Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reducing Pollution of the River Rhine: The Influence of International Cooperation

In this article, we critically examine the widely held view that transboundary political and legal efforts to reduce pollution of the river Rhine by heavy metals have been a success story. In doing so, we seek to contribute to the analysis of the performance of transboundary environmental cooperation, and to gain insights that may be relevant to environmental cleanup efforts in other international river basins. We conclude that international efforts have only modestly and indirectly contributed to pollution reductions, and that, in the Rhine case, informal approaches to problem solving have been more effective than formal approaches. We also find that liability frameworks may contribute toward pollution reductions, but are, even under favorable conditions, of very limited effectiveness.
The Institutional Foundations of Regulatory Commitment: A Comparative Analysis of Telecommunications Regulation

In this article we use transaction cost economics to analyze the determinants of performance of privatized utilities in different political and social circumstances. Case studies are drawn from telecommunications regulation in Argentina, Chile, Jamaica, the Philippines and the United Kingdom. We explore how political institutions interact with regulatory processes and economic conditions in determining the potential for administrative expropriation or manipulation, and hence affect the sector's economic performance. We find that performance can be satisfactory with a wide range of regulatory procedures, as long as arbitrary administrative action can be restrained. We find also that regulatory credibility can be developed in unpropitious environments, that without such commitment long-term investment will not take place, that achieving such commitment may require inflexible regulatory regimes, that in some cases public ownership of utilities is the default mode of organization, and furthermore, that it may be the only feasible alternative. Copyright 1994 by Oxford University Press.
Trends in community knowledge of the warning signs and risk factors for stroke.

CONTEXT Poor public knowledge of stroke warning signs and risk factors limits effective stroke intervention and prevention. OBJECTIVE To examine temporal trends in public knowledge of stroke warning signs and risk factors. DESIGN AND SETTING Population-based random-digit telephone survey conducted in July-November 2000 among individuals in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, region. PARTICIPANTS A total of 2173 survey respondents (69% response rate) were randomly identified based on their demographic similarities to the ischemic stroke population with regard to age, race, and sex. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Spontaneous recall of at least 1 important stroke warning sign and 1 established stroke risk factor in comparison with findings from the same survey in 1995. RESULTS In 2000, 70% of respondents correctly named at least 1 established stroke warning sign vs 57% in 1995 (P<.001), and 72% correctly named at least 1 established stroke risk factor vs 68% in 1995. Groups of individuals with the highest risk and incidence of stroke, such as persons at least 75 years old, blacks, and men, were the least knowledgeable about warning signs and risk factors. Television was the most frequently cited source of knowledge, 32% in 2000 vs 24% in 1995 (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Public knowledge of stroke warning signs within the greater Cincinnati region has significantly improved from 1995 to 2000, although knowledge of stroke risk factors did not improve significantly during the same time period. Public education efforts must continue and should focus on groups at the highest risk of stroke.
The Worldwide Standard of Living since 1800

By many measures a revolution in living conditions is sweeping the world. Most people today are better fed, clothed, and house than their predecessors two centuries ago. They are healthier, live longer, and are better educated. Women's lives are less centered on reproduction, and political democracy has gained a foothold. Current international differences in a number of standard of living indicators are significantly correlated. Historically, however, these improvements often started at quite different times, suggesting that the determinants of change in different aspects of the standard of living are varied.
Labour market deregulation, 'flexibility' and innovation

Labour 'flexibility' is often portrayed as important to competitive success. Using evidence from an original survey of UK firms, this paper investigates the relationships between firms' use of, on the one hand, various flexible work practices, human resource management techniques, and industrial relations systems and, on the other hand, the innovative activities of those firms. Our results suggest that the sort of 'low road' labour flexibility practices encouraged by labour market deregulation--short-term and temporary contracts, a lack of employer commitment to job security, low levels of training, and so on--are negatively correlated with innovation. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
Limit Orders and the Bid-Ask Spread

