Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fund managers as cultured observers

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore how social forces are imposed on fund managers when they do their jobs of observing company information, in particular intellectual capital (IC) information. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses a qualitative research approach involving interviews with 14 fund managers in Stockholm. The empirical analysis and the theoretical discussion are influenced by a combination of system and network theories where social networks are built up by communication. Findings - Fund managers are influenced by the rationale of social networks when they reduce the complexity in company information. Three social forces emerged from the empirical data which influence fund managers when they deal with corporate information; the involvement of the organisational code, the market price and rationale, and the agenda surrounding a company. Furthermore, increased complexity of IC information does not seem to bother fund managers. The rationale of interacting social networks reduces this complexity in order for the information to make sense in its meaning-based reproduction. Originality/value - This paper argues that in order to deepen our understanding about the communication between companies and actors on the capital market we need to open up the issue of how complexity is dealt with. Based on the theoretical framework used in the study, information barriers become variables between the rationales of social networks.
Quality of Life After Self-Management Cancer Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Physical and Cognitive-Behavioral Training Versus Physical Training

Objective: To conduct a randomized controlled trial and compare the effects on cancer survivors’ quality of life in a 12-week group-based multidisciplinary self-management rehabilitation program, combining physical training (twice weekly) and cognitive-behavioral training (once weekly) with those of a 12-week group-based physical training (twice weekly). In addition, both interventions were compared with no intervention. Methods: Participants (all cancer types, medical treatment completed ≥3 months ago) were randomly assigned to multidisciplinary rehabilitation (n = 76) or physical training (n = 71). The nonintervention comparison group consisted of 62 patients on a waiting list. Quality of life was measured using the RAND-36. The rehabilitation groups were measured at baseline, after rehabilitation, and 3-month follow-up, and the nonintervention group was measured at baseline and 12 weeks later. Results: The effects of multidisciplinary rehabilitation did not outperform those of physical training in role limitations due to emotional problem (primary outcome) or any other domains of quality of life (all p > .05). Compared with no intervention, participants in both rehabilitation groups showed significant and clinically relevant improvements in role limitations due to physical problem (primary outcome; effect size (ES) = 0.66), and in physical functioning (ES = 0.48), vitality (ES = 0.54), and health change (ES = 0.76) (all p < .01). Conclusions: Adding a cognitive-behavioral training to group-based self-management physical training did not have additional beneficial effects on cancer survivors’ quality of life. Compared with the nonintervention group, the group-based self-management rehabilitation improved cancer survivors’ quality of life. PT = physical training; CBT = cognitive-behavioral training; PT+CBT = physical training plus cognitive-behavioral training; WLC = waiting-list comparison; QoL = quality of life; ANOVA = analysis of variance; ES = effect size.
The neuropathic postural tachycardia syndrome.

BACKGROUND The postural tachycardia syndrome is a common disorder that is characterized by chronic orthostatic symptoms and a dramatic increase in heart rate on standing, but that does not involve orthostatic hypotension. Several lines of evidence indicate that this disorder may result from sympathetic denervation of the legs. METHODS We measured norepinephrine spillover (the rate of entry of norepinephrine into the venous circulation) in the arms and legs both before and in response to exposure to three stimuli (the cold pressor test, sodium nitroprusside infusion, and tyramine infusion) in 10 patients with the postural tachycardia syndrome and in 8 age- and sex-matched normal subjects. RESULTS At base line, the mean (+/-SD) plasma norepinephrine concentration in the femoral vein was lower in the patients with the postural tachycardia syndrome than in the normal subjects (135+/-30 vs. 215+/-55 pg per milliliter [0.80+/-0.18 vs. 1.27+/-0.32 nmol per liter], P=0.001). Norepinephrine spillover in the arms increased to a similar extent in the two groups in response to each of the three stimuli, but the increases in the legs were smaller in the patients with the postural tachycardia syndrome than in the normal subjects (0.001+/-0.09 vs. 0.12+/-0.12 ng per minute per deciliter of tissue [0.006+/-0.53 vs. 0.71+/-0.71 nmol per minute per deciliter] with the cold pressor test, P=0.02; 0.02+/-0.07 vs. 0.23+/-0.17 ng per minute per deciliter [0.12+/-0.41 vs. 1.36+/-1.00 nmol per minute per deciliter] with nitroprusside infusion, P=0.01; and 0.008+/-0.09 vs. 0.19+/-0.25 ng per minute per deciliter [0.05+/-0.53 vs. 1.12+/-1.47 nmol per minute per deciliter] with tyramine infusion, P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS The neuropathic postural tachycardia syndrome results from partial sympathetic denervation, especially in the legs.
Role of the Escherichia coli Nucleotide Excision Repair Proteins in DNA Replication

