Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Econometric Analysis Regarding the Path of Non Performing Loans-A Panel Data Analysis from Mauritian Banks and Implications for the Banking Industry

The present study pertains to unravelling the internal (bank specific) and external (macroeconomic) determinants of nonperforming loans in Mauritius using annual report data from a panel of 10 existing banks and macroeconomic data for the period 2000 to 2012. The model used in the present instance comprises of a vector of bank specific and macro economic variables which include the inflation rate, lending interest rates, growth of the construction sector and tourism sector as well as global variables such as the Euro zone’s GDP growth. The model is tested both in a static and dynamic framework. Four estimation techniques are considered, viz Fixed Effects, differenced GMM, System GMM and Random coefficient estimation. The results indicate that, notwithstanding there are many significant factors influencing NPL, the most critical elements nevertheless remain declines in the construction sector and the rise in cross border loans. Interestingly, the study provides important policy insights which centres on the improvement of credit concentration guidelines as well as the modification of the MCIB reporting.
Integrating entrepreneurial values and export intentions: a theoretical framework

This paper aims to present the development of an integrative and coherent theoretical framework of motivation for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs' intentions to export to new markets. This study will employ a literature review approach to develop a theoretical model applicable to international entrepreneurship. This model has strong multi-disciplinary theoretical underpinnings and therefore has the potential to meaningfully inform the literature on the fruitfulness of investigating entrepreneurship utilising multiple disciplinary perspectives and may spur more research in this direction.
The topography of the divorce plateau: Levels and trends in union stability in the United States after 1980

The probability of divorce in the U.S. has remained constant for the last two decades at about 'half of all marriages. ' While this estimate is well established, and marked differentials in divorced rates are well known, there are no reliable estimates of differences in the cumulative probability of lifetime divorce. Using data from the 1990 June CPS, we document very large differentials by race, age at marriage, and education in the probability that recent cohorts of marriage will end in separation or divorce. Then, using data from the 1995 NSFG, we find important increases in differentials in marital dissolution, and especially in all unions, during this period of stable aggregate rates. These results indicate that examining only at marital transitions obscures the growth in family instability that has resulted among some groups because of an increasing proportion of unions begun as cohabitation.
LETS as Alternative, Post-capitalist Economic Spaces? Learning Lessons from the Totnes ‘Acorn’

Against the complex economic backdrop of a deep-impact recession, rising public debt, and national austerity measures, this paper revisits LETS as one example of an alternative economic system and perhaps a more relevant operating mechanism for some communities in the months and years ahead. Drawing on the case study of the Totnes Acorn, this paper considers the continued relevance of LETS in a contemporary, perhaps even post-capitalist context, and against competing initiatives such as local currencies, resurging time banks, and the Big Society campaign. It is argued in this paper that the changing economic and political landscape of the last decade, which has coincided with rises in personal wealth, coupled with the celebrity status of the Transition Towns Initiative, the dated image and administration of some LETS may explain their decline during a period of economic decline. Yet their potential economic role could be reinvigorated and prove invaluable as a mechanism to stimulate and maximise local economic activity in the years ahead, as the full effects of expenditure cuts and a possible double-dip recession begin to take hold.
L-(+)-lactate dehydrogenase deficiency is lethal in Streptococcus mutans

The previously cloned gene for L-(+)-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from Streptococcus mutans was mutagenized in vitro. An Escherichia coli transformant which expressed a thermolabile LDH activity was identified. The ldh(Ts) gene was introduced into S. mutans on a suicide vector to create a heterodiploid expressing both wild-type and thermolabile LDH activities. Self-recombinants which had only one ldh gene were isolated. One of these clones expressed only the thermolabile LDH activity. This isolate grew well at 30 degrees C but did not grow at 42 degrees C under a variety of cultivation conditions, thereby proving that LDH deficiency is lethal in S. mutans in the absence of compensatory mutations.
Decomposition of Vitamin C by Bacteria

