Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Information and the Cost of Capital: An Ex-Ante Perspective

The relationship between the informational environment and the cost of equity capital has received considerable interest in finance and accounting research as well as in financial reporting regulation. Recent papers have demonstrated that increased public disclosure may decrease firms' cost of capital, at least if the additional information pertains to systematic risk. The discussion has focused on the impact of information on the cost of capital subsequent to the release of the information (the ex-post cost of capital). We show that the reduction in the ex-post cost of capital is offset by an equal increase in the cost of capital for the period leading up to the release of the information (the preposterior cost of capital). Thus, within the class of models framing the recent discussion, there is no impact on the ex-ante cost of capital covering the full time span of the firm. The extent to which information is made publicly or privately available affects the timing of the resolution of uncertainty and when the information is reflected in equilibrium prices, but there is no impact on initial equilibrium prices.In efficient economies with only public information, there is no impact of the information system choice on the investors' ex-ante expected utilities either. In the partially revealing rational expectations equilibrium of an economy with private investor information, however, the rational investors may actually benefit from a higher ex-post cost of capital (at the expense of the liquidity traders).
The occurrence and characteristics of student-initiated focus on form

Introduction The concepts of autonomy and independence in second language (L2) learning are often associated with learner actions outside the classroom. However, it is also possible to examine learner actions inside the classroom, through student-initiated focus on form in meaning-focused L2 lessons. Focus on form occurs when participants pay attention briefly to linguistic items arising spontaneously in meaning-focused activities. It may occur either in response to learner errors or it may be initiated by a student. Student-initiated focus on form is of particular interest because student topicalisation of linguistic items may be beneficial since students may best be able to recognise and draw attention to linguistic items that are problematic specifically to themselves. Student-initiated focus on form allows students to seek information about linguistic items as the need arises during meaning-focused activities.
Education and Employment among Muslims in India: An Analysis of Patterns and Trends

After the submission of the Sachar Committee Report, several studies have undertaken data-based analysis of the socioeconomic and educational conditions of Muslims in India. Many researchers, policy makers and, in fact, common Muslims believe that education can be the only mechanism to enhance their socioeconomic status and facilitate entry into better paid jobs. At the same time there are concerns about access to educational facilities and possible discrimination in the formal labour market. The paper reviews the available evidence on the patterns of Muslim participation in education and employment. Comparing the estimates derived from the most recent round of the National Sample Survey for the year 2009-2010 with the earlier years (1999-2000 and 2004-05), an effort is made to assess if these patterns have changed in recent years. A preliminary analysis of the correlates of these patterns suggests that these are quite complex and multi-dimensional. Perceptions about discrimination interact with endowments, opportunities, supply side conditions and attitudes to give rise to different patterns of participation in employment and education. A different set of policy actions may be required to ameliorate these conditions.
Comparative Chemical, Cytotoxicity and Antileishmanial Properties of Essential Oils from Chenopodium ambrosioides

In countries where leishmaniasis is endemic, there are not very many treatment alternatives and most options have problems associated with their use. Plants and their natural products constitute good sources of interesting lead compounds that could be potentially active against Leishmania. Chenopodium ambrosioides is a plant that is widely used in popular medicine and its antiparasitic effects have been documented, including the antileishmanial potentialities of Chenopodium oil. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition, in-vitro cytotoxicity and antileishmanial activity of essential oils extracted from C. ambrosioides, which received different treatments prior to extraction. The chemical characterization by GC-MS of the three essential oil samples showed similar composition and the major components were α-terpinene (17.0-20.7%), p-cymene (20.2-21.1%) and ascaridole (30.5-47.1%). The essential oils exhibited similar antileishmanial activities against intracellular amastigote form, with IC50 values between 4.7 and 12.4 μg/mL. However, a lower cytotoxicity was displayed by the essential oil extracted from fresh green vegetable material, which was statistically different (P < 0.05) from the other samples. This study demonstrated that the prior treatment of plant material did not interfere with the antiparasitic activity of essential oils from C. ambrosioides but did change their cytotoxicity, which should be taken into account in further studies.
The Anatomy of a Stock Market Winner

