Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preoperative screening: value of previous tests.

OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency of tests done in the year before elective surgery that might substitute for preoperative screening tests and to determine the frequency of test results that change from a normal value to a value likely to alter perioperative management. DESIGN Retrospective cohort analysis of computerized laboratory data (complete blood count, sodium, potassium, and creatinine levels, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time). SETTING Urban tertiary care Veterans Affairs Hospital. PATIENTS Consecutive sample of 1109 patients who had elective surgery in 1988. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS At admission, 7549 preoperative tests were done, 47% of which duplicated tests performed in the previous year. Of 3096 previous results that were normal as defined by hospital reference range and done closest to the time of but before admission (median interval, 2 months), 13 (0.4%; 95% CI, 0.2% to 0.7%), repeat values were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery. Most of the abnormalities were predictable from the patient's history, and most were not noted in the medical record. Of 461 previous tests that were abnormal, 78 (17%; CI, 13% to 20%) repeat values at admission were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery (P less than 0.001, frequency of clinically important abnormalities of patients with normal previous results with those with abnormal previous results). CONCLUSIONS Physicians evaluating patients preoperatively could safely substitute the previous test results analyzed in this study for preoperative screening tests if the previous tests are normal and no obvious indication for retesting is present.
How bad was it? The costs and consequences of the 2007–09 financial crisis

The 2007–09 financial crisis was associated with a huge loss of economic output and financial wealth, psychological consequences and skill atrophy from extended unemployment, an increase in government intervention, and other significant costs. Assuming the financial crisis is to blame for these associated ills, an estimate of its cost is needed to weigh against the cost of policies intended to prevent similar episodes. We conservatively estimate that 40 to 90 percent of one year's output ($6 trillion to $14 trillion, the equivalent of $50,000 to $120,000 for every U.S. household) was foregone due to the 2007–09 recession. We also provide several alternative measures of lost consumption, national trauma, and other negative consequences of the worst recession since the 1930s. This more comprehensive evaluation of factors suggests that what the U.S. gave up as a result of the crisis is likely greater than the value of one year's output.
Credits and non-interest rate determinants of loan demand: a Spanish case study

This article uses bivariate probit analysis to model the potential relationship between the condition of being credit-unconstrained and holding loans as well as to ascertain determinants of a household being credit-unconstrained and likely holding consumer and real-estate loans. It documents that family size, education, permanent and transitory incomes, among others, affect Spanish households’ desire and capacity to hold loans. Furthermore, these factors were found to affect demands for real-estate and consumer loans differently. In general, the above and other results from this research provide insights that would interest credit consumers, credit suppliers, and policy makers in Spain.
Bank officers’ perceptions and uses of qualified audit reports

Purpose - – The purpose of this study is to provide insights into the perceptions and uses of qualified audit reports in financial statements of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As there is a long-standing debate on the usefulness of auditor’s going-concern reports, this study aims to provide insights into the factors that affect how banks perceive and use going-concern reports. Design/methodology/approach - – Semi-structured interviews with bank officers were conducted. Findings - – The study findings demonstrated that bank officers considered that the going-concern report provided information, although they did not regard the information as being particularly useful. The main factors affecting the usefulness of information are use of other information sources and bank officers’ perceptions of auditing. Other factors are also presented and discussed in the current research paper. Practical implications - – Regulators have taken the action to improve the auditor’s reporting model, and the findings provided by this study are important because they provide a deeper understanding of the perceptions and uses of audit reports from smaller companies. The study also contributes knowledge about the role of audit reports in the context of SMEs finance. Originality/value - – This is one of the first studies to use a qualitative approach to examine factors that affect the use of going-concern reports.
Obesity and Moral Hazard in Demand for Visits to Physicians

In this article, we use count data regression with sample selection to analyze the effects and degree of moral hazard in demand for visits to physicians among groups of individuals with similar body mass index (BMI). Our results suggest that the effect of moral hazard on the demand for visits to doctors is increasing in BMI for men and for overweight and obese women. Moral hazard is highest among overweight men.
The Influence of networking on the internationalization of SMEs: Evidence from internationalized Chinese firms

