Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cycles in UK Standard Setting

Abstract Observation of UK standard setting between 1970 and 1990 suggests the existence of cyclical patterns. The feature exhibiting the pattern for any topic was the degree of standardisation proposed in documents issued by the Accounting Standards Committee. A model is developed in which the pattern is argued to be caused by the opposition of two forces: a downward force exerted by corporate managers with some professional support; and an upward force exerted by individual senior members of the profession supported by government, press and international influences. The energy to start the cycle comes in the form of a variety of external stimuli. The model is illustrated using five controversial topics: inflation accounting; research and development; deferred tax; merger accounting; and goodwill.
The Millennium Development Goals: Does Aid Help?

Although poverty-eradication has always been a priority in many governments' agenda, one in four people in the developing world still live in poverty. This study examines how foreign aid, human capital and economic policies, among others, affect real GDP growth and other dimensions of poverty, measured in terms of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Our empirical results suggest that while aid appears to be a significant, albeit negative indicator of real GDP per capita growth, it is a positive determinant of other MDG outcomes. Human capital and good economic policies do not appear to have unique and significant effects on the MDG outcomes, but allowing for interactions with aid, these become more robust indicators of the effectiveness of aid in achieving the MDG.
Combating Corruption: On the Interplay between Institutional Quality and Social Trust

The aim of this paper is to explore under which conditions institutional quality leads to lower levels of corruption. A model of a simple economy in which firms choose both between bribing or not bribing bureaucrats to avoid costs and between entering the official or the unofficial economy shows that the effects of increasing institutional quality may be ambiguous because of perverse effects of institutions on the unofficial economy. Employing a recent index of corruption based on objective data, the paper shows that formal institutions are more effective in combating corruption in countries with high levels of social trust. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for welfare and politics.
PFA-100 monitoring of von Willebrand factor (VWF) responses to desmopressin (DDAVP) and factor VIII/VWF concentrate substitution in von Willebrand disease type 1 and 2

Summary Dose-response relationship was studied between PFA-100 closure times (PFA CTs) and factor (F)VIII-von Willebrand factor (VWF) parameters in patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD) type 1 and type 2 before and after treatment with DDAVP (n=84) or FVIII/VWF concentrate (n=38). DDAVP treatment of patients with VWD type 1 normalised the PFA CTs by increasing VWF levels to normal. Of the 14 patients with VWD type 2, PFA CTs did not normalize in eight. Haemate-P substitution in patients with VWD type 1 induced a less favourable response as compared to DDAVP, because PFA CTs did not correct in all patients. Of 12 patients with VWD type 2 treated with Haemate-P, six showed a correction of PFA CTs (<250 sec), which correlated with the normalisation of the VWF CB/ Ag ratio. In-vitro studies were performed by using whole blood of patients with VWD and adding various amounts of FVIII/VWF concentrate. Addition of Haemate-P induced an increase of the VWF CB/Ag ratio from 0.30 to 0.70 in blood of patients with VWD type 2 with correction of the PFA CTs. Immunate did not result in an increase of VWF CB/Ag ratio in blood of VWD type 2 patients, and the PFA CTs remained prolonged. We conclude that PFA-100 might be an adequate instrument not only for diagnosis but also for monitoring of DDAVP responses and FVIII/ VWF substitution of patients with VWD type 1 and 2,but this is dependent upon the type of VWD and the concentrate used.
Predicting credit default swap prices with financial and pure data-driven approaches

The increasing popularity of credit default swaps (CDSs) necessitates understanding their various features. In this study, we analyse the capability of CDSs in predicting CDS prices of other companies in the same risk class or CDS prices of further time horizons. In doing so, we employ the basic forms of structural (the Merton model) and reduced-form (constant intensity) models in a cross-sectional and a time series setup. By utilizing a credit default swap dataset exclusively for estimation and out-of-sample prediction, our study also serves as a comparison between the basic forms of credit risk models. Finally, it contrasts the results with the performance of a new supervised learning forecasting technique, the Support Vector Machines Regression. We show that although the Merton and the constant intensity models handle default timing and interest rates differently, the prediction performance in cross-sectional and time series analyses is, on average, similar. In one-, five-, and 10-step-ahead predictions of time series, the machine learning algorithm significantly outperforms financial models.
Cloning and characterization of a gene (msdA) encoding methylmalonic acid semialdehyde dehydrogenase from Streptomyces coelicolor

