Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Construct Validity of Strategic and SIC-based Measures of Corporate Diversification

Several new methods of measuring corporate diversification have been developed since Rumelt's (1974) seminal work. These methods use varying criteria but they have not been backed up by construct validity. The present study investigates the content, convergent, discriminant, unidimensionality, and predictive validity by comparing 54 Fortune 500 companies on Rumelt's classification (self-reported and calculated), entropy, Berry- Herfindahl index, and broad and mean narrow spectrum diversification measures. Results indicate only mild support for convergence, discriminant and predictive validity, and no evidence of unidimensionality amongst these measures. This raises problems in the measurement of diversification and subsequent relationships to performance linkages.
Consumer Interdependence via Reference Groups

In solving choice problems under bounded rationality, one relies on "heuristics" provided by social interdependence. Such "heuristics" consist in taking a particular social group as a reference group and in emulating its life-style by acquiring an associated cluster of complementary wants. A preference map generated by this reference-group-taking behavior exhibits smooth indifference curves which are convex to the origin with a "relevant range" over which the marginal rate of substitution is positive and diminishing. However, its implications on consumer choice and welfare economics are significantly different from those of traditional theory.
Transcriptional repression of NaK-2 Cl cotransporter NKCC 1 by hypoxia-inducible factor-1

Ibla, Juan C. , Joseph Khoury, Tianqing Kong, Andreas Robinson, and Sean P. Colgan. Transcriptional repression of Na-K-2Cl cotransporter NKCC1 by hypoxia-inducible factor-1. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 291: C282–C289, 2006. First published March 29, 2006; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00564. 2005. —Tissue edema is commonly associated with hypoxia. Generally, such episodes of fluid accumulation are self-limiting. At present, little is known about mechanisms to compensate excessive fluid transport. Here we describe an adaptive mechanism to dampen fluid loss during hypoxia. Initial studies confirmed previous observations of attenuated electrogenic Cl secretion after epithelial hypoxia. A screen of known ion transporters in Cl -secreting epithelia revealed selective downregulation of Na-K2Cl cotransporter NKCC1 mRNA, protein, and function. Subsequent studies identified transcriptional repression of NKCC1 mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis identified a functional HIF binding site oriented on the antisense strand of genomic DNA downstream of the transcription start site corresponding to the NKCC1 5 -untranslated region. Additional in vivo studies using conditional Hif1a-null mice revealed that the loss of HIF-1 in Cl -secreting epithelia results in a loss of NKCC1 repression. These studies describe a novel regulatory pathway for NKCC1 transcriptional repression by hypoxia. These results suggest that HIF-dependent repression of epithelial NKCC1 may provide a compensatory mechanism to prevent excessive fluid loss during hypoxia.
Effect of inorganic salts on bacterial omega-3 PUFA production

ABSTRACT The increasing demand of omega-3 in the market and the challenges facing its conventional supplies led to an increasing interest to microbial omega-3 sources. This research concentrates on the statistical role of some metal ions on the biosynthesis and productivity of eicosapentaenoic acid (essential omega-3 element) in bacterial isolate, Shewanella 717. A Plackett–Burman design was applied to screen the main effect of all metal salts entrenched in the artificial sea water medium components. Four salts, in particular, in addition to the interaction among them were highlighted as having a statistically significant effect upon the growth and/or eicosapentaenoic acid production. A subsequent central composite design was performed to determine the exact optimum concentration of each of the chosen variables which was found to be 2.5, 1.8, 1.2, and 23 g/l, for Na2HPO4, MgSO4, KCl, and NaCl, respectively. All the experiments were performed with the minimal amount of carbon and nitrogen to eliminate any potential masking effect. A bioreactor batch run was operated and the ion uptake was monitored, using EDAX® electron microscopy, concluding that the process of microbial omega-3 production could be a phosphate-limited process. Optimizing the concentration of the tested metal ions led to a remarkable increase in the omega-3 productivity resulted in a 30, 9, and 10 times increase in yield, concentration, and percentage to the total fatty acids, respectively, even though the carbon and nitrogen were kept constant all over the research work.
Hegel's theory of economic nationalism: political economy in the Philosophy of Right

The author explores Hegel's theory of economic nationalism in the Philosophy of Right. In that work, Hegel incorporates economics within a systematic theory of the nation-state. Hegel argues that both capitalism and nationalism are the products of the state, which emancipates human capacities by founding and securing individual rights. Capitalism, however, is an inherently self contradictory social phenomenon to which Hegel responds in a sophisticated manner, one eschewing those economic ideologies which subsequently dominated modern economic thought. Moreover, his response differs fundamentally from other supposed defenders of economic nationalism. Unlike the rationalist Fichte, that other great German defender of a national economics, Hegel paves the way to a scientific understanding of the relationship between the modern economy and the nation-state, in other words, a theory of economic nationalism.
Crystal Structure and RNA Binding Properties of the RNA Recognition Motif (RRM) and AlkB Domains in Human AlkB Homolog 8 (ABH8), an Enzyme Catalyzing tRNA Hypermodification*

