Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical assessment of music perception in Korean cochlear implant listeners

Conclusion: The Korean version of the Clinical Assessment of Music Perception (K-CAMP) test is an efficient, self-administrable test for discrimination of a wide range of music perception ability in adult Korean cochlear implant (CI) users. Objectives: The aims of the study were the development of a clinically practical test of music perception for adult Korean CI lisetners and evaluation of its effectiveness. Methods: Twelve adult post-lingually deafened patients and 12 normal-hearing (NH) controls were tested with the K-CAMP test, comprising pitch direction discrimination, melody identification, and timbre identification tests. Results: Pitch discrimination, melody identification, and timbre identification in CI users showed a wide range of perceptual abilities. The mean pitch change discrimination difference limen (DL) for the base frequency of 262 Hz (middle C) was 2.7 ± 1.7 semitones: 4.4 ± 4.2 semitones for 330 Hz (E4) and 8.1 ± 3.0 semitones for 391 Hz (G4) in CI listeners. The DL widened as the base frequency increased. The melody identification test produced 21.1 ± 21.7% correct answers, and the timbre identification test recorded 25.7 ± 8.5% correct answers in CI listeners. Pitched percussion instruments (piano, guitar) were better for timbre identification. Speech performance scores had a positive correlation with the pitch discrimination DL (p < 0.05).
Time-Varying Expected Momentum Profits

This paper examines the time variations of expected momentum profits using a two-state Markov switching model with time-varying transition probabilities to evaluate the empirical relevance of recent rational theories of momentum profits. We find that in the expansion state the expected returns of winner stocks are more affected by aggregate economic conditions than those of loser stocks, while in the recession state the expected returns of loser stocks are more affected than those of winner stocks. Consequently, expected momentum profits display strong procyclical variations. We argue that the observed momentum profits are the realization of such expected returns and can be interpreted as the procyclicality premium. We provide a plausible explanation for time-varying momentum profits through the differential effect of leverage and growth options across business cycles.
Expression of Gab1 Lacking the Pleckstrin Homology Domain Is Associated with Neoplastic Progression

ABSTRACT An in vitro transformation system of carcinogen-treated Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cell cultures represents multistep genetic and nongenetic changes that develop during the neoplastic progression of normal cells to tumor cells in vivo. During this neoplastic progression, SHE cells demonstrate an altered response to epidermal growth factor (EGF). In the present report, we examined the role of the adapter protein Gab1 (Grb2-associated binder-1) in the neoplastic progression of SHE cells. We used two asbestos-transformed SHE cell clones in different neoplastic stages: a 10W+8 clone, which is immortal and retains the ability to suppress the tumorigenicity of tumor cells in cell-cell hybrid experiments, and a 10W−1 clone, which has lost this tumor suppressor ability. 10W+8 cells expressed full-length 100-kDa Gab1 and associated 5.2-kb mRNA. Upon repeated cell passaging, 10W−1 cells showed increasing expression of a novel 87-kDa form of Gab1 as well as 4.6-kb mRNA with diminishing expression of the original 100-kDa Gab1. cDNA encoding the 87-kDa Gab1 predicts a form of Gab1 lacking the amino-terminal 103 amino acids (Gab1Δ1-103), which corresponds to loss of most of the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. Gab1Δ1-103 retains the ability to be phosphorylated in an EGF-dependent manner and to associate with the EGF receptor and SHP-2 upon EGF stimulation. The endogenous expression of Gab1Δ1-103 in 10W−1 cells appeared closely related to EGF-dependent colony formation in soft agar. Moreover, transfection and expression of Gab1Δ1-103, but not Gab1, in 10W+8 cells enhanced their EGF-dependent colony formation in soft agar. These results demonstrate that Gab1 is a target of carcinogen-induced transformation of SHE cells and that the expression of a Gab1 variant lacking most of the PH domain plays a specific role in the neoplastic progression of SHE cells.
Colonial Revenue Policies and the Impact of the Transition to Independence in South East Asia

Abstract The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first part examines trends in revenue policies across South East Asia in the early decades of the twentieth century. It is argued that, by the 1920s, there were quite striking differences in revenue policies and performance across the region. The paper examines the reasons for these differences, paying particular attention to the conflicting demands placed on the various colonial administrations by conditions within the colonies, as well as by the changing priorities of the metropolitan governments. The second aim of the paper is to examine the impact of the transition to independence on revenue policy and performance. It is often thought that in most parts of Asia, the advent of political independence led to a greatly expanded role for government in the economy. While it is true that many newly independent countries had ambitious plans for government as the lead actor in promoting rapid economic development, in fact in several countries in South East Asia, it proved very difficult to increase revenues in real terms. The reasons for this are explored in the paper.
Perceived Audit Quality, Modified Audit Opinions and the Likelihood of Liquidating Bankruptcy Among Financially Weak Firms

