Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Development Processes and Performances of Asian American-Founded Ventures in Silicon Valley

This article examines the development patterns and performances of companies founded by Asian American entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and compares them with those of companies founded by non-Asian Americans. The authors find that companies founded by Asian Americans tended to have more Asian Americans in the executive team than those founded by their counterparts. Asian American ventures were more likely to secure venture capital and strategic investments from Asia-based companies and less likely to obtain strategic investment from U.S.-based corporations. In spite of the above differences, the two groups show no systematic differences in founder equity share or company valuation at IPO. The authors also find little statistical difference in the time to IPO (time from company founding to IPO offer date) or post-IPO performances between the two groups.
Informed Trading Before Positive vs. Negative Earnings Surprises

This paper investigates whether institutional investors trade profitably around the announcements of positive or negative earnings surprises. Using Korean data over the period of 2001–2010, we find that information asymmetry is larger before negative earnings surprises (earnings shock) among investors and that the trading volume decreases only before earnings shock announcements due to the severe information asymmetry. We also find that institutions sell their stocks prior to earnings shock announcements whereas individual and foreign investors do not anticipate bad news. Finally, we find that institutional trade imbalance is positively related to the post-announcement abnormal returns of negative events. This study complements and extends prior literature on informed trading around earnings announcements by documenting evidence that domestic institutions exploit their superior information around particularly earnings shock announcements.
Trypanosoma cruzi: characterization of reinfection and search for tissue tropism in hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

Tissue tropism, the role of reinfection in the development of Chagas' disease, and the selection of subpopulations of Trypanosoma cruzi were evaluated in hamsters inoculated with the VIC strain of T. cruzi. Adult allogeneic male hamsters were inoculated once or reinoculated by the intraperitoneal route up to four times with 2000 blood trypomastigotes. Animals were studied by blood culture, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular techniques (PCR and low-stringency single specific primer-PCR). Homogeneity of the T. cruzi population observed in different tissues suggests that selective tropism of the VIC strain extends only to various muscle tissues in hamsters and that reinfection is not a factor in the development of the inflammatory processes, although it may aggravate it, possibly due to an increase in tissue parasitism, which might induce autoimmune mechanisms. Reinfection did not induce selection of subpopulations in the tissue or in the blood.
A duration model of irreversible oil investment: Theory and empirical evidence

The aim of this paper is to analyse the implications of the theory of irreversible investment under uncertainty for investment in oil fields on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). We consider the problem of an operator who owns a licence to develop and extract oil from a field of known capacity. An intertemporal optimization model in discrete time is developed to derive decision rules for the timing of the irreversible development investment and for the optimal rate of extraction. Model simulation is then used to describe the properties of the numerical solutions. The predictions of the theory on the determinants of the irreversible investment decision are then examined using statistical duration analysis. Data on the length of the time period between discovery and development are available for individual fields on the UKCS. We measure the duration of the irreversible investment gestation lag for each field and test the model by assessing the significance of the theoretical variables in explaining the significance of such a lag. Both our theoretical model and our empirical results suggest the importance of a nonlinear interaction of the level of oil prices and the volatility of oil prices in determining the development lag. The simulation of our theoretical model shows a nonlinear impact of oil price volatility on the trigger level of oil prices. Our empirical results suggest that the effect of price volatility is a function of the expected price level, with increased price volatility having a positive impact on the duration of investment appraisal when expected prices are low and a negative impact when they are high.
Self Selection and Information Role of Online Product Reviews

Online product reviews may be subject to self-selection biases that impact consumer purchase behavior, online ratings' time series, and consumer surplus. This occurs if early buyers hold different preferences than do later consumers about the quality of a given product. Readers of early product reviews may not successfully correct for these preference differences when interpreting ratings and making purchases. In this study, we develop a model that examines how idiosyncratic preferences of early buyers can affect long-term consumer purchase behavior as well as the social welfare created by review systems. Our model provides an explanation for the structure of product ratings over time, which we empirically test using online book reviews posted on Amazon.com. Our analysis suggests that firms could benefit from altering their marketing strategies such as pricing, advertising, or product design to encourage consumers likely to yield positive reports to self-select into the market early and generate positive word-of-mouth for new products. On the other hand, self-selection bias, if not corrected, decreases consumer surplus.
Role of Tourism in Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan Economy

