Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Impact of Knowledge of Government Business Support Services on Propensity of New Graduates to Venture into Business

As part of its SME development agenda in the country, the Malaysian government promotes entrepreneurship as a career among university students by offering educational programs at local universities in form of core subjects or part of the curriculum. Nevertheless, the impact of this strategy has not been satisfactory as these programs have not been able to encourage young graduates to venture into entrepreneurial activities. Young entrepreneurs often lack the capital for starting a business or face technical problems in executing and developing a business idea. To help young entrepreneurs overcome these obstacles, government business support services (GBSS) has been set up to provide them every possible help to start their own business. This paper examines if knowledge of GBSS is a positive factor that can assure young graduates of receiving the requisite support and encourage them to set up their own business. Using a quantitative technique, this study measures the impact of awareness of GBSS, product knowledge and procedural knowledge of acquiring the services among potential graduates on their intention to pursue a business opportunity. Data analyses were conducted via two principal stages using SPSS 19.0 and Smart PLS 2.0. This study found that while awareness of the GBSS and knowledge about the procedure of acquiring a service affect the readiness of potential entrepreneurs to venture into their own business, interestingly, product knowledge about the service offered did not have a significant impact at all.
Rethinking the MBA: Business Education at a Crossroads

Purpose – The paper seeks to examine major challenges facing MBA programs and to argue that they will have to reconsider their value proposition. It aims to explore effective curricular and programmatic responses as opportunities for MBA programs to innovate. The paper also aims to call for collective action across the business school field to effectively address these challenges.Design/methodology/approach – The research is grounded in empirical methods including semi‐structured interviews, data on curricula, courses, applications, enrollments, tuition and fees, and faculty hiring, and case studies of particular institutions.Findings – Business schools need to reassess the facts, frameworks, and theories that they teach, while also rebalancing their curricula to focus more on developing skills, capabilities, and techniques as well as cultivating values, attitudes, and beliefs.Originality/value – The paper draws on original sources of qualitative and quantitative data to present a detailed picture of the .
Thrombocytopenia: A Risk Factor of Mortality for Patients with Sepsis in the Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate the intensive care unit (ICU) and long-term mortality in sepsis patients with/without thrombocytopenia on the fifth day of ICU admission. MATERIALS AND METHODS The retrospective observational cohort study was performed in a teaching hospital, and patients with sepsis who stayed more than 4 days in the ICU between January 2012 and December 2012 were included. Patients were divided into two groups according to thier platelet count at fifth day of ICU stay: Group 1, < 150.000/μL; Group 2, >150.000/μL. Patients having thrombocytopenia on admission were excluded. The patients' characteristics, comorbid diseases, body mass index, arterial blood gas analysis and blood biochemistry results, SIRS criteria, Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation Score II (APACHE II), implication of invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation, use of sedation, nutrition information, and culture results of microbiological samples were recorded. The groups were compared according to the recorded data. Logistic regression analysis was performed for ICU mortality; the Kaplan-Meier test was used to evaluate 12-month survival after ICU discharge. RESULTS During the period, 1003 patients were admitted to the ICU; 307 sepsis patients were included in the study. Group 1 (n= 67) and Group 2 (n=240) had similar patient characteristics and sepsis findings. The groups had similar ICU and hospital stays; mortality was higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (40.3% vs. 17.5%, respectively, p< 0.001). Fifth day thrombocytopenia, septic shock, male gender, and low albumin levels were found to be risk factors of ICU mortality; the respective odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and p values for these factors were 3.03, [1.15-7.45], p= 0.025; 4.97, [1.79-13.86], p= 0.002; 3.61, [1.27-10.23], p= 0.001; and 0.19, [0.07-0.52], p= 0.001. Follow-up after a year indicated that 124 out of 238 (52.1%) patients died, and 50% of the deaths occurred in the first 2 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no statistically significant effects of thrombocytopenia at ICU day 5 on 12-month mortality after ICU discharge. CONCLUSION Higher rates of septic shock and mortality were seen in sepsis patients with thrombocytopenia in the ICU. The measurement of thrombocytopenia in the ICU, which is easy and low-cost, may help to predict mortality. Thus, precautions can be taken early in patient treatment and follow-up. As we know, early intervention is crucial in the approach to sepsis.
The Sensitivity of Implied Volatility to Expectations of Jumps in Volatility: An Explanation to the Illusory Bias in Implied Volatility as a Forecast

