Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epilepsy, Culture, Identity and Well-being

Epilepsy presents an identity