Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alternative Approaches of Physical Input–Output Analysis to Estimate Primary Material Inputs of Production and Consumption Activities

In the last few years, a number of studies have been presented that link material flow accounting and input–output analysis (based on monetary input–output tables) for the calculation of direct and indirect resource inputs for production and consumption activities. The compilation of the first physical input–output tables for some European countries in the 1990s opened new possibilities for linking physical accounting and input– output analysis. Physical input–output analysis has so far only been applied for selected materials, but it has not been used for comprehensive assessments of material requirements of economic activities. In this paper, possibilities and limits of this new input–output approach are clarified. We present and discuss a procedure similar to monetary input– output analysis and develop an alternative approach to account for primary inputs and waste otherwise not included in the analysis. Based on aggregated input–output tables for Germany, we present numerical examples intended to compare the alternative approaches of physical input–output analysis.
Considerable haplotype diversity within the 23kb encompassing the ADH7 gene.

BACKGROUND Of the seven known human alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) genes, the non-liver expressed ADH7 gene codes for the enzyme with the highest maximal activity for ethanol. Previous study from our laboratory has suggested that ADH7 has an epistatic role for protection against alcoholism based on a single ADH7 SNP. METHODS We have now studied seven SNPs, additional populations for the SNP previously examined, and six more new SNPs, across 23 kb of ADH7 in 38 population samples originating from different geographical regions of the world. RESULTS The overall linkage disequilibrium is moderate to strong across this region even though considerable 7-SNP haplotype diversity is observed. This uncommonly high haplotype diversity is explained by high LD within each "half," the three upstream SNPs and the four downstream SNPs, but near randomization between the "halves. " This division significantly simplified the haplotype pattern: only four major haplotypes account for almost all chromosomes in all populations in each "half. " CONCLUSIONS The low linkage disequilibrium between these two "halves" suggests multiple recombination(s) have occurred in this region, specifically, within intron 7. The absence of strong LD between the functional variation in ADH1B that is strongly associated with alcoholism and any of the variation in ADH7 supports the genetic independence of ADH7 in association studies. Thus, the previously observed epistatic effect of ADH7 cannot be explained by its linkage disequilibrium with a causative factor in ADH1B.
The Specification and Power of the Sign Test in Event Study Hypothesis Tests Using Daily Stock Returns

Abstract This paper evaluates a nonparametric sign test for abnormal security price performance in event studies. The sign test statistic examined here does not require a symmetrical distribution of security excess returns for correct specification. Sign test performance is compared to a parametric t-test and a nonparametric rank test. Simulations with daily security return data show that the sign test is better specified under the null hypothesis and often more powerful under the alternative hypothesis than a t-test. The performance of the sign test is dominated by the performance of a rank test, however, indicating that the rank test is preferable to the sign test in obtaining nonparametric inferences concerning abnormal security price performance in event studies.
Emotional intelligence as a predictor of academic performance in first-year accelerated graduate entry nursing students.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To examine the association between trait emotional intelligence and learning strategies and their influence on academic performance among first-year accelerated nursing students. DESIGN The study used a prospective survey design. METHODS A sample size of 81 students (100% response rate) who undertook the accelerated nursing course at a large university in Sydney participated in the study. Emotional intelligence was measured using the adapted version of the 144-item Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. Four subscales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire were used to measure extrinsic goal motivation, peer learning, help seeking and critical thinking among the students. The grade point average score obtained at the end of six months was used to measure academic achievement. RESULTS The results demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between emotional intelligence scores and critical thinking (r = 0.41; p < 0.001), help seeking (r = 0.33; p < 0.003) and peer learning (r = 0.32; p < 0.004) but not with extrinsic goal orientation (r = -0.05; p < 0.677). Emotional intelligence emerged as a significant predictor of academic achievement (β = 0.25; p = 0.023). CONCLUSION In addition to their learning styles, higher levels of awareness and understanding of their own emotions have a positive impact on students' academic achievement. Higher emotional intelligence may lead students to pursue their interests more vigorously and think more expansively about subjects of interest, which could be an explanatory factor for higher academic performance in this group of nursing students. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The concepts of emotional intelligence are central to clinical practice as nurses need to know how to deal with their own emotions as well as provide emotional support to patients and their families. It is therefore essential that these skills are developed among student nurses to enhance the quality of their clinical practice.
Estimation and Testing for Dependence in Market Microstructure Noise

This paper proposes new test statistics for the dependence and cross and auto covariance estimators of bivariate noise processes. It derives their asymptotic distributions and provides additional tests for the statistical significance of covariance estimators. Monte Carlo simulation shows that the covariance estimators and test statistics perform better in a finite sample. Further evidence from empirical illustration suggests that the covariance estimators and proposed test statistics are capable of capturing various dependence patterns in market microstructure noise. These results can shed more light on the sign of noise autocorrelation in the presence of market microstructure frictions such as bid-ask bounces and the clustering of order flow. Copyright The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org. , Oxford University Press.
Safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated subvirion influenza A (H5N1) vaccine.