The apparent bias in implied volatility as a forecast of the subsequently realized volatility is a well-documented empirical puzzle. As suggested by e.g. Feinstein (1989), Jackwerth and Rubinstein (1996), and Bates (1997), we test whether unrealized expectations of jumps in volatility could explain this phenomenon. Our findings show that expectations of infrequently occurring jumps in volatility are priced in implied volatility, which has two important consequences. First, implied volatility will slightly exceed realized volatility most of the time only to be considerably lower than realized volatility during infrequently occurring periods of very high volatility. Second, the slope coefficient in the classic forecasting regression of realized volatility on implied volatility is very sensitive to the discrepancy between the ex ante expected and ex post realized jump frequencies. If the in-sample frequency of positive volatility jumps is lower than ex ante assessed by the market, the slope coefficient will be biased downward and the classic regression test will erroneously reject the hypothesis of no bias even if the market is informationally efficient. Since the inferences of almost all previous studies on the forecasting power of implied volatility have been based on data from a period of historically low volatility, our results provide a rational explanation for the illusory bias in implied volatility.
Common long-term and short-term price memory in two Scandinavian stock markets

This paper expands the recent empirical studies of international capital market integration in mainly three aspects. First, the study focuses on two Scandinavian markets, the Finnish and the Swedish, that are receiving more and more attention by international analysts in light of the ongoing European integration. For investors, these new markets offer interesting diversification opportunities. Secondly, the study covers a very long time span from January 1920 to December 1994. Thirdly, using a variety of approaches the paper clarifies previously published confusing results regarding the lead - lag structure between these markets. The results indicate that no evident cointegration or even fractional cointegration between the markets exist. An analysis of short-term dynamics indicates that virtually all shock impulses are absorbed in both markets within one month. Sub-period analyses reveal increasing instantaneous causality between the markets in the passage of time, whereas no meaningful Granger-causality is found.
A new test for simultaneous estimation of unit roots and GARCH risk in the presence of stationary conditional heteroscedasticity disturbances

According to previous research, standard unit root tests are considered robust to stationary GARCH distortions. These conclusions are in fact correct when the number of observations is extraordinarily high. However, simulation experiments in this study, using more normal sample sizes, reveal that eight of the most commonly applied unit root tests exhibit considerable bias in the size in the presence of fairly moderate GARCH distortions. As a remedy for the disturbances from GARCH, this article presents size-corrected unbiased critical values for all these examined tests. Nevertheless there is still reduced power in the presence of stationary GARCH distortions. As a solution, a completely new test is formulated which simultaneously models unit roots and the interconnected parameters of GARCH risk. For empirically relevant sample sizes, this new test exhibits superior size and power properties compared with all the traditional unit root tests in the presence of GARCH disturbances.
Neural attention and evaluative responses to gay and lesbian couples

The goal of the current study was to examine whether differential neural attentional capture and evaluative responses for out-group homosexual relative to in-group heterosexual targets occur during social categorization. To this end, 36 heterosexual participants were presented with pictures of heterosexual and homosexual couples in a picture-viewing task that was designed to assess implicit levels of discomfort toward homosexuality and explicit evaluations of pleasantness toward the images. Neural activity in the form of electroencephalogram was recorded during the presentation of the pictures, and event-related potentials resulting from these stimuli were examined. Participants also completed questionnaires that assessed the degree to which they socialized with gays and lesbians. Results demonstrated that relative to straight couples, larger P2 amplitude was observed in response to gay but not to lesbian couples. However, both gay and lesbian couples yielded a larger late positive potential than straight couples. Moreover, the degree to which participants differentially directed early neural attention to out-group lesbian versus in-group straight couples was related to their familiarity with homosexual individuals. This work, which provides an initial understanding of the neural underpinnings of attention toward homosexual couples, suggests that differences in the processing of sexual orientation can occur as early as 200 ms and may be moderated by familiarity.
Precautionary Saving in the Small and in the Large

The theory of precautionary saving is shown in this paper to be isomorphic to the Arrow-Pratt theory of risk aversion, making possible the application of a large body of knowledge about risk aversion to precautionary saving, and more generally, to the theory of optimal choice under risk. In particular, a measure of the strength of precautionary saving motive analogous to the Arrow-Pratt measure of risk aversion is used to establish a number of new propositions about precautionary saving, and to give a new interpretation of the Oreze-Modigliani substitution effect.
A Variable Step Runge-Kutta-Nyström Integrator for Reversible Systems of Second Order Initial Value Problems

A class of implicit Runge--Kutta--Nystrom (RKN) integration formulae is developed for the numerical integration of reversible systems of second order ordinary differential equations of the form y' = f(x,y). The formulae derived have high stage order, provide a continuous solution, are symmetric, and have asymptotically correct local error estimates available at each step point. The availability of these error estimates, coupled with the symmetry of the algorithm, allows the formulae to be implemented in a variable stepsize mode using the ideas of Stoffer [Computing, 55 (1995), pp. 1--22]. Numerical results presented for both fixed and variable stepsizes of integration show the power of the new methods.
Monetary Theory and Policy

