Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corporate Governance Lessons from Russian Enterprise Fiascos

This Article draws on a rich array of deviant behavior in Russian enterprises to craft lessons for corporate governance theory. First, Professors Fox and Heller define corporate governance by looking to the economic functions of the firm. Based on this definition, they develop a typology that comprehensively shows all the channels through which bad corporate governance can inflict damage on a country's real economy. Second, they explain the causes of Russian enterprise fiascoes by looking to the particular initial conditions prevailing at privatization-untenable firm boundaries and insider allocation of firm shares-and the bargaining dynamics that have followed. This focus offers a new perspective for a comparative corporate governance literature derived from United States, Western European, and Japanese models. The analytic tools created in this Article can inform pressing debates across contemporary corporate law, ranging from the theory of the close corporation to the viability of "stakeholder" proposals.
Impact of Rice Pudding on Preschool-Aged Children’s Health: an Overview of a Pilot Study

Background: Preschool-aged children of disadvantaged households in Nepal have a higher prevalence rate of under nutrition. A major contributing reason is the inadequate maternal knowledge, existing taboos and unscientific food recommendation practices. Aim: This pilot study evaluates the impact of the rice pudding feeding programme on child health and calculates the costs of the preparation. Materials and Methods: A before-and-after study of children aged under-five attending a day-care centre in remote Nepal. Children’s weight, height and MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) were compared before and after the rice pudding programme which lasted 54 days. Results: 42 children (boys 43% & girls 57%), of whom 90% had gained weight whilst the weight of the remaining 10% of children stayed constant. Similarly, 78% had increased MUAC while 12% of 2 children improved slightly. The study was inexpensive, US$ 0.34 per day per child and likely to be cost-effective. Conclusion: A regular healthy diet of rice pudding helps children’s nutritional need. It is important to consider right dietary practice, including portion sizes, and community awareness about healthy diet and impact of child health as well as sustainability. Key Messages a) Significantly improved child’s weight and MUAC. b) Partnership programme leads to cost-effectiveness and sustainability of the programme. c) This programme could be replicated in the similar areas in Nepal.
INTERACTIONS OF PLANTS WITH NOBLE METAL NANOPARTICLES

Gold and silver nanoparticles are used in a variety of biomedical practice as carriers of drugs, enhancers and/or converters of optical signal, immunomarkers, etc. The review examines a decade publications pertaining to the various influence of nanoparticles of noble metals (gold and silver) on growth and productivity of higher plants. In fact, possible phytotoxicity of these nanoparticles is being actively studied for over 10 years. The topicality of this field of research is due to the detection of a number of natural and human-caused factors resulting in interactions of plants with nanoparticles (B.P. Colman et al., 2013; N.G. Khlebtsov et al., 2011). A positive or negative impact of nanoparticles on plants is little known, and the information is very contradictory (P. Manchikanti et al., 2010; M. Carri è re et al., 2012; C. Rem é dios et al., 2012; N. Zuverza-Mena et al., 2016). In the study both model ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) and cultivated plants (soy, canola, beans, rice, radish, tomato, pumpkin, etc.) were involved. The discussed data are indicative of both positive and negative effects of metal nanoparticles on plants, as well as of the chemical nature, size, shape, surface charge, and the dose introduced being the major factors that are responsible for the processes of intracellular nanoparticle penetration. In general terms, it was mentioned that silver nanoparticles were more toxic as compared to gold ones being due to more active silver ion diffusion from the silver nanoparticle surface. Silver ions are known to inhibit effectively biosynthesis of ethylene — a phytohormone controlling processes of plant stress, aging etc., wherein gold ions do not influence ethylene biosynthesis and signaling. Considered all, metal ion toxicity exceeds considerably a toxicity of nanoparticles. The mechanism of the nanoparticle phytotoxic action is often connected with accumulation of active oxygen species in plant tissues. The use of cell suspension cultures may be a promising approach to study plant-nanoparticles interaction (E. Planchet et al., 2015). The period during which these studies are conducted is still small for elucidating all aspects with regard to biosafety. Contradictory (often conflicting) information on the impact of nanoparticles, in our opinion, is a result of diverse experimental conditions used. It is noted that while being clearly incomplete and contradictory, the obtained data suggest that a coordinated research program is needed that would detect correlations between particle parameters, experimental design, and the observed biological effects.
Thrombin generation: An essential step in haemostasis and thrombosis

