Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Disclosure Noncompliance and the Effect of the SEC Review: Evidence from the 2006 Mandated Compensation Disclosure Regulations

ABSTRACT We investigate the economic forces that influence noncompliance with mandatory compensation disclosures and the effect of a subsequent focused enforcement action. We utilize SEC evaluations of compensation disclosures mandated by rules adopted in 2006 to examine whether noncompliance is associated with excess CEO compensation, proprietary costs, or previous media attention. We further test whether subsequent CEO compensation declines after the SEC publicly identifies noncompliance. We construct measures of defective disclosures from SEC critiques and find that disclosure defects are positively associated with excess CEO compensation and media criticism of CEO compensation during the previous year. We find no evidence supporting the contention that compensation disclosure defects are associated with proprietary costs. Furthermore, we are unable to document that the level of disclosure defects identified by the SEC is associated with a reduction in excess CEO compensation in the subsequent year. Da.
The internationalization of venture capital

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors which affect the market for international venture capital (VC) investments, relying on comprehensive deal-level data sources, covering three decades and about 100 countries. Design/methodology/approach - A gravity analysis indicates that distance, common language, and colonial ties may have been significant factors in directing these flows. Findings - The paper documents major shifts in the nature of international flows. The presence of high-end human capital, a better business environment, military expenditure, and deeper financial markets are important local factors that appear to attract international VC. There is some evidence indicating network effects and/or fixed costs of entry may be at work. France, Israel, Canada, India and China were consistent net importers of VC deals, with China emerging as the largest net importer of VC. Originality/value - The paper investigates the increasing internationalization of VC investments in recent years and assesses the factors which determine the destination of cross-border VC investment flows.
Corporate environmental responsibility, employer reputation and employee commitment: an empirical study in developed and emerging economies

Employer reputation is relevant not only to attract but also to retain qualified employees. While in the past financial incentives have been the most important instrument, corporate environmental responsibility (CER) is becoming more and more relevant as a determinant for employer attractiveness and employee commitment. On the basis of signaling theory, we conducted an empirical study among 215 firms in China, Germany, India and the USA. Our results reveal that green strategy & culture, green technology & products, green recruitment & evaluation and green communication positively influence the environmental reputation of a company as an employer and in turn employee commitment. The signaling effects of these CER activities are similar in Germany and the USA (developed economies) as well as in China and India (emerging economies). An exception is green communication, which has a more positive effect on environmental reputation in developed economies. We conclude with managerial and theoretical implications as well as recommendations for future research.
Factors influencing corporate governance disclosures: evidence from Alternative Investment Market (AIM) companies in the UK

This study examines the relationship between company and ownership characteristics and the disclosure level of compliance with Quoted Companies Alliance (QCA) recommendations on corporate governance in Alternative Investment Market (AIM) companies. We report clear evidence that compliance increases with company size, board size, the proportion of independent non-executive directors, the presence of turnover revenue, and being formerly listed on the Main Market. However, we find that shell and highly geared AIM companies disclose relatively lower levels of corporate governance than recommended under QCA guidelines. Our findings suggest that market regulators should review the potential impact of the quality of corporate governance in these companies on the future vibrancy of AIM. We find no evidence that ownership structure or the type of Nominated Advisor is related to disclosure of compliance with QCA guidelines. Overall, in a lightly regulated environment such as the AIM market, it seems that companies will ultimately pursue a cost–benefit strategy in voluntarily complying with good corporate governance practice.
Tissue Expression of TRPC3 and TRPC6 in Hypertensive Munich Wistar Frömter Rats Showing Proteinuria

Background: We investigated whether alterations of transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channel expression may be observed in tissues from Munich Wistar Frömter (MWF) rats showing proteinuria compared to control Wistar rats. Methods: TRPC expression was investigated in tissue from MWF and Wistar rats using quantitative real time PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. Results: Compared to Wistar rats MWF rats showed significantly increased systolic blood pressure and significantly higher left ventricle weight (each p < 0.01). Quantitative real time PCR revealed that TRPC3 transcripts were significantly higher in kidney cortex from MWF rats compared to Wistar rats (p < 0.01). TRPC3 transcripts were not significantly different in kidney medulla nor in aorta from both groups (p = n.s.). Furthermore, TRPC6 transcripts were significantly lower in kidney cortex from MWF rats compared to Wistar rats (p < 0.001). Immunoblotting showed that TRPC3 channel protein expression was also significantly higher in kidney cortex from MWF rats compared to Wistar rats (p < 0.01). There was a significant correlation of TRPC3 mRNA and a specific marker for endothelium, von Willebrand factor (vWF; Spearman r = 0.564; p < 0.01). We observed a significant correlation between the TRPC3 transcripts to TRPC6 transcripts ratio in kidney cortex and urinary albumin excretion (Spearman r = 0.785, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Altered TRPC expression pattern in kidney cortex is associated with kidney damage in MWF rats showing hypertension and albuminuria.
Expression profiles of p53-, p16(INK4a)-, and telomere-regulating genes in replicative senescent primary human, mouse, and chicken fibroblast cells.

