Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Persistent electoral success with endogenous rents

The paper examines how is it possible for an incumbent political party to stay in power for long periods of time without having to trade-off rents for holding office. It presents a new way of explaining and measuring the real effects of rent-extraction on political re-election in local government. It models local government due to the different and exact way rent-extraction can be measured there; through pork-barrel spending on public goods upon which a political party is able to extract rents. By setting rents as an endogenous variable the paper alters certain typical assumptions of political agency models, which permits it to evaluate their effect on political re-election and preservation of power in a more realistic scenario of politics. The incumbent’s decision on budget redistribution and rent-extraction directly affects the state of the economy upon which the voters decide whether to re-elect the incumbent or not. Incumbents make their decisions based on observing a stochastic growth shock which affects the next period budget redistribution. In a repeated game setting an incumbent chooses an optimal strategy with respect to the observed shock. This way, for high enough levels of economic growth an incumbent party may stay in office for an infinite amount of periods and keep maximizing rents with respect to the given constraints, without having to trade-off rents for holding office. The paper presents empirical evidence on United States gubernatorial and state legislature elections from 1992 to 2008 to evaluate the underlining theory.
The impact of physical therapy on functional outcomes after stroke: what's the evidence?

Objective: To determine the evidence for physical therapy interventions aimed at improving functional outcome after stroke. Methods: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, DARE, PEDro, EMBASE and DocOnline were searched for controlled studies. Physical therapy was divided into 10 intervention categories, which were analysed separately. If statistical pooling (weighted summary effect sizes) was not possible due to lack of comparability between interventions, patient characteristics and measures of outcome, a bestresearch synthesis was performed. This best-research synthesis was based on methodological quality (PEDro score). Results: In total, 151 studies were included in this systematic review; 123 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 28 controlled clinical trials (CCTs). Methodological quality of all RCTs had a median of 5 points on the 10-point PEDro scale (range 2–8 points). Based on high-quality RCTs strong evidence was found in favour of task-oriented exercise training to restore balance and gait, and for strengthening the lower paretic limb. Summary effect sizes (SES) for functional outcomes ranged from 0.13 (95% CI 0.03–0.23) for effects of high intensity of exercise training to 0.92 (95% CI 0.54–1.29) for improving symmetry when moving from sitting to standing. Strong evidence was also found for therapies that were focused on functional training of the upper limb such as constraint-induced movement therapy (SES 0.46; 95% CI 0.07–0.91), treadmill training with or without body weight support, respectively 0.70 (95% CI 0.29–1.10) and 1.09 (95% CI 0.56–1.61), aerobics (SES 0.39; 95% CI 0.05–0.74), external auditory rhythms during gait (SES 0.91; 95% CI 0.40–1.42) and neuromuscular stimulation for glenohumeral subluxation (SES 1.41; 95% CI 0.76–2.06). No or insufficient evidence in terms of functional outcome was found for: traditional neurological treatment approaches; exercises for the upper limb; biofeedback; functional and neuromuscular electrical stimulation aimed at improving dexterity or gait performance; orthotics and assistive devices; and physical therapy interventions for reducing hemiplegic shoulder pain and hand oedema. Conclusions: This review showed small to large effect sizes for task-oriented exercise training, in particular when applied intensively and early after stroke onset. In almost all high-quality RCTs, effects were mainly restricted to tasks directly trained in the exercise programme.
Do Independent Prosecutors Deter Political Corruption? An Empirical Evaluation Across Seventy-Eight Countries

It is hypothesized that prosecution agencies that are dependent on the executive have less incentives to prosecute crimes committed by government members that in turn increases their incentives to commit such crimes. Here, this hypothesis is put to an empirical test focusing on a particular kind of crime, namely corruption. In order to test it, it was necessary to create an indicator measuring de jure as well as de facto independence of the prosecution agencies. The regressions show that de facto independence of prosecution agencies robustly reduces corruption of officials.
Chemiluminescent immunoassays: Discrimination between the reactivities of natural and human patient antibodies with antigens from eukaryotic pathogens, Trypanosoma cruzi and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

