Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of the Federal Reserve's Large-Scale Asset Purchase Programs on Default Risk

Estimating the response of default risk indicators to the Federal Reserve’s announcements of Large Scale Asset Purchase (LSAP) programs is complicated by the simultaneity of policy decisions and the fact that both interest rates of assets targeted by the programs and measures of default risk reacted to other common shocks during the recent financial crisis. This papers employs a heteroskedasticity-based approach to estimate the response of the market-based indicators of corporate default risk to declines in the benchmark safe interest rates prompted by the LSAP announcements. The results indicate that the policy announcements led to a significant reduction in default risk—as measured by the CDX indexes—for both investment- and speculative-grade corporate credits. While the unconventional policy measures employed by the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy appeared to have lowered the overall level of credit risk in the economy, the policy actions had no measurable impact on the default risk specific to the financial sector.
On The Anatomy of Capital Management: Evidence from a Regulatory Threshold

In this study, I explore different dimensions of capital management and its potential drivers. I examine banks’ provisioning behavior for bad loans at a regulatory threshold that limits the amount of loan loss allowances in the banks' total regulatory capital. At the threshold, the marginal effect of the loan loss provisions on the total regulatory capital changes whereas the marginal effect on the Tier 1 capital, earnings, and tax duties remains constant. I find a strong impact from the threshold. The banks build higher loan loss provisions further below the threshold and lower provisions further above it. The relative level of the initial Tier 1 capital moderates the management of total regulatory capital. Furthermore, variable compensation and the listing on a major exchange reduce the total capital management activities. These findings provide evidence on the importance of reporting incentives in relation to the total regulatory capital.
Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition Promotes Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilatation and the Antihypertensive Effect of l-Serine

l-serine is a precursor of central neurotransmitters. Its cardiovascular effects are largely unstudied. We compared the in vitro effects of l-serine and acetylcholine in phenylephrine-constricted third-order branches of mesenteric arterioles in the NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), pretreated hypertensive rats, and a control group of normotensive male Sprague-Dawley rats. The changes in mean arterial pressure and heart rate evoked by acute intravenous infusion of either l-serine (0.1 to 3.0 mmol/kg) or acetylcholine (0.1 to 10.0 nmol/kg) were determined in anesthetized rats. l-serine evoked concentration-dependent (10 to 200 &mgr;mol/L) vasodilatation in endothelium-intact but not in endothelium-denuded vessels. It was abolished by the inclusion of a combination of apamin (SKCa channel inhibitor) and TRAM-34 (IKCa channel inhibitor) or ouabain (Na+ pump inhibitor) and Ba2+ (Kir channel inhibitor) or when the vessels were constricted by potassium chloride. The maximal response to l-serine was higher in the l-NAME treatment group (control 20% versus l-NAME 40%) in relation to the maximal response to acetylcholine (control 93% versus l-NAME 79%). l-serine evoked a rapid, reversible, dose-dependent fall in mean arterial pressure without increasing heart rate and was more pronounced in l-NAME–treated rats (maximal response: >60 mm Hg) than in the control rats (maximal response: 25 mm Hg). This was inhibited (P<0.01) by apamin+charybdotoxin pretreatment. The in vitro and in vivo data confirm that l-serine promotes vasodilatation in resistance arterioles and evokes a greater fall in mean arterial pressure in NO synthase–inhibited hypertensive rats via activation of apamin and charybdotoxin/TRAM-34-sensitive KCa channels present on the endothelium.
Current thinking on malignant salivary gland neoplasms

Malignant salivary gland neoplasms are rare, representing approximately 3% to 7% of all head and neck cancers. Contrasting from the more common mucosal head and neck cancers, which, in general, are ascribed to excessive tobacco, alcohol use, and more recently to viral infection, specific carcinogenic factors for malignant salivary gland growths have not been as clearly identified. Histologically, they represent a heterogeneous group of tumors. Forty histologic types of epithelial tumors of the salivary glands have been reported; some are exceedingly rare and may be the topic of only a few case reports. Salivary tumors can arise in the major salivary glands or in one of the minor salivary glands (predominantly mucus secreting glands), which are distributed throughout the upper aerodigestive. Most patients who develop malignant salivary gland tumors are in the sixth or seventh decade of life. FNA should be considered as part of the diagnostic evaluation but due to its varying sensitivities and specificities imaging modalities such as ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI should also be used as diagnostic adjuncts. Surgery is the primary modality for management of these tumors, nontraditional surgical approaches and instrumentation, as well as facial nerve monitoring, can be selectively utilized to try and decrease the morbidity associated with these surgical procedures. Adjuvant treatment is primarily achieved with radiation therapy. Chemotherapy continues to have a palliative role in the management of salivary gland tumors; however, research in this field is trying to identify a therapeutic role for chemotherapy in order to improve overall survival.
VASOPRESSIN MAY BE USEFUL IN THE TREATMENT OF SYSTEMIC ANAPHYLAXIS IN RABBITS