This study investigates influential networking behaviours in supporting the internationalization of SMEs. Using primary data collected from 210 Chinese SMEs in Beijing and Hong Kong, regression analysis was applied to test associations between networking behaviours, resource availability and internationalization patterns. Findings indicate that resources made available from networks do not necessarily facilitate the internationalization of firms. The availability of foreign business resources is positively associated with the achievement of rapid internationalization but the availability of general organizational resources indicates a negative association. The ability of SMEs to plan and conduct networking activities strategically with key partners is beneficial to obtain the influential resources for accelerating foreign business development. The article concludes with implications for policy-makers and SME owners/managers, suggesting they should target support initiatives and skills training aimed at nurturing and developing influential networking behaviours.
Rivalry, Instability, and the Probability of International Conflict 1

This article addresses the effect of political instability and domestic conflict on the probability of militarized interstate disputes. Existing research on the subject has produced inconsistent findings. I hypothesize that the effect of political instability on international disputes is conditional on states’ involvement in civil conflict. More specifically, I argue that while political instability provides leaders with the willingness to use force, civil war creates the necessary opportunities for initiating conflict abroad. A directed-dyad analysis of international rivals for the 1816–2000 time period shows that instability coupled with civil war increases the probability of militarized interstate dispute initiation among rival states. Results are consistent for alternative indicators of political instability and civil war.
Technological Adaptation in Canadian Manufacturing, 1900–1929

This article estimates biases to technical change in Canadian manufacturing from 1900 to 1929, and compares these to estimates of biased technical change in U.S. manufacturing. Significant differences are found between similar industries in the two countries, indicating that Canadian manufacturers did not use U.S. technology in unaltered fashion, but adapted it to be more cost efficient under Canadian factor market conditions.
Effective Strategies to Catch Up in the ERA of Globalization: Experiences of Local Chinese Telecom Equipment Firms

OVERVIEW: Firms in emerging markets have traditionally followed one of two strategies to catch up with multinational enterprises (MNEs): developing customized products, services, or innovative business models or buying and absorbing technology from MNEs. In the era of globalization, these strategies are no longer effective. The new strategy to succeed is innovation-based differentiation, developing core technologies and advanced product offerings that are delivered at a low cost and with excellent customer service. Using this strategy, leading local firms are quickly catching up with MNEs in market development, technology development, or both.
Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast: a tumour commonly devoid of oestrogen receptors and related proteins

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the breast is an uncommon well‐differentiated tumour with good prognosis, and sometimes difficult to distinguish from in‐situ and invasive cribriform carcinoma (ICC) which are relatively more common. Recently, we encountered a case of ACC that proved to be totally oestrogen receptor (ER) negative by immunohistochemistry. We investigated the possibility that this may be a consistent feature that can help in differentiating ACC from ICC which are usually ER positive.
Active Learning Activities to Revitalize Managerial Accounting Principles

ABSTRACT: Students often enroll in the managerial principles class because of a degree requirement rather than a burning passion to learn the subject matter. Through active learning, new content can become more interesting by involving students in their own learning. This paper offers accounting faculty four active learning activities to engage students and enhance their understanding of difficult concepts: managerial accounting terminology, activity-based costing, variance analysis, and special order decision-making. During these in-class activities, students work through relevant computations and delve into additional considerations using guided class discussions. A survey of students' attitudes reveals that students perceive that these active learning activities had a positive impact on their content knowledge related to the managerial principles course, as well as their attitude toward and interest in the class. In addition, students felt that the activities were worthwhile and demonstrated the concer.
Varieties of Interhemispheric Inhibition, or How to Keep a Good Hemisphere Down

Recent views of cerebral laterality suggest that both hemispheres contribute to the performance of most cognitive tasks. This would appear to require regulatory mechanisms to coordinate, select, and integrate the processes subserved by each hemisphere. In this paper we consider whether interhemispheric inhibition is used to achieve unified performance from a bilateral system capable of producing simultaneous and potentially conflicting, outputs. We examine the theoretical bases and empirical support offered for three varieties of interhemispheric inhibition. Interhemispheric suppression refers to mechanisms that may permit one hemisphere to halt or prevent concurrent processing by the opposite hemisphere. Such inhibition may operate either in a reciprocal, or in a unidirectional, fashion. Interhemispheric isolation may require an inhibitory process that suspends information transfer to prevent potentially harmful interhemispheric intrusions. Finally, one hemisphere could impede processing within the other via interference, that is, by providing irrelevant or detrimental information. It is argued that, while such mechanisms are plausible, evidence supportive of each is not convincing. We consider why it has been difficult to obtain clear-cut support for interhemispheric inhibition and suggest some avenues for further research.
Pre‐construction evaluation practices of sustainable housing projects in the UK