Tourism activities are considered to be one of the major sources of economic growth. It can be regarded as a mechanism of generating the employment as well as income in both formal and informal sectors. Tourism supplements the foreign exchange earnings derived from trade in commodities and some times finance the import of capital goods necessary for the growth of manufacturing sectors in the economy. On the other hand rapid economic growth in the developed economies attracts foreign travels (Business travels), which leads to an increase in the foreign reserve of the country. Over the past several decades, international tourism has been gaining importance in many economies of the world. According to the World Tourism Organisation (2002), expenditures by 693 million international tourists traveling in 2001 totaled US $ 462 billion, roughly US $ 1.3 billion per day worldwide. In addition, tourists spending have served as an alternative form of exports, contributing to an ameliorated balance of payments through foreign exchange earnings in many countries. The rapid growth of tourism led to a growth of household incomes and government revenues directly and indirectly by means of multiplier effects, improving balance of payments and provoking tourism-promoted government policies. As a result, the development of tourism has generally been considered a positive contribution to economic growth.
Labour's Lost Youth: Young People and the Labour Party's Youth Sections

Falling levels of membership and activism are threatening the Labour Party's status as a mass party. This problem has to be seen in the context of growing disillusionment with formal politics in Britain, especially among young people. If Labour continues to fail in socialising future generations of members and activists into its mission, its fate will be sealed. This article examines Labour's relationship with young people, with particular attention to the organisation of the Party's youth sections. It utilises the results of original research into the attitudes of young members to diagnose the problem of young people in the Labour Party, and assesses the prospects of meaningful reform.
PRIORITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION AND THE INCLUSION OF INTERNATIONALIZED CURRICULUM IN COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE: INTERPRETING THE "COMPARISON DILEMMA"

To adapt to major social, cultural, technological, and globalization forces, scholars frequently discuss the purpose, structure, and content of higher education in agriculture. Most agree that change in the curriculum is imperative. The questions are who will champion the change, who will implement it, and whether faculty are willing to be an essential part of the process. So, the purpose of this study was to analyze what the faculty of the colleges of agriculture (COA) of the University of Georgia and Texas AM however, internationalization of the curriculum was viewed as very relevant. The tendency to compare issues often dilutes the emphasis given to internationalization, especially if viewed as a mutually exclusive alternative. That tendency to compare is herein referred to as the “comparison dilemma. ” Selected findings and conclusions are discussed accordingly.
Employee management systems and organizational contexts: a population ecology approach

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to construct a theoretical model of the characteristics and determinants of employee management configurations, simple management, personnel management and human resource management (HRM). Design/methodology/approach - This paper builds upon work in HRM by integrating critical management, population ecology and industrial relations to develop a conceptual framework of the character of employee management and its determinants. Findings - This framework represents an important step forward in thinking about the determinants and character of employee management systems. Practical implications - A typology of six employee management configurations is established in both union and non-unionised contexts. The paper critiques the universalistic approach to HRM. This paper offers an insight into the rationale of employee management techniques and its determinants. Originality/value - Within the normative HRM literature there has been little discussion of the role of context in influencing the character of HRM or employee management generally. The paper seeks to explore, using population ecology theory, how context influences the characteristics of employee management.
The Geography of Equity Listing; Why Do Companies List Abroad?

This Paper documents the aggregate trends in the foreign listings of companies and analyses both their distinctive pre-listing characteristics and their post-listing performance relative to other companies. In the 1986-97 interval, many European companies listed abroad, but did so mainly on US exchanges. At the same time, the number of US companies listed in Europe decreased. The cross-listings of European companies appear to have sharply different motivations and consequences depending on whether they cross-list in the United States or within Europe. In the first case, companies pursue a strategy of rapid expansion and large equity issues after the listing. They rely increasingly on export markets and tend to belong to high-tech industries. In the second case, companies do not grow more than the control group, and increase their leverage after the cross-listing. The only features common to all cross-listing companies are their large size and their tendency to be recently privatized companies.
ENGLISH EXPERIENCE OF DEREGULATION OF THE TAXI INDUSTRY.

