Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Torsional Vibrations of Quartz Crystal Beams

An exact solution of a partial differential equation including elastic compliance constant 56, with respect to stress function has been found for torsional modes of vibration of an arbitrary (singly, doubly, triply) rotated beam with a pair of parallel free edges. The solution is obtained by relaxing the condition that the edge planes are perpendicular to the main faces of the beam. That is, the edges are off perpendicular by the angle = arctan (Os 56=s 55). The exact solution can reduce the difference of the calculated and measured values for a thicknessto-width ratio which gives the first-order temperature coefficient = 0. Also, a comparatively large inclination of the edge cuts is required to reduce the unwanted complicated mode shapes to simple ones.
Managing risks in strategic alliances

Executive Overview Managing the different kinds of risk in strategic alliances is a complex task. We propose a comprehensive framework of risk management with two components. First, we discuss the roles of relational risk and performance risk in alliance resource management. The overall goal is to gain access to partner firms' valuable resources while keeping one's own resources intact. To that end, alliance managers may choose from four orientations—control flexibility, security, and productivity. The second part of the framework focuses on various risks in the alliance management process, including the stages of partner selection, structuring, operation, and performance evaluation. Within each stage, we identify the key risk that may affect alliance success. These risks are related to fit, flexibility, collaboration, and planning for the future. Together, the two components of the framework provide insights and guidelines for managers to effectively deal with the major risks in the management of alliances.
The Concentration/Conduct Relationship in Bank Deposit Markets

This study investigates the structure/conduct/performance relationship in retail deposit markets. The study explicitly incorporates conduct as the link between structure and performance in local deposit markets. It attempts to determine whether banks typically behave competitively or strategically, and whether their conduct is influenced by market concentration. The empirical investigation is guided by an equilibrium model of a retail deposit market. The model is applied to regression equations for local (MSA) MMDA and three- and six-month CD rates. The empirical results indicate that strategic conduct is the norm in MMDA and in three- and six-month CD markets. Copyright 1991 by MIT Press.
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Predicts Outcome in Complex Aortic Surgery

The perioperative inflammatory response is associated with outcome after complex aortic repair. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) shows protective effects in ischemia-reperfusion (IR), but also adverse pro-inflammatory effects in acute inflammation, potentially leading to adverse outcome, which should be investigated in this trial. This prospective study enrolled 52 patients, of whom 29 (55.7%) underwent open repair (OR) and 23 (44.3%) underwent endovascular repair (ER) between 2014 and 2015. MIF serum levels were measured until 72 h post-operatively. We used linear mixed models and ROC analysis to analyze the MIF time-course and its diagnostic ability. Compared to ER, OR induced higher MIF release perioperatively; at 12 h after ICU admission, MIF levels were similar between groups. MIF course was significantly influenced by baseline MIF level (P = 0.0016) and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score (P = 0.0005). MIF level at 24 h after ICU admission showed good diagnostic value regarding patient survival [sensitivity, 80.0% (28.4–99.5%); specificity, 51.2% (35.1–67.1%); AUC, 0.688 (0.534–0.816)] and discharge modality [sensitivity, 87.5% (47.3–99.7%); specificity, 73.7% (56.9–86.6%), AUC, 0.789 (0.644–0.896)]. Increased perioperative MIF-levels are related to an increased risk of adverse outcome in complex aortic surgery and may represent a biomarker for risk stratification in complex aortic surgery.
The link between corporate governance and performance of the non‐traditional export sector: evidence from Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how corporate governance affects performance of firms in the non‐traditional export (NTE) sector in Ghana.Design/methodology/approach – Panel data covering the ten‐year period 1995‐2004 were analyzed within the generalized least squares (GLS) framework.Findings – For efficient performance, firms in the NTE sector in Ghana should have indigenous ownership and must ensure more non‐executive directors on their boards.Research limitations/implications – More indicators of corporate governance are needed, due to the fact that corporate governance embraces a broader set of indicators.Practical implications – There are practical implications for both academics and practitioners.Originality/value – Provides an examination of the link between corporate governance and the performance of the NTE sector, which has hitherto not been researched.
Regional Accounts of India: Methods, New Estimates, and Their Uses

For large economies with substantial regional variation, it is of great importance for policymakers and economic analysis that macro‐economic statistics are broken down by region. This paper reviews the regional accounts in India, discusses their role in Indian federal and state policies, and provides new estimates to cover major data gaps. Statistics on domestic product by Indian state, broken down by industry, are regularly published. But despite demands and recommendations by various commissions and policymakers, a comprehensive system of regional accounts is yet to be developed. New estimates for the period 1993–2010 are presented for saving and the macro‐economic expenditure by Indian states, like final consumption, capital formation, and trade balance. They show, for example, that some of the fastest growing Indian states have increased their saving and investment rates to 50 percent of their domestic product.
On the Implications of Trade Openness, Foreign Aid and Democracy for Wagner’s Law in Developing Countries: Panel Data Evidence from West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ)