Quantitative chemiluminescent enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and dot‐blotting procedures were developed to evaluate the reactivity of human antibodies with crude antigens and purified molecules of parasites and fungi, mainly Trypanosoma cruzi and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Reproducible, highly sensitive, and strictly doseresponding results were obtained, with the specificity depending on the kind of antigen used. Mixed antigens (epimastigote membrane and HIV‐1 heptapeptide) applied in dots could be independently recognized by specific sera. Purified antigens (T. cruzi F2/3 and P. brasiliensis gp43) at very small concentrations gave specific reactions with patients' sera diluted ≥1:1,000 and were very poorly reactive or unreactive with natural antibodies using the chemiluminescent immunoassays. P. brasiliensis crude antigen Fava Netto polysaccharide antigen (FNPA) contained peptide epitopes recognized by natural antibodies and carbohydrate epitopes reactive with sera from histoplasmosis patients. It is very important that sensitive chemiluminescence immunoassays be used with purified antigenic molecules to ensure specificity for the diagnosis and follow‐up of parasitic and fungal infections. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rural Women's Survivalist Livelihoods and State Interventions in Ga‐Ramogale Village, Limpopo Province

: Women constitute the majority of rural dwellers experiencing the worst effects of poverty while carrying the responsibility of securing a living for their households. Historically, rural women have practised a multiplicity of livelihoods that have always remained survivalist and less effective in generating cash income. However, well-intended state interventions through Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP) projects for women's empowerment have instead removed women from their practice of survivalist livelihoods without offering them the necessary enabling conditions to establish independent biographies for practice of ‘modern’ cash generating strategies. Based on a systematic sample of 177 households and interviews with women in Ga-Ramogale, this article concludes that PAP projects have, rather than empowering women for sustainable participation in rural development, deepened their poverty and deprivation by enticing them away from the practice of livelihoods for which they had developed experience, skills and knowledge over years, and thereby effectively engendering increased reliance on dependency-oriented livelihoods.
Second Reply

To ease the task of the reader, I shall take up Mr. Daniere's points in his order: 1. The allegation of censorship refers to a number of omissions, of which the exclusion of the years 1789 and 1816-1817 is only the most venial. Mr. Daniere eliminates, when convenient, those years in which price and quantity do not shift inversely to each other; those years in which output changes are small; the years 1845-1860, which do not fit his hypothesis as well as those before. One of the basic rules of good statistical procedure is to make use of every scrap of evidence when data are scarce. 2. Mr. Daniere states that I transferred a wheat observation from the (23~<25) to the (25 and over) price range so as to transform a seesaw series into a better-behaved one (note 1 of Rejoinder). The insinuation is unfortunate. The error is simply typographical: (23-O5) should read (23~<24), and (25—) should read (24—). 3. My statement about the demand for farm products (p. 324) was by way of concession to Mr. Daniere. My point was that even if elasticity of farm products were given, we would still not know about the demand for manufactures. Mr. Daniere refuses the concession. The reader may, if he wishes, change "farm products" to "wheat and rye"—the only commodities for which Mr. Daniere adduces any evidence. The paragraph will hold as before—a fortiori. 4. Mr. Daniere says that he "indicates" that "price elasticity of demand for food . must have been close to unity," and refers the reader to p. 326. Two points are relevant here: (a) He does nothing of the sort. He indicates (p. 326) that in the extreme situation where all income were spent on food, elasticity of demand would be unity. He also states (p. 326) that there were in the eighteenth century low-income families spending from 50 to 70 per cent of their budget for food. The reader who wants to proceed from this to the conclusion that the price elasticity of demand for food in France as a whole, or even within this low-income group, was close to unity does so at his own peril. (b) Mr. Daniere makes clear on several occasions that he believes elasticity of demand for food to have been elastic, that is, more than unity: see, for example, p. 320 ("Because of a greater than unit demand elasticity"); p. 324 ("This definitely adds to the evidence of more than unit price elasticity of total demand for grains"); p. 328 ("Determine whether a more than unit elasticity persisted"); p. 329 f. ("demand for bread . . . must again have shown more than unit elasticity"); etc. If he wishes to abandon that position now, well and good. He may, with time, decide that demand was really inelastic.
Forecast-Driven or Customer-Order-Driven? An Empirical Analysis of the Chinese Automotive Industry

Purpose – A successful implementation of mass customization and customer-order-driven production can bring numerous benefits to automakers. However, the transition from mass production to mass customization is difficult. Most of the previous studies focus on mature markets, leaving emerging markets untouched. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the necessity of making the strategic transition to mass customization in an emerging market. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on an extensive field study. A multi-method approach (including semi-structured interviews, document examination and plant tours) was used to collect the data at different levels in five commercial vehicle manufacturers. Findings – The respective advantages and disadvantages of these two manufacturing strategies are analyzed based on the findings and a framework is established. The drivers of the transition to mass customization have been recognized and the obstacles of transition are identified. The specific benefits of a successful mass customization implementation are listed. According to the empirical evidence, this paper concludes that customer-order-driven production is a promising direction in a rapidly changing market such as China. Originality/value – This study makes a contribution in two aspects. First, the evidence of mass customization fills a gap in the empirical literature and the findings of mass production help cross validate the drawbacks reported in other studies. Second, this study presents a transition model to facilitate automakers to analyze the complex phenomena in a systematic way when they embark upon the strategic transition to mass customization.
Assessing the Exchange Rate Exposure of US Multinationals

