Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinantes de las fusiones y adquisiciones en el sistema financiero colombiano. 1990-2007

Para el caso colombiano se han analizado de manera amplia losefectos de la quiebra y la fusion de las instituciones financieras; sin embargo,no se contaba con un estudio microeconometrico para determinar los determinantesde este tipo de operaciones. Este documento se concentra en determinarcuales son las variables claves que incentivan la participacion de las institucionesfinancieras en operaciones de integracion, mediante la estimacion demodelos de duracion. Se encuentra que el buen desempeno de las firmas reducela probabilidad de fusion o adquisicion de instituciones financieras y que variablesmacroeconomicas como el crecimiento y la concentracion del mercado sondeterminantes de estas. **The effects of bank failures, and mergers and acquisitions (M & A)in Colombia have been thoroughly studied in the literature. However, there islimited evidence regarding microeconomic determinants of these events. Thispaper fills that gap by finding evidence about the significant determinantsthat take a financial institution to participate in such processes, using survivalanalysis techniques. Two important conclusions derive from our study: (i)the probability of participating in an M & A event is decreasing on banks'financial health; and, (ii) the included macroeconomic variables matter, aswell as market concentration.
[Prevalence of symptoms associated with blood pressure in normal and hypertensive population].

BACKGROUND High blood pressure should be symptomless. However, popular knowledge attributes some symptoms such as headache, epistaxis or dizziness to high blood pressure. AIM To compare the prevalence of headache, epistaxis, subconjunctival hemorrhages and dizziness in people with normal or high blood pressure. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A representative sample of an urban population in Chile was studied. Each subject with high blood pressure was paired with a non-related individual of the same sex and age. These subjects were interrogated about the presence of symptoms. RESULTS One thousand forty eight subjects with high blood pressure (481 male) and 1052 individuals with normal pressure (483 male), were studied. In subjects with high or normal blood pressure, the prevalence of headache was 22 and 21.8% respectively, epistaxis was 11.6 and 11% respectively, dizziness was 7.4 and 7.6% respectively, tinnitus was 9.1 and 9.4% respectively and subconjunctival hemorrhage was 2.9 and 3.1% respectively (p = NS). CONCLUSIONS No differences in the prevalence of symptoms, popularly attributed to hypertension, were observed between subjects with normal or high blood pressure.
The genetic properties of DNA transferred from ultraviolet-irradiated Hfr cells of Escherichia coli K-12 during mating.

LTRAVIOLET (UV) irradiation is known to affect genetic recombination in microorganisms. JACOB and WOLLMAN (1955) showed that, in bacterio-phage X crosses, the frequency of recombination could be increased by exposing the phage to UV light. JACOB and WOLLMAN (1958), and more recently, JOSET and WOOD (1966) and DOUDNEY and BRUCE (1966) investigated the effect of UV irradiation on Escherichia coli K-12 crosses and found that the yield and genetic constitution of recombinants was altered when the Hfr parent was irradiated prior to mating. Their results are difficult to interpret because UV photoproducts may influence the formation of recombinants by modifying the efficiency of chromosome transfer and the integration of the transferred DNA into the recipient genome. Furthermore, both stages may also be affected during the course of repair by dimer-excision. The principal photoproducts induced in DNA by UV irradiation are dimers between adjacent pyrimidine bases In E. coli, these lesions can be repaired by a process which is thought to involve excision of the dimer, followed by widening of the subsequent single-stranded gap and repair synthesis of the removed region. E. coli K-12 uvr excise pyrimidine dimers more sensitive to UV The experiments reported in this paper were to investigate the genetic properties of DNA transferred during mating from E. coli K-12 Hfr cells containing unexcised pyrimidine dimers. In to avoid the of dimers in the donor cells prior to DNA transfer, an Hfr strain was used which was excision-defective by virtue of a uvr mutation. We have examined the kinetics of recombinant-formation in matings with UV-irradiated Hfr uvrB.5 cells to determine the extent to which dimers inhibit genetic transfer. We have also investigated whether the formation of recombinants in crosses irradiated donor bacteria is affected by the capacity of the recipient cells for dimer excision. Finally, we have examined the effect of UV-irradiating Hfr uvrB5 cells on the frequency with which closely linked, male markers are present in recombinants.
Establishing a standard: Competitive strategy and technological standards in winner-take-all industries