Part 1 Empirical evidence on money and output: introduction some basic correlations estimating the effect of money on output summary. Part 2 Money in a general equilibrium framework: introduction the Tobin effect money in the utility function summary appendix - the MIU approximation problems. Part 3 Money and transactions: introduction shopping-time models cash-in-advance models other approaches summary appendix - the CIA approximation problems. Part 4 Money and public finance: introduction bugdet accounting equilibrium seigniorage optimal taxation and seigniorage Friedman's rule revisited nonindexed tax systems problems. Part 5 Money and output in the short run: introduction flexible prices sticky prices and wages a framework for monetary analysis inflation persistence summary appendix problems. Part 6 Money and the open economy: introduction the Obstfeld-Rogoff two-country model policy coordination the small open economy summary appendix problems. Part 7 The credit channel of monetary policy: introduction imperfect information in credit markets macroeconomic implications does credit matter? summary. Part 8 Discretionary policy and time inconsistency: introduction inflation under discretionary policy solutions to the inflation bias is the inflation bias important? do central banking institutions matter? lessons and conclusions problems. Part 9 Monetary-policy operating procedures: introduction from instruments to goals the instrument-choice problem operating procedures and policy measures problems. Part 10 Interest rates and monetary policy: introduction interest-rate rule and the price level interest rate policies in general equilibrium models the term structure of interest rates a model for policy analysis summary problems.
Impact of multidisciplinary team working on the management of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND The continual and rapid development of techniques which are used for diagnosis and treatment makes management of colorectal cancer more difficult depending on single discipline. Colorectal cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT) working model is recommended by UK and other countries, but there is little information on the impact of MDT working on management of colorectal cancer in China. The aim of this study was to assess the effect on management of colorectal cancer after the inception of an MDT. METHODS A total of 595 consecutive colorectal cancer patients were referred to the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, the pre-MDT cohort include 297 patients, recruited from January 1999 to November 2002, and the MDT cohort had 298 patients enrolled from December 2002 to September 2006. Information recorded included: TNM stage from histological reports, degree of differentiation, the number of examined lymph nodes and CT TNM staging performed or not, and its accuracy, including local and distant recurrence. RESULTS The number of examined lymph nodes and the accuracy of TNM staging by CT in the MDT group were significantly more than those in pre-MDT group. CT TNM staging was more accurate in the MDT group compared to the pre-MDT group (P = 0.044). The rate of tumor recurrence in the MDT group was lower than pre-MDT group (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that age (P = 0.001), management after inception of the MDT (P = 0.002), degree of differentiation (P = 0.003), number of examined lymph nodes (P = 0.002), and TNM stage (P = 0.000) were important factors that independently influence overall survival. CONCLUSIONS The inception of MDT working improved the diagnostic accuracy and overall survival of colorectal cancer patients. MDT working promoted communication and cooperation between disciplines and ensured high-quality diagnosis, evidence-based decision making, and optimal treatment planning.
Study of Acute Alcohol Poisoning in Children Admitted to a Emergency Hospital Pirogov in Sofia, Bulgaria

Study of Acute Alcohol Poisoning in Children Admitted to a Emergency Hospital Pirogov in Sofia, Bulgaria Aim. The aim of the current study is to analyze the medical and social dimensions of acute alcohol poisoning in children with regard of improving prevention of addictive habitis and develop effective preventative strategies for reducing underage alcohol consumption. Methods. We have studied the patients at the age up to 18 years with acute alcohol poisoning hospitalized in the Children Toxicology Department of Emergency Hospital Pirogov, Sofia, Bulgaria, from January 1, 2007 to June 31, 2008. All of them were at teen years - between 12 and 17 years old. Data on children were retrived from hospital medical records (age, sex, level of consciousness, blood ethanol level). The initial blood ethanol level was measured on admission by thin-layer chromatography for each patient. We have used the inquiry method - specially created for the purpose of the survey questionnaire comprising 39 questions (location and the reason for drinking, type of alcoholic beverage, age at first drink, combination alcohol-illicit drug, type of family, education and employment of parents, frequency of alcohol consumption by parents, consecutiveness of the children in family, presence of siblings, presence of children in a single room, interests etc.). Psychiatric interview was used. Results. We have studied 137 children with acute alcohol poisoning. Average age of children intoxicated by alcohol was 14.91±1.45 years. 77 (56.2%) are boys and 60 (43.8%) girls. The results demonstrate tendency of increase of the poisonings in weekends and in late afternoon and evening. On admission to hospital most of them had different levels of depressed consciousness: 61.3% were somnolent, 28.5% were soporous and 5.1% were comatose. Blood ethanol level was over 2.00 mg/ml in 40.2%. In the 21 (15.3%) cases children have been poisoned at the first alcohol consumption. No repeated hospitalization for acute alcohol poisoning in the study group for that period has been registered. Combination alcohol-illicit drug was observed in 13 children (9.5%). Children most often used one type of alcoholic beverage. The most frequent alcoholic beverage leading to intoxication is the vodka (63.1%). 64% of the children come from complete families. Both parents have secondary education in 79.7% and in 53.3% both parents are employed. 60% were the first born child in the family. First alcohol consuption was at the 12 years and 10 months for boys, and at 13 years for girls. The most frequent reason for alcohol consumption was meeting and communicing with friends. The students have approximately 1.20 euro daily. Conclusion. Influence of "the group" is the main cause of alcohol consumption in adolescence. There is no increasing tendency for combining alcohol with other psychoactive drugs. We consider the brief intervention prior to hospital discharge as a preventive factor for repeated poisonings.
Microlens coupled interdigital photoconductive switch

