Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Dynamics of Offshoring and Institutions

Abstract Previous research has found that weak institutions can hamper investment and alter patterns of trade. However, little is known about the impact of institutional quality on offshoring. This lack of knowledge is surprising, given that offshoring has become an important part of many firms’ internationalization strategies. This study uses detailed firm-level data for the 1997–2005 period to examine the relationship between institutional quality in 113 source countries and offshoring by Swedish firms. The results suggest that weak institutions are negatively related to offshoring in general and to the offshoring of R&D- and relationship specificity-intensive inputs in particular. An analysis of learning effects suggests that the impact of weak institutions on the offshoring of relationship specificity-intensive inputs vanishes when firms return to countries from which they have previous market experience. Our results are robust to the use of various measures of institutional quality.
Outcomes of Outpatient Visits for Acute Respiratory Illness in Veterans With Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders

Weaver FM, Smith B, Evans CT, Kurichi JE, Patel N, Kapur VK, Burns SP: Outcomes of outpatient visits for acute respiratory illness in veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2006;85:718–726. Objective:Respiratory complications are a leading cause of death in persons with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI&D). We examined same-day and 60-day hospitalizations and 60-day mortality after acute respiratory illness (ARI) outpatient visits. Design:A longitudinal study was conducted of 8775 ARI visits in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) (October. 1997–September 2002) by persons with SCI&D. ARIs included upper respiratory infections (URI), acute bronchitis, pneumonia, and influenza (P&I). Results:URIs accounted for almost half of all (49%) visits. A total of 14.9% of patients with ARIs were hospitalized the same day; 30.8% were hospitalized within 60 days. Predictors of hospitalization included diagnosis of either P&I or acute bronchitis, comorbid illness, level of injury, age, and VA SCI center visit. Overall 60-day mortality was 2.9% but was 7.9% for pneumonia. Mortality was related to diagnosis (P&I: odds ratio [OR] = 9.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.27–13.33; acute bronchitis: OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.08–2.93), age (65+: OR = 3.96, 95% CI: 2.23–5.70), and comorbid conditions (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.43–2.46). Conclusions:P&I and acute bronchitis were associated with increased VA hospitalization and mortality rates. The case fatality rate for pneumonia is higher for SCI&D than the general population. Level of injury predicted hospitalization but not death. Efforts to improve prevention and treatment of ARIs in persons with SCI&D are needed.
Fixed ratio (2:1) prolonged-release oxycodone/naloxone combination improves bowel function in patients with moderate-to-severe pain and opioid-induced constipation refractory to at least two classes of laxatives

Abstract Objective: The effects of combined oxycodone/naloxone prolonged release tablets (OXN PR) were investigated in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic cancer-related or non-cancer pain. All patients had opioid-induced constipation (OIC) which persisted despite substantial laxative therapy. Research design and methods: This pooled analysis included 75 patients with OIC at study entry that was refractory to at least two laxatives with different modes of action. Patients completed randomized, double-blind treatment with OXN PR 20–120 mg/day for either 12 weeks (OXN 9001: non-cancer pain study) or 4 weeks (OXN 2001: cancer-related pain study). Analgesia and bowel function were assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory Short Form and Bowel Function Index (BFI), respectively. Use of laxative medication and safety were assessed throughout the studies. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00513656. EudraCT 2005-002398-57, EudraCT 2005-003510-15. Results: Statistically and clinically significant improvements in bowel function were observed following double-blind treatment with OXN PR. Mean (SD) reduction in BFI score was 21.2 (28.8) and comparable in patients with cancer-related (19.0 [28.9]) and non-cancer pain (23.3.[29.0]; P ≤ 0.0002). Furthermore, the proportion of patients with a BFI score within normal range (≤28.8) increased from 9.5% at screening to 43.1% at Day 15 of OXN PR. While all patients used ≥2 laxatives of different classes at screening, during study treatment 36% stopped using laxatives (P < 0.001). OXN PR provided effective analgesia, evidenced by stable pain scores during study treatment, and there were no unanticipated adverse events. Conclusions: OXN PR significantly improved bowel function and reduced the use of laxatives in patients with OIC, previously unresponsive to at least two different classes of laxatives. OXN also provided effective analgesia for patients with moderate-to-severe cancer-related pain and non-cancer-related pain.
The Combined Assessment of Function and Survival (CAFS): A new endpoint for ALS clinical trials

