Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Opportunities and limitations of contingent valuation surveys to determine national park entrance fees: evidence from Costa Rica

A contingent valuation method (CVM) survey to determine foreign and resident willingness to pay (WTP) for return visits to two different Costa Rican national parks was administered in 1995. WTP values were estimated for future entrance fees associated with proposed improvements to infrastructure and services in the Poas Volcano and the Manuel Antonio parks. Resulting logistic CVM models were statistically robust and mean WTP for entrance fees differed among the parks and were considerably higher than current fees. Results indicate that even in a developing country setting, the CVM is a useful tool to help determine park entrance fees in spite of the following methodological limitations which are recommended for further study: the need to include potential park visitors in survey samples; the lack of detailed information framing and contingent scenarios for park related WTP questions; and the threat of cultural-strategic biases when surveying residents of a developing country.
Start‐up and growth constraints on small‐scale trading in Bangladesh

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the reasons for starting the new small business by the people and also to find out the difficulties they experienced at the time of and after starting their business at Pabna and Gazipur – two districts of Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approach – To attain the objectives, both primary and secondary data have been used. To collect the primary data, an interview schedule has been used to interview the selected 250 small entrepreneurs. For secondary sources, the journal, article, web site, textbooks, etc. have been consulted.Findings – The paper reveals that money earning for family, self‐employment, relief from the curse of unemployment, family business tradition, previous experience of the similar or different line of business, lack of higher formal education, etc. are the broad general reasons for start‐up of new business. Shortage of fixed and working capital, lack of training and business skill, lack of collateral free institutional support, lack of ex.
An Integrated Agency-Resource Dependence View of the Influence of Directors' Human and Relational Capital on Firms' R&D Spending

In this paper, we contribute to the agency and corporate entrepreneurship literatures by focusing on board antecedents of research and development (R&D). Some researchers in this stream find outside directors negatively influence R&D spending, yet popular opinion suggests boards should be composed of outsiders, and at the same time, firms should be innovative and entrepreneurial. We begin to address this conflict by extending agency theory and incorporating resource dependence views in order to explore the influence of a wider range of director characteristics on R&D spending, a precursor of innovation and entrepreneurial activity. Our empirical results demonstrate that aspects of directors' human and relational capital (e.g. education, entrepreneurial finance experience, technical experience, and interlocks) significantly influence R&D spending. Our findings illustrate that boards can be configured to improve efficiencies, thereby reducing R&D spending, and/or to augment R&D spending. They reveal the merits of considering inside and outside directors separately and show how the independence (i.e. inside/outside status) of directors shapes the effect of their human and relational capital on R&D spending.
Environmentally Friendly Disposal Behaviour and Local Support Systems: Lessons from a metropolitan area

The amount of household refuse has steadily increased in Sweden. Strategies for household waste reduction include sorting, recycling, re-use and repair. Two categories of motivational factors determine disposal behaviour, external and internal. The external factors include administrative, economic, information and physical measures. The internal factors include knowledge, values and attitudes of individuals. Environmentally friendly disposal behaviour is best achieved when both external and internal motivational factors argue for performing activities benign to the environment. The data were collected by interviewing households and stakeholders in a metropolitan area and by studying the facilities for recycling and re-use there. The results show that over 80% of the inhabitants sorted most paper and glass; they were satisfied with the facilities and considered the behaviour important for the environment. The external motivational factors for this behaviour were very strong, with numerous bins and ample information. National policy, formulated in the eco-cycle bill with specified achievement levels, local responsibilities for organising waste management, supporting citizens with physical facilities, information and moti vational arguments, seems to be a successful combination when implementing environmental policy in this sector.
The Integration of Insurance and Taxes in Corporate Pension Strategy

