Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do markets value companies’ social and environmental activity? An inquiry into associations among social disclosure, social performance and financial performance

In the context of a changing world, and faced with a scientific analysis that unequivocally links corporate activity with climactic changes which might threaten humankind, any study of financial reporting needs to be placed in perspective. If the science is correct, then it is the contention of this thesis that capital market activity is complicit in the destruction of the Earth’s biosphere and that accounting, in terms of the rules that govern corporate activity and the financial reporting, is an essential link in this chain. Previous research has sought to demonstrate links among social disclosure, social performance and financial performance and this thesis seeks to extend that literature by conducting two further studies, not to aid investors in their quest for further abnormal returns, but to understand the potential for financial markets to contribute to responsible business practice and the quest for sustainable development. The first study was a statistical examination of the relationships between social and environmental disclosures and market performance of the UK’s largest companies. It utilised longitudinal and cross-sectional data over a 10 year period and was tested for linear and non-linear relationships. As expected, no direct relationship between share returns and social disclosure was detected but, on further examination, the longitudinal data revealed a relationship between consistently high (or low) returns and a predisposition to high (or low) disclosure. The second study was a qualitative, interview based inquiry into what companies report in terms of social and environmental information and how markets gather and utilise that information. Senior executives from twelve FTSE companies were interviewed to gain an understanding of why this practice had grown so significantly over the last two decades, who their intended audience might be and the place such information had in their interactions with capital markets. Thereafter, senior executives from three Mutual Assurance Companies were interviewed to seek an understanding of the nature of information they required, and upon which their investment decisions were based. The findings of this study confirmed that social and environmental issues are of limited interest to markets except where they can be identified as relevant in terms of risk or governance. It also confirmed that there is a strong PR motivation in releasing social and environmental reports, which has little to do with improving social performance. On the market side there was confirmation that financial returns, even in ethical funds, were the main driver behind portfolio selection. The rather depressing conclusion from these studies is that serious moral and ethical issues are eschewed by companies and markets alike, where the focus remains on short-term performance measures.
Making Your Managers Work Through Penalties?

Incentive schemes for managers are the object of widespread research. After a short survey of standard tools to make managers work harder we present a simple formal model to check whether penalties for non-performance could be an alternative way to provide incentives. This possibility has been overlooked in the literature although stipulating fines in a labour contract of top managers would be permitted in many legal systems. We show that the use of penalties leads to the same expected revenue for the shareholders.
Determinant Factors of Women’s Participation in Functional Adult Literacy Programme in Bahir Dar Zuria Woreda, North West Ethiopia

Functional Adult Literacy Programme has a central role to play in boosting the social, economical and political development of the country in general and the beneficiaries in particular. It is apparent that the government of Ethiopia makes tremendous efforts to reduce the rate of illiteracy and enhance new skills to improve standard of living for adult learners through Functional Adult Literacy programme in the country. Nevertheless, studies and reports show that literacy rate and participation of women in Functional Adult Literacy Programme across location are insignificant in magnitude. Therefore, the aim of the present study was designed to identify factors affecting women’s participation in functional adult literacy related to socio-demographic and organizational factors at Bahir Dar Zuria Woreda, North West Ethiopia. Quantitative research approach with descriptive survey research design was employed. About 184 registered women were selected from 3 rural kebeles of Literacy Centers through simple random sampling with lottery techniques by taking their names from the total number of registered women. Descriptive statistics, univariate and multiple binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine the effect of factors on the outcome variable and to control possible confounders. Statistical tests were done at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that 65 (35.3%) and 119 (64.7%) of respondents were participant and non-participant women in Functional Adult Literacy Centers respectively. Results on multiple logistic regression provided that married women (AOR = 0.135 [95% CI: 0.024 - 0.758]) and divorced women (AOR = 0.054 [95% CI: 0.006 - 0.529]) both relative to widowed women; high work load (AOR = 3.326 [95% CI: 1.261 - 8.768]) relative to low work load; and class schedule conflict (AOR = 8.009 [95% CI: 3.190 - 20.11]) relative to no class schedule conflict have significant association. Local government body in collaboration with Adult Education Bureau is recommended to provide massive awareness creation about gender equality for adult learners and the local communities.
Influence of calcium on the proteolytic degradation of the calmodulin‐like skin protein (calmodulin‐like protein 5) in psoriatic epidermis