Thrombin (EC3.4.21 .5) is rhe cenrra l b ioregularorv en4 'me in haemosrasis . I f funcr ions ar rhe level of the piasma, the p lare ler and rhe vessei ' "va l l and has a lso some acuons less obvrously re lated to haemostasis . In th is chaprer we wi l l do rwo th ings: del ineare i rs ro le in haemostasis and thrombosis and descnbe rhe mechanism of thrombin formation. Doing so u'e u.i l l necessaril l ' rouch upon parr of the marer ia l thar is r reated in more deta i l in other chapters. Yer rhe derai led d iscussion of rhe indrv idual facrors, react ions and d iseaseJmay not auromat i ca l ly lead to recogniuon of rhe organised inrerp lay berween the elemenrs of rhis biochemical sysrem in rvhich thrombin p lays the p ivora l ro le. Posi t ive and negar ive feedback reacr ions, rhe cooperat ion between p lare lers and soluble factors, florv and surfaces, rogether govern rhrombin formadon at the site of a '"vound or a thrombus. \I/e wil l try to g'lve a picture of this sysrem as a whole and ro define i rs p lace in haemosrar ic and rhromboi ic evenrs. \ \ /e refer to the speci f ic chapters for the manv derai is thar r r ,e must necessarily menrion only in passing. Tradidonal ly the haemosrar ic process is d iv ided into rhree stages:
Global and Unique Weak Solutions of Nonlinear Wave Equations

While the uniqueness of the energy class solutions of semi-linear wave equations with supercritical nonlinearity remains an open problem, there has been a considerable progress recently in understanding of the critical and subcritical cases (see [Brenner & von Wahl], [Pecher], [Ginibre & Velo 1-3], [Ginibre, Soffer & Velo], [Kapitanski 1, 4-6], [Struwe 1, 2], [Grillakis 1-3], [Shatah & Struwe]). In particular, the following result is proved in [Kapitanski 4, 5]. Let L be a second order hyperbolic differential operator of the form (the sum over the repeated indices is assumed)
Utilization of Social Media within Product Development -an exploratory multiple case study of SMEs and their perception on the usability of social media in the product development process

While social media is already widely adopted among firms within commercialization and marketing, it can also prove to be a useful tool in the process of product development in order to interact with customers and open up innovation efforts. Our qualitative multiple case study of SMEs within sustainable innovation aims to outline; if, how and why social media is utilized in their product development processes. Our results show that the use of social media within product development is almost nonexistent among our respondents, mainly due to limited resources in combination with a low amount of customers. A low number of customers impede the ability to realize the major gains of using social media; to facilitate convenient communication among a large number of users. Additional significant challenges are perceived to be the difficulty in controlling content, measuring gains and dealing with security issues. There is no consensus among the respondents regarding the perceived future potential for social media within product development; while some are quite hesitant, some companies do anticipate increased potential in the future.
MOLECULAR VARIATION AMONG ISOLATES OF FUSARIUM SPECIES

Twelve different isolates of Fusarium spp. collected from wheat grown in Syria were analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. AFLP analysis allowed differentiation between species on the basis of banding patterns. A total of 654 scorable DNA bands were scored, of which 296 (44.54 %) were polymorphic. UPGMA dendrogram, based on Nei's genetic distances, showed that isolates formed three phylogenetic groups; one of them did not fall into clades correlated to the origin or colour of the isolate, which suggests a regional dispersal of these species. However, isolates belonging to F. culmorum and F. equiseti collected from north-west of Syria and ICARDA, respectively fell into two separate sub-clusters. The level of genetic variability detected within Fusarium isolates by AFLP analysis confirmed that it is a reliable, efficient, and effective marker technology for determining genetic relationships in Fusarium spp. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/bjb.v43i2. 21674 Bangladesh J. Bot. 43 (2): 207-212, 2014 (September)
The Relationship between Multiple Intelligences and Reading Comprehension of EFL Learners across Genders

With developments in psychology and cognitive sciences in recent years, the significance of individual differences in L2 pedagogy has been highlighted. One of the outcomes of attending to individual differences is the increased attention to the concept of multiple intelligences and its relationship with language learning and different skills including reading comprehension skill. On the same line, the present study aimed at investigating the relationship between multiple intelligences of a group of L2 learners and their reading comprehension ability. To this purpose, 157 medical students studying at the Guilan University of Medical Sciences participated in the study. The instruments utilized were Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS) and a reading comprehension test. The findings revealed that among the components of multiple intelligences of the medical students verbal-linguistic intelligence was prevalent. Furthermore, results of Pearson correlation demonstrated a positive but weak relationship between medical students’ MI and their reading comprehension ability. The findings also indicated that there is no difference between male and female medical students except in naturalistic intelligence. These findings further pinpoint the importance of attending to multiple intelligences of L2 learners and devising lessons which take their individual differences into account. Keywords : Multiple intelligences, reading comprehension, medical students, gender, EFL
Attachment to Certain Natural Environments: A Basis for Choice of Recreational Settings, Activities and Restoration from Stress?

