Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recapitalization of One Class of Common Stock into Dual-Class: Growth and Long-Run Stock Returns

We study a sample of 178 firms that changed from a one-share one-vote into a dual-class common stock structure during 1979-1998. We find that dual-class recapitalizations are shareholder value enhancing corporate initiatives. Using accounting data, Lehn, Netter and Poulsen (1990) provide evidence that dual-class recapitalizing firms grow faster than firms in a control group and undertake secondary equity offerings (SEOs) to finance growth. We show that growth is indeed beneficial to the shareholders. The stockholders, on average, earn significant positive abnormal returns of 23.11% in a period of four years following the announcement month. Furthermore, abnormal returns are even larger (52.61%) for the dual-class firms that issue equity. This evidence is especially supportive of the value enhancing hypothesis as it is contrary to the prevailing result that SEOs are generally followed by large negative returns. We do not find any evidence of managerial entrenchment.
Factors associated with risky sun exposure behaviors among operating engineers.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with sun exposure behaviors among Operating Engineers (heavy equipment operators). METHODS Operating Engineers (N = 498) were asked to complete a cross-sectional survey. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to determine health behavioral, perceptional, and demographic factors associated with sun exposure behavior (sun burns, blistering, use of sunscreen, and interest in sun protection services). RESULTS Almost half reported two or more sunburns/summer and the median times blistering was 2 with a range of 0-100. About one-third never used sun block, while just over one-third rarely used sun block. Almost one-quarter were interested in sun protection guidance. Multivariate analyses showed that perceptions of skin type, alcohol problems, fruit intake, BMI, sleep quality, age, sex, and race were significantly associated with at least one of the outcome variables (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Operating Engineers are at high risk for skin cancer due to high rates of exposure to ultraviolet light and low rates of sun block use. Subgroups of Operating Engineers are particularly at risk for sun damage. Interventions are needed to decrease sun exposure among Operating Engineers.
Intracellular Ca2+ Stores Regulate Muscarinic Receptor Stimulation of Phospholipase C in Cerebellar Granule Cells

Abstract: Muscarinic receptor activation of phosphoinositide phospholipase C (PLC) has been examined in rat cerebellar granule cells under conditions that modify intracellular Ca2+ stores. Exposure of cells to medium devoid of Ca2+ for various times reduced carbachol stimulation of PLC with a substantial loss (88%) seen at 30 min. A progressive recovery of responses was observed following the reexposure of cells to Ca2+‐containing medium (1.3 mM). However, these changes did not appear to result exclusively from changes in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), which decreased to a lower steady level (∼25 nM decrease in 1‐3 min after extracellular omission) and rapidly returned (within 1 min) to control values when extracellular Ca2+ was restored. Only after loading of the intracellular Ca2+ stores through a transient 1‐min depolarization of cerebellar granule cells with 40 mM KCl, followed by washing in nondepolarizing buffer, was carbachol able to mobilize intracellular Ca2+. However, the same treatment resulted in an 80% enhancement of carbachol activation of PLC. In other experiments, partial depletion of the Ca2+ stores by pretreatment of cells with thapsigargin and caffeine resulted in an inhibition (18 and 52%, respectively) of the PLC response. Furthermore, chelation of cytosolic Ca2+ with BAPTA/AM did not influence muscarinic activation of PLC in either the control or predepolarized cells. These conditions, however, inhibited both the increase in [Ca2+]i and the PLC activation elicited by 40 mM KCl and abolished carbachol‐induced intracellular Ca2+ release in predepolarized cells. Overall, these results suggest that muscarinic receptor activation of PLC in cerebellar granule cells can be modulated by changes in the loading state of the Ca2+ stores.
Time Preferences and Career Investments

This paper examines the role of time preferences in career investments. We focus on the effects of patience on two types of career investments: work effort and on-the-job search. Whereas the former increases the probability of obtaining a promotion, the latter affects the chance of receiving an outside job offer. We propose a theoretical career model which allows for these two distinct career paths. To test the theoretical predictions, we make use of the DNB Household Survey. This large Dutch longitudinal survey contains detailed information on individual time preferences, on-the-job search behaviour and indicators of work effort. The results show that on-the-job search and work effort increase with patience. The relation between patience and job mobility is more ambiguous. These findings may be hard to reconcile with standard on-the-job search models but can be rationalized by models in which work effort and on-the-job search are substitutes.
Protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosisInfection by CD8+ T Cells Requires the Production of Gamma Interferon