Abstract: The calmodulin‐like skin protein (CLSP) or so‐called calmodulin‐like protein 5, a recently discovered skin‐specific calcium‐binding protein, is closely related to keratinocyte differentiation. The 16‐kDa protein is proteolytically degraded in the upper layers of the stratum corneum (SC) of healthy skin. With the use of specific new monoclonal antibodies to CLSP, we were able to demonstrate that the abnormal elevated levels of CLSP, characteristic of psoriatic epidermis, were probably not due to an overexpression of the protein, but most likely the result of its non‐degradation. Further in vitro experiments using recombinant CLSP and in situ data clearly showed that calcium protected and chelator accelerated CLSP degradation. These data indicate that CLSP degradation in the SC of psoriatic skin might be hindered by the abnormally elevated calcium concentration. No degradation of CLSP in psoriatic epidermis keeping its ability to bind protein as transglutaminase 3 may have a physiological role in skin diseases such as psoriasis.
Distributed Multiuser Computation Offloading for Cloudlet-Based Mobile Cloud Computing: A Game-Theoretic Machine Learning Approach

In this paper, we investigate the problem of multiuser computation offloading for cloudlet-based mobile cloud computing in a multichannel wireless contention environment. The studied system is fully distributed so that each mobile device user can make the offloading decisions based only on its individual information, and without information exchange. We first formulate this multiuser computation offloading decision making problem as a noncooperative game. After analyzing the structural property of the formulated game, we show that it is an exact potential game, and has at least one pure-strategy Nash equilibrium point (NEP). To achieve the NEPs in a fully distributed environment, we propose a fully distributed computation offloading (FDCO) algorithm based on machine learning technology. We then theoretically analyze the performance of the proposed FDCO algorithm in terms of the number of beneficial cloudlet computing mobile devices and the system-wide execution cost. Finally, simulation results validate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm compared with counterparts.
Emergency department transfers and transfer relationships in United States hospitals.

OBJECTIVES The objective was to describe transfers out of hospital-based emergency departments (EDs) in the United States and to identify different characteristics of sending and receiving hospitals, travel distance during transfer, disposition on arrival to the second hospital, and median number of transfer partners among sending hospitals. METHODS Emergency department records were linked at transferring hospitals to ED and inpatient records at receiving hospitals in nine U.S. states using the 2010 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Emergency Department Databases and State Inpatient Databases, the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, and the Trauma Information Exchange Program. Using the Clinical Classification Software (CCS) to categorize conditions, the 50 disease categories with the highest transfer rates were studied, and these were then placed into nine clinical groups. Records were included where both sending and receiving records were available; these data were tabulated to describe ED transfer patterns, hospital-to-hospital distances, final patient disposition, and number of transfer partners. RESULTS A total of 97,021 ED transfer encounters were included in the analysis from the 50 highest transfer rate disease categories. Among these, transfer rates ranged from 1% to 13%. Circulatory conditions made up about half of all transfers. Receiving hospitals were more likely to be nonprofit, teaching, trauma, and urban and have more beds with greater specialty coverage and more advanced diagnostic and therapeutic resources. The median transfer distance was 23 miles, with 25% traveling more than 40 to 50 miles. About 8% of transferred encounters were discharged from the second ED, but that varied from 0.6% to 53% across the 50 conditions. Sending hospitals had a median of seven transfer partners across all conditions and between one and four per clinical group. CONCLUSIONS Among high-transfer conditions in U.S. EDs, patients are often transferred great distances, more commonly to large teaching hospitals with greater resources. The large number of transfer partners indicates a possible lack of stable transfer relationships between U.S. hospitals.
Financial outcomes of manufacturer brands: a scale development

vii Chapter One. Introduction. 1! 1.1 Background to the research . 1! 1.2 Research problem . 2! 1.3 Justification for the research . 2! 1.4 Methodology . 5! 1.5 Outline of the report . 5! 1.6 Delimitation of Study . 6! 1.7 Conclusion . 7! Chapter Two. Literature Review. 8! 2.
Parents' Reports Predict Abnormal Investigations in Global Developmental Delay

Aims. To identify symptoms reported by parents that predict abnormal laboratory investigations in preschoolers with global developmental delay (GDD). Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study of 81 boys and 38 girls, with a mean age of 43.5 months (SD = 13.4), with global developmental delay. All parents/guardians completed the following: (1) a semistructured interview about their child and family; (2) the Child Development Inventory (CDI); (3) the Possible Problems Checklist (PPC); and (4) the Child Behavior Checklist 1½-5 (CBCL). Results. There were 61 abnormal results: MRI 37 (31%); high-resolution chromosomes 8 (7%); fragile X molecular testing 4 (3%); and microarray comparative genomic hybridization 12 (10%). A total of 47 children had abnormal tests (40%): none, 72 (60%); one, 36 (30%); two, 8 (7%); three, (3%). Younger children with more developmental delays are more likely to have abnormal tests. They are clumsy, more passive, and less disobedience. They had lower total, externalizing, and internalizing problems scores. The odds of finding an abnormal investigation are increasingly greater as parent's report of language comprehension and social development ratios increase, and decrease in likelihood for every increase in the expressive language and fine motor ratios. Interpretation. Parent's reports predict abnormal tests and indicate quantifiable differences requiring investigation.
Nasolaryngoscopy in a Family Medicine Clinic: Indications, Findings, and Economics

