Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tax Reforms and Fiscal Shock Smoothing, WP/19/113, May 2019

This paper examines the role of tax policy reforms in enhancing fiscal shock smoothing in a panel of 13 OECD economies during the period 1980-2017. The results suggest that tax reforms, in particular those that broaden the tax base, significantly enhance the ability of fiscal policy to mitigate the impact of growth shocks on disposable income. We find that the magnitude of shock smoothing increases from an average of 2 percent to 3-31⁄2 percent following the reform. The effects are considerably higher for tax base than tax rate changes, and also higher for indirect tax than direct tax changes. The effects are symmetric—that is, the increase in shock smoothing following a reform expanding the tax base (rate) is similar to the decline in shock smoothing after a reform narrowing the tax base (rate). Tax elasticity, collection efficiency, and the progressivity of the tax system are important channels through which tax reforms affect fiscal stabilization. JEL Classification Numbers: H30, H32
Comparative study on morphological differences of Indian male jumpers, runners and throwers

The purpose of the study was to find out the differences of Somatotypes among different athletes of Jummping, running and throwing events. Total 72 subjects (top three players of selected events) were selected from All India Athletic Intervarsity championship 2015 held at P.U. Patiala. For assessing the somatotype anthropometric technique developed used by Heath and Carter 1984. Analysis of variance was used to analyzing the mean differences. Results of the study reveled that Throwers were significantly greater in endomorphy and Mesomorphy whereas the Jumpers were significantly greater in Ecomorphy than other two groups.
Missing Giants: Predictions on Dust-obscured Galaxy Stellar Mass Assembly Throughout Cosmic Time

Due to their extremely dust-obscured nature, much uncertainty still exists surrounding the stellar mass growth and content in dusty, star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) at z > 1. In this work, we present a numerical model built using empirical data on DSFGs to estimate their stellar mass contributions across the first ∼10 Gyr of cosmic time. We generate a dust-obscured stellar mass function that extends beyond the mass limit of star-forming stellar mass functions in the literature, and predict that massive DSFGs constitute as much as 50%–100% of all star-forming galaxies with M ≥1011 M ⊙ at z > 1. We predict the number density of massive DSFGs and find general agreement with observations, although more data is needed to narrow wide observational uncertainties. We forward-model mock massive DSFGs to their quiescent descendants and find remarkable agreement with observations from the literature demonstrating that, to first order, massive DSFGs are a sufficient ancestral population to describe the prevalence of massive quiescent galaxies at z > 1. We predict that massive DSFGs and their descendants contribute as much as 25%–60% to the cosmic stellar mass density during the peak of cosmic star formation, and predict an intense epoch of population growth during the ∼1 Gyr from z = 6 to 3 during which the majority of the most massive galaxies at high-z grow and then quench. Future studies seeking to understand massive galaxy growth and evolution in the early universe should strategize synergies with data from the latest observatories (e.g., JWST and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) to better include the heavily dust-obscured galaxy population.
Silica Modified with Iron ( III ) Oxide to Support Gold Catalyst for Low-Temperature CO Oxidation

Low-temperature oxidation of CO to CO2 plays a key role in broad application prospects. In order to achieve the lowtemperature oxidation of CO, the gold catalyst was prepared using Fe2O3-modified SiO2 as support. The results showed that CO conversion was enhanced over the modified catalyst. At – 10 °C, CO conversion of 95 % could be achieved. The catalysts were characterized by XRD and TEM, and the results showed that the Fe2O3 was dispersed in the form of amorphous state. Attributed to the Au-Fe2O3 interaction, the modified catalyst exhibited excellent performance for the oxidation of CO.
PHYSIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE OF MAIZE ( ZEA MAYS L . ) UNDER STRESS CONDITIONS OF WATER DEFICIT AND HIGH TEMPERATURE