Abstract Our objective was to describe a new endpoint for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the Combined Assessment of Function and Survival (CAFS). CAFS ranks patients’ clinical outcomes based on survival time and change in the ALS Functional Rating Scale–Revised (ALSFRS-R) score. Each patient's outcome is compared to every other patient's outcome, assigned a score, and the summed scores are ranked. The mean rank score for each treatment group can then be calculated. A higher mean CAFS score indicates a better group outcome. Historically, ALS clinical trials have assessed survival and function as independent endpoints. Combined endpoints have been used in other diseases to decrease the confounding effect of mortality on analysis of functional outcomes. We explored the application of a similar approach in ALS, the CAFS endpoint, which was used as a pre-specified secondary analysis in a phase II study of dexpramipexole. Those results and some hypothetical examples based on modeling exercises are presented here. CAFS is the primary endpoint of a dexpramipexole phase III study in ALS. In conclusion, the CAFS is a robust statistical tool for ALS clinical trials and appropriately accounts for and weights mortality in the analysis of function. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01281189.
Motive, Strukturen und Auswirkungen deutscher Direktinvestitionen in Tschechien Erste Untersuchungsergebnisse aus dem IAB-Projekt ReLOC - Research on Locational and Organisational Change

"The internationally coordinated IAB research project ReLOC - Research on Locational and Organisational Change - investigates the impact of direct investments of German firms in the Czech Republic on the labor markets in both countries. The analysis focuses on the effects of these cross-border business activities on employment, skill and wage structures in Germany and the Czech Republic. Investments in manufacturing and service activities abroad are a widespread phenomenon that is closely related to the process of economic integration of European markets. The theory of the multinational firm makes a classic distinction between two types of foreign direct investment. Vertical foreign direct investment is undertaken for the reason of cost savings, whereas horizontal foreign direct investment refers to investments that are performed in order to gain product market access. A central controversial topic concerns the impact of off shoring and the slicing up of the value-added chain of production and service activities on net employment in the country of origin and in the target country, particularly when countries with significant wage level differences are involved. Moreover, the activities of multinational firms are likely to influence the interregional allocation of productive resources and wealth. Concerning these research topics important gaps in both the theoretical and the empirical field exist that the ReLOC project aims to fill. In order to counter the lack of reliable information a central element of this project is a firm survey launched by the IAB both in Germany and in the Czech Republic. From September 2010 until May 2011 interviews were conducted in firms having cross-border linkages as well as in a comparison group of firms not investing abroad or without any foreign ownership respectively. Based on the survey new - internationally unique - linked employer-employee micro data sets are to be created that, by adding a time dimension, provide excellent conditions for profound empirical investigations. In this research report the first descriptive results of the survey are presented. " (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))
Early-onset absence epilepsy aggravated by valproic acid: a video-EEG report

Early-onset absence epilepsy refers to patients with absence seizures beginning before age 4 and comprises a heterogeneous group of epilepsies. Onset of absence seizures in the first year of life is very rare. We report a boy with absence seizures with onset at age 11 months, whose seizures increased in frequency after the introduction of valproic acid (VPA) treatment and substantially improved upon cessation of treatment. The mechanism of seizure worsening did not involve VPA toxicity, encephalopathy, Glut-1 deficiency or overdosage, and the reason for absence seizure aggravation remained unclear. The patient showed complete control of absence seizures with levetiracetam treatment and the course was benign, both in terms of seizure control and neuropsychological aspects. The similar overall electroclinical picture and outcome between children with early-onset absences and those with CAE support the view that these conditions are a continuum within the wide spectrum of IGE.
No . 17-010 Safe Assets , Collateralized Lending and Monetary Policy