The U.K. government has proposed that there be no limits on the number of entrants to the taxi trade. There is some evidence as to the likely effects of such a move since, from January 1986, the absolute discretion previously granted to local authorities to limit the number of hackney carriages in their area has been abolished. The results of three nationwide studies of taxi licensing policy since that date suggest that this entry deregulation has had only limited success in achieving its objectives. Vehicle numbers have not increased at a noticeably greater rate in districts which have deregulated. There is no evidence to suggest that increased competition in deregulated districts has led to lower fares. In restricted markets, a substantial and increasing licence premium is enjoyed by licence holders. In deregulated districts, we see generally lower standards of quality enforcement and severe shortages of rank capacity. The focus of the current legislation on the single criterion of passenger waiting tim.
Remuneration, Retention, and Reputation Incentives for Outside Directors

I study incentives received by outside directors in Fortune 500 firms from compensation, replacement, and the opportunity to obtain other directorships. Previous research has only shown these relations to apply under limited circumstances such as financial distress. Together these incentive mechanisms provide directors with wealth increases of approximately 11 cents per $1,000 rise in firm value. Although smaller than the performance sensitivities of CEOs, outside directors' incentives imply a change in wealth of about $285,000 for a 1 standard deviation ("SD") change in typical firm performance. Cross-sectional patterns of director equity awards conform to agency and financial theories. Copyright 2004 by The American Finance Association.
Strategic, organisational and technological factors and knowledge management performance in mass customisation: an exploratory study

In this study, new factors affecting Knowledge Management (KM) performance in mass customisation were extracted from strategic, organisational and technological context, and the effects were examined through case studies. The firms implementing mass customisation are good cases reflecting recent changes in business environment such as increasing variability of customer need, the need for integrated operations in value chains, and thereby increasing need for knowledge management. Research was conducted through on-site interviews with company directors or managers in charge of knowledge management.
Methadone Intoxication in a Child: Toxic Encephalopathy?

Methadone is used in the treatment of opioid addiction. Acute intoxication can lead to severe consequences and can even be lethal. In several case reports and small series, a presumably toxic leukoencephalopathy is described resulting from inhalation of heroin. We present the case of a 3-year-old boy who ingested methadone accidentally. In a coma with acute obstructive hydrocephalus owing to massive cerebellar edema and supratentorial lesions, he was successfully treated with methylprednisolone and cerebrospinal fluid external drainage. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an encephalopathy associated with synthetic opioid intoxication. (J Child Neurol 2006;21:618—620; DOI 10.2310/7010.2006.00146).
The Market Reaction to Stock Splits

In this paper, a model of market reaction to stock splits is presented and tested. The auth ors argue that the announcement of a split sets off the following cha in of events: the market recognizes that subsequent to the (reverse) split ex-day, the daily number of transactions along with the raw vol ume of shares traded will increase (decrease); this increase in volum e results in an increase in the noisiness of the security's return pr ocess; the increase in noise raises the tax-option value of the stock -and it is this value that generates the announcement effect of stock splits. Copyright 1987 by American Finance Association.
Joint picture-book reading correlates of early oral language skill

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the relation between joint picture-book-reading experiences provided in the home and children's early oral language skills. Subjects were 41 two-year-old children and their mothers. Measures included maternal report of the age at which she began to read to the child, the frequency of home reading sessions, the number of stories read per week, and the frequency of visits by the child to the local library. Measures of language skill used were the child's receptive and expressive scores on the revised Reynell Developmental Language Scales. Multiple regression analyses indicated that picture-book reading exposure was more strongly related to receptive than to expressive language. Age of onset of home reading routines was the most important predictor of oral language skills. Directions of effect, the importance of parental beliefs as determinants of home reading practices, and the possible existence of a threshold level for reading frequency are discussed.
Testing the Random Walks in Korea Stock Exchange

The aim of this paper is to investigate random walk in Korea stock exchange. The results of unit root, autocorrelation and the variance ratio tests are applied, using daily data on returns of two indexes in the period 1997:7 to 2012:12. The null hypothesis of random walk is rejected for the two indexes and therefore the markets are no weak-form efficiency.
Effects of passive smoking on lung growth in children