This paper examines the implications of the joint effects of insurance and taxes for the optimal corporate pension strategy. It is shown that neither the "mini-max" nor the "maxi-min" strategy advocated by previous authors is necessarily best in corporate pension management. In the presence of capital market imperfections, the analysis via a single-period contingent-claims model indicates that optimal corporate pension strategy in both asset-allocation and funding decisions can be a noncorner interior solution. SINCE THE PASSAGE OF the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) in 1974, considerable attention has been given to the development of optimal strategies for corporate pension management. Under ERISA, the corporate pension liabilities have become parts of corporate liabilities and consequently the management of corporate pension plans has become an integral dimension of the overall corporate financial policy. At present, corporate pensions are subject to special tax treatments in the Internal Revenue Code as well as various ERISA regulations. Therefore, it is important to analyze the complex tradeoffs among various explicit and implicit benefits and costs in order to derive an optimal corporate pension strategy. Several important contributions in the area of corporate pension strategy have been developed in finance and economic literature. For instance, Sharpe [18] has shown that in the absence of taxes and under the current structure of a fixed insurance premium charged by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the "insurance effect" calls for the "mini-max" corporate pension strategy that involves a minimum level of pension-plan funding and a maximum level of pension investment in risky assets. Conversely, Black [1] and Tepper [19] have argued that, in the absence of default risk and pension insurance, the "tax effect" calls for the "maxi-min" corporate pension strategy that suggests a maximum level of plan funding and a minimum level of investment in the lowtax risky assets. In their recent work, Harrison and Sharpe [8] and Marcus [12] have shown that the corner solutions in pension strategy are optimal even when the insurance and tax effects are considered jointly. The purpose of this study is to examine the joint insurance and tax effects on corporate pension strategies in the presence of some relevant market imperfections. The single-period contingent-claim analysis is applied to examine these important effects on corporate pension strategies.
The Effects of Monetary Change on Relative Commodity Prices and the Role of Long-Term Contracts

The traditional explanation for the pattern of commodity price adjustment to monetary change, which stresses factors affecting the short-run elasticities of supply and demand in different markets, does not take into account price flexibility. This paper offers an explanation for the pattern of commodity price adjustment to monetary change based on differing degrees of price flexibility across industries, where price flexibility is determined by contract length. An extension to product markets of the theory of implicit long-term wage contracts leads to a simple hypothesis which explains the pattern of industry and sectoral price response to monetary change by implicit contract length, the latter being determined by relative price variability. Tests of this hypothesis across broad sectors and industries using postwar U.S. data produce favorable results. Also confirmed by the empirical evidence is the pattern of industry and sectoral price response to monetary change suggested by the tradition approach.
Review on Issues and Problems of Transferring Felda Land Ownership

Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) in Malaysia has been a successful land development agency for the past fifty-eight years. FELDA was established on 1 July 1956, it is the main government instrument in reducing rural poverty and rewarding of land ownership on an economic scale. Land ownership under FELDA is unique and different from usual because FELDA lands are subject to the Land Act (Group Settlement Area) 1960 and other common practice of land ownership are subject to the National Land Code 1965 (NLC). Now, most of the settler had received their land title after completing their payment to the FELDA. However, most of the first generation FELDA is passing away by the day due to old age. This situation has lead to the issue in the process of transferring FELDA land ownership to the next generation. Therefore, the objective of this article is to review the issues in the transfer of FELDA land ownership to the rightful heirs based on the previous studies and identify the mechanism for distribution of inheritance in FELDA land that has been discussed. Data in this article are obtained through observation of literature review based on previous studies. Based on the review of previous studies, it is found that there are three main problems to overcome with regards to this subject namely heir, legal and administration issues. The findings of this article showed that the most of the settlers had chosen to appoint administrators as FELDA land distribution mechanism than giving ownership directly to any of the heirs agreed to. Thus, the future research is needed in order to find a better solution for the problems of transferring FELDA land ownership including the second and third generation. A new model is needed to secure FELDA land ownership and to ensure the interest of second generation FELDA will be secured.
Parents, pre-schoolers and learning with technology at home: some implications for policy

Schemes that seek to ensure that children have access to technology at home have, so far, been aimed at children over the age of 8. However, there is likely to be an increasing policy interest in extending similar schemes to pre-school children given widespread commitment to the value of early intervention in children's education and family life. We draw on three research studies conducted by the authors to discuss the range of technologies that children encounter at home, the different forms their learning takes and family support for learning. We use these findings to provide starting points for considering the implementation of similar schemes for pre-school children and their parents in the future, identifying several questions to consider when developing policy on home access to technology for pre-schoolers: which technologies are most appropriate? Will access to technology at home lead to increased use? What roles do parents play in supporting learning? Which forms of learning are most likely to be promoted?
Using Indigenous Knowledge in Agricultural Development