Recent studies demonstrate that vasopressin is useful when treating hemorrhagic and septic shock. The effect of vasopressin on systemic anaphylaxis has not been investigated except in clinical case reports. Vasopressin increases blood pressure because of vasoconstriction through the V1 receptor. Thus, we evaluated the effect of vasopressin on circulatory depression and bronchoconstriction provoked by systemic anaphylaxis and survival rates in rabbits. In the first set of experiments, 15 nonsensitized rabbits received normal saline (control) and vasopressin at 0.8 or 0.08 U/kg. In the second set, 40 sensitized rabbits received horse serum to induce anaphylaxis, and then received the same drugs as in the first set. In the first set, mean arterial pressure (MAP) in vasopressin groups increased by 18% to 24% compared with the control. Vasopressin at 0.8 U/kg decreased MAP insignificantly before the increases of MAP occurred. In the second set, vasopressin at 0.08 U/kg improved the survival rate. At 45 min after antigen challenge, 69% of the rabbits that received vasopressin at 0.08 U/kg were alive, whereas 29% of the control rabbits and 23% of the rabbits that received vasopressin at 0.8 U/kg were alive. Vasopressin increased MAP by 36% to 109% compared with the control within 5 min, however, at 2 min, vasopressin at 0.8 U/kg had no effect on MAP. Pulmonary dynamics were similar. In conclusion, vasopressin at 0.08 U/kg improved survival rates and severe hypotension provoked by systemic anaphylaxis, suggesting that this agent may be useful in the treatment of systemic anaphylaxis.
E-Procurement for the public sector: Determinants of attitude towards adoption

This paper presents a case study on Malaysia’s e-Procurement initiative. It was launched as one of the projects under the e-Government Flagship. A survey was conducted to identify the attitude towards adoption and use of e-Procurement system among the suppliers in who is transacting goods and services with the government of Malaysia. A total of 502 questionnaires were collected and the data were analyzed to look at the level of acceptance among the suppliers who are the partners of e-Perolehan system. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used and the two main variables i.e. perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were computed both in terms of the mean score and demographic profile of the participating organizations. The general findings indicate a positive attitude among the suppliers in adopting and using the e-Perolehan system. However, there are some issues and challenges that need to be addressed before the government can realize the vision and objectives of e-Perolehan system implementation.
Global Auto: The ERP Implementation Project

Abstract If successfully implemented and managed, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems can provide important benefits to organizations. In this case study the implementation of an ERP system at global automotive supplier company (Global Auto) is discussed in detail. After successfully implementing the system at a major factory in the United States, Global Auto now has to decide how to proceed with the implementation in a totally different setting, the plant in Mexico.
Using networks to solve export‐marketing problems of small‐ and medium‐sized firms from developing countries

The objective of this paper is to review the literature on how networks can be used in developing countries to encounter export‐marketing problems. Several case studies of export‐grouping and subcontracting networks, involving small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises in developed and underdeveloped countries, are reviewed. The paper presents a qualitative model that identifies the determining factors for successful export network organisations: a clearly defined market problem or market opportunity; a willingness to respond together; development of solidarity, coherence and commitment; initiating foreign market activities. This model is useful to study similar initiatives in developing countries.
The Role of Oxidative Stress in Melanoma Development, Progression and Treatment

Oxygen free radicals or, more generally, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are products of normal cellular metabolism. They are well recognized for playing a contradictory dual role in living systems, sometimes deleterious sometimes beneficial, depending on cell type, genetic back‐ ground and levels and types of species involved. Beneficial effects of ROS occur at low/ moderate concentrations and involve modulation of signaling pathways and gene expression regulation. The harmful effect of free radicals is termed oxidative stress and can result in damage to cellular lipids, proteins and DNA. The balance between benign and deleterious effects of ROS is a decisive factor of living organisms and is controlled by mechanisms called redox regulation. This process protects cells from oxidative stress and maintains the redox homeostasis by modulating the redox state in vivo [17].
A Prototype Model for Mini-Knowledge Transfer Delivered Through a Graduate Internship Programme

This case study will highlight an example of breaching the virtual wall separating the worlds of the university and business through a pilot graduate internship programme at the University of Greenwich with 52 Graduate Interns and 34 SMEs during 2012/13. It debates the merits of graduate internship programmes from both intern and business perspectives and reports the findings from the University of Greenwich Project which involved a series of training courses to equip interns with specific skills of market research, competitor analysis and social media marketing to provide added value projects to the SME network.
Web metrics: measuring patterns in online shopping

