Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The importance of output for the monetary policy rules

We examine the importance of variable output (Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate) on the preferences of the policy makers. We do so by examining the effect of output regimes on the form of monetary policy implemented by the central banks. We use simple monetary policy rules to characterize the monetary policy of the central bank. Regime switching models are utilized to model output and monetary policy regimes separately. The importance of output is then examined for the UK and the USA by corresponding the output and monetary regimes together. We find some evidence supportive of the fact that the phase of output existent can change the preferences of the policy makers.
R&D cooperation for non-technological innovations

Past research on the impact of R&D cooperation on firm innovation performance has almost solely focused on technological innovations. This paper investigates the impact of R&D cooperation on non-technological innovation performance of firms. In doing so, seven different cooperation partner types are distinguished. Survey data from German firms are used for the econometric analysis. It is shown that R&D cooperation increases the probability of a firm to introduce non-technological innovations. R&D cooperation with suppliers, consultants, other firms within the same firm group and universities has a significant positive impact on organizational and marketing innovation performance. Cooperation with governmental research institutes and competitors has no significant effect. R&D cooperation with customers has a significant impact on a firm's organizational innovation performance, but not on marketing innovation performance.
Governance and income determinants of poverty reduction: A cross-country analysis of Sub-Saharan African countries

This paper using cross-sectional data on 39 Sub-Saharan African countries examines how political and economic governance affect the most recent data on poverty for the period of 2000 ‐ 2007. For this period, the paper finds that the average percentages of population living on less than $1.25 a day and on less than $2.00 a day are 50 and 70, respectively in Sub-Saharan Africa. It finds that these percentages can be reduced by a half in 12.5 years and 28 years, respectively if the real per capita gross domestic product (GDP) grows sustainably at 5% per annum. Whereas, at a real per capita GDP growth rate of 7% per annum, the percentages can be reduced by half in 9 and 20 years, respectively. Government expenditures are found irrelevant to the poverty reduction. Similarly, high literacy rates are not found to trickle down to any significant poverty reductions. The political governance variables used in the paper are all found not to contribute towards poverty reductions. The paper confirms strongly that real per capita GDP is what matters most to poverty reductions in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Board Dynamics and the Influence of Professional Background, Gender and Ethnic Diversity of Directors

Exploring the appointment of directors of different professional backgrounds, levels of independence, age, gender and ethnicity, this paper develops a taxonomy describing what is meant by diversity on the board and its implications for decision-making. Board configuration is considered in terms of empirical evidence highlighting the criteria used in appointing directors and the associated implications of social capital for board dynamics. Issues raised include the influence of these on board performance and the ability of individual directors to make an effective contribution as board members. The conclusions highlight the various mythologies associated with the value of board diversity.
Impact of Damage Control and Quality of Output: Estimating Pest Control Effectiveness

Damage control affects both realized output and product quality; ignoring quality leads to underestimates of damage control agent productivity. Empirical analysis of pesticide use in North Carolina apple production using the damage control approach shows that fungicides and pruning reduce both yield losses and quality degradation, while insecticides reduce quality damage. Quality accounts for substantial shares of profit-maximizing insecticide and fungicide use. Use of both insecticides and fungicides appears excessive, while the potential for substitution between mechanical and chemical disease control appears large. A Cobb-Douglas specification of the quantity production function gives substantially larger estimates of fungicide productivity than the damage control specification.
Price convergence in the European car market

This article examines price convergence in the European Union (EU) car market over the period 1995 to 2005. We find that there is a clear evidence of price convergence among the EU15 countries, but not before 1999. Moreover, countries of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) started convergence previously to the EU15 as a whole. Finally, exchange rate changes have significantly contributed to price dispersion over time across countries. The results provide significant evidence that trade liberalization and the EMU have enhanced the process of regional integration in the European automobile industry, even though there is room for further measures to promote integration.
The Dialectics of Accountability for Performance in Public Management Reform

