Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Disorganization or Self-Organization?

The transition from plan to market provides a rare opportunity for insight into the endogenous development of economic institutions. Economic activities during the Soviet regime were coordinated by a central authority. These coordinating mechanisms were disrupted during the transition period, leading to an increase in the transaction costs for firms. Blanchard and Kremer (1997), among others, emphasize the negative impact of this "disorganization" on output behavior at the beginning of transition. Though this argument is correct, we believe that this and similar works stop short of a fuller characterization of transition by concentrating only on the disruptive effects of the reform process. This paper begins where the former works end by examining one of the key institutions that have emerged spontaneously in response to the challenges of transition: business associations. Its main contribution is to provide empirical evidence that institutions that help coordinate production and trade spontaneously emerge in an environment characterized by widespread "disorganization". Using a largely unexplored, firm-level data set, we document the emergence of business associations at the beginning of transition and provide evidence that these new coordinating institutions mitigated the initial output decline. Building on the growing literature on transaction costs and complexity, we interpret the emergence of these informal institutions as the firms' rational response to coordinate activities in a decentralized economy.
Sox17 plays a substantial role in late-stage differentiation of the extraembryonic endoderm in vitro

Sox17 is a Sry-related HMG-box transcription factor developmentally expressed in both the definitive endoderm and extraembryonic endoderm (ExE). Although Sox17–/– mouse embryos have a defective definitive gut endoderm, their developing ExE is morphologically intact. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of Sox17 in ExE development by using an in vitro differentiation system of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Although forced Sox17 expression in ESCs did not affect ExE commitment, it facilitated the differentiation of ESC-derived primitive endoderm cells into visceral and parietal endoderm cells. This event was inhibited by the forced expression of Nanog, a negative regulator of differentiation of ESCs into the ExE. Although Sox17–/– ESCs could differentiate into primitive endoderm cells, further differentiation was severely impaired. These results indicate a substantial involvement of Sox17 in the late stage of ExE differentiation in vitro. Furthermore, the expression of Sox7 – another Sox factor, concomitantly expressed with Sox17 in the developing ExE – was suppressed during the in vitro differentiation of Sox17–/– ESCs, but it was maintained at a high level in the extraembryonic tissues of Sox17–/– embryos. These findings possibly explain the discrepancy between the ExE phenotype derived from Sox17–/– ESCs and that of Sox17–/– embryos.
PENGARUH INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL PADA FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE PERUSAHAAN (Studi Empiris pada Perusahaan Infrastruktur, Utilitas, dan Transportasi yang Terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia Tahun 2009-2011)

This study aims to examine the effect of intellectual capital on corporate financial performance. Independent variable used in this study is intellectual capital which measured by VAIC, while dependent variable are financial performance which consist of Return on Asset, Return on Equity, Asset Turnover and Growth Revenue. Sample of this study is the infrastructure, utilities, and transportation companies which listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange with sample period 2009-2011. Data collected by purposive sampling method. Sample used in this study were 28 companies each year. This study used simple linear regression for data analysis. This result showed that intellectual capital provides a positive and significant influence in Return on Asset, Return on Equity, and Asset Turnover. Intellectual capital don’t have significant influence in Growth Revenue.Overall, this study found that Capital Employed (VACA) gives the most contribution in creating value added and competitive advantages of the company.
A novel framework for modeling Tumor Radiotherapy mechanism based on Gene-Environment Network (GEN) and Kinetic Theory

Tumor, like many other diseases, results from a complex interplay of genetic and environmental risk factors. In order to understand the mechanisms of underlying aetiology, we propose a novel framework for modeling Tumor Radiotherapy Mechanism (TRM) based on Gene-Environment Network (GEN) and Kinetic Theory of Active Particle (KTAP). In this method, the integrated TRM model is divided into four subsystems, each of which is composed of the active particles with different discrete states at molecular level. The kinetics of integrated TRM is dealt as the outcomes of complicated mutual interactions among active particles within different subsystems at molecular level, as well as external environment cofactors at systematic level. The simulations show that our method is efficient to illustrate a series of cellular activities during and after tumor radiotherapy, and it is very helpful to analyze the mechanisms of tumor cellular self-defensive, as well as the outcomes of tumor radiotherapy under different Ion Radiation (IR) strategies, via indicators of toxins, genome stability, and tumor cell mass etc.
Web Site Success: Antecedents of Web Site Satisfaction and Re-use

