Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental Performance, Environmental Risk and Risk Management

Environmental performance, environmental risk and its management are of contemporary interest, but to date there is limited evidence on their relationships. This paper is the first to provide detailed insights by adopting a content analysis approach and disaggregating firm-level environmental risk into types related to regulations, operations and nature. For a sample of US firms in polluting sectors, descriptive findings show that the level of risk and the likelihood of active risk management differ in the type considered. Environmental performance, risk and the likelihood of risk management all differ across firms and industries. Multiple regressions reveal a negative association between environmental performance and environmental risk, the extent of which depends on the type of risk. Results hold when controlling for active risk management which is not found to contribute significantly to environmental performance. Our findings have implications for public policy and suggest that linkages to environmental risk and risk management are worth exploring in more differential ways and beyond industry-level assessments in environmental studies.
Gendered leadership stereotypes in disadvantaged rural school communities

Within rural contexts where patriarchal traditions and perspectives of leadership exist, the role of the school principal is typically associated with stereotypical male leadership traits. This study investigated traditional stereotypical views of leadership and how these might manifest in the leadership of schools in disadvantaged rural communities. The aim of this qualitative study was to determine if the gender specific stereotypical view of leadership existed in the Historical Schools which formed part of this study. Whilst there were some stereotypical leadership practices, the study found notable exceptions. The exceptions were specifically found with respect to a gender stereotypical view of spiritual and servant leadership. This paper emerges from a larger SANPAD (South African Netherlands Partnership for Alternatives in Development) project titled: Women leading in Disadvantaged School Communities. This study aimed to investigate how women educational leaders navigate the challenges of leading in disadvantaged school communities. It is within this context that the study seeks to determine if a gender specific stereotypical view of leadership exists in the schools involved in this study. Naidoo and Perumal remind us that "despite an increase in the number of studies conducted on women in school leadership, there is an awareness that these studies have only gained the attention of a limited audience" (4). In this regard, this paper will serve two ends. Firstly to broaden the awareness of the role that women leaders play in schools, and secondly, to consider any gender specific stereotypical views of leadership that may emerge. This was a qualitative research study where findings are drawn from the experiences of the participants and their interpretation of leadership in their respective school context (5). The data for this study were gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and focus groups. This helped to provide a nuanced understanding of the type and style of leadership in the schools. The semi structured interviews were conducted with the school principals and with members of the School Management Team (SMT). These were intended to provide insights into the approaches to educational leadership, curriculum design and implementation. Mirroring this purpose, the focus groups comprised members of the SMT and the teaching staff. The sample aimed to achieve equity of representation based on the criteria of the participants' gender and years of teaching experience. The
The Many Turnings of Agricultural Extension in Australia

Abstract Purpose: This article outlines the development of extension as a discipline in Australia, its organization, and the ideological changes that have occurred from the second half of the nineteenth century through to the present. Design/Methodology/Approach: It considers the evolution of extension across the different states of Australia from a national perspective and describes how the research development and extension (RD&E) complex has rotated through cycles of crises, highs, awakenings in thought and practice, and periods where achievements and institutions unravel. Findings: Discussed is the tension between public and private sector extension, as well as the successes and failures of various paradigms. It considers the impacts of different agricultural policy on Australian agricultural RD&E across the decades. In particular it deals with the current ‘unravelling’ of the agricultural RD&E system in Australia, and tries to anticipate future demands on agricultural extension and how these services might be delivered into the future. Practical Implications: The article challenges the reader to consider the discipline of extension as a subset of the greater society in which it exists. It provides an insight into how the agricultural research, development and extension capacity of a nation can be observed to ebb and flow over generations in accord with the rhythm of society. Originality/Value: The article presents a perspective that has not been fully captured or understood until now.
Forecasting Default Rates on High-Yield Bonds

J ~ N G. J ~ N S S O N is an assistant vice president at Merrill Lynch & Co. in New York. here is a voluminous research on the prediction of bond defaults, in the sense of classifylng individual issuers by their propensity to default. ’ Much less T work has been devoted to forecasting aggregate default rates. This represents a significant information gap for high-yield bond portfolio managers, given the demonstrated relationship between aggregate default rates and market performance.2 Several sources assert causal relationships between fluctuations in default rates and economic or financial factors, even if few analysts attempt to incorporate the factors into formal models. Typically, such comments focus on business conditions and the quality of outstanding bonds. Spahr and Sunderman [1994] claim that “default losses tend to vary with economic condltions and cycles . During economic downturns both the frequency and severity of default losses are high. ” Altman and Nammacher [1987], on the other hand, find it difficult “to establish a clear connection between the aggregate business failure rates in the United States and corporate default rates,” even though the two series are “seemingly related. ” Howe [3988] suggests that, along with the condition of the economy, the general level of corporate debt may influence the default rate. Similarly, Lucas and Lonslu [1991] argue that in appraising the potential impact of a recession, the quality profile of the highyield universe should be considered. They link the higher default rate of 1990-1991, compared to the rate experienced during the more severe recession of 1982, to less concentration in the most default-resistant segment (issues rated Ba) and poorer measures of interest coverage and financial leverage. Lucas and Lonski also
Husband—wife inconsistencies in contraceptive use responses