We examine the role of limit-order traders and specialists in the market-making process. We find that a large portion of posted bid-ask quotes originates from the limit-order book without direct participation by specialists, and that competition between traders and specialists has a significant impact on the bid-ask spread. Specialists' spreads are widest at the open, narrow until late morning, and then level off. The U-shaped intraday pattern of spreads largely reflects the intraday variation in spreads established by limit-order traders. Lastly, the intraday variation in limit-order spreads is significantly related to the intraday variation in limit-order placements and executions.
1 Title : Growth Hormone ( GH ) and Cardiovascular 2 system 3

This review describes the positive effects of growth hormone on the cardiovascular 13 system. We analyze why the vascular endothelium is a real internal secretion gland, whose 14 inflammation is the first step for developing atherosclerosis, as well as the mechanisms by which 15 GH acts on the vascular endothelium improving its dysfunction. We also report how GH acts on 16 coronary arterial disease and heart failure, and on peripheral arterial disease inducing the 17 generation of new collateral vessels able to bypass a major artery occlusion. We include some 18 preliminary data from a trial in which GH or placebo is given to elder people suffering from critical 19 limb ischemia, showing the effects of the hormone on plasma markers of inflammation, and stating 20 that the administration of GH in short periods of time is safe and effective even in diabetic patients. 21 We also analyze how Klotho may have strong relationships with GH, inducing, after being released 22 from the damaged vascular endothelium, the pituitary secretion of GH to repair the damaged tissue. 23 Lastly, we show how GH induces wound healing by increasing the blood flow to the ischemic tissue. 24 In summary, we postulate that short-time GH administration is useful for treating cardiovascular 25 diseases. 26
Is there a long-run relationship between population growth and living standards? The case of India.

This note examines the existence of a long-run, cointegrating relationship between population and per capita GDP in India for 1950-93. Unit root tests show that per capita GDP is integrated of order one while population is integrated of order zero; further, estimation of the bi-variate relationship using the cointegration procedure of Johansen shows that no long-run relationship exists. Thus, population growth neither causes per capita income growth nor is caused by it. A corollary is that population growth neither stimulates per capita income growth nor detracts from it.
International Medical Travelers’ Behavioral Intention: An Empirical Study in Iran

ABSTRACT A few studies have examined destination image (DI), hospital service quality (HSQ), hospital accreditation (HA), patient attitude (PA) on patient satisfaction (PS), revisit intention (RI) and word of mouth (WOM) in a tourism context. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of medical travelers’ behavioral intention in Iran. A total of 250 questionnaires were distributed with a response rate of 68%. Quantitative techniques were used to test the hypotheses within the structural equation modelling (SEM) using SmartPLS software. Our statistical results support the positive relationship between DI and PS, HSQ and PA, HSQ and RI, HSQ and WOM, HA and PA, PA and PS, PS and RI, and PS and WOM. However, the relationship between DI and PA, DI and RI, HA and PS, and HA and WOM were not supported. The research contribution, implication, and limitation are discussed.
How to Win a Televised Debate: Candidate Strategies and Voter Response in Germany, 1972–87

This article analyses candidates' strategies in leadership debates and voters' responses to those strategies. Based on an examination of German election campaign debates since 1972, we specify a number of different debating strategies available to the candidates. The strategic choices made by each party leader are then identified through content analysis. Finally, employing aggregate-level data, regression models are used to determine whether or not the debaters' strategies influenced voters' evaluations of who won and who lost each encounter. We report three major findings: (I) ‘positive’, non-attacking debating styles generate the most favourable public evaluations; (2) voters are most attentive to candidates' discussions of the parties' and government's record rather than their discussions of individual personalities; and (3), in some cases, these effects exceed those of party identification.
Economic Freedom and Happiness