A homolog of the mmsA gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which encodes methylmalonic acid semialdehyde dehydrogenase (MSDH) and is involved in valine catabolism in pseudomonads and mammals, was cloned and sequenced from Streptomyces coelicolor. Of the two open reading frames (ORFs) found, which are convergently transcribed and separated by a 62-nucleotide noncoding region, the deduced amino acid sequence of the msdA ORF (homologous to mmsA) is similar to a variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic aldehyde dehydrogenases that utilize NAD+, particularly to the MmsA protein from P. aeruginosa. No significant similarity was found between the deduced product of ORF1 and known proteins in the databases. An S. coelicolor msdA mutant, constructed by insertion of a hygromycin resistance gene (hyg) into the msdA coding region, lost the MSDH activity and the ability to grow in a minimal medium with valine or isobutyrate as the sole carbon source but grew on propionate. The msdA::hyg mutation was complemented by introduction of the msdA gene on a plasmid. When the S. coelicolor msdA gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli under the control of the T7 promoter, a protein of 51-kDa, corresponding to the approximate mass of the predicted S. coelicolor msdA product (52.6 kDa), and specific MSDH activity were detected. These results strongly suggest that msdA indeed encodes the MSDH that is involved in valine catabolism in S. coelicolor.
Acquisition through innovation tournaments in high-tech industries: a comparative perspective

Acquisition of innovative firms is a widely observed phenomenon in high-tech industries. On the basis of distinct advantages of large and small firms, in this paper, we build a tournament model with possible acquisition activity of large firms to derive hypotheses on interdependencies between acquisition frequency and post-acquisition success rates. We find empirical support for our hypotheses that (1) acquisitions increase overall innovation output and (2) that the number of acquisitions is higher in industries with larger heterogeneity between established firms and young start-ups. However, our third hypothesis derived from the formal model that innovation success following from acquisitions varies across industries is only partially confirmed.
Shipping finance: time to follow a new track?

In this paper we introduce, for the first time, a methodology from the most recent literature of finance to reveal the duration of shipping cycles and then show the benefit of the use of this information to make more successful shipping loans. This is so as banks are willing to finance, during boom periods, shipping loans for new buildings but by this way ‘create’ oversupply and thus depress the freight market by their own actions. The information about cycles, especially their forecasting, is mostly important as shipping loans are based on project financing/cash flow financing, which means that ship revenue is of utmost importance. The Rescaled Range Analysis is applied here to 379 monthly freight trips—made stationary—between 1971 and 2002 (July), due to Hurst 1 and elaborated and popularized by Mandelbrot 2. The most important effect, however, is that shipping freight series exhibit non-normality and long-run dependence rendering the use of random walk models such as GARCH (Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity) problematic. Thus an adequate literature review is carried out with criticism against the models used. The cycles have been calculated as equal to 4.5 years and 2.25 years. This is almost compatible with the most recent paper of Stopford 3. The Hurst exponent was found equal to 0.93, alternating over the periods examined (0.65, 0.73, 0.62, 0.59 and 0.55) and indicating long-term persistence but seriously away from normal/random walk domain. Most studies have said the same using the Jarque--Bera test for normality but provided no alternative.
Outcome of bilateral lung volume reduction in patients with emphysema potentially eligible for lung transplantation.

OBJECTIVE Between January 1993 and May 1998, we performed 200 consecutive bilateral lung volume reduction operations. After initial assessment, 99 of these patients were eligible for lung volume reduction and potentially eligible for immediate or eventual lung transplantation on the basis of age and absence of contraindications. All chose to proceed with lung volume reduction surgery. The outcomes of these 99 patients are reviewed to assess the consequences of proceeding with lung volume reduction surgery on patients potentially eligible for lung transplantation. METHODS A retrospective study was performed with the use of a prospectively assembled computer database. RESULTS The 61 men and 38 women were 55 +/- 7 years old at evaluation for lung volume reduction. Mean values for first second expired volume, total lung capacity, and residual volume were 24% +/- 8%, 141% +/- 19%, and 294% +/- 54% predicted. There were 4 operative deaths and 17 late deaths. Two-year and 5-year survival after evaluation for lung volume reduction are 92% and 75%. The 32 patients who have been listed for transplantation after lung volume reduction include 15 who have undergone transplantation, 14 who remain on the list, and 3 who have been removed from the list. All 15 transplant recipients survived transplantation and 3 have subsequently died of rejection or late infection. The 12 living recipients have a median post-transplantation follow-up of 1.7 years. The age at transplantation was 58 +/- 5 years with transplantation occurring 3.8 +/- 1.1 years after lung volume reduction. Sixteen of 99 patients underwent lower lobe volume reduction with an increased rate of listing (63%, P =.008) and transplantation (38%, P =.003) compared with patients undergoing upper lobe volume reduction. Patients listed for transplantation were younger, more impaired, and experienced less benefit from lung volume reduction than patients not yet listed for transplantation. CONCLUSIONS The preliminary use of lung volume reduction in patients potentially suitable for transplantation does not appear to jeopardize the chances for subsequent successful transplantation.
Pharmaceutical R&D Spending and Threats of Price Regulation