The effect of water deficit is usually consistent with the influence of high temperature. In order to evaluate each of the two factors on the physiological performance of six maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids independently, two different experiments have been conducted in the field and the greenhouse. Physiological processes in different vegetative growth stages V10, V14, VT and reproductive growth stage R3 were studied. Photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (E), and stomatal conductance (gs) as well as specific leaf area (SLA) were examined. Four different water levels were used, while I1 was well irrigated, on the other levels water deficit was created, in I2 in the vegetative growth period, in I3 in the reproductive growth period and in I4 at both vegetative and reproductive periods. The rate of photosynthesis of all six hybrids was increased from V10 to R3 under the effect of I1, while variations in other physiological performance were correlated with water levels and also with the tolerance potential of maize hybrids. The influence of water deficit treatments combined with the effect of high temperature limited the efficiency of physiological traits especially photosynthesis. The consistency between leaf area and the amount of dry matter that partitioned to the leaves was behaved for maintaining the photosynthetic area under stress condition. The greatest change in the rate of the physiological traits of all hybrids occurred with raising the temperature from T1 to T4 in the greenhouse.
McGauran, Andra and Brooks, Matthew and Khan, Roxanne (2019)The role of emotional resilience, childhood parentification, and attachment style on antisocial behavior in adulthood: A comparison of an offender and normative

Purpose: Despite a robust link between poor caregiver attachment and antisociality, few studies have examined the influence of parentification and emotional resilience on delinquency in later life, in groups at differing risk for antisocial conduct. Methodology: This pilot study compared the influence of parentification, attachment style (avoidant or anxious) and emotional resilience on adulthood antisocial behaviour in an offender and normative sample. Of the 137 participants in this study, 66 were supervised by the National Probation Service (age M = 36.90, SD = 13.91), and 71 were recruited from community-dwelling and student populations (age M = 31.83, SD = 13.25). Findings: In partial support of the predictions, participants in the offender group reported significantly greater levels of attachment anxiety compared to the normative group. However, emotional resilience was positively associated with antisociality in the normative sample. Research implications: This small-scale investigation indicates value in exploring these specific variables in a larger, matched samples study, to enable clearer comparisons to be made between offender and normative groups. Practical implications: The preliminary findings suggest that attachment anxiety is associated with antisociality in offender populations, which indicate a therapeutic focus on attachment anxiety as part of correctional care and offender rehabilitation. Originality: This study is novel in its aim to examine the influence of childhood parentification, attachment deficits and emotional resilience on adulthood antisociality in participants from a high-risk offender sample and non-high-risk normative sample.
Comparison of ERA5 and ERA-Interim near surface air temperature and precipitation over Arctic sea ice: Effects on sea ice thermodynamics and evolution

Abstract. Rapid changes are occurring in the Arctic, including a reduction in sea ice thickness and coverage and a shift towards younger and thinner sea ice. Snow and sea ice models are often used to study these ongoing changes in the Arctic, and are typically forced by atmospheric reanalyses in absence of observations. ERA5 is a new global reanalysis that will replace the widely used ERA-Interim (ERA-I). In this study, we compare the 2 m air temperature (T2M) and precipitation between ERA I and ERA5, and evaluate these products using buoy observations from Arctic sea ice. We further assess how biases in reanalyses influence the snow and sea ice evolution in the Arctic, when used to force a thermodynamic sea ice model. We find that both reanalyses have a warm bias over Arctic sea ice in relation to the buoy observations. The warm bias is smaller in the warm season, and larger in the cold season, especially when the T2M is lower than −25 °C. Interestingly, the warm bias in the new ERA5 is on average 2.1 °C (daily mean) larger than ERA-I during the cold season. While ERA-I is drier than most modern reanalyses in the Arctic, the total precipitation along the buoy trajectories is often lower in ERA5 than in ERA-I. Nonetheless, the snowfall products are broadly similar for both ERA I and ERA5. ERA-I had substantial anomalous Arctic rainfall, which is greatly reduced in ERA5. Simulations with a freezing degree days (FDD) model and a 1D thermodynamic sea ice model demonstrate that the warm bias in ERA5 acts to reduce thermodynamic ice growth. However, the lower precipitation in ERA5 results in a thinner snow pack that allows more heat loss to the atmosphere. Thus, the larger warm bias and lower precipitation in ERA5, compared with ERA I, compensate in terms of the effect on winter ice growth. Ultimately, we find slightly thicker ice at the end of growth season when using ERA5 forcing, compared with ERA-I. Thus differences in the precipitation fields of the two reanalyses have a larger influence on the sea ice evolution than the T2M.
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN CHESS PERFORMANCE UDC 316 : 794

