Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Participant Perceptions and Decision-Making Concerning Retirement Benefits

From 1964 until 2002, the State of Nebraska sponsored a defined contribution plan for its employees. During this period, the plan was unique among state pension plans because it was an individual account-type plan that offered participants the choice of a lump sum or annuity distribution upon retirement. Such a choice presents the opportunity to learn more about how individuals perceive financial risks and weigh various factors when deciding how to access their retirement benefits. This study reports the results of a new survey of Nebraska state workers who retired or terminated employment in 1997. The results offer a perspective on how individuals perceive their decisions 10 years later. The findings reveal three general themes. First, retirees tended to underestimate the financial risks associated with uninsured health care expenses. Sixty-five percent of retiree respondents said that they had initially underestimated such risk. Second, federal policies may influence the distribution decision. For example, many respondents cited tax penalties on lump sum distributions as a major factor in their decision, which is consistent with a high percentage choosing a nontaxable direct rollover distribution. Finally, the results provide a basis for cautious optimism that retirees will be able to successfully manage a present value sum distribution during retirement. Over 90 percent of retiree respondents reported that they were able to cover their living expenses 10 years after their retirement.
Diagnostic and prognostic values of anti glucose‐6‐phosphate isomerase antibodies in community‐recruited patients with very early arthritis

The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic and prognostic values of antiglucose‐6‐phosphate isomerase (GPI) antibodies in patients with very early arthritis. Anti‐GPI antibodies were measured by ELISA using purified GPI from rabbit muscle in: (i) 383 sera from healthy blood donors (n = 120), well‐established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 99) and non‐RA differentiated arthritis (NRADA) (n = 164) patients; (ii) 195 sera obtained from community‐recruited patients with very early inflammatory arthritis (VErA cohort) that were studied for 1 year and classified as having RA (n = 116), NRADA (n = 41), and undifferentiated arthritis (UA) (n = 38) after the follow‐up period. The criterion for severity was the progression of radiographic damage. Prevalence of anti‐GPI antibodies was significantly higher in well‐established RA patients (45·4%) compared to healthy subjects (2·5%). Anti‐GPI antibodies were also present in sera from NRADA: systemic lupus erythematosus 53%, polymyositis 45·4%, adult‐onset Still's disease 44%, systemic sclerosis 42·8%, spondylarthropathies 25% and primary Sjögren’s syndrome 5·8%. No significant association was found between the presence of anti‐GPI antibodies and the 3 diagnostic groups from the VErA cohort. No correlation was observed between anti‐GPI and autoantibodies usually associated with RA. Anti‐GPI antibodies were not predictive of radiological progression in patients with very early arthritis. Thus, anti‐GPI antibodies are not useful for discriminating RA from non‐RA rheumatic diseases and do not constitute a predictive factor of structural damage.
A Method for Finding Investor Through Internet Marketing Strategy

This study analyse the important contribution of the Internet through online marketing for commercialization university research. Most of the commercialization of university research focus on the spin-off company or licensing as the principles for commercialization of university research. However, this study deviates from previous studies as it focuses on the internet as the mechanism to identify the marketing strategy for finding investor through internet marketing strategy. In this paper we analyse the literatures review from the internet marketing strategy that can be used in marketing university research and inventions. This study argues stringently for more research need to be done about the importance of Internet in sourcing for income and capital through online marketing. This study also analyses the future of the Internet for the commercialization process of research universities in Malaysia. Overall this study contributes to the existing literature by examining in a more comprehensive way about the process of commercialization of university research using the Internet as the main mechanism.
Acute effects of ovariectomy on wound healing of alveolar bone after maxillary molar extraction in aged rats.

Acute effects of ovariectomy on the bone wound healing processes after maxillary molar extraction in aged rats were examined by means of quantitative scanning electron microscopy (SEM), backscattered electron image (BSE) analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis. Six-month-old female rats underwent either sham operation or bilateral ovariectomy, and 7 days postoperatively, the maxillary first molars were extracted. On post-extraction days 7, 30 and 60, the dissected maxillary bone surfaces were examined by SEM to reveal the bone formative and resorptive areas around the extracted alveolar sockets. In addition, the resin-embedded maxillae were micromilled in the transverse direction through the extracted alveolar sockets, and the newly-formed bone mass on the buccal bone surfaces and within the extracted sockets was examined by BSE analysis. Compared with sham-operated controls, the extent of newly-formed bone mass on the buccal bone surfaces in OVX rats was significantly decreased, due to increased bone resorption. On the other hand, new bone formation within the extracted sockets was similar in the experimental groups. In EDX microanalysis of these newly-formed bone matrices, both Ca and P weight % and Ca/P molar ratio were similar in the experimental groups. Our results suggest that 1) acute estrogen deficiency induced by ovariectomy stimulates sustained bone resorption, but has less effect on bone formation, and 2) bone wound healing after maxillary molar extraction within extracted alveolar sockets is not significantly delayed by ovariectomy, but bony support by newly-formed bone mass on the maxillary bone surfaces at the buccal side of the extracted sockets is significantly decreased, due to increased bone resorption.
Comparison of high and low doses of suxamethonium

