Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Controlling Shareholders Enhance Corporate Value?

In this study we contribute to the literature by re-examining the effect of control and ownership of controlling shareholder on corporate valuation, and determining which particular mechanism for enhancing voting rights would achieve the negative entrenchment effect. We take Taiwan listed companies, where the ownership concentration structure is similar to that in East Asian countries, as our sample. We find the corporate value is higher when the largest shareholder owns more cash flow rights (ownership), supporting the positive incentive effect. The negative entrenchment effect becomes evident when the largest shareholder's cash flow rights are less than the median. Therefore, if the cash flow rights owned by the largest shareholder are greater than the median, the positive incentive effect will restrain the negative entrenchment effect. In family-controlled companies, the corporate value will conspicuously decrease if the largest shareholder enhances their voting rights through cross-shareholding, deeply participates in management or controls most board of directors.
The Road to Ruin? Sequences of Initiation to Drugs and Crime in Britain*

This study investigates the routes by which young people develop patterns of drug-using and offending behaviour. Survey data are used to assess the gateway effect — the tendency for soft drug use to lead to subsequent hard drug use and criminal activity. We argue that apparently strong gateway effects can be due to unobservable personal characteristics which produce a spurious association between different forms of problem behaviour. After correcting statistically for these confounding factors, gateway effects appear small. This casts doubt on the view that a more relaxed policy stance on soft drugs will lead to a hard drug epidemic. Copyright Royal Economic Society 2003
Reference intervals for some clinical chemical parameters in the marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): effect of age and sex

Reference intervals for some clinical chemistry parameters in the marmoset were calculated. The effects of age (250-300 days compared with 500-550 days) and sex on the values found was investigated. Alkaline phosphatase levels decreased with age, young males having higher plasma levels than young females, but no sex differences were discernible for older animals. Levels of ɤ-glutamyl transpeptidase and sorbitol dehydrogenase were higher in older males than in younger females. Higher plasma iron levels were found in the males with increasing age. Age and sex effects for protein and albumin were interactive and further interpretation was therefore difficult. No significant age or sex effects were seen for cholinesterase, acetylcholinesterase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, aspartate amino transferase, alanine aminotransferase or bilirubin.
Communitarian perspectives on corporate governance

Research into corporate governance is currently oriented towards understanding how governors control the governed through contractual relationships, economic decision making and control over cultural values. These theories, however, were unable to provide satisfactory explanations for the empirical data discovered during this study. It became necessary to consider gendered aspirations, sexuality and emotional needs to explain both social organisation and hierarchy development. Data from an 18-month critical ethnography was used to develop grounded theories on interpersonal dynamics, culture development and corporate governance. Micro analysis of journals, letters, e-mails, documents and interview transcripts were assisted by computer software. However, freehand sketching proved an equally valuable method for evolving theoretical ideas. Theory was developed using two comparison cases: one empirical; the other based on an academic literature supported by a field visit. This thesis develops theory that courtship, friendship, marriage and childraising influence the early development of a corporate governance system. They continue to exercise influence even when in contradiction with control systems imposed by external institutions. This prompts a re-examination of theories of power so that the nature and role of intimacy at work can be accommodated. The study finds that decision-making is underpinned by a dual desire for attention (social rationality) and assistance (economic rationality). The fusion between the two is sharpest immediately before and after childbirth resulting in a multitude of gendered behaviours that influence workplace aspirations and social organisation. “Self interest” depends on perceptions of others’ intent towards the people we care for and desire. “Common good” depends on which social groups and behaviours we believe should be promoted within a culture. Communitarian perspectives on corporate governance, therefore, reflect the social aspirations of entrepreneurs, attitudes towards unitarist and democratic organisation, and organisation members’ constant struggle to balance social and economic interests. Contributions are made to the application of grounded theory in critical ethnography and ethical dilemmas during participant observation.
Ethical Decision Making: Panama–United States Differences in Consumer and Marketing Contexts

ABSTRACT Results show that significant differences, both statistical and practical, exist between Panamanians and U.S. nationals in how they intend to behave in various consumption-related and marketing-related ethical situations. As cross-national marketing increases, the need to understand marketing and consumer ethics across countries becomes more critical. Additionally, as Robertson, Brady, and Hoffman (2001) point out, there has been a genuine lack of emphasis in the marketing-related ethics literature in Latin America. This study partially addresses that need by examining and contrasting the intended behaviors in ethical situations of Panamanians and Americans as consumers and marketers. The study contributes to marketing ethics knowledge on several fronts: (i) increasing understanding of ethics of Panamanians in consumer and marketing contexts, (ii) adding to the extant cross-country literature in the area of ethical decision making by consumers, and (iii) incorporating effect sizes, which is very rarely reported, to complement the significance values. Results show that significant differences exist between Panamanians and U.S. nationals in how they intend to behave in various consumption-related and marketing-related ethical situations. Managerial implications are also discussed.
A novel organ preservation protocol for advanced carcinoma of the larynx and pharynx.

