Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
R&D STRATEGIES AND FIRM INNOVATIVE PERFORMANCE: A PANEL DATA ANALYSIS

The aim of this research is to ascertain the effects of the different R&D strategies (RDSs) — defined as make, buy and make-buy — on firm innovative performance. In order to evaluate RDSs effects in a broader sense, and looking for robust results, we consider different measures of product and/or process innovations as indicators of firm innovative performance. Using panel data models for a sample of 1478 Spanish manufacturing firms during the period 1992–2005, we observe that all RDSs produce a positive influence over all innovation outputs, although the impact is greater for the make-buy strategy and lower for the buy strategy. These effects are conditional on temporality since the greatest impact occurs one year later and that in the second year is reduced to half. Results show that the buy strategy seems to have only short-term effects, whereas the make-buy effects are greater and last longer. In addition, we find empirical support for our proposed argument that RDS effects on firm innovativeness are moderated by technological intensity level.
Non-Market Institutions in Economic Development: The Role of the Third Sector

In an article published in this Journal in 2005, Dorward et al. argued that non-market institutions are particularly effective in addressing market failures in a high-transaction cost institutional environment which is often characteristic of low-income countries. This comment develops additional theoretical underpinnings of this argument by exploring the differences in the market failure-addressing capacity of for-profit firms and third sector organizations representing a major type of non-market institutions. It is argued that while for-profit firms address market failures by facilitating market exchange, third sector organizations do so by replacing exchange with self-sufficiency. This recourse to self-sufficiency is reflected in the important role of third sector organizations in economic development of low-income countries.
The Outcome of Failed Free Flaps in Head and Neck and Extremity Reconstruction: What Is Next in the Reconstructive Ladder?

&NA; The indications for free flaps have been more or less clarified; however, the course of reconstruction after the failure of a free flap remains undetermined. Is it better to insist on one's initial choice, or should surgeons downgrade their reconstructive goals? To establish a preliminary guideline, this study was designed to retrospectively analyze the outcome of failed free‐tissue transfers performed in the authors hospital. Over the past 8 years (1990 through 1997), 3361 head and neck and extremity reconstructions were performed by free‐tissue transfers, excluding toe transplantations. Among these reconstructions, 1235 flaps (36.7 percent) were transferred to the head and neck region, and 2126 flaps (63.3 percent) to the extremities. A total of 101 failures (3.0 percent total plus the partial failure rate) were encountered. Forty‐two failures occurred in the head and neck region, and 59 in the extremities. Evaluation of the cases revealed that one of three following approaches to handling the failure was taken: (1) a second free‐tissue transfer; (2) a regional flap transfer; or (3) conservative management with debridement, wound care, and subsequent closure by secondary intention, whether by local flaps or skin grafting. In the head and neck region, 17 second free flaps (40 percent) and 15 regional flaps (36 percent) were transferred to salvage the reconstruction, whereas conservative management was undertaken in the remaining 10 cases (24 percent). In the extremities, 37 failures were treated conservatively (63 percent) in addition to 17 second free flaps (29 percent) and three regional flaps (5 percent) used to salvage the failed reconstruction. Two cases underwent amputation (3 percent). The average time elapsed between the failure and second free‐tissue transfer was 12 days (range, 2 to 60 days) in the head and neck region and 18 days (range, 2 to 56 days) in the extremities. In a total of 34 second free‐tissue transfers at both localizations, there were only three failures (9 percent). However, in the head and neck region, seven of the regional flaps transferred (47 percent) and four cases that were conservatively treated (40 percent) either failed or developed complications that lengthened the reconstruction period because of additional procedures. Six other free‐tissue transfers had to be performed to manage these complicated cases. Conservative management was quite successful in the extremities; most patients' wounds healed, although more than one skin‐graft procedure was required in 10 patients (27 percent). In conclusion, a second free‐tissue transfer is, in general, a relatively more reliable and more effective procedure for the treatment of flap failure in the head and neck region, as well as failed vascularized bone flaps in the reconstruction of the extremities. Conservative treatment may be a simple and valid alternative to second (free) flaps for soft‐tissue coverage in extremities with partial and even total losses. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 108: 1154, 2001.)
Prevalence and Profile of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease

Background/Aims: The frequency of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) ranges from 19 to 40%, and this is probably due to methodological differences between the studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and profile of MCI in a large sample of nondemented PD subjects and neurologically healthy subjects (NHS). Methods: A total of 872 subjects (582 controls and 290 PD) were included. The association between MCI and PD was tested, using logistic regression models; odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: Fifty-three percent of PD subjects and 45% NHS met the criteria for MCI (p = 0.001). The PD subjects showed a higher frequency of nonamnestic MCI (naMCI), compared to NHS (23.8 vs. 14.4%, p ≤ 0.0001). In comparison to NHS, PD was associated with a univariate OR of 1.9 (95% CI = 1.3–2.8) for naMCI, and this association was marginally significant after multiple comparisons (multivariate OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 0.96–2.3, p = 0.077). Conclusion: The association between PD and the impairment of nonmemory domains is probably due to frontal-subcortical involvement, which characterizes the disease.
Protein transamidation by transglutaminase 2 in cells: a disputed Ca2+‐dependent action of a multifunctional protein

Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is the first described cellular member of an enzyme family catalyzing Ca2+‐dependent transamidation of proteins. During the last two decades its additional enzymatic (GTP binding and hydrolysis, protein disulfide isomerase, protein kinase) and non‐enzymatic (multiple interactions in protein scaffolds) activities, which do not require Ca2+, have been recognized. It became a prevailing view that TG2 is silent as a transamidase, except in extreme stress conditions, in the intracellular environment characterized by low Ca2+ and high GTP concentrations. To counter this presumption a critical review of the experimental evidence supporting the role of this enzymatic activity in cellular processes is provided. It includes the structural basis of TG2 regulation through non‐canonical Ca2+ binding sites, mechanisms making it sensitive to low Ca2+ concentrations, techniques developed for the detection of protein transamidation in cells and examples of basic cellular phenomena as well as pathological conditions influenced by this irreversible post‐translational protein modification.
Before and after Lisbon: legal implementation as the ‘Achilles heel’ in EU counter-terrorism?

Abstract Implementation has often been described as a key weakness affecting European Union (EU) counter-terrorism. However, this view is often adopted as a given and there has not been so far a systematic examination of the degree to which this represents an obstacle to the effectiveness of the EU response. This paper aims to contribute towards this goal through the use of primary sources in the study of the legal transposition of counter-terror instruments into national law, a key stage in the implementation process. It shows the presence of major implementation delays in this policy sector but, importantly, also significant cross-national variation with regards transposition failure associated with the administrative endowment of the individual member states. Furthermore, the mechanisms deployed by the Union to encourage a fluid implementation of European measures are critically evaluated and the potential impact in the process of the institutional transformations brought about by Lisbon is also examined.
Weather Forecast or Rain-Dance? On Inter-War Business Barometers

In this paper, I use the materials of the debate on the reliability and the utility of �business barometers� of the Twenties in order to show that the theoretical reflexions of the time could be used by economic historians as a working hypothesis to analyze the influence exerted by circulating statistical data on the decisions of economic operators and institutions. I offer a short illustration of the origins and circulation of economic trends forecasting in the first decades of 20th century, paying particular attention to the critical attitude shown by Corrado Gini and Oskar Morgenstern and to the debate arisen inside the Harvard Committee for Economic Research on the inefficiency of its �index of economic conditions� during the 1929 crisis. I finally suggest that thorough research on the circulation and the influence exerted by the Harvard index on the business world, still after the slump in prices of New York Stock Exchange, could contribute to explain the behaviour of American businessmen and investors during the first Thirties, and the deepening of the crisis.
Expatriate characteristics and the stickiness of HRM knowledge transfers

In this study, we problematise the role of expatriates in transfers of parent HRM knowledge since expatriates, argued to be key actors in this process, are rarely HR professionals and seldom have much education or experience in HR. In the light of scant empirical research on the impact of individual attributes of expatriates in the transfer of knowledge, this study aimed to identify the characteristics of subsidiary expatriate managers that most affect the ‘stickiness’, or difficulty, of HRM knowledge transfers from multinational firm parent to foreign subsidiaries. The study is based on 86 personal interviews with 60 expatriate managers in 4 British subsidiaries belonging to 4 Taiwanese multinational corporations. The findings reveal how the ability and motivation of expatriates affect transfer stickiness both in terms of their absorptive capacity as an HRM knowledge recipient and their disseminative capacity as an HRM knowledge source.
Compressive behavior of soil as affected by aggregate size with different textures in Turkey.

