Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Marketing Outlays: Important Intangible Assets in the Hotel Industry?

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of marketing expenditures (outlays) on hotel firms' value. The authors argue that marketing expenditures are important intangible assets that are related to service innovation, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and organizational practices, which in turn influence future profitability and value of the firm. Findings suggest that marketing outlays constitute an important intangible asset in the hotel industry and that such expenses behave differently from other expenses; and more importantly, they are able to generate future benefits.
Clearance of Recombinant Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor (TFPI) in Rabbits

Summary The pharmacokinetics of recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) after an intravenous bolus injection was studied in rabbits. Clearance of TFPI was followed by measurement of the radioactivity of the 125I-labelled compound in the whole plasma or the trichloroacetic acid precipitate and by quantitation of the functional TFPI activity of the unlabelled compound using a tissue factor-induced coagulation assay. When iodinated TFPI was used, the ratios of the trichloroacetic acid precipitable counts vs. that of the whole plasma was about 1 in the first 10 min after TFPI injection, but this ratio gradually decreased to less than 0.5 after 2 h. This result suggested that the iodinated TFPI in the plasma was partially degraded after prolonged circulation in the animal. When unlabelled TFPI was used, the clearance of TFPI activity from the plasma exhibited bi-exponential elimination kinetics with a rapid alpha phase half-life $$(t 1/2α) of 2.3 min, and a terminal beta phase half-life $$(t 1/2β) of 79 min. The plasma clearance was 4.2 ml kg–1 min–1. The tissue distribution of intravenously administered 125I-TFPI in the rabbit was studied using whole-body autoradiography. At 3 min after dosing, significant levels of TFPI were apparent in the liver, kidney, and other highly blood perfused tissues. Signficant levels of 125I-TFPI-derived radioactivity were also apparent in the liver and kidney at 30 min after intravenous administration. The localization within the liver demonstrated a mottled appearance, suggesting regions of higher uptake within the liver. In the kidney, the outer cortex consistently revealed the highest activity.
Hotel Real Estate Investment Trusts' Risk Features and Beta Determinants

This study examines the risk features of hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) firms. In particular, it investigates the systematic and unsystematic risk of hotel REIT stocks and the determinants of their systematic risk, or beta. Using the financial data of 19 U.S. hotel REIT firms from 1993 through 1999, the authors found that 84% of the firms'total risk was contributed by firm-specific, unsystematic risk. Systematic risk correlated positively with debt leverage and growth but negatively with firm size. These findings suggest that growth via mergers and acquisitions and less reliance on debt financing may help lower systematic risk and enhance hotel REITs'value.
Outcome Assessment of a Writing-Skill Improvement Initiative: Results and Methodological Implications

This paper reports the outcome assessment of our accounting department's writing‐skill improvement initiative. We employ complementary experimental designs to examine the effects of professionally relevant writing experiences on accounting students' writing‐skill development. Using a between‐subjects experimental design, we compare the writing skills of accounting students who participated in our writing initiative with the writing skills of other business students who did not participate. Using a within‐subjects experimental design, we track improvements of accounting students' writing skills over time. Results from both outcome assessment methodologies indicate that accounting students' writing skills improve as students participate in our writing initiative. This paper provides insight into the features of a successful writing initiative and offers methodological suggestions for conducting outcome assessments of writing initiatives.
Exchange Rate Regime, Real Misalignment and Currency Crises

Based on 69 sample countries, this paper examines the effect of macroeconomic fundamentals on real effective exchange rates (REER) in these sample countries. Using the misalignment of actual REER from its equilibrium level, we have estimated the factors explaining the extent of currency over- or under-valuation. Overall, we find that the higher the flexibility of the currency regime, the lower is the misalignment. The estimates are robust to different sub-samples of countries. We then explore the impact of such misalignment on the probability of a currency crisis in the next period, indicating the extent to which misalignment could be used as a leading indicator of a potential crisis. This paper thus makes a new contribution to the debate on the choice of exchange rate regime by bringing together real exchange rate misalignment and currency crisis literature.
The Size and Phenotype of Virus-Specific T Cell Populations Is Determined by Repetitive Antigenic Stimulation and Environmental Cytokines 1