OBJECTIVE To pilot a targeted chemoradiation protocol for patients with advanced carcinoma of the larynx and pharynx that would circumvent upper aerodigestive tract dysfunction related to major oncologic surgery. DESIGN Weekly intra-arterial infusions of supradose cisplatin (150 mg/m2 per week x 4) rapidly delivered to the tumor bulk, simultaneous intravenous sodium thiosulfate for systemic drug neutralization, and conventional external-beam irradiation (1.80-2.00 Gy per fraction x 35) were used. Between February 1991 and April 1994, 42 patients were treated who would otherwise have required a major resection of the tongue base, pharyngeal wall, or larynx. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Tumor response, toxic effects, disease control above the clavicle, preservation of the larynx, maintenance of oral nutrition, and overall and disease-related 2-year survival. RESULTS Three complications were related to the weekly transfemoral superselective intra-arterial procedures performed 160 times. Grade 3 to 4 chemotoxic effects were infrequent, occurring in 9 (5.5%) of 160 cycles, and only 1 patient required a radiotherapy break because of severe mucositis. A complete response in the primary site was obtained in 36 (86%) of 42 patients, 2 of whom had residual disease in the neck. Median follow-up was 13 months (range, 3-46 months). To date, there have been 5 recurrences: 2 regional and 3 distant. The 2-year overall and disease-related survival was 64% and 76%, respectively. The rate of disease control above the clavicle at 2 years was 86%. CONCLUSIONS We believe this chemoradiation protocol represents an effective management scheme for patients with advanced head and neck cancer while minimizing dysfunction and possibly improving survival.
Learning to Believe in Sunspots

An adaptive learning rule is exhibited for the Azariadis (1981) overlapping generations model of a monetary economy with multiple equilibria, under which the economy may converge to a stationary sunspot equilibrium, even if agents do not initially believe that outcomes are significantly different in different "sunspot" states. The learning rule studied is of the "stochastic approximation" form studied by H. Robbins and S. Monro (1951); methods for analyzing the convergence of this form of algorithm are presented that may be of use in many other contexts as well. Conditions are given under which convergence to a sunspot equilibrium occurs with probability one. Copyright 1990 by The Econometric Society.
PERAN HUMAS SEBAGAI UPAYA MENJALIN KERJA SAMA ANTARA SMK DENGAN DUNIA USAHA/DUNIAINDUSTRI (DU/DI)

Dual system education is a program applied in vocational school. Dual system education is an educational system by which integrates learning at school and practicing work. Therefore, dual system education always involves working world or industry as colleagues of vocational school. One way to obtain the member of vocational schools colleague is through a public relation activity Good public relations are those who are guided by some principals which consist of integrity continuity coverage, simplicity, constructiveness and adaptability. The procedure of public relation consist of three steps : analyzing public, holding communication with public, and involving the public into the activity. Public relation in a dual system education could bring good long term impacts toward vocational school. The achievement of public relation, generally, can be seen by the number of public supports and beliefs toward vocational school. The more supports and beliefs to vocational school gained, the more industry would be joined with vocational school as a colleague. In addition, the more teamwork possessed, the wider vocational school net work achieved. The incurring of public supports and beliefs also show the good relation among vocational schools and industries. This would be then made up better relationship leading to the better contribution to achieve the vocational schools' goals. Keywords: Dual system education, vocational school, DUDI
Three Bacillus cereus bacteriophage endolysins are unrelated but reveal high homology to cell wall hydrolases from different bacilli

The ply genes encoding the endolysin proteins from Bacillus cereus phages Bastille, TP21, and 12826 were identified, cloned, and sequenced. The endolysins could be overproduced in Escherichia coli (up to 20% of total cellular protein), and the recombinant proteins were purified by a two-step chromatographical procedure. All three enzymes induced rapid and specific lysis of viable cells of several Bacillus species, with highest activity on B. cereus and B. thuringiensis. Ply12 and Ply21 were experimentally shown to be N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidases (EC 3.5.1.28). No apparent holin genes were found adjacent to the ply genes. However, Ply21 may be endowed with a signal peptide which could play a role in timing of cell lysis by the cytoplasmic phage endolysin. The individual lytic enzymes (PlyBa, 41.1 kDa; Ply21, 29.5 kDa, Ply12, 27.7 kDa) show remarkable heterogeneity, i.e., their amino acid sequences reveal only little homology. The N-terminal part of Ply21 was found to be almost identical to the catalytic domains of a Bacillus sp. cell wall hydrolase (CwlSP) and an autolysin of B. subtilis (CwlA). The C terminus of PlyBa contains a 77-amino-acid sequence repeat which is also homologous to the binding domain of CwlSP. Ply12 shows homology to the major autolysins from B. subtilis and E. coli. Comparison with database sequences indicated a modular organization of the phage lysis proteins where the enzymatic activity is located in the N-terminal region and the C-termini are responsible for specific recognition and binding of Bacillus peptidoglycan. We speculate that the close relationship of the phage enzymes and cell wall autolysins is based upon horizontal gene transfer among different Bacillus phages and their hosts.
Annual corporate information: importance and use inSaudi Arabia