The impact of trade openness, foreign aid and democracy on government expenditure in developing countries has been emphasized in the literature in recent decades. Nonetheless, most recent studies of Wagner’s law have often neglected the increasing role played by these policy variables. This paper provides an empirical analysis of the long run implications of trade openness, foreign aid and democracy for the fulfillment of Wagner’s law in West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) countries using panel data techniques for the period 1980–2008. The paper finds the existence of Wagner’s law in WAMZ countries, but only when the role of these policy variables has been catered for. Therefore, if these countries are to meet the fiscal convergence criteria and ensure the sustainability of a single currency area, explicit sets of restraint on the national authorities and innovative and efficient ways of domestic revenue generation necessary to ensure that government revenue keep pace with its expenditure become crucial, because monetary union may not necessarily ensure fiscal discipline.
Docetaxel induces cell death through mitotic catastrophe in human breast cancer cells

Apoptosis has long been considered to be the prevailing mechanism of cell death in response to chemotherapy. Currently, a more heterogeneous model of tumor response to therapy is acknowledged wherein multiple modes of death combine to generate the overall tumor response. The resulting mechanisms of cell death are likely determined by the mechanism of action of the drug, the dosing regimen used, and the genetic background of the cells within the tumor. This study describes a nonapoptotic response to docetaxel therapy in human breast cancer cells of increasing cancer progression (MCF-10A, MCF-7, and MDA-mb-231). Docetaxel is a microtubule-stabilizing taxane that is being used in the clinic for the treatment of breast and prostate cancers and small cell carcinoma of the lung. The genetic backgrounds of these cells were characterized for the status of key pathways and gene products involved in drug response and cell death. Cellular responses to docetaxel were assessed by characterizing cell viability, cell cycle checkpoint arrest, and mechanisms of cell death. Mechanisms of cell death were determined by Annexin V binding and scoring of cytology-stained cells by morphology and transmission electron microscopy. The primary mechanism of death was determined to be mitotic catastrophe by scoring of micronucleated cells and cells undergoing aberrant mitosis. Other, nonapoptotic modes of death were also determined. No significant changes in levels of apoptosis were observed in response to docetaxel.
THE FARM AS A FAMILY BUSINESS: A REVIEW

Although the great majority of UK farms are run as family businesses, the family dimension of these businesses is frequently neglected. There are nevertheless important inferences to be drawn from studying the farm family, its forms and functions, and the way that the family and the business interact. This calls for a multidisciplinary approach and the review attempts to draw together insights from industrial economics, social anthropology, history and rural sociology as they apply to the farm family business. It then relates these insights to considerations of the family development cycle, processes of inheritance and succession, roles of farmers' wives and multiple-job farming families. The literature review points to opposing tendencies within the population of farm businesses. Family forms of organisation and relationships may have become less relevant to farming at the lower end of the size scale but more relevant to the conduct of a successful large farm business.
Asymptotic Behavior of Linear Evolution Difference System

In this article we give some characterizations of exponential stability for a periodic discrete evolution family of bounded linear operators acting on a Banach space in terms of discrete evolution semigroups, acting on a special space of almost periodic sequences. As a result, a spectral mapping theorem is stated. AMS (MOS) Subject Classification Codes: Primary 35B35.
A high-rate aqueous symmetric pseudocapacitor based on highly graphitized onion-like carbon/birnessite-type manganese oxide nanohybrids

We present a study on the pseudocapacitive properties of birnessite-type MnO2 grafted on highly graphitized onion-like carbon (OLC/MnO2). In a three-electrode setup, we evaluated two different substrates, namely a platinum disc and nickel foam. The OLC/MnO2 nanohybrid exhibited a large specific capacitance (Csp) of 295 and 323 F g−1 (at 1 A g−1) for the Pt disc and Ni foam, respectively. In addition, the Ni foam substrate exhibited much higher rate capability (power density) than the Pt disc. A symmetrical two-electrode device, fabricated with the Ni foam, showed a large Csp of 254 F g−1, a specific energy density of 5.6 W h kg−1, and a high power density of 74.8 kW kg−1. These values have been the highest for onion-based electrodes so far. The device showed excellent capacity retention when subjected to voltage-holding (floating) experiments for 50 h. In addition, the device showed a very short time constant (τ = 40 ms). This high rate handling ability of the OLC/MnO2 nanohybrid, compared to literature reports, promises new opportunities for the development of aqueous-based pseudocapacitors.
Explaining mispricing with Fama–French factors: new evidence from the multiscaling approach