Introduction Accountability is a cornerstone of public governance and management because it constitutes the principle that informs the processes whereby those who hold and exercise public authority are held to account. Although accountability regimes vary in important respects among political systems, taken collectively they encompass processes whereby citizens hold their governors to account for their behaviour and performance directly through elections; the representatives of citizens in legislative assemblies hold political executives and public servants accountable through mechanisms of public scrutiny and audit; political executives hold their subordinate officials accountable through hierarchical structures of authority and responsibility; and, among other things, courts and various administrative tribunals and commissions hold legislatures, executives or administrative officers accountable to the law (Cooper, 1995; Stone, 1995; Mulgan, 1997). The purposes that accountability are meant to serve are essentially threefold, although they overlap in several ways. The first is to control for the abuse and misuse of public authority. The second is to provide assurancein respect to the use of public resources and adherence to the law and public service values. The third is to encourage and promote learning in pursuit of continuous improvement in governance and public management. Because accountability is an integral dimension of governance and public management it cannot be affected by the extent to which governance and public management are subject to ever increasing complexity (Thomas, 1998). Governments everywhere are under increasing pressures to be both more productive and more effective — to achieve not only the greatest degree of economy and efficiency possible but also to secure desired outcomes in respect to economic
Flows of the Pacific: Asian Foreign Exchange Markets Through Tranquility and Turbulence

Using the longest data set on FX order flow to date, along with the broadest coverage of currencies to date, we examine the effect of FX order flow on exchange rates across small and large currencies, currencies with floating or fixed regimes, and across both tranquil and turbulent periods. Over our 15 years of data for eleven Asian and Australasian currencies, we find that order flow has a potentially strong impact on all exchange rates in the sample. The effect is strongest on floating exchange rates, both economically and statistically, but is sizeable also on the other exchange rates, especially during periods of turbulence. By creating a measure of regional order flow, we show that all exchange rates depreciate as flows are moved out of Asia/Australasia and into US dollars. This is true both across regimes and if their own flow is not included in the structure of the regional flow.
A variant in microRNA‐196a2 is not associated with susceptibility to and progression of colorectal cancer in Chinese

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non‐coding RNAs with regulatory functions as tumour suppressors and oncogenes. Although single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in miRNA regions have been reported to be rare and unlikely to be functionally important, recent evidence suggested that rs11614913 SNP in miR‐196a2 was associated with the susceptibility of lung cancer, breast cancer, congenital heart disease and shortened survival time of non‐small‐cell lung cancer.
Maternal versus child risk and the development of parent–child and family relationships in five high-risk populations

Individual, dyadic, and triadic influences on the development of the family system were examined in the context of developmental risk. Participants were 145 couples and their 4-month-old first-born child in six groups: controls, three mother-risk groups (depressed, anxious, comorbid), and two infant-risk groups (preterm, intrauterine growth retardation). Dyadic and triadic interactions were observed. Differences in parent–infant reciprocity and intrusiveness were found, with mother-risk groups scoring less optimally than controls and infant-risk groups scoring the poorest. Similar results emerged for family-level cohesion and rigidity. Structural modeling indicated that father involvement had an influence on the individual level, by reducing maternal distress, as well as on the triadic level, by increasing family cohesion. Maternal emotional distress affected the reciprocity component of early dyadic and triadic relationships, whereas infant negative emotionality impacted on the intrusive element of parenting and family-level relationships. Discussion considered the multiple and pattern-specific influences on the family system as it is shaped by maternal and child risk conditions.This study was supported by the Israeli Science Foundation (No. 01/945) and the March of Dimes Foundation (12-FY04-50).
High-Affinity K+ Transport in Arabidopsis: AtHAK5 and AKT1 Are Vital for Seedling Establishment and Postgermination Growth under Low-Potassium Conditions1[C][W][OA]

Potassium (K+) is a major plant nutrient required for growth and development. It is generally accepted that plant roots absorb K+ through uptake systems operating at low concentrations (high-affinity transport) and/or high external concentrations (low-affinity transport). To understand the molecular basis of high-affinity K+ uptake in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), we analyzed loss-of-function mutants in AtHAK5 and AKT1, two transmembrane proteins active in roots. Compared with the wild type under NH4+-free growth conditions, athak5 mutant plants exhibited growth defects at 10 μm K+, but at K+ concentrations of 20 μm and above, athak5 mutants were visibly indistinguishable from the wild type. While germination, scored as radicle emergence, was only slightly decreased in athak5 akt1 double mutants on low-K+ medium, double mutants failed to grow on medium containing up to 100 μm K+ and growth was impaired at concentrations up to 450 μm K+. Moreover, transfer of 3-d-old plants from high to low K+ concentrations led to growth defects and leaf chlorosis at 10 μm K+ in athak5 akt1 double mutant plants. Determination of Rb+(K+) uptake kinetics in wild-type and mutant roots using rubidium (86Rb+) as a tracer for K+ revealed that high-affinity Rb+(K+) uptake into roots is almost completely abolished in double mutants and impaired in single mutants. These results strongly indicate that AtHAK5 and AKT1 are the two major, physiologically relevant molecular entities mediating high-affinity K+ uptake into roots during seedling establishment and postgermination growth and that residual Rb+(K+) uptake measured in athak5 akt1 double mutant roots is insufficient to enable plant growth.
Financial Reporting Quality of U.S. Private and Public Firms