ABSTRACT The role of CD8 T cells in controlling Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections in mice was confirmed by comparing the levels of growth of the organism in control, major histocompatibility complex class II knockout, and athymic mice and by transferring T-cell populations into athymic mice. By using donor mice which were incapable of making gamma interferon (IFN-γ), it was shown that IFN-γ production was essential for CD8 cell mediation of protective immunity against M. tuberculosis.
Exploring the Fit Perspective: An Ethnographic Approach

While strategic human resource management (SHRM) theory has largely supported the importance of “fit,” the empirical research evidence has been mixed. In this study, we employ an ethnographic, case-study approach to provide a more comprehensive assessment of fit and consider key contextual factors influencing HRM in the organization. Our findings suggest that the misalignment of HR practices can produce conflicting signals for employees, leading to reduced motivation and commitment. Furthermore, our study suggests that attempts to adopt isolated best practices without sufficient consideration of fit can have negative consequences. We conclude with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications.
Tuned LC-Resonator Dual-Band VCO

By exploiting the intrinsic multiple oscillation modes of LC resonator with cross-coupled transistor pair, a differential VCO is designed for multi-standard RF transceivers. The series resistance introduced by transistor switches has been omitted to improve the quality factor of resonator. It operates at the high-frequency series-resonant and low-frequency parallel-resonant mode via varactor switching bias. Both frequencies are not harmonically related. Accumulation-mode MOS varactor tuning changes the net impedance of LC-tank to shift the oscillations from one resonance mode to another.
Demographic Changes and Real Housing Prices in Canada

This paper seeks to determine how demographic and non-demographic factors have contributed to past changes in Canada’s real housing prices as well as their possible impact over the next twenty years. To this goal, we estimate with annual data from 1956 to1997 a structural model of the Canadian housing market. This model possesses two important long-run properties, that is, the longrun supply curve is perfectly elastic while real housing price is cointegrated with real per-capita income. These two conditions imply that housing price shows a tendency to return to a stable longrun growth path dictated by the trend growth rate in real income. Although real income has been the dominant factor behind the fluctuations in the real asset price of housing since 1956, the growth rate of the population between 25 and 54 years of age has also played an important role. In the future, even if aging will continue to be a negative factor on housing demand, the continuation of past trends in real income is likely to be sufficient to counterbalance this negative impact. Consequently, real housing prices should continue to rise over the next twenty years, with possible exceptions in the Atlantic provinces and in Manitoba which will suffer a more substantial population decline.
[Association of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and depression].

OBJECTIVE Mild Cognitive Impairment is a heterogeneous entity. Incidence and prevalence of MCI are highly dependent on the diagnostic criteria applied. Geriatric depression is more frequently associated with cognitive deficits and somatic complaints than depression in younger age. Consequently, depressive symptoms in the elderly are often misinterpreted and not treated adequately. The aim of this review is to point out possible explanations for the high incidence of depression in patients with MCI and to compare prior studies who worked on this interrelation. METHODS We review the existing literature on the relationship between MCI and depression. RESULTS There is no consensus on the question whether depression is the consequence or the cause for cognitive impairment in older people. The comparability of prior studies which dealt with the relationship between depression and MCI is limited due to the use of different diagnostic criteria and depression scales. CONCLUSION It can be concluded that there is an association between MCI and depression which leads to a worse clinical outcome of depression and maybe a faster progression of cognitive decline.
International study visits and the promotion of intercultural capabilities : an exploratory study

Internationalisation is high on the agenda of Higher Education in the UK, with the promotion of the students’ intercultural capabilities seen as key for their future careers and lives as global citizens. Within this agenda international study visits are considered beneficial for student teachers, giving those with limited exposure to cultural diversity an opportunity to learn first-hand about education in other countries. Taking a postmodern approach and using Facet Methodology, the research investigated the extent to which the pattern of study visits in a School of Education in a University in the South West of England was conducive to promoting the intercultural capabilities of the participants. Drawing on perspectives from Bourdieu and postcolonial theory, analysis of the University policies on Internationalisation and Teaching and Learning revealed a variety of positions towards international study visits and interviews with Associate Deans of a Faculty explored how far these were being manifested for the different professional disciplines of Education, Health and Social Care. The perspectives, views and attitudes of the student and tutor participants on a range of study visits were then captured through focus groups, interviews and writing frames. The study found that neither the students nor the tutors showed an awareness of the nature and importance of intercultural capabilities and therefore the approaches to study visits were patchy in developing them. It suggests that though such visits can be beneficial in promoting such capabilities in the participants, they will only do so consistently if there is in place a transformational pedagogy, informed by postcolonial theory, and implemented by knowledgeable tutors. This approach would include a planned programme of pre-trip, in-trip and post-trip activities encouraging reflection upon experiences, whether positive or disturbing, based upon an explicit contract with students to engage in intercultural learning as a central aspect of the visit.
Reelection Constituencies and the Politics of Supreme Court Confirmation Votes

