Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controlled Shrinkage of Expanded Glass Particles in Metal Syntactic Foams

Metal matrix syntactic foams have been fabricated via counter-gravity infiltration of a packed bed of recycled expanded glass particles (EG) with A356 aluminum alloy. Particle shrinkage was studied and has been utilized to increase the particles’ strength and tailor the mechanical properties of the expanded glass/metal syntactic foam (EG-MSF). The crushing strength of particles could be doubled by shrinking them for 20 min at 700 °C. Owing to the low density of EG (0.20–0.26 g/cm3), the resulting foam exhibits a low density (1.03–1.19 g/cm3) that increases slightly due to particle shrinkage. Chemical and physical analyses of EG particles and the resulting foams were conducted. Furthermore, metal syntactic foam samples were tested in uni-axial compression tests. The stress-strain curves obtained exhibit three distinct regions: elastic deformation followed by a stress plateau and densification commencing at 70–80% macroscopic strain. Particle shrinkage increased the mechanical strength of the foam samples and their average plateau stress increased from 15.5 MPa to 26.7 MPa.
Explaining the 'Take-off' of the Catalan Cotton Industry

Cotton was central to Catalan industrialization and, within cotton, progress in spinning and weaving, originating in the late eighteenth century, provided the cutting edge in the industry's modernization. This article tests the current orthodoxy concerning the timing and causes of this breakthrough. It does so by first evaluating what were external influences on the success-government policy, the elasticity of supply of spun yarn (a potential disincentive) and of raw cotton-and then providing an analytical narrative of the advance first in hand and then mechanical spinning. On this basis a conclusion is reached that government policy was more advantageous to the development than posited in the current orthodoxy, that elasticity in the supply of spun yarn slowed the transition and that, though growing availability of American cotton eased the transition, the key to the development is to be found within the Catalan economy, experiencing a 'Smithian'-type growth process in the eighteenth century, within which industrialization of cotton was nearly the last achievement before Spain's severe 'old regime crisis' curtailed economic opportunity.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria dauci

Eleven polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated from the necrotrophic phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria dauci based on enriched genomic libraries. In order to assess allelic variability, the microsatellite loci were analysed in a collection of 43 isolates. The number of detected alleles in 11 loci ranged from two to 24 (mean 10.4). Test of cross‐species amplification and sequencing of the resulting amplicons showed that some of these microsatellites could be used in different species such as Alternaria solani, Alternaria bataticola and Alternaria zinniae.
The Incremental Information Content of the Going-Concern Audit Opinion

The responsibility of auditors to assess and report on the ability of an entity to continue as a going concern has received increasing attention in recent years (AICPA [ 1982, 19901). Empirical evidence that such disclosures actually affect investors’ pricing decisions would bolster justification for continuing, perhaps even improving, such disclosures. I lowever, prior research (c.g., Firth [ 1978); Elliott [ 1982); Dodd et al. [1984)), has provided only mixed evidence of a linkage between going-concern decisions and share price revisions. The inconclusive findings of these studies are possibly attributable to their tacit assumption that all going-concern qualified opinions impact security prices in the same manner. Firth ( 1978) found significant price adjustments to going-concern qualifications subsequent to disclosure of the audit opinion for U . K. companies. Chow and Rice (1982) found that qualified audit opinions had a weak negative impact on stock prices, but the extent of the effect depended on the type of qualification. Elliott (1982) and Dodd et al. (1984) found that public announcements of audit qualifications, including going-concern qualifications, had no significant effect on stock returns. However, Dodd et al. ( 1984) observed statistically significant abnormal returns in the months prior to the public disclosure of the going-concern qualifications, suggesting that the economic events leading to the going-concern problems were reflected in share prices prior to the release of thc audit report. Mutchler (1985) and Dopuch et al. (1987) suggest that many goingconcern qualifications simply confirm a pattern of financial deterioration and can be prcdictcd using publicly available information. Going-concern qualifications such as these are likely to be of little “surprise” to the market and are unlikely to convey new information in pricing securities. ’
THE INFLUENCE OF ANTITAKEOVER STATUTES ON INCORPORATION CHOICE: EVIDENCE ON THE "RACE" DEBATE AND ANTITAKEOVER OVERREACHING

