Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How Do Japanese Banks Set Loan Interest Rates?: Estimating Pass-Through Using Bank-Level Data

We estimate interest rate pass-through in the loan market using an individual bank-based panel dataset from Japan. Previous studies using data from European countries have presented a number of common findings, including that banks with a high proportion of relationship lending tend to set lower pass-through. In this respect, we have obtained similar results using a dataset for Japan going back to the early 2000s. We further examine the influence of borrowing firms' balance sheet characteristics on loan interest rate pass-through, and find that these factors are also important determinants for pass-through dispersion. However, we also find that after the recent global financial crisis, even banks with a high proportion of relationship lending have largely lowered loan interest rates by raising pass-through, and that pass-through has not necessarily been determined in accordance with borrowing firms' balance sheet characteristics. These results differ from those of recent studies on European countries. Possible background factors explaining this change are that (i) pressure to lower loan interest rates has risen due to extensive monetary easing and greater lending competition among banks, while Japan's banking system as a whole has maintained its resilience in the post-crisis period; (ii) demand for bank loans has increased substantially due to disruptions in the market for alternative funding sources, such as commercial paper and corporate bonds; and (iii) public measures to increase bank loans have been broadly introduced in Japan.
Value of Intangible Job Characteristics in Workers' Job and Life Satisfaction: How much are they worth?

Using the data from the Spanish survey on life quality at work, we examine the importance of intangible job characteristics in workers’ job and life satisfaction. Our analysis shows that on both job and life satisfaction, the combined monetary value of intangible job characteristics such as flexibility, independence, social usefulness, pleasant work environment, pride, stress and the perception of receiving an adequate wage, is several times more worthy than that of objective job characteristics such as wage, sector and hours of work. Furthermore, we find that some intangible job characteristics such as flexibility, work environment and stress affect directly workers’ life satisfaction rather than indirectly through their effects on job satisfaction.
Superconductivity in layered Nb/Gd films.

The transition temperature and the critical fields of electron-beam evaporated Nb/Gd/Nb triple layers and Nb/Gd multilayers have been determined by measurements of the electrical resistivity and the dc susceptibility. For constant thickness d(Gd) of the Gd layers, we observe a decrease of T(c) and H(c2 perpendicular-to) with decreasing thickness d(Nb) of Nb layers down to a critical thickness d(c), below which superconductivity is completely destroyed. The parallel critical fields mostly show the square-root temperature dependence near T(c), typical for two-dimensional superconductors. As predicted theoretically, competing pair-breaking mechanisms lead to a nonmonotonic dependence of H(c parallel-to) on d(Nb). We have also studied the dependence T(c)(d(Gd)) with constant d(Nb) and find a decrease of the T(c)(d(Gd)) curve with increasing d(Cd) and a steplike structure at d(Gd) almost-equal-to 20 angstrom. To clarify the nature of this step, the ferromagnetic transition of the Gd films is determined with the transverse magneto-optical Kerr effect. Long-range magnetic order is found only above d(Gd) almost-equal-to 20 angstrom, which is attributed to the formation of a discontinuous film below this thickness. These results indicate a change in the underlying pair-breaking mechanism.
Internet and exporting: the case of Ghana

The aim of this article is to describe and assess the use of the Internet by exporters in a development setting. The findings from two surveys in Ghana reveal that the exporters have reached the e‐mail stage and are moving into the Web site stage. At this stage, the main barriers to an increased use are reported to be training, means to finance equipment and running costs, with access problems coming third. The change from face‐to‐face interaction to digitalized interfaces is also a barrier to the spread of Internet use. The Internet is used for pre‐sales activities and the e‐mail for daily communications. The strategy is reactive with high hopes of being discovered rather than active search of their own. The policy and managerial implications are that training and financial packages must be provided and business associations must be active in creating portals of relevance to the exporters, and pressure put on the government to increase infrastructural investments.
Determinants of sustainable business relationships in selected German agri‐food chains

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify factors which influence the sustainability of selected German agri‐food chains.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is composed of a literature review, qualitative and quantitative expert interviews, and structural equation modelling.Findings – Effective communication, the existence of personal bonds and equal power distribution between buyers and suppliers are key determinants of sustainable vertical business relationships. The relevance and significance of the determinants differ across the investigated chain stages (farmer‐processor versus processor‐retailer), the use of formal versus non‐formal relationship types and the maturity of a relationship.Research limitations/implications – Further research needs to empirically apply the analysis to agri‐food chains other than the investigated pig‐meat and cereal ones.Practical implications – Agribusiness and farm managers can enhance the sustainability of their business relationships by effective communic.
Odysseys: analysing service journeys from the customer’s perspective