Previous research on the effects of constituency preferences on senators' voting behavior on judicial confirmations has been limited to geographic conceptions of constituency. We extend this literature by considering the effects of reelection constituencies. Using exit poll data from the 1986, 1988, and 1990 general elections, we estimate the percentage of each senator's reelection constituency composed of African Americans and then use these estimates to reconsider the confirmation vote for Justice Clarence Thomas. Our results show modest but significant improvements in fit and predictive capabilities over previous models, and they highlight the cross pressures facing many senators in this case. These findings suggest that more precise estimations of constituency composition can help illuminate the factors influencing legislators' voting behavior.
Accountants' Attitudes and Environmentally-sensitive Accounting

Abstract Accounting for the environment (ICAEW, 1992) is receiving increasing attention. A series of initial interviews, visits and other contacts with a wide range of organisations and accountants on three continents left us with the impression that accountants and accounting do not appear to be involved in corporate responses to the environmental agenda. This paper is an exploration and examination of that impression. A mail questionnaire survey confirmed that accountants have low levels of involvement in their company's environmental activities and, from responses to personal opinion questions, appear to experience a conflict between their awareness of environmental issues and an inability to translate this into action within their corporate life. These attitudes are explored in the paper and would be a sufficient explanation for the absence of environmental accounting in practice.
Hierarchy, Ability, and Income Distribution

Labor allocation and wage-scale formation are studied in the context of competitive hierarchic firms. We show that (1) the wage per effective laborer and his quality increase with the hierarchical position of the employee, and (2) up to a point, the imposition of a minimum wage for production labor increases the quality and quantity of production workers and reduces the wage, quality, and number of supervisors. These results help to explain the skewness of income distribution, and the wage differentials across layers which are inexplicable in terms of differences in labor quality and difficulty of tasks.
Comparison of the pig and feline models for full thickness corneal transplantation.

PURPOSE The goal of this study was to report on the advantages and limitations of the pig and feline models for experimental in vivo corneal transplantation. METHODS Ten healthy domestic pigs and ten healthy cats were used. Full thickness penetrating keratoplasty was performed using autologous (eight cases), allogeneic (seven cases) or human xenogeneic (three cases) tissue. In two other cases, the inflammatory response to partial thickness trephination (without transplantation) was evaluated. Eyes were assessed daily before and after surgery by slit-lamp, pachymetry, and tonometry. A transparency score ranging from 0 (opaque graft) to 4 (clear graft) was used, based on the slit-lamp examination. Optical coherence tomography, histology, and electron microscopy were performed postmortem. RESULTS In the pig, the mean (±SD) transparency score for the eight full thickness grafts was 0.88 ± 0.99, ranging from 0 to 3. In the feline model, the mean transparency score for the seven uncomplicated grafts was 3.93 ± 0.19, ranging from 3.5 to 4. Both negative controls without endothelium remained opaque at all time. Intraoperative tendency for iris incarceration into the wound, rapid corneal swelling, suture cheese wiring, and postoperative intraocular inflammation were the main factors jeopardizing the functional success of the corneal transplant in the pig model. CONCLUSION Suboptimal functional results were obtained after full thickness corneal transplantation in the pig model, while in the feline model, the same protocol yielded uneventful surgeries and clear transplants, with functional results similar to those achieved in human subjects.
[An assay of the current exposure to radon of spa workers in Poland].

BACKGROUND Owing to good solubility of radon 222Rn in water the gas is found almost in all surface and underground water basins. Radon released from water into the ambient atmosphere is a source of health hazard to the workers handling mineral water in Spa facilities. MATERIAL AND METHODS Mean monthly radon concentrations were measured using closed dosimetry with CR-39 trace detectors. Of the 101 Spas included in the study, 76 returned the dosimeters. RESULTS In two Spas, the measured concentrations were above 1000 Bqm(-3), and thus annual doses of over 6 mSv could be received by the workers of those Spas. In four of the Spas, radon concentrations were within the range of 500-1000 Bqm(-3). In the majority (75%) of the Spas, mean monthly radon concentrations were not higher than 150 Bqm(-3). CONCLUSIONS One hundred sixty persons working in 13 Spas can be exposed to the doses, which are important from radiation protection point of view. In the remaining Spas, radon exposure is maintained at the level of average exposure of the general population in Poland.
The Impact of Mandatory Waiting Periods and Parental Consent Laws on the Timing of Abortion and State of Occurrence among Adolescents in Mississippi and South Carolina