I study how quantities of safe bonds affect asset prices and lending volumes in financial markets. In a quantitative model, heterogeneous agents trade securities of different maturity and risk exposure. Risk-tolerant investors issue collateralized bonds to obtain leverage and to insure the risk-averse. Despite the presence of higher return assets, the most risk-tolerant hold long-maturity safe assets, which they value as good collateral. The value of collateralizability is high when safe bond quantities are low. Given measured variations in safe bond quantities between 1990 and 2015, the model replicates the dynamics of lending volumes and generates large, volatile credit spreads and excess return predictability. The model also predicts price effects of high-frequency changes of government debt quantities around tax due dates. In policy experiments, I use the model to study the effects of central bank asset purchases. ∗I am deeply indebted to Monika Piazzesi and Martin Schneider for their invaluable guidance and support during my PhD, as well as to Patrick Kehoe, John Taylor and Chris Tonetti for many helpful conversations. I also thank Adrien Auclert, John Cochrane, Andres Drenik, Darrell Duffie, Egemen Eren, Eran Hoffman, Arvind Krishnamurthy, Pablo Kurlat, Serguei Maliar, Sean Myers, Alessandra Peter, Cian Ruane, Uwe Thümmel and Alonso Villacorta for helpful comments. Financial support from the Kohlhagen Fellowship Fund through a grant to the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, the Weiland Research Fellowship and the Macro Financial Modeling Initiative is gratefully acknowledged. †Department of Economics, Stanford University, 579 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA, 94305. Email: lenel@stanford.edu. Website: http://www.stanford.edu/~lenel.
Diurnal fluctuations of portal and systemic hemodynamic parameters in patients with cirrhosis

A close temporal relationship between higher levels of portal pressure during the night and the peak incidence of acute variceal bleeding has recently been demonstrated in patients with cirrhosis. Because hemodynamic changes may have a role in triggering this hemorrhagic episode, we measured systemic and portal hemodynamic parameters at 4‐hr intervals for 24 hr in 12 cirrhotic patients. These results were compared with those obtained in eight healthy subjects. Cardiac output, femoral and portal blood flows were measured by Doppler technique. In cirrhotic patients, heart rate and mean arterial pressure remained constant throughout the whole study period. A marked and significant increase in portal blood flow (917 ± 248 ml/min) (mean ± S.D.) as compared with mesor values (649 ± 114 ml/min, p < 0.001) was observed at midnight. This effect was accompanied by a mild but significant rise of cardiac output (from 6.5 ± 0.7 to 6.8 ± 0.7 l/min, p < 0.01) at 2400 hr. A significant correlation between both hemodynamic parameters was found (r = 0.78, p < 0.01). Cosinor analysis showed a significant (p < 0.05) circadian rhythm for both portal blood flow and cardiac output with an acrophase at 0050 hr. In the healthy subjects group, a significant decrease of mean arterial pressure and heart rate was observed at 2400 hr. Cosinor analysis confirmed the presence of significant rhythm for both hemodynamic parameters. In contrast with cirrhotic patients, no significant changes were observed in portal blood flow and cardiac output in healthy subjects. Our results show that in patients with cirrhosis, maximal increases in portal blood flow occur at night. The circadian variation of portal blood flow could have important implications in the management of these patients. (Hepatology 1994;20:1198–1203).
Biochemical Effects of Phosphate-Containing Replacement Fluid for Continuous Venovenous Hemofiltration