Replicative senescence is known to be an intrinsic mechanism in determining the finite life span of in vitro cultured cells. Since this process is recognized as an evolutionarily conserved mechanism from yeast to mammalian cells, we compared the senescence-associated genetic alterations in the p53, p16(INK4a), and telomere regulatory pathways using replicative senescent human, mouse, and chicken fibroblast cells. Normal human diploid fibroblast (HDF; WI38) and chicken embryonic fibroblast (CEF) cells were shown to have a more extended in vitro proliferative potential than their mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) counterpart. In contrast to the HDF and CEF cells, MEF cells were shown to express telomerase mRNA and maintain telomerase activity throughout their in vitro life span. Functional p53 activity was shown to increase in the replicative senescent HDF and CEF cells, but not in replicative senescent MEF cells. On the other hand, there was a gradual elevation of p16(INK4a) expression with increased cell passages which reached a maximum in replicative senescent MEF cells. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that the p53, p16(INK4a), and telomere regulatory functions may be differentially regulated during replicative senescence in human, mouse, and chicken fibroblast cells.
Do Stock Prices Reflect the Corporate Governance Quality of Japanese Firms?

We construct a governance index based on several attributes known to be associated with good corporate governance. After checking that the index is positively associated with standard indicators of firm performance, we use it to evaluate the returns on governance-sorted portfolios. Our main finding is that poorly governed firms significantly outperform better-governed firms. However, this result derives from the greater risk exposure of poorly governed firms. After adjusting for size and book-to-market, excess returns become insignificant across all portfolios. We verify that neither the sample period nor the behavior of specific industries is responsible for this outcome. Consistent with market efficiency, stock prices appear to fairly reflect the higher (lower) risk associated with poor (good) corporate governance. J. Japanese Int. Economies 22 (4) (2008) 647-662.
The President and Representative Bureaucracy: Rhetoric and Reality

Policy makers have long recognized the importance of achieving a representative federal bureaucracy, but the four most recent presidents have expressed divergent views about policies designed to achieve this goal. Meanwhile, there have been widespread perceptions among federal employees that the administrations' ideologies have had a direct impact on the opportunities of minorities, women, and white men for advancement. Using government-wide data from 1979 to 1996, this article examines whether such employment opportunities have varied in the manner suggested by these perceptions. We find little evidence of a correlation between the president's views on affirmative action and minority and female representation in the overall federal workforce. Moreover, the curtailment of promotion opportunities during the Reagan and Clinton administrations has affected all groups nearly equally. Potential presidential influence has been more notable in the representation of women and minorities in politically appointed and career senior executive jobs. We conclude that equal employment opportunity and affirmative action policies have remained basically intact during the 18-year period, but that recent court decisions, along with efforts to reduce the size of government, may slow progress toward achieving a representative bureaucracy.
Small firm exporters in a developing economy context: evidence from Ghana

A cursory review of the industrial policies of most nations suggests that exporting matters. Identifying exporting firms and facilitating their endeavours (or encouraging others to emulate them) are familiar policy themes, and studies of the relationship between firm characteristics and the propensity to export are common in the academic literature. Yet, the context for the bulk of these studies is provided by developed economies. To the extent that international trade relies upon specialisation and that broad differences exist in the patterns of specialisation between developed and developing economies, one wonders how well findings may be generalised to a developing context. Drawing upon firm-level data from a recent survey of small enterprises in Ghana (n = 500), the current study is concerned with identifying the characteristics of exporters in the three main non-governmental sectors of the Ghanaian economy (manufacturing, services and agriculture). Our interest is in Ghanaian economic development imperatives and in the extent of congruence between the findings of this study and previous developed economy studies.
A comparison study of quality of life in women with fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome

Purpose: To compare the quality of life scores of fibromyalgia patients with myofascial pain syndrome patients. Method: Thirty-three fibromyalgia patients, 33 myofascial pain syndrome patients, and 33 age-matched controls completed Beck Depression Inventory and Short Form-36 questionnaires. Results: Compared with myofascial pain syndrome patients, fibromyalgia patients reported significantly more often fatigue, numbness, tingling, gastrointestinal discomfort, and poor sleep. The mean scores on VAS and on Beck Depression Inventory were significantly higher in fibromyalgia patients than myofascial pain syndrome patients. Patients with fibromyalgia had significantly poorer health than the patients with myofascial pain syndrome in pain, general health, vitality, and role emotional subscales. Conclusions: The quality of life profile of fibromyalgia patients is quite different from those in the myosfascial pain syndrome group. Myofascial pain syndrome impacted mostly on physical health whereas fibromyalgia impacted on both physical and mental health.
Social Security Disability Insurance: Applications, Awards, and Lifetime Income Flows