Studies suggest that people’s choice of recreation depends on attachment to certain places. Others indicate that recreation in nature restores people from stress. Could it be that during childhood people become more attached to certain types of environments, and are more restored after performing recreation in these environments? The results are based on a questionnaire sent out at random to 2,000 people in Sweden, and show that people feel more at home in the type of landscape they grew up in, and that this has importance in their choice of recreational setting as well as the recreational activity they choose. An association was also found between people’s levels of stress and how often they take part in recreation in natural settings where they feel most at home. The phenomenon “feeling at home in certain natural environments” could be an important factor in discussing landscape planning, nature and restoration from stress.
Context matters: combined influence of participation and intellectual stimulation on the promotion-focus/employee creativity relationship

In this paper, we examined the interactive effects of two contexts—participation and intellectual stimulation, and promotion focus on creativity. On the basis of a multi-organization sample of 213 employees, we tested and found that although promotion focus was positively related to creativity, the relationship between promotion focus and creativity was most positive when both participation and leader intellectual stimulation were high. We discuss the way contexts in combination influence employee creativity for promotion-oriented individuals, through increasing decision latitude as well as stimulating and promoting creativity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Anxious and the Climbers: Ambivalent Attitudes Towards Democracy Among South Africa's Middle Class

Beyond the hopes placed in Africa’s emergent middle class as an engine of economic growth, some analysts see this group as a bastion of political stability and enduring de‐ mocratisation across the continent. This paper’s approach differs from that of most studies, which treat the middle class as a homogeneous group, through two key contributions. First, using cluster analysis, I propose a novel way of conceptualising social class that broadly draws on the Weberian idea of shared life chances. I apply this method to South Africa and identify five social classes characterised by their members’ living standards, overall life satisfaction, and self‐perceived upward mobility. Second, the empirical analysis reveals significant discrepancies in attitudes towards democracy between the downwardly and upwardly mobile strata of the middle class, which I term the “anxious” and the “climbers,” respectively. On the one hand, the “climbers” show the highest generic sup‐ port for democracy as a form of government, whereas the “anxious” middle class displays feelings of resignation. On the other hand, I find indicative evidence of a status‐quo bias among the “climbers. ” Rather than assuming a more demanding or critical stance in politics, they allow their political priorities to be at least partly shaped by an interest in securing and expanding attained living standards; being upwardly mobile is even associated with a higher tolerance for government attempts to constrain freedom of information, opinion, or expression.
A generalised Gerber–Shiu measure for Markov-additive risk processes with phase-type claims and capital injections

In this paper we consider a risk reserve process where the arrivals (either claims or capital injections) occur according to a Markovian point process. Both claim and capital injection sizes are phase-type distributed and the model allows for possible correlations between these and the inter-claim times. The premium income is modelled by a Markov-modulated Brownian motion which may depend on the underlying phases of the point arrival process. For this risk reserve model we derive a generalised Gerber–Shiu measure that is the joint distribution of the time to ruin, the surplus immediately before ruin, the deficit at ruin, the minimal risk reserve before ruin, and the time until this minimum is attained. Numeral examples illustrate the influence of the parameters on selected marginal distributions.
What Determines the Number of Bank Relationships? Cross-Country Evidence

We investigate the determinants of multiple-bank relationships using a new data set comprised of 1129 firms across twenty European countries. We first document large cross-country variation in the average number of bank relationships per firm, exposing a richness in the financial systems of European countries that goes beyond simply being termed "bank-dominated. " We find, after controlling for firm and industry-specific characteristics, that the average number of bank relationships per firm is non-monotonically related to the fragility of a country? s banking system and negatively related to the efficiency of its bankruptcy process and enforcement of creditor rights. Moreover, we find that although concentrated banking systems reduce the number of bank relationships, public bond markets have a complementary effect and increase the average number of banks per firm. We extend our analysis to industry-level effects and also study the robustness of our results using a different data set on bank relationships in Norway. Overall, our study provides a rich set of results that should aid in sorting out theories in banking, corporate governance and financial system architecture.
A semi-empirical model of boreal-forest gross primary production, evapotranspiration, and soil water — calibration and sensitivity analysis

Simple approaches to predicting ecosystem fluxes are useful in large-scale applications because existing data rarely support justified use of complex models. We developed a model of daily ecosystem gross primary production (P), evapotranspiration (E), and soil water content (θ), which only requires standard weather data and information about the fraction of absorbed radiation. We estimated the parameters of the model for two boreal Scots pine eddy-covariance sites (Hyytiälä and Sodankylä). The model predicted P and E adequately for Hyytiälä for both calibration and additional test years. The model calibrated for Hyytiälä slightly overestimated P and E in Sodankylä, but its performance levelled with the model calibrated for Sodankylä in a dry year. Sensitivity analysis of the model implied that drought prediction is sensitive, not only to key E submodel parameters, but also to P submodel parameters. Further improvement and calibrations of the model could benefit from forest sites with varying canopy and different species structures.
Study of Macular Thickness Using Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in Healthy Indian Subjects