Aims: To examine biochemical effects of phosphate-containing replacement fluid (Phoxilium®) for continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). Methods: Retrospective comparison of respective serum biochemistry with sequential use of Accusol™ and Phoxilium, each over 48 h of CVVH. Results: We studied 15 critically ill patients. Accusol was switched to Phoxilium after 5 (4–8) days of CVVH. Respective serum biochemistry after 36–42 h of Accusol versus Phoxilium were: phosphate 1.02 (0.82–1.15) versus 1.44 (1.23–1.78) mmol/l, ionized calcium 1.28 (1.22–1.32) versus 1.12 (1.06–1.21) mmol/l, bicarbonate 24 (23–25) versus 20 (19–22) mmol/l, base excess 0 (–2 to 1) versus –4 (–6 to –3) mmol/l (p < 0.001). Cumulative phosphate intakes during respective periods were 69.6 (56.6–76.6) versus 67.2 (46.6–79.0) mmol (p = 0.45). Plasma strong ion differences were narrower with Phoxilium (p < 0.05), with similar strong ion gaps. No additional intravenous phosphate was given during Phoxilium use. Seven patients had serum phosphate >1.44 mmol/l. Conclusions: Phoxilium versus Accusol use during CVVH effectively prevented hypophosphatemia but contributed to mild hyperphosphatemia, and is associated with relative hypocalcemia and metabolic acidosis.
INTENTION TO PAY ZAKAH ON EMPLOYMENT INCOME AMONG MANUFACTURING EMPLOYEES IN PENANG

Previous research on zakah on employment income amongst public and private sector employees has been done before but not amongst manufacturing employees. In Penang, manufacturing employee can potentially be significant contributors to zakah on employment income.Basically this study examines the relationship between attitude,subjective norm and perceived behavior control on zakah compliance intention on manufacturing employees in the Free Industrial Trade Zone Bayan Lepas Penang, using theory of planned behavior. One hundred and seventy three complete questionnaires that measured attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC) and intention (ITT) to pay zakah on employment income were returned. The findings of the study show that attitude (ATT) and perceived behavior control (PBC) significantly influence intention to comply with zakah on income. Subjective norm (SN), however, did not show any significant influence on zakah compliance. In general, the study reveals that theory of planned behavior is capable in predicting zakah compliance intention and hence zakah compliance behavior. The findings of the present study can be used for the institution of zakah and policy makers to promote and educate the general public as to the importance of zakah on employment income. The implication of the findings to future research and the limitations of the present study are also highlighted.
A Worldwide Analysis of AG Molecular Diversity Inferred from Serology

Ten population samples from different geographic origins were tested serologically for the AG polymorphism of human b-lipoproteins. Their haplotype frequencies were used with previously published data to perform a wide analysis of AG genetic differentiations throughout the world. Coancestry coefficients were computed from weighted FSTs among populations by using a matrix of molecular distances among AG haplotypes, which is here determined on the basis of DNA studies. Coancestry coefficients derived from unweighted FSTs and more classical Prevosti distances were computed on the same data and used for a comparison. In all cases a highly significant correlation was found between genetics and geography on a worldwide scale, while the significance of the correlation with linguistics differed. A test of significance of the pairwise FSTs among populations also gave different results depending on whether the molecular distance matrix among AG haplotypes was included. Globally, this study shows that in spite of being highly significantly correlated to each other, different genetic distance measures can lead to different interpretations of the same data set. Moreover, the elucidation of the molecular models related to the presently known serological polymorphisms may represent an additional tool for analyzing such polymorphisms in human population genetics studies.
Interaction of budget emphasis, budgeting participation and task characteristics : a cross-cultural study

This thesis is an empirical examination which links two important areas of management accounting research. The first area re1ates to the relatiora between superiors' evaluative styles and the two dependent variables of job related tension and managerial perfonnance. The second area relates to the impact of culture on management accounting system. Two of Hofstede's (1980) dimensions of culture were used in this study. They were power distance and individualism. Two studies, Browneli and Hirst (1986) and Brownell and Dunk (1991), both of which were conducted with samples from a low power distance/high individualism nation were re-examined within the framework suggested by Harrison (1992) that research results related to budgetary participation can be generalized between high power distance/low individualism and low power distance/high individualism nations. Multiple linear regressions were used to test the three-way interaction between budget emphasis, budgetary participation and task characteristics (task uncertainty, task variability or task difficulty), affecting each of the two dependent variables of managerial performance and job related tension. A four-way interaction between budget emphasis, budgetary participation, task difficulty and culture was also tested. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of410 functional heads from 142 manufacturing companies located in Singapore and Western Australia. Singapore was selected as a surrogate for a high power distance/low individualism culture and Western Australia as a surrogate for a low power distance/high individualism culture. The results of the study lend support to the existence of a three-way interaction affecting managerial performance in the case of task difficulty (Van de Ven & Delbecq, 1974) but not in
Reporting partitions authoritatively ( using SDNs ) for more robust distributed systems