Background: Human ABH8 is a tRNA-hypermodifying enzyme paralogous to the DNA repair enzyme AlkB. Results: Crystal structures of the RRM/AlkB domains of ABH8 were determined in conjunction with thermodynamic assays. Conclusion: Substrate specificity and catalytic activity are modulated by conformational adaptations in and around the active site. Significance: These results provide insight into the functional expansion of the AlkB enzyme family in higher eukaryotes. Humans express nine paralogs of the bacterial DNA repair enzyme AlkB, an iron/2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase that reverses alkylation damage to nucleobases. The biochemical and physiological roles of these paralogs remain largely uncharacterized, hampering insight into the evolutionary expansion of the AlkB family. However, AlkB homolog 8 (ABH8), which contains RNA recognition motif (RRM) and methyltransferase domains flanking its AlkB domain, recently was demonstrated to hypermodify the anticodon loops in some tRNAs. To deepen understanding of this activity, we performed physiological and biophysical studies of ABH8. Using GFP fusions, we demonstrate that expression of the Caenorhabditis elegans ABH8 ortholog is widespread in larvae but restricted to a small number of neurons in adults, suggesting that its function becomes more specialized during development. In vitro RNA binding studies on several human ABH8 constructs indicate that binding affinity is enhanced by a basic α-helix at the N terminus of the RRM domain. The 3.0-Å-resolution crystal structure of a construct comprising the RRM and AlkB domains shows disordered loops flanking the active site in the AlkB domain and a unique structural Zn(II)-binding site at its C terminus. Although the catalytic iron center is exposed to solvent, the 2-oxoglutarate co-substrate likely adopts an inactive conformation in the absence of tRNA substrate, which probably inhibits uncoupled free radical generation. A conformational change in the active site coupled to a disorder-to-order transition in the flanking protein segments likely controls ABH8 catalytic activity and tRNA binding specificity. These results provide insight into the functional and structural adaptations underlying evolutionary diversification of AlkB domains.
The Impact of Product Recalls on the Wealth of Sellers

What happens to the wealth of shareholders of firms producing defective products? Our answer-for producers of drugs and autos that were recalled from the market-is that the shareholders bear large losses. They are substantially greater than the costs directly emanating from the recall-for example, costs of destroying or repairing defective products. In fact, they are plausibly larger than all the costs attributable specifically to the recalled product; the losses spill over to the firm's "goodwill. " They also spill over to competitors. This negative externality may even be larger in the aggregate than the losses to the producer of the recalled product.
Trinomial or Binomial: Accelerating American Put Option Price on Trees

We investigate the pricing performance of eight trinomial trees and one binomial tree, which was found to be most effective in an earlier study, under 20 different implementation methodologies for pricing American put options. We conclude that the binomial tree, the Tian third‐order moment‐matching tree with truncation, Richardson extrapolation, and smoothing, performs better than the trinomial trees. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 29:826–839, 2009
Economic Analysis of Risk and Uncertainty Induced by Health Shocks: A Review and Extension

We review and extend the economic analysis of risk and uncertainty as it relates to behavior mitigating health shocks. We summarize some central aspects of the vast positive and normative literature on the role of various forms of insurance that attempt to smooth consumption, which can be uneven due to medical spending induced by health shocks. Much of this literature has been concerned with the barriers that prevent full insurance and the role of the government eliminating their adverse consequences. We argue that this large literature is limited in that it is focused largely on consumption smoothing rather than smoothing of health itself. However, a problem with insuring health itself is that human capital cannot be traded; a person diagnosed with an incurable cancer cannot be made whole through reallocation of someone else's health. This lack of tradability in human capital implies that pooling of health risks, through private or public insurance, is infeasible except in rare instances such as transplantations. We argue that medical innovation can be interpreted as an insurance mechanism for a population's health. By enabling treatment of a harmful disease, it completes the previously incomplete market for risk-sharing in health by pooling the health care spending risk. In a sense, medical innovation involves a current certain R&D payment for a reduced future price of health, which is directly comparable to traditional health care insurance where a current premium is paid for a future reduced price of health care. We explore the positive and normative implications of this "health insurance" view of medical R&D and stress the ex ante value of new medical innovations, sometimes for patients that may never even use them. Given the potentially large value of smoothing health itself rather than consumption, we argue that more explicit analysis is needed on the relative value of public programs stimulating medical innovation versus health care reforms largely aimed at enabling consumption-smoothing.
Sourcing: new face to economies of scale and the emergence of new organizational forms