The paper examines the relationship between audit quality, modified audit opinions and the likelihood of liquidating bankruptcy among financially weak firms. The sample consists of 27,999 Finnish companies. It is argued that the choice of a high-quality auditor signals managers' credibility and that creditors would be more inclined to prefer liquidating bankruptcy as the resolution of financial difficulties if the firm is audited by a low-quality auditor. The results show that liquidating bankruptcy is less common among Big 4 audited firms. A positive association between the likelihood of bankruptcy and different types of modified audit opinions, including opinions with remarks related to the quality and presentation of financial statements, is also found.
Demand Shifts and Changes in Competition: Evidence from the Movie Theatre Industry

Abstract In this paper, I empirically examine how demand shifts affect firm behaviour. In particular, I study how competitive behaviour between firms changes across different demand states. For this purpose, I use price and concentration data from the Spanish movie theatre industry in 1995 and 2000. The evidence suggests that demand shifts change the competitive nature of the industry under study, and that this change differs across different demand shifts. Firms deviate less from tacit collusive behaviour when gains of deviation are smaller.
The Pricing of Insurer Demutualization Initial Public Offerings

This article examines the pricing of the initial public offerings (IPOs) that follow insurance company demutualizations. Insurers that convert from mutual to stock form typically cite the need for capital as a key motivation. Given that capital adequacy is a primary regulatory objective for insurers, one would expect that for a given number of shares to be sold, these firms would price their offerings to maximize proceeds. However, the vast literature on IPO pricing suggests various theories as to why it may be in the issuing firm's best interest to underprice its offering. By examining the initial and long-run stock returns for these conversion IPOs, the existence and degree of underpricing, as characterized by large initial returns, can be determined. It is observed that on average demutualization insurer IPOs post significantly higher first-day returns than nondemutualization insurer IPOs. These gains would accrue to the initial investors and to those policyholders who receive compensation in the form of shares in the newly created stock insurer. Attractive returns are sustained for both groups of insurers during the first few years after IPO.
Infrastructure and Growth: Empirical Evidence

Investment in network infrastructure can boost long-term economic growth in OECD countries. Moreover, infrastructure investment can have a positive effect on growth that goes beyond the effect of the capital stock because of economies of scale, the existence of network externalities competition enhancing effects. This paper analyses the empirical relationship between infrastructure and economic growth. Time-series results reveal a positive impact of infrastructure investment on growth. They also show that this effect varies across countries and sectors and over time. In some cases, these results reveal evidence of possible over-investment. Bayesian model averaging of cross-section growth regressions confirms that infrastructure investment in telecommunications and the electricity sectors has a robust positive effect on long-term growth (but not in railways and road networks). Furthermore, this effect is highly nonlinear as the impact is stronger if the physical stock is lower.
[Primary hypothyroidism in the adult older than 60 years. Characteristics and follow-up after initiation of replacement treatment in hospital].

OBJECTIVE Primary hypothyroidism is common in the elderly. Yet its care remains unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS Clinical, biological characteristics and outcome of 45 patients aged over 60 years admitted for in-hospital initiation of treatment for primary hypothyroidism were recorded. Causes and tolerance of treatment (clinical and ECG monitoring in hospital) were seek for. RESULTS Initial symptoms, predominantly fatigue (84.4%), were moderate, contrasting with severe biological hormonal deficiency. The most common routine biological change was hypercholesterolemia (57.6%). Female predominance was obvious (77.8%) and the most usual aetiology autoimmune chronic thyroiditis. Despite variability of symptoms, long term follow-up demonstrates a positive response to treatment, including an improvement in fatigue, eye-lid swelling, bradycardia and overweight. This clinical improvement was achieved on an average dose of 1.22 +/- 0.47 mg/kg/day L-T4 in order to maintain normal TSH (3.76 +/- 2.93 mUI/l). Cardiovascular incidents while starting treatment require experienced care and low dose initial treatment. CONCLUSION Primary hypothyroidism is still lately discovered in the elderly. Yet, since treatment is efficacious and simple, the disease should be searched for and cared after whenever a related symptom occurs.
The Effects of Inflation and Exchange Rate Policies on Direct Investment to Developing Countries

This study focuses on the effects of inflation and exchange rate policy on direct investment flows to developing countries. We find that inflation does have a substantial negative effect on capital inflows. Our estimates indicate that this effect can be significantly reduced, but not eliminated, by following exchange rate policies which avoid substantial overvaluation of the currency. [F 30]
Using Tobin's Q ratio to testing the stakeholder theory applied to the corporate social performance