BACKGROUND Influenza A (H5N1) viruses could cause a severe worldwide epidemic, with high attack rates, large numbers of deaths and hospitalizations, and wide disruption. Effective vaccines against these viruses in humans are urgently needed. METHODS We conducted a multicenter, double-blind two-stage study involving 451 healthy adults 18 to 64 years of age who were randomly assigned in a 2:2:2:2:1 ratio to receive two intramuscular doses of a subvirion influenza A (H5N1) vaccine of 90, 45, 15, or 7.5 microg of hemagglutinin antigen or placebo. The subjects were followed for the safety analysis for 56 days. Serum samples obtained before each vaccination and again 28 days after the second vaccination were tested for H5 antibody by microneutralization and hemagglutination inhibition. RESULTS Mild pain at the injection site was the most common adverse event for all doses of vaccine. The frequency of a serum antibody response was highest among subjects receiving doses of 45 microg or 90 microg. Among those who received two doses of 90 microg, neutralization antibody titers reached 1:40 or greater in 54 percent, and hemagglutination-inhibition titers reached 1:40 or greater in 58 percent. Neutralization titers of 1:40 or greater were seen in 43 percent, 22 percent, and 9 percent of the subjects receiving two doses of 45, 15, and 7.5 microg, respectively. No responses were seen in placebo recipients. CONCLUSIONS A two-dose regimen of 90 mug of subvirion influenza A (H5N1) vaccine does not cause severe side effects and, in the majority of recipients, generates neutralizing antibody responses typically associated with protection against influenza. A conventional subvirion H5 influenza vaccine may be effective in preventing influenza A (H5N1) disease in humans. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00115986.).
Role of abstinence and visual cues on food and smoking craving

This study was designed to examine the relationship between cravings for food and cravings for cigarettes by presenting smoking-related or food-related visual cues to smokers who were either smoking-deprived or food-deprived. Fifteen regular cigarette smokers participated in this four-session, within-subject study in which they rated their craving for cigarettes and craving for food under four conditions: after abstaining from smoking, after abstaining from eating, after abstaining from both smoking and eating, or after no abstinence. We found that before presentation of the cues, overnight smoking abstinence increased craving for cigarettes, and overnight food abstinence increased craving for food. In each condition, presentation of cues further increased craving for the object of deprivation: smoking cues further increased craving for cigarettes after smoking abstinence, and food cues further increased craving for food after abstaining from food. Smoking abstinence did not affect craving for food, but food abstinence modestly increased smoking craving. These results indicate that craving for cigarettes or food is specifically increased by both deprivation from the substance and by presentation of substance-related cues.
An Empirical Analysis of the Limit Order Book and the Order Flow in the Paris Bourse

As a centralized, computerized, limit order market, the Paris Bourse is particularly appropriate for studying the interaction between the order book and order flow. Descriptive methods capture the richness of the data and distinctive aspects of the market structure. Order flow is concentrated near the quote, while the depth of the book is somewhat larger at nearby valuations. We analyze the supply and demand of liquidity. For example, thin books elicit orders and thick books result in trades. To gain price and time priority, investors quickly place orders within the quotes when the depth at the quotes or the spread is large. Consistent with information effects, downward (upward) shifts in both bid and ask quotes occur after large sales (purchases). Copyright 1995 by American Finance Association.
A phylogenetic analysis of body size evolution in the Anolis roquet group (Sauria: Iguanidae): character displacement or size assortment?

The important role that competition plays in structuring communities is well documented; however, the role of competition in an evolutionary context remains unclear. Evolutionary investigations into the role of competition have often focused on the process of character displacement, and a good example of this is the evolution of body size in the Anolis lizards of the Caribbean islands. Previous work on the A. roquet species group has taken a phylogenetic approach and concluded that patterns of body size differences are not caused by character displacement but are a result of size assortment. Using a phylogenetic reconstruction based on the sequence of the cytochrome b gene (cyt‐b) and ancestral character‐state reconstruction methods, we investigated the roles of character displacement and size assortment. Our results indicated that size assortment alone was insufficient to explain the observed patterns of body size differences. Furthermore, we found that change in body size was associated with a change in allopatry/sympatry, thus supporting the character‐displacement hypothesis. We conclude that patterns of body size differences in the A. roquet species group appear to be the result of a combination of character displacement and size assortment because character displacement was only found to be possible on three occasions.
Organizational culture: siren or sea cow? A reply to Dianne Lewis