Based on the expression of the TNFR SFP CD27, two Ag-primed CD8+ T cell subsets can be discerned in the circulation of healthy individuals: CD27+ T cells that produce a variety of cytokines but do not display immediate cytolytic activity; and cytotoxic CD27− T cells, which secrete only IFN-γ and TNF-α. The mechanism that controls the generation of these different phenotypes is unknown. We show that CMV reactivation not only increases the number of virus-specific T cells but also induces their transition from a CD27+ to a CD27− phenotype. In support of a relation between pool size and phenotype in a cohort of latently infected individuals, the number of Ag-specific CD27− CD8+ T cells was found to be linearly related to the total number of CMV-specific CD8+ T cells. In vitro studies revealed that the acquisition of the CD27− phenotype on CMV-specific T cells depended on the interaction of CD27 with its cellular ligand, CD70. Expression of CD70 was proportional to the amount of antigenic stimulation and blocked by the CD4+ T cell-derived cytokine IL-21. Thus, induction of CD70, which may vary in distinct viral infections, appears to be a key factor in determining the size and phenotype of the CMV-specific T cell population in latently infected individuals.
Cross-Sectional Return Dispersion and the Equity Premium

In this paper, I examine whether stock return dispersion (RD) provides useful information about future stock returns. RD consistently forecasts a decline in the excess market return at multiple horizons, and compares favorably with alternative predictors used in the literature. The out-of-sample performance of RD tends to beat the alternative predictors, and is economically significant as indicated by the certainty equivalent gain associated with a trading investment strategy. RD has greater forecasting power for big and growth stocks compared to small and value stocks, respectively. I discuss a theoretical mechanism giving rise to the negative correlation between RD and the equity premium.
Capacity development for agricultural biotechnology in developing countries: an innovation systems view of what it is and how to develop it

There are divergent views on what capacity development might mean in relation to agricultural biotechnology. The core of this debate is whether this should involve the development of human capital and research infrastructure, or whether it should encompass a wider range of activities which also include developing the capacity to use knowledge productively. This paper uses the innovation systems concept to shed light on this discussion, arguing that it is innovation capacity rather than science and technology capacity that has to be developed. It then presents six examples of different capacity development approaches. It concludes by suggesting that policy needs to take a multidimensional approach to capacity development in line with innovation systems perspective. But it also argues that policy needs to recognise the need to develop the capacity of diversity of innovation systems and that a key part of the capacity development task is to bring about the integration of these different systems at strategic points in time. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prevalence of human papillomavirus16 DNA and p16INK4a protein in oral squamous cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and Aim: Indian patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are etiologically associated with the use of tobacco and alcohol; yet, a proportion of tumors that may harbor human papillomavirus (HPV) infections cannot be neglected. The following meta-analysis was conducted to address the association of p16INK4a and HPV DNA with OSCC. In addition, the study also provides the updated prevalence of HPV-induced OSCC. Materials and Methods: Literature survey was performed using databases such as PubMed with the help of the following keywords – “HPV infection,” “oral squamous cell carcinoma,” “p16INK4a,” “HPV DNA,” “E6,” “E7,” “L1,” “L2” and “LCR. ” Proportion method was performed to derive the forest plot using MedCalc statistical software version 16.4. 3. Results: Among 145 research articles, 33 articles were selected for further analysis, in which 13 articles were related to HPV DNA detection in tissues, 11 articles detected the overexpression of p16INK4a and nine articles reported the detection of both HPV DNA and p16INK4a expression. Meta-analysis revealed significant heterogeneity (P < 0.0001) among the articles. Overall, the study consisted of 3339 patients with OSCC, among which 559 patients were diagnosed with the presence of HPV16 DNA with a random proportion of 20.1% at 95% confidence interval (CI) (13.9–27.1, P < 0.0001). Overexpression of p16INK4a protein was observed in 709 patients with a random proportion of 25.4% at 95% CI (14.3–38.3, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: HPV DNA and expression of p16INK4a was suggested as gold standard for the detection of HPV infection in many cases of cancers. Frequency of HPV infection is significantly higher in patients with OSCC as identified through the detection of HPV DNA and p16INK4a expression. Even though the association of HPV infection has been established in head and neck cancer, this review could further the establishment of molecular level interaction of HPV in patients with oral cancer.
Evoked potential abnormalities in children with chronic cholestasis

To assess the effect of chronic cholestasis and vitamin E deficiency on nervous system function, we did multimodality evoked potential testing of 17 children (mean age = 47 months) who had chronic liver disease. Evoked potential testing was repeated periodically in 11 patients 1 to 33 months after the initial study.
The effects of mutated skeletal ryanodine receptors on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in boars.