This paper provides an overview of the thinking behind strategic sourcing and highlights an emerging trend development, namely the centralization of shared services. In so doing, a model highlighting the likely future developments of sourcing is proposed, emphasizing why sourcing should be viewed from a strategic perspective. The paper invokes conceptual knowledge, practical case studies and research in its pursuit to shed light on the increasingly complex and sophisticated forms of sourcing to be found in today's organizations. It draws on both management theory concepts in understanding new organizational forms, exemplified by ‘sourced service consortia’ organizations and economic analysis in understanding contracting, markets and the nature of corporations. The benefits and costs of outsourcing are also explored, as well as the conditions for effective new sourcing arrangements. In the concluding section, a scenario for the future of outsourcing is presented. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The remarkable performance of international marketing in the second half of the twentieth century

Purpose – International marketing has performed extremely well during the second‐half of the twentieth century. This paper examines the outstanding performance from different perspectives and evaluates the future of international marketing in the age of globalization.Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents a chronological review of international marketing in four distinct periods: 1945‐1964, 1965‐1984, 1985‐2005, and 2005‐forward. These periods are labeled as ages of coincidence, confluence, commingling, and creative conflict. The state of the world, the state of international marketing and the status of the marketing context are analyzed as they have emerged and changed.Findings – The paper posits that for international marketing to continue to perform in its spectacular manner, the field needs to cross fertilize with globalization, which enables international marketing to reach out to all corners of the globe successfully and smoothly.Originality/value – The paper carefully identifies the rela.
Study of morbidity pattern among salt workers in marakkanam, Tamil Nadu, India.

BACKGROUND Salt workers are exposed to occupational hazards like contact with salt crystals and brine, physical stress, sunlight and glare due to sunlight reflected by salt crystals. Very few studies have documented the morbidity among the salt workers. AIM To assess the morbidity pattern among salt workers in Marakkanam, Tamil Nadu, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS A community based cross-sectional study was undertaken in 4 randomly selected salt worker villages. Three hundred thirty one salt workers were reached by a house-to-house survey during April 2010 to March 2011. Demographic data was collected; clinical examination was conducted using a predesigned and pretested questionnaire. A pilot study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of morbidity before initiating the study. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 11.5. Chi-square test and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to determine the association of morbidity levels with various factors. RESULTS Of the 331 salt workers in the study, 58% were females, mean age was 41.9 ± 10.8 y. Eighty seven percent salt workers had some or other morbidity. The observed morbidities include clinical pallor (44.4%), ocular morbidities including cataract, pterygium, conjunctivitis, pingecula and corneal ulcer (42%), caries teeth (41.7%), hypertension (23.3%), underweight (19.3%), goiter (19%), obesity (14.8%) and dermal conditions including dermatitis, thickening of palm and sole, tinea unguum, follicultitis (9.1%). The presence of morbidity did not show any significant association with increase in age, gender, duration of employment or the type of salt work involved with. However, the lower the education level, the higher is the morbidity level among salt workers (OR = 5.23, 95% CI= 2.07 to 13.21). CONCLUSION Morbidity among salt workers is high. Intervention programs are needed to alleviate the health problems in the salt workers.
Option Pricing and Filtering with Hidden Markov-Modulated Pure-Jump Processes

Abstract This article discusses the pricing of derivatives in a continuous-time, hidden Markov-modulated, pure-jump asset price model. The hidden Markov chain modulating the pure-jump asset price model describes the evolution of the hidden state of an economy over time. The market model is incomplete. We employ a version of the Esscher transform to select a price kernel for valuation. We derive a valuation formula for European options using a Fourier transform and the correlation theorem. This formula depends on the hidden Markov chain. It is then estimated using a robust filter of the chain.
Creating a terrahertz wave source through nonlinear sum frequency generation in a microwave pumped ferroelectric crystal

This paper explores theoretically a model for sum-frequency generation in ferroelectric crystals which, being resonant in the far infrared, will also respond to microwave frequencies (a view that is substantiated in this paper). The essential idea is that the summing of the frequency components of microwave radiation incident on the ferroelectric brought about by sum-frequency generation will produce waves in the terahertz region. The response of ferroelectric crystals in their interaction with microwaves of frequencies in the range 200 to 300 GHz makes this a viable proposal, together with the fact that the nonlinear processes generated in ferroelectrics tend to be stronger that in conventional dielectrics. Landau-Devonshire theory has been used to calculate nonlinear susceptibility coefficients. Here susceptibility coefficients for sum-frequency generation are given and it is shown how the slowly varying amplitude (SVA) approximation together with a susceptibility coefficient can be used to solve the wave equation, and this describes the propagation of the generated waves in the crystal. Conditions on the length through which the waves travel that optimize the phase matching are a useful result of this analysis.
Institutions and International Trade: A Reconsideration of Comparative Advantage

