Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring Intangible Effects of M-Coupon Campaigns on Non Redeemers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how to design better awareness and memory of product information using mobile coupon campaigns among those who do not redeem the coupons.Design/methodology/approach – The research involves two field experiments with a Mid Western mobile marketing firm where differently designed coupons were sent out to men and women customers of a fast food chain, and non-redeemers filled out a survey revealing how much they remembered. The research also connected their subsequent purchases a week later. The data were analyzed using ANOVAs.Findings – Factual ad claims create better recognition than descriptive ad claims in general, but among older working people when ad is viewed in leisure situations men better remember descriptive appeals, and women factual appeals. Also the memory has no effect on purchase intentions or future purchases. In contrast, among younger students, men remember factual ad claims better than descriptive, like women, and their memory has significant effects on subsequent purchase behavior.Research limitations/implications – Selectivity hypotheses may be applied to design advertising congruity/incongruity based on tasks people are doing in different physical situations. Other limitations include some sampling error (or selectivity) and its difficulties in generalizability across industries.Practical implications – Managers can build awareness using different types of ad claims depending on gender and situation among older working groups, and use factual appeals for younger groups. Among younger groups the memory of coupons can also drive subsequent purchase behavior.Originality/value – The paper uncovers the value of non redeeming customers in m-coupon campaigns, and identifies how to target and design campaigns to best extract that value
Why do infants begin to talk? Language as an unintended consequence

ABSTRACT Scholars have addressed a range of questions about language development, but for some reason have neglected to ask why infants begin to talk. Biologists often prefer ‘how’ to ‘why’ questions, but it is possible to ask about the immediate consequences of developing behaviours – an acceptable strategy for attacking causation – and psycholinguists can study the immediate consequences to the infant of behaviours that lead to linguistic competence. This process is demonstrated with a series of illustrative proposals as to the short- and long-term consequences of vocal learning and utterance storage, two developmental phases that lead to talking, as well as the act of talking itself. The goal is to encourage investigation of behavioural dispositions that nudge the child, by degrees, towards proficiency in the use of spoken language.
Acute allergic contact dermatitis from Medi‐Swabs®, with negative patch tests to the individual ingredients, including isopropyl alcohol

Patients, Methods and Results Case no. 1 In July 1990, a 41-year-old woman, diagnosed as having Hodgkin's disease in February 1989, presented with recurrent vesicular dermatitis in her cubital fossae after venesections. This occurred a few hours after cleansing the skin with a Medi-Swab® (impregnated with 70% isopropyl alcohol). There was no previous history of contact allergy and no personal or family history of atopy. The problem resolved with the use of alternative swabs containing 0.5% chlorhexidine solution.
A Test of IPO Theories Using Reverse Mergers

Reverse mergers are an alternative method to IPOs for going public and announcement day price reaction to reverse mergers is comparable to the initial day price reaction to IPOs. Most of the academic theories developed thus far to explain the market’s reaction to IPOs, however, are not applicable to reverse mergers. Using reverse mergers as an out-of-sample test on these IPO theories suggests most of them are invalid.
The Enablers and Disablers of E‐Commerce: Consumers’ Perspectives

The availability and continued growth of Internet technologies (IT) have created great opportunities for users all over the globe to benefit from these services and use them in a variety of different ways. The use of IT to conduct business online is known as Electronic Commerce (E‐Commerce). While developed countries have harnessed and adopted E‐Commerce, developing countries are not yet fully adapted to its adoption. The aim of this study is to investigate the main factors that play a role in the adoption of E‐Commerce from a consumer's perceptive and, hence, develop a framework that conceptualises the influential factors (enablers and disablers) of E‐Commerce. A ‘grounded theory’ methodology was used to collect and analyse the data and develop the proposed framework. Thus, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with Saudi residents to elicit their opinions about E‐Commerce enablers and disablers in Saudi Arabia. The findings of the study suggest that the factors that have the most significant impact on the adoption of E‐Commerce in Saudi Arabia are security, fraud and hacking, trust, cyber‐law, awareness and perceived usefulness, postal services, government e‐readiness, resistance to change, the presence of commercial electronic websites, cost, tangibility, warranty, trial and experience.
Aortopathy associated with congenital heart disease: A current literature review

In patients born with congenital heart disease, dilatation of the aorta is a frequent feature at presentation and during follow-up after surgical intervention. This review provides an overview of the pathologies associated with aortopathy, and discusses the current knowledge on pathophysiology, evolution, and treatment guidelines of the aortic disease associated with congenital heart defects.
Characterizing Atmospheric Turbulence and Instrumental Noise Using Two Simultaneously Operating Microwave Radiometers

