Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of intangible capital, ultimate control and investors' protection on corporate value

This thesis investigates the factors that influence firms' value with empirical analyses of the UK and Western Europe. The aim is to measure the effects of intangible capital, ownership structure (managerial ownership and largest controllers) and country specific characteristics related with investors' protection on corporate value. The first original work of this thesis is with respect to Intangible capital. Specifically, the effect of previous and present R&D expenditures on Tobin's Q is explored. Although, this type of analysis has been previously carried out, this thesis aims to specify the model including financial variables as it is considered that they are fundamental to estimate the "true model" of corporate value. Under this specification, simultaneity of the financial variables might introduce endogeneity problems in the estimation. Therefore, an estimation method which aims to control for endogeneity of the variables is applied. A second objective of this thesis is to explore the relationship created by the ultimate control in the firm. In particular, it examines the effect of agency costs created by two type of relationships: a) managers and owners and b) largest controllers and minority shareholders. The firms' value might be affected depending of the number of shares that are on the hands of either the managers or/and largest controllers. Other issues are also questioned in this part of the thesis, such as, the effect on firms' value of both specific controllers (miscellaneous, family, state, etc) and ways in which control is delegated (pyramids, control-chains, dual shares). Finally, this thesis focuses on the legal differences for investors' protection among 12 Western European countries. This study combines the ownership structure variables at a firm level with variables at a country level. It is argued that corporate value is influenced by the investors' protection of a country. External investors would rather finance firms in countries where laws are more protective, as the risk of losing their investment would be reduced. Nevertheless, it is shown that firms from countries where laws are weak, have on exchange an ownership structure which seems to be more appealing for external investors.
Knowing One’s Place: Parental Educational Background Influences Social Identification with Academia, Test Anxiety, and Satisfaction with Studying at University

First-generation students (i.e., students whose parents did not attend university) often experience difficulties fitting in with the social environment at universities. This experience of personal misfit is supposedly associated with an impaired social identification with their aspired in-group of academics compared to continuing-generation students (i.e., students with at least one parent with an academic degree. In this article, we investigate how the postulated differences in social identification with the group of academics affect first-generation students’ satisfaction with studying and test anxiety over time. We assume that first-generation students’ impaired social identification with the group of academics leads to decreased satisfaction with studying and aggravated test anxiety over the course of the first academic year. In a longitudinal study covering students’ first year at a German university, we found that continuing-generation students consistently identified more strongly with their new in-group of academics than first-generation students. The influence of social identification on test anxiety and satisfaction with studying differed between groups. For continuing-generation students, social identification with the group of academics buffered test anxiety and helped them maintain satisfaction with studying over time. We could not find these direct effects within the group of first-generation students. Instead, first-generation students were more sensitive to effects of test anxiety on satisfaction with studying and vice versa over time. The results suggest that first-generation students might be more sensitive to the anticipation of academic failure. Furthermore, continuing-generation students’ social identification with the group of academics might have buffered them against the impact of negative experiences during the entry phase at university. Taken together, our findings underscore that deficit-driven approaches focusing solely on first-generation status may not be sufficient to fully understand the importance of parental educational background for students’ well-being. More specifically, continuing-generation students might reap benefits from their parental educational background. These benefits widen the social gap in academia in addition to the disadvantages of students with first-generation status. In sum, understanding the benefits of continuing-generation status has important implications for interventions aiming to reduce social class gaps in academia.
Brand trust in a cross-cultural context: test for robustness of an alternative measurement model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide further validation of an alternative measurement model of brand trust and demonstrate the robustness and measurement invariance of the model in a cross-cultural context. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data collected from the USA and China were submitted to the alternative measurement model. Amos 7.0 was used in testing the robustness and stability of the proposed model. Findings – The results provide strong support for the stability and robustness of the alternative model. The multidimensional scale satisfies the minimum requirement of configural invariance and metric invariance. Research limitations/implications – The findings confirm that the multidimensional scale of brand trust can be meaningfully used in countries with distinct cultures. However, further testing may be needed given that the present study involves only two countries. Practical implications – Overall brand trust is shown to be a function of consumers’ trust in specific aspects of .
Investigating the Benefits of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on Practices of Enterprises: The Nigerian Perspective