In a double‐blind study, 67 young adult patients undergoing anaesthesia for dental extractions were allocated at random to receive either 0.5 mg/kg or 1.5 mg/kg suxamethonium. A greater increase in arterial pressure was seen following induction in the 1.5 mg/kg group, although overall intubating conditions were similar in the two groups. Suxamethonium‐associated muscle pains were significantly more common in the group which received the larger dose (p>0.05).
Innovations and Technological Spillovers

In this paper we analyze the evidence from a large number of studies on three specific questions pertaining to RD the social rates of return of RD the channels of transmissions have been exports, foreign direct investment, and multinational enterprises' research operations, the latter being the most dynamic agents of technology transfer. With the further globalization of business activities, international technology transfers will be a major source of new R&D spillovers.
Startups, Financing and Geography– Findings from a survey

This paper investigates the importance of bank loans for the financing of startups and how location matters for expansion plans and financing. We will show that there has not been sufficient attention paid to legal form when distinguishing between the external and internal financing of startups. The focus will be on the corporate form of business and the implications of this legal form for what can be considered external financing. In the analysis of how location matters, we will draw upon the literature about agglomeration and knowledge spillovers. The two main questions posed are: How does the corporate form matter for what can be considered the external financing of startups, and how does location matter for expansion plans and financing? To provide empirical answers to these questions, both survey data and registry data have been used. The survey data are from a questionnaire sent out to startups listed in the files of the Swedish Jobs and Society Foundation. We looked at corporations founded during the period 2009-2013 that family firms in terms of ownership structure. The survey indicated that bank loans are rare and had to be backed up with personal assets used as collateral and personal guarantees of repayment for the majority of the firms who had used bank loans. Essentially, the entrepreneur personally takes most of the business risk. Bank loans have, to a large extent, the character of internal financing. Combining registry data with the qualitative data from the survey, we used regression analysis to further study differences due to location. The regression analysis showed that the degree of urbanization matters for plans for expansion. In the three most urbanized areas, the startup firms had plans to expand their business both at home and abroad. In the other urbanized areas, the focus was on expansion at home.
Board structure and intellectual capital performance in South Africa

This article examines the relationship between board structure and the intellectual capital performance of South African publicly listed companies. Board composition was analysed in terms of gender and ethnic diversity, using cross‐sectional multiple regressions. The population of the study included all South African companies listed on the JSE Securities Exchange during 2003. The final sample, after the transformation of the data, consisted of 117 companies. The empirical results indicated a positive significant relationship between the percentage of ethnic members on the companies’ boards of directors and intellectual capital performance. Based on the results of this study, it is argued that South African publicly listed companies may be able to enhance their intellectual capital performance by using an ethnically diverse board of directors.
Do investing cash flows help in explaining future corporate performance?

ABSTRACT Prior research in the finance area offers wide evidence of the impact of investments on corporate performance. Building on this evidence, this paper investigates whether financial statements, particularly the cash flow statement, provide users with relevant information on investment transactions. Using a sample of UK companies we document two main facts. First, cash flow statements convey valuable information on corporate investments (i.e. investing cash flows) that help users in assessing future firm cash flows. Second, information on those investments that were not financed with cash is also relevant when assessing the future prospects of the firm, though it is not reflected in the face of the financial statements. Our results suggest that, even in the UK, where most investments are financed with cash, valuable information on investments is missed from the cash flow statement.
Barriers to Implementing ITIL-A Multi-Case Study on the Service-based Industry

ABSTRACT This paper reports the findings of a multi-case study on three service-based companies. It intends to highlight the difficulties that the customer service centers of these companies had in their attempt to implement IT infrastructure library to improve organizational efficiency. The study was designed to collect data related to the barriers to investment in information technology infrastructure library (ITIL) across service and process. The main research method involved interviews in the organizational settings. The framework of balanced scorecard (BSC) was used to collect the data. Results of the multi-case study showed that the ITIL downsides were: 1) incongruence between quality improvement and customer’s expectation, 2) inefficiency in meeting customer’s needs, 3) conflicts between standardized processes and unanticipated requests, 5) lack of autonomy and calcified learning scope, and 6) people lacking integrative capability. Keywords: Total Quality Management, IT Service, ITIL
The Study of CEO Compensation System in American Health Companies: An Analysis between CEO Compensation, Firm Size, Accounting Performance, and Corporate Accounting Performance