ABSTRACT DNA polymerase I (PolI) functions both in nucleotide excision repair (NER) and in the processing of Okazaki fragments that are generated on the lagging strand during DNA replication.Escherichia coli cells completely lacking the PolI enzyme are viable as long as they are grown on minimal medium. Here we show that viability is fully dependent on the presence of functional UvrA, UvrB, and UvrD (helicase II) proteins but does not require UvrC. In contrast, ΔpolA cells grow even better when theuvrC gene has been deleted. Apparently UvrA, UvrB, and UvrD are needed in a replication backup system that replaces the PolI function, and UvrC interferes with this alternative replication pathway. With specific mutants of UvrC we could show that the inhibitory effect of this protein is related to its catalytic activity that on damaged DNA is responsible for the 3′ incision reaction. Specific mutants of UvrA and UvrB were also studied for their capacity to support the PolI-independent replication. Deletion of the UvrC-binding domain of UvrB resulted in a phenotype similar to that caused by deletion of the uvrC gene, showing that the inhibitory incision activity of UvrC is mediated via binding to UvrB. A mutation in the N-terminal zinc finger domain of UvrA does not affect NER in vivo or in vitro. The same mutation, however, does give inviability in combination with the ΔpolA mutation. Apparently the N-terminal zinc-binding domain of UvrA has specifically evolved for a function outside DNA repair. A model for the function of the UvrA, UvrB, and UvrD proteins in the alternative replication pathway is discussed.
The Relationship between E-Commerce Adoption and Organization Performance

E-commerce is growing up very fast all over the world and become important issues in many studies. Thetourism industry is the second largest contributor to the economy after the manufacturing sector in Malaysia.Therefore E-commerce cannot be excluded as this technology has huge impact on tourism industry. This paperaddresses the role of E-commerce usage for achieving organizational capabilities among hotel in Malaysia. Thefinding shows the E-commerce business network is higher with a mean 3.48. The study also found that there is acorrelation between organization performance with E-commerce business network, and E-commercecompetency. This research also employs stepwise regression analysis to look at dominant factor in predictingorganizational performance. This research contribute to both academic research and management practice as itprovide comprehensive impact of how E-commerce adoption on organizational performance at least in case ofTourism industry in a small developing economy like Malaysia.
Prevalence and susceptibility of vaginal yeast isolates in Jordan

Summary. The prevalence of vaginal yeast species has been studied in 140 women (41 pregnant, 66 infertile and 33 healthy controls) attending a gynaecological private clinic in Amman, Jordan. Yeast species were isolated from pregnant (68.2%), infertile (51.5%) and healthy control (48.4%) women. Patients manifesting one, two or three symptoms of vulvovaginitis were 22.1%, 26.8% or 24.2% respectively. Asymptomatic cases and cases with more than three symptoms were 22.4% and 4.5% respectively. Candida albicans was the dominant species (in 51.3% of the patients) followed by C. glabrata (17.9%). The percentage occurrence as well as the pattern of Candida species differed among the different groups of patients. Candida kefyr was found to be significantly higher in the infertile women. In vitro sensitivity tests using amphotericin B, nystatin, miconazole nitrate and chlorhexidine were carried out; amphotericin B was the most effective and miconazole nitrate the least.
Hormone therapy and hemostasis among postmenopausal women: a review

ObjectivePostmenopausal hormone therapy (HT), which consists of exogenous estrogens with or without combined progestogens, remains the most effective treatment of climacteric symptoms. Depending on its characteristics, it may nevertheless increase the risk of venous thromboembolism, and its effects on hemostasis have been studied for several decades. The aim of this review was to summarize current knowledge on the effects of HT on hemostasis, taking into account the route of estrogen administration, the daily dose and chemical structure of estrogens, and the pharmacologic class of progestogens. MethodsData from randomized controlled trials that included a control group (either placebo or no treatment) were selected, and analysis was conducted on different generations of biomarkers. ResultsOverall, studies showed a hemostasis imbalance among oral estrogen users with a decrease in coagulation inhibitors and an increase in markers of activation coagulation, leading to global enhanced thrombin generation. By contrast, transdermal estrogen use was associated with less change in hemostasis variables and did not activate coagulation and fibrinolysis. No clear difference in HT effects on hemostasis was highlighted between daily doses of estrogens, between estrogen compounds, and between pharmacologic classes of progestogens. ConclusionsChanges in hemostasis are in accordance with clinical results showing an increased thrombotic risk with oral—but not transdermal—estrogen use.
Critical values for an F-test for cointegration in a multivariate model