Summary The reliability of responses in fertility surveys to questions on topics such as contraceptive use has long been a subject of concern. This paper explores one type of response reliability — the consistency between spouses in their responses to questions on use of contraception — using survey and case study data from a sample of rural Indian husbands and wives. The findings suggest that response inconsistencies between husband and wife appear to result primarily from wives underreporting the actual use of contraception, and that such underreporting may in turn be traced to the subordinate status of women within the family in this society in conjunction with familial and normative values which are opposed to contraception. Response inconsistencies, and the manner in which they are resolved, are shown to have important implications for both overall estimates of contraceptive prevalence as well as for household-level analyses of fertility behaviour.
Prevalence of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux in a Population With Gastroesophageal Reflux

Objective: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a syndrome associated with a constellation of symptoms usually treated by ENT surgeons. It is believed to be caused by the retrograde flow of stomach contents into the laryngopharynx, this being a supra‐esophageal manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It has been cited that LPR and GERD can be considered separate entities. Our hypothesis was that LPR is a supra‐esophageal manifestation of GERD and therefore that patients with GERD should have a degree of symptoms suggestive of LPR because of the reflux of the gastric contents. We examined a population of patients with both upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and symptom‐proven GERD and, using a questionnaire, looked at their existing symptoms to help assess the prevalence of LPR. We also looked at whether, with more severe GERD (suggestive of increased gastric content reflux), the degree of symptoms suggestive of LPR would be increased, as would be expected.
Investor–State Disputes

Since 1990, governments around the developing world have broken contracts made with multinational corporations (MNCs), but the incidence of breach varies across countries and over time. I argue that shared firm nationality is a key determinant of contract sanctity. MNCs are likely to divert investments or exit in response to breach with a firm of the same nationality but unlikely to react in ways costly to the host government otherwise. At the level of the economy as a whole, host governments gain permissive space to trade-off among national groups of investors when a greater diversity of foreign direct investment nationalities is present. I use national-, firm-, and dyadic-level data from 1990 to 2008 to demonstrate nationality-tied firm responses to breach. Counterintuitively, deeper integration with more nationally diverse MNCs enables more breach, as governments gain space to prioritize other goals over the property and preferences of foreign capital.
Facial nerve paralysis caused by middle ear cholesteatoma and effects of surgical intervention

Conclusions. The clinical and surgical findings of this study indicated advanced cholesteatoma in many patients with facial paralysis. The outcome of facial paralysis was good. Poor outcomes were observed in cases with petrosal cholesteatoma and in those who underwent surgery ≥2 months after the onset of paralysis. Objective. To investigate clinical features of cholesteatoma associated with facial paralysis. Material and methods. Sixteen patients with facial paralysis due to middle ear cholesteatoma were reviewed. After removal of the cholesteatoma lesion, a limited area of the fallopian canal, that in which facial nerve edema or redness was evident, was opened. Incision of the epineural sheath for nerve decompression was not performed. Results. Initial paralysis was incomplete in 11 patients (69%). The onset of paralysis was sudden in 12 patients (75%). Labyrinthine fistulae (n=9; 56%) and bone destruction in the cranial fossa (n=10; 63%) were frequently observed. Six patients (38%) were totally deaf due to labyrinthitis. The outcome of facial paralysis was good in 13 patients (81%). Patients who underwent surgery ≥2 months after the onset of paralysis frequently had a poor outcome. Paralysis was not improved in two cases with petrosal cholesteatoma.
Effect of distillers grains moisture and inclusion level in livestock diets on greenhouse gas emissions in the corn-ethanol-livestock life cycle1

