Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of IT Capability on Employee Capability, Customer Value, Customer Satisfaction, and Business Performance

This study empirically examines the impact of IT capability on firms' performance and evaluates whether firms' IT capabilities play a role in improving employee capability, customer value, customer satisfaction, and ultimately business performance. The results were based on comparing the business performance of the IT leader companies with that of control companies of similar size and industry. The IT leader companies were selected from the Information Week 500 list published annually from 2001 to 2004. For a company to be selected as IT leaders, it needed to be listed at least twice during the period. Furthermore, it had to be listed in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) so that its customer satisfaction level could be assessed. Standard & Poor's Compustat and the ACSI scores were used to test for changes in business performance. The study found that the IT leaders had a raw material cost measured by cost-of-goods-sold to sales ratio (COGS/S) than the control companies. However, it found no evidence that firms' IT capability affects employee capability, customer value, customer satisfaction, and profit. An important implication from this study is that IT becomes a commodity and an attempt to gain a competitive advantage by overinvesting in IT may be futile.
A 5.25 GHz CMOS even harmonic mixer with an enhancing inductance

A 5.25 GHz CMOS even harmonic mixer (EHM) with an enhancing inductance is implemented in a TSMC 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process for extra low power direct conversion receivers. In the proposed EHM, a current reuse pair, a double frequency circuit, and an enhancing inductance are employed in promoting the mixer performance, such as conversion gain, linearity, and noise figure. Moreover, measurement results reveal that the proposed EHM, under a supply voltage of 1.8 V and an LO frequency of 2.62 GHz, possesses a power consumption of 0.666 mW, with linear efficiency (IIP/sub 3//DC) of -16.15 dB, and 0.936 mW, with IIP/sub 3//DC of -8.13 dB, at high gain mode and high linear mode, respectively.
Prognosis and treatment of lymphoblastic lymphoma in adults: a report on 80 patients.

PURPOSE We analyzed prognostic factors in 80 adult patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL). PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty-one patients received six monthly courses of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) and maintenance chemotherapy for 12 months. The LNH-84 protocol (30 patients) consisted of four courses of high-dose CHOP followed by consolidation for 4 months. Both FRALLE (22 patients) and LALA (seven patients) protocols were two intensive chemotherapy regimens for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that included an induction with daunorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone (and asparaginase for the FRALLE regimen), consolidation, and maintenance chemotherapy that lasted for 2 years. RESULTS Sixty-six patients (82%) achieved a complete remission (CR). The CR duration rate and overall survival rate at 30 months were estimated to be 46% and 51%, respectively, with a median follow-up of 55 months. Only two of 37 relapses occurred after 26 months. Chemotherapy protocol did not influence CR rate, CR duration, and survival. A higher CR rate was associated with an age of less than 40 years, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) level of less than two times the upper limits of normal, and no or one extranodal site of disease. Short survival was associated with a failure to achieve CR, age older than 40 years, B symptoms, LDH level more than two times the upper limits of normal, and hemoglobin level of less than 100 g/L. Bone marrow involvement had no prognostic value. We could not evaluate precisely the prognostic value of Ann Arbor stage because inclusion criteria differed among treatment groups. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that age and LDH are two important pretreatment prognostic factors for adult LBL, and that the optimal prognostic staging system remains a controversial issue.
The shareholder value of excess cash

Is it reasonable to assume that all corporate cash holdings are exactly worth their intrinsic value – despite company-, industry-, and country-specific differences between firms? In recent times, this fundamental question has led to discussions between shareholders and management in various corporations. We show that shareholders are right to question the benefit of large corporate cash holdings, since our models indicate that the shareholder value of cash generally deviates among firms and over time. Also, the marginal value of excess cash is lower in firms with a high amount of excess cash and higher in firms with strongly negative amounts of excess cash. By modeling the relationship between the market value of equity and the value of cash for publicly listed firms, we come up with an estimate of the marginal value of cash. Four our large data set, containing 49,781 firm year observations over 7,123 publicly listed European firms, we find that the marginal value of cash ranges between 0.76 and 1.14, depending on the model employed. Adding the dimension of excess cash to the problem, we find that deducting industry mean or median cash positions from a firm’s cash holding level are appropriate measures for identifying excess cash in corporations; our cash measure being the company’s cash position relative to its total assets. We find that for firms with large negative excess cash holdings, i.e., firms that are far below their industry mean or median, the marginal value of cash is much higher than for firms with moderate levels of excess cash and to an even further extent when compared with high excess cash firms. This evidence points toward the presumption that firms do indeed have an optimum for the amount of cash they hold. Our findings are robust between different specifications of our model, as well as for both our excess cash measures. Furthermore, our results regarding the marginal value of excess cash are in line with literature. There is no previous literature that uses a similar approach to specifically address the value of excess cash, but nevertheless our outcomes regarding the value of excess cash are supported by studies that have taken different approaches to this issue. Overall, we conclude that either too much or not enough cash in firms creates sub-optimal settings. As we have seen from literature, firms with lots of cash for instance tend to engage in acquisitions and other investments that do not add sufficient value to the firm, while firms with a cash shortage miss out on otherwise valuable opportunities. Having found evidence for this sub-optimality of either very large or very low cash holdings by means of our data analysis on the marginal value of excess cash, we recommend financial advisors as well as investors to assess the extent to which a company holds excess cash and to take this into account when valuing the firm.
Effects of playing a violent video game as male versus female avatar on subsequent aggression in male and female players.