An examination of 222 firms whose stocks at least doubled in price during one year of the 1970-83 period reveals several distinct features shared by the majority of companies. For example, investment advisers on average more than doubled their claims in these winners while stock prices were advancing. Also, the firms' pretax profit margins rose by about 2 per cent during the period of rapid price appreciation, while their growth rates based on five years of quarterly earnings data advanced from an average of 23 per cent to 38.2 per cent. Indeed, changes in earnings growth rates and profit margins probably fueled the price advances. Of perhaps greater interest are the shared features that revealed themselves prior to the rapid price appreciation. The winners, for example, generally sold at a price less than their book value prior to their substantial price advances. Their quarterly earnings accelerated in the quarters preceding the price rise, and their relative-strength ranks, while already high, increased further. Nine characteristics common to the 222 stock market winners were used to form the basis of a trading strategy that was applied to 2,057 NYSE and AMEX firms over the 1970-83 period. The trading strategy significantly outperformed the S&P 500 index. After one year, the average holding-period return of the selected firms equaled 30.6 per cent, versus 6.9 per cent for the S&P 500. By the end of two years, the sample firms' average holding-period return was 65.4 per cent, versus 14.7 per cent for the index. These return differentials amount to excess returns for the trading strategy of 23.7 and 50.7 per cent after one and two years, respectively. Thesc results cannot be explained by the firms' historical betas or stock market capitalizations.
Quantitation of Endocrine Cell Content in the Pancreas of Nondiabetic and Diabetic Humans

The application of immunofluorescence technique with anti-insulin, anti-glucagon, anti-somatostatin, and anti-pancreatic polypeptide (PP) antisera to sections of precisely sampled regions of the human pancreas allowed the quantitative evaluation of the total content of these four endocrine cell populations in 13 nondiabetics, in 2 insulin-dependent diabetics (IDDM), and in 2 non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects (NIDDM) of various age and sex. In nondiabetic subjects, PP-cells appear sex-related. Male individuals have a significantly greater volume of PP-cells than female. In diabetic subjects, the only marked difference as compared with nondiabetics is the reduction of insulin cell volume in IDDM. Other small differences between individual endocrine cell volumes are detectable in both IDDM and NIDDM as compared with nondiabetics, but their significance is at present unclear. The qualitative changes of islet structure accompanying insulin cell reduction in IDDM were not considered in the present Study.
Inhibition of OCTN2-Mediated Transport of Carnitine by Etoposide

OCTN2 is a bifunctional transporter that reabsorbs filtered carnitine in a sodium-dependent manner and secretes organic cations into urine as a proton antiport mechanism. We hypothesized that inhibition of OCTN2 by anticancer drugs can influence carnitine resorption. OCTN2-mediated transport inhibition by anticancer drugs was assessed using cells transfected with human OCTN2 (hOCTN2) or mouse Octn2 (mOctn2). Excretion of carnitine and acetylcarnitine was measured in urine collected from mice and pediatric patients with cancer before and after administration of etoposide. Five of 27 tested drugs (50–100 μmol/L) inhibited hOCTN2-mediated carnitine uptake by 42% to 85% (P < 0.001). Of these inhibitors, etoposide was itself a transported substrate of hOCTN2 and mOctn2. Etoposide uptake by hOCTN2 was reversed in the presence of excess carnitine. This competitive inhibitory mechanism was confirmed in an in silico molecular docking analysis. In addition, etoposide inhibited the transcellular apical-to-basolateral flux of carnitine in kidney cells. Etoposide was also associated with a significant urinary loss of carnitine in mice (∼1.5-fold) and in patients with cancer (∼2.4-fold). Collectively, these findings indicate that etoposide can inhibit hOCTN2 function, potentially disturb carnitine homeostasis, and that this phenomenon can contribute to treatment-related toxicities. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(4); 921–9. ©2012 AACR.
Discounts and Exclusions

The discounting practices of dominant firms has emerged as one of the most problematic areas of private antitrust enforcement against single-firm conduct. The most difficult discount practices to assess are bundled, or multi-product discounts in situations where no significant rival produces every product that is included in the bundle. A debate has emerged over whether such discounts are properly assessed under a legal test that analogizes them to predatory pricing or to tying. Defendants typically prefer predatory pricing analogies, requiring a showing that the price of the assembled bundle was below a relevant measure of cost, such as marginal cost or average variable cost. Plaintiffs typically want a standard that compares bundled discounts to tying arrangements. This paper argues that bundled discounts are best analogized to tying arrangements. However, because the practice is a discount and not a contractual requirement linking two products, a cost test is nevertheless necessary to determine whether the two products are really tied together in a way that has the potential to exclude rival firms. Once that threshold requirement has been met, then the case should proceed under the same analysis that is usually applied to tying cases analyzed under the rule of reason, except that a few additional defenses must be allowed when the tie takes the form of a discount.
Effects of Combined Economic and Linguistic Backgrounds on the Adjustment Process of International Undergraduate Students at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