Critical values for a test for cointegration are generated based on the joint significance of the levels terms in an error-correction equation. It is shown that the appropriate critical values are higher than those derived from the standard F-distribution. The power properties of this test are compared with those of the Engle–Granger (Econometrica, 55, 251–76, 1987) test and Kremers et al.'s (Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 54(3), 325–48, 1992) t-test based on the t-statistic from an error-correction equation. The F-test has higher power than the Engle–Granger test but lower power than the t-form of the error-correction test. However, the F-form of the test has the advantage that its distribution is independent of the parameters of the problem being considered. Finally, a test is considered for cointegration between UK and US interest rates. It is shown that the F-test rejects the null of no cointegration between these variables although the Engle–Granger test fails to do so.
The governance role of the financial information: empirical evidence in the Tunisian context

This paper examines the sensitivity of the governance mechanisms to the financial information quality in an emerging context which is the Tunisian market. It focuses mainly on the characteristics of the board of directors and the ownership structure in order to determine the principal governance mechanisms in the Tunisian firms. Using a multivariate analysis of variance for a sample of 22 firms listed on the Tunis Stock Exchange, we find that the accounting quality affects the implementation of the governance mechanisms in the Tunisian firms. Particularly, the irrelevance of the financial reporting increases the control by the foreigners, the families and the blockholders and reduces the presence of the State and the financial institutions in the Tunisian firms. Our findings confirm the governance role of the accounting information in the Tunisian market.
Deep Pockets, Extreme Preferences: Explaining Persistent Differences in Electoral Contributions Across Industries

When considering contributions to electoral campaigns in the U.S., a puzzling regularity is that some industries tend to spend significantly more than others. To explain this evidence, we present a simple theoretical model in which interest groups finance politicians that require funding for campaign advertising in exchange for policy favors. Our model predicts that interest groups with more extreme preferences will devote a greater amount of resources to campaign financing. The empirical evidence, based on data from the U.S. House elections between 2000 and 2004, strongly supports this finding.
Accuracy of Clinician Assessments of Medication Status in the Emergency Setting: A Comparison of Clinician Assessment of Antipsychotic Usage and Plasma Level Determination

Purpose The present study aimed to assess the level of agreement between clinicians’ routine assessments of medication status and plasma levels of commonly prescribed antipsychotic medications in patients presenting to an emergency room with an exacerbation of psychosis. Methods We studied 105 patients presenting to an emergency room and admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar I disorder, or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified and a prior outpatient medication regimen including risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole, or paliperidone. Plasma levels of antipsychotics were drawn and sent to a specialty laboratory for testing. Findings Of the 97 patients with usable samples, 33 (34%) were found to have therapeutic antipsychotic levels. Of these, 22 were judged by emergency room staff to be taking their medications at the appropriately prescribed doses, whereas 11 were judged not to be taking medication at all. Sixty-four patients were found to have subtherapeutic antipsychotic levels, 31 of whom had been assessed to be taking medication as prescribed. Emergency assessment of medication status predicted therapeutic and nontherapeutic antipsychotic levels at rates of 41.5% and 75%, respectively. Emergency staff assessment was statistically independent from the likelihood of having a therapeutic antipsychotic level. Implications In patients presenting to emergency rooms with exacerbations of psychosis who are subsequently admitted to an inpatient facility, common assessments of medication status are frequently misleading. Readily available methods for rapidly measuring antipsychotic plasma levels in clinical settings are needed for clinicians to make reliable assessments.
Central Bank Accountability and Transparency: Theory and Some Evidence

The first part of this paper outlines the concept of democratic accountability of central banks, and compares the legal accountability of the ECB with some other central banks (Bank of Canada, Bank of Japan, Bank of England and the Federal Reserve System). In the second part, we present a theory of central bank accountability. Two aspects of accountability are considered: transparency of actual monetary policy and the question of who bears final responsibility for monetary policy. The paper shows that accountability through transparency leads to a lower expected rate of inflation and less stabilization of supply shocks. Accountability through shifting final responsibility in the direction of the government leads to higher inflationary expectations and more stabilization of supply shocks.
Elite Preferences in a Consolidating Democracy: The Brazilian Legislative Surveys, 1990–2009

Abstract This article examines key ideological, economic, and institutional preferences of the Brazilian political elite in the first 25 years of the country's present democratic regime. Introducing the unified dataset of the Brazilian Legislative Surveys, it examines several crucial dimensions of politicians' attitudes, including elite placement on a traditional left-right scale, preferences concerning the fundamental economic model, direct comparisons of the recent Cardoso and Lula governments, and orientations toward Brazil's global and regional projection. On many of the central issues, attitudes have remained stable, but on the dimensions that have seen notable change, nearly all the change has been in the direction of decreasing polarization. In contrast to the experience of some neighboring countries, the Brazilian case demonstrates that the sustained practice of democracy can lead to attitudinal convergence and macro-political stability, even when the initial political and socioeconomic conditions appear daunting.
Works Councils in Germany: Their Effects on Establishment Performance