In building a successful organizational Web site, it is imperative that the design matches the organization's well-defined objectives. Clearly, different types of Web sites will have different objectives or goals. Thus, determining success across Web sites is both goal and context specific. One measure of Web site success is user satisfaction and the resulting intent to return to a Web site. Built on theories from the information system success and information technology adoption literature, this study investigated four variables believed to impact Web site satisfaction and behavioral intentions to use of end users: information quality, system quality, perceived usefulness, and social influence. Data was collected by surveying regular users of two different Web sites, each from a different category within a taxonomy of Web sites. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the proposed model of Web site success for each studied Web site. The results indicate that the determinants of Web site satisfaction and re-use are both context dependent and goal specific.
Managers' and auditors' perceptions of intellectual capital reporting

Purpose – This paper aims to explore managers' and auditors' perceptions of intellectual capital (IC) measurement and reporting in Egyptian companies.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on a questionnaire survey sent to managers and external auditors who were asked to provide their opinion about IC measurement and reporting for companies listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange.Findings – The paper finds significant differences between respondents' rates on IC indicators. These differences are due to different industry sectors involved in our sample. Further, it finds that Egyptian listed firms neither measure nor report IC indicators in their annual reports. In addition, it finds that auditors' responsibilities on IC reporting are ambiguous. Finally, the paper finds that work experience is the main determinant of managers' perceptions of IC indicators, while professional education is the main determinant of external auditors' perceptions of IC indicators.Originality/value – Prior research on IC us.
Laparoscopic gastrostomy in children with congenital heart disease.

AIM The aim of this study was to study the type and frequency of complications and change in weight after a laparoscopic gastrostomy procedure in 31 children with congenital heart disease, comparing patient groups of children with univentricular and biventricular circulation, and with completed and uncompleted cardiac surgery. METHODS The method used was that of a retrospective study of all 31 children with congenital heart disease who underwent a laparoscopic gastrostomy at our center from 1995 to 2004. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Postoperative complications and body weight changes during follow-up were the main outcome measures used in this study. RESULTS Minor stoma-related problems were common in both groups. Two severe complications requiring an operative intervention occurred in the univentricular circulation group. Weight was normal at birth, low at the time of the gastrostomy procedure, and did not catch up completely during the follow-up period of a mean of 20 months. There were no significant differences regarding mean weight gain between the groups. CONCLUSIONS The complication rate after the laparoscopic gastrostomy procedure was higher in our patient group, compared to previously studied children with various diseases. Comparisons regarding mean weight gain between the groups showed no significant differences. The mean weight gain was low, suggesting that the energy expenditure in this patient group of children with severe congenital heart disease may be even higher than previously assumed.
Real Estate Cycles and Their Strategic Implications for Investors and Portfolio Managers in the Global Economy

This study synthesizes relevant research and commentary on real estate cycles in a micro-decision-making context and discusses their strategic implications for investors and portfolio managers. It begins with an extensive review of the macro-economic, micro-economic and practitioner literature on cycles, with special emphasis given to the emerging topic of global real estate cycles. The second major section of the study presents the basic theory of cycles, examines the nature and dynamics of real estate cycles, identifies the many different types of interdependent cycles that affect real estate performance and presents strategies for dealing with multiple interrelated cycles. Understanding the complex and dynamic macro-to-micro cycle relationships is believed to be the foundation for understanding real property performance in a specific market, submarket and site-specific location. Successful cycle strategies that achieve above-market returns over the long run are dependent on this understanding, good market timing and a degree of contrarianism. Eight cycle models are presented in the third major section of the study. Each presents an analytical definition of cycles, seeks to measure cyclical impacts on key investment variables in an ex ante framework and provides insight into some aspect of investment timing or other property/ portfolio decisions. The final major topics addressed are the key strategic and decision implications for investors and portfolio managers, and a proposed cycles research agenda for the future.
Use of Clinical and Electrical Myotonia to Differentiate Childhood Myopathies

We retrospectively reviewed 2030 childhood electromyograms performed over an 11-year period (2004-2014). Twenty children (1%) with myotonic discharges were identified and placed into 2 groups. Group A (electrical and clinical myotonia) comprised 9 children (8 with myotonia congenita and 1 with paramyotonia congenita); all of them had diffuse myotonic discharges without clinical weakness or elevated creatine kinase. Group B (electrical myotonia without clinical myotonia) comprised 11 children (4 with inflammatory myopathy; 3, congenital myopathy, 3, muscular dystrophy; and 1, congenital muscular dystrophy). Clinical weakness was demonstrated in all of them and elevated creatine kinase in 6; all had a myopathic electromyogram and scattered myotonic discharges. We conclude that myotonic discharges are a rare but characteristic spontaneous discharge identified during electrodiagnostic studies in children. The presence of electrical and clinical myotonia provides helpful clues to differentiate between various muscle disorders in children.
Putting the New Keynesian Model to a Test