This study examines the perceptions of the users of annual corporate reports in Saudi Arabia. The focus is on the use and importance of the seven different sources of corporate information contained in Saudi annual reports. This includes the board of director's report, the auditor's report, the balance sheet, the income statement, the statement of retained earnings, cash flow statements and the notes to the financial statements. Our sample comprises five major user groups, namely individual investors, institutional investors, creditors, government officials, and financial analysts. In comparison with previous research efforts elsewhere around the world, this study found that the balance sheet and the income statement are the most important sections of the annual report to most of the Saudi users’ groups. The board of directors’ report was found to be the least popular. As far as the cash flow statement is concerned, the individual investors were found to place much less importance to this statement, a finding that is similar to what has been reported in previous literature about investor behaviour in other areas of the world.
The E2E Dataset: New Challenges For End-to-End Generation

This paper describes the E2E data, a new dataset for training end-to-end, data-driven natural language generation systems in the restaurant domain, which is ten times bigger than existing, frequently used datasets in this area. The E2E dataset poses new challenges: (1) its human reference texts show more lexical richness and syntactic variation, including discourse phenomena; (2) generating from this set requires content selection. As such, learning from this dataset promises more natural, varied and less template-like system utterances. We also establish a baseline on this dataset, which illustrates some of the difficulties associated with this data.
African poverty through the lens of labor economics: earnings and mobility in three countries

In this note we make use of embryonic labour market panel surveys of the urban sectors of Ghana and Tanzania, and a longer term survey from Ethiopia, to address some aspects of the determinants of earnings across the wage and self-employed and provide preliminary evidence on transitions across labour market states. We argue that the type of panel data presented here provides insights into the growth process in Africa and directly links to understanding the process of poverty reduction.
Treatment with deferasirox (Exjade®) effectively decreases iron burden in patients with thalassaemia intermedia: results of a pilot study

Iron loading in thalassaemia intermedia (TI) occurs primarily due to increased intestinal iron absorption secondary to chronic anaemia and is further exacerbated by intermittent blood transfusion therapy. In contrast to thalassaemia major (TM) the evaluation of body iron based on serum ferritin alone may underestimate the severity of iron overload in TI (Pakbaz et al, 2007). Therefore, direct assessment of liver iron concentration (LIC) by either biopsy or non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended (Jensen, 2004). Relatively few studies have evaluated the efficacy, safety and dosing regimen of iron chelation therapy specifically in TI (Cossu et al, 1981; Olivieri et al, 1992). Deferasirox (Exjade ) is a once-daily orally administered iron chelator approved for the treatment of transfusional iron overload in various anaemias (Cappellini et al, 2006). The aim of this preliminary, open-label, prospective, single-centre trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of deferasirox in sporadically transfused, iron-overloaded patients with TI. Adult male or female patients who had received sporadic red blood cell (RBC) transfusions (£20 RBC units in their lifetime) and had confirmed liver or cardiac iron overload (serum ferritin levels of ‡1000 lg/l, liver MRI T2* of <25 ms or cardiac T2* of <28 ms) were included in this study. Patients were excluded if they were pregnant, showed signs of hepatic failure (transaminase levels of >500 U/l) or renal failure (creatinine clearance <60 ml/min) or had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of <50%. The starting deferasirox dose was 10 or 20 mg/kg per day depending on baseline iron burden. Dose adjustments were permitted after 3 months (in increments of 5 mg/kg per day every 3 months as required) based on serum ferritin trends (rises of ‡1000 lg/l on 2 visits or >2500 lg/l without decreasing trend) and reduced for elevated levels of creatinine, urinary protein/creatinine ratio and transaminases, and in response to adverse events. Patients provided written, informed consent before entering the study. The study was conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines and the Declaration of Helsinki. The primary efficacy endpoint was the improvement in MRI T2* values in the liver and the heart from baseline after 12 months of deferasirox therapy. The secondary efficacy endpoints included evaluation of changes in serum ferritin,
The Relative Importance of Asset Allocation and Security Selection

There remains an active debate as to whether asset allocation or security selection is more important in investment performance. This revisit of the question uses a normative framework suggested before, but adds a more representative opportunity set for asset allocation, an unbiased dataset for stocks, and a modified security selection methodology that ensures strict uniformity with asset allocation rebalancing rules. In this case, the results do not support a clear hierarchy of investment choice. The extent to which asset allocation or security selection generates dispersion in active return is largely time-dependent.
Quantification of human body fat tissue percentage by MRI