Previous research has shown that violent video games can increase aggression in players immediately after they play. The present research examines the effects of one subtle cue within violent video games that might moderate these effects-whether the avatar is male or female. One common stereotype is that males are more aggressive than females. Thus, playing a violent video game as a male avatar, compared to a female avatar, should be more likely to prime aggressive thoughts and inclinations in players and lead to more aggressive behavior afterwards. Male and female university students (N = 242) were randomly assigned to play a violent video game as a male or female avatar. After gameplay, participants gave an ostensible partner who hated spicy food hot sauce to eat. The amount of hot sauce given was used to measure aggression. Consistent with priming theory, results showed that both male and female participants who played a violent game as a male avatar behaved more aggressively afterwards than those who played as female avatar. The priming effects of the male avatar were somewhat stronger for male participants than for female participants, suggesting that male participants identified more with the male avatar than did the female participants. These results are particularly noteworthy because they are consistent with another recent experiment showing that playing a violent game as an avatar with a different stereotypically aggressive attribute (black skin color) stimulates more aggression than playing as an avatar without the stereotypically aggressive attribute (Yang et al., 2014, Social Psychological and Personality Science).
Male gender predisposes to prolongation of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between fetal gender and prolonged pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN All deliveries in Sweden between 1987 and 1996 were evaluated for participation in this study. Inclusion criteria included (1) singleton pregnancy, (2) the absence of apparent congenital or chromosomal anomalies, (3) accurate dating established by early second trimester ultrasound examination, and (4) gestational age at delivery of > or =37 weeks (ie, > or =259 days). Initially, we calculated the mean gestational age at delivery and the percentage of prolonged pregnancies by fetal gender. Subsequently, the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square analysis was used to calculate the weekly odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals for the delivery of a male fetus beyond 37 weeks of gestation. RESULTS The study population comprised 656,423 deliveries; 333,192 were male deliveries, and 323,231 were female deliveries (male/female ratio, 1.03). The mean gestational age at delivery was significantly higher in male fetuses (280.6 +/- 8.9 days vs 279.8 +/- 8.6 days, respectively; P <.0001). The percentage of pregnancies that delivered beyond term was significantly higher for male relative to female fetuses (26.5% vs 22.5% [P <.000001] at > or =41 weeks of gestation and 7.6% vs 5.5% [P <.000001] at > or =42 weeks of gestation, respectively). The weekly odds ratios for a delivery of a male fetus beyond term were 1.14, 1.39, and 1.50 at 41, 42, and 43 weeks, respectively. CONCLUSION Male gender significantly predisposes to the prolongation of pregnancy to the extent that, by 43 weeks of gestation, there are 3 male deliveries for every 2 female deliveries.
Carbon Portfolio Management

The aim of the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme is that by 2020, emissions from sectors covered by the EU ETS will be 21% lower than in 2005. In addition to large CO$_2$ emitting companies covered by the scheme, other participants have entered the market with a view to using emission allowances for the diversification of their investment portfolios. The performance of this asset as a stand alone investment, as well as its portfolio diversification implications will be investigated in this paper. Our results indicate that the market views Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 EUA futures as unattractive as stand alone investments. In a portfolio context, in Phase 1, once the short-selling option is added, there are considerable portfolio benefits. However, our results indicate that these benefits only existed briefly during the pilot stage of the EU ETS. There is no evidence to suggest portfolio diversification benefits exist for Phase 2 or the early stages of Phase 3.
Failure to demonstrate enterovirus aetiology in Swedish patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