In the August 1998 issue of this journal, Dianne Lewis wrote a critical article about organizational culture. She argues that the concept may not be useless, but it is ill-defined and its link with an organization's performance is tenuous. I read the paper with pleasure and I agree with the author on most points. However, I have a few comments to make.
Clinical and Laboratory Investigations Primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma: a clinical, histopathological, immunophenotypic and molecular genetic study of 22 cases

O . S E R V I T J E , F . G A L L A R D O , * T . E S T R A C H , † R . M . P U J O L , * A . B L A N C O , ‡ A . F E R N Á N D E Z S E V I L L A , § L . P É T R I Z ,– J . P E Y R Í A N D V . R O M A G O S A * * Departments of Dermatology and **Pathology, Hospital Princeps d’Espanya, Ciutat Sanitària i Universitària de Bellvitge, C ⁄ Feixa Llarga s ⁄ n, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907 Barcelona, Spain *Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain †Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clı́nic, Barcelona, Spain ‡Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Cryobiology and Cell Therapy, Cancer Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain Departments of §Clinical Haematology and –Radiotherapy, Institut Catalá d’Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain
How Much is that Ecosystem in the Window? The One with the Bio-diverse Trail

Ecosystems are increasingly characterised as goods and services to allow their valuation in monetary terms. This follows an orthodox economic approach to environmental values, but is also being undertaken by ecologists and conservation biologists. There then appears a lack of clarity and debate as to the model of human behaviour, specific values and decision process being adopted. Arguments for ecosystems service valuation are critically appraised and the case for a model leading to value pluralism is presented. The outcome is to identify the need for value articulating processes which involve open deliberative judgment rather than instantaneously stated preferences, concealed expert opinion and global cost-benefit analysis.
An empirical investigation of the export growth-economic growth relationship

The export growth-economic growth cointegration structure is investigated for a large sample of low/middle/high income countries, including the newly industrialized ones. Previous Granger causality studies in this area are fundamentally flawed due to the absence of any form of pretesting for cointegration, hence we forward our study. Extensive stationarity tests are conducted including the KPSS procedure. In sequence we conduct cointegration tests based on the Phillips-Hansen fully modified OLS method and then run the Phillips-Ouliaris tests of non-stationarity on the residuals. For the majority of the countries in our sample, export growth and economic growth are cointegrated.
The Impact of Perceived Quality and Value on Tourists’ Satisfaction and Intention to Revisit Nowshahr City of Iran

Successful marketing and management of a tourist destination depends on an understanding of tourists’ perceptions of quality and value of that destination and how it influences their satisfaction and intention to revisit the place. This study examines the relations among these variables using the structural equations modeling (SEM) method. The statistical population of the study included tourists who visited Nowshahr City during the spring of 2012. Three hundred and twenty-five tourists were selected by the convenient sampling method. The validity of the model and relationship among research variables was confirmed based on path analysis results. The results indicate tourists’ perception of quality and value of the tourist destination affects their satisfaction, and also that these factors had a positive impact on their intention to revisit the place. The findings will improve our understanding of mechanisms that influence tourist behavior and will enhance the number of tourists who visit the destination.
Exenatide promotes regeneration of injured rat sciatic nerve

Damage to peripheral nerves results in partial or complete dysfunction. After peripheral nerve injuries, a full functional recovery usually cannot be achieved despite the standard surgical repairs. Neurotrophic factors and growth factors stimulate axonal growth and support the viability of nerve cells. The objective of this study is to investigate the neurotrophic effect of exenatide (glucagon like peptide-1 analog) in a rat sciatic nerve neurotmesis model. We injected 10 μg/d exenatide for 12 weeks in the experimental group (n = 12) and 0.1 mL/d saline for 12 weeks in the control group (n = 12). We evaluated nerve regeneration by conducting electrophysiological and motor functional tests. Histological changes were evaluated at weeks 1, 3, 6, and 9. Nerve regeneration was monitored using stereomicroscopy. The electrophysiological and motor functions in rats treated with exenatide were improved at 12 weeks after surgery. Histological examination revealed a significant increase in the number of axons in injured sciatic nerve following exenatide treatment confirmed by stereomicroscopy. In an experimentally induced neurotmesis model in rats, exenatide had a positive effect on nerve regeneration evidenced by electromyography, functional motor tests, histological and stereomicroscopic findings.
Cytokine gene expression in dams and foetuses after experimental Neospora caninum infection of heifers at 110 days of gestation