Executive Overview The ability of a firm to establish its technology as an industry standard is a critical determinant of its long-term competitive position and success. Witness, for example, the successes of Microsoft and Intel, whose technologies define standards in today's personal computer industry. The strategic options that a firm might adopt in order to establish its technology as a standard include licensing, entering into strategic alliances, adopting an appropriate positioning strategy, and diversifying into the production of complementary products. There are benefits, costs, and risks associated with each of these options. The key factors that have an impact on the scale of these outcomes include the height of barriers to imitation, the capabilities of the firm's competitors, the firm's own resources and skills, and the availability of complementary products. These factors influence the particular competitive strategy that a firm adopts.
The role of national culture on Mexican staffing practices

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of national cultural dimensions on staffing practices in Mexico – a major player in Latin America. US multinationals are increasing their presence in Mexico and staffing practices seem to be a great challenge.Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper uses the national cultural dimensions of the GLOBE project, which is identified as the most topical theoretical framework on culture. The national cultural scores are used to develop hypotheses for specific cultural dimensions of power distance, uncertainty‐avoidance, in‐group collectivism, gender egalitarianism, and performance‐orientation. Examples from the literature are also used to strengthen the proposed hypotheses.Findings – This research identifies staffing practices such as internal recruitment, personal references, succession planning, psychometric tests, and elaborate bio‐data associated with these cultural dimensions. Also, certain staffing practices, such as e‐recruitment and pa.
The Market Valuation of Ethical Assets in Spain: An Application of the Hedonic Pricing Method

The aim of this paper is to calculate the market valuation of non‐financial characteristics, namely, the social responsibility criteria (social, ethical and environmental) included in the Spanish Socially Responsible Investment Funds. The hedonic price method is applied for this purpose. This method relates the price of Socially Responsible Investment Funds with both financial and social responsibility characteristics. Because of the large number of social responsibility characteristics included in these funds, prior to application of the hedonic price method, the principal components factor analysis technique is used. The data are taken from the prospectus for each fund and from the data provided by the National Securities Market Commission. Results indicate that the Spanish market is sensitive to the social responsibility practices of companies. In particular, the market value practices related to environmental sustainability, the enforcement of labour rights, sustainable production and consumption and non‐abusive market practices.
Reforms in tax-benefit systems in order to increase emplyoment incentives in the EU

In this paper we discuss the role of tax and benefit systems in the context of the functioning of the labour markets and review recent progress made by EU Member States in reforming tax and benefit systems with a view to increasing economic incentives for higher employment and job creation. On the basis of the most recent comparable data and indicators, we try to assess whether concrete measures are being taken by Member States to alleviate the tax pressure on labour and especially on the low paid. We also examine benefit systems (especially unemployment benefit systems) with a view to evaluating recent reforms to increase employment incentives.Our main conclusions are that while Member States have started to ease the tax burden on labour, progress on reforms has been unequal between tax and benefit systems: the emphasis has clearly been on the tax side while benefit reforms have mostly been relatively minor, and without adequate attention to the interaction between tax and benefit schemes. In view of the goal of full employment, to which the Union and the Member States are committed, it has become more urgent to speed up reforms of tax and benefit systems in order to increase labour supply and reduce structural unemployment. Further reforms aimed at making work pay should take a more comprehensive approach, including a review of the interaction between tax and benefit systems and their joint incentives to work. In general, further efforts are needed to reduce the overall generosity of benefit schemes, including eligibility rules, and to strengthen their interaction with active labour market policies in order to enhance the efficiency of active policies. This strategy could help to move people from benefit dependency to work, while preserving an adequate level of social protection for those in need.
Critical Assessment Indicators for Measuring Benefits of Rural Infrastructure Investment in China

Rural infrastructure is of vital importance for agricultural growth, economic development, and poverty alleviation, particularly in developing countries such as China. In line with the implementation of a Coordinated Urban-Rural Development Strategy, infrastructure investment in China has consciously been tilted to rural areas. An urgent need exists to assess whether the investment has induced the benefits as expected. Existing research on rural infrastructure investment assessment focuses primarily on economic return while neglecting its social and ecological benefits. This paper identifies a set of critical assessment indicators (CAIs) that can be used to evaluate the multifaceted benefits of rural infrastructure investment in China. Research data were collected through a questionnaire survey given to three groups of experts, including government officers, professionals, and business practitioners who are working in China’s housing and urban-rural development sector. Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) is used.
Changing Landscapes: The University Archive in a New South Africa