The objectives of the current experiment were to determine whether boars heterozygous for the mutation in skeletal ryanodine receptors (sRyR), known to cause porcine stress syndrome, differed from wild-type boars in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) function. We have examined basal plasma ACTH, cortisol, and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) concentrations; plasma ACTH and cortisol responses to a nose-snare stressor and at slaughter; dexamethasone suppression of plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations; and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) density in the pituitary gland, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and frontal cortex. We have also examined carcass yields, composition, and meat quality to determine whether differences in HPA activity were accompanied by an increased incidence of meat quality characteristics associated with pale, soft, exudative (PSE) meat. Thirty boars either heterozygous or wild-type (n = 15 per genotype) for mutated sRyR were tested for HPA function at 7 mo of age. Heterozygous boars had lower basal plasma ACTH (P < .05) and cortisol (P < .04) concentrations. Integrated basal plasma ACTH and cortisol levels were also lower (P < .05 and P < .005, respectively). Genotype had no significant effect on basal CBG, stressor-induced (nose snare or slaughter) or dexamethasone suppression of plasma ACTH or cortisol concentrations. No differences in immunoreactive GR levels were found in the pituitary gland or any brain region examined. We did find a significant, negative correlation (r = -.62, P < .02) between peak (0800) basal plasma ACTH concentrations and hippocampal GR levels. The alterations in basal HPA function in heterozygous boars were accompanied by lighter body weights (P < .03), decreased carcass fat depth (P < .04), and increased carcass lean yields (P < .02). There was a higher incidence of meat quality characteristics associated with PSE meat in heterozygous boars indicated by higher carcass temperatures (P < .04) and meat brightness (P < .0001) with lower carcass pH at slaughter (P < .03) and after chilling (P < .003). In conclusion, we have found differences in basal and not stressor-induced HPA function between boars heterozygous and wild-type for mutated sRyR. This altered basal HPA activity was accompanied by an increased incidence of meat quality aspects associated with PSE meat in heterozygous boars.
The Calendar Anomalies of Stock Return in Thailand

This paper aims to examine the existence of calendar anomalies including month-of-year effect, turn-of-month effect, and weekend effect in Thai stock market. The stock return is computed from SET index during 1988 to 2009, and the SET50 index gathered since it was created in 1995. The unit root test is performed to ensure that the stock return series have no unit root. The multiple regression techniques using dummy variables are employed to test the difference of the return during each calendar anomalies period. If the regression model suffers from conditional heteroskedasticity, the GARCH (1,1) model will be used instead of normal ordinary least square regression. It was found that the calendar anomalies exist in Thai stock market. The return is abnormally high during December and January, which can be addressed to be the turn-of-year effect. The return during the turn-of-month period, which can be defined as the last trading day and the first four trading days of the following months, is also abnormally high. Finally, the return is also abnormally high on Fridays but abnormally low on Mondays, which is addressed as weekend effect. This may create the opportunity to make above-average profit to investors exploiting these calendar anomalies. Although these calendar anomalies may be difficult to be exploited in practice because of transaction costs and ability to replicate the stock index, the existing evidence of calendar anomalies can help investors as the clue for the timing of investment.
THE REINSURANCE DECISION IN LIFE INSURANCE FIRMS: AN EMPIRICAL TEST OF THE RISK-BEARING HYPOTHESIS

Several explanations have been advanced in the financial economics literature to explain the reinsurance decision in insurance firms. Prominent amongst these is the risk-bearing hypothesis which holds that reinsurance is motivated by the ability of residual claimants to effectively hedge against operational risk. Since the efficiency of risk-bearing is influenced by organisational factors, such as ownership structure and firm size, the amount of reinsurance should also vary according to the characteristics of insurance firms. This study tests empirically the hypothesis that reinsurance is related to firm-specific factors. Using 1988–1993 data gathered from New Zealand's life insurance industry, a fixed-effects covariance regression model is estimated. Consistent with expectations, the results indicate that reinsurance is associated with smaller and more highly leveraged life insurance entities, and companies with greater underwriting risk. However, contrary to predictions, it also appears that it is stocks and companies with diversified production that tend to reinsure. The risk-bearing hypothesis thus receives only partial support.
Where Does the Knowledge for Knowledge-intensive Industries Come From? The Case of Biotech in Prague and ICT in Ostrava

The primary aim of this paper is to contribute to current discussion, concerning the role of geography of knowledge sources in knowledge-intensive industries from the perspective of a post-communist country (the Czech Republic), with its specific cultural and historical heritage, as well as its specific institutional and policy context. The article analyses the extent, to which the theoretical conceptualization of analytical and synthetic knowledge bases could be relevant for the geography of knowledge sources, within the emerging ICT and biotech sectors, in two selected regions of the Czech Republic (Prague and Ostrava regions). Our findings confirm the existence of significant variation in the geography of knowledge sources, according to the type of knowledge base (analytical versus synthetic) and the type of knowledge itself (technological versus market knowledge). The article is an outcome of the international project “Constructing Regional Advantage: Towards State-of-the-art Regional Innovation Systems Policies in Europe? ”.
A Model for Managed Migration? Re-Examining Best Practices in Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program