Abstract Do threats of pharmaceutical price regulation affect subsequent research and development (R&D) spending? This study uses the Clinton administration’s Health Security Act (HSA) of 1993 as a natural experiment to study this issue. We link events surrounding the HSA to pharmaceutical stock price changes and then examine the cross-sectional relation between firms’ stock price changes and their subsequent unexpected R&D spending changes. Results show that the HSA had significant negative effects on stock prices and firm-level R&D spending. Conservatively, the HSA reduced R&D spending by about $1 billion even though it never became law.
Family Business and Multiple Levels of Conflict

Family businesses are fertile fields for conflict. The influence of the founding families on the basic tenets and culture of the company may be unparalleled in business. When attempts are made to modify the family business as it progresses to another stage of development, conflict may arise. Due to the verlay of the company culture and individual family units, the means to resolve conflict becomes a very intricate process. This article examines a means to predict conflict relative to the phases of development of a family business. In addition, multiple levels of conflict are examined as well as the appropriate resolution process for the differing levels of conflict.
The Influence of Instructor-Generated Video Content on Student Satisfaction with and Engagement in Asynchronous Online Classes

Studies on the influence of video content on student outcomes in online courses generally reveal two consistent and contradictory themes: students perceive value in the content, but there is no measurable difference in student outcomes in courses that use video content. This study examined the influence of instructor-generated video content on student satisfaction (measured by satisfaction surveys), student engagement (measured by number of and length of discussion postings), and performance (grades and persistence). Findings included a high degree of perceived value from students through course surveys, which was consistent with the literature. Grades increased by 3.2% and student persistence rates were unaffected. Number and length of student discussion postings both increased in groups that used instructor-generated video content.
Competitiveness of Kenyan industries in world trade

The authors have investigated competitiveness of Kenyan industries in the world trade. Kenya demonstrates significant competitiveness in the world trade in three industries namely: textiles; chemicals and allied industries; and plastic/rubber. The following Kenyan industries are least competitive in the world trade: raw hides, skins, leather and furs; foot wear/head gear; and transportation. The products I which Kenya is famous of namely flowers and coffee, do not feature in the top 3 category of their respective industries. It is recommended that Kenya should device policies which attract transnational corporations which can bring in the required foreign direct investment which can transfer technology and improve Kenyan competitiveness in the world trade. Kenya may also consider channeling its resources into the industries in which it has significant competitiveness.
Trade Liberalization and Climate Change: A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis of the Impacts on Global Agriculture

Based on predicted changes in the magnitude and distribution of global precipitation, temperature and river flow under the A1B and A2 scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (IPCC SRES), this study assesses the potential impacts of climate change and CO2 fertilization on global agriculture, and its interactions with trade liberalization, as proposed for the Doha Development Round. The analysis uses the new version of the GTAP-W model, which distinguishes between rainfed and irrigated agriculture and implements water as an explicit factor of production for irrigated agriculture. Significant reductions in agricultural tariffs lead to modest changes in regional water use. Patterns are non-linear. On the regional level, water use may go up for partial liberalization, and down for more complete liberalization. This is because different crops respond differently to tariff reductions, and because trade
Bacteria‐free solution derived from lactobacillus plantarum inhibits multiple NF‐kappaB pathways and inhibits proteasome function

Background: Bacteria play a role in inflammatory bowel disease and other forms of intestinal inflammation. Although much attention has focused on the search for a pathogen or inciting inflammatory bacteria, another possibility is a lack of beneficial bacteria that normally confer anti‐inflammatory properties in the gut. The purpose of this study was to determine whether normal commensal bacteria could inhibit inflammatory pathways important in intestinal inflammation. Methods: Conditioned media from Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp‐CM) and other gut bacteria was used to treat intestinal epithelial cell (YAMC) and macrophage (RAW 264.7) or primary culture murine dendritic cells. NF‐&kgr;B was activated through TNF‐Receptor, MyD88‐dependent and ‐independent pathways and effects of Lp‐CM on the NF‐&kgr;B pathway were assessed. NF‐&kgr;B binding activity was measured using ELISA and EMSA. 1&kgr;B expression was assessed by Western blot analysis, and proteasome activity determined using fluorescence‐based proteasome assays. MCP‐1 release was determined by ELISA. Results: Lp‐CM inhibited NF‐&kgr;B binding activity, degradation of I&kgr;B&agr; and the chymotrypsin‐like activity of the proteasome. Moreover, Lp‐CM directly inhibited the activity of purified mouse proteasomes. This effect was specific, since conditioned media from other bacteria had no inhibitory effect. Unlike other proteasome inhibitors, Lp‐CM was not toxic in cell death assays. Lp‐CM inhibited MCP‐1 release in all cell types tested. Conclusions: These studies confirm, and provide a mechanism for, the anti‐inflammatory effects of the probiotic and commensal bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum. The use of bacteria‐free Lp‐CM provides a novel strategy for treatment of intestinal inflammation which would eliminate the risk of bacteremia reported with conventional probiotics. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2009
Patency and Healing of 10-cm Long Microarterial Polytetrafluoroethylene Prostheses in the Rat Abdominal Aorta