The decomposition of vitamin C by bacteria is of double interest to the bacteriologist. Preliminary in vitro studies by Young and James (1942) showed that enteric bacteria of the colon-aerogenes group destroy ascorbic acid with great facility; these findings suggest that, in spite of a diet adequate in this substance, symptoms of vitamin C deficiency in some persons may be traced to an intestinal flora high in ascorbic-acid-fermenting bacteria. Einhauser (1936), Hetenyi (1935) and Marin (1936) offer the suggestion that the failure of response to a diet rich in vitamin C, and the positive effects of intramuscular and intravenous injections of this substance, indicate bacterial destruction of ascorbic acid in the gastro-intestinal tract before absorption can take place. The extreme importance of vitamin C in human physiology and the significance of loss of this substance to the body, regardless of the manner of destruction, are becoming increasingly evident as the result of war research and conditions arising naturally or unavoidably among the fighting forces. Holmes (1942) has indicated that vitamin C may be destroyed by infection, by a number of industrial poisons of a military nature, especially materials used in the manufacture of T.N. T. , and that appreciable quantities are lost in heavy perspiration. He reviews the beneficial effects of vitamin C therapy in various types of shock, including heat, traumatic, post-operative and allergic shock. Vitamin C appears to play a significant role in the healing of fractures and of wounds in general. Results reported by Holmes indicate that administration of the vitamin is very effective in the treatment of poisoning due to benzene, toluene, lead, zinc, and basic materials used in the manufacture of T.N. T. and other explosives. Detoxification followed adequate therapy, and there was a repairing action of the poisoned blood formation centers and other affected tissue. Thus, it appears that in numerous common pathological conditions the function of vitamin C extends far beyond the role which it plays in normal metabolism, and that the amount required under these conditions greatly exceeds that needed daily by normal human adults, which according to King and Menten (1935) is only 5 milligrams. Apart from the influence on human nutrition, the relation of microbic destruction of ascorbic acid to bacterial metabolism is also of considerable interest. Kendall and Chinn (1938) suggested that the vitamin is used by some bacterial species as a carbon food source. The results of preliminary work by Young and James (1942) indicate that the vitamin is utilized in growth as an energy source by certain enteric bacteria. The decomposition was found to take place under
A NEW DIMENSION TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND HUMAN CAPITAL: THE ROLE OF POLITICAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS

Domestic human capital is definitely a determinant of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows for the developing world. Yet, the contribution of human capital will depend to a great extent on the institutional framework of a nation. Good political rights and civil liberties favour human capital to reap the benefits of FDI inflows more efficiently. Our paper shows that the interlinkages between FDI, human capital and institutions play a very important role in explaining FDI inflows to developing countries. The results show that in the presence of good political rights and civil liberties, the association between human and FDI inflows is enhanced. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Sympathetic Control of Ventricular Automaticity: THE EFFECTS OF STELLATE GANGLION STIMULATION

The effects of stellate ganglion stimulation on idioventricular automaticity were studied in anesthetized dogs. An idioventricular rhythm was obtained in one series of animals by ligating the His bundle and in the other by stimulating the vagus. On isolation of the left stellate ganglion, the idioventricular rate fell by 5 beats/min which is compatible with a rate of “tonic” discharge of about 3 impulses/sec. On stimulation of the stellate ganglia at increasingly higher frequencies, the idioventricular rate accelerated progressively and the frequency-response curve was sigmoid. When the stimulation frequency was increased above 10 to 15 pulses/sec, there was no further enhancement of ventricular automaticity. The ventricular rates attained during sympathetic stimulation rarely exceeded 70/min. The interval between the initiation of sympathetic stimulation and the maximal ventricular acceleration was shorter at higher stimulation frequencies. The effects of right and left stellate stimulation on the rate of idioventricular pacemakers were comparable. Reflex vagal inhibition had little influence on the acceleratory action of the sympathetic nerves on the idioventricular pacemakers since in dogs with atrioventricular block the results before and after vagotomy were similar. Furthermore, the idioventricular rhythm during vagally induced block increased on sympathetic stimulation to values comparable to those obtained in dogs with surgically induced block.
Pre-natal and perinatal factors affecting body mass index in pre-pubertal Polish children

Abstract Background: An increased prevalence of body mass deficit among children has been reported in developing countries, including Eastern European states which have undergone political transformation. However, there are few studies evaluating risk factors for body mass deficit in schoolchildren and adolescents. Aim: To assess selected familial, pre-natal and early life factors in terms of risk associated with the prevalence of body mass deficit in children aged 7–10 years. Subjects and methods: Logistic regression models based on 812 records for children aged 7–10 years were applied for the evaluation of familial, pre-natal and perinatal risk factors affecting the height-to-weight ratio. Results: The risk of underweight in 7–10-year-old children is significantly higher for girls (OR = 1.70) and for children whose mothers reported a traumatic experience during pregnancy (OR = 2.77). The effect of reported stress during pregnancy differed as regards the child’s sex. Mother’s trauma increased the risk of body weight deficit only in boys (OR = 2.74), while in girls it significantly decreased this risk (OR = 0.35). Low birth weight significantly increased the risk of underweight only in boys (OR = 2.99) and mother’s occupational activity decreased the risk of underweight only in girls (OR = 0.57). Conclusion: Low birth weight and mother’s trauma during pregnancy are risk factors for underweight in Polish schoolchildren, particularly in boys.
Cognitive and behavioural determinants of trust in small and medium-sized enterprises