Background: Nasopharyngeal complaints are common among patients who present to primary care. Patients with these complaints are often referred for nasolaryngoscopy evaluation to exclude serious conditions such as laryngeal cancer. Methods: This study is a retrospective case series in which 276 charts of adult outpatients who were referred for nasolaryngoscopy were reviewed. We examined patient demographics, procedure indications and findings, complications, and changes in clinical management. Results: Nasolaryngoscopy was completed in 273 (98.9%) patients (mean age, 51.3 ± 14.6 years; 71.4% were women). The most common indications for nasolaryngoscopy were hoarseness (51.3%), globus sensation (32.0%), and chronic cough (17.1%); the most common findings included laryngopharyngeal reflux (42.5%), chronic rhinitis (32.2%), and vocal cord lesions (13.2%). Three patients (1.1%) were diagnosed with laryngeal cancer and this diagnosis was significantly associated with a history of smoking (P = .03). No major complications occurred. Conclusions: We found that nasolaryngoscopy was a safe procedure in the primary care setting, and no major complications occurred in our series. Patients who have ever smoked and complain of hoarseness are at higher risk for laryngeal cancer. An alarming 1% of patients in our series were diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. This is the first study to define the rates of laryngopharyngeal reflux, vocal cord lesions, and laryngeal cancer among primary care patients.
Genetic diversity and geographic differentiation in Tacca chantrieri (Taccaceae): an autonomous selfing plant with showy floral display.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Despite considerable investment in elaborate floral displays, Tacca chantrieri populations are predominantly selfing. It is hypothesized that this species might possess considerable spatial or temporal variation in outcrossing rates among populations. To test this hypothesis, genetic variability and genetic differentiation within and among T. chantrieri populations were investigated to find out if they are in agreement with expectations based on a predominantly inbred mating system. METHODS Genetic diversity was quantified using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) in 303 individuals from 13 populations taken from known locations of T. chantrieri in China, and from one population in Thailand. KEY RESULTS Of the 113 primers screened, 24 produced highly reproducible ISSR bands. Using these primers, 160 discernible DNA fragments were generated, of which 145 (90.62 %) were polymorphic. This indicated considerable genetic variation at the species level. However, there were relatively low levels of polymorphism at population levels, with percentages of polymorphic bands (PPB) ranging from 8.75 % to 55 %. A high level of genetic differentiation among populations was detected based on different measures (Nei's genetic diversity analysis: G(ST) = 0.5835; AMOVA analysis: F(ST) = 0.6989). Furthermore, based on levels of genetic differentiation, the 14 populations clustered into two distinct groups separated by the Tanaka Line. CONCLUSIONS High levels of differentiation among populations and low levels of diversity within populations at large spatial scales are consistent with earlier small-scale studies of mating patterns detected by allozymes which showed that T. chantrieri populations are predominantly selfing. However, it appears that T. chantrieri has a mixed-mating system in which self-fertilization predominates, but there is occasional outcrossing. Significant genetic differences between the two distinct regions might be attributed to vicariance along the Tanaka Line. Finally, possible mechanisms of geographic patterns based on genetic differentiation of T. chantrieri are discussed.
Investigating Diversity in the Banking Sector in Europe: Key Developments, Performance and Role of Cooperative Banks

This book investigates the merits of a diverse banking system with a special focus on the performance and role of cooperative banks in seven European countries where they are prominent (Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain). The theoretical and empirical arguments that are developed in this book tend to support the view that it is economically beneficial to have stakeholder-value banks with a dual bottom-line function, such as cooperative banks. For those who accept this premise, it would suggest that policy-makers should not take or support actions that could jeopardise this valuable element of the financial system in various countries in Europe and of the emerging integrated European financial system.
Fundamental Value Investors: Characteristics and Performance

We examine novel data on the detailed investment decisions of professional value investors. We find evidence that value investors are not easily defined: they exploit traditional tangible asset valuation discrepancies such as buying high book-to-market stocks, but spend more time analyzing intrinsic value, growth measures, and special situation investments. We also test whether fundamental value investors outperform the market in our sample (January 2000 to June 2008). Analyzing buy-and-hold abnormal returns and calendar-time portfolio regressions, we conclude that value investors have stock picking skills.
Comparative study of trace elements and serum ceruloplasmin level in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies with their cord blood