This article provides new evidence about the impact of Social Security Disability Insurance on male labor force participation decisions based on estimates from a structural model of applications, awards, and state‐contingent lifetime income flows. The lifetime framework makes it possible to consider long‐term opportunity costs associated with early labor force withdrawal and the disincentive to applications resulting from the statutory waiting period before benefits may be received. Estimation techniques account for the self‐selected nature of the pool of applicants when predicting the individual‐specific probability of acceptance and the opportunity costs of applying.
Impact of genetic polymorphisms associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on HIV-infected individuals

Objective:Fatty liver disease (FLD) is frequently observed in HIV-infected patients and a cause of advanced liver disease. Genetic factors could play a role in determining risk for FLD development in those patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of those single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously found to be related to nonalcoholic FLD by genome-wide association analyses in the general population with the presence of FLD, including steatohepatitis, in HIV-infected individuals. Design:This is a transversal study. Methods:A total of 431 HIV-infected patients were included in this study. All of them underwent a transient elastography with the controlled attenuation parameter examination and were genotyped for 19 selected SNPs. A controlled attenuation parameter value higher than 238 dB/m was selected to define the presence of FLD. Elevated alanine aminotransferase levels and presence of FLD was considered as a surrogate marker of steatohepatitis. Results:A total of 179 (41.5%) individuals showed FLD, including 122 (28.3%) with steatohepatitis. The rs12743824 and rs738491 SNPs were independently associated with FLD and steatohepatitis, respectively. For rs12743824, among 252 individuals without FLD, 182 (72.2%) were A-allele carriers vs. 111 (62%) of 179 patients with this disease (multivariate P = 0.006; adjusted odds ratio = 0.51; 95% confidence interval = 0.33–0.83). For rs738491, 20 (16.4%) of 122 patients with steatohepatitis were TT carriers vs. 18 (5.8%) of 309 patients without this condition (multivariate P = 0.005; adjusted odds ratio = 2.94; 95% confidence interval = 1.39–6.20). Conclusion:LPPR4 and SAMM50 allelic variants are independent risk factors for FLD and steatohepatitis development, respectively, in HIV-infected individuals.
THE SIGNAL EXTRACTION PROBLEM REVISITED: A NOTE ON ITS IMPACT ON A MODEL OF MONETARY POLICY

This paper develops a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model with sticky prices and sticky wages, in which agents have imperfect information on the stance and direction of monetary policy. Agents respond by using Kalman filtering to unravel persistent and temporary monetary policy changes in order to form optimal forecasts of future policy actions. Our results show that a New Keynesian model with imperfect information and real rigidities can account for several key effects of an expansionary monetary policy shock: the hump-shaped increase in output, the delayed and gradual rise in inflation, and the fall in the nominal interest rate.
Neutron-scattering evidence for a periodically modulated superconducting phase in the underdoped cuprate La1.905Ba0.095CuO4.

The role of antiferromagnetic spin correlations in high-temperature superconductors remains a matter of debate. We present inelastic neutron-scattering evidence that gapless spin fluctuations coexist with superconductivity in La1.905Ba0. 095CuO4. Furthermore, we observe that both the low-energy magnetic spectral weight and the spin incommensurability are enhanced with the onset of superconducting correlations. We propose that the coexistence occurs through intertwining of spatial modulations of the pair wave function and the antiferromagnetic correlations. This proposal is also directly relevant to sufficiently underdoped La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4) and YBa(2)Cu(3)O(6+x).
Exchange Rate Volatility in an Equilibrium Asset Pricing Model

This paper analyzes a stochastic model of exchange rate determination with unrestricted access to capital and currency markets. It is shown that the only restriction imposed by the model on the equilibrium exchange rate is that it satisfy a martingale property. This implies that, for a given real equilibrium allocation (which is optimal), the model can display varying amounts of exchange rate volatility, and that volatility is unrelated to the welfare properties of the equilibrium allocation. Whether or not volatility is "excessive" therefore depends on which equilibrium is chosen as the basis for comparison. Copyright 1990 by Economics Department of the University of Pennsylvania and the Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association.
Osteopontin: a potentially important therapeutic target in cancer