This paper studies tourism‐related service processes from the customer’s perspective, acknowledging the extraordinary and hedonic nature of these offerings. Instead of looking at a chronological journey of different service phases, the entire tourist experience is analysed in a socio‐cultural context. By revealing this deeper context, the study provides an alternative explanation of customers’ perceptions of tourism destinations and service providers.
Who Is Informed in Options Market

This paper studies the information content of options net order flows and its effect on stock returns. The order flows are separated in customer-initiated (retail or institution) and firm initiated (proprietary desks of institutions) orders. These two types of order flows are negatively correlated and predict stock returns with opposite signs. Customer-initiated net trading volume is largely driven by positive information about underlying and positively predicts stock returns. Firm order flows recognize both future positive and negative news, supply liquidity to overoptimistic customer order flows, largely short-sell underlying stocks in the options market, and negatively predict stock returns. There is also a clientele effect: customer order flows prefer long options positions to short positions, and trade more in call options; firm order flows prefer short options positions and trade in both, calls and puts.
Book Review: Computer Intensive Methods for Testing Hypotheses: An Introduction

and sensible, albeit brief and sketchy. There is a section on formulating the research question and justifying the choice of qualitative methodology. The authors then go into some detail about how to sample sites, people, and behaviors for inclusion in the research. The ensuing discussion of particular qualitative methods emphasizes breadth over depth; such diverse techniques as in-depth interviews, projective tests, historical analysis, and unobtrusive measures are all given a brief mention. The tabular summary of the strengths and weaknesses of each technique (p. 102-4) is a valuable addition. The section on data analysis suffers the most from brevity; as the authors recognize, the analysis of qualitative data would be difficult to cover in a section 10 times as long as the one here (cf. Miles and Huberman 1984; Patton 1980). Throughout the book, liberal use is made of vignettes-twoto three-page descriptions of how a researcher confronted and solved a qualitative research problem. They may be valuable for a novice researcher in one of the target audience disciplines (e. g., evaluation research), but the marketing reader will look in vain for a vignette that even vaguely relates to a typical consumer topic. I am not sure these vignettes serve any purpose for readers outside the target audience; because they constitute a substantial portion of the book, individuals in marketing might do better by consulting primary sources on fieldwork or ethnography instead of this volume.
Performance of M -ary PSK systems in Gaussian noise and intersymbol interference

A useful method is presented for the evaluation of the error probability of M -ary phase-shift-keyed systems with Gaussian noise and intersymbol interference. By regarding a portion of the intersymbol interference as an equivalent Gaussian noise, this method suggests first calculating the probability of error caused by the combined effects of the Gaussian noise and the equivalent noise. Necessary correction terms are then added to the calculation to take into account the fact that the intersymbol interference is actually non-Gaussian. It is shown that with this method any desired accuracy can be theoretically achieved in the evaluation of the probability of error. This method has been programmed for numerical computations. Some examples are also given for illustrative purposes.
Violence Perpetrated by Mothers-in-Law in Northern India: Perceived Frequency, Acceptability, and Options for Survivors

In India, physical and psychological abuse perpetrated by a mother-in-law against a daughter-in-law is well documented. However, there is a dearth of literature exploring the perceived frequency and acceptability of mother-in-law abuse or options available for survivors of this type of abuse. The goal of this qualitative study was to add to the in-law abuse literature by exploring men’s and women’s perspectives about physical and psychological abuse perpetrated by mothers-in-law against daughters-in-law in northern India. Forty-four women and 34 men residing in rural and urban areas of the Udaipur district in the northwest state of Rajasthan participated in semistructured interviews. Women, but not men, thought mother-in-law abuse was common in their communities. Psychological abuse was accepted in certain situations; however, few male or female participants agreed with physical mother-in-law abuse. Men were described as mediators in the context of mother-in-law abuse, and male participants thought that disrespecting a mother-in-law was a justifiable reason for a man to hit his wife. Both male and female participants described few options available for a woman experiencing mother-in-law abuse, apart from asking her husband to intervene or living as a separate, nuclear family. Grassroots initiatives and legislative policy should focus on addressing the immediate needs of women experiencing mother-in-law abuse and developing intergenerational interventions to educate men and women about the dynamics of law abuse.
Improved results of cervical reoperation for medullary thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study is to determine whether reoperation for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), performed with low morbidity in carefully selected patients, consistently results in improvement as determined by lowering of stimulated calcitonin levels. BACKGROUND Persistent or recurrent elevation of stimulated plasma calcitonin levels occurs in > 50% of patients after primary operation for MTC. Success of reoperation with clearance of metastatic cervical nodal disease has been hampered by failure to identify patients with distant metastases and by inadequate removal of involved nodal groups. METHODS Since 1992, the authors have evaluated 115 patients with recurrent or residual MTC. Fifty-three patients have not undergone operation because of extent of disease, previous extensive treatment, medical condition, or patient choice. Sixty-two patients underwent surgery. Ten patients had laparoscopic or open examination of the liver, the results of which showed liver metastases. Seven patients had palliative debulking of cervical tumor. In 45 patients without evidence of distant metastases, cervical operation was carried out with curative intent. Removal of central, upper mediastinal, and lateral nodes (levels II, III, IV, VI, and VII) was done. RESULTS Seven of eight patients who had palliative resections are alive without symptoms. In patients who underwent curative resections, postoperative stimulated calcitonin levels were in the normal range in 17 patients (38%) and were not significantly lowered in 6 patients (13%). There were no deaths, and no transfusions were used. CONCLUSIONS These results are a significant improvement over the authors' previous series and reflect better preoperative identification of patients with disease confined to the neck and improved operative strategy based on knowledge of the pattern of nodal spread of MTC.
Integrating Strategic, Organizational, and Human Resource Perspectives on Mergers and Acquisitions: a Case Study of Synergy Realization