This study investigated the CEO compensation system of the American health sector. It attested the relationship between the CEO compensation, the firm size, the accounting firm performance, and the corporate governance from the period 2005 to the period 2010. The research question for this study was: is there a relationship between the CEO cash compensation, the firm size, the accounting firm performance, and the corporate governance in the American health companies? It was found that there was a relationship between the CEO salary, the CEO bonus, the CEO total compensation, the firm size, the accounting firm performance, and the corporate governance in the American health companies.
Uniform approach to risk classification and treatment assignment for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PURPOSE To define more uniform criteria for risk-based treatment assignment for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored a workshop in September 1993. Participants included representatives from the Childrens Cancer Group (CCG), Pediatric Oncology Group (POG), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), St Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH), and the CTEP. METHODS Workshop participants presented and reviewed data from ALL clinical trials, using weighted averages to combine outcome data from different groups. RESULTS For patients with B-precursor (ie, non-T, non-B) ALL, the standard-risk category (4-year event-free survival [EFS] rate, approximately 80%) will include patients 1 to 9 years of age with a WBC count at diagnosis less than 50,000/microL. The remaining patients will be classified as having high-risk ALL (4-year EFS rate, approximately 65%). For patients with T-cell ALL, different treatment strategies have yielded different conclusions concerning the prognostic significance of T-cell immunophenotype. Therefore, some groups/institutions will classify patients with T-cell ALL as high risk, while others will assign risk for patients with T-cell ALL based on the uniform age/WBC count criteria. Workshop participants agreed that the risk category of a patient may be modified by prognostic factors in addition to age and WBC count criteria, and that a common set of prognostic factors should be uniformly obtained, including DNA index (DI), cytogenetics, early response to treatment (eg, day-14 bone marrow), immunophenotype, and CNS status. CONCLUSIONS The more uniform approach to risk-based treatment assignment and to collection of specific prognostic factors should increase the efficiency of future ALL clinical research.
Determinants of Intention to Purchase Over the Internet

ABSTRACT More than 10 years on since the launch of the Internet, there are clear differential levels of adoption of the Internet for purchasing leisure travel across countries. In some countries, such as Portugal, only a minority of travel purchasing is conducted over the Internet. This paper aims to contribute to a greater understanding of adoption of purchasing over the Internet by evaluating the determinants of intention to adopt the Internet for purchasing leisure travel. A number of variables are used to assess which factors influence intention, including the attributes of purchasing over the Internet (relative advantage and complexity), involvement, and the stage in the e-commerce adoption path. Kruskal-Wallis and logistic regression were employed and the results indicated that relative advantage, involvement and stage in the e-commerce adoption path were important predictors of the intention to purchase leisure travel over the Internet, while complexity was not.
Pre-Earnings Announcement Drift

We present evidence of a predictable drift in stock prices before the earnings announcements of firms that announce their earnings later than other firms in their industry. We form portfolios based on the returns of later announcers that are implied by the abnormal returns of earlier announcers and the historical pair-wise covariance of the abnormal earnings announcement date returns of earlier and later announcers. A long-short trading strategy based on these implied returns generates monthly returns of more than 100 basis points. The drift is neither due to the well-known momentum effect nor a manifestation of post-earnings announcement drift; it is evident both between the earlier announcers’ earnings announcement dates and the later announcers’ earnings announcement dates and at the later announcers’ earnings announcement dates. The continued under-reaction after later announcers’ earnings announcements is shown to be an under-reaction to the later announcers’ own earnings announcements (i.e., post-earnings announcement drift) rather than a continued under-reaction to the earnings news of earlier announcers (i.e., pre-earnings announcement drift). We show that transaction costs explain the predictability of later announcers’ returns.
Delineation of the Clinical, Molecular and Cellular Aspects of Novel JAM3 Mutations Underlying the Autosomal Recessive Hemorrhagic Destruction of the Brain, Subependymal Calcification, and Congenital Cataracts