This paper addresses network partitions, a core challenge for both distributed systems and networking. The networking community aims to reduce the frequency of network partitions, by engineering ever more reliable networks. The distributed systems community aims to reduce the severity of network partitions, by designing robust application logic. Unfortunately, this application logic is typically complex, because of uncertainty: unresponsive processes may be crashed, slow, temporarily partitioned, or permanently partitioned. This paper explores a co-design of applications and the network in which the network tells applications that processes (not hosts) are permanently partitioned with certainty, which in turn simplifies application logic. We embody this approach in Hawk, a failure and partition detector that provides formal guarantees. These guarantees can simplify distributed applications; reduce the resources they require to tolerate failures; and improve their availability, by delivering failure notifications to them promptly.
Regulation of the mesangial cell myofibroblast phenotype by actin polymerization

Mesangial cells in diverse glomerular diseases become myofibroblast‐like, characterized by activation of smooth muscle α‐actin (α‐SMA) expression. In cultured mesangial cells, serum‐deprivation markedly increases α‐SMA expression, cell size, and stress fiber formation. Since stress fibers are assembled from actin monomers, we investigated the hypothesis that alterations in stress fiber formation regulate α‐SMA expression and hypertrophy. Human mesangial cells were treated with agents that disrupt or stabilize actin stress fibers. Depolymerization of actin stress fibers in serum‐deprived cells with actin‐depolymerizing agents, cytochalasin B (CytB) and latrunculin B (LatB), or with inhibitors of Rho‐kinase, Y‐27632 and HA‐1077 decreased α‐SMA mRNA as judged by Northern blot analysis. Western blot analysis showed that CytB also reduced α‐SMA protein levels. In serum‐fed cells, agents that stabilized actin stress fibers, jasplakinolide (Jas) and phalloidin, increased α‐SMA mRNA and protein. Treatment of human or rat mesangial cells with CytB, LatB, or Y‐27632 decreased α‐SMA promoter activity. In contrast, Jas increased promoter activity 5.6‐fold in rat mesangial cells. The presence of an RNA polymerase inhibitor blocked degradation of α‐SMA mRNA in cells treated with CytB suggesting that destabilization of this message is dependent on a newly transcribed or rapidly degraded factor. Inhibition of actin polymerization by CytB, LatB, Y‐27623, and HA‐1077 inhibited incorporation of 3[H]‐leucine into newly synthesized protein. Additionally, CytB and LatB decreased cell volume as determined by flow cytometry. Collectively, these results indicate that the state of polymerization of the actin cytoskeleton regulates α‐SMA expression, hypertrophy, and myofibroblast differentiation in mesangial cells. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Determinants of Rural Household’s Willingness to Participate in Community Based Health Insurance Scheme in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract The study examined rural households’ willingness to participate in Community Based Health Insurance (CHBI) scheme in Edo State, Nigeria. Factors that are likely to influence household participation in the scheme were specifically determined. A random sample of 360 families from the three senatorial zones of the state was taken. Their responses were analyzed using frequency tables and logistic regression. The findings revealed that 59.4% expressed willingness to participate in a community based insurance scheme. Important reasons for those not willing to participate in the scheme were lack of trust on scheme fund administrators (mean = 2.54) and government policies/programmes which are considered very unstable and unsustainable (2.53). Based on the Logistics regression results, key demographic factors found to be significant determinants of rural households willingness to participate in the insurance scheme include household size (b= 0.507) and membership of town association or union (b=0.564), while income (b = -0.410), medical expenses incurred (0.316) and credit (0.277) were important economic characteristics. The study recommended the incorporation of community participation in the scheme especially in scheme management selection and awareness creation as measures to promote CBHI programme in the state.