This article explores both a redefinition of the role of the university archive in civil society and fresh perspectives on its changing role. The process of change in the university archives due to changes in societal landscapes is also presented. University archives in South Africa do not have a long history of existence, as they only started operating as separate divisions in most tertiary institutions in the late 60’s. At some universities they still function as a part of the university libraries. The experience of Wits University Archives is used as a case study to show its role in preserving history of this academic institution as well as its involvement in the preservation of national history. Wits Archives can be proud of being the oldest university archives in South Africa and also keeps very valuable and internationally known paper collections. Students and academics of this institution were always actively involved in shaping the university and also national history. During the last few years the focus of the student population has changed and therefore the role of archives and its approach towards these changes should also be different. The article addresses some of the important issues concerning the functioning of Wits University Archives and the strategies it has employed to move away from the traditional role as a pure keeper of University history.
Goals with limited vision: a qualitative study of coping with vision-related goal interference in midlife

Objective: To investigate how middle-aged adults manage their goal pursuits in the face of visual disability. Design: Cross-sectional qualitative study. Setting: Vision rehabilitation agency. Subjects: 216 middle-aged adults with visual impairment. Methods: Telephone interviews composed of structured and open-ended assessments of life goals and the strategies used to cope with vision-related goal interference. Results: Individuals reported strategies that reflected the broader domains found in prior research with older adults: internal resource use, new approach use, technology use, help use, and psychological self-regulation. The most frequently reported strategy was help use (n = 192), followed by new approach use (n = 166), internal resource use (n = 162), technology use (n = 159) and psychological self-regulation (n = 130). Across domains, the most frequently reported strategies were instrumental informal help, instrumental formal help, optical aids, and invest effort. Specific strategy domains emerged as more typical in response to interference with particular types of goals; for example, help use was reported by a majority for interference with functional and psychological goals, but only by half for interference with social goals. Conclusions: Study findings revealed a rich array of strategies used by middle-aged adults with vision impairment in their daily lives to deal with vision-related goal interference. Results suggest that rehabilitation services should consider multiple methods of coping and their goal-related function when working with middle-aged adults with disabilities.
Consumer choice of food products and the implications for price competition and government policy

In this paper we develop a random coefficients discrete choice model to investigate what affected consumer demand for prepared frozen meals from 1993 to 1998, when government regulation of nutrition labeling changed from voluntary to mandatory. The model links individual consumer characteristics (e.g., income, knowledge about nutrition, nutrition label use) to underlying product characteristics (e.g., price, nutritional attributes) and allows us to obtain preference parameters for each consumer as well as demand elasticities with regard to product characteristics for each product considered. We find that prices, advertising, price reductions, and consumer preferences for taste have a significant effect on the demand for prepared frozen meals whereas concerns and knowledge about nutrition and health do not. Using the estimated demand parameters we then evaluate price competition in the industry and the impact of the new mandatory labeling policy. The results show that collusive pricing behavior by manufacturers is not supported by our data and that the 30% margins in the industry are due to the exercise of unilateral market power and differentiation strategies. The results also show that consumer preferences and purchasing patterns within prepared frozen meals category did not change significantly after the implementation of mandatory nutrition labeling. lEconLit codes: Q130, L110, L150r. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Chronic kidney disease: a large-scale population-based study of the effects of introducing the CKD-EPI formula for eGFR reporting

Objective To evaluate the effects of introducing the Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) formula for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) reporting in the adult population in routine clinical practice with clinician-directed testing. Design Retrospective study of all creatinine measurements and calculation of eGFRs using Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and CKD-EPI formulae. Setting General population, Oxfordshire, UK. Participants An unselected population of around 660 000. Interventions Reporting of eGFRs using MDRD or CKD-EPI formulae. Primary and secondary outcome measures Evaluation of the effects of the CKD-EPI formula on the prevalence of different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Results The CKD-EPI formula reduced the prevalence of CKD (stages 2–5) by 16.4% in patients tested in primary care. At the important stage 2–stage 3 cut-off, there was a relative reduction of 7.5% in the prevalence of CKD stages 3–5 from 15.7% to 14.5%. The CKD-EPI formula reduced the prevalence of CKD stages 3–5 in those aged <70 but increased it at ages >70. Above 70 years, the prevalence of stages 3–5 was similar with both equations for women (around 41.2%) but rose in men from 33.3% to 35.5%. CKD stages 4–5 rose by 15% due exclusively to increases in the over 70s, which could increase specialist referral rates. The CKD classification of 18.3% of all individuals who had a creatinine measurement was altered by a change from the MDRD to the CKD-EPI formula. In the UK population, the classification of up to 3 million patients could be altered, the prevalence of CKD could be reduced by up to 1.9 million and the prevalence of CKD stages 3–5 could fall by around 200 000. Conclusions Introduction of the CKD-EPI formula for eGFR reporting will reduce the prevalence of CKD in a primary care setting with current testing practice but will raise the prevalence in the over 70s age group. This has implications for clinical practice, healthcare policy and current prevalence-based funding arrangements.
Sex Differences in Cardiomyocyte Connexin43 Expression