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are widely used by organizations to enhance enterprise competitiveness. This study provides an overview of the current state of affairs of the ICT adoption in SMEs in private and public organizations in Nigeria. It investigates ICT infrastructure, productivity and business application software used, drivers for ICT investment, perceptions about business benefits of ICT, outsourcing trends and availability of help and advice on ICT adoption. The study has also investigated major barriers in ICT adoption and the findings of the study are consistent with other similar studies. The study identified the need for more training facilities for adopting ICT in SMEs. Additionally, the study identified that there is a need for the Government to provide guidance on suitable ICT products and services at an affordable cost as well as provide incentives to promote ICT investment and usage e.g. soft loans, availability of professional advice and consulting at no or low cost to SMEs. This is the first study on the status of ICT adoption and usage by SMEs in Nigeria. The findings of this research will provide a foundation for future research and will help policy makers in designing policies to further enhance usage and ICT adoption in SMEs in Nigeria. This is expected to improve productivity and competitiveness. KEYWORDS : Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Nigeria Enterprise Practices, Business Management.
Clinical relevance of midline fluid percussion brain injury: Acute deficits, chronic morbidities and the utility of biomarkers

Abstract Background: After 30 years of characterisation and implementation, fluid percussion injury (FPI) is firmly recognised as one of the best-characterised reproducible and clinically relevant models of TBI, encompassing concussion through diffuse axonal injury (DAI). Depending on the specific injury parameters (e.g. injury site, mechanical force), FPI can model diffuse TBI with or without a focal component and may be designated as mild-to-severe according to the chosen mechanical forces and resulting acute neurological responses. Among FPI models, midline FPI may best represent clinical diffuse TBI, because of the acute behavioural deficits, the transition to late-onset behavioural morbidities and the absence of gross histopathology. Review: The goal here was to review acute and chronic physiological and behavioural deficits and morbidities associated with diffuse TBI induced by midline FPI. In the absence of neurodegenerative sequelae associated with focal injury, there is a need for biomarkers in the diagnostic, prognostic, predictive and therapeutic approaches to evaluate outcomes from TBI. Conclusions: The current literature suggests that midline FPI offers a clinically-relevant, validated model of diffuse TBI to investigators wishing to evaluate novel therapeutic strategies in the treatment of TBI and the utility of biomarkers in the delivery of healthcare to patients with brain injury.
Perception of affect in speech - towards an automatic processing of paralinguistic information in spoken conversation

This paper reports a study of the perception of affective information in conversational speech utterances and shows that there are consistent differences in the acoustic features of same-word utterances that are perceived as having different discourse effects or displaying different affective states. We propose that rather than selecting one label to describe each utterance, a vector of activations across a range of features may be more appropriate. This ﬁnding complicates the representation of speech elements, but offers a more appropriate description of their attributes.
Does a Long-Term Orientation Create Value? Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity

In this paper, we theorize and empirically investigate how a long-term orientation impacts firm value. To study this relationship, we exploit exogenous changes in executives' long-term incentives. Specifically, we examine shareholder proposals on long-term executive compensation that pass or fail by a small margin of votes. The passage of such "close call" proposals is akin to a random assignment of long-term incentives and hence provides a clean causal estimate. We find that the adoption of such proposals leads to i) an increase in firm value and operating performance ― suggesting that a long-term orientation is beneficial to companies ― and ii) an increase in firms' investments in long-term strategies such as innovation and stakeholder relationships. Overall, our results are consistent with a "time-based" agency conflict between shareholders and managers.
Data Mining Techniques in CRM: Inside Customer Segmentation

A complete and comprehensive handbook for the application of data mining techniques in marketing and customer relationship management. It combines a technical and a business perspective, bridging the gap between data mining and its use in marketing.It guides readers through all the phases of the data mining process, presenting a solid data mining methodology, data mining best practices and recommendations for the use of the data mining results for effective marketing. It answers the crucial question of 'what data to use' by proposing mining data marts and full lists of KPIs for all major industries.Data mining algorithms are presented in a simple and comprehensive way for the business users along with real-world application examples from all major industries.The book is mainly addressed to marketers, business analysts and data mining practitioners who are looking for a how-to guide on data mining. It presents the authors' knowledge and experience from the "data mining trenches", revealing the secrets for data mining success.
Visual Analysis of Research on Acceptance of Information Technology