Introduction: Cancer is an extremely complex disease and most cancer treatments are limited to chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. The progression of tumours towards malignancy requires the interaction of various cytokines, growth factors, transcription factors and effector molecules. Osteopontin is a cytokine-like, calcium-binding, extracelular-matrix- associated member of the small integrin-binding ligand, N-linked glycoprotein (SIBLING) family of proteins. It plays an important role in determining the oncogenic potential of various cancers. The role of osteopontin in various pathophysiological conditions suggests that the alteration in post-translational modification result in different functional forms that might change its normal physiological functions. Areas covered: Osteopontin -based anticancer therapy, which may provide a new insight for the effective management of cancer. Expert opinion: A better understanding of the signalling mechanism by which osteopontin promotes tumourigenesis may be useful in crafting novel osteopontin -based anticancer therapy. The role of osteopontin in promoting cancer progression is the subject of in depth investigation and thus targeting osteopontin might be a suitable therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer.
The rate of oxygen uptake by human red blood cells.

Oxygen uptake into intact and reconstituted human red blood cells was measured using dual wavelength, stopped flow techniques. The rate of oxygen uptake by human erythrocytes is roughly 40 times slower (t 1/2 congruent to 80 ms at 0.125 mM O2, 25 degrees C) than the corresponding rate of oxygen combination with free hemoglobin. Oxygen transport through the red cell cytoplasm accounts for part of this difference and predicts a half-time of uptake of about 15 ms, which is still 5 times smaller than that observed experimentally. Further limitation of uptake appears to be due to the presence of unstirred layers of solvent adjacent to the red cell surface. Very rapidly after mixing, these layers form and become depleted of O2 due to uptake by the cells. This requires that the bulk of the oxygen molecules must diffuse over rather large distances, 1.0 to 5.0 micrometer, before they can penetrate the erythrocytes. A mathematical model was developed to take into account diffusion through an unstirred solvent layer which increases in thickness with time. This scheme can account quantitatively both for the dependence of the apparent rate of uptake on O2 concentration and for the shape of the observed time courses. In addition, the diffusion parameters which were developed for the O2 reaction can also be used to describe quantitatively the rates and time courses of CO and ethyl isocyanide uptake and the rates and time courses of O2 release from cells in the presence of sodium dithionite. Finally, the parameters used to describe the stopped flow results can also be used to simulate quantitatively O2 uptake time courses obtained from previous studies with thin films of red cells (Sinha, A. K. (1969) Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, San Francisco; Thews, G. (1959) Arch. Gesamte Physiol. Mens. Tiere (Pflufgers) 268, 308-317).
Discussion of "Putting 'M' Back in Monetary Policy"

The European Central Bank assigns a prominent role for money and monetary analysis in its monetary policy strategy. ' It will therefore not come as a surprise that I am very sympathetic to the general theme of Eric Leeper and Jennifer Roush's paper. Indeed, let us put "M" back in monetary policy. In this paper, Leeper and Roush (2003, this issue of JMCB) show quite convincingly that explicitly allowing for a short-term response of the policy-controlled interest rate to money (M2) rather than to contemporaneous output and prices (as in the Taylor rule) helps identify the effects of exogenous monetary policy shocks in a monthly VAR. It reduces the price and liquidity puzzle, which is so often incurred in this type of exercise. It increases the size and the persistence of the output and price effects of a monetary policy shock. It improves the estimation of the short-run money market supply and demand schedules. And, importantly, these findings appear to be robust across various sub-samples (possibly with the exception of the most recent sub-sample). The bottom line is therefore: Let us put M back in the monetary policy reaction. While I will not disagree with this conclusion and I will provide some additional evidence for the euro area in Section 3 of this discussion, it is worth asking why the estimated effects of policy shocks with a contemporaneous reaction to money are more plausible than those estimated in VARs without such a role for money. First, is the price puzzle really a puzzle? There is no full consensus about this. In particular, one can construct models in which contractionary monetary policy shocks have an initial positive effect on prices due to an interest rate cost channel (e.g., Christiano,
E-Government for Better Performance: Promises, Realities, and Challenges

Abstract As elected officials and citizens demand accountability and results from e-government programs, it is important to assess whether e-government has fulfilled its promises and to outline the challenges lying ahead. Based on the literature, government reports, and other secondary data, this article evaluates the impact of e-government on service accessibility, efficiency, economy, effectiveness, and other end-outcomes. It reveals that although some e-government programs have demonstrated efficiency and economy gains, many are still struggling to make a business case. Effectiveness and other end-outcomes are even more difficult to achieve. This paper also examines the national characteristics that affect different countries' e-government developments and the managerial challenges that public managers face. Political and social rights are considered important for further promoting e-government. Resource, top leadership support, strategic planning, and collaboration, among others, are emphasized for e-government success.