This paper situates Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) within the policy and scholarly debates on ‘‘best practices’’ for the management of temporary migration, and examines what makes this programme successful from the perspective of states and employers. Drawing on extensive qualitative and quantitative study of temporary migration in Canada, this article critically examines this seminal temporary migration programme as a ‘‘best practice model’’ from internationally recognized rights-based approaches to labour migration, and provides some additional best practices for the management of temporary labour migration programmes. This paper examines how the reality of the Canadian SAWP measures up, when the model is evaluated according to internationally recognized best practices and migrant rights regimes. Despite all of the attention to building ‘‘best practices’’ for the management of temporary or managed migration, it appears that Canada has taken steps further away from these and other international frameworks. The analysis reveals that while the Canadian programme involves a number of successful practices, such as the cooperation between origin and destination countries, transparency in the admissions criteria for selection, and access to health care for temporary migrants; the programme does not adhere to the majority of best practices emerging in international forums, such as the recognition of migrants’ qualifications, providing opportunities for skills transfer, avoiding imposing forced savings schemes, and providing paths to permanent residency. This paper argues that as Canada takes significant steps toward the expansion of temporary migration, Canada’s model programme still falls considerably short of being an inspirational model, and instead provides us with little more than an idealized myth.
Real convergence in Europe. How robust are econometric inferences?

The paper examines the convergence properties of productivity in fifteen European countries over the period 1960-1997. European productivity is estimated using modified translog production systems with a completely general intertemporal structure. To capture the notion that trade may have an influence on aggregate convergence, imports are included in the production function. Stationarity tests are used to test for convergence around a common long-run trend, including unit root tests, the KPSS and Bayesian tests, as well as testing based on fractional differencing parameter estimation for long memory models. It is found that convergence inferences are sensitive to the type of test employed.
Transforming South Africa's racial bureaucracy: New Public Management and public sector reform in contemporary South Africa

The old school or ‘traditional’ model of public administration is under siege. For almost a century, it seemed to epitomize the summum of modern public management, bolstering the capacity and ability to impose order, grow and deliver services on a large scale for those states that came to adopt its precepts. Yet, with the waning of the twentieth century, traditional public management (OPM) has come under fire from both left and right, in advanced economies and in the developing contexts of the glibly stated ‘global South’. Too cumbersome and inflexible to address the increasingly diverse and fast-changing needs of modern economic and social systems, prone to stagnation, inefficiency or, even worse, corruption – OPM has been branded in need of serious reform and subjected to various processes of restructuring and change.
School Discipline and Social Work Practice: Application of Research and Theory to Intervention

Research has identified a relationship between school disciplinary actions and poor academic and psychosocial functioning of students subjected to them. The ways in which school discipline is a direct contributor to students’ academic and psychosocial difficulty needs to be further established empirically. Several theories, based in existing research and theory in sociology of education and educational psychology, have been proposed to explain the school discipline-student dysfunction relationship. They generally suggest three pathways: disciplinary actions may contribute to students’ psychological problems; student misbehavior may be encouraged through ineffective and unintentionally paradoxical learning experiences; and disciplinary practices may damage students’ relationship with school. School social workers and others working with children who have been disciplined at school can use these research findings and theories as an assessment framework to guide their interventions. The awareness of the iatrogenic potential of school discipline and informed assessment can support a range of evidence-based alternatives to school discipline.
Rubisco small-subunit α-helices control pyrenoid formation in Chlamydomonas

The pyrenoid is a subcellular microcompartment in which algae sequester the primary carboxylase, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). The pyrenoid is associated with a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM), which improves the operating efficiency of carbon assimilation and overcomes diffusive limitations in aquatic photosynthesis. Using the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, we show that pyrenoid formation, Rubisco aggregation, and CCM activity relate to discrete regions of the Rubisco small subunit (SSU). Specifically, pyrenoid occurrence was shown to be conditioned by the amino acid composition of two surface-exposed α-helices of the SSU: higher plant-like helices knock out the pyrenoid, whereas native algal helices establish a pyrenoid. We have also established that pyrenoid integrity was essential for the operation of an active CCM. With the algal CCM being functionally analogous to the terrestrial C4 pathway in higher plants, such insights may offer a route toward transforming algal and higher plant productivity for the future.