ABSTRACT: Using a new database that contains accounting data for a large sample of U.S. private firms, we provide an investigation of financial reporting quality (FRQ) of U.S. private versus public firms. We find that in general public firms have higher accrual quality and are more conservative. The results are consistent with public firms' reporting reflecting greater demand for financial information. However, these reporting qualities of public firms are mitigated or eliminated in settings where public firms are more likely to manage earnings or face reduced demand for their financial information. Our study contributes not only to the current debate on private versus public financial accounting, but also to the broader literature attempting to understand the determinants of FRQ.
Potential responses of soil organic carbon to global environmental change.

Recent improvements in our understanding of the dynamics of soil carbon have shown that 20-40% of the approximately 1,500 Pg of C stored as organic matter in the upper meter of soils has turnover times of centuries or less. This fast-cycling organic matter is largely comprised of undecomposed plant material and hydrolyzable components associated with mineral surfaces. Turnover times of fast-cycling carbon vary with climate and vegetation, and range from <20 years at low latitudes to >60 years at high latitudes. The amount and turnover time of C in passive soil carbon pools (organic matter strongly stabilized on mineral surfaces with turnover times of millennia and longer) depend on factors like soil maturity and mineralogy, which, in turn, reflect long-term climate conditions. Transient sources or sinks in terrestrial carbon pools result from the time lag between photosynthetic uptake of CO2 by plants and the subsequent return of C to the atmosphere through plant, heterotrophic, and microbial respiration. Differential responses of primary production and respiration to climate change or ecosystem fertilization have the potential to cause significant interrannual to decadal imbalances in terrestrial C storage and release. Rates of carbon storage and release in recently disturbed ecosystems can be much larger than rates in more mature ecosystems. Changes in disturbance frequency and regime resulting from future climate change may be more important than equilibrium responses in determining the carbon balance of terrestrial ecosystems.
Managed Investments, Managed Disclosures: Financial Services Reform in Practice

Purpose – Recently enacted Australian law governing financial services requires investment managers to report to what extent social considerations are employed in portfolio construction. Using the principal-agent framework as an interpretive backdrop, the paper aims to analyse institutional responses to the introduction of the legislation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper distinguishes formal, claimed accountabilities from practised accountabilities. It identifies practised accountabilities by examining legislative requirements, noting responses of mainstream investment banking institutions in the period of legislative development, interviewing a sample of investment managers, and examining a sample of information disclosures issued in the initial period of the legislation. Findings – The paper finds that while appeasing investment managers and the lobby group that urged for the disclosures, the non-prescriptive regulations promise little in terms of promoting the integrity of management practices. Initial disclosures were poor, providing little basis for comparability. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides a basis to investigate accountabilities in service-based contractual relationships, particularly managed investments. Originality/value – The paper introduces a new research field: social reporting in financial services. The period reviewed was the initial reporting period in which Australian practitioners were required to issue social reports. Counterpart European legislation has not attracted scholarly attention. A contribution is made to critical research on social investment.
Understanding drivers of performance in the 3PL industry in Hong Kong

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to develop an overarching framework to better understand drivers of performance in third‐party logistics (3PL) linked to the operations strategy literature.Design/methodology/approach – A path model is specified and estimated based on constructs and relationships grounded in the literature, as well as self‐developed constructs, using empirical data from 159 3PL providers in Hong Kong.Findings – Some dimensions of internal and external environments have positive influences on differing operations emphases. Furthermore, operational performance is positively affected by corresponding operations emphases and functional involvement. Finally, good operational performance can bring about better financial performance. However, strict adherence to the low cost operations emphasis will lead to worse financial performance.Originality/value – This research provides a novel overarching framework to link competition in the market place, challenges in the operations and functional invo.
Enhancing Cognitive Functioning: Medium-Term Effects of a Health and Family Planning Program in Matlab