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is emerging as an important issue in global developments. Given their important role in the global supply chains, Taiwanese enterprises must keep up with the trend and stay connected with the world. Companies that want to grow up, need a socially responsible behaviour and some explicitly proposed tougher rules on disclosure and reporting. This paper brings up a brand new concept, which used Tobin’s Q ratio to test the CSP metrics and elaborates the relationships between Tobin’s Q and the corporate social performance in the perspective of stakeholder theory. The purpose of this paper is to test the stakeholder theory to see if it as an influence on the ratio of Tobin’s Q, and then interpret it with the hypotheses of the corporate social performances metrics. The research suggested positive correlations between the returns on equity and Tobin’s Q, as well as donations, environmental expenses and the other corporate social performances metrics. Thus, this paper helped the managers to gain an understanding on the current status and future development of CSR policies in Taiwan. Key words: Stakeholder theory, corporate social performance, Tobin’s Q.
Evaluation of the effect of balneotherapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the hands: a randomized controlled single-blind follow-up study

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of thermal mineral water compared with magnetotherapy without balneotherapy as control, in the treatment of hand osteoarthritis. Design: Randomized controlled single-blind follow-up study. Setting: Rheumatology specialist clinic of Gunaras Health Spa. Subjects: Patients between 50 and 70 years of age with hand osteoarthritis, randomly assigned into three groups. Interventions: The subjects in the first two groups bathed in thermal mineral water of two different temperatures (36°C and 38°C) for three weeks five times a week for 20 minutes a day and received magnetotherapy to their hands three times weekly. The third group received only magnetotherapy. Outcome measures: Visual analogue scale scores, handgrip strength, pinchgrip strength, the number of swollen and tender joints of the hand, the duration of morning joint stiffness, Health Assessment Questionnaire, and Short Form-36 questionnaire. The study parameters were administered at baseline, immediately after treatment and after 13 weeks. Results: The study included 63 patients. Statistically significant improvement was observed in several studied parameters after the treatment and during the follow-up study in the thermal water groups versus the control group. The 38°C thermal water treatment significantly improved the pinch strength of the right hand (0.6 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2 to 1.1) vs. 0.03 (95% CI −0.3 to 0.4), P < 0.05) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire parameters (−0.4 (95% CI −0.6 to −0.2) vs. −0.1 (95% CI −0.2 to 0.1), P < 0.01) even in the long term. Conclusions: Balneotherapy combined with magnetotherapy improved the pain and function as well as the quality of life in patients with hand osteoarthritis.
The changing landscape of higher education internationalisation – for better or worse?

Internationalisation has transformed the higher education landscape around the world and has dramatically changed itself. Some question whether the change is for better or worse given some of the unintended consequences of internationalisation such as commercialisation, diploma and accreditation mills, international rankings and the great brain race. The importance of internationalisation is recognised but are the benefits, risks and processes fully understood? This article takes a hard look at new developments and challenges related to the international dimension of higher education. It argues for focusing on the collaborative, mutual benefit, capacity building, and exchange aspects of internationalisation to optimise the benefit for individuals (students and staff), for higher education institutions (learning, research, service) and for the country and region as well.
Cytotoxic effects of two acid solutions and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite used in endodontic therapy.

AIM To evaluate the cytotoxicity of 15% citric acid, 5% phosphoric acid and 2.5% NaOCl on cultured fibroblasts using MTT colorimetric assay. METHODOLOGY Irrigating solutions of 5% phosphoric acid, 15% citric acid, and 2.5% NaOCl, diluted at 0.1% and 0.5%, were applied to cell cultures of 3T3L1 fibroblasts. The cell viability was determined by means of MTT colorimetric assay after a period of 1, 6 and 24 hours. Percentages of cell viability were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test for global comparisons and the Mann-Whitney U-test for pairwise comparisons. RESULTS The percentage of cell viability diminished progressively over a 24 hour period in all solutions at both dilutions. At 0.1% dilution, 2.5% NaOCl (63.39%) and 15% citric acid (53.91%) showed the highest percentage of cell viability (p=0.083). At 0.5% dilution, 2.5% NaOCl again showed the highest cell viability value (48.51%). CONCLUSIONS The irrigating solution with the highest percentage of cell viability was 2.5% NaOCl at both 0.1% and 0.5% dilutions. A very low percentage of cell viability was obtained with 15% citric acid and 5% phosphoric acid at 0.5% dilution.
Inhibition of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/Nuclear Factor κB–Dependent Inflammation by a Novel Chalcone Protects the Kidney from High Fat Diet–Induced Injuries in Mice