Attempts were made to establish a possible relationship between enterovirus infection and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) by use of serology, virus isolation from faecal samples, and detection of enteroviral RNA in endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sera from 63 patients with DCM and matched controls were examined for enterovirus infection by mu-capture IgM and indirect IgG ELISA. Thirty-six patients were further tested for the presence of enterovirus group-specific antigen (VP1) in an immunoassay system. The results were consistently negative. Faecal samples from 35 of these patients were negative by enterovirus isolation both when samples were cultured directly and after acid treatment. EMB from 35 patients were examined for enteroviral RNA by PCR; none of the samples was reactive. In conclusion, the results fail to indicate involvement of enteroviruses in the aetiology of DCM.
Expertise and Innovation: Information Technology Strategies in the Financial Services Sector

The nature of technical expertise has become increasingly important and problematic in the post-modern era, as structured hierarchies and production methods are revised. Financial services, one of our most important economic sectors, has also been confronting very high degrees of uncertainty that reflect great institutional and market changes. In this fluid and competitive environment technological change - in particular the widening scope of information technology (IT) - has become vitally important. This study is about the strategic uses of IT in retail financial services. It is based on the Scottish part of the industry, a highly cohesive sector in its own right, but one with universal linkages to UK and global finance. A set of seven case studies forms the empirical base, while the study also focuses on key strategic projects within these case companies. The purpose is to arrive at an understanding of how firms develop a strategic approach to IT. This hinges on the management of expertise - the ability to integrate detailed technological expertise with wider organizational and marketing goals. The study examines a number of themes around this key issue: the process of formation of IT strategy, sectorial influences on the implementation of computer-based systems, and the occupational and career factors that shape IT expertise.
Comparison of blind and electrically guided tracheal needle insertion in human cadavers

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an electrically guided needle insertion technique would enable greater success at intratracheal needle tip insertion than the traditional, aspiration‐of‐air technique. Twenty‐seven anaesthesiology residents were assessed in their ability to place a needle tip in the trachea of cadavers using the two methods. Success of needle placement, time to placement and confidence in placement were recorded. Correct intratracheal needle placement was achieved by 22% of residents (6/27) using the aspiration‐of‐air method vs 82% (22/27) using the electrically guided method (p < 0.001). For the instances of success, there was no significant difference between the two methods in the median (IQR [range]) time taken (28 (24–49 [18–63]) s aspiration vs 32 (19–49 [15–84]) s electrical; p = 0.93). The electrically guided method provides an acceptably quick and accurate way of placing a needle tip into the tracheal lumen and can be learnt easily by anaesthesiology residents.
Saturated‐efferocytosis generates pro‐resolving CD11blow macrophages: Modulation by resolvins and glucocorticoids

During the resolution phase of inflammation, apoptotic leukocytes are efferocytosed by macrophages in a nonphlogistic fashion that results in diminished responses to bacterial moieties and production of anti‐inflammatory cytokines. Complement receptor 3 and pro‐resolving lipid mediators promote the engulfment of apoptotic leukocytes by macrophages. Here, we present evidence for the emergence of pro‐resolving, CD11blow macrophages in vivo during the resolution of murine peritonitis. These macrophages are distinct from the majority of peritoneal macrophages in terms of their functional protein expression profile, as well as pro‐resolving properties, such as apoptotic leukocyte engulfment, indifference to TLR ligands, and emigration to lymphoid organs. Notably, we also found macrophages convert from the CD11bhigh to the CD11blow phenotype upon interaction with apoptotic cells ex vivo. In addition, we found that the pro‐resolving lipid mediators resolvin E1 and D1, and the glucocorticoid dexamethasone regulated pro‐resolving macrophage functions in vivo. This regulation culminated in a novel pro‐resolving function, namely reducing the apoptotic leukocyte ingestion requirement for CD11blow macrophage generation. These new phenotype and molecular pathway markers define the new satiated macrophage. Thus, we suggest that satisfying efferocytosis generates CD11blow macrophages that are essential for complete nonphlogistic containment of inflammatory agents and the termination of acute inflammation.
Simultaneous temporal trends in dementia incidence and prevalence, 2005–2013: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Saskatchewan, Canada

