Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Corporate Governance on the Use of Enterprise Risk Management: Evidence from Canada

This article examines the use of enterprise risk management (ERM) by companies in Canada, the characteristics that are associated with the use of ERM, what obstacles companies face in implementing ERM, and what role, if any, corporate governance guidelines have played in the decision to adopt ERM. We obtained our data from the responses to a mail survey sent to Canadian Risk and Insurance Management Society members as well as telephone interviews with 19 of the respondents. The results indicate that 31 percent of the sample had adopted ERM and that reasons for adopting ERM include the influence of the risk manager (61 percent), encouragement from the board of directors (51 percent), and compliance with Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) guidelines (37 percent). The major deterrents to ERM were an organizational structure that discourages ERM and an overall resistance to change. Although only about one-third of companies indicated that they had adopted an ERM approach, evidence was clear that a larger portion of the sample was moving in that direction, as indicated by what changes they had observed in their companies in the past three years. These include the development of company-wide guidelines for risk management (45 percent), an increased awareness of nonoperational risks by operational risk management personnel and an increased awareness of operational risks by nonoperational risk management personnel (49 percent), more coordination with different areas responsible for risk management (64 percent), and more involvement and interaction in the decision making of other departments. Contrary to what we expected, there was not a significant difference between firms that are listed on the TSE versus those that are not in terms of the propensity to use ERM. However, the fact that 37 percent of firms indicated that the TSE guidelines were influential in their decision to adopt ERM provides some evidence that the guidelines are influencing companies’ risk management strategies.
Animal-assisted therapy for elderly schizophrenic patients: a one-year controlled trial.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has been used as a therapeutic tool in various psychiatric populations, but there have been no published studies with elderly schizophrenic patients. The authors evaluated, in a blinded, controlled manner, the effects of AAT in a closed psychogeriatric ward over 12 months. Subjects were 10 elderly schizophrenic patients and 10 matched patients (mean age: 79.1+/-6.7 years). The outcome measure was the Scale for Social Adaptive Functioning Evaluation (SAFE). AAT was conducted in weekly 4-hour sessions. Treatment encouraged mobility, interpersonal contact, and communication and reinforced activities of daily living (ADLs), including personal hygiene and independent self-care, through the use of cats and dogs as "modeling companions. " The SAFE scores at termination showed significant improvement compared with baseline scores and were significantly more positive for the AAT group on both Total SAFE score and on the Social Functions subscale. AAT proved a successful tool for enhancing socialization, ADLs, and general well-being.
Estimated risk for developing autoimmune Addison's disease in patients with adrenal cortex autoantibodies.

CONTEXT Patients with adrenal cortex autoantibodies (ACA) without overt autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) are at risk of adrenal failure. DESIGN To assess the contribution of different clinical, immunological, genetic, and functional factors in the progression to AAD, we followed up 100 ACA-positive and 63 ACA-negative patients without AAD for a maximum of 21 yr (mean 6.0 yr, median 4.8). ACA were measured by immunofluorescence and 21-OH autoantibodies (Abs) by RIA. Adrenal function was assessed by measuring basal levels of cortisol, aldosterone, ACTH, renin activity, and cortisol response to ACTH. The risk of developing AAD was calculated using survival and multivariate analyses. RESULTS AAD developed in 31 ACA-positive patients and one ACA-negative patient. The cumulative risk of disease in ACA-positive patients was 48.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 40.8-56.1]. The cumulative risk was higher in children than adults (100 vs. 31.9%; P < 0.0001), males than females (68.6 vs. 42.7%; P = 0.006), patients with subclinical rather than normal adrenal function at entry (87.4 vs. 30.1%; P < 0.0001), patients with hypoparathyroidism and/or candidiasis than patients with other autoimmune or nonautoimmune diseases (100 vs. 29.7%; P < 0.0001), and patients with high rather than low-medium ACA titers (62.8 vs. 41.2%; P = 0.12). The presence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 did not appear to contribute to the prediction of AAD. Adjusted hazard ratios by Cox model for the development of AAD were 3.37 for males (CI 1.38-8.24), 5.23 for hypoparathyroidism and/or candidiasis (CI 1.53-17.92), 3.33 for high antibody titers (CI 1.43-7.78), and 6.15 for impaired adrenal function at entry (CI 2.79-13.57). CONCLUSIONS These results were used to construct a risk algorithm for estimating the probability of developing AAD from the combination of gender, age, adrenal function, antibody titer, and associated autoimmune disorders at entry. The values of estimated risk could be used to decide appropriate follow-up intervals and future immunointervention strategies.
The Effect Of Managerial Overconfidence On Leverage