The Web has become a primary source of product information for online consumers. As such, basic questions regarding how consumers approach the search process need to be understood and measured if marketers and website developers are to identify patterns or trends in consumer information search strategies. To observe and measure changes in consumer search behaviour, it is necessary to establish benchmarks that can, at a later date, be compared with subsequent observation measurements. This study recorded the search activities of 37 subjects as they searched for information regarding the purchase of two products: one where they had expert product knowledge and one where they had novice product knowledge. Significance was found for particular site types used and, more importantly, in patterns of site type usage. The methodology and benchmarks offer researchers a means of tracking changes in consumer search behaviour on the Web. Copyright © 2003 Henry Stewart Publications.
Intrathecal Catheterization and Solvents Interfere with Cortical Somatosensory Evoked Potentials Used in Assessing Nociception in Awake Rats

We assessed the objective measurement of central sensitization processes in the awake rat after subcutaneous formalin with cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (CSEPs). Cranial extradural electrodes and intrathecal catheters were implanted in adult male Wistar rats. After 7 days of recovery, CSEPs were induced by electrical stimuli at the tail and recorded before/after the injection of 50 μL of 2% formalin into the hindpaw of rats for 1 h. The drug and tested vehicles were delivered intrathecally 5 min before the injection of formalin. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the P1-N1 (the early positive-negative sequence pair of CSEPs) and the baseline-to-peak amplitude of the N2 (the late negative component of CSEPs) were analyzed. We found that the amplitudes of both signals increased (154.3% ± 10.9% and 168.7% ± 9.8%, respectively) from 10 min after formalin injection to the end of the 60-min test period. Pre-treatment with intrathecal ketorolac dose-dependently prevented the increases induced by formalin in both measured variables. Moreover, the increases in P1-N1 and N2 were markedly attenuated either by intrathecal polyethylene-10 tubing or by the solvents used for injection, thus indicating the need for distinguishing an impaired nociceptive signal from antinociception when the effects of drugs are evaluated.
Integrity Behavior Pattern and Its Dynamics in C2C E-commerce Market

Existing credit evaluation system of e-commerce is difficult to accurately measure and compare the differences and the changes in multi-dimension credit indexes,because of the characteristics of single dimension. In order to promote the revealing function of current credit rating system in C2C market,online shops' behavioral patterns and its dynamic mode from multi-dimensional index is analyzed through clustering methods by collecting integrity indicators data of Taobao in seven industries of different credit rating sellers. Static mode analysis shows that online shops have six types of characteristics combining dynamic rating,credit rating and positive ratio,and indicates that credit score is weaker than dynamic rating and positive ratio when individually revealing credit performance of online shops. Dynamics mode analysis shows that there are three types of combined changes. Finally,suggestions are proposed to make improvements to the existing evaluation system,so that it can show the real integrity level of different types of sellers.
Spatial Contrast Sensitivity in Alzheimer's Disease: A Comparison of Two Methods

The present study was designed to compare the contrast sensitivity functions (CSF) obtained with the Nicolet CS2000 and the Vistech VCTS6500 for a sample (N = 25) of patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a sample (N = 25) of healthy elderly adults. With the Nicolet, CSF were determined for gratings presented under static and rapidly counterphased (7.5 Hz) conditions. All research participants were able to complete the Vistech test. However, 13.7 and 7.4% of the original samples of Alzheimer patients and healthy adults, respectively, did not yield usable data. Both test instruments showed uniformly low contrast sensitivities for the AD group. The results support the proposition that AD involves a primary visual disturbance and suggest that the Vistech chart can be used with a broader range of patients for initial screening.
Competencia bancaria en México

En este estudio se realiza un analisis sobre la competencia bancaria en Mexico desde la perspectiva de la teoria de mercados impugnables. A partir de un examen de la evolucion del sistema bancario en dicho pais, se argumenta que la competencia entre bancos debe analizarse desde un enfoque mas amplio, en el que se incluya el sistema financiero en su conjunto. En otras palabras, es importante considerar si los bancos se enfrentan a impugnacion por parte de otros intermediarios financieros y no financieros. El trabajo concluye que en el mercado de ciertos productos financieros -y en particular, tarjetas de credito e intermediacion de valores gubernamentales- no existe competencia. Asimismo, se establece que las comisiones cobradas por la banca en Mexico, si bien son altas, al igual que en otros paises, podrian disminuir el excedente del consumidor, fenomeno que no ocurre necesariamente en otros paises debido a la existencia de impugnacion de otros agentes en el sector. Competition in the banking sector in Mexico
Voice Assessment of Student Work

