series 3 (12%) patients with hypotonia, 2 with impairment on erection (8%) and 1 (4%) with constipation; 5 (20%) patients showed also tolerance but only 1 (4%) needed a ''drug holiday''. In the literature the side effects range from 4% to 16%. Moreover the tolerance is reported from 3% to 15%. The overdose has been reported from 0% to 14%, while the syndrome of withdrawal is reported in 16 patients with 6 fatalities. In our series these two last complications were not observed. CONCLUSIONS Lethal pharmacological complications are rare and, if promptly diagnosed and treated, are reversible. Side effects of minor importance can impair the patient quality of live and needed to be adjusted to patient's requirements. This kind of therapy should be restricted to specialized centres.
Strong, sustained hepatocellular proliferation precedes hepatocarcinogenesis in hepatitis B surface antigen transgenic mice

Hepatocyte turnover rates were studied in two lineages of transgenic mice that overproduce the hepatitis B virus (HBV) large envelope protein and retain filamentous hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) particles in the endoplasmic reticulum, resulting in the formation of ground glass hepatocytes. The high producer lineage (50‐4) develops a necroinflammatory liver disease that progresses to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whereas the low producer lineage (107‐5) displays no histopathologic changes other than ground glass hepatocytes. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)‐labeling studies of S‐phase hepatocytes provide quantitative evidence for a strong, sustained proliferative response in the hepatocytes in lineage 50‐4 that occurs after the onset of hepatocellular injury but long before the development of liver cell tumors. In contrast, the level of hepatocellular proliferation in lineage 107‐5 is the same as nontransgenic controls. The findings support the concept that sustained hepatocellular proliferation plays an important role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
The Importance of the Diverse Drivers and Types of Environmental Innovation for Firm Performance

Today, firms are faced with a number of environmental challenges, such as global warming, pollution control and declining natural resources. While there is increasing pressure to deliver environmentally friendly products and services, little is known about what drives the many different types of environmental innovation, or how such pursuits' impact firm performance. Using a sample of 2181 firms, this paper examines the factors that drive nine different types of eco‐innovation in Ireland, and assesses how such innovations impact firm performance. We find that, while demand‐side, supply‐side and regulatory drivers impact on the likelihood of a firm engaging in eco‐innovation, the relative magnitudes of these impacts vary across the types of eco‐innovation considered. Moreover, we find that only two of the nine types of eco‐innovation positively impact firm performance. The results point to regulation and customer pressure as viable mechanisms through which firms can be encouraged to eco‐innovate. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
The credit squeeze during Russia's early transition: A bank‐based view

This paper asks whether Russia's protracted inflation stabilization might have caused a credit squeeze and hence might have contributed to the output collapse in the first three years of the Russian transition. Russian monetary policy was not restrictive as a whole. Still, the occurrence of a credit crunch is not excluded, because of the Russian central bank's heavy reliance on required reserves to curb the inflationary effects of monetized budget deficits. Due to methodological limitations, we are forced to concentrate on a cross-sectional analysis of bank liquidity in 1994, in order to find possible indications about Russia's monetary stance from the point of view of the lending channel. We cannot reject that the huge excess reserves of Russian banks in 1994 were at least partially due to excess liquidity. This suggests that there is no direct relation between the monetary policy of high required reserves and the observed credit crunch. The question of why banks preferred to hold excess liquidity deserves further attention. This question is still relevant, because Russian commercial banks have again accumulated excess reserves in 1999, in the aftermath of the banking crisis, triggered by the August-1998 crisis.
High Serum Levels of CXCL11 in Mixed Cryoglobulinemia Are Associated with Increased Circulating Levels of Interferon-γ

Objective. No study has evaluated circulating chemokine C-X-C motif ligand (CXCL)11 in patients with “mixed cryoglobulinemia and chronic hepatitis C infection” (MC+HCV). We measured CXCL11, and correlated this measurement to the clinical phenotype. Methods. Serum CXCL11, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were assayed in 97 MC+HCV patients and in 97 sex- and age-matched controls. Results. MC+HCV patients showed significantly higher mean CXCL11 serum levels than controls (254 ± 295, 68 ± 16 pg/ml, respectively; p = 0.0002; ANOVA). CXCL11 was significantly increased in 36 cryoglobulinemic patients with compared to those without active vasculitis (303 ± 208 vs 179 ± 62 pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.001; ANOVA). IFN-γ levels were significantly higher in MC+HCV than in controls [6.1 (range 0.8–114.5), 1.4 (range 0.7–2.4) pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney U test]. Serum TNF-α mean levels were significantly higher in MC+HCV than in controls [13.4 (range 1.8–369), 1.1 (range 0.7–3.2) pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.0001; Mann-Whitney U test]. A multiple regression analysis considering CXCL11 as a dependent variable, and age, alanine aminotransferase, IFN-γ, and TNF-α as independent variables, showed in MC+HCV patients a significant association only with IFN-γ (p < 0.0001). Conclusion. Our study demonstrates markedly high serum levels of CXCL11 in patients with MC+HCV compared to healthy controls overall in the presence of active vasculitis. A strong relationship between circulating IFN-γ and CXCL11 was shown, strongly supporting the role of a T helper 1 immune response in the pathogenesis of MC+HCV.
What makes SMEs attractive to external successors