The aim of the present study is to assess the comparison of trace elements and serum ceru-loplasmin level in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies with their cord blood. Pregnancy is associated with increased demand of all the micronutrients like Iron, Copper, Zinc, Vit B12, Folic acid and Ascorbic acid. The pregnant women were admitted in maternity ward, De-partment of Obstetric and Gynecology, Command Hospital, Pune. The study group com-prised of 61 pregnant women and their newborns. Venous blood (5 ml.) was collected from mother at the time of delivery and cord blood (10 ml.) was taken from maternal end of um-bilical cord. Of 61 pregnant women, 14 were pre-eclamptic and 47 were normal pregnant women. In normal pregnancy, the copper & ceruloplasmin concentration were statistically significantly increased (p<0.01) in maternal blood as compared to cord blood. Serum iron and zinc concentration were observed significantly raised (p<0.01) in cord blood compared to maternal blood. Similar results were found in pre-eclamptic pregnancies. The significant difference (p<0.001) was observed in all biochemical parameters between maternal and cord blood pre-eclamptic pregnancies. On comparison of the normal and pre-eclamptic preg-nancy, the serum iron significantly increased (p<0.01) in normal pregnancy than pre-eclamptic, but no statistically significant variations were observed in serum zinc, copper and ceruloplasmin concentration. Our study infers that iron is the most important micronutrient and it should be supplemented as a daily requirement in pregnant women. Ceruloplasmin can be used as a diagnostic measurement in pregnancy period.
Robust Scheduling of Sampled-Data Networked Control Systems

In this brief, we consider the robust (in terms of model uncertainty) off-line scheduling problem for networked control systems (NCSs) with time-triggered communication. We model the NCS as a hybrid switched system and we propose an efficient method to calculate the continuous-time ${\cal L}_{2}$-gain of the resulting closed-loop system for a given communication sequence. Finding a periodic scheduling policy that minimizes this norm is the (combinatorial) optimization problem that is solved by fast stochastic algorithms. A case study of a networked vehicle control system in a hardware-in-the-loop implementation is provided as an example of application.
Carrier transport and sensitivity issues in heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer solar cells on N-type crystalline silicon: A computer simulation study

Heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer or HIT solar cells are considered favorable for large-scale manufacturing of solar modules, as they combine the high efficiency of crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, with the low cost of amorphous silicon technology. In this article, based on experimental data published by Sanyo, we simulate the performance of a series of HIT cells on N-type crystalline silicon substrates with hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) emitter layers, to gain insight into carrier transport and the general functioning of these devices. Both single and double HIT structures are modeled, beginning with the initial Sanyo cells having low open circuit voltages but high fill factors, right up to double HIT cells exhibiting record values for both parameters. The one-dimensional numerical modeling program "Amorphous Semiconductor Device Modeling Program" has been used for this purpose. We show that the simulations can correctly reproduce the electrical characteristics and temperature dependence for a set of devices with varying I-layer thickness. Under standard AM1.5 illumination, we show that the transport is dominated by the diffusion mechanism, similar to conventional P/N homojunction solar cells, and tunneling is not required to describe the performance of state-of-the art devices. Also modeling has been used to study the sensitivity of N-c-Si HIT solar cell performance to various parameters. We find that the solar cell output is particularly sensitive to the defect states on the surface of the c-Si wafer facing the emitter, to the indium tin oxide/P-a-Si:H front contact barrier height and to the band gap and activation energy of the P-a-Si:H emitter, while the I-a-Si:H layer is necessary to achieve both high Voc and fill factor, as it passivates the defects on the surface of the c-Si wafer. Finally, we describe in detail for most parameters how they affect current transport and cell properties.
Why information technology is not being used for financial advisory

With the global spending of more than US$4.1 trillion in 2007, healthcare has been one of the largest industries worldwide. To better plan and develop the healthcare system, an effective way is to leverage on the advancement of information technology (IT). However, despite of many attempts in the computerization and automation of healthcare services, most of the healthcare information systems failed to deliver in the era of rising expectations. With respect to this aspect, this study focuses on the success stories of a private-owned hospital in Singapore. We illustrate our lessons learned from this hospital, the Alexandra Hospital, which has successfully innovated a healthcare system setting and making a benchmark standard for the Singapore healthcare industry. By conceptualizing on the generation of innovative capability process, this study complements the scarce innovation literature in the service industry. Theoretical and practical contributions were shared and documented in this