We present an investigation on the correlation between slant wet delays in different directions using two radiometers. A scaling factor for the atmospheric turbulence is estimated on a daily basis using data from one single or both radiometers. The result agree at the ~30% level. We also make tests by increasing the integration in order to decrease the radiometer noise. We show that the retrieved atmospheric variability does not significantly depend on the integration time
The rise and fall of credit default swaps: an empirical investigation of global banks and non-bank financial institutions

The thesis investigates the possible causes for the phenomenal growth, and the eventual collapse, of one of the biggest and complex financial innovations of the 21st century, the Credit Default Swap (CDS). The study is conducted within the context of the global financial crisis, in banks and non-bank financial institutions around the world. The findings of this study have many policy implications. In particular, financial regulators can monitor risk taking activity of banks through CDS prices without unduly constraining risk taking. Findings also suggest that it is the self-interest of managers that promotes risk taking, which has eventually led to the self-destruction of the CDS market.
An enquiry into the mediatory role of employee engagement: Evidence from the hotel industry in Jordan

Engaging employees is one of the top five most important challenges for management, according to a survey of 656 chief executive officers (CEOs) from countries around the world (Wah1999). Employee engagement has become a hot topic in recent years among consulting firms and in the popular business press. However, employee engagement has rarely been studied in the academic literature. In this study we investigated the antecedents and consequences of employee engagement in Jordanian Industry. A snowball sample of 310 respondents was interviewed using the research instrument in Jordanian Industry. The sample comprised of employees from different levels of management. The results confirm the relationship between E m p l o y e e E n g a g e m e n t a n d Perceived Organizational Support. The effect of Job Characteristics, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards, Perceived Supervisor Support, Perceptions of Procedural Justice, Perceptions of Distributive Justice on Employee Engagement is also confirmed. The hypotheses considered in this study are supported by the evidence from data collected from a sample of respondent down from the industries in Jordan.
An Approximate Analysis of Buffered S-ALOHA in Fading Channels Using Tagged User Analysis

Tagged user analysis (TUA) is a generic approximate method of analyzing random access protocols for finite-user finite-buffer systems. This technique decouples the channel contention behavior from the user queuing behavior and allows the use of classical queuing theory results to be directly applicable to the analysis of finite-user finite-buffer random access methods. In this paper, we extend TUA to analyze finite buffer S-ALOHA operating over flat fading radio channels and derive expressions for system performance indices like throughput, average packet delay, blocking probability and queue length. It is shown that for a moderate number of active users, the simulation and analytical results fit closely
Shareholder Democracy in Canada

The federal government stands poised to exercise its constitutional right to regulate financial markets, an area traditionally left to competing provincial securities commissions. The current state of securities regulation renders impotent US-style takeover defences, such as poison pills and staggered boards, but allows voting caps and pyramiding in their stead. Various federal securities regulation models are weighted in light of the current state of their needed complementary institutions. One option, for which Canada is relatively well prepared, is the British model of activist independent institutional investors and mandatory takeover bids.
Bulk and surface electronic structure of Li2O.

We have used photoemission and electron-energy-loss spectroscopies to determine the surface and bulk electronic structure of a single-crystal sample of the alkali-metal oxide Li{sub 2}O. The predominately O 2{ital p} valence band exhibits two main features in the photoemission spectrum, whose relative widths are consistent with results of an {ital ab} {ital initio} Hartree-Fock calculation of the bulk electronic structure. However, changes in the intensity of the two features as a function of the exciting photon energy are large and not understood. Energy-loss spectra show the presence of a strong surface exciton in the bulk band gap of Li{sub 2}O; such excitonic surface states do not exist for the alkali halides. Its energy is about 2 eV less than the bulk band gap, similar to the surface excitonic shifts that have been observed in the alkaline-earth oxides. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society. }
A new long pulsed 940 nm diode laser used for hair removal in Asian skin types

BACKGROUND: The theory of selective photothermolysis has led to the development of a variety of different hair removal laser systems.1,2 These lasers use follicular melanin as a target chromophore. At present the delivery of adequate fluences, optimizing wavelengths and pulse duration, and adequate epidermal cooling are the factors required to achieve effective hair removal. To further evaluate these factors a study was initiated to further investigate a new laser system.
Two distinct vesicle pools for depolarization‐induced exocytosis in somata of dorsal root ganglion neurons