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic examination of the importance of trust‐developing constructs and the impact of trust on long‐term orientation within the small and medium‐sized enterprises (SME) domain.Design/methodology/approach – A theoretically grounded model has been developed that comprises three cognitive (reputation, skill and transaction specific investments) and three behavioural (information exchange, coercive power and flexibility) antecedents of trust, which in turn is posted to be a determinant of long‐term orientation. The model has been tested using 229 responses obtained through a postal survey carried out in the UK electrical and electronic industry.Findings – With the exception of the skill to trust, all other hypothesised relationships have been supported. In relative terms, reputation followed by flexibility have been found to be the most important determinants of trust.Research limitations/implications – The moderating impact of company size and length of.
Regionalism in Moldova: The Case of Transnistria and Gagauzia

Since 1992, when the Moldovan–Transnistrian dispute erupted into violent conflict, Transnistria has remained virtually independent of Moldova. While the Moldovan government has successfully resolved its other major regional conflict with Gagauzia, Transnistria has been an intractable problem. Gagauzia was the first region to declare its independence on 19 August 1990, however, the Moldovan and the Gagauzian leaderships agreed on the devolution of power and the creation of an autonomous territorial status in 1995. Consequently, the Moldovan case provides a unique opportunity to examine both successful and unsuccessful attempts at resolving regional conflicts. Why was an accommodation possible in Gagauzia, yet elusive in Transnistria? The first part of this essay examines Moldova’s contemporary history and specifically addresses the development of inter-ethnic relations, elite mobilization and regionalism before independence in 1991, with a focus on how Moldovan and Transnistrian officials used history, language and culture to justify actions that ultimately led to the 1992 civil war. The next section discusses the origins and the consequences of the Transnistrian conflict. While this conflict was portrayed on both sides as an ‘ethnic’ struggle over linguistic and cultural issues, in fact, the competing political and economic interests of the Moldovan and Transnistrian elites propelled the conflict. This conflict is most appropriately characterized as one where ethnicity is instrumentalized in order to further rival political agendas. This is not to say that there were not legitimate concerns among the Moldovan population regarding linguistic and cultural freedom. Rather that elites exploited and manipulated these concerns in order to maintain or to attain power. The essay then examines the establishment of territorial autonomy in Gagauzia. The Moldovan government viewed the agreement on Gagauzia’s autonomous status as the basis for future negotiations with Transnistria. This hope has so far not been realized as Transnistria’s leadership has consistently regarded the Gagauzian autonomy as falling too far short of their aspiration for full statehood.
A double‐blind study of hyposensitization with an alginate‐ conjugated extract of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Conjuvac®) in patients with perennial rhinitis

In a 2‐year double‐blind placebo controlled study an immunological evaluation was carried out on 33 patients (15 males, 18 females, mean age 29.2 years) with mite‐induced perennial rhinitis who were submitted to specific immunotherapy (IT) with an alginate‐conjugated extract of D. pteronyssinus. The behaviour of IgE, IgG, IgG1, and IgG4, antibodies specific to D. pteronyssinus and its major allergen Der p1, was characterized by assessment of their changes m serum, and changes in IgG in nasal secretions during the treatment. The placebo‐treated patients did not show any significant variation in the levels of specific antibodies, while in the actively treated patients we found; a statistically significant decrease (P < 0.005) of specific IgE, a statistically significant increase of specific IgG (P < 0.005), IgG1, (P < 0.005) and IgG4 (P < 0.005) in serum and a statistically significant increase (P < 0.001) of specific IgG in nasal secretions. The IgG response showed an early relative predominance of the IgG1 subclass and a late absolute predominance of IgG4 subclass, that confirmed the model of IgG4 restriction in prolonged allergen stimulation. No correlation was found between immunological and clinical data.
Representative voice in different organizational contexts: a study of 40 departments of a Dutch childcare organization