A large-area terahertz emitter based on an interdigital finger electrode photoconductive switch on low-temperature grown GaAs attached to a hexagonal microlens array is demonstrated. The hexagonal arranged microlenses direct the incident IR excitation pulses into specified electrode gaps, resulting in constructive interference in the terahertz far field. Using a Ti:sapphire oscillator running at 80MHz with 150fs pulses, 6. 5μmTHz average power at 540mW optical excitation is obtained. The maximum IR-to-terahertz conversion efficiency achieved is ⩾1.35×10−5.
Measuring Affordability in Public Housing from Economic Principles: Case Study of Hong Kong

Affordability is a dominant and controversial issue in housing policy all over the world. Hong Kong is no exception. In 1987, the government took a notable shift in its housing policy toward a more market-oriented system. As such, the notion of affordability overrode the notion of need. Like the United States and the United Kingdom, Hong Kong uses the median rent-to-income ratio as an affordability yardstick for rent setting. However, this approach suffers serious criticisms for its arbitrary benchmarking. This paper aims to examine the “affordability” issue among public rental housing tenants in Hong Kong. It takes a broader view by analyzing both their housing and nonhousing consumption patterns using economic first principles. It starts with an overview of conventional concepts of affordability and their shortcomings. It then applies the economic first principles to measure household affordability and test the “reasonableness” of using the median rent-to-income ratio as a benchmark. Rather interestingly, the findings suggest that the easy-to-use median rent-to-income ratio, currently adopted by the Hong Kong Housing Authority, cannot reflect the affordability of public rental housing tenants. This paper argues that household affordability could be gauged more correctly by adopting economic first principles, which render a better operational definition in housing resource allocation.
Exploring the impact of brand image on customer loyalty and commitment in China

Purpose – Whereas there is a growing recognition of the relevance of brand image to the success of market offering and organisation, as indications suggests that a good brand image can enhance customer experience and satisfaction for long‐term commitment. Evidences suggest limited study on the impact of brand image on key marketing and organisational components, including the impact of brand image on customer loyalty and commitment. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to examine how brand image can influence customer loyalty as well as impact on customer commitment to market offering within Chinese mobile phone market.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative approach was employed, using 26‐item, 7‐point Likert scaled questionnaire administered to 250 participants with 40 percent usable response rate. Data was analysed using exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach α internal consistency, ANOVA and correlation analysis for scale suitability, usability, reliability and test of association.Findings – T.
Decision-Making in the Presence of Heterogeneous Information and Social Interactions

The authors consider the solution of multivariate linear rational expectations models in the presence of heterogeneous information and social interactions. To overcome the 'infinite regress in expectations' problem that arises in the solution of these models, we assume that agents' expectations about the decisions and expectations of other agents are based solely on public information. They show that the resulting solutions satisfy the key postulates of the rational expectations hypothesis, but can nevertheless exhibit dynamic properties quite different from those under homogeneous information. The authors illustrate this by analyzing a model of firms' optimal factor demand decisions. In this model, the presence of information heterogeneity may accentuate the propagation effects of external shocks on firms' factor demands. Copyright 1998 by Economics Department of the University of Pennsylvania and the Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association.
Oral clonidine premedication reduces the EC50 of propofol concentration for laryngeal mask airway insertion in male patients

Background: Oral clonidine, an α2‐adrenergic receptor agonist, reduces the dose of propofol required for laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion. Target‐controlled infusion (TCI) is becoming increasingly popular for propofol infusion. There is no information, however, on the propofol blood concentrations required for LMA insertion and the effect of oral clonidine premedication on these values.