Decreases in cardiac connexin43 (Cx43) play a critical role in abnormal cell-to-cell communication and have been linked to the resistance of the female heart to arrhythmias. We therefore hypothesized that Cx43 expression would be greater in female cardiomyocytes than in male cardiomyocytes under pathologic conditions. Adult ventricular myocytes were isolated from male and female rats and treated with phenylephrine (PE), a well-established pathologic stimulus. Cx43 gene and protein expression was determined. The expression of micro-RNA-1 (miR-1), a micro-RNA known to control Cx43 protein expression in cardiomyocytes, was also determined. Cx43 mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in the female cardiomyocytes than in the male cardiomyocytes (mRNA: 1.4-fold; Protein: 5-fold, both P < 0.05) under both basal and pathologic conditions. PE treatment increased Cx43 expression only in female cardiomyocytes. Cx43 phosphorylation, a marker of preserved Cx43 function, was also higher (P < 0.05), and The expression of miR-1 was lower (P < 0.05) in the female cardiomyocytes after PE treatment. The expression of miR-1 was unchanged by PE treatment in male cardiomyocytes. Thus, a sex difference in miR-1 may be responsible for the sex difference in Cx43 expression in cardiomyocytes under pathologic conditions. Taken together, our results demonstrate a sex difference in Cx43 expression and site-specific phosphorylation that favors cardioprotection in female cardiomyocytes.
Predictive and Treatment Validity of Life Satisfaction and the Quality of Life Inventory

The clinical and positive psychology usefulness of quality of life, well-being, and life satisfaction assessments depends on their ability to predict important outcomes and to detect intervention-related change. These issues were explored in the context of a program of instrument validation for the Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI) involving 3,927 clients from various clinical settings. Clinical norms were also generated that supplement existing nationwide norms. The predictive validity of the QOLI and life satisfaction in a university counseling center was supported in terms of its ability to predict academic retention both by itself and in conjunction with cumulative grade point average 1 to 3 years in advance. The QOLI was also found to be sensitive to treatment-related change in two naturalistic clinical settings and samples. The interpretation and intervention utility of measures of quality of life, well-being, and life satisfaction are discussed with respect to clinical and positive psychology research.
A comparison of the Berlin and Ghent nosologies and the influence of dural ectasia in the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome

Purpose: To compare the Berlin and Ghent diagnostic criteria for Marfan syndrome and evaluate the utility of screening for dural ectasia in the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome.Methods: Review of clinical and radiographic data on 73 patients evaluated for Marfan syndrome at the National Institutes of Health.Results: Nineteen percent of patients diagnosed under the Berlin criteria failed to meet the Ghent standard. Dural ectasia was the second most common major diagnostic manifestation, and screening for dural ectasia established the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome in 23% of patients under the Ghent criteria.Conclusions: Some patients are appropriately excluded from the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome by the Ghent criteria. Determination of dural ectasia is valuable in the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome.
HOW TO REFORM A PLANNED ECONOMY: LESSONS FROM CHINA

The countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union have been flooded with advice from the West on how to liberalize their planned econo mies. This advice is, unfortunately, offered in an empirical vacuum: no one knows how these econo mies will react to the proposed liberalization meas ures. There exists, however, a neglected source of information. China offers a long time-series of data—over a decade's worth—on the effects of reforms on a planned economy. China's reforms were gradual, but their cumulative effect has been large; and they have been remarkably successful. China's experiments provide some practical les sons on what kinds of reforms can work elsewhere. The dominant school of thought among economists favours the 'big-bang' policy of reforming quickly and according to a comprehensive plan. Partial reforms, in this view, are useless: they will be negated by the remnants of the planning system. The proponents of big-bang reform have been influential, with Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Rus sia announcing plans for a rapid transition to capi talism.