This paper aims to examine the relationship between exchange rate movements and the stock return of firms at different time horizons by employing wavelet analysis. In particular, we use the maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform (MODWT) to decompose the exchange rate movement and the US firm's stock return over the period January 2006 to July 2012. The results reveal that at longer horizons not only does the number of firms which are exposed to exchange rate volatility increase but also the degree of exchange rate exposure increases. What is more, the sensitivity to exchange rate volatility is stronger at longer horizons for importing firms than for exporting firms, which shows an asymmetry in the usage of hedging strategies between importers and exporters.
Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Assessing Faculty and Student Interpretations of AACP Survey Items with Cognitive Interviewing

Objective. To use cognitive interviewing techniques to determine faculty and student interpretation of a subset of items from the AACP faculty and graduating student surveys. Methods. Students and faculty were interviewed individually in a private room. The interviewer asked each respondent for his/her interpretation of 15 randomly selected items from the graduating student survey or 20 items from the faculty survey. Results. While many items were interpreted consistently by respondents, the researchers identiﬁed several items that were either difﬁcult to interpret or produced differing interpretations. Conclusion. Several interpretational inconsistencies and ambiguities were discovered that could com-promise the usefulness of certain survey items.
Austerity Policies and Politics: The Case of Portugal

En avril 2011 un gouvernement socialiste interimaire fit appel aux bailleurs de fonds internationaux (la soi-disant Troika : la BCE, la Commission europeenne et le FMI) pour renflouer le Portugal. A la suite d’elections legislatives, une coalition de centre-droit commenca a mettre en œuvre, a la demande semble-t-il de la dite troika, une serie de mesures d’austerite et de reformes sociales severes provoquant une importante recession ainsi qu’une agitation sociale. Cet article se penche en premier lieu sur le contexte et les conditions entourant les prets ainsi que les politiques poursuivies. Il examine egalement l’ampleur de l’influence de ces bailleurs de fonds internationaux sur le choix des mesures politiques et enfin, s’appuyant une multitude d’enquetes parlementaires et aupres de l’opinion publique, il observe comment hommes politiques et citoyens apprecient cette aide tout comme ses consequences sociales et politiques.
Analysis of the soil impedance in high frequencies using an electric impulse generator prototype

This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the soil parameters when submitted to high frequencies voltages generated by an impulse generator prototype. First, there was the construction of the device that will generate the impulses. Although the amplitude of the generated signal is low compared to conventional impulse generators, the wave-shape produced is similar to the one of an actual atmospheric discharge and try to follow the requirements of standards from the International Electrotechnical Commission. Second, there are made some tests in ground using the device, having the current and voltage outputs measured. Finally, the results are compared with previous works that use standards impulse generators. After comparison, it is shown that there is not great difference between the prototype used and the common impulse generators.
Incremental Value Relevance of Unrecognized Deferred Taxes: Evidence from the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT: We examine empirically whether the use of the partial method for deferred taxes provides incremental information of use to investors. Specifically, we test whether U.K. capital markets valued unrecognized deferred tax amounts reported in the footnotes to U.K. annual reports, pursuant to U.K. Statement of Standard Accounting Practice (SSAP) No. 15 (ASB 1985). Our empirical model is based on Feltham and Ohlson (1995). We run iterative weighted least-squares (IWLS) regression of year-end share prices on a decomposition of book value per share for a pooled sample of U.K. firm-years drawn from the years 1993 through 1998, and find positive associations with price for net deferred tax assets—both recognized and unrecognized. Moreover, we are unable to reject the null hypothesis that both parts of deferred taxes have similar multiples in our price regressions. These findings support some theoretical predictions in Sansing (1998), Guenther and Sansing (2000, 2004), and Amir et al. (2001).
Why does liquidity matter in investment equations

That liquidity variables affect investment spending is widely accepted. Despite important recent empirical work, questions remain concerning the interpretation of liquidity variables in investment equations and the sources and economic importance of finance constraints. These questions are addressed by estimating a variety of econometric models that exploit distinctive Canadian institutional features to identify firms that face relatively severe information problems. The initial econometric evidence confirms the existence of finance constraints, and identifies their source as the problems faced by firms in credibly communicating private information to outsiders. This conclusion is robust to biases from the capitalization of finance constraints into asset prices, scale economies, or imperfect competition, which are accounted for directly in the econometric specifications. Copyright 1995 by Ohio State University Press.
Farmers’ risk perception, risk aversion and strategies to cope with production risk: an empirical study from Poland