A model was previously developed (Biofuel Energy Systems Simulator; https://www.bess.unl.edu) to predict greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and net energy yield when ethanol is produced from corn. The model also predicts feedlot cattle, dairy cattle, and swine performance and feed replacement value of ethanol coproducts. Updated equations that predict performance of feedlot cattle fed 0 to 40% of dietary DM as corn wet (WDGS), modified (MDGS), or dry (DDGS) distillers grains plus solubles replacing dry-rolled and high-moisture corn were developed and incorporated into the model. Equations were derived from pen-level performance for 20 finishing studies evaluating WDGS, 4 evaluating MDGS, and 4 evaluating DDGS conducted at the University of Nebraska. Feeding value of WDGS was 145 to 131% of corn replaced when included at 20 to 40% of diet DM due to a quadratic (P < 0.01) increase in G:F. The feeding value of MDGS was 124 to 117% with a quadratic (P < 0.01) increase in G:F and 112 to 110% for DDGS with a linear (P < 0.01) increase in G:F. Midwest corn-ethanol-livestock life cycle GHG reduction relative to gasoline (97.7 g CO2 equivalent/MJ of ethanol) was 61 to 57% when WDGS was fed to feedlot cattle for 20 to 40% diet inclusion. Feeding MDGS and DDGS to feedlot cattle reduced GHG emissions from the corn-ethanol-cattle system by 53 to 50% and 46 to 41%, respectively. Feeding WDGS to feed-lot cattle was the optimum feed use of distillers grains plus solubles based on feeding performance and GHG reduction.
The Socio-Cultural and Economic Relevance of the Marula Tree and its Sustainable Use in South Africa

This article analyses the cultural, and socioeconomic importance and sustainability of the Marula tree. The Marula is prolifi c in the production of fruit, for which it yields diverse uses within households, social and cultural ceremonies, and in industrial manufacturing. The fruit pulp is the main ingredient in the popular ‘Amarula Cream' liqueur and used to produce home-brewed beer, while the kernel oil is in demand in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The Zulus use the seed oil for body massages, while the Vendas use the oil for meat preservation. The Marula also features prominently in ethno-medical practices. With increasing commercialisation and industrial demand for the tree and its products, there is a fear that the supply may not be met or sustained in future. Given the high economic potential of its many uses, well-ordered research interventions are recommended to beef up supplies, verify many of the ascribed attributes, and stimulate domestication of the Marula. African Insight Vol. 36 (3&4) 2006: pp. 249-265
Twice as Smart? The Importance of Managers’ Formative‐Years’ International Experience for Their International Orientation and Foreign Acquisition Decisions

This study examined how top management team's (TMT) international orientation influences perceptions of environmental uncertainty and how these perceptions impact international strategic decisions, in particular regarding ownership stakes taken in foreign acquisitions. We highlighted the need for the concept of TMT international orientation to encompass executives’ formative‐years’ international experiences along with their international career experiences and nationalities. Empirical tests based on a sample of 2122 international acquisitions completed by 561 UK firms over the period 1999–2008 showed that TMT international orientation positively moderated the negative impact of cultural differences and host country risk on acquisition ownership stakes. The results underscored the importance of considering decision‐makers’ attributes due to their experiences at a young age, beyond their demographic characteristics or professional experience, in the context of international strategic choices. We also discussed some implications of one of the possible consequences of executives’ formative international experience, namely biculturalism, for international business.
Learning in a Fuzzy Random Forest ensemble from imperfect data

Instrument errors or noise interference during experiments may lead to incomplete data when measuring a specific attribute. Obtaining models from imperfect data is a topic currently being treated with more interest. In this paper, we present the learning phase of a Fuzzy Random Forest ensemble for classification from imperfect data. We perform experiments with imperfect datasets created for this purpose and datasets used in other papers to show the express the true nature of imperfect information.
The Contribution of University Curricula to Engineer ing Education for Sustainable Development

Global failures to reach a sustainable development within present-day societies as well as recent breakthroughs within technoscience pose new challenges to engineering education. The list of competencies which engineers should have to rise to these challenges is long and divers, and often encompasses radically new attributes. The task of engineering education for sustainable development is to address these competencies and to prepare engineers for their active role in society. Besides, while competencies correspond to optional behavior, actual behavior must be accounted for as well to fulfil the requirements for a transi tion towards sustainable development. Such an approach calls for new modes of teaching and learning as well as for their meaningful integration in existing educational contexts. This paper presents the diversity of competencies needed, introduces a focus on actual performance, and identifies five appropriate modes of learning. The combination of these different modes (their prevalence, sequence, and balance) within university curricula is discussed referring to empirical examples.
A Study of Factors Influencing Foreign Share Holdings in the Taiwan Semiconductor Industry