Women are underrepresented and underperformanced in chess at the top level. An explanation for the small number of female chess players because chess is an intellectually demanding activity would support the view of biological gender differences in intellectual abilities. However, despite different theories, there is no scientific evidence for sex specific intellectual performance differences. Furthermore, memory is heavily implicated in chess performance and is also often used to explain sex differences. Many novel findings are emerging and complementing cognitivelyoriented research on chess. Sex stereotypes can have a greatly debilitating effect on female players leading to a sharp decline in performance when competing with males in chess. Women generally score lower than men both on aggressiveness and dominance and at the same time during a chess game, mental fatigue occurs earlier in women. This is usually explained by the fact that in the female body glycogen content is lower compared to males due to hormonal conditions and therefore unable to meet the demands for fast energy. Women also seem disadvantaged because they approach chess competitions with less confidence and with a more cautious attitude than their male counterparts. A motivational perspective may be better suited for understanding the underperformance of women as chess players. Studies of psychology, physiology and biochemistry of chess players should be used to improve the practice and pedagogy for male and female chess players.
Alliances : Disentangling Knowledge Resources to Target Financial Capital

As all firms compete for scarce resources, many biotechnology firms strive to obtain higher amounts of financial capital through partnerships with big pharma companies. This paper takes a close look at the technological resources of the biotechnology firm and asks whether their ? depth? and ? breadth? impact the amount of financial capital the firm receives from its big pharma alliance partner. Results show that technological depth is associated with raising more financial capital, whereas breadth is related to less money. More interestingly, when combined with a well-developed technological project, both depth and breadth are positively related with the financial capital raised. Technology Alliances: Disentangling Knowledge Resources to Target Financial Capital
Whole-cell regenerating ‘ microbead ’ to capture disease antibodies using the yeast species , Pichia pastoris

Guiding appropriate medical treatment and population surveillance are examples of the crucial functions of diagnostics in health care [1]. Antibody based assays are routinely employed, however, they often require substantial resources limiting their use in low-resource settings. Richard Kil and others in Prof. David McMillens lab proposed a synthetic biology solution: using yeast as ‘microbeads’ to detect disease antibodies. The yeast diagnostic combines yeast surface display and agglutination. Surface display engineers yeasts natural cell wall linked proteins to display antigens. The cells are placed in a u-shaped well settle into a dot at the bottom by default. Disease specific antibodies bridge the cells causing them to agglutinate; distinguishable by the naked eye. Preliminary work utilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae and I rebuilt the biosensor using an alternative yeast species, Pichia pastoris. It is an industrially viable yeast [2] and I investigated the viability of using P. pastoris.
IMPACT OF STAND DENSITY ON SOIL QUALITY IN CHINESE FIR ( CUNNINGHAMIA LANCEOLATA ) MONOCULTURE