Agriculture is an activity burdened with multiple risk factors that are related to the biological nature of production. Climate change, liberalisation of international agricultural trade and changes in the agricultural support system mean that the importance of risk in agriculture will increase. This means that increasing attention will be given to risk management at the farm level, although implementation of the appropriate risk management strategy is connected to farmers’ perception of, and aversion to, risk. This study, which integrates these three aspects of risk in agriculture, is based on data collected from almost 600 participant farms from the Polish FADN system. It was shown that drought is perceived by farmers as the main factor of risk in production in Poland. Polish farmers are rather risk averse, but a little more in terms of their personal health and less in the case of the farm. The analysis showed that the following factors increased the level of risk aversion of Polish farmers: debt ratio, losses in production in previous years, soil quality and concentration on financial independence as a hierarchy of priorities. The most important risk-coping strategy was crop insurance. Knowledge of farmers’ perception of risk, risk aversion and preferred risk management strategies is essential for creating policy instruments to support agricultural risk management, and for the development of training programmes tailored to the needs of farmers.
Nutritional Quality of Food Prepared at Home and Away From Home, 1977-2008

Food prepared away from home (FAFH)—whether eaten in restaurants, fast-food and\r other locations, or as take-out or delivery to be eaten at home—is now a routine part of the diets of most Americans, accounting for 41 percent of food expenditures and 32 percent of caloric intake. This report analyzes data on individuals 2 years of age and older from two national food consumption surveys (one conducted in 1977-78 and another in 2005-08) to assess changes in the consumption and nutritional quality of FAFH versus food prepared at home (FAH). In the past three decades, FAH has changed more in response to dietary guidance, becoming significantly lower in fat content and richer in calcium, whereas FAFH did not. In 2005-08, FAFH was also higher in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol and lower in dietary fi ber than FAH. The increased popularity and lower nutritional\r: quality of FAFH is prompting new health promotion strategies, such as menu labeling.
The Dividend Policy in Manufacturing Sector of Pakistan: The Perception of Corporate Managers

Using a survey approach, this paper examines the perceptions of managers of dividend-paying firms listed on Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) on factors influencing dividend policy, issues relating dividend policy and the corporate governance practices. The survey shows that the most important factors that affect dividend policy are; the level of current earnings, the projection about the future state of the economy, the stockholders characteristics, concerns about the stock prices, need of current stockholders. From a practical perspective, there is little discrimination among the top ranked factors. All the surveyed firms formulate their dividend policies according the theoretical model of Lintner (1956). The survey also shows that there is no difference in responses about these factors with respect to various titles of the respondents such as chief financial officer or Chief Exceptive Officer. The survey also finds strong support for the life cycling theory followed by agency theory, signaling theory and the catering theory respectively. The survey also shows the presence of corporate governance practices in the surveyed firms.
A study of the barriers of implementation of accounting information system: Case of listed companies in Tehran Stock Exchange

Accounting information system is one of subsystems in management information system that is very important in all companies. The current study reviews barriers in implementation by postulating six hypotheses of accounting information system (middle managers, human resources, organizational structure, environmental factors, financial issues, and organizational culture) in companies listed on Tehran Stock Exchange. Finally, some results were obtained in this manner: barrier of organizational structure with 26 percent, middle managers with 26 percent, human resources with 25 percent, environmental factors with 21 percent, organizational culture with 19 percent and finally financial issues with16 percent were identified as barriers factors influencing on the establishment of accounting information systems in listed companies on Tehran Stock Exchange. Generally to eliminate these barriers, management, financial managers and staff must be trained practically by experienced teachers in accounting information systems to use the specialist and professional managers, to lengthen position of managers, to clear financial issues, to inform benefits of system establishment to company's managers. By giving reward to managers and staff try to encourage these people to use the new system. To justify staff that the establishment of new system would be their advantages; by the lever of reward, to encourage staff to compete in learning and work with the system in staff and learn to compete with systems that can accelerate performing and implementing the system.
Solving finite time horizon Dynkin games by optimal switching

Abstract This paper uses recent results on continuous-time finite-horizon optimal switching problems with negative switching costs to prove the existence of a saddle point in an optimal stopping (Dynkin) game. Sufficient conditions for the game's value to be continuous with respect to the time horizon are obtained using recent results on norm estimates for doubly reflected backward stochastic differential equations. This theory is then demonstrated numerically for the special cases of cancellable call and put options in a Black‒Scholes market.