Purpose: To generate normative data for SD-OCT (Topcon 3D OCT 2000) estimated macular thickness in Indian eyes and establish its relation with age sex and refractive error. Materials and methods: In this cross sectional , observational, hospital based study 800 eyes of 400 healthy Indian individuals underwent a macula OCT scan using Topcon SD OCT. Macular thickness was measured in 9 ETDRS regions . The effect of age , sex , refractive error on foveal thickness was determined. Results: The mean central foveeal thickness was 226.4025 ±22.5063 μm. Males were found to have a significantly thicker macula (P< 0.05) than females with the central foveal thickness of 229.8153 ± 21.4222 vs 220.7748 ±23.14742 . Central foveal thickness was found to have very weak correlation with age which was not statistically significant. All other regions (the parafoveal and perifoveal thickness) showed statistically significant negative correlation with age. Conclusion: We provide the largest normative data for SD OCT Topcon 3D OCT 2000. We also suggest that demographic factor like gender should be considered while interpreting any OCT measurements. The normal range of central macular thickness for Indian population should be 181 µm to 270 µm for Topcon SD OCT. Age and refractive error do not show a significant correlation with central macular thickness.
Aggregate Fluctuations with National and International Returns to Scale

Cyclical movements in aggregate output, factor inputs, and productivity are all positively correlated across countries. This article proposes a model in which positive cross-country correlations of these variables result from increasing returns to the world-wide variety of intermediate goods even if technology shocks are purely country-specific. The model also accounts for the observed positive relationship between bilateral trade volume and international comovements. Positive comovements can also arise with constant returns to variety, but only if technology shocks are themselves strongly correlated. The combination of constant returns and common shocks, however, tends to generate procyclical fluctuations of the trade balance.
Impact of Working Capital on Financial Performance of Gulf Cooperation Council Firms

As an extension of prior literatures that proved the relationship between working capital and firm performance, the present study aims to explore the impact of working capital on the firm performance of cement manufacturing Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) firms for a period of 2008-2014. Four hypotheses pertaining to working capital components were investigated using linear regression models. The study identified positive relationship between inventory conversion period, average payment period with profitability and a negative relationship amid average collection period and firm profitability. The result of regression model indicates average collection period and inventory conversion period to be the most significant factors followed by average payment period. It shows that the profitability of the GCC cement manufacturing firms are greatly influenced by the average collection period and high inventory levels.
A NOTE ON TARIFF POLICY, INCREASING RETURNS, AND ENDOGENOUS FLUCTUATIONS

We show that the introduction of a constant tariff or subsidy levied on foreign energy can lead to a rich set of endogenous fluctuations around the unique steady state, including stable 2-, 4-, 8-, and 15-cycles, quasiperiodic orbits, and chaos. This is demonstrated in a standard neoclassical growth model with social increasing returns to scale. Numerical exercises could be viewed from a methodological perspective as illustrating that capital income taxes and tariffs are equivalent in generating endogenous fluctuations because Guo and Lansing [Guo, J.T. and K.J. Lansing (2002) Fiscal policy, increasing returns and endogenous fluctuations. Macroeconomic Dynamics 6, 633–664] show that a constant capital tax or subsidy has the same effect on the model dynamics in a one-sector closed economy.
Petrology and Geochemistry of Rocks from the Walvis Ridge: Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 74, Sites 525, 527 and 528

Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 74 drilled basement on the Walvis Ridge at Sites 525, 527, and 528. These sites are located on the crest and flanks of the segment of the Ridge about 68 to 70 m.y. old in the central province of the Ridge. Each site has a number of distinct subaqueous flows separated by sediment layers. Although variation in geochemistry among units and sites is related in part to alteration or crystal fractionation, some is caused by small-scale compositional variation in the mantle source of the basalts. Leg 74 basalts are similar to other basalts recovered from the Walvis Ridge and the Rio Grande Rise. They show distinct compositional differences to mid-ocean ridge basalts in general, to those recovered from the South Atlantic at this latitude, and to basalts presently erupting in Tristan da Cunha. The composition of the Walvis Ridge basalts does not suggest simple mixtures of present-day MORB and Tristan da Cunha melts. If the Walvis Ridge represents the trace of the Tristan da Cunha hot spot as the plates separated, then the composition of the mantle source has differed at different times in the past, which suggests mantle heterogeneity.