As the semiconductor industry grows globally, the ability to attract investments and capital from foreign institutions continues to become more competitive. This paper examines factors—including stock indexes, macroeconomic variables, and company financial statistics—that would influence the foreign investment ratio in the Taiwan semiconductor industry, based on panel data from 2004 to 2009. The major findings of this study are that three types of variables significantly influence a foreign institution's preference for firms in Taiwan. These findings could have important implications in decision making either for local investors who want to follow a foreign institution's investment strategy or for a firm's financial managers who want to draw a foreign institution's attention.
Control-oriented modelling and adaptive control of a single-phase quasi-Z-source inverter

One key feature of Z-source and quasi-Z-source converters is the inclusion of a fully reactive network (the Z network) between input voltage source and inverter bridge. The inclusion of the Z network enables the possibility of utilizing the so-called shoot-through mode, i.e. the simultaneous activation of both switches in a single inverter bridge leg. Typical control strategies for these converters involve two separate objectives: (a) the control of Z-network variables (capacitor voltages) aimed at regulating the Z-network-to-inverter-bridge voltage and (b) standard inverter bridge output control. Modelling and control of the Z-network behavior, aiming at objective (a), is complicated by the fact that the current drawn from the Z-network by the inverter bridge during non shoot-through may be discontinuous and cannot be considered constant, especially in the case of a single-phase inverter. Our main contribution is to derive an adequately simple and sufficiently useful control-oriented model for the Z-network variables, taking full account of the variability of the aforementioned current and hence avoiding restrictive assumptions on the load or the PWM modulation strategy. A second contribution is to derive, based on the Z-network model, an adaptive control law able to compensate for large-signal variations. Successful operation is illustrated by means of a simulation example.
Managerial Ownership, the Method of Payment for Acquisitions, and Executive Job Retention

This study investigates how acquiring and target firm managers' preferences for control rights motivate the payment for corporate acquisitions. We expect that managers of target firms who value influence in combined firms will prefer to receive stock. One reason top managers desire influence is to enhance their chances of retaining jobs in the combined firm. Our analysis shows a strong, positive association between managerial ownership of target firms and the likelihood of acquisitions for stock. We also find that managers of target firms are more likely to retain jobs in combined firms when they receive stock rather than cash. Copyright The American Finance Association 1998.
Human mesothelioma cells exhibit tumor cell–specific differences in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT activity that predict the efficacy of Onconase

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer with no known cure, which has become a therapeutic challenge. Onconase is one of few chemotherapeutic agents that have been studied in patients with malignant mesothelioma that has the advantage of low toxicity and limited side effects. Here, we evaluate the effect of Onconase on killing of malignant mesothelioma cells and how the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT (PI3-K/AKT) survival pathway influences this effect. Our results show that Onconase induces apoptosis in malignant mesothelioma cell lines and that this effect is tumor cell specific. Malignant mesothelioma cell lines with the highest AKT activation, which correlated with the presence of the SV40 large and small T antigen (SV40+), were the most resistant to the drug. Finally, a cooperative effect was observed between small molecule inhibitors of PI3-K and Onconase in the killing of malignant mesothelioma cells. Our results suggest that kinase screening of individual malignant mesotheliomas for endogenous levels of activated PI3-K/AKT may be predictive of the efficacy of Onconase and possibly other chemotherapeutic agents.
Nursing culture

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is challenging for most nurses due to the time constraints of caring for patients and the emerging pressures of a changing health service. To explore these challenges, and thus to establish possible means of overcoming them, three focus groups (n = 17) with children’s nurses were conducted. Participants were asked how they would define EBP, what the barriers to EBP were, what skills they needed to help access evidence and how they could integrate evidence into everyday practice. Data were analysed thematically and the anticipated themes of definitions of EBP, barriers, education and nursing culture were determined. Important subthemes were personal and employer disengagement, passivity and lack of resource utilisation. Passive use of evidence readily available in patient folders and on the wards was common. It seemed that little consideration was given to how often this evidence was updated. Nurses define their access to evidence as primarily passive in nature. This is reinforced by a lack of ready access to ongoing education and a perceived lack of investment at institutional level in their continued engagement with evidence. Promoting EBP needs to engage more with those ritual and traditional aspects of nursing culture to challenge these perceptions.
When do pay spreads influence firm value?

This article examines whether the effect of hierarchical pay structures on firm value is different between the firms in which the CEO is not the highest paid member of the top management team and those in which the CEO receives the highest pay. We find that the difference in pay between CEO and VPs benefits firm value only when CEO is the highest paid member of the top management team. In firms where the CEO does not receive the highest pay, pay gaps have a negative impact on firm value. The article also finds that financial distress, family ownership, firm size and R&D intensity increase the likelihood of CEO not being the highest paid manager, whereas CEO entrenchment and CEO power along with dividend payout decrease this likelihood.