Commentators have long debated whether competition among states for corporate charters represents a race to the top or a race to the bottom. Race-tothe-top advocates recently have gained ground in this debate on the basis of the general corporate migration to Delaware in the 1990s and empirical evidence suggesting that Delaware incorporation increases shareholder wealth. This Article uses second-generation state antitakeover statutes to shed additional light
An acoustic investigation of the production of English /s/ by L2 Thai learners

In the field of second language (L2) production, phonetic investigations of L2 fricatives are rare due to the complexity of establishing similarities and differences between L1 and L2 fricatives. The study of English /s/ production by L2 Thai learners has not received much attention, as researchers on L2 English have typically believed that learners would produce this sound with ease due to the positive influence from /s/ in their L1 Thai sound system. In this study, /s/ production in three language groups L1 English, L1 Thai and L2 English was acoustically compared as a function of gender and three vowel contexts. Findings showed that the acoustic characteristics of L1 Thai /s/ were different from its L1 English counterparts in many speakers and vowel contexts, and that L2 English /s/ production was different from either, suggesting that L2 Thai learners use different strategies for their /s/ production in English and Thai.
Problems on t-PA Specific Inhibitor Determination in Human Plasma

The presence of t-PA specific inhibitor in human plasma has been very recently shown (1, 2, 3). Different methods have been proposed to quantify t-PA inhibitor concentration in plasma. We have used 3 different assays to measure t-PA inhibitor level in various conditions (healthy subjects, late pregnant women and patients with history of deep vein thrombosis). Using bovine fibrin plates as well as chromogenic substrate, the same unusual phenomenon was observed: the rate of t-PA inhibition increased with the amount of t-PA added to plasma. This evidence has no clear explanation, and t-PA inhibitor level determination relying on a one point method should be questioned.
HR practices and New Zealand firm performance: what matters and who does it?

We examine the impact of human resource practices, especially those considered as parts of high performance work systems, on firm performance. The analysis is unique in using data from an economy-wide official survey to determine whether firms that adopt high performance HR practices perform better than their rivals. We find that adoption of a suite of high performance practices (and adoption of specific practices pertaining to staff training and performance pay) has a causal impact on firm outcomes. The strength of the relationships differs by firm size and age. Firms that adopt high performance practices are predominantly young and in high-tech related sectors.
Sufficient Conditions for the Existence of a Choice Set Under Majority Voting

The object of this note is to generalize a result of Dummet and Farquharson [3] on the existence of a choice set,2 i.e., the existence of an alternative socially considered to be "best" under a system of majority voting. In the first section the motivation of the exercise is explained and the relevance of the problem is discussed. In the second, the generalization is stated in the shape of a theorem and is proved. In the third, some observations are made on the nature of the theorem and its relation to conditions of transitivity of majority decision.
Psychiatric manifestations of brain tumors: diagnostic implications

Brain tumors can cause any type of psychiatric symptoms. Rarely, brain tumors can present without any localizing signs but with psychiatric symptoms. A review of the literature indicates that there is no association between psychiatric symptoms and tumor location or histological type. Hence, it is important for clinicians to have an index of suspicion of brain tumor in patients with new-onset psychiatric symptoms, atypical presentations and treatment resistance and, as a result, consider neuroimaging. Early detection is of paramount importance for treatment and quality of life of patients. Mood symptoms may herald a brain tumor. For example, anorexia can be a presenting symptom of hypothalamic tumors. A prospective controlled study will be of benefit to further assess the association between psychiatric symptoms and brain tumor locations. New developments in the diagnostic and treatment area of brain tumors would be of help in undertaking such a prospective study.
Purchasing power parity in Central and Eastern European countries: an analysis of unit roots and nonlinearities