The MRI‐based evaluation of the quantity and regional distribution of adipose tissue is one objective measure in the investigation of obesity. The aim of this article was to report a comprehensive and automatic analytical method for the determination of the volumes of subcutaneous fat tissue (SFT) and visceral fat tissue (VFT) in either the whole human body or selected slices or regions of interest. Using an MRI protocol in an examination position that was convenient for volunteers and patients with severe diseases, 22 healthy subjects were examined. The software platform was able to merge MRI scans of several body regions acquired in separate acquisitions. Through a cascade of image processing steps, SFT and VFT volumes were calculated. Whole‐body SFT and VFT distributions, as well as fat distributions of defined body slices, were analysed in detail. Complete three‐dimensional datasets were analysed in a reproducible manner with as few operator‐dependent interventions as possible. In order to determine the SFT volume, the ARTIS (Adapted Rendering for Tissue Intensity Segmentation) algorithm was introduced. The advantage of the ARTIS algorithm was the delineation of SFT volumes in regions in which standard region grow techniques fail. Using the ARTIS algorithm, an automatic SFT volume detection was feasible. MRI data analysis was able to determine SFT and VFT volume percentages using new analytical strategies. With the techniques described, it was possible to detect changes in SFT and VFT percentages of the whole body and selected regions. The techniques presented in this study are likely to be of use in obesity‐related investigations, as well as in the examination of longitudinal changes in weight during various medical conditions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Accounting Conservatism and Voluntary Corporate Governance Mechanisms by Australian Firms

This study examines the relationship between voluntary adoption of selected corporate governance mechanisms and accounting conservatism for a sample of firms listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) over the 11‐year period prior to the promulgation of the ASX Corporate Governance Council Good Governance Principles and Best Practice Recommendations in 2003. Using four accounting and market‐based accounting conservatism measures, our results provide evidence of both conditional and unconditional conservatism in accounting reporting for Australian firms. We find that voluntary audit committee formation, increasing board independence and decreasing board size are positively associated with unconditional accounting conservatism and negatively related to the degree of conditional conservatism. Our results support the contention that firms voluntarily adopting perceived best practice corporate governance mechanisms employ unconditional accounting conservatism as a complimentary agency control device and are consistent with the observed negative association between the unconditional and conditional forms of accounting conservatism practice.
Class size and student evaluations in Sweden

This paper examines the effect of class size on student evaluations of the quality of an introductory mathematics course at Lund University in Sweden. In contrast to much other studies, we find a large negative, and statistically significant, effect of class size on the quality of the course. This result appears to be quite robust, as almost all other influences but class size have effectively been accounted for.
Total Lymphocyte Count (TLC) Is a Useful Tool for the Timing of Opportunistic Infection Prophylaxis in India and Other Resource‐Constrained Countries

Background: In most resource‐constrained countries, CD4 cell count testing is prohibitively expensive for routine clinical use and is not widely available. As a result, physicians are often required to make decisions about opportunistic infection (OI) chemoprophylaxis without a laboratory evaluation of HIV stage and level of immunosuppression. Objectives: To evaluate the correlation of total lymphocyte count (TLC), an inexpensive and widely available parameter, to CD4 count. To determine a range of TLC cutoffs for the initiation of OI prophylaxis that is appropriate for resource‐constrained settings. Methods: Spearman correlation between CD4 count and TLC was assessed in patients attending an HIV/AIDS clinic in South India. Positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and sensitivity and specificity of various TLC cutoffs were computed for CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 and <350 cells/mm3. Correlation and statistical indices computed for all patients and for patients dually infected with HIV and active tuberculosis. Results: High degree of correlation was noted between 650 paired CD4 and TLC counts (r = 0.744). TLC <1400 cells/mm3 had a 76% PPV, 86% NPV, and was 73% sensitive, 88% specific for CD4 count <200 cells/mm3. TLC <1700 cells/mm3 had a 86% PPV, 69% NPV, and was 70% sensitive, 86% specific for CD4 count <350 cells/mm3. The cost of a single CD4 count in India is approximately US $30, whereas the cost of a single TLC is US $0.80. Conclusion: TLC could serve as a low‐cost tool for determining both a patient’s risk of OI and when to initiate prophylaxis in resource‐constrained settings. PPV, NPV, sensitivity, and specificity maximally aggregated at TLC <1400 cells/mm3 for CD4 <200 cell/mm3 and TLC <1700 cells/mm3 for CD4 <350 cells/mm3. Selection of appropriate TLC cutoffs for prophylaxis administration should be made on a regional basis depending on OI incidence, antimicrobial resistance patterns, and availability of the antimicrobials.