Purpose – Taking company succession as an alternative means of embarking on an entrepreneurial activity, the aim of this study is to explore those intangible assets that are regarded as attractive from the viewpoints of external successors. Thereby, the focal point is on the preparation stage in which promising companies are identified and scrutinised.Design/methodology/approach – The strategy of research behind this paper is the application of a mixed methods approach that is divided into an internet‐mediated questionnaire and a series of in depth interviews (given priority). Findings – The findings suggest that intangible assets have a notable influence on the intention of an external successor to take over a company. This would suggest that the traditional issues considered with regard to company succession, such as tax, legal and financial aspects, should be extended to include intangible aspects. The findings are summarized by proposing a framework for the role of intangibles in external succession, t.
Probit Prediction of Going and Non‐going Concerns

This article discusses the limitations of existing going‐concern discriminant models and explores the use of weighted probit analysis to construct a classification model for the auditor to use in making going/non‐going concern decisions. The model is constructed using probit analysis with the weighted exogenous sample maximum likelihood (WESML) procedure on a matched sample of 80 going and non‐going concerns. Using the Lachenbruch′s U method of computing holdout accuracy rates, the probit model classifies going/non‐going concerns with an accurate rate of 82.50 per cent for non‐going concerns, 100.00 per cent for going concerns, and 91.50 per cent overall. These accuracy rates are higher than those of the sample auditors, which are 40.00, 97.50, and 68.75 per cent, respectively. The model is expected to be useful as a going‐concern prediction model, a persuasive analytical tool, and a defensive device.
Technical and Institutional Responses to Basin Closure in the Chao Phraya River Basin, Thailand

Abstract When the water supply available in a given river basin is insufficient to cater to the needs of its population, users usually devise individual and collective responses to water scarcity. Generally, this leads to more reuse of water along the river system, with little water being lost out of the basin, and leads to reallocation of resources. This paper recounts the development of the Chao Phraya river basin over the second half of last century and shows how supply and demand have evolved in parallel and how changes and innovations have emerged in response to growing imbalances. Various adjustments have been made in agricultural practices and significant changes have affected efficiency, water management, institutions, and policy making. These changes appear to be driven not only by planned state interventions and policies but also by local actors. The paper provides an example of dynamic reading of the water status in a basin and shows that the concepts of supply and demand need to be qualified to better understand how short- and long-term changes are linked to imbalances between the two terms. The study suggests that the scope for achieving water savings and/or economic gains by demand management is far more limited than is commonly assumed and that potential reform benefits will be rather in terms of equity and better service through users' empowerment.
Unilateral Extraforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ELIF): Surgical Technique and Clinical Outcome in 107 Patients

Study Design:Description of the technique and retrospective study of patients treated with unilateral extraforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (ELIF) for degenerative lumbar spinal disorders. Objective:To investigate clinical and radiologic outcome of patients treated with unilateral ELIF. Summary of Background Data:Lumbar interbody fusion is the classic treatment for higher grades of degenerative disk disease or lumbar segment instability and is performed by posterior (PLIF), posterolateral, or anterior (ALIF) approaches. Those techniques are well established with known limitations and complications. Today, minimally invasive procedures generate more interest especially in terms of muscle damage to achieve better functional outcome. We introduce a unilateral extraforaminal fusion technique which respects neural as well as muscle structures aiming to preserve function. Methods:Intraoperative and perioperative data, neurological status, Oswestry Disability Index, the Visual Analogue Scale for leg and back pain, and patient satisfaction were investigated preoperatively and at latest follow-up. Fusion status was controlled by x-ray and CT scans at a 6 months’ follow-up investigation. Results:A total of 107 patients [female/male: 67/40; average age, 52.8 (±13.8) y] were included at a maximum of 31(±9.4) months. Complications occurred in 4% of patients. Transient radicular pain was investigated in 16 patients. The Oswestry Disability Index and the Visual Analogue Scale for back and leg pain improved significantly. Patients showed a short hospital stay and high percentage of return to work ratio (70%). Fusion was achieved in 97% of patients. Conclusions:The unilateral ELIF fusion technique demonstrates encouraging clinical and radiologic midterm outcome that for some indications is comparable with established fusion techniques.
Mongolia's International Trade : Impact of Its Geographical Location

This paper examines the influence of Mongolia's landlocked location between Russia and China on the country's international trade patterns through the use of an augmented gravity model. The results are basically consistent with the prediction of the gravity model with some unexpected results on per capita GDP and the WTO dummy. Further, this paper discusses relevant policy implications.
The agents-are-substitutes property in continuous generalized assignment problems

The VCG mechanism has some nice properties if the agents-are-substitutes property holds.For example, for combinatorial auctions the property assures that the VCG mechanism is supported by a pricing equilibrium. The existence of such a pricing equilibrium is a necessary condition for the existence of ascending auctions that are equivalent to the VCG mechanism.Although it is known that the agents-are-substitutes property is important in several settings few problems or subclasses of problems are proven to have the property.In this paper we show for a class of problems that the agents-are-substitutes property holds. Moreover we give two rather natural and small extensions that do not have this property in general.Furthermore we show that in our simple problem class we need the possibility of price discrimination.
An examination of entrepreneurship education in the United States

Purpose – This paper seeks to provide an analytical overview of the current state of entrepreneurship education in the USA for the years 2004‐2005.Design/methodology/approach – The author performed an extensive review of the literature in entrepreneurship education and enhanced the review by conducting a national survey of two and four‐year colleges and universities. This survey was the sixth since 1979 conducted by the author to examine trends and the “current state of entrepreneurship education. ”Findings – The 2004‐2005 survey indicates that the trends, especially in the use of technology initially examined in prior national studies of entrepreneurship, have continued in a similar direction and in some areas, for example, the use of technology has increased dramatically. Also, new findings confirm that the traditional teaching method of requiring students to create a business plan is still used and is popular. Finally, the data show that entrepreneurship educators are increasingly using guest speakers a.