This article examines the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) over different frequencies utilizing a recently developed multiscaling method: wavelet analysis. Our empirical analysis shows that the risk factors are more relevant at the lower frequencies than at the higher frequencies in the traditional CAPM. In addition, the overreaction-related mispricing hypothesis explains the size effect but not the value premium. After incorporating the two risk factors (Small Minus Big (SMB) and High Minus Low (HML)), our empirical findings support the positive relationship between market risk and mean returns for big stocks, but not small stocks.
Good News for Value Stocks: Further Evidence on Market Efficiency

This paper examines the hypothesis that the superior return to so-called value stocks is the result of expectational errors made by investors. We study stock price reactions around earnings announcements for value and glamour stocks over a 5 year period after portfolio formation. The announcement returns suggest that a significant portion of the return difference between value and glamour stocks is attributable to earnings surprises that are systematically more positive for value stocks. The evidence is inconsistent with a risk-based explanation for the return differential.
Exchange rates and investment in United States industry

The path of the dollar has significantly influenced investment activity in U.S. industry. The effects of both exchange-rate levels and exchange-rate volatility have been more pronounced in the 1980s than in the 1970s. Although aggregate investment data mask some of these relationships, the effects of exchange rates on investment are most pronounced in the disaggregate data for manufacturing durable goods sectors and nonmanufacturing sectors. These relationships also have changed over time. In contrast to the conventional wisdom, in the 1980s real dollar depreciations (appreciations) were likely to be associated with investment contractions (expansions). Copyright 1993 by MIT Press.
The influence of the post-weaning social environment on the weaning to mating interval of the sow

Two studies were conducted at commercial farms on a total of 1117 sows to investigate the role of social environment on the weaning to mating interval of the sow. In one of the two studies, group housing and intense boar stimulation, achieved by daily introduction to a boar, were associated with significant reductions in the weaning to mating interval of the sow (P
Are European Socially Responsible Mutual Funds Rewarding and Profitable?

The last two decades have shown us the growing importance of corporate, social and governance programs, as executives, investors and regulators have become increasingly aware of these programs’ potential to mitigate corporate crises and build solid social reputation. Thus, mutual funds that invest according to social, environmental and ethical criteria have increased both in volume and value. This paper investigates the performance of a sample of 80 socially responsible mutual funds from 8 European countries, within the period from 2002 to 2010. Using both the mainstream unconditional model and the most recent conditional models, we address a performance comparison between these funds and unscreened benchmark Indices as well as socially responsible benchmark Indices. We then attest the models results by applying the classical Sharpe Ratio to our Funds sample. We find out that European socially responsible mutual funds present, in general, neutral performance when compared with both benchmark portfolios. Furthermore, performance estimates seem to be slightly higher when funds are analyzed in relation to socially responsible indices and this benchmark has higher explaining power. Conditional models also seem to lead to a slight uplift of performance estimates and of explanatory capacity of the models applied. Sharpe Ratio confirms that there is no significant performance difference between the compared elements. This is consistent with most precedent empirical findings on this issue. Our study reveals that investors can adhibit social screens to their investment choices without pledging their financial returns, contrary to portfolio theory predictions. This paper proves that it is possible to “do well (financially) while doing good (socially)”.
Comparing Public and Private Sector Employees’ Innovative Behaviour: Understanding the role of job and organizational characteristics, job types, and subsectors

Abstract Innovation is argued to be of key importance in the public sector. Little is known about possible sector differences in innovative behaviour. The stereotype in literature is that public employees are less innovative. We analyse whether sector is associated with innovative behaviour and the influence of job/organizational characteristics. We test this by using a three-country representative survey in Scandinavia with 8,310 respondents. We control for subsectors/industries and job functions. We do not find that public employees are less innovative. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of understanding the major differences in innovative behaviour between different subsectors/industries and job types.
Characterization of a Highly Conserved Domain within the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Protein S2 Domain with Characteristics of a Viral Fusion Peptide