‘Representative voice’ can be defined as actions in which one or more speakers represent others when speaking up about a problem at the workplace or making a suggestion. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of representative voice, assess the frequency of its occurrence and examine department characteristics associated with its frequency. We present a theoretical framework and develop and test hypotheses about the effects of characteristics of the departmental context on the frequency of representative voice. Our focus is on organizational design features, i.e. characteristics that can be directly implemented by management. Data on 40 departments of a large Dutch childcare organization suggested that representative voice occurred in most of the organization's departments, although not frequently. Multilevel analyses showed that representative voice was best predicted by the presence of shared problems. Further, representative voice was more frequent in departments in which employees worked directly with clients (i.e. children), and in larger departments. Frequent contact with the department's manager and among the department's employees had no effect.
On Testing for Rationality: Another Look at the Livingston Price Expectations Data

In a recent paper, Pesando (1975) tests and rejects the hypothesis that the Livingston price expectations data are rational in the sense of Muth (1961). He asserts that this finding calls into question the results of a number of published studies which have employed the Livingston data, such as Gibson (1972), Pyle (1972), Turnovsky and Wachter (1972), and Lahiri (1976). More recently, Carlson (1977) has argued that the price expectations series employed by these researchers is fundamentally flawed. He notes that the data may have been judgmentally adjusted by Livingston in an inconsistent fashion. Carlson presents a new series of expected inflation rates based on the original responses to the Livingston surveys. He likewise tests the hypothesis that this series is rational. Using techniques similar to Pesando's, he also rejects the rationality proposition. The purpose of this paper is to argue that there is a serious weakness in the tests carried out by Pesando and Carlson. In particular, the results of applications of the Chow procedure in tests for rationality cannot be unambiguously interpreted. There is a different method for testing the rationality hypothesis, however, which requires less restrictive assumptions and hence gives less ambiguous answers. When applied to the Carlson data, this test suggests the hypothesis of Muthian rationality cannot be rejected. The data employed by Pesando fail the rationality test, however. Section I briefly describes the data employed. Section II criticizes the Chow test procedure, and section III presents the results of new tests for rationality.
Franchisee perceived relationship value and loyalty in a franchising context: assessing the mediating role of franchisee satisfaction and the moderating role of franchisee characteristics

This article examined franchisee satisfaction as mediator and franchisee characteristics as moderators of the relationship between franchisee perceived relationship value and loyalty. Using the data from 218 franchisees in 5 Chinese convenience store franchise companies, the findings revealed a partially mediating role for franchisee satisfaction in the relationship between perceived relationship value and loyalty. Furthermore, results showed that the relationship was stronger for franchisees with older and higher education, but it was weaker for those franchisees with shorter relationship length. Key words: Relationship value, loyalty, mediator, moderators, franchising, China.
The Mental Health Effects of Housing Tenure: Causal or Compositional?

Housing tenure sits at the heart of much academic and policy literature across many post-industrial countries, and, while debate is often centred on promoting tenure choice, surprisingly little is known of the underlying ways that the tenure chosen can affect health. While population characteristics tend to vary between tenure types, this largely reflects the forces of broader social and economic selection into those tenures. This paper examines what identifiable effect tenure has upon the mental health of individuals, over and above the characteristics of selection. The analysis is based upon 40 828 responses of 10 245 individuals in the Australian working-age population who participated in the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia study between 2001 and 2007. It is found that, while mental health varies significantly between tenure types, once tenure population differences are accounted for there is little evidence of an intrinsic relationship between tenure and mental health.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Effects of Having a Sibling on Geographic Mobility and Labour Market Outcomes

In most industrialized countries, more people than ever are having to cope with the burden of caring for elderly parents. This paper formulates a model to explain how parental care responsibilities and family structure interact in affecting children's mobility characteristics. A key insight we obtain is that the mobility of young adults crucially depends on the presence of a sibling. Our explanation is mainly, but not exclusively, based on a sibling power effect. Siblings compete in location and employment decisions so as to direct parental care decisions at later stages towards their preferred outcome. Only children are not exposed to this kind of competition. This causes an equilibrium in which siblings not only exhibit higher mobility than only children, but also have better labor market outcomes. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) and from the American National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), we find strong evidence that confirms these patterns. The implications of our results are then discussed in the context of current population trends in Europe and the United States.
Cytologic changes in cervical smears associated with prolonged use of depot‐medroxyprogesterone acetate

Hormonal effects have always played a significant role in gynecologic cytology. In atrophic and postpartum smears, interpretation may be complicated by large numbers of parabasal cells with high nuclear cytoplasmic ratios and hyperchromatic nuclei that mimic precancerous lesions (squamous intraepithelial lesions, SILs). The authors have observed atrophic and postpartumlike changes in patients receiving depot‐medroxyprogesterone acetate for prolonged periods. These alterations may lead to diagnostic uncertainty or falsely suggest the presence of SIL.