We have recently shown that the hemorrhagic destruction of the brain, subependymal, calcification, and congenital cataracts is caused by biallelic mutations in the gene encoding junctional adhesion molecule 3 (JAM3) protein. Affected members from three new families underwent detailed clinical examination including imaging of the brain. Affected individuals presented with a distinctive phenotype comprising hemorrhagic destruction of the brain, subependymal calcification, and congenital cataracts. All patients had a catastrophic clinical course resulting in death. Sequencing the coding exons of JAM3 revealed three novel homozygous mutations: c.2T>G (p.M1R), c.346G>A (p.E116K), and c.656G>A (p.C219Y). The p.M1R mutation affects the start codon and therefore is predicted to impair protein synthesis. Cellular studies showed that the p.C219Y mutation resulted in a significant retention of the mutated protein in the endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting a trafficking defect. The p.E116K mutant traffics normally to the plasma membrane as the wild‐type and may have lost its function due to the lack of interaction with an interacting partner. Our data further support the importance of JAM3 in the development and function of the vascular system and the brain.
Psychosocial correlates of mammography screening in older African American women.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To explore psychosocial correlates of older African American women's adherence to annual mammography screening, including cancer fatalism, dispositional optimism, social support, knowledge of breast cancer screening guidelines, perceptions of general health, and components of the Health Belief Model (HBM), and to examine factors associated with annual mammography screening. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING Central North Carolina. SAMPLE 198 African American women aged 50-98 years living in low-income housing. METHODS Women attended group sessions at low-income housing complexes and completed questionnaires. Differences between women who had or did not have a mammogram in the previous year were explored using correlate variables associated with the HBM. Stepwise multivariable regression models were fit to explore factors associated with social support and significant components of the HBM. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Demographics, cancer fatalism, dispositional optimism, social support, perceptions of general health, components of the HBM, and mammography in the past year. FINDINGS The groups did not differ by age, education, marital status, having a friend or family member with breast cancer, ever having had a clinical breast examination, self-rated health, cancer fatalism, dispositional optimism, or feelings about the seriousness of and their susceptibility to breast cancer. The groups differed significantly on mammogram-related variables, how often women should have clinical breast examinations, benefits and barriers to mammography screening, and social support. Stepwise multivariable regression analyses showed that dispositional optimism and social support were related significantly to perception of benefits; education, dispositional optimism, and cancer fatalism were related to barriers; and dispositional optimism was related to social support. CONCLUSIONS Older, low-income, African American women have perceived barriers to cancer screening, educational and cancer knowledge detriments, and a lack of health-related social support that may decrease adherence to mammography screening. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING The next step is to develop culturally appropriate educational interventions that increase knowledge about breast cancer and screening guidelines, enhance health-related social support, and address barriers and perhaps cancer fatalism in older, low-income, African American women.
Isolation and characterization of turbot (Scophtalmus maximus)-associated bacteria with inhibitory effects against Vibrio anguillarum

More than 400 isolates from the intestine and the external surface of farmed Scophtalmus maximus as well as from fish food and hatchery water were screened for inhibitory effects against the fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum HI 11345 and seven other fish pathogens. The bacteria with inhibitory effects were then characterized with regard to their sites of colonization, especially the intestinal regions and sites within each region. Of the total number of bacterial isolates from the intestine, 28% were inhibitory against V. anguillarum HI 11345. A marine biochemical assay was used to order the inhibitory strains into different phena. Most inhibitory bacteria were found in the rinse and mucus fractions of the gastrointestinal tract. No correlations among the different phena, site of colonization, and inhibitory effect could be found; however, a biochemical diversity was noted in the strains with an inhibitory effect. Of the isolates with an inhibitory effect against V. anguillarum HI 11345, 60% had an inhibitory effect on five other fish-pathogenic serotypes of V. anguillarum. Inhibitory effects of the isolates were also shown against Aeromonas salmonicida and Aeromonas hydrophila.
SKEWING OF PRETRANSPLANT ANTI-HLA CLASS I ANTIBODIES OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN G ISOTYPE SOLELY TOWARD IMMUNOGLOBULIN G1 SUBCLASS IS ASSOCIATED WITH POORER RENAL ALLOGRAFT SURVIVAL

Sensitized patients with lymphocytotoxic immunoglobulin (Ig)G anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies have an increased risk of rejection and poorer graft survival. Little is known, however, about the correlation between IgG antibody subclass and clinical outcomes. We identified 20 sensitized renal transplant recipients (panel reactive antibody >15%), all of whom had anti-HLA class I antibodies of an IgG isotype with known specificity before transplantation but who received a crossmatch negative graft. We analyzed the degree of skewing solely toward IgG1 (n=11) or to other IgG subclasses with or without IgG1 (n=9) and correlated these findings with graft survival. At last follow-up (median follow-up 28 months), 6 of 11 patients (55%) with anti-HLA antibodies skewed toward IgG1 had lost their grafts compared with 0 of 9 patients (0%) with anti-HLA antibodies not skewed toward IgG1 (P =0.01 log-rank test). Anti-HLA antibodies of an IgG1 subclass may be a novel marker predicting poor graft outcome.