Purpose – Considering sustainability during the cost estimating process is vital for the successful integration of sustainable features within a construction project. The UK Government has adopted the principles of sustainable development, and social housing projects now have to achieve the EcoHomes “very good” rating as a prerequisite to Government grant funding. This policy has important implications for all those organisations involved in new social housing building projects and it will place sustainability and its assessments at the heart of housing procurement practice. The purpose of this paper is to examine the pre‐construction evaluation practices of sustainable housing projects in the UK.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was undertaken to capture data regarding the importance and the cost significance of sustainable factors from a randomised sample of 600 quantity surveying, housing associations, and architectural organisations based in the UK. An initial and follow‐up administration of the .
An Investigation into the Determinants of UK Board Structure Before and After Cadbury

This paper investigates the determinants of the board structure of non-financial firms prior to, and post, the implementation of the recommendations of the Cadbury Committee. It provides evidence that managerial entrenchment is reduced following Cadbury, with the power afforded to CEOs with high levels of stock ownership being significantly diminished following the imposition of new standards of 'best practice' regarding board structure. However, in spite of considerable pressure for institutional investors to play an active role in encouraging best practice regarding board structure in their investee companies, we find no evidence of such behaviour in either time period, even in the presence of poor firm performance.
Analysis of Echovirus 30 Isolates from Russia and New Independent States Revealing Frequent Recombination and Reemergence of Ancient Lineages

ABSTRACT We studied two genome regions, VP1 and 3D, of 48 echovirus 30 (E30) isolates from Russia and the new independent states. In VP1, most isolates were similar to European strains reported earlier, and frequent change of circulating subgroups was noticed. We also observed, in 2003-2006, the reemergence of a group of E30 strains with a VP1 region very distant from most modern E30 strains and remotely similar to E30 isolates from the 1960s and the 1970s. A study of the 3D genome region detected multiple recombination events among the studied strains. Recombination presumably occurred every few years, and therefore, the study of a single VP1 genome region cannot accurately describe the phylogenetic history of the virus or predict pathogenetic properties of an isolate. In general, a comparison of the VP1 and 3D genome region phylogenies revealed, in some instances, virtually independent circulation of enterovirus genome fragments on a scale of years.
REVITALISING POLITICS: THE ROLE OF CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION

Citizenship education is an appropriate demand‐side policy response to declining political participation among young people in the UK. There is evidence that its compulsory introduction in secondary schools in England in 2002 is having some success, but its implementation is not without problems. Citizenship classes can be made more effective if they are underpinned by the core principles of experiential and service learning, whereby knowledge, participation and deliberation are linked together in the promotion of active citizenship.
Parents' Views of Involvement in Concurrent Research with Their Neonates

It would be useful to researchers and bioethicists to know more about parents' decision processes and emotional state during the time they are deciding whether to enroll their infant in a clinical trial. The aim of this research study was to discover whether parents who had been previously asked to enroll their neonates in clinical trials would have found concurrent research about their decision-making overly burdensome. Twenty-seven parents of critically ill neonates who had been approached for their child's research participation in a clinical trial were asked what they believed about the potential burden or value of being interviewed during the time of research decision-making about their infant's participation. For this qualitative descriptive study, interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis techniques. Participants considered concurrent research acceptable for them but potentially problematic for others. Theories of risk preferences and social comparison might explain these findings.
Labour Market Institutions and Unemployment Volatility: Evidence from OECD Countries

Using publicly available data for a group of 20 OECD countries, we find that the cyclical volatility of the unemployment rate exhibits substantial cross-country and time variation. We then investigate empirically whether labour market institutions can account for this observed heterogeneity and find that the impact of various institutions on cyclical unemployment dynamics is quantitatively strong and statistically significant. The hypothesis that labour market institutions could increase the volatility of unemployment by reducing match surplus is not supported by the data. In fact, unemployment benefits, taxation and employment protection appear to reduce the volatility of unemployment rates. In addition, we find that the precise nature of union bargaining has important implications for cyclical unemployment dynamics, with union coverage and density having large and offsetting effects. Finally, we provide evidence suggesting that interactions between shocks and institutions matter for cyclical unemployment fluctuations. However, institutions only account for about one quarter of the explained variation, which implies that they are important but they are not the entire story.
A note on transition stock return behaviour