In recent years, New Keynesian dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (NK DSGE) models have become increasingly popular in the academic literature and in policy analysis. However, the success of these models in reproducing the dynamic behavior of an economy following structural shocks is still disputed. This paper attempts to shed light on this issue. We use a VAR with sign restrictions that are robust to model and parameter uncertainty to estimate the effects of monetary policy, preference, government spending, investment, price markup, technology, and labor supply shocks on macroeconomic variables in the United States and the euro area. In contrast to the NK DSGE models, the empirical results indicate that technology shocks have a positive effect on hours worked, and investment and preference shocks have a positive impact on consumption and investment, respectively. While the former is in line with the predictions of Real Business Cycle models, the latter indicates the relevance of accelerator effects, as described by earlier Keynesian models. We also show that NK DSGE models might overemphasize the contribution of cost-push shocks to business cycle fluctuations while, at the same time, underestimating the importance of other shocks such as changes to technology and investment adjustment costs.
Actinomycosis: Diagnosis and Management

Actinomycosis is an uncommon, chronic bacterial infection that induces both suppurative and granulomatous inflammation. Localized swelling with suppuration, abscess formation, tissue fibrosis, and sinus drainage characterizes this disease. The infection spreads contiguously, often forming draining sinuses that extrude characteristic but not pathognomonic “sulfur granules. ” Infections of the oral and cervicofacial regions are most common; however, any site in the body can be infected and it often mimics malignancy. Other regions that are often affected are the thoracic and abdominopelvic, as well as the central nervous system. Musculoskeletal and disseminated disease can also be seen, albeit rarely. Prolonged antimicrobial therapy with penicillin has typically been recommended for patients with all clinical forms of actinomycosis to prevent disease recrudescence.
The welfare effects of oil booms in a prototypical small Gulf state

This paper studies the economic consequences of booms and busts in the world oil market for a prototypical small Gulf State economy. This economy is defined by a number of important structural characteristics: (a) it is subject to export quotas, which may be somewhat bendable; (b) foreign oil companies as well as the domestic government, play a central role in the primary resource (oil) sector; (c) none of the booming sector revenue passes directly to the domestic private sector, while the government relies on oil export earnings as its virtually sole source of revenue; (d) besides foreign capital and technology, the economy depends heavily on foreign guest workers. Their temporary nature provides an important mechanism for equilibrating the labor market; (e) the government provides extensive goods and services, free of charge, to nationals and non-nationals alike. The above features are shown to be critical when assessing the welfare impact of surges in world oil prices and changes in export quotas. The possibility that booms reduce national welfare is a real one.
A Network Analysis of Global Banking: 1978-2010

In this paper we explore the properties of the global banking network using cross-border bank lending data for 184 countries over 1978-2009. Specifically, we analyze financial interconnectedness using network metrics of centrality, connectivity, and clustering. We document a relatively unstable global banking network, with structural breaks in network indicators identifying several waves of capital flows. Interconnectedness rankings, especially for borrowers, are relatively volatile over the period. Connectivity tends to fall during and after systemic banking crises and sovereign debt crises. The 2008-09 global financial crisis stands out as an unusually large perturbation to the cross-border banking network.
Dietary choices and greenhouse gas emissions – assessment of impact of vegetarian and organic options at national scale

This study quantifies the sources of agricultural GHG emissions and explores the impact of diet on GHG emissions in Finland. The emissions associated with production of basic food items were quantified for four diet options. For current average food consumption, emissions from soil represent 62% of the total. The emissions due to enteric fermentation contribute 24%, and energy consumption and fertiliser manufacture both about 8%. Regarding GHG emissions, environmental performance of the extensive organic production is poor. A strict vegan diet would nearly halve the agricultural GHG emissions, but reduction of the total emissions would be about 8%. Reducing the GHG emissions through food consumption would require large-scale changes among the entire population. Instead of stressing the impact of individual citizens' diet choices, more attention should be paid to social learning. Attention should be paid to the overall sustainability of food supply, not only to the GHG emissions.
Effect of inhibition of aloe-emodin on N-acetyltransferase activity and gene expression in human malignant melanoma cells (A375.S2)