ABSTRACT Background: Original studies published over the last decade regarding time trends in dementia report mixed results. The aims of the present study were to use linked administrative health data for the province of Saskatchewan for the period 2005/2006 to 2012/2013 to: (1) examine simultaneous temporal trends in annual age- and sex-specific dementia incidence and prevalence among individuals aged 45 and older, and (2) stratify the changes in incidence over time by database of identification. Methods: Using a population-based retrospective cohort study design, data were extracted from seven provincial administrative health databases linked by a unique anonymized identification number. Individuals 45 years and older at first identification of dementia between April 1, 2005 and March 31, 2013 were included, based on case definition criteria met within any one of four administrative health databases (hospital, physician, prescription drug, and long-term care). Results: Between 2005/2006 and 2012/2013, the 12-month age-standardized incidence rate of dementia declined significantly by 11.07% and the 12-month age-standardized prevalence increased significantly by 30.54%. The number of incident cases decreased from 3,389 to 3,270 and the number of prevalent cases increased from 8,795 to 13,012. Incidence rate reductions were observed in every database of identification. Conclusions: We observed a simultaneous trend of decreasing incidence and increasing prevalence of dementia over a relatively short 8-year time period from 2005/2006 to 2012/2013. These trends indicate that the average survival time of dementia is lengthening. Continued observation of these time trends is warranted given the short study period.
Identifying the Traits That Differentiate Chief Executive Officer Performance Levels

Michael J. Zickar, Advisor Success in the chief executive position is crucial for both organizations and shareholders; however, there has been a minimal amount of empirical research dedicated to understanding what traits are common for success in the position. The research that has been conducted has largely been qualitative case studies, plagued by methodological difficulties (Piotrowski & Armstrong, 1989). The present study was designed to develop an empirical understanding of the attributes required for this unique leadership position using well-defined subjective criteria. Drawing from previous literature, certain traits were hypothesized to be related to performance in the CEO position. Although these traits were not found to be related to performance, the study did discover the additional traits of competition, persuasion, abstract and theoretical were positively related. In addition, the present study investigated the uniqueness of the Chief Executive profile, specifically if certain traits were more likely to be found in the CEO position than other leadership positions. Results indicated that Chief Executives possessed a greater amount of ambition, persuasion, and independence than the average leader.
Prognostic Factors for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: A Clinical Analysis of 165 Cases

Abstract This study analyzes single factors that affect the prognosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and establishes a prognosis model by multivariate analysis. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features of SARS in 165 clinically confirmed severe cases. Both age and existence of other diseases before SARS were significantly correlated with prognosis (r = 0.506 and r = 0.457, respectively; P < .001). During the acute phase of SARS, lactate dehydrogenase level, degree of hypoxemia, respiratory rate, α-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase level, creatine kinase isoenzyme—MB, platelet count, and number of involved lobes noted on chest radiographs, and so on, correlated markedly with the prognosis (r = 0.257–0.788; P < .05). The multivariate prognosis regression model was associated with degree of hypoxemia and platelet count. The model was defined by the formula Py=1 = es/(1 + es), where S is [2.490 × degree of hypoxemia]-[0.050 × number of platelets], and it had a high sensitivity (91.67%), specificity (98.33%), and accuracy (96.42%). The model could be used to effectively judge the state of illness and the prognosis.
Retention Factors and Their Relative Significance in Ceramic Manufacturing Industries in India

Due to the tough competition prevailing in the manufacturing industries, retention of employees has become a challenge for the organizations. Surveys predicted that there is a strong growth in ceramic sector. Therefore special attention is given in this paper to analyze the factors influencing employees’ continuation in ceramic manufacturing industries. Work life balance & policies, organization commitment, supervisor support and training & development were the four non-monetary factors considered for analysis. This study explored the facts over employees of ceramic manufacturing industries in India. Statistical tools were utilized to analyze the influence of variables. The analysis revealed that all the four factors were correlated to employee retention. The findings also concluded that work life balance & policies, organization commitment and supervisor support exerted significant influence with employee retention. It is also found that supervisor support exerted more influence that other two factors. Suggestions and limitations of the study were also incorporated.
Money, Banking, and Financial Markets

Working from a macro framework based on the Fed's use of interest rate as its major policy instrument, Ball presents the core concepts necessary to understand the problems affecting the stock market, and the causes of recessions and banking crises. Underlying this framework are the intellectual foundations for the Fed's inflation targeting using the dynamic consistency problem facing policymakers. "