Works councils are the most important pillar of workplace industrial relations in Germany but little is known of their economic effects. The paper uses a modern, large-scale dataset to examine this issue. Consonant with recent applied theoretical conjectures, it is found that works councils are associated with reduced labour fluctuation, higher productivity (in larger establishments only), and no reduction in innovative activity. Yet they are also associated with lower profitability and higher wages. This concatenation of results, although not inconsistent with efficiency, underscores the need for closer investigation of the institution given actual and prospective EU works council mandates. Copyright 2001 by Oxford University Press.
Improving major amputation rates in the multicomplex diabetic foot patient: focus on the severity of peripheral arterial disease

Objective: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), as well as diabetic neuropathy, is a risk factor for the development of diabetic foot ulcers. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences and predictors of outcome parameters in patients with diabetic foot by stratifying these subjects according to the severity of PAD. Research design and methods: In a prospective study, patients with new diabetic foot ulcers have been treated and investigated by structured healthcare. Subjects were recruited between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2007. All study participants underwent a 2-year follow-up observation period. The patients underwent a standardized examination and classification of their foot ulcers according to a modification of the University of Texas Wound Classification System. The severity of PAD was estimated by measurement of the ankle brachial index (ABI) and the continuous wave Doppler flow curve into undisturbed perfusion (0.9 < ABI < 1.3), compensated perfusion (0.5 < ABI < 0.9), decompensated perfusion (ABI < 0.5) and medial arterial calcification. Results: A total of 678 patients with diabetic foot were consecutively included into the study (69% male, mean age 66.3 ± 11.0 years, mean diabetes duration 15.8 ± 10.2 years). Major amputations (above the ankle) were performed in 4.7% of the patients. 22.1% of these subjects had decompensated PAD. These subjects had delayed ulcer healing, higher risk for major amputation [odds ratio (OR) 7.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.8–21.2, p < 0.001] and mortality (OR 4.9, 95 % CI 1.1–22.1, p < 0.05). Conclusion: This prospective study shows that the severity of PAD significantly influences the outcome of diabetic foot ulcers regarding to wound healing, major amputation and mortality.
Psychological effects of a cosmetic education programme in patients with breast cancer.

Treatments for breast cancer often include interventions related to psychosocial issues such as negative body image, loss of femininity, and low self-esteem. We identified the psychological effects of a cosmetics education programme in patients with breast cancer. Cosmetic programme is a specific care designed to help patients handle appearance-related side effects. Thirty-one women with breast cancer at a university hospital in South Korea who received a cosmetics education programme were compared with 29 subjects in a control group who received the treatment as usual. Psychological factors including distress, self-esteem, and sexual functioning were assessed three times (before and after the programme, and at the 1-month follow-up). After the programme, patients in the treatment group were significantly less likely than those in the control group to rely on distress (P = 0.038) and avoidance coping (P < 0.001) but not on self-esteem. The mean scores in the treatment group for sexual functioning were higher than those in the control group after the treatment. Our results suggest the potential usefulness of a brief cosmetics education programme for reducing distress and reliance on negative coping strategies. Implementing a cosmetics programme for patients with breast cancer may encourage patients to control negative psychological factors.
Is Job Stability Declining in the U.S. Economy?

Using Current Population Survey data, the authors examine changes in job stability during the 1980s. For consecutive four-year periods during 1979–91, they present estimates of four-year retention rates for workers with varying levels of employer-specific seniority. Retention rates of low-seniority workers rose between 1979–83 and 1983–87 but fell between 1983–87 and 1987–91. Retention rates for 1987–91 were typically lower than those for 1979–83, suggesting a secular decline in job stability during the 1980s.
Incursion of non‐professionals into property management practice in Nigeria

Purpose – The paper seeks to identify the factors that are responsible for the incursion of non‐professionals, otherwise called quacks, into property management practice in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approach – Primary data were collected with the aid of questionnaires served on 270 estate surveying firms based in the study area. The proportion method was used to determine the factors that are significantly responsible for the daily incursion of non‐professionals whose activities have negatively affected real estate investment in the country.Findings – The result shows that the high income derivable from property management practice is a major factor. Other factors in their perceived order of importance include provision of unsatisfactory and less than standard service by estate surveyors, lack of confidence by clients on the estate surveyor to evict erring tenants and shortage of qualified personnel.Research limitations/implications – Obtaining the perception of practitioners could subject the findings o.
A strategic motivation for commodity bundling

The analytical literature on commodity bundling explains the practice of selling two or more differentiated products in a single package as a surrogate for direct price discrimination. In contrast, this paper shows that imperfect competition creates a strategic incentive to bundle. The profitability of bundling, whether it adversely affects rival producers, and whether it yields an overall efficiency gain depends inter alia on the nature of product market competition. The role of complementarity in explaining why firms bundle is also explored. Copyright 1990 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.