Soil compactability is affected by aggregate size distribution of soil. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of aggregate size on compressive behaviour of soils with different textures. The study was conducted on surface soil samples (0-20 cm) of; coarse textured (TC) and fine textured (TF) soils. Aggregates were separated into three different aggregate size groups (4.0-2.0 mm; 2.0-0.84 mm and <0.84 mm) by dry sieving. The dry bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity of the TC and TF soils for each aggregate size group was also determined under three different compaction efforts (0, 45, 90 KPa) for saturated condition of soil water content. The maximum dry bulk density values of aggregate size groups of the TC soil were significantly higher than those of the TF soil, but the optimum water content values of the TF soil were significantly higher than those of the TC soil. The dry bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity values of the TC soil were significantly higher than those of the TF soil. The results of this study clearly indicated that the compressive behaviour of aggregate size on soil compactibility with wide variation in soil dry bulk is mainly affected by soil texture and water content.
Argyrophilic nuclear organizer regions in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and paraneoplastic epithelia

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs), which are loops of DNA containing ribosomal RNA genes, have been shown to correlate with cell proliferation and malignant transformation. The diagnostic value of silver staining NORs (AgNORs) in preneoplastic epithelia and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by the quantitative assessment of AgNORs proteins is evaluated.
Impact of insurers' product variety on performance across underwriting cycles

Purpose – This study sets out to focus on understanding the linkage between product variety and performance of property/casualty insurers during underwriting cycles.Design/methodology/approach – The study sample is based on 4,597 property/casualty (PC) insurers from the time period 2000‐2004. Insurers are categorized into two groups based on performance: insurers whose performance is above 0.1 standard deviation of the mean, and insurers whose performance is below 0.1 standard deviation of the mean. Later logistic regression models are used to determine the influence of product variety on the likelihood of an insurer falling into one of these groups.Findings – Study findings indicate that insurers with greater product variety had lower performance than focused insurers during both phases of the cycle. Insurers with great product variety fared relatively better than focused insurers during the hard markets compared with soft markets.Originality/value – Extant research has presented significant evidence for.
Public officials’ attitudes towards privatization in Jordan

The purpose of this study is to assess prospects for privatization in Jordan through a field survey of the attitudes of public officials in a sample of 24 public enterprises in Jordan. Among major findings of this study are: respondents expressed high level of conviction in the principle of privatization though their expectation of successful privatization in Jordan is lower than the level of conviction; and respondents selectively agreed on certain forms and fields of privatization in Jordan. That is, privatization is suitable in certain, but not all, sectors, enterprises and forms. The study recommends enterprise‐specific and gradual privatization on the basis of feasibility studies. It also recommends overall socio‐economic and administrative changes as well as democratization, stability and peace in the region.
Intradistrict Distribution of School Inputs to the Disadvantaged: Evidence for the Courts

This paper details a method for those interested in investigating the equity aspects of intradistrict distributions of educational resources. It should be viewed as a procedure for post Hobson v. Hansen lawyers which steps away from some of the speculative quality of the evidence that has been, and is still, being used. Using detailed individual school data in a systematic way allows the investigator to delineate which unequally distributed resources positively contribute to stated equity objectives, which resources are outside the school administration's control, and what the overall Equity picture is, starting from the components. Using aggregate measures, such as per pupil expenditures in each school, does not permit this, and results in much debate on whether or not one particular componentschool size, for example--explains away the expenditure variations. The method is applied to data for the Philadelphia School District.
Evidence for an Important Role of Alcohol- and Aldehyde-Metabolizing Genes in Cancers of the Upper Aerodigestive Tract