That liberty is necessary for greater happiness and a better life is a notion deeply rooted in the American sensibility. But is there a link between greater freedom and greater happiness across countries? In this article we explore this question by examining the empirical relationship between liberty, as measured by economic freedom, and happiness across more than 100 countries.
Ovarian Steroid Cell Tumors: An Immunohistochemical Study Including a Comparison of Calretinin with Inhibin

Ovarian steroid cell tumors, not otherwise specified (SCTs, NOS) are uncommon sex cord-stromal tumors that may be difficult to distinguish from other oxyphilic or clear-cell neoplasms. Immunohistochemical staining for inhibin, although generally useful in the diagnosis of SCTs, NOS, is not positive in every case and not all laboratories have this marker available. Recently, it has been reported that calretinin is expressed by sex cord-stromal tumors. We studied six SCTs, NOS for both calretinin and inhibin expression to evaluate the sensitivity of calretinin in comparison to inhibin. We also tested for CD99, Melan-A (A103), and S-100, other markers reported to be positive in these tumors. HMB-45 and MART-1 (Ab3) completed our panel of markers. All six tumors were positive for both calretinin and inhibin. Calretinin positivity was present in 60% to >90% of tumor cells, whereas inhibin reactivity ranged from <5% to >90% of tumor cells. Membranous staining for CD99 was present in one tumor. S-100-positive cells were seen in two tumors, whereas four tumors were immunoreactive for HMB-45. All six tumors were positive for Melan-A (A103), but in general the staining was less diffuse than with calretinin. All of the tumors were essentially negative for MART-1 (Ab3). The consistent diffuse staining of the tumors in this study for calretinin, in comparison to inhibin and Melan-A (A103), suggests that it is a sensitive marker for SCTs, NOS. MART-1 (Ab3) immunostaining may be useful for cases in which melanoma is considered in the differential diagnosis.
Earnings Smoothing, Cash Flow Volatility, and CEO Cash Bonus

Prior studies generally relate managers’ decisions to smooth earnings to their desire to maximize their overall compensation and to smooth their consumption. However, earnings smoothing could also be driven by the firm’s expected benefits from reporting a smooth earnings stream. Our paper provides empirical support for the latter explanation of earnings smoothing. Specifically, we find that while CEO bonus on average increases with earnings smoothing, the increase is larger when the firm’s cash flow volatility is higher. Further, CEO bonus is shielded from the negative effects of lower earnings arising from the need to report a smoother earnings stream.
Understanding the Determinants of RiskMetrics/ISS Ratings of the Quality of UK Companies' Corporate Governance Practice

We examine the determinants of RiskMetrics/ISS Ratings of the quality of UK companies' corporate governance practice and investigate whether corporate governance mechanisms and firm specific characteristics affect these ratings. We also investigate the association between firms' financial distress and these ratings. Using data for nonfinancial Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 250 firms over the 2003 to 2009 period, we find that board independence, managerial ownership, institutional ownership, firm size, and profitability are associated with firms' corporate governance ratings. In addition, we find that more independent directors on the board, more institutional ownership, and larger size lead to a high level of board-related ratings. Finally, we find no association between corporate governance ratings and financial distress.
Pathways to accountant fraud: Australian evidence and analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore pathways to fraud perpetrated in accounting-related roles, focusing both on situationally driven attitudes and contextual elements. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on an anomie-based criminological taxonomy developed by Waring et al. (1995) and Weisburd and Waring (2001), which highlights individual attitudes and situational elements and their connection to illegitimate behaviour, the authors perform a qualitative content analysis of available media and court-reported information on a hand-collected database of 192 accountant frauds in Australia during the period 2001-2011. Findings – The analysis highlights four distinct pathways to accountant fraud – crisis responders, opportunity takers, opportunity seekers and deviance seekers – and the relative distribution of identified cases among these pathways. It also identifies the prevalence of gambling, female offenders, small and medium enterprises as victims, as factors in fraud, as well as the relativ.
Neural Correlates of Symbolic Number Comparison in Developmental Dyscalculia