Persistent inconsistency between predictions of standard theoretical models and empirical evidence of international trade dynamics suggests that the traditional understanding of the determinants of actual international trade patterns is incomplete. What is missing? A recent literature suggests paying more attention to the role of the domestic institutional environment. The level and nature of development of the relevant institutions may be shown to affect competitiveness, by altering both production and transaction costs. In the extreme case, alternative institutional architectures that emerge in different countries may be interpreted as the cause of relative advantagesdisadvantage even if technological levels, factor endowments and tastes are identical everywhere. Although in standard international trade models institutions remain implicit, it is hard to explain trade patterns and international competitiveness without taking institutions explicitly into consideration. By reviewing and reorganizing the most interesting contributions on this issue, this survey discusses how institutional diversity affects comparative advantage and international trade dynamics. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2006.
Clinicopathological and virological analyses of familial human T-lymphotropic virus type I-associated polyneuropathy

Human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is known to be the causative agent of the chronic myelopathy, HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM), and on rare occasions infection is also associated with the development of polyneuropathy. Here the authors present an HTLV-I-positive family of whom four members developed a chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy without HAM. Four female patients in a family from Hokkaido in Japan developed distal dominant paresthesia and muscle weakness in the second and third decades of their life. Neurological findings at ages ranging from 50 to 65 years included mild painful sensorimotor disturbances with atrophy of the distal parts of the extremities but without pyramidal signs or hyperactive tendon reflexes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of brain and spinal cord were unremarkable. Serum HTLV-I antibody levels were elevated at 1:8,192 to 1:32,768, whereas those in cerebrospinal fluid were low at 1:4 to 1:8. Electrophysiological studies revealed polyphasic compound muscle action potentials with denervation potentials on nerve conduction studies and neurogenic patterns by electromyography, which were consistent with signs of chronic motor dominant demyelinating polyneuropathy. Sural nerve biopsy showed decreased myelinated fibers, occurrence of globule formation, myelin ovoid and remyelinated fibers, and an infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages with occasional CD4-positive T cells in the nerve fascicles. The polyneuropathy was responsive to steroid therapy. Analyses of serological human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types indicated that none of the patients possessed a high-risk HLA type known to be associated with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), whereas they did have high responsive alleles to HTLV-I env similar to that observed in HAM. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the HTLV-I tax region demonstrated the B subgroup in all patients. This study suggests that HTLV-I infection can result in the development of a familial form of polyneuropathy that is associated with distinct HLA class I alleles, which might possibly involve a distinct virus subtype.
Changing Patterns in the Impact of Information on Party Choice in a Multiparty System

Simulations of changing levels of political knowledge among Danish voters in the 1971 and 2005 general elections reveal a strong impact on party choice. The analysis advances previous simulations from the American two-party system to a multiparty system by applying survey data from the Danish Election Studies. In both multiparty elections, the impact of information has significant consequences for party choice. In 1971, political knowledge seems to be the variable connecting class with party choice, whereas political knowledge seems to be the variable connecting issues with party choice in 2005. The information effects are greater than the effects observed in similar analyses of the American two-party system, thus suggesting a positive relationship between the number of parties and the impact of political knowledge. Finally, the analysis supports the notion that right-leaning parties tend to fare better if political knowledge increases.
Serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region: possible pharmacogenetic implications of rare variants

A functional insertion/deletion (*l/*s) repeat polymorphism within the promoter region of the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) has been described. An association between *l variant and a better and faster response to serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors in depressed patients was reported in Caucasians. The value of the explained variance due to the 5-HTTLPR, however, was 7% only, and different *l and *s variants were reported according to the nucleotide sequence of repeats. In this study, we investigated the antidepressant response to fluvoxamine in individuals carrying different *l and *s variants according to the Nakamura findings. Two hundred and twenty-eight patients affected by bipolar disorder and major depression were administered a daily dose of fluvoxamine up to 300 mg and evaluated at baseline and weekly thereafter until week 7, using the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. We found a marginally significant difference in genotype and allele (P=0.04, data not shown) distribution (*l and *s traditional variants) according to diagnosis (bipolar disorder vs. major depression). We confirmed a better and faster response in our depressed patients bearing the *l variant, but we also found significant differences in response among *l carriers according to the type of *l allele. In fact, 16F *l carriers showed only a partial response, while 16D *l carriers showed a marginally significantly better response than 16A *l allele carriers. These results, although very preliminary, can represent a further step toward a better understanding of the molecular genetics of antidepressant response.