In this paper, we examine the relationship between managerial overconfidence and leverage. Analyzing a sample of firms listed on Korean Stock Market during the period from 1985 to 2007, we use the average of the past 12 months Business Survey Index (BSI) from Bank of Korea as proxy measure of managerial overconfidence. We find that managers tend to issue more debts when they have overconfidence and this result is consistent with Oliver (2009) and Yu et al. (2006).
Caspofungin Susceptibility Testing of Isolates from Patients with Esophageal Candidiasis or Invasive Candidiasis: Relationship of MIC to Treatment Outcome

ABSTRACT The caspofungin clinical trial database offers an opportunity to assess susceptibility results for Candida pathogens obtained from patients with candidiasis and allows for correlations between efficacy outcomes and MICs. Candida isolates have been identified from patients enrolled in four studies of esophageal candidiasis and two studies of invasive candidiasis. The MICs of caspofungin for all baseline isolates were measured at a central laboratory using NCCLS criteria (document M-27A); MICs for caspofungin were defined as the lowest concentration inhibiting prominent growth at 24 h. MICs were then compared to clinical and microbiological outcomes across the two diseases. Susceptibility testing for caspofungin was performed on 515 unique baseline isolates of Candida spp. obtained from patients with esophageal candidiasis. MICs for caspofungin ranged from 0.008 to 4 μg/ml; the MIC50 and MIC90 were 0.5 and 1.0 μg/ml, respectively. Susceptibility testing was also performed on 231 unique baseline isolates of Candida spp. from patients with invasive candidiasis. The majority (∼96%) of MICs were between 0.125 and 2 μg/ml, with MIC50 and MIC90 for caspofungin being 0.5 and 2.0 μg/ml, respectively. Overall, caspofungin demonstrated potent in vitro activity against clinical isolates of Candida species. A relationship between MIC for caspofungin and treatment outcome was not seen for patients with either esophageal candidiasis or invasive candidiasis. Patients with isolates for which the MICs were highest (>2 μg/ml) had better outcomes than patients with isolates for which the MICs were lower (<1 μg/ml). Additionally, no correlation between MIC and outcome was identified for specific Candida species.
Psychological Distress and Patient Satisfaction

Psychologically distressed patients and clients of health care and social service organizations are found to report somewhat more dissatisfaction with services than do the nondistressed. Four explanations for this relationship are examined: 1) the psychologically distressed are generally dissatisfied; 2) service providers react negatively to the psychologically distressed; 3) psychologically distressed patients are dissatisfied when service providers do not respond to their psychological needs; and 4) patients who deny their psychological distress tend to be dissatisfied. The results show that the psychologically distressed report more dissatisfaction because of the very high levels of dissatisfaction found among patients who deny having personal problems.
K-ras oncogene activation as a prognostic marker in adenocarcinoma of the lung.

BACKGROUND The capability of activated oncogenes to induce malignant transformation of immortalized cells in vitro has suggested that they have a similar role in the pathogenesis of human tumors. We previously found that activation of the K-ras oncogene by a point mutation in codon 12 occurs in about one third of human lung adenocarcinomas. METHODS We studied the clinical importance of this oncogene-activation in 69 patients with lung adenocarcinoma in whom complete resection of the tumor was possible. The polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify ras-specific sequences of DNA isolated from frozen or paraffin-embedded tumor samples. Ras point mutations were subsequently detected and classified with the use of mutation-specific oligonucleotide probes. RESULTS Nineteen of the tumors harbored a point mutation in codon 12 of the K-ras oncogene. There was no association between the K-ras point mutation and the age at diagnosis, sex, or presence of previous or concurrent neoplasms. Tumors positive for K-ras point mutations tended to be smaller and less differentiated than those without mutations. The K-ras codon-12 point mutation was a strong (and unfavorable) prognostic factor: 12 of the 19 patients with K-ras point-mutation-positive tumors died during the follow-up period, as compared with 16 of the 50 patients with no mutation in the K-ras oncogene (P = 0.002). This difference in prognosis was also reflected in the duration of disease-free survival (P = 0.038) and in the number of deaths due to cancer (P less than 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The presence of K-ras point mutations defines a subgroup of patients with lung adenocarcinoma in whom the prognosis is very poor and disease-free survival is not usually long despite radical resection and a small tumor load.
Examining world market segmentation and brand positioning strategies

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the conceptual as well as empirical linkages between segmentation bases and brand positioning strategies in the context of discussing practical implications for firms operating in increasingly globalizing markets.Design/methodology/approach – This paper empirically examines an inventory of market segmentation factors in relation to four global strategic positioning decision options.Findings – The two studies reported suggest that a combined use of macro and micro‐bases to segment world markets is significantly linked to the perceived positioning strategies of global top brands, whereas firms seeking more localized positioning strategies use only micro‐bases to segment.Practical implications – The conceptual and empirical findings reported in this paper pave the way for embarking on promising and relevant future research that is needed to substantiate and enrich the academic understanding and managerial practice of segmentation and strategic brand positioning decisions .
Early predictors of late dilation and remodeling after thrombolized anterior transmural myocardial infarction