Neospora caninum is a major cause of abortion in cattle. An essential role for Th1 cytokines, such as IFN‐gamma and IL‐12 in protective immunity against N. caninum in murine models has been indicated. However, little is known about immunity to Neospora in pregnant cattle where a considerable level of immunomodulation may exist. In this study, the immune response of heifers infected early in the second trimester of pregnancy by intravenous inoculation of N. caninum tachyzoites was compared with immune responses in uninfected pregnant heifers. Animals were killed 3 weeks after infection. No abortion was observed in any infected dam, however, transplacental infection was shown to have already taken place. Infection with N. caninum during pregnancy induced significant immune responses in both dams and their foetuses. Infected dams showed significant changes in lymphocyte subpopulations compared with uninfected pregnant animals and these changes were compartmentalized. Increased levels of T lymphocytes were observed in the infected foetuses. Cytokine gene expression analysed by real time RT‐PCR showed increased expression of both Th1 and Th2 cytokines in N. caninum infected animals. This cytokine expression could have a role in the transplacental transmission of the parasite and/or mediate tissue damage.
Technical changes and impacts on economic performance of dry bulk vessels

Spurred by the expanding bulk shipping and technological innovations, dry bulk vessels have gained considerable development in ship types, ship design, and operation since the invention of the first specialized dry bulk carrier in the early 1950s. However, questions like: what changes in technical specifications have occurred for dry bulk vessels during the past four decades; what triggered these changes and what impacts have these specific changes had on shipping costs or earnings potential, have never been examined systematically in previous work. Subsequently, this article attempts to investigate changes in main technical specifications and relationships between the main technical variables and their economic performance measured by costs and revenues of dry bulk carriers. Technical changes in speed, deadweight, lightweight, and engines are checked for the main types of dry bulk vessels, and trends revealed in these developments are demonstrated to be the consequences of both technical improvement and economical considerations. Additionally, it has been found that the earnings potential differs much from dry bulk vessels with different technical specifications. This can be manifested in the sensitivity analysis. The analysis of this article may contain useful information to practitioners of dry bulk shipping in guiding their market decisions about ship building and operations.
The impact of employees’ relationships on tacit knowledge sharing

Purpose – This paper aims to study the impact of individual relationships on tacit knowledge sharing in the company setting of compulsory bond, expressive bond, instrumental bond and self-monitoring by empirical explorations. Design/methodology/approach – The paper raises seven hypotheses that focus on the impact of employees’ relationship with tacit knowledge sharing in knowledge-intensive industries and positions based on relationship theory. Before distributing the formal questionnaires, a pre-research was done in a college by collecting comments and suggestions so as to correct and modify the questionnaires. A four-page questionnaire based on the Likert scale with 45 questions was used for data collection, and 210 valid questionnaires were collected from a research institute, a software company and an educational institute. Finally, SPSS17.0 was used to analyze these data, including reliability analysis, validity analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis, etc. Findings – The findings incl.
Reciprocity and Giving in a Consecutive Three-Person Dictator Game with Social Interaction

Abstract We study pure indirect reciprocity by setting up a modified dictator game with three players A, B, and C acting sequentially. Subject A takes a share of a pie and passes the rest to subject B, while B divides the rest between herself and C. We find that this consecutive three-person dictator game increases generosity compared with the traditional two-person dictator game. We analyze the influence of social interaction and uncertainty. In treatments with certainty we observe pure indirect reciprocity: B indirectly reciprocates for A’s behavior in the decision on how generous to be to C.
ESTIMATION OF COST OF CAPITAL IN EMERGING MARKETS: THE CASE OF ESTONIA

This paper analyzes the practice of the cost of capital estimation by Estonian financial analysts based on the survey conducted by authors. The cost of capital is an important input in many financial models, especially when dealing with business valuation, optimizing company’s capital structure, and others. In spite of numerous studies on the issue and quite a period of cost of capital estimation, which is over ten years, Estonian analysts are faced with difficulties of finding appropriate inputs to estimate the cost of capital for Estonian companies. We find that the practice of cost of capital estimation is rather diverse albeit there are common approaches used. The primary approach to estimate the cost of equity is capital asset pricing model (CAPM), whereas there is no prevalent approach to estimate the cost of debt. Majority of analysts account for the country risk, the practice of accounting for other risks is scattered. Finally, we notice emergence of new approaches to cost of capital estimation. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.em. 17.1. 2254