This paper reviews three types of project scenarios: projects where local knowledge provided an improved approach to managing natural resources than proposed project technologies, projects that inadvertently ignored indigenous structures, and those projects whose success at meeting their objectives can be linked to the deliberate incorporation of indigenous knowledge components. According to the author, the literature shows that by understanding and working with indigenous knowledge and decision-making systems and indigenous organizations, participation, capacity-building, and sustainability all can be enhanced in cost-effective ways. The case for using indigenous knowledge in project work is straightforward. Technical solutions to unperceived problems are not readily adopted, new technologies that duplicate indigenous ones are superfluous, and ignoring local approaches to local problems is wasteful.
Evaluation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Acromegalic Patients Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in acromegalic patients. Methods: A study group of 29 patients with acromegaly and a control group of 38 age-matched healthy individuals were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. The study group was further divided by tumor size into two subgroups, a macroadenoma group and a microadenoma group. Serum growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) levels were detected at the time of ophthalmological examination in the study group. In both the study and control group, the RNFL thickness in the four quadrants was measured by optical coherence tomography. The relationship between GH and IGF-I levels and RNLF thickness was also evaluated. Results: The difference in mean RNLF thickness in all quadrants between the study and control groups was not statistically significant. In acromegalic patients with macroadenoma, the mean RNLF thickness of the inferior quadrant decreased significantly compared to both patients with microadenoma and healthy individuals (p = 0,032 and p = 0,046). GH and IGF-1 levels were not significantly correlated with the RNLF thickness in the study group. Conclusions: Excessive GH and IGF-1 levels do not affect the optic nerve or RNLF thickness, whereas the RNLF becomes thinner in the inferior quadrant in acromegalic patients with macroadenoma as a result of the chiasmal compression.
Detecting Respiratory Viruses in Asymptomatic Children

Background: Viral respiratory infections are among the most common reasons for hospitalization of children in the United States. Our objective was to compare molecular and conventional methods in a cohort of hospitalized children with and without symptoms of respiratory viral illness (RVI). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of infants and toddlers hospitalized between December 2007 and March 2008 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Five hundred sixty-nine of 641 patient visits (89%) were tested on admission. Conventional tests (immunochromatography, direct fluorescent antibody, shell vial and tube culture) were performed on all patients and nucleic acid tests (NATs) were performed on available samples (n = 306). Viruses were grouped into those routinely (group 1) and those not routinely (group 2) detected by conventional methods. Results: In children with RVI symptoms (n = 148), NATs identified a virus in 83% of specimens compared with 49% by conventional methods (P < 0.001), but detected a similar percentage of specimens with group 1 viruses (48.6% and 55.4%; P = 0.13) compared with conventional tests. In children without RVI symptoms (n = 158), NATs identified a virus in 41.7% of specimens compared with 4.4% by conventional tests (P < 0.001) and identified more group 1 viruses (9.5% and 4.4%; P = 0.03) compared with conventional tests. Group 2 viruses were identified by NATs in a similar percentage of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (25% and 32.3%; P = 0.20). Conclusions: Molecular assays may have several advantages over conventional methods for detecting respiratory viruses, including improved sensitivity and rapid detection, but given the high prevalence of positive results in children without RVI symptoms, results should be interpreted cautiously.
Forward Discount Bias: Is it an Exchange Risk Premium?

A common finding is that the forward discount is a biased predictor of future exchange rate changes. We use survey data on exchange rate expectations to decompose the bias into portions attributable to the risk premium and expectational errors. None of the bias in our sample reflects the risk premium. We also reject the claim that the risk premium is more variable than expected depreciation. Investors would do better if they reduced fractionally the magnitude of expected depreciation. This is the same result that many authors have found with forward market data, but now it cannot be attributed to risk.
Accounting Adjustments and the Valuation of Financial Statement Note Information in 10-K Filings

We examine the valuation of financial statement note information at the time of 10-K filings. We find that stock returns around 10-K filings are positively related to accounting adjustments calculated from financial statement note information. We further document that the likelihood of equity analysts issuing a report and updating their target price estimates at the 10-K dates is increasing in the magnitude of the adjustments. Those analysts who do update their target prices at this time revise their estimates consistent with the sign and magnitude of the adjustments. These findings are consistent with financial statement users utilizing financial statement note information to make accounting adjustments, thereby incorporating this information into stock prices.
Design of Step-Down Broadband and Low-Loss Ruthroff-Type Baluns Using IPD Technology