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a deficit in number processing and arithmetic that affects 3–6% of schoolchildren. The goal of the present study was to analyze cerebral bases of DD related to symbolic number processing. Children with DD aged 9–11 years and matched children with no learning disability history were investigated using fMRI. The two groups of children were controlled for general cognitive factors, such as working memory, reading abilities, or IQ. Brain activations were measured during a number comparison task on pairs of Arabic numerals and a color comparison task on pairs of nonnumerical symbols. In each task, pairs of stimuli that were close or far on the relevant dimension were constituted. Brain activation in bilateral intraparietal sulcus (IPS) was modulated by numerical distance in controls but not in children with DD. Moreover, although the right IPS responded to numerical distance only, the left IPS was influenced by both numerical and color distances in control children. Our findings suggest that dyscalculia is associated with impairment in areas involved in number magnitude processing and, to a lesser extent, in areas dedicated to domain-general magnitude processing.
Evaluation of Burn Healing Properties of Arnebia euchroma and Malva sylvestris

Arnebia euchroma Rolye (Johnst) (Boraginaceae) and Malva sylvestris L. (Malvaceae) are traditionally used to treat various skin disorders, and for antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities. The goat lipid containing roots of Arnebia euchroma is widely used as a remedy for burn wounds in nomadic tribal (Bakhtyari) southwest Iran. We examined the effectiveness of diethyl ether extracts of Arnebia euchroma roots and Malva sylvestris flowers at 200 mg/kg/day dose. Burns were induced in Wistar rats divided into six groups as following; Group-I was treated with cold cream. Groups-II and -III were treated with cold cream containing of two extracts, Group-IV was treated with goat lipid containing of Arnebia euchroma extract (according ethnobotany survey). Group-V was treated with goat lipid. Group-VI received the standard drug (silver sulphadiazine cream). The efficacy of treatment was evaluated based on reduction of burn wound area and histopathological characteristics. The extracts-treated animals showed significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the wound area when compared with other groups. Also, histological studies of the tissue obtained on days 6, 9 and 16 from the extract-treated by goat lipid containing of Arnebia euchroma and Malva sylvestris showed increased well organized bands of collagen, more fibroblasts, and few inflammatory cells. So we concluded that Arnebia euchroma and Malva sylvestris in the form of ointment had a good potential for acceleration of burn wound healing in rats.
Willingness to Pay for Quality Labeled Meat in a Rural Area

The aim of this study is to identify consumer perceptions and attitudes toward quality labeled pork and beef using cross-sectional consumer data. Given the dramatic changes over the last years in the meat sector as a result of the recent food scares, the study can facilitate better communicating with consumers and gaining insight into their perceptions and behavior toward meat products. A consumer survey was conducted in the rural region of Thessaly in Greece in order to investigate (a) food quality perceptions, (b) attitudes toward pork and beef quality labels, and (c) intentions to purchase higher priced certified pork and beef. The findings suggest that sociodemographic and personal characteristics have an impact on consumer willingness to pay for such products and different market segments can be targeted by marketers and food policymakers.
An ER Membrane Protein, Sop4, Facilitates ER Export of the Yeast Plasma Membrane [H+]ATPase, Pma1