This study had three main purposes: (a) to determine whether there is a linear relationship between international undergraduate (IU) students’ adaptation and time at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), (b) to examine the effects of IU students’ combined economic and linguistic backgrounds on their adaptation experience at Virginia Tech, (c) to determine the u-shaped curve model’s effectiveness in explaining the adaptation experience of IU students from different backgrounds. The findings of this study could not be used to justify either a linear or a curvilinear relationship between time and IU students’ adaptation. A difference in adaptation was found between IU students with two and four years at Virginia Tech based on their linguistic background differences, but no differences were found in regard to their economic background differences. A correlation analysis suggested a relationship between adaptation and the support IU students received while at Virginia Tech. Nevertheless, the most important finding is the fact that the existing models of IU students’ adaptation do not adequately explain their adaptation experience. This study suggests that future research should concentrate on determining the relationship between IU students’ adaptation and the adequacy of support they received.
The Affordable Care Act and Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Among Young Adults.

The Affordable Care Act-dependent coverage expansion provision implemented in 2010 allows young adults to be covered under their parents' health insurance until age 26 years, and millions of young adults have gained insurance as a result. The impact of this policy on cancer patients has yet to be determined. Using 2007 to 2012 data from 18 registries of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, comparing cancer patients age 19 to 25 years to a control group of patients age 26 to 34 years who were not affected by the provision, we observed a 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.7 to 3.4) percentage point decrease in uninsured rate and a 2.7 (95% CI = 0.6 to 4.8) percentage point increase in diagnosis at stage I disease for patients age 19-25 years. Further analyses by specific cancer site revealed that the statistically significant shifts were confined to carcinoma of cervix (21.2, 95% CI = 9.6 to 32.7 percentage points) and osseous and chondromatous neoplasms (14.4, 95% CI = 0.3 to 28.5 percentage points), which are detectable by either screening or clinical manifestation. These early observations suggest the policy has had positive benefits in cancer outcomes.
New firms and rural industrialization in East Anglia

Gould A. and Keeble D. (1984) New firms and rural industrialization in East Anglia, Reg. Studies 18, 189–201. The paper analyses key aspects of the formation of new independent manufacturing firms in East Anglia between 1971 and 1981. Special attention is paid to trends in formation rates over time, to the spatial bias of new firm origins towards both rural areas and the Cambridge region, and to the location, character and impact of high-technology new firms. Original findings include the contention that spatial variations chiefly reflect variation in the occupational structure of the resident workforce, together with industrial mix, plant size, and previous industrial immigration. Some implications for government policy to new firms are discussed.
Spectroscopic Analytical Study for the Charge-Transfer Complexation of Certain Cephalosporins with Chloranilic Acid

Studies were carried out to develop a simple, rapid and accurate spectrophotometric method for the analysis of fifteen cephalosporins. The method depends on the charge-transfer complexation reaction between any of these drugs as an n-electron donor and p -chloranilic acid (p-CA) as a π-acceptor to form a violet chromogen measured at 520 nm. Different variables affecting the reaction were studied and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (0.9986 - 0.9996) were found between the absorbances and the concentrations of the studied drugs in the range of 4 - 1200 μg ml^-1. The limits of assay detection ranged from 2.54 to 42.83 μg ml^-1. The accuracy and precision of the method were satisfactory. The method was successfully applied to an analysis of the studied drugs in their pharmaceutical formulations; the recovery percentages ranged from 96.76 ± 0.87% to 100.50 ± 1.30%. The interaction sites were confirmed by UV/VIS, IR, 1H-NMR techniques. Molecular modeling for the interaction was used for deriving an equation for calculating the e value for a particular drug. This equation gave a perfect prediction for the degree of interaction of the investigated drugs with the p-CA reagent.
Promising Practice Profiles: final report

Contents Acknowledgements 1 Executive summary 2 Glossary of practice terms 4 1. Background and process 6 Background 6 The Promising Practice Profiles process 8 Analysis of the PPP process 15 Costs and benefits for participating projects 17 Summary 17 2. Results of the call for proposals 18 Summary of validated promising practices 19 3. Analysis of promising practices 26 Parenting and family support 26 Parenting support for young parents 30 Early learning and care 32 Supporting " first-time " mothers 34 School readiness 35 Supporting children with additional needs 36 Supporting at-risk youth 37 Capacity-building for service providers and enhancement of service provision 38 Community " hubs " 42 Social inclusion initiatives 44 Summary and discussion of promising practices 46
Can Precious Metals Make Your Portfolio Shine?