Although relatively little attention has been given to the voice assessment of student work, at least when compared with more traditional forms of text-based review, the attention it has received strongly points to a promising form of review that has been hampered by the limits of an emerging technology. A fresh review of voice assessment in light of recent technological developments strongly suggests that this form of review is now ready for broad adoption. Favorable student reception of voice assessment and its potential for raising instructor awareness around the review process itself argue further for considering it afresh.
In Vivo Microscopy of the Liver after Injection of Lipiodol into the Hepatic Artery and Portal Vein in the Rat

The route, distribution and clearance of intraarterially administered Lipiodol in the liver has been the subject of much speculation. The hepatic microcirculation was therefore studied by in vivo microscopy after injection of Lipiodol into the hepatic artery and the portal vein in rats. After intraarterial injection, Lipiodol rapidly entered the portal branches through arterio-portal communications. Lipiodol also passed through the sinusoids from the portal into the hepatic veins and then into the systemic circulation. Sinusoidal congestion occurred when the oil droplets filled the liver microcirculation and resolved as the oil was cleared. It is of clinical significance to note the passage of the oil into the systemic circulation after arterial injection.
Internet banking in Pakistan

This thesis aims to provide a better understanding of how Internet banking is prevailing in Pakistan. This purpose is achieved via two research questions which focus on how the bank's online environment (i.e. website) can be described as well as how customer services within this online environment can be described. A multiple case study strategy was used, focusing on two banks,namely Muslim commercial bank and Citibank Pakistan. Data was collected via Interviews and interaction with the websites, focusing on feedback from the customers using the banking websites. In using these websites for their banking, the findings show that the main benefits included lower costs, efficiency and time saving retention. Websites should have clear and concise information in order to build trust with the customer, and multimedia, graphic elements should be avoided, as this distracts customers from why they came to the site. In terms of customer service, loan information, language options, and a menu of multiple services were all found to be important. The main problem was found to be a lack of trust in the new banking channel by customers. However, effective complaint management can increase customers' loyalty and trust in Internet banking.
Effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on tendon healing after Achilles tendon repair: an experimental study on rats.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on early tendon healing in the treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures. METHODS Fifty-six male Wistar albino rats were randomized and divided into two groups. Intratendinous betamethasone was administered preoperatively for degeneration in 28 rats and isotonic saline injection was administered to the remaining 28 rats. The Achilles tendons of all rats were sutured following tenotomy. Fourteen rats from each group were then selected and received hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The Achilles tendons were removed, biomechanically evaluated and histopathologically studied on the 11th postoperative day. The biomechanical properties and amount of fibrosis, inflammation and vascularization were compared between the groups receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy and those not. RESULTS Histopathological study showed the amount of fibrosis was significantly higher in the hyperbaric oxygen therapy group than in the control group without the hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The amount of inflammation and vascularization were significantly higher in the steroid administration group than in the no-steroid group. There was a significant difference in the biomechanical properties of the groups in terms of maximum force, stiffness, elastic modulus and maximum allowable stress. CONCLUSION Hyperbaric oxygen therapy creates a positive histological and biomechanical effect on tendon healing after Achilles tendon repair.
Higher risk of dementia in English older individuals who are overweight or obese

Abstract Background Several risk factors contribute to dementia, but the role of obesity remains unclear. This study investigated whether increased body weight or central obesity were associated with a higher risk of developing dementia in a representative sample of older English adults. Methods We studied 6582 participants from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) who were aged ≥50 years and were dementia-free at baseline, that being either wave 1 (2002–2003) for study members who started at wave 1, or at either wave 2 (2004–2005) or 4 (2008–2009) for those who began the study as refreshment samples. Body mass index (BMI) was measured at baseline and categorized into normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25–29.9 kg/m2) and obese (≥30 kg/m2). Central obesity was defined as a waist circumference (WC) >88 cm for women and >102 cm for men. Cumulative incidence of dementia was ascertained based on physician-diagnosed dementia, an overall score >3.38 on the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) and Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) data at every ELSA wave from baseline until wave 8 (2016–2017). Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between baseline BMI levels or abdominal obesity in relation to dementia incidence during the mean follow-up period of 11 years. Results From the overall sample, 6.9% (n = 453) of participants developed dementia during the follow-up period of maximum 15 years (2002–2017). Compared with participants with normal weight, those who were obese at baseline had an elevated risk of dementia incidence [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.61] independent of sex, baseline age, apolipoprotein E-ε4 (APOE-ε4), education, physical activity, smoking and marital status. The relationship was slightly accentuated after additionally controlling for hypertension and diabetes (HR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.03–1.59). Women with central obesity had a 39% greater risk of dementia compared with non-central obese women (HR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.12–1.66). When compared with a normal BMI and WC group, the obese and high WC group had 28% (HR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.03–1.53) higher risk of dementia. Conclusions Our results suggest that having an increased body weight or abdominal obesity are associated with increased dementia incidence. These findings have significant implications for dementia prevention and overall public health.