The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically worldwide leading to increases in obesity-related complications, such as obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG). Obesity is a state of chronic, low-grade inflammation, and increased inflammation in the adipose and kidney tissues has been shown to promote the progression of renal damage in obesity. Current therapeutic options for ORG are fairly limited and, as a result, we are seeing increased rates of progression to end-stage renal disease. Chalcones are a class of naturally occurring compounds with various pharmacological properties. 1-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(2-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (L2H17) is a chalcone that we have previously synthesized and found capable of inhibiting the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in macrophages. In this study, we investigated L2H17’s effect on obesity-induced renal injury using palmitic acid–induced mouse peritoneal macrophages and high fat diet–fed mice. Our results indicate that L2H17 protects against renal injury through the inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor κB pathways significantly by decreasing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and cell adhesion molecules and improving kidney histology and pathology. These findings lead us to believe that L2H17, as an anti-inflammatory agent, can be a potential therapeutic option in treating ORG.
Experience, contractual covenants and venture capitalists' responses to unmet expectations

The focus of this paper is on the role of experience in situations where venture capital contracts are drafted and applied. Based on a study of 78 Nordic venture capitalists, it was found that investors with venture capital and business experience include more protective clauses in venture capital contracts than their inexperienced colleagues. However, experienced investors were less likely to exercise these rights. The only deviation from this pattern was prior exposure to conflicts, prompting the use of contractual rights and discouraging compromise and patience in problematic situations with entrepreneurs. It also seems that the content of the contract shapes investors' reactions to unmet expectations: control rights tend to promote ‘relational’ approaches to solving problems emanating in the venture capitalist-entrepreneur relationship, whereas exit rights seem to decrease the venture capitalist's willingness to compromise in the face of unmet expectations caused by the entrepreneur.
Sexual functioning throughout menopause: the perceptions of women in a British cohort

Objective: Previous studies on menopausal transition and sexual functioning have mixed findings. Most are cross-sectional, exclude hormone therapy users and hysterectomized women, and are unable to separate the effects of age from menopause or account for psychosocial, vasomotor, and somatic factors. We examine relationships between women's reports of a change in sex life and difficulties with intercourse and their experience of menopausal transition, use of hormone therapy, and hysterectomy. Design: A British cohort study with 1,525 women were followed since their birth in 1946 and annually from age 47 to 54 years. The outcome measures were self-reported change in sex life and difficulties with sexual intercourse over 8 consecutive years. Results: Compared with women who remained premenopausal, peri- and postmenopausal women reported a decline in sex life (mean difference [95% CI]: perimenopausal, −0.1 [−0.2 to −0.03]; became postmenopausal, −0.1 [−0.2 to −0.1]) and were more likely to report difficulties with intercourse (perimenopausal, 0.6 [0.1 to 1.1]; postmenopausal, 1.0 [0.5 to 1.5]) beyond the effects of aging and other psychosomatic factors. Women reported difficulties with intercourse more often if they had been on hormone therapy for more than a year (0.5 [0.03 to 1.0]) or if they had undergone a hysterectomy (0.6 [0.1 to 1.1]); no differences were found for change in sex life. For both outcomes, vaginal dryness was the major risk factor. Married women were also more likely to report adverse outcomes. Somatic symptoms and hot flushes/cold sweats were associated with difficulties with intercourse, whereas psychological symptoms, stressful lives, increasing age, and smoking were associated with a decline in sex life. Conclusions: Menopausal transition status had an independent effect on the reported change in sex life and difficulties with intercourse. The results support health professionals in their development of management strategies that (a) consider treatments directly for vaginal dryness, (b) identify somatic symptoms for difficulties with intercourse, (c) investigate psychological factors for a reported decline in sex life, and (d) for both outcomes, consider the potential role of intimate partners.
Perception of Malaysian Food Manufacturers Toward Halal Logistics

This article measures the perception of Malaysian food manufacturers toward halal logistics through an industry survey conducted in Malaysia. Based on a survey with 44 food manufacturers in Malaysia, results indicate that the responsibility of halal logistics according to the manufacturer is a shared responsibility in the halal food supply chain and value chain. Second, the study confirms that a dedicated storage and transportation is required. The manufacturer recognizes that for cold chain products a dedicated halal sea/airport complex is required, whereas for ambient products, no mixing of halal and nonhalal products in the same section is sufficient. The manufacturer thinks that no mixing of halal and nonhalal products in the same zone of the supermarket provides sufficient assurance for the Muslim consumer. Third, 52.3% of the manufacturers are willing to pay more for a halal logistics system, whereas small and large companies show a higher willingness to pay than medium-size companies. Halal logistics is an important component of the manufacturer's halal promise but will require pressure from the government through regulations to make halal logistics a requirement for halal certification of food manufacturers.