Many studies have been undertaken on the experimental evaluation of microarterial polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prostheses of short length. This study was undertaken to obtain insight into the performance of longer microvascular PTFE prostheses, which would be of more clinical utility. Microvascular PTFE prostheses of 10 cm in length (n = 8) were implanted into the rat abdominal aorta, fixed in a loop, and were compared regarding patency and healing with microvascular PTFE prostheses of 1 cm in length (n = 8) at three months after implantation (all prostheses: I.D.--1.5 mm, fibril length--30 microns). At three months, all prostheses, except one 10-cm prosthesis, were patent. In all PTFE microarterial prostheses, healing was observed only at the anastomotic sites with ingrowth of endothelial cells for a few millimeters into the lumen. There was no evidence of healing in the central areas of the prostheses. It was concluded that microvascular PTFE prostheses of useful clinical length show encouraging patency rates in the rat, despite poor endothelial cover. For possible clinical application of microvascular PTFE prostheses, further experimental studies should be undertaken to improve their healing capabilities.
Resting energy expenditure and plasma leptin levels in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to examine the relationship between resting energy expenditure (REE) and circulating leptin levels during long-term refeeding in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa (AN). METHOD We measured REE, the plasma leptin level, the free T(3) level, body surface area (BSA), and dietary energy intake in AN adolescents before and 8 weeks after refeeding therapy. RESULTS All parameters in AN subjects before the refeeding therapy were significantly lower than those in AN subjects after the therapy and in the controls. There were no significant differences in REE and BSA between posttherapy AN subjects and controls, but plasma leptin levels in the posttherapy AN subjects were still significantly lower than those in the controls. Significant correlations between REE and BSA were detected in the AN subjects both before and after the refeeding therapy, but REE did not correlate significantly with plasma leptin level in either of the AN groups. DISCUSSION Our results suggest that the REE in AN subjects after long-term refeeding therapy is not associated with the changes in plasma leptin levels but with BSA.
Market entry strategies into the BRIC countries - a comparison of Danish family and non-family businesses

Based on a sample of 177 exporting SMEs, this study investigates what market entry strategy is used by Danish family and non-family businesses. From a resource-based view, three critical internal factors (risk, flexibility and control) affecting the entry mode choice into the BRIC markets are analysed. The effective management of firms' resources and capabilities is influenced by the perception of these internal factors when expanding into foreign markets. Our results confirmed that family firms build up longer lasting relationships in the host country by choosing high commitment entry modes compared to non-family firms. Furthermore, the Danish exporters regarded China as being the most established of the four BRIC markets which could be seen in their willingness to use high control entry modes in China. Finally, non-family firms are more concerned about higher flexibility and lower control when entering the BRIC markets. In contrast, family firms choose high commitment entry modes which involve high risk and low flexibility when entering the BRIC markets. Further implications discuss the suitability of export strategies to BRIC markets for managers of Danish family and non-family firms.
Toward a Theory of Familiness: A Social Capital Perspective

In the search for ways in which the family firm context is unique to organizational science, the construct of “familiness” has been identified and defined as resources and capabilities that are unique to the family's involvement and interactions in the business. While identification and isolation of a construct unique to family firms is both groundbreaking and important for family firm research, it is also important that the development of the construct continues to be examined from complementing theoretical viewpoints. As such, we set out to review the development of the familiness construct and identify its dimensions. We also explore the nomological relationships of the construct based on a social capital theory perspective and offer a theory of familiness.
CEO relational leadership and strategic decision quality in top management teams: The role of team trust and learning from failure

In this study, we examine a complex pathway through which CEOs, who exhibit relational leadership, may improve the quality of strategic decisions of their top management teams (TMTs) by creating psychological conditions of trust and facilitating learning from failures in their teams. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses of survey data collected from 77 TMTs indicate that (1) the relationship between CEO relational leadership and team learning from failures was mediated by trust between TMT members; (2) team learning from failures mediated the relationship between team trust and strategic decision quality. Supplemented by qualitative data from two TMTs, these findings suggest that CEOs can improve the quality of strategic decisions their TMTs make by shaping a relational context of trust and facilitating learning from failures.