It is known that forest management practices and land use affect soil quality worldwide. This study was conducted to assess the potential effects of stand density on soil quality in Chinese fir plantations. Low(1,450 trees/ha with 2.36 × 2.36 m spacing), intermediate(2,460 trees/ha with 1.83 × 1.83 m spacing), and high-density (3,950 trees/ha with 1.44 × 1.44 m spacing) stands in a 10-year-old Chinese fir monoculture plantation were examined, and different soil quality indicators were measured. The results indicated that stand density affected nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and magnesium (Mg) content, whereas potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) were not affected. Total N and total P contents were higher in the low-density stands, whereas total Mg was higher in the intermediate-density stands. Available N was higher in the low-density stands, whereas available P was higher in the intermediatedensity stands. No significant difference was observed in the contents of available K, total K, and total Ca among all densities. Soil organic matter was significantly higher in the intermediate-density stand than in the highand low-density stands. Soil bulk density increased from the surface layer to the 40-60 cm soil layer. Soil pH was lowest in the surface layer of soils of all three densities and increased from the 020 cm layer to the 20-40 cm layer; however, it decreased from the 20-40 cm layer to the 40-60 cm layer. Soil pH differed significantly between soils of different densities but remained within an optimum range (4.1-4.5) for Chinese fir plantations. Soil moisture content was significantly higher in the high-density stand than the other stands. The observed effects of stand density on soil quality may be useful for policy makers and forest managers to implement improved forest conservation practices for preserving soil quality and stand production.
LEBANESE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY THE EFFECT OF CEO OWNERSHIP AND CEO ENTRENCHMENT ON FIRM VALUE

We investigate the relation between firm value, CEO equity ownership and managerial entrenchment. Our results concerning the coefficients and their respective signs are consistent with the existing literature. However, there is no evidence of a specific nonmonotonic relation between Tobin’s Q and percentage of CEO equity ownership. This paper also examines the marginal impact of investment spending on capital and research on firm value under different governance schemes. Though the sign and significance of management entrenchment has the predicted negative impact on firm value, the marginal impacts of capital expenditure, research and development spending on firm value increase for firms with highly entrenched managers (low shareholder rights), as compared to firms with low management entrenchment (high shareholder rights). That said, such an increase in marginal effect, of capital and research, most likely to be the result of under spending on such value enhancing activities. This result suggests that the selection of investment opportunities, firm’s cash holding, and efficiency of internal capital markets could be a major source of friction between management and shareholders.
Delta State , Nigeria ASSESSMENT OF INDIGENOUS PLANTS FOR HEALTH CARE DELIVERY BY THE PEOPLE OF OKPARA INLAND , ETHIOPE EAST L . G . A . DELTA STATE , NIGERIA

The Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants was carried out at Okpara Inland, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State. The research was aimed at assessing and reviewing plant species used for the treatment of different ailments issues by the people. The information on the plants administration was gotten from, locals, farmers and traditional healers. Medicinal plants believed to be effective in treatment and management of human diseases were collected and identified. Phytochemical screening was carried out on selected species to quantitatively evaluate their composition. Twenty one (21) plants were identified into fourteen (14) plant families comprising of Asteraceae (19%), Cucurbitaceae (14.2%), Annonaceae (9.4%), Euphorbiaceae (9.4%), Anacardiaceae (4.8%), Basellaceae (4.8%), Bignoniaceae (4.8%), Convolvulaceae (4.8%), Crassulaceae (4.8%), Dioscoreaceae (4.8%), Lamiaceae (4.8%), Moringaceae (4.8%), Myrtaceae (4.8%) and Poaceae (4.8%). The life forms were observed to be herbs (42.9%), climber (28.6%), tree (23.8%) and shrub (4.7%). The plants were used to treat ailments such as malaria, cough, catarrh, dysentery, ear pain and body pains among others. The plants collected posse some essential phytochemicals in varying quantities. Quantitative analysis of Ocimum gratissimum, Vernonia amygdalina and Psidium guajava showed the presence of Alkaloid, saponin, steroid, tannin, flavonoid and phenol occurring at different percentage which could be responsible for the medicinal potentials of the plants.
The Research Framework by Chua ( 1986 )

This paper reviews research paradigms that have existed since the 1970s. Specifically, it reviews two frameworks by Burrell and Morgan (1979) and Chua (1986) that have become prominent as a basis for methodological stance in accounting and management research. These research paradigms or perspectives determine the research methodology applied in this study. Different schools of thought have their own views and arguments. Thus, there is no one best research method to use because every method has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Empirical analysis of regional economic performance in Russia : Human capital perspective