We have analyzed the mechanism by which Sop4, a novel ER membrane protein, regulates quality control and intracellular transport of Pma1–7, a mutant plasma membrane ATPase. At the restrictive temperature, newly synthesized Pma1–7 is targeted for vacuolar degradation instead of being correctly delivered to the cell surface. Loss of Sop4 at least partially corrects vacuolar mislocalization, allowing Pma1–7 routing to the plasma membrane. Ste2–3 is a mutant pheromone receptor which, like Pma1–7, is defective in targeting to the cell surface, resulting in a mating defect. sop4Δ suppresses the mating defect of ste2–3 cells as well as the growth defect of pma1–7. Visualization of newly synthesized Pma1–7 in sop4Δ cells by indirect immunofluorescence reveals delayed export from the ER. Similarly, ER export of wild‐type Pma1 is delayed in the absence of Sop4 although intracellular transport of Gas1 and CPY is unaffected. These observations suggest a model in which a selective increase in ER residence time for Pma1–7 may allow it to achieve a more favorable conformation for subsequent delivery to the plasma membrane. In support of this model, newly synthesized Pma1–7 is also routed to the plasma membrane upon release from a general block of ER‐to‐Golgi transport in sec13–1 cells.
Estimating the recreational value of Pakistan's largest freshwater lake to support sustainable tourism management using a travel cost model

Keenjhar Lake, Pakistan's largest freshwater lake and an important Ramsar site, provides habitat for internationally important water birds. Annually, 385,000 people visit the lake. The lake is threatened by a variety of causes, including industrial and agricultural pollution. To support its sustainable management and conservation, the lake's recreational value is estimated using an individual travel cost model. Randomly selected visitors are interviewed during peak season about their recreational travel behavior and perception of lake conditions. Key issues in travel cost modeling are addressed, including the opportunity cost of time, group travel, substitution and income effects, and endogenous stratification and truncation due to on-site sampling. Poisson and negative binomial regression models produce similar results. We find significant over-dispersion, and therefore, use the more conservative truncated negative binomial model results to estimate consumer surplus. The value of this assessment method for resource managers is illustrated by comparing the consumer surplus with existing pricing and budgeting mechanisms. The annual flow of benefits from lake recreation appears to be almost 50 times higher than the average entrance fee paid by the predominantly higher-income segments visiting the lake, suggesting scope for increasing fees and reallocating government budgets to finance the necessary lake protection measures.
Changes over Time in New York State's Responsiveness to Monetary Shocks

This paper extends the existing research on regional economic responses to Federal Reserve policy shocks along two dimensions. First, we focus on the evolution over time of a particular region's responsiveness to federal funds shocks.This differs from prior work that analyzed differences across regions in their responsiveness to a federal funds shock over a single sample period. For the state of New York, we track how the declining importance of interest-rate sensitive manufacturing sub-sectors and construction has altered the region's income response to federal funds rate shocks. The evolution of New York State's responses to fed funds shocks is contrasted with the changes in the Rest-of-Nation's responsiveness.This paper's second extension of the literature is its use of sequential updating of the data set. Prior research utilized quarterly data sets starting in the late 1950's and ending in the early 1990's. We construct a parsimonious structural VAR model and first estimate the model over the 1958Q1 to 1992 Q4 period. Over this period our results are consistent with earlier findings. Next, we roll the sample period forward one year at a time, keeping the time period's length constant, up through 2004 Q2 and re-estimate the model after each resetting of the sample period.Overall, our findings are consistent with the view that the declining importance of interest rate sensitive sectors will lead to a decline in the responsiveness of a region's income growth to federal funds rate shocks. In both New York State and the Rest-of-Nation, responsiveness to federal funds rate shocks declined in the more recent periods in a manner consistent with their declining shares of regional income coming from interest-sensitive sectors. Consequently, estimating the model using the entire available data set leads to an overestimation of the current impact on both regions from a federal funds rate shock.
Characteristics of virtual walking sensation created by a 3-dof motion seat

This paper describes rendering characteristics of a virtual walk by a motion seat. The motion seat creates a small body motion in three dof (lift, roll, and pitch directions) to make the user feel as if the user him-/herself is walking despite sitting own body. We consider the actual self body is a medium to render the virtual body to share experiences of others by using the motion seat as part of the multisensory display. After setting the motion to optimally present a walking sensation, basic characteristics of perception levels of the virtual walk by the seat motion were measured and compared with those for a real walk. The result indicated that the perception levels of the virtual walk were around those of a real walk.