Background: Incidence and mortality rates of upper aerodigestive tract cancers in Central Europe are among the highest in the world and have increased substantially in recent years. This increase is likely to be due to patterns of alcohol and tobacco consumption. Genetic susceptibility to upper aerodigestive tract cancer in relation to such exposures is an important aspect that should be investigated among populations in this region. Methods: A multicenter case-control study comprising 811 upper aerodigestive tract cancer cases and 1,083 controls was conducted in: Bucharest (Romania), Lodz (Poland), Moscow (Russia), Banska Bystrika (Slovakia), and Olomouc and Prague (Czech Republic). We analyzed six SNPs in three genes related to ethanol metabolism: alcohol dehydrogenase 1B and 1C (ADH1B, ADH1C) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2). Results: The ADH1B histidine allele at codon 48 was associated with a decreased risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancer; odds ratios (OR) were 0.36 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.17-0.77] for medium/heavy drinkers and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.36-0.91) for never/light drinkers. Moderately increased risks were observed for the ADH1C 350Val allele (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.98-1.55) and ADH1C 272Gln allele (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.98-1.55). Medium/heavy drinkers who were heterozygous or homozygous at ALDH2 nucleotide position 248 were at a significantly increased risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancer (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.13-2.75; OR, 5.79; 95% CI, 1.49-22.5, respectively), with a significant dose response for carrying variant alleles (P = 0.0007). Similar results were observed for the ALDH2 +82A>G and ALDH2 −261C>T polymorphisms. When results were analyzed by subsite, strong main effects were observed for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus for all six variants. Among the 30% of the population who were carriers of at least one ALDH2 variant, the attributable fraction among carriers (AFc) was 24.2% (5.7-38.3%) for all upper aerodigestive tract cancers, increasing to 58.7% (41.2-71.0%) for esophageal cancer. Among carriers who drank alcohol at least thrice to four times a week, the AFc for having at least one ALDH2 variant was 49% (21.3-66.8%) for all upper aerodigestive tract cancers, increasing to 68.9% (42.9-83.1%) for esophageal cancer. Conclusions: Polymorphisms in the ADH1B and ALDH2 genes are associated with upper aerodigestive tract cancer in Central European populations and interact substantially with alcohol consumption. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(4):696–703)
On the importance of asymmetries for dynamic hedging during the subprime crisis

Asymmetric responses to news in volatilities and correlations are important characteristics of many financial asset returns. This study investigates the asymmetries on spot and futures and extends the work of Kroner and Sultan (1993) using the Asymmetric Dynamic Conditional Correlation (ADCC) model introduced by Cappiello et al. (2006). In particular, the performance of asymmetric hedges during the subprime crisis period is of much interest to investors since futures provide them a convenient tool for managing the market risk. The results on FTSE100 and DAX30 markets show that the ADCC model not only can provide better descriptions on the data, but can also improve the hedging performance for both in-sample and out-of-sample periods, illustrating the importance of modelling asymmetries for futures hedging.
INCOME INEQUALITY: THE IMPLICATIONS OF ECONOMIC STRUCTURE AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS

During the past few decades income inequality has been increasing in the United States and other developed nations, and is having major social consequences. In this study county-level data for the United States was analyzed to test the relative importance of three alternative approaches for explaining increased levels of inequality. These three approaches include economic structure, social conditions, and a model that maintains that both social conditions and inequality are a function of economic structure. The results revealed that social conditions were much more strongly related to inequality than economic structure and little support was found for the theoretical model. The two social conditions most strongly related to inequality included female employment and the percent of female-headed households. Counties with high levels of female employment tended to have low levels of inequality, while counties with high proportions of female-headed households tend to have high levels of inequality. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Partisan Identification and Attitudes to Big Versus Small Government in Australia: Evidence from the ISSP

In Australian politics, Labor has traditionally been thought of as the party of big government and the Liberals the party of small government. Drawing from evidence from the 1985, 1990, 1996 and 2007 International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) Role of Government surveys, this article examines public opinion in relation to the role of government and how public attitudes towards government differ according to party identification. It is reasonable to expect that Labor Party identifiers would be more supportive of big government, but there is little empirical evidence to support this expectation. This article shows that citizens' attitudes still accord with the Labor–Liberal/big–small government dichotomy and shows partisan identification to have an enduring effect on attitudes towards the role of government, net of other factors.
Extra- and intra-organizational drivers of workplace deviance

Workplace deviance is an employee behavior with detrimental effects on the organizational bottom line, which makes it of great interest for services management research. The author develops and estimates a model for understanding the relationship between extra- and intra-organizational antecedents and job satisfaction, which relates to workplace deviance. The model is tested using a sample of more than 270 occupationally diverse service employees. Results show that perceived customer unfriendliness, role ambiguity and service climate predict job satisfaction, which negatively affects workplace deviance. These results suggest implications for service management research and practice.
Balanced Budget Tax Cuts in a Liquidity-Constrained Economy

type="main"> This paper modifies the basic model of Kiyotaki and Moore by introducing a government that levies distortionary taxes on wages and dividends, spends exactly its tax revenue and holds money supply constant. Discretionary across the board tax cuts relieve the effects of liquidity constraints that limit investment, and thereby stimulate economic activity in normal times. A discretionary cut in the rate of tax on dividends ameliorates the effects of an exogenous tightening of liquidity constraints, without unnecessary distortions, and is thus an alternative policy to the equity purchase programme proposed by Kiyotaki and Moore.