This paper examines the relationship between expected stock returns and size, and market-to-book ratio in four transition emerging markets, namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Russia. Overall, we find a premium for large firms and growth stocks; factors that drive cross-sectional differences in expected transition stock returns are qualitatively different to those documented for many other emerging and developed equity markets. As our finding applies to the post-1996 period, we confirm the assertion of Black (Journal of Portfolio Management, 20, 8–18, 1993) and MacKinlay (Journal of Financial Economics, 38, 3–28, 1995) that ‘the value premium is sample-specific’. Thus, the higher average return on value stocks that has been documented for developed and emerging equity markets may not be considered as a local manifestation of a global phenomenon.
Strategic Supply Chain Structure Design for a Proprietary Component Manufacturer

This paper examines the choice of supply chain structure for a proprietary component manufacturer (PCM). The PCM, who is the sole supply source of a critical component used to assemble an end product, can either provide its component to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in the end-product market (component supplier structure), develop the end product exclusively under its own brand (monopoly structure), or provide the component to the OEM as well as develop the end product under its own brand (dual distributor structure). Typically, the end products of the PCM and the OEM will be differentiated, and the OEM tends to have a capability advantage (compared with the PCM) in producing the end product. Our paper studies the impact of this degree of differentiation and capability advantage on the optimal choice of distribution structure. We then investigate how investing in component branding, enhancing the value of the end product, using alternative supply contracts, and product valuation uncertainty influence the PCM's optimal choice of distribution structure.
The Wal-Mart Effect and a Decent Society: Who Knew Shopping Was So Important?

Executive Overview The phrase “The Wal-Mart Effect” has made its way into the culture as a shorthand for the range of effects resulting from Wal-Mart's way of doing business. A megacorporation with sales that consistently rank it as the number-one or number-two publicly traded company in the United States and in the world, Wal-Mart has impacted wage rates, prices, and economies on a local, national, and global scale. It is arguably the world's most important privately controlled economic institution. It not only has no rivals, it actually influences the prices set by its suppliers and has often seemed impervious to challenge, let alone accountability. Many of the most basic and most urgent questions about Wal-Mart, those at the core of a public debate over the “Wal-Mart Effect,” go unanswered. Wal-Mart's own 40-year history of absolute secrecy, including forbidding its suppliers to talk about their relationship with Wal-Mart, has only deepened the mystery of its impact. Answering the questions is vital—no.
Governance and Risk Management: The Challenge of Accountability, Transparency and Social Responsibility

The introduction of performance measurement to the public sector cannot be separated from two other developments. First, the growing mistrust of the public in government use of tax resources. These sentiments resemble the attitudes of the Principal towards the Agent in the presence of Agency relation. Second, the paradigm shift from “governing” to “gover-nance” where the state must delegate or allow other public and private entities to carry out certain functions that used to be part of central government responsibilities. This paper points out that as a result of this shift to governance due attention must be given to risk management not only by government but also by other participants in the governing process. Paying such attention is consistent with the challenge of governments to meet the desired norms of account-ability, transparency and social Responsibility.
A New Look at the Environmental Kuznets Curve

This paper investigates the relationship between environmental quality indicators and growth in either income per capita or population. The theoretical analysis finds that in addition to U-shaped paths of environmental quality arising for growth in income per capita, growth in population can also produce socially efficient patterns that are U-shaped, widely referred to as an environmental Kuznets curve. Sufficient conditions for both types of paths are identified for a range of models and parameters, including symmetrical models with homothetic, constant-returns functions such as with CES functions. The empirical part of the study uses a large, newly compiled dataset with site specific measures of income per capita and population density. The results provide strong support for a Ushaped path for SO2 concentrations across levels of income per capita; the path for pollution with rising population density is found to be non-linear but not Ushaped.
The linkages between monetary and macroprudential policies

Macroprudential policy is a new policy area within the international regulatory framework for banks known as Basel III. In this article we study the linkages between monetary and macroprudential policies in a dynamic general equilibrium model. Macroprudential policy is exemplified by a countercyclical capital buffer. We show that the monetary policy response to the introduction of a countercyclical capital buffer depends on the particular shocks driving the economic fluctuations. This is one reason why it is difficult to foresee the consequences for monetary policy of introducing the capital buffer. We also show that coordination of monetary and macroprudential policies may lead to improved macroeconomic and financial stability for certain shocks, while for others it may reduce the uncertainty of the central bank’s and the supervisory authority’s decisions.