It is believed that early life circumstances are crucial to success later in life. Yet causal evidence that the impacts of early childhood health interventions continue into late childhood and adolescence is sparse. This paper exploits a quasi-random placement of the Matlab Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning Program in Bangladesh to determine whether children eligible for child health interventions in early childhood had better cognitive functioning at ages 8-14. I find a program effect of 0.39 standard deviations on cognitive functioning and similar effects for height and educational attainment (JEL I15, I18, J13, J18, O15).
An Effective Learning Model to Support People Development: The Emerging Approach of The Hong Kong Institute for Vocational Education

Globally, vocational and lifelong education reform now places greater stress on employability skills rather than only simple technical skills. This study undertakes a thorough review of the vocational education curriculum offered at one institution in Hong Kong so as to explore personal development opportunities that support the development of skills useful to both employability and broader personal development. Data was collected from multiple sources, including documents, questionnaires and interviews: a range of rich sources from different perspectives that explore the truth of students' personal development opportunities. The study findings indicate that personal development opportunities at the pilot institution are ineffective and a review of existing personal development training is recommended. More innovative new learning strategies should be introduced in and out of class activities to facilitate personal development for students. This study offers a practical guide regarding personal development for educators, and formulates an active learning model to support people development.
Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Leads in CKD and ESRD Patients: Review and Recommendations for Practice

Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are frequently utilized for management of cardiac dysrhythmias in patients with chronic kidney disease or end‐stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis. The survival benefit from use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in patients with CKD or ESRD is not as clear as in the general population, particularly when used for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Transvenous CIED leads are associated with central vein stenosis resulting in significant adverse consequences for existing or future arteriovenous access. Venous hypertension from CIED lead‐related central vein stenosis is a challenging clinical problem and may require repeated percutaneous interventions, replacement of the CIED, or creation of alternative arteriovenous access. Infections associated with transvenous CIED leads are more frequent and associated with worse outcomes in patients with renal disease. Epicardial CIED leads or other nontransvenous devices may reduce complications of both central venous stenosis and endovascular infection in these vulnerable patients. Consensus recommendations are offered for avoidance and management of complications arising from the use of CIEDs and arteriovenous hemodialysis access.
Post-prostatic massage fluid/urine as an alternative to semen for studying male genitourinary HIV-1 shedding

Objectives Genitourinary tract samples are required to investigate male HIV-1 infectivity. Because semen collection is often impractical, the acceptability, feasibility and validity of post-prostatic massage fluid/urine (post-PMF/U) was evaluated for studying male genitourinary HIV-1 shedding. Methods HIV-1-seropositive men were evaluated after 48 h of sexual abstinence. At each visit, a clinician performed prostatic massage, then post-PMF/U and blood were collected. Participants provided semen specimens 1 week later. An audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) administered after each specimen collection evaluated acceptability, adherence to instructions and recent genitourinary symptoms. HIV-1 RNA was quantified using a real-time PCR assay. Detection and quantitation of HIV-1 RNA and stability over visits were compared for semen, post-PMF/U and blood. Results Post-PMF/U was successfully obtained at 106 visits (64%) and semen at 136 visits (81%, p<0.001). In ACASI, discomfort was rated higher for post-PMF/U collection (p=0.003), but there was no significant difference in acceptability. Detection of HIV-1 RNA in post-PMF/U was associated with detection in semen (p=0.02). Semen and post-PMF/U HIV-1-RNA levels were correlated (ρ=0.657, p<0.001). Concordance of results at repeat visits was 78.9% for post-PMF/U (κ=0.519, p=0.02) and 89.5% for both blood and semen (κ=0.774, p=0.001). Conclusions Although semen collections were more successful, both post-PMF/U and semen collections were acceptable to many participants. HIV-1 RNA detection and levels were closely associated in semen and post-PMF/U, and results were relatively stable across visits. To assess male HIV-1 infectivity, post-PMF/U may represent a valid alternative when semen cannot be obtained.
Clusters and Cluster-Based Development Policy

Clusters and cluster policy have become a dominant paradigm in the world of both economic development theory and practice. Cluster theory suggests that firms that are part of a geographically defined cluster benefit from being part of that cluster and that these benefits result in growth in economic activity and output for the region. From here it is only a short step to argue that economic development practitioners can devise policies that can facilitate cluster development through various forms of intervention. Yet despite the large amount of writing on clusters, there is substantial vagueness and ambiguity about the concept itself as well as how clusters work to bring about economic growth and whether policies put in place to build or strengthen clusters actually achieve the desired result. In this article, the authors conduct a review of literature related to clusters to try to set forth what we know and do not know about clusters, what remains uncertain, and what the implications are for economic development practitioners.