ABSTRACT Many viral fusion proteins are primed by proteolytic cleavage near their fusion peptides. While the coronavirus (CoV) spike (S) protein is known to be cleaved at the S1/S2 boundary, this cleavage site is not closely linked to a fusion peptide. However, a second cleavage site has been identified in the severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV (SARS-CoV) S2 domain (R797). Here, we investigated whether this internal cleavage of S2 exposes a viral fusion peptide. We show that the residues immediately C-terminal to the SARS-CoV S2 cleavage site SFIEDLLFNKVTLADAGF are very highly conserved across all CoVs. Mutagenesis studies of these residues in SARS-CoV S, followed by cell-cell fusion and pseudotyped virion infectivity assays, showed a critical role for residues L803, L804, and F805 in membrane fusion. Mutation of the most N-terminal residue (S798) had little or no effect on membrane fusion. Biochemical analyses of synthetic peptides corresponding to the proposed S2 fusion peptide also showed an important role for this region in membrane fusion and indicated the presence of α-helical structure. We propose that proteolytic cleavage within S2 exposes a novel internal fusion peptide for SARS-CoV S, which may be conserved across the Coronaviridae.
An Exploration of the Research/Teaching Trade‐Off in the Perception of Business Students

Most business education institutions (BEIs) try to hire good researchers for teaching. However, it is controversial to say that excellent researchers are always excellent instructors. This paper explores the students’ perception of the teaching delivered by both researchers and non‐researchers. Our data suggests that the pure possession of a PhD is negatively related to measured aspects of students’ satisfaction with classes. However, the instructor's publication record is positively related to most – but not all – aspects. Having more teaching experience, another element that is typically considered in an instructor's job interview, is not positively related to the students’ satisfaction, but rather it is the specific teaching experience in that specific BEI that counts. Moreover, smaller group sizes, a key element in a BEI's cost structure, are appreciated by students. Finally, compulsory and optional classes are perceived to be equally useful, although the latter seem to overall better satisfy and entertain students.
Clinical Profiles of Premenstrual Experiences Among Women Having Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): Affective Changes Predominate and Relate to Social and Occupational Functioning

Our objective for this study was to examine symptom severity among women suffering from premenstrual syndrome as well as associations between symptom severity and impairment. In a one-cycle prospective study, various premenstrual symptoms of 91 women were assessed. Tension and irritability were the most severe symptoms. Headache, irritability, self-deprecating thoughts, and depressed mood were the symptoms that were subjectively rated as the most burdensome. Significant correlations were found between the mean premenstrual severity and functional impairment. The severity of premenstrual affective symptoms was related to social impairment. The severity of psychological symptoms was correlated with occupational impairment. These findings confirm the prominent role of premenstrual affective symptoms and support classification guidelines focusing on both affective and physical changes.
Forecasting the PSBR Outside Government: The IFS Perspective

Expectations regarding the future state of the public finances are vital for public policy formation. The UK experience has been that forecasts of the PSBR have been beset with problems since the mid-1980s. Independent assessments of the accuracy and plausibility of public finance forecasts are an important check on government forecasts and serve to increase public debate over government finance issues. We examine the success of various possible methods available to those outside government.
Investors Reaction to Market Surprises on the Indian Stock Exchange and Currency Markets

This paper examines the reaction of investors to the arrival of unexpected information on the Indian equity and foreign exchange markets. Market surprises are identified using a strictly quantitative approach, and cumulative abnormal returns are calculated and tracked for a period of 30 days after each favorable or unfavorable event. The empirical results provide evidence that the reactions of investors following unexpected bad news on the Mumbai Stock Exchange (MSE) and the rupee-dollar exchange market are consistent with Uncertain Information Hypothesis (UIH). This means that following a major unfavorable event, security prices are initially set below their fundamental values while subsequent clarifications of the uncertainty results in positive price movements to their equilibrium levels. The results indicate that reactions on the MSE for unexpected good news are mostly positive but modestly significant while reactions on the FOREX following positive surprises are barely positive and not statistically significant. The overall results for both markets are therefore consistent with the UIH but stronger and statistically significant in the case of negative market surprises. A possible implication of this study for investors is that employing an investment strategy of buying losers in both markets following a sharp decline may generate superior returns.
Clan Politics and Regime Transition in Central Asia

Clan Politics and Regime Transition in Central Asia, Kathleen Collins, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. 376. The long isolation of Central Asia finally ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Five new independent states emerged from the ashes of the Soviet Union, the very first time in history that the peoples of Central Asia gained their own independent states modelled on the modern state. This development caught the world, including Central Asians themselves, by surprise. It changed the geopolitics of the entire Eurasia. In the ensuing years, the Central Asian republics have undergone simultaneous multiple transformations: state building; political regime transformation; and transition from Soviet communism. Thus the new states in Central Asia have provided scholars with new cases of multiple economic and political transitions to study and compare. In recent years, there has been a significant proliferation of English-language publications on Central Asia. Kathleen Collin's book, a comparative historical study of political development in Central Asia, is a major contribution. While its focus is on Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, it often provides examples from the other two Central Asian republics, namely Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. It is thoroughly researched and rich in information and details. It also makes a significant contribution to the political science literature on democratization, regime transition and consolidation.