Mergers and acquisitions are complex events in organizational life for which we have incomplete understanding, in part because researchers have tended to consider only partial explanations of them. The authors addressed that problem by developing a conceptual framework that integrates theoretical perspectives from economics, finance, and especially strategy, organization theory, and human resource management to offer a broader process-oriented integrative model. The integrative model explicitly describes how synergy realization is a function of the similarity and complemen tarity of the two merging businesses (combination potential), the extent of interaction and coordination during the organizational integration process, and the lack of employee resistance to the combined entity. The approach differs from traditional methods of studying mergers and acquisitions in three ways: (1) the success of a merger or acquisition is gauged by the degree of synergy realization rather than more removed and potentially ambiguous criteria such as accounting or market returns; (2) the key attribute of combination potential is conceptualized not only in terms of the similarities present across businesses, as in most studies of mergers and acquisitions, but also in terms of the production and marketing complementarities between the two businesses; and (3) the data are derived from a case survey method that combines the richness of in-depth case studies with the breadth and generalizability of large-sample empirical investigations. The framework was tested empirically across a sample of 61 mergers and acquisitions. The extent to which a merger or acquisition resulted in synergistic benefits was related to the strategic potential of the combination, the degree of organizational integration after the deal was completed, and the lack of employee resistance to the integration of the joining firms. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that (1) independent of any similarities across joining firms, the presence of complementary operations increased the probability of acquisition success by boosting synergy realization, (2) organizational integration was the single most important factor in explaining synergy realization, even to the extent that M&As with high combination potential were significantly more successful when coupled with high organizational integration than when integration efforts were less forceful, and (3) mergers and acquisitions that were dependent on gains from combining similar production and marketing operations tended to elicit more resistance from employees than M&As focused on realizing complementary benefits. Overall, the findings provide strong support for an integrative theory of mergers and acquisitions.
In situ detection of cyclosporin A: evidence for nuclear localization of cyclosporine and cyclophilins.

BACKGROUND The immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA) forms a trimolecular complex with cyclophilin (CPH) and calcineurins (CN) and inhibits CN phosphatase activity. Inhibition of CN phosphatase by CsA prevents the dephosphorylation of a nuclear factor in the cytosol and its nuclear translocation to the nucleus. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The intracellular distribution of CPH and CN was investigated in permeabilized Jurkat T lymphocytes and MRC fibroblasts using biochemical techniques and confocal microscopy. The site of CsA binding was identified in situ using a photoaffinity label derivative of CsA followed by immunodetection. RESULTS Cyclophilin A (CPH-A) and CN display essentially a cytosolic localization by immunofluorescence, and additional nuclear CPH-A and CN are evidenced by Western blot analysis of purified nuclei and immunofluorescence. By contrast, cyclophilin B (CPH-B) has a punctuate and reticular distribution pattern in cytoplasm, indicating an association with the endoplasmatic reticulum, but its main location is in the nuclear matrix, sparing the nucleolar region. For the in situ detection of CsA binding sites, a photolabile cyclosporine derivative (PL-CS) was used that allowed the detection of covalently bound CsA by Ab. Using the biologically active PL-CS, a punctate cytoplasmatic and nuclear immunoreactivity was obtained, which was specific and competed only with active cyclosporine derivatives. Nuclear CPH-A and -B were labeled by PL-CS, and trimolecular complexes of labeled CPH and CN were obtained by chemically cross-linking nuclear extracts. CONCLUSIONS We describe herein the accessibility of CsA to the nucleus, the presence and labeling in situ of nuclear CPH and CN. The current models of CsA action predict that CsA-CPH complexes inhibit CN activity in the cytosol. However, our present findings invite the hypothesis that CPH may capture the drug into the nucleus and target regulatory proteins or transcriptional control elements.
Effects of Thermal Conducting Media on the Skin Surface During Laser Irradiation