Individual data on induced abortions from Mississippi and South Carolina are used to examine the effect of parental consent laws and mandatory delay statutes on two outcomes among teens: the point in pregnancy at which the abortion occurs and whether teens obtain abortions in or outside their state of residence. No effect of either law was found on the timing and location of abortion among minors relative to older teens in South Carolina. In Mississippi, however, both laws are associated with an increase in the proportion of abortions performed out of the state and the parental consent statute with later abortions. The conclusion is that Mississippi's 24-hour as compared with South Carolina's one-hour delay requirement, and Mississippi's two-parent as contrasted with South Carolina's one-parent consent statute explain the stronger behavioral response in Mississippi. © 2001 by the Association for Public Policy Management and Ananlysis.
Mannan‐Binding Lectin (MBL) and MBL‐Associated Serine Protease 2 (MASP‐2) Genotypes in Colorectal Cancer

Mannan‐binding lectin (MBL) and MBL‐associated serine protease 2 (MASP‐2) are key factors of the lectin pathway of complement activation. Polymorphisms of the MBL2 and MASP‐2 genes affect serum levels of MBL and MASP‐2. In patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), the MBL and MASP‐2 serum levels are increased and high MASP‐2 levels are associated with recurrence and poor survival, whereas low MBL levels predict post‐operative pneumonia. It is not known whether these associations are genetically based. In this study, the MBL and MASP‐2 genotypes are investigated in 593 patients with CRC and 348 healthy controls. The potential association between genetic profile and infections, recurrence and survival is evaluated. Four single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of MBL2 were analysed using TaqMan assays, with characterization of MBL2 wildtype A, variants B, C and D and alleles H/L, Y/X and P/Q. The SNP D120G for MASP‐2 was determined. Serum levels of MBL and MASP‐2 were measured. The MBL2 and MASP‐2 genotype distribution was similar among patients with CRC and healthy controls and MBL2 genotype significantly associated with MBL concentration in serum (P < 0.0001). No significant association between MBL2/MASP‐2 genotype and post‐operative infectious complications (P = 0.33 and 0.22), recurrent cancer or survival (P = 0.74 and P = 0.61 respectively) was found. Thus, the increased serum levels of MBL and MASP‐2 found in patients with CRC are not explained for by genetic profiles. In contrast to what has been demonstrated for serum levels of MBL and MASP‐2, the genotypes do not predict disease course of the CRC patients.
The Activity of Sendai Virus Genomic and Antigenomic Promoters Requires a Second Element Past the Leader Template Regions: a Motif (GNNNNN)3 Is Essential for Replication

ABSTRACT The paramyxovirus genome, a nonsegmented, negative-polarity, single-stranded RNA of ∼15 kb, contains six transcription units flanked at the 3′ and 5′ ends by a short (∼ 50- to 60-nucleotide) extracistronic sequence, dubbed the positive and negative leader regions. These leader template regions, present at the 3′ end of the genome and the antigenome, have been shown to contain essential signals governing RNA replication activity. Whether they are sufficient to promote replication is still open to question. By using a series of Sendai virus defective interfering RNAs carrying a nested set of deletions in the promoter regions, it is shown here that for both the genomic and antigenomic promoters, a 3′-end RNA sequence of 96 nucleotides is required to allow replication. Sequence comparison of active and inactive promoters led to the identification of a set of three nucleotide hexamers (nucleotides 79 to 84, 85 to 90, and 91 to 96) containing a repeated motif RXXYXX [shown as 5′-3′ positive-strand]. Sequential mutation of each hexamer into its complementary sequence confirmed their essential role. The three hexamers are required, and their relative positioning is important, since displacing them by 6 nucleotides destroyed promoter function. RNAs carrying degenerate nucleotides in the three hexamers were used as replication templates. They led to the selection of actively replicating RNA species exclusively carrying the basic motif (GNNNNN)3 from nucleotides 79 to 96. These results clearly show that, apart from the region from nucleotides 1 to 31, previously identified as governing Sendai virus replication activity, a second element, spanning at the most nucleotides 79 to 96, appears essential. Thus, the paramyxovirus replication promoters are not confined to the leader template regions, as seems to be the case for the rhabdoviruses.
Dividend Policies in Practice: Is There an Industry Effect?

This paper presents evidence concerning industry influences on the dividend decision after controlling for other firm-specific determinants known from prior research to affect payouts. Two sharply contrasting economic periods are examined: 1974 to 1980 and 1981 to 1987. Industry affiliation is found to possess significant explanatory power when modeling payout behavior at the individual firm level. The specific industries found to be significant are relatively few in number, however, and they do not exhibit persistence in their effect over time, for the most part. Consequently, only modest support is found for the industry-related dividend leadership effect posited by Lintner (1956).