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of passive smoking on functional lung growth in children and adolescents. It was hypothesized that passive smoking might reduce lung function growth, especially in susceptible children. The assumption was that those most susceptible would be children who started with low lung function, as it had been shown that they had slower growth of lung function, and start to decline earlier. There were 138 non‐Hispanic Caucasian children and adolescents, ages 5 through 15, who had at least three satisfactory longitudinal lung function tests over a 13 year period in the Tucson epidemiological study of airway obstructive diseases. Those who started in childhood with normal function did not show any effect of passive smoking, nor did females who started with low lung function. Males starting with low lung function whose parents smoked showed definite changes. Their forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) grew even more slowly between ages 13 through 16, related primarily to continuous parental smoking. They also had higher rates of decline for FEV1 to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio and maximum flow at 50% vital capacity to FVC ratios than either the low function group without passive smoking or the normal function groups. This was independent of any symptoms or diagnoses present in this male low function group.
Comparison of basophil histamine release, eosinophil cationic protein and non‐specific airway responsiveness between mite‐sensitive asthmatic and non‐asthmatic children and non‐allergic controls

To understand the relevance of allergy to the development of asthma in children, we examined basophil hislamine release (HR) with Df antigen, blood cosinophii counts, serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels, and bronchial responsiveness to methacholine (PC20) in three groups of children, including 36 asthmatics with high RAST titre for Df (group 1), 36 non‐asthmatics with similarly high RAST titre for Df (group 2) and 21 non‐asthmatics with negative RAST titre for Df (group 3). The amount of Df antigen inducing 50% HR from basophils did not vary significantly between group 1 and 2 (P>0.05), while none of the cells responded to higher concentrations of Df in group 3. The mean number of blood eosinophils and level of serum ECP were highest in group 1, and lowest in group 3, with group 2 being intermediate, and the differences were significant between all three groups (P<0.01). The mean PC20 value was the lowest in group 1, intermediate in group 2, and the highest in group 3, and the differences were significant between all three groups (P<0.01). While correlation studies showed that PC20 values of group 2 subjects signficantly correlated with their eosinophil numbers (r=–0.48, P<0.01) and ECP levels (r =–0.49, P < 0.01), such correlations were not found in group 1 subjects. These results suggest that the degree of the eosinophilic inflammation caused by the allergic reaction to mites is an important factor in determining the clinical expression of asthma in atopic subjects.
Settling Shared Uncertainties: Local Partnerships Between Producers and Consumers

Should we associate the recent succession of food crises, occurring on a large scale, and the emergence of alternative systems linking producers and consumers on a local scale? Are alternative systems an attempt to set up new forms of insurance against global food uncertainties ? These uncertainties result from the metabolic nature of food production and consumption, and therefore concern both producers and consumers. On the basis of three case studies of a system of long-term subscription to a weekly box of fruits and vegetables, this paper will investigate whether these schemes address both producers' and consumers' uncertainties. This common settling of shared uncertainties relies on a re-framing of the transaction: it includes a series of transactions and not only one, the scheme is conceived at the level of a certain number of consumers, and supposes a specific definition of both systems of production and distribution. This definition assumes the irregularity of the agricultural production and products. In the most involving schemes, this definition is negotiated by producers and consumers, who also identify which acceptable uncertainties are necessary to reduce unacceptable uncertainties.
Earnings quality and equity liquidity: evidence from Tunisia

This paper examines the association between earnings quality and equity liquidity of Tunisian listed firms. Analysis on the liquidity of an emerging market such as the BVMT is very appealing because it is the most important quality investors look for. Earnings quality seems to influence stocks' liquidity in regard to its impact on the information asymmetry. Based on a sample of 20 firms over a period from 2000 to 2005, we find that there is a statistically significant relationship between our proxy of earnings quality and liquidity after controlling the stock exchange, size, returns of the equity and volatility. Our results support that firms with higher earnings quality have lower bid-ask spreads and lower adverse selection spread components. This result supports theoretical models predicting that more quality of financial and accounting information is associated with a higher level of liquidity.
The Corporate Dividend-Saving Decision

The purpose of this paper is to derive and test a model of the dividend-saving decision for a shareholder wealth-maximizing firm. Starting with the basic proposition that shareholders should prefer capital gains income to dividend income in a world of differential taxes and transactions costs, dividends are viewed as basically a residual in the corporate decision process. The term residual does not imply that there is no dividend decision or that dividend policy does not affect the worth of the firm since, as argued, the selection of an optimal level of dividends in an uncertain environment still involves the forecasting of future investment needs and the selection of a dividend-saving program to finance these needs at minimum cost. The relevant costs in this context relate to the possible accumulation of excess liquidity resulting from insufficient dividends on the one hand and the possible need for external equity financing resulting from excessive dividends on the other.