Having shown the important role of the Russian economy in the ex-USSR region by causality tests, we proceed to empirical analysis of growth and performance of the Russian regions. A dynamic panel data approach enabled us to obtain elasticity coefficients on proxies for convergence, physical capital, labour and innovation. After including human capital in the reformulated model we resolve endogeneity and reverse causality by introducing two instrumental variable approaches. Taking advantage of the Unified State Exam data we managed to successfully endogenize human capital by number (and share) of outperforming students and by the education index. The second approach helped to improve causality between instruments and human capital: the dates of first university foundation and distance to Moscow successfully explains human capital variations due to historical and spatial characteristics of a given region.
Laryngotracheal separation surgery : Outcome of 43 patients with chronic and persistent pulmonary aspiration

Instituição: Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP) e Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Minas Gerais / Brasil. Correspondência: Orlando Barreto Zocratto Rua: Ministro Orozimbo Nonato, 589, apto 1002, torre 1 Vila da Serra Nova Lima / MG – Brasil –CEP: 34000-00 E-mail: obzocratto@gmail.com Artigo recebido em 18/08/2016; aceito para publicação em 15/02/2017; publicado online em 15/02/2017. Conflito de interesse: não há. Fonte de fomento: não há. Artigo Original
Paper to be presented at DRUID 18 Copenhagen Business School , Copenhagen , Denmark June 11-13 , 2018 Converting technological innovations into new products : The role of CEO general skills

Technological innovations represent a key input into the new product development (NPD) process. However, technological diversity often tends to be greater than the diversity of product portfolios, largely due to difficulties related to the commercialization of inventions through the product development route. Departing from this observation, our work assesses the extent to which general skills accumulated by chief executives over their professional careers help companies convert technological innovations into new products. This emphasis reflects the fact that the involvement of top managers in the NPD process is a critical success factor as well as that generalist CEOs demonstrate greater ability to encourage riskier decisions, make better capital allocation decisions, and facilitate cross-functional communication ? all this holds the key to NPD and its technology conversion part. Our statistical analysis is based on studying 455 chief executives in 139 U.S. publicly-traded companies over the period of 1992-2013. We use trademark data to measure a company's NPD performance, while patent quantity and quality indicators are employed to capture technological innovations. Our results suggest that generalist CEOs do have a positive effect on NPD outcomes as do they positively condition the relationship between technological and product development. Furthermore, the facilitation effect is more pronounced for NPD aimed at new markets. As such, our work puts an emphasis on CEO general skills as yet another mechanism that companies can leverage to increase the efficacy of invention conversion and, hence, to deliver more value via new product offerings.
CORD YCEPS SPECIES AND THEIR ANAMORPHS PATHOGENIC ON ANTS ( FORMICIDAE ) IN TROPICAL FOREST ECOSYSTEMS 1 . THE CEPHALOTES ( MYRMICINAE )

Evidence is presented for the occurrence of epizootics of Cordyceps species on ants in Amazonian rain forests. A single outbreak involving two new species of Cordyceps, C. kniphojioides and C. cucumispora, on the ant Cephalotes atratus is analysed in detaiL. Morphologically similar specimens were collected on a range of unrelated ant genera but there are suffcient differences to warrant separation: four varieties of C. kniphojioides and two of C. cucumispora are proposed. Anamorph associations are discussed from in vivo and in vitro studies. C. kniphojioides is shown to have a distinctive anamorph with two conidial types
Unveiling the influence of alliance ambidexterity to innovate

It has been argued that ambidexterity can be achieved by establishing strategic alliances with partners that occupy a downstream or upstream position in the innovation value chain, hence reconciling the tensions between exploration and exploitation. However, empirical tests confirming that this partnering strategy improves innovation performance are still scant. Therefore, in this paper, we aim at covering this gap by empirically analyzing the relationship between alliance ambidexterity and innovation performance. Furthermore, since firm age affects firms’ commitment towards explorative and exploitative activities, we also examine the moderating effect of firm age on the above mentioned relationship. Results are based on a sample of 1,017 biotech companies that have established, at least, one strategic alliance over the period 1982-2011. In detail, using a random-effects negative binomial regression, we find that alliance ambidexterity positively influences innovation performance, and firm age exerts a negative moderating effect.