This paper collected 1696 literatures of acceptance of information technology (IT) as the data sample, which were cited by Web of Science (SCI-EXPANDED, SSCI, A&HCI, CPCI-S, CPCI-SSH) from 1985 to2010. Based on the method of mapping knowledge domains, this article used keyword frequency analysis, burst terms detecting, and co-citation analysis to analyse the research focus, frontier and theoretical foundation of acceptance of IT research, and draw the knowledge mapping of them.
Efficacy and safety of simeprevir in combination with peginterferon and ribavirin for patients with hepatitis C genotype 1 infection: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIM A simeprevir (SMV)-based regimen has shown promising results in treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of simeprevir for treating HCV genotype 1 infection. METHODS MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched, along with the reference lists of retrieved articles. The meta-analysis only included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy and safety of addition of SMV to peginterferon (PegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) (triple regimen) with PegIFN/RBV alone (dual regimen) in treating chronic HCV genotype 1 infection. RESULTS A total of seven RCTs involving 2,301 patients were included. The triple regimen had a higher pooled sustained virologic response (SVR) rate [odds ratio (OR) = 4.57; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.34-6.27; p < 0.001)] and lower pooled relapse rate [relative risk (RR) = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.33-0.50; p < 0.001] than the dual regimen had. The pooled incidence of adverse events (AEs) was comparable between the two regimens (RR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.99-1.03; p = 0.339), whereas the incidence of serious AEs in the triple regimen was lower (RR = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.50-0.98; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The meta-analysis demonstrates that the addition of SMV to pegIFN and RBV is effective and well-tolerated in treating chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, with a low incidence of AEs.
Overlap of PIV syndrome, VACTERL and Pallister–Hall syndrome: clinical and molecular analysis

The polydactyly, imperforate anus, vertebral anomalies syndrome (PIV, OMIM 174100) was determined as a distinct syndrome by Say and Gerald in 1968 (Say B, Gerald PS. Lancet 1968: 2: 688). We noted that the features of PIV overlap with the VATER association and Pallister–Hall syndrome (PHS, OMIM 146510), which includes polydactyly, (central or postaxial), shortened fingers, hypoplastic nails, renal anomalies, imperforate anus, and hypothalamic hamartoma. Truncation mutations in GLI3, a zinc finger transcription factor gene, have been shown to cause PHS. We performed a molecular evaluation on a patient diagnosed with PIV, whose mother, grandfather, and maternal aunt had similar malformations. We sequenced the GLI3 gene in the patient to determine if she had a mutation. The patient was found to have a deletion in nucleotides 2188–2207 causing a frameshift mutation that predicts a truncated protein product of the gene. Later clinical studies demonstrated that the patient also has a hypothalamic hamartoma, a finding in PHS. We concluded that this family had atypical PHS and not PIV. This result has prompted us to re‐evaluate the PIV literature to see if PIV is a valid entity. Based on these data and our examination of the literature, we conclude that PIV is not a valid diagnostic entity. We conclude that patients diagnosed with PIV should be reclassified as having VACTERL, or PHS, or another syndrome with overlapping malformations.
Cloning and development of pathotype-specific SCAR marker associated with Sclerospora graminicola isolates from pearl millet

Downy mildew pathogen of pearl millet in India is associated with the spread of the highly virulent Sclerospora graminicola pathotype-1. Twenty-seven S. graminicola isolates were screened using 20 inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR). Dinucleotide repeat primer [17898A-(CA)6 AC] amplified a ∼600 bp fragment specific to five isolates of pathotype-1 (Sg 048, Sg 153, Sg 212, DM-11 and DM-90). The ISSR fragment linked with pathotype-1 was cloned successfully and sequenced. To convert ISSR fragments into pathotype-specific sequence characterised amplified region (SCAR) markers, PCR primers were designed using a sequence of the cloned DNA fragment. PCR amplification using SCAR primer pair (UOM3-Sg-Path1-F/R) amplified a single 284 bp band only in isolates of S. graminicola pathotype-1. This SCARprimer pair did not amplify the 284 bp product from the other five S. graminicola pathotypes or a negative control, which demonstrates primer specificity for pathotype-1. The SCAR primer pair (UOM3-Sg-Path1-F/R) obtained in this study will provide a valuable tool for rapid identification and specific detection of S. graminicola pathotype-1.
Management of Endothelial Decompensation Because of Glaucoma Shunt Tube Touch by Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty and Tube Revision