We extend earlier studies and present new evidence on the benefits of adding precious metals to U.S. equity portfolios. We report five major findings related to the potential benefits of investing in precious metals either directly via the commodity or indirectly via equities. First, we find that adding a 25% allocation to the equities of precious metals firms improves portfolio performance substantially. Second, our evidence indicates that an indirect investment dominates a direct investment in precious metals. Third, relative to platinum and silver, gold has better stand-alone performance and appears to provide a better hedge against the negative effects of inflationary pressures. Fourth, the benefits of precious metals are strongly tied to monetary conditions. Finally, while the benefits of adding precious metals to an investment portfolio varied somewhat over time, they prevailed throughout much of the 34-year period. Overall, our evidence suggests that investors could improve portfolio performance considerably by adding a significant exposure to the equities of precious metals firms.
Folate intake and risk of colorectal cancer and adenoma: modification by time.

BACKGROUND Experimental and observational studies have suggested that folate may play dual roles in colorectal cancer risk depending on the timing and dose. OBJECTIVE We examined the latency between folate intake and the incidence of colorectal cancer. DESIGN We prospectively examined associations between folate intake assessed every 2 to 4 y by using validated food-frequency questionnaires and risk of colorectal cancer and adenoma in the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, which included 2299 incident colorectal cancers and 5655 colorectal adenomas from 1980 to 2004. RESULTS There was an association between total folate intake 12-16 y before diagnosis and lower risk of colorectal cancer (relative risk: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.94; ≥800 compared with <250 μg folate/d), but there was no association between intake in the recent past and colorectal cancer risk. Long- and short-term intakes of total folate were associated with a lower risk of colorectal adenoma, with a strong association with intake 4-8 y before diagnosis (odds ratio: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.78; ≥800 compared with <250 μg folate/d). The current use of multivitamins for >15 y, but not a shorter duration of use, was associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer; and a shorter duration of use was related to lower risk of adenoma. We did not observe an adverse effect of total folate or synthetic folic acid on risk of colorectal cancer or adenoma even during the folic acid fortification era. CONCLUSION Folate intake is inversely associated with risk of colorectal cancer only during early preadenoma stages.
Empirical Analysis of Business Growth Factors Using Swedish Data

Empirical research conducted on the U.S., German, Australian, and Scottish economies has shown that age, size, location, legal form, and industry are related to business growth. Much of this research has focused on manufacturing firms, thus providing little information about the effect of industrial sector differences on these factors. We seek to both confirm that small independent firms demonstrate the greatest growth rates and to explore the effects of the industrial sector on this conclusion. This article uses Swedish data to replicate previous research while using a different definition of business to enhance the study of effects from industry, international versus domestic businesses, and domestic versus foreign ownership. Results show that business age, beginning size, ownership form, industrial sector, and legal form are the most important factors related to growth. Although business growth differs among industrial sectors, youth, ownership independence, and small size are major factors that underlie growth across all industries.
Diversion of Methadone and Buprenorphine from Opioid Substitution Treatment: Patients who Regularly Sell or Share Their Medication

Diversion—the practice of patients selling or sharing their medication—is a much debated problem of opioid substitution treatment. Regular diversion by patients was studied at 11 opioid substitution treatment programs in the south of Sweden. Using quantitative and qualitative data, it was investigated whether those patients differ from other patients, their motives for and means of diversion, and who the recipients are. Regular diverters are a small, yet heterogeneous group. Continued illicit drug use, however, stands out as a common risk factor. Pecuniary need and a desire to help friends are other important motives. The client base mainly consists of people from the regular diverters’ own drug milieus.
Novel Cyclic Lipodepsipeptide from Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans Strain 508 and Syringopeptin Antimicrobial Activities

ABSTRACT The syringopeptins are a group of antimicrobial cyclic lipodepsipeptides produced by several plant-associated pseudomonads. A novel syringopeptin, SP508, was shown to be produced as two homologs (A and B) by Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans strain 508 from apple and to structurally resemble syringopeptin SP22. SP508 differed from SP22 and other syringopeptins by having three instead of four α,β-unsaturated amino acids and a longer β-hydroxy acyl chain. Both SP508 and SP22 displayed growth-inhibitory activities against Mycobacterium smegmatis, other gram-positive bacteria, and yeasts but not against gram-negative bacteria. Structure-activity analyses of the SP508 and SP22 homologs indicated chemical structural features that lead to enhanced antimycobacterial activity by these pseudomonad cyclic lipodepsipeptides.
Labour market transitions following redundancy: an approach with time-varying variables

This paper presents estimates of a model of transitions out of unemployment for a group of redundant workers over a two-year period, using a discrete time approach to the analysis of transitions. The motivation for the approach taken is that it can allow for the easy incorporation of time-varying variables which are difficult to include with traditional duration models. The results show that the time-varying variables may suffer omitted heterogenity biases. Specifically, results for transitions out of unemployment display positive duration dependence, and show that transitions are associated with the time-varying variables reflecting local unemployment rates, individual expected earnings and prior employment experiences.