The aim of this article is to analyse the empirical fulfilment of purchasing power parity (PPP) in a number of Central and Eastern European countries. For this purpose we apply two different unit root tests in order to control for two sources of nonlinearities, i.e. Bierens (1997) and Kapetanios et al. (2003). We find that PPP holds in most of these countries once account has been taken of nonlinear deterministic trends and smooth transitions.
Levetiracetam in Migraine Prophylaxis: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study in a Rural Medical Institute in Northern India

ObjectiveMigraine is often a chronic and disabling disorder. The objective of our study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam (LEV) in adult migraine prophylaxis. MethodsWe conducted a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. A total of 65 patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive LEV (n = 32) or placebo (n = 33). Twenty-five patients completed the study in the LEV group and 27 patients in the placebo group. Thirteen subjects discontinued early during the trial. After a 1-month run in period, LEV was started at a dose of 250 mg/d (or the matching placebo) and was increased by 250 mg/wk until the final dosage of 1000 mg/d was reached. The titration phase was followed by maintained phase of 3 months. ResultsIn LEV group, we found a significant reduction in the frequency (attacks per month) of migraine (from 5.17 [SD, 1.19] at baseline to 2.21 [1.47] in the last 4 weeks) and also in severity of migraine from (2.75 [0.44] to1.29 [0.75]) as compared to the placebo group. Patients treated with LEV also reported a statistically significant reduction in the quantity of symptomatic drugs needed for symptom control as compared to the placebo group (P < 0.0001). The percentage of patients on LEV who experienced greater than or equal to 50% reduction in headache frequency was 64% compared with 22% for placebo. ConclusionsCompared with the placebo group, LEV offers improvement in headache frequency and severity as well as it lowers the requirement for other symptomatic drugs in adult migraine patients.
Quantification of the initial decline of serum hepatitis c virus RNA and response to interferon alfa

Although several virus‐ and host‐related predictive factors for the response to interferon alfa (IFN‐α) have been defined in patients with chronic hepatitis C, no pretreatment parameter can definitely predict the response to antiviral treatment. Assessment of the initial response by quantification of serum hepatitis C virus RNA before and 4 weeks after initiation of therapy may be a clinically applicable and reliable parameter to predict long‐term response. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to test the predictive value of a decline in HCV RNA of at least 3 log in the first 4 weeks of treatment (▵HCV RNA) in patients treated with 3 × 106 units of recombinant IFN‐α2a (rIFN‐α2a) three times per week subcutaneously and to compare ▵HCV RNA with other established predictive factors, such as HCV genotype and pretreatment viremia. Serum HCV RNA was measured by a validated quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Geno/subtyping of HCV was performed by direct sequencing of the nonstructural (NS) 5B region of PCR‐amplified isolates and subsequent phylogenetic analysis. Stable HCV RNA levels (▵HCV RNA ≤ 1 log) within the first 4 weeks of IFN‐α treatment were present in 42 of 70 patients. A decline in HCV RNA levels between 1 to 3 log and more than 3 log was observed in 9 (13%) and 19 patients (27%), respectively. In 21 of 70 patients (30%), HCV RNA was not detectable at the end of 12 months' treatment. Three of 26 patients (11%) with a pretreatment viremia of ≤106 copies/mL (all HCV subtype 3a) and 6 of 44 patients (14%) with a pretreatment viremia of >106 copies/mL (HCV subtypes 1b, 2a, 2c, 3a [two patients], and 4) achieved a virological sustained response to interferon‐α2a treatment. All patients with a virological sustained response had an initial ▵HCV RNA of more than 3 log. In a stepwise discriminant‐function analysis, the initial ▵HCV RNA was confirmed as the strongest predictor of virological sustained response (P < .0001). In conclusion, the data of the present study suggest that IFN‐α treatment can be terminated after 4 weeks in patients with a decrease in HCV RNA levels of less than 3 log, when apparent HCV eradication is considered the therapeutic target. The predictive value of ▵HCV RNA clearly exceeds the significance of HCV genotype and pretreatment viremia as predictors of successful IFN‐α treatment.
Talking or Keeping Silent About Parental Mental Health Problems-A Grounded Theory of Parents' Decision Making and Experiences with Their Children.