Purpose: To describe the trimming of a glaucoma shunt tube with Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for the treatment of endothelial decompensation caused by tube-endothelium touch. Methods: An 84-year-old man with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma OU had endothelial decompensation because of the touch of the tube of an Ahmed glaucoma valve at the corneal endothelium OS. The best-corrected visual acuity decreased from 20/60 to counting fingers at 3 feet. The patient underwent uncomplicated trimming of the shunt tube and DMEK. Results: After surgery, the cornea became clear, and the best-corrected visual acuity improved to 20/60. The intraocular pressure remained normal (8-12 mm Hg) without antiglaucoma medications, and endothelial cell count remained stable in a follow-up of 12 months. No complications were encountered. Conclusions: Glaucoma shunt tube trimming with DMEK may be considered in cases of endothelial decompensation because of tube-endothelium touch and may replace penetrating keratoplasty and other posterior lamellar procedures for such cases.
Customer satisfaction and loyalty in the eyes of new and repeat customers: Evidence from the transport sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to attempt to explore the relative importance of the physical and interactive elements of service on overall satisfaction, particularly when these elements are moderated by the point‐of‐view of repeat and new customers. Evidence is drawn from the transport sector industry.Design/methodology/approach – The data for this study come from 388 ferry passengers. Regression analysis was used to test the influence of each parameter and SEM employed to assess the moderating effects of repeat patronage on satisfaction.Findings – The results suggest that the physical elements of the service are of greater importance in determining customer evaluations on overall satisfaction than interactive features of service. The results also suggest that these effects are not just direct but also moderated by the repeat use of the service. Finally, both elements are very good predictors of overall satisfaction.Research limitations/implications – As results are obtained from only one industr.
Market Reactions to News Media

This paper examines how news media affects stock prices and trading volumes in comparison with other information intermediaries over five years from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010. Trading volume and price changes of 100 small-cap stocks are analysed after a story appears about them in the Wall Street Journal, and compared to the magnitude of changes when news about the stock appears in a corporate filing, press release, analysts’ recommendation or industry publication. The results support the hypothesis that media has the greatest effect on price changes expressed through abnormal returns and volatility and on trading volumes compared to the other information intermediaries in the analysis due to its attention-grabbing effects and the likelihood that private information is most often released through rumour in the media. It also indicates that private information can be released in the media before it is revealed on any other platforms.
Ribosomal stress induces processing of Mybbp1a and its translocation from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm

Myb‐binding protein 1a (Mybbp1a) was originally identified as a c‐myb proto‐oncogene product (c‐Myb)‐interacting protein, and also binds to various other transcription factors. The 160‐kDa Mybbp1a protein (p160MBP) is ubiquitously expressed and is post‐translationally processed in some types of cells to generate an amino‐terminal 67 kDa fragment (p67MBP). Despite its interaction with various transcription factors, Mybbp1a is localized predominantly, but not exclusively, in nucleoli. Here, we have purified the two Mybbp1a‐containing complexes. The smaller complex contained p67MBP and p140MBP, which lacked the C‐terminal region of p160MBP containing the nucleolar localization sequences. The larger complex contained the intact p160MBP and various ribosomal subunits. Treatment of cells with actinomycin D (ActD), cisplatin or UV, all of which inhibit ribosome biogenesis, induced processing of p160MBP into p140MBP and p67MBP. ActD, cisplatin and UV also induced a translocation of Mybbp1a from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm. Both small and large Mybbp1a complexes contained nucleophosmin and nucleolin. In contrast, nucleostemin was detected only in the large complex, while the cell cycle‐regulated protein EBP1 was only in the small complex. These results suggest that Mybbp1a may connect the ribosome biogenesis and the Myb‐dependent transcription, which controls cell cycle progression and proliferation.