Non‐technical summary Ca2+‐regulated exocytosis is essential for neurotransmitter and hormone release. As well as this type of exocytosis, the somata of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons also show Ca2+‐independent but voltage‐dependent exocytosis. It is unclear whether these two types of exocytosis use the same or different vesicle pools in DRG neurons. Here, we found that they were separable in response to the same stimulation in low external Ca2+ solution. Depletion of the Ca2+‐dependent vesicle pool did not affect the Ca2+‐independent but voltage‐dependent exocytosis. These results show that DRG neurons exhibit two distinct types of exocytosis that use different vesicle pools.
NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES COMPETITION AND BANK LIQUIDITY CREATION

Does an intensification of competition among banks increase or decrease liquidity creation? By integrating the dynamic process of interstate bank deregulation that lowered barriers to competition across U.S. states over the 1980s and 1990s with the gravity model of the geographic expansion of banks, we construct time-varying measures of the competitive pressures facing each individual bank. We find that regulatory-induced competition reduced liquidity creation. Consistent with some theories, we also find that the liquidity-destroying effects of competition are mitigated among more profitable banks and heightened among smaller banks. Liangliang Jiang Lingnan University Hong Kong liangliangjiang@ln.edu. hk Ross Levine Haas School of Business University of California at Berkeley 545 Student Services Building, #1900 (F685) Berkeley, CA 94720-1900 and NBER Ross_levine@haas.berkeley. edu Chen Lin Faculty of Business and Economics The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong chenlin1@hku.hk
Optimal Unemployment Insurance and International Risk Sharing

In this paper, we discuss how cross-country unemployment insurance can be used to improve international risk sharing. We use a two-country business cycle model ugmented by a search labour market and incomplete financial markets and let the unemployment insurance scheme operate across both countries. We find that cross-country insurance through the unemployment insurance system can in principle be achieved without distorting national labour markets, and that international risk-sharing introduces a countercyclical element to the unemployment insurance tradeoff. When we calibrate our model to the Euro area, the optimal supranational policy makes replacement rates countercyclical, while they would be procyclical in the absence of cross-country transfers. Recent Eurozone policy proposals, by contrast, seem to have only limited effects.
Prevention of progression and remission/regression strategies for chronic renal disease

Chronic renal disease (CRD) represents a major health problem, whose dimension is rapidly growing. Chronic nephropathies share common pathogenic mechanisms that contribute to renal disease progression, even independently of the original cause. Clinical studies found a significant correlation between the rate of GFR decline and both the blood pressure levels and the extent of urinary protein excretion. Antihypertensive drugs interfering with the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) decrease proteinuria and slow renal disease progression. However, the number of patients who reach end-stage renal failure despite RAS inhibitor therapy is still considerable and there is a great need to identify therapies that can arrest evolution of kidney damage. Outcome is remarkably improved when a multimodal strategy including dual RAS blockade, lipidlowering agents, smoking cessation, and tight glucose control for diabetes is used. New drugs targeting specific determinants of progression might increase the fraction of CRD patients who reach disease remission.
Balancing regulations to promote jobs : from employment contracts to unemployment benefits

The report suggests that there are general principles that can guide the design of labor regulations. For instance, in terms of employment contracts, it is important to ensure convergence in the types of benefits and protections that workers receive, regardless of the length of time they spend with a given employer. For minimum wages, it is necessary to keep regulations simple and transparent, and to reduce discretion by having an independent body that periodically assesses the level of the minimum wage and its economic and social impacts. Regarding dismissal procedures, the report recommends giving flexibility to firms in the management of human resources, as long as there is appropriate advance notice, an adequate system of income protection, and efficient mechanisms to detect and sanction discrimination. Finally, for severance pay, the recommendation is to rely more on unemployment benefit systems that reduce employees’ risk of not receiving payments if their employers face liquidity constraints or go out of businesses. The report is organized into four chapters. Chapter one discusses essential elements of the employment contract as well as emerging forms of contractual relationships, with the focus on temporary employment and part-time employment contracts. Chapter two examines the establishment of the minimum wage, including setting the minimum wage, the level and differentiation of minimum wages, coverage, and adjustments in the level. Chapter three presents the main rules and regulations regarding the termination of employment contracts. Chapter four presents a discussion on the design and implementation of income protection schemes in case of unemployment, focusing on severance pay and unemployment benefit schemes.
Transformation of Mouse Fibroblasts by Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus Envelope Does Not Require Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase

ABSTRACT Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) is the causative agent of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a transmissible lung cancer of sheep. The envelope of JSRV may have oncogenic properties, since it can morphologically transform mouse NIH 3T3 cells and other fibroblast lines. Recently, we found that the cytoplasmic tail of the envelope transmembrane (TM) protein is necessary for transformation, and in particular a consensus binding motif (YXXM) for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) is important. Moreover, JSRV-transformed cells show phosphorylation (activation) of Akt/protein kinase B, a downstream target of PI3K. In these studies, we directly tested for the involvement of PI3K in transformation by JSRV. Contrary to expectations, four different experiments indicated that PI3K is not necessary for JSRV-induced transformation: (i) cotransfection with a dominant negative truncated form of the PI3K regulatory subunit (Δp85) did not affect transformation frequency, (ii) cells stably expressing Δp85 showed the same frequencies of transformation as parental NIH 3T3 cells, (iii) fibroblasts established from double-knockout mice lacking PI3K p85α and p85β could be transformed with JSRV envelope, and (iv) incubation of cells with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 did not specifically inhibit transformation, nor did the drug reverse transformation of JSRV-transformed cells. One alternate explanation for the lack of transformation by YXXM mutants could be that they were defective in intracellular trafficking. However, confocal microscopy of epitope-tagged envelope proteins of both wild-type and nontransforming YXXM mutants showed a cell surface or plasma membrane localization. While PI3K is not required for JSRV-induced transformation of NIH 3T3 cells, the downstream target Akt kinase was found to be activated (phosphorylated) in JSRV-transformed PI3K-negative cells. Therefore, JSRV envelope can induce PI3K-independent phosphorylation of Akt.
Learning Probabilistic Programs Using Backpropagation

Probabilistic modeling enables combining domain knowledge with learning from data, thereby supporting learning from fewer training instances than purely data-driven methods. However, learning probabilistic models is difficult and has not achieved the level of performance of methods such as deep neural networks on many tasks. In this paper, we attempt to address this issue by presenting a method for learning the parameters of a probabilistic program using backpropagation. Our approach opens the possibility to building deep probabilistic programming models that are trained in a similar way to neural networks.
The Equity as a Call Option Hypothesis for the Value Premium

The value premium is the empirical observation that low market/book “value” stocks have higher returns than high market/book “growth” stocks. In this paper, we investigate and present evidence for an “equity as a call option hypothesis” for the value premium. Volatility decreases the options-leverage of equity, which decreases expected return. At the same time, volatility increases value for equities with options features and, thus, it increases market/book. Because volatility has opposite impacts on expected return and value, there is a value premium.
RATING METHODOLOGY FOR NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT/BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE INSURANCE

The Agricultural Conservation Innovation Center submitted a Nutrient Management/Best Management Practices Insurance policy under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors. After review by several agricultural economists and actuaries, the FCIC Board authorized implementation of a Nutrient Management/Best Management Practice Insurance Endorsement pilot with reinsurance, risk subsidy, and administrative and operating subsidy beginning in 2003 for Iowa, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This technical report documents the rating methodology used to determine premiums for this Nutrient Management/Best Management Practices Insurance. The FCIC Board reviewers and Dr. David Anderson have read the methodology and have suggested several useful improvements. However, the intent of this report is to document the method as originally submitted. Suggested improvements will be incorporated in later updates of the premiums. Nutrient Management/Best Management Practices Insurance reduces the risk of yield loss as an impediment to adoption of nutrient management best management practices (BMPs). With this insurance, farmers who adopt approved practices receive compensation for yield losses due to BMP failure. The policy requires farmers to plant a check strip that receives the nutrient application associated with the non-BMP practice, while the rest of the field receives the nutrient BMP application. Indemnities are paid when the check strip yield sufficiently exceeds the yield on the remainder of the field.
AUV IDENTIFICATION BY USE OF SELF-OSCILLATIONS

Abstract Given the fact that AUV dynamics change depending on the payload, finding a mathematical model in a rather small period of time is quite important. Classical openloop identification methods give accurate parameter identification, but are also time consuming. In the paper we present an identification method based on induced self-oscillations, which has proved to be applicable to underwater vehicles. In addition to that, an error analysis for the proposed method is presented. Experimental results obtained on an underwater vehicle are given and compared to the results obtained using open-loop identification algorithms.