Objectives To investigate the effects of thermally conductive, optically transparent media placed on skin during treatment with the flashlamp excited dye laser (FEDL). The use of higher energy densities to treat persistent cutaneous vascular lesions may result in a decrease in the number of treatment sessions. However, increased fluences can cause complications of scarring, hyperpigmentation, infection, skin texture changes, or hypopigmentation. The thermally conductive media should assist in dissipating surface thermal energy and thereby protect the skin from the complications.
Maximal exercise performance in chronic hypoxia and acute normoxia in high-altitude natives.

Maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) was determined on a bicycle ergometer in chronic hypoxia (CH) and during acute exposure to normoxia (AN) in 50 healthy young men who were born and had lived at 3,600 m altitude (La Paz, Bolivia). VO2max was significantly improved (approximately 8%) by AN. However, the difference in VO2max measured in CH and AN (delta VO2max) was lower than that reported in sea-level natives (SN) who exercised in chronic normoxia and acute hypoxia. It is shown that high-altitude natives (HN) and SN have a similar VO2max in normoxia, but highlanders can attain a greater VO2max when O2 availability is reduced by altitude exposure. In addition, in HN, the higher the subject's VO2max in hypoxia, the smaller his delta VO2max. These results contrast with the data obtained in 14 lowlanders acclimatized to high altitude who showed that their delta VO2max was positively related to their VO2max in hypoxia, as previously reported in SN who exercised in acute hypoxia (A. J. Young, A. Cymerman, and R. L. Burse. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. Occup. Physiol. 54: 12-15, 1985). Furthermore, arterial O2 saturation of HN behaved differently from acclimatized lowland natives, inasmuch as it fell less during exercise both in CH and AN. HN with high aerobic capacity display a lower exercise ventilation and a reduced arterial saturation, which could explain their inability to improve VO2max with normoxia. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Physical disability and depression: a longitudinal analysis.

Based on a large and representative sample of physically disabled persons resident in the community, this paper considers the association between disability and risk for depression and examines the relevance of stress process variables in accounting for variations in depression. Using two waves of data spaced four years apart, we demonstrate that the disabled are at dramatically elevated risk for depressive symptoms and that this high level of depression characterizes both men and women of all ages. Longitudinal analyses show eventful stress, chronic strain, mastery, and social support to be significant determinants of depression in this population. Only the effects of mastery and social support, however, are clearly observable within all age groups.
Aging and Speech-on-Speech Masking

Objectives: A common complaint of many older adults is difficulty communicating in situations where they must focus on one talker in the presence of other people speaking. In listening environments containing multiple talkers, age-related changes may be caused by increased sensitivity to energetic masking, increased susceptibility to informational masking (e.g., confusion between the target voice and masking voices), and/or cognitive deficits. The purpose of the present study was to tease out these contributions to the difficulties that older adults experience in speech-on-speech masking situations. Design: Groups of younger, normal-hearing individuals and older adults with varying degrees of hearing sensitivity (n = 12 per group) participated in a study of sentence recognition in the presence of four types of maskers: a two-talker masker consisting of voices of the same sex as the target voice, a two-talker masker of voices of the opposite sex as the target, a signal-envelope-modulated noise derived from the two-talker complex, and a speech-shaped steady noise. Subjects also completed a voice discrimination task to determine the extent to which they were able to incidentally learn to tell apart the target voice from the same-sex masking voices and to examine whether this ability influenced speech-on-speech masking. Results: Results showed that older adults had significantly poorer performance in the presence of all four types of maskers, with the largest absolute difference for the same-sex masking condition. When the data were analyzed in terms of relative group differences (i.e., adjusting for absolute performance) the greatest effect was found for the opposite-sex masker. Degree of hearing loss was significantly related to performance in several listening conditions. Some older subjects demonstrated a reduced ability to discriminate between the masking and target voices; performance on this task was not related to speech recognition ability. Conclusions: The overall pattern of results suggests that although amount of informational masking does not seem to differ between older and younger listeners, older adults (particularly those with hearing loss) evidence a deficit in the ability to selectively attend to a target voice, even when the masking voices are from talkers of the opposite sex. Possible explanations for these findings include problems understanding speech in the presence of a masker with temporal and spectral fluctuations and/or age-related changes in cognitive function.