Background and hypothesis: Dilation of the left ventricle after myocardial infarction is associated with an adverse prognosis. There are no clinical studies on the role viable myocardium in the infarcted area assumes in relation to the development of late ventricular remodeling. The hypothesis of this study was to define the relation between remodeling and the presence of viable but akinetic myocardium in the infarct area and to identify early predictors of left ventricular (LV) dilation at 1 year.
The Impact of Managerial Discretion and Control Challenges on Dynamic Capital Structure

This paper develops a model that analyzes the impact of manager-stockholder conflicts and control challenge threats on leverage, firm value and debt restructuring frequency in a contingent claims framework. This is the first theoretical study to merge several lines of research - market for corporate control, manager-shareholder conflict, dynamic capital structure, and the effect of compensation policy on managerial decisions - in one framework. This richness of the model allows to reconcile some of the on-going controversy in the corporate finance literature regarding the leverage-profitability relationship - namely, empirical support for the pecking order theory (e.g. Fama and French, 2002), and theoretical appeal of the trade-off theory (e.g. Jensen, 1986). Another implication of this paper is that control change threats are relatively ineffective for high free cash flow firms, in which case shareholders need to resort to compensation policy.
Diversification and the failure of new foreign activities

The paper describes a quantitative investigation into the role of diversification in the failure of new foreign manufacturing activities based upon some of the results of the Harvard/CEI Comparative Multinational Enterprise Project. These results are related to the foreign subsidiaries of 69 of the largest continental European multinationals and show a considerable company-to-company spread in the rate of failure. Nearly half of this spread can be accounted for by the differing diversities of the companies when diversity is measured in relation to the marketing characteristics of the products manufactured and when the balance between the differing marketing categories is taken into account. The rate of foreign subsidiary expansion is also significant.
Longevity determined by developmental arrest genes in Caenorhabditis elegans

The antagonistic pleiotropy theory of aging proposes that aging takes place because natural selection favors genes that confer benefit early on life at the cost of deterioration later in life. This theory predicts that genes that impact development would play a key role in shaping adult lifespan. To better understand the link between development and adult lifespan, we examined the genes previously known to be essential for development. From a pool of 57 genes that cause developmental arrest after inhibition using RNA interference, we have identified 24 genes that extend lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans when inactivated during adulthood. Many of these genes are involved in regulation of mRNA translation and mitochondrial functions. Genetic epistasis experiments indicate that the mechanisms of lifespan extension by inactivating the identified genes may be different from those of the insulin/insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) and dietary restriction pathways. Inhibition of many of these genes also results in increased stress resistance and decreased fecundity, suggesting that they may mediate the trade‐offs between somatic maintenance and reproduction. We have isolated novel lifespan‐extension genes, which may help understand the intrinsic link between organism development and adult lifespan.
News in Online and Print Newspapers: Differences in Reader Consumption and Recall

How readers consume and recall news presented in online and print versions of two newspapersin the Netherlands are investigated in this experimental study. Few differences are found between the online and print versions in terms of news supply. Reader attention to the news stories varies, depending on the newspaper and news category. No consistent reading pattern is evident and the print version readers do not read more than the online version readers. News Consumption seems to be more dependent on the news category, reader gender and interest in a particular topic than on whether the news appears in print or online. Finally, on the basis of cued and free recall questions, no consistent pattern differentiates readers of the print newspapers from the online versions. In conclusion, evidence has not been found that online readers consume and retain news differently from readers of the print versions examined in this study.
Experimental Study on Dry Torrefaction of Beech Wood and Miscanthus

Torrefaction is a thermochemical pre-treatment process for upgrading the properties of biomass to resemble those of fossil fuels such as coal. Biomass properties of particular interest are chemical composition, physical property and combustion characteristics. In this work, torrefaction of beech wood and miscanthus (sinensis) was carried out to study the influence of torrefaction temperature (240–300 °C) and residence time (15–150 min) on the aforementioned properties of the biomass. Results of the study revealed that torrefaction temperature has a significant influence on mass and energy yields, whereas the influence of the residence time becomes more apparent for the higher torrefaction temperatures (>280 °C). Torrefied miscanthus resulted in higher energy densification compared to beech wood for a residence time of 30 min. A significant improvement in grindability of the torrefied beech wood was obtained even for lightly torrefied beech wood (at 280 °C and 15 min of residence time). Observation from the combustion study showed that the ignition temperature is slightly affected by the torrefaction temperature. As a whole, the torrefaction temperature determines the characteristics of the torrefied fuel compared to other process parameters like residence time. Furthermore, with optimal process conditions, torrefaction produces a solid fuel with combustion reactivity and porosity comparable to raw biomass, whereas grindability and heating value are comparable to low quality coal.
The role of super-asymptotic giant branch ejecta in the abundance patterns of multiple populations in globular clusters