Ruthroff-type transmission line transformers (TLTs) and baluns prevail over their broadband and low-loss performance. A typical Ruthroff-type balun with a 1:4 step-up impedance transformation ratio was successfully presented using integrated passive devices (IPDs) process. Moreover, two proposed baluns with step-down impedance transformation ratios of 1:1 and 9:4 were developed by modifying the combination of one Ruthroff-type TLT and one Ruthroff-type balun. The two proposed impedance step-down baluns whose balanced impedance is lower than unbalanced impedance make Ruthroff-type balun more flexible for applications; meanwhile, fabricating the baluns using IPD process can help to enhance the low-loss performance. The measured results show that the proposed 1:1 balun exhibits an insertion loss of 0.46 dB with 1-dB fractional bandwidth of 138.9%, and the proposed 9:4 balun exhibits an insertion loss of 0.75 dB with 1-dB fractional bandwidth of 72.4%. The chip areas of the proposed 1:1 and 9:4 baluns, including the pads, are 0.6 and 0.64 mm2, respectively. The two proposed baluns are the first on-chip step-down Ruthroff-type baluns and having an option of center tap, which is highly contributive to wideband and high-efficiency power amplifier design.
What is SIBO: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is characterized by an overgrowth of various types of bacteria in the small intestine, bacteria which are largely only found in the colon. SIBO was initially thought of as a rare condition; however, it is now recognized as a more prevalent digestive disorder than previously acknowledged. A meta-analysis has shown the prevalence of SIBO to be approximately 64% among patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). [1] The symptoms of SIBO vary, from mild (constipation, gas, bloating) to suffering from chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and malabsorption. It has been realized that the symptoms of SIBO closely overlap symptoms of IBS, which allows for most patients to be wrongly diagnosed with IBS.
Increased Resistance to Taenia crassiceps Murine Cysticercosis in Qa-2 Transgenic Mice

ABSTRACT We previously reported important differences in resistance toTaenia crassiceps murine cysticercosis between BALB/c substrains. It was suggested that resistance might correlate with expression of the nonclassic class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Qa-2 antigen; BALB/cAnN is Qa-2 negative and highly susceptible to T. crassiceps, whereas BALB/cJ expresses Qa-2 and is highly resistant. In this study, we investigated the role of Qa-2 in mediating resistance to cysticercosis by linkage analysis and infection of Qa-2 transgenic mice. In BALB/cAnN × (C57BL/6J × BALB/cAnN)F1 and BALB/cAnN × (BALB/cJ × BALB/cAnN)F1 backcrosses, the expression of Qa-2 antigen correlated with resistance to cysticercosis. Significantly fewer parasites were recovered from infected Qa-2 transgenic male and female mice than from nontransgenic mice of similar genetic background. These results clearly demonstrate that the Qa-2 MHC antigen is involved in resistance to T. crassiceps cysticercosis.
The Decision-Making Mechanism of Regional Financial Institutions and the Utilization of Soft Information *

In this paper, we document a practice in the processes of loan screenings and term settings by regional financial institutions and the extent of the use of qualitative information in these processes based upon the data collected by our originally -designed questionnaire survey on financial institutions. With this dataset, we also conduct a statistical examination of the hypothesis presented by the existing theory, which predicts the positive correlation between the extent of the delegation of loan decision-making authorities to branches and the extent of the use of soft information. From the statistical analysis, we find a positive correlation, which is supportive of the hypothesis although the statistical significance is not so high. There is also a positive and statistically significant correlation between the asset size of financial institutions and the extent of the use of qualitative information. Our research shows that the results of the preceding empirical studies, which were designed upon the intuitive assumption that financial institutions with larger total assets have a more centralized decision-making system and their extent of the use of soft information is lower, should be interpreted with caution.
Are allopurinol dose and duration of use nephroprotective in the elderly? A Medicare claims study of allopurinol use and incident renal failure

Objective To assess the effect of allopurinol dose/duration on the risk of renal failure in the elderly with allopurinol use. Methods We used the 5% random Medicare claims data from 2006 to 2012. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analyses assessed the association of allopurinol dose/duration with subsequent risk of developing incident renal failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (no prior diagnosis in last 183 days) in allopurinol users, controlling for age, sex, race and Charlson–Romano comorbidity index. HRs with 95% CIs were calculated. Sensitivity analyses considered a longer baseline period (365 days), controlled for gout or used more specific codes. Results Among the 30 022 allopurinol treatment episodes, 8314 incident renal failure episodes occurred. Compared with 1–199 mg/day, allopurinol dose of 200–299 mg/day (HR 0.81; 95% CI 0.75 to 0.87) and ≥300 mg/day, 0.71 (0.67 to 0.76), had significantly lower hazard of renal failure in multivariable-adjustment model, confirmed in multiple sensitivity analyses. Longer allopurinol use duration was significantly associated with lower hazards in sensitivity analyses (365-day look-back; reference, <0.5 year): 0.5–1 year, 1.00 (0.88, 1.15); >1–2 years, 0.85 (0.73 to 0.99); and >2 years, 0.81 (0.67 to 0.98). Allopurinol ≥300 mg/day was also associated with significantly lower risk of acute renal failure and ESRD with HR of 0.89 (0.83 to 0.94) and 0.57 (0.46 to 0.71), respectively. Conclusions Higher allopurinol dose is independently protective against incident renal failure in the elderly allopurinol users. A longer duration of allopurinol use may be associated with lower risk of incident renal failure. Potential mechanisms of these effects need to be examined.