This grounded theory study explored parents' experiences of responding to their children's need for understanding parental mental health concerns. Fifteen parents with severe and enduring mental health difficulties participated in the study. The findings suggest four main social processes that influence parents' talk with their children about parental mental health issues, namely "Protecting and being protected," "Responding to children's search for understanding," "Prioritizing family life," and "Relating to others. " Implications of the findings for clinical practice and future research are considered. In particular, the need for more family-orientated services where parents experience parental mental health problems is highlighted.
Lower Volatility, Higher Inequality: Are They Related?

Esta tesis esta dividida por tres capitulos. En el primer capitulo, llevo al interes que hay una relacion fundamental entre la desigualdad de ingresos y la volatilidad de PBI. Doy pruebas teoricas para esta relacion, asi como empiricas de una muestra de paises industrializados. En el segundo capitulo, sugiero que mejor que la desigualdad agregada, la tasa de crecimiento media de dentro de desigualdades de cohorte deberia estar usada en las estimaciones de regresion que relaciona la desigualdad con las variables del interes. Entonces trato de explorar el efecto del comercio internacional en la desigualdad en los EE.UU y en el Reino Unido a la luz de mis conclusiones. En el ultimo capitulo, realizo un estudio de Monte Carlo para comparar la eficiencia de la Correspondencia de respuesta de Impulso y peritos GMM en la identificacion de los coeficientes de forma reducidos y parametros estructurales en un modelo de DSGE
Time Investment by Parents in Cognitive and Non-cognitive Childcare Activities

We investigate the time investment in cognitive and non-cognitive childcare activities by parents with different educational attainment. In a second step we also investigate this effect for three different child age cohorts. Past research shows that the degree of success in the labour market is highly connected to the individual’s cognitive and non-cognitive skills. We compare evidence based on Multinational Time Use Study (MTUS) for five countries: France, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom and United States of America in order to identify any systematic pattern. The results indicate that the educational gradients for cognitive and non-cognitive childcare activities are overall positive with respect to the level of education. Furthermore, the results seem to be consistent with the technology of skill formation. They indicate a concave function between time investment and the age of the child for cognitive childcare activities and a decreasing function for non-cognitive childcare activities.
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: Otolaryngologic Manifestations

• Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CDLS) is characterized by multiple congenital malformations and mental retardation. New studies have documented otolaryngologic abnormalities. We examined 45 patients with CDLS. Virtually all had hearing loss, and most had impaired language development. Other otolaryngologic abnormalities, including external auditory canal stenosis and cleft palate, were also common. Because of the high incidence of otolaryngologic abnormalities, and the need for early intervention, it is important for otolaryngologists to recognize CDLS manifestations in the head and neck. ( Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg . 1990;116:1044-1046)
Geographies of mortgage market segmentation: the case of essex county, new jersey