Star formation from matter including the hot CNO processed ejecta of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) winds is regarded as a plausible scenario to account for the chemical composition of a stellar second generation (SG) in globular clusters. The chemical evolution models, based on this hypothesis, so far included only the yields available for the massive AGB stars, while the possible role of super-AGB ejecta was either extrapolated or not considered. In this work, we explore in detail the role of super-AGB ejecta on the formation of the SG abundance patterns using yields recently calculated by Ventura and D’Antona. An application of the model to clusters showing extended Na–O anticorrelations, like NGC 2808, indicates that an SG formation history similar to that outlined in our previous work is required: formation of an extreme population with very large helium content from the pure ejecta of super-AGB stars, followed by formation of an intermediate population by dilution of massive AGB ejecta with pristine gas. The present models are able to account for the very O-poor, Na-rich extreme stars once deep-mixing is assumed in SG giants forming in a gas with helium abundance Y > 0.34, which significantly reduces the atmospheric oxygen content, while preserving the sodium abundance. On the other hand, for clusters showing a mild O–Na anticorrelation, like M 4, the use of the new yields broadens the range of SG formation routes leading to abundance patterns consistent with observations. Specifically, our study shows that a model in which SG stars form only from super-AGB ejecta promptly diluted with pristine gas can reproduce the observed patterns. We briefly discuss the variety of (small) helium variations occurring in this model and its relevance for the horizontal branch morphology. In some of these models, the duration of the SG formation episode can be as short as ∼10 Myr; the formation time of the SG is therefore compatible with the survival of a cooling flow in the cluster core, previous to the explosion of the SG core collapse supernovae. We also explore models characterized by the formation of multiple populations in individual bursts, each lasting no longer than ∼10 Myr each.
Mutations in a herpes simplex virus type 1 origin that inhibit interaction with origin-binding protein also inhibit DNA replication

The herpes simplex virus type 1 genome contains three origins of replication: OriL and a diploid OriS. The origin-binding protein, the product of the UL9 gene, interacts with two sites within OriS, box I and box II. A third site, box III, which is homologous to boxes I and II, may also be a binding site for the origin-binding protein. Mutations in these three sites significantly reduce OriS-directed plasmid replication measured in transient replication assays. The reduction in replication efficiency of the mutants correlates well with the decrease in the ability to bind to the origin-binding protein, as determined by Elias et al. (P. Elias, C. M. Gustafsson, and O. Hammarsten, J. Biol. Chem. 265: 17167-17173, 1990). The effect of multiple mutations in boxes I, II, and III on plasmid replication suggests that there are multiple binding sites in OriS for the origin-binding protein. These studies indicate that proper interaction of the origin-binding protein with the OriS sequence is essential for OriS-directed DNA replication.
Comparison between angiographic right coronary artery motion and echocardiographic tricuspid annulus motion

Objective—To compare echocardiographic M‐mode measurements of tricuspid annulus motion (TAM) with angiographic M‐mode measurements of right coronary artery motion (RAM). Design—Twenty‐four patients were included and examined by echocardiography before the angiographic examination. The amplitudes and the velocities of TAM and the atrial contribution to the total amplitude of TAM were measured. The obtained values were compared with angiographic M‐mode measurements of RAM at a proximal and a distal site of the second segment of the right coronary artery. Results—There was no significant difference between several of the echocardiographic M‐mode measurements of TAM and the angiographic M‐mode measurements of RAM. However, the agreement was rather poor for some variables. Conclusion—Different parameters obtained from echocardiographic TAM are not interchangeable with values from angiographic RAM. If measurements of RAM are to be used in the assessment of right ventricular (RV) function further studies are needed to examine the correlation and agreement between RAM and different methods of measuring RV function, i.e. radionuclide angiography or magnetic resonance imaging.
Corporate Social Responsibility of Large Family and Founder Firms

Based on arguments about long-term orientation and corporate reputation, we argue that family and founder firms differ from other firms with regard to corporate social responsibility. Using Bayesian analysis, we then show that family and founder ownership are associated with a lower level of corporate social responsibility concerns, whereas ownership by institutional investors is associated with a higher level of corporate social responsibility concerns and a lower level of corporate social responsibility initiatives. We conclude that it makes sense to distinguish between family, founder and institutional investors and their roles as owners or managers when analyzing the effects of corporate governance on corporate social responsibility.