Arylamine carcinogens and drugs are N-acetylated by cytosolic N-acetyltransferase (NAT), which uses acetyl-coenzyme A as a cofactor. NAT plays an initial role in the metabolism of these arylamine compounds. 2-Aminofluorene is one of the arylamine carcinogens which have been demonstrated to undergo N-acetylation in laboratory animals and humans. Our previous study showed that human cancer cell lines (colon cancer, colo 205; liver cancer, Hep G2; bladder cancer, T24; leukemia, HL-60; prostate cancer, LNCaP; osteogenic sarcoma, U-2 OS; malignant melanoma, A375.S2) displayed NAT activity, which was affected by aloe-emodin in human leukemia cells. The purpose of this study was to determine whether aloe-emodin could affect the enzyme activity and gene expression of NAT at the mRNA and protein levels in malignant human melanoma A375.S2 cells. The results showed that aloe-emodin inhibited NAT1 activity (decreased N-acetylation of 2-aminofluorene) in intact cells in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of aloe-emodin on NAT1 at the protein level was determined by Western blotting and the mRNA levels were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cDNA microarray. These results clearly indicate that aloe-emodin inhibits the mRNA expression and enzyme activity of NAT1 in A375.S2 cells.
Drip Irrigation for Small Farmers

Abstract Despite the impressive gains in global food production over the last half century, an estimated 790 million people remain hungry. Many of the chronically hungry are poor farm families, who have neither the means to produce the food they need nor sufficient income to purchase it. For them, access to irrigation water, or the means to use the water they have more productively, is a key to increasing their crop production, their incomes, and their household food security. Ironically, a technology typically associated with wealthy farmers, drip irrigation, may hold the key to alleviating a significant share of rural hunger and poverty. A new spectrum of drip systems keyed to different income levels and farm sizes (beginning with a US$5 bucket kit for home gardens) now exists and can from the backbone of a second green revolution, this one aimed specifically at poor farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We describe the experience with affordable drip irrigation to date, including its growing use in India and Nepal, as well as the wide range of geographic areas and conditions where these systems may be useful. We propose a major new international initiative to spread low-cost drip irrigation through private microenterprise, with the aim of reducing the hunger and increasing the incomes of 150 million of the world's poorest rural people over the next 15 years. Our estimates suggest that such an initiative could boost annual net income among the rural poor by some US$3 billion per year and inject two or three times this amount into the poorest parts of the developing world's economies
Differentiated integration in the European Union: a concept, a process, a system or a theory?

ABSTRACT Differentiation has been a feature of European integration for more than two decades. Nowadays, more than half of European Union (EU) policies are now implemented in different ways. Recent debates over a potential British exit from the EU revived discussions on the future of European integration, offering a potential case for disintegration. Yet scholars and practitioners still find it difficult to define the notion. The introduction to this collection offers a survey of the literature on differentiated integration, its most recent developments and justifies why the study of differentiation needs to move up the research agenda of European integration. It suggests that studying differentiated integration as a concept, a process, a system and a theory is the minimum needed to understand it. Finally, it demonstrates the necessity to study differentiation as a permanent and ‘normal’ feature of European integration.
Strengthening the European Commission's budgetary and economic surveillance capacity since Greece and the euro area crisis: a study of five Directorates-General

ABSTRACT Has the executive role of the European Commission changed since the euro area crisis? Intergovernmentalists point to the increased role of the member states and the Council at the expense of the Commission and other supranational institutions. This article examines how the Commission has responded to the expansion of fiscal and economic rules such as the regulations that strengthen the EU's statistical competence and the Six-Pack and Two-Pack. Based on interviews conducted with key staff, we find that these rules have created significant co-ordination, information and analytical demands on the Commission. The latter has enhanced its horizontal and vertical co-ordination efforts, prioritized staff for the Directorate-Generals conducting surveillance activities, added DGs to these efforts, and reorganized their organizational structures to promote a deeper understanding of the member states’ fiscal and economic policies. Using a principal–agent, approach this article explains how the Commission has increased its role in European integration process.
The Third China? Emerging industrial districts in rural China

While the growth of postfordist industrial districts in certain locations in the developed world has been well documented, the impact of the shift toward flexible production in the so-called third world has received less attention. This paper is an attempt to incorporate the dynamic, networked, manufacturing family firms in parts of China into the flexible industrial district debate. We argue that dense networks of small firms emerging in rural China in many ways resemble the industrial districts of the 'Third Italy' and elsewhere: they are globally competitive in producing for fast-changing fashionable market niches, they contain networks of relatively autonomous small firms which are at least partially locally owned and managed and which often take part in high-value activities such as design and marketing. We suggest that the social embeddedness of investment and production linkages with ethnic Chinese firms in Hong Kong and Taiwan may be an effective substitute for the spatial concentration of suppliers, producers, designers, and final markets, which is recognized as an important source of innovation and flexibility in core industrial districts. Copyright Joint Editors and Blackwell Publishers Ltd 1997.