Since the late 1980s, mutually reinforcing trends in economic growth, public policy, and community activism have fostered a wave of residential mortgage lending to ‘underserved markets’ in US cities. Yet many of the changes in housing finance that supported sustainable home ownership also lured a new generation of subprime and predatory credit institutions specialising in high-cost, high-risk lending. For many urban and minority neighbourhoods, the old problems of exclusionary redlining are now accompanied by new dilemmas of exploitive greenlining. This paper analyses the market penetration of subprime lending institutions and the subsequent concentration of mortgage ‘pre-foreclosures’ in low- and moderate-income, African American neighbourhoods. Focusing on Newark, NJ, and its surrounding suburbs, Gary King's ecological inference technique and a series of logistic regression models are used to assess the role of borrower characteristics, institutional divisions, and neighbourhood context in the process of mortgage market segmentation. The evidence corroborates theories emphasising the dynamics of capital investment, financial services restructuring, and the economic incentives for racial-geographic targeting, and not the presumed credit deficiencies of urban and minority home owners. Unfortunately, the tidy empirical analysis offered here is overshadowed by the enormous societal experiment now underway across the US, as a wave of delinquencies, defaults and foreclosures undermines the belated minority home ownership gains achieved during the unprecedented boom of the 1990s.
From Financial Development to Economic Growth and Vice Versa: A Review of International Experience and Policy Lessons for Africa

A large body of econometric studies in the past two decades has yielded considerable knowledge of the connection between financial development and economic growth, as experienced by a wide range of countries. A consensus view that financial development positively conditions or promotes economic growth emerged at an early stage. This paper argues that the evidence does not, however, provide a strong basis for policy in Africa, or, indeed, in specific countries elsewhere. Copyright 2012 , Oxford University Press.
Firm size and environmental scanning pursuits across organizational life cycle stages

Purpose – This paper aims to present the results of an exploratory study of the organizational life cycle. Rather than approaching the construct from a small‐ or large‐ firm perspective, a model appropriate for all organizations is employed.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was administered to 107 practicing managers to determine life cycle stage of their organizations and environmental scanning pursuits.Findings – The study revealed that small firms are not only found in the first two life cycle stages – existence and survival – but also in the decline stage. In addition, support was not found for environmental scanning patterns previously postulated in the literature.Practical implications – Managers of SMEs who wish to grow their organizations must understand the Gestalt changes necessary for successful progression to a large organization.Originality/value – One life cycle model is appropriate for all organizations and can be utilized as a transition guide for strategic managers who recognize that.
A farm-level financial analysis of farmers' use of futures and options under alternative farm programs.

In this paper, we investigate the relationships of farm programs and farm finance on farmers' decisions to hedge with futures or options. Results from a two-period discrete sequential stochastic programming model of the farm firm indicates two important points. First, farmers' use of futures and options decreases in the presence of loan rates and target prices, and second, farms with high debt hedge more than farms with low debt. The results imply that evaluating farmers' use of futures and options based solely on market risks may exclude important information, namely participation in farm programs and the farm's capital structure.
An Analysis of the Association between Pollution Disclosure and Economic Performance

The association between the extent of pollution disclosures and economic performance of firms belonging to four highly polluting industries — chemicals, steel, oil and paper and pulp is examined. The economic performance is determined by calculating ratios on return of assets, return on equity and operating performance. For measurement of the extensiveness of pollution disclosures, a disclosure index has been developed. The results do not indicate a significant association between the economic performance and pollution disclosures for the total sample. However, when the sample is segmented by industry group, a significant positive correlation is detected for the oil industry, indicating an association between economic performance and pollution disclosures. Furthermore, when the sample is divided on the basis of the firm size, the results show that the sub‐group of large firms with poor economic performance provides detailed pollution information. For smaller firms, no association between the two variables is observed.
The Entropy of the Survival Curve: An Alternative Measure

The entropy of a life table [Keyfitzs H] was introduced by Keyfitz as the elasticity of the expectation of life E with respect to uniform change in age-specific mortality rates. [Keyfitzs H] is not a true measure of entropy in the probability sense.A more direct measure is.the entropy of the distribution of age at death. The mathematical relationships between these indexes are reviewed and their behaviour compared using historical cohort life tables from various countries with Gompertz functions being fitted to survival from age 30 to age 85 for each sex. Data from Canada England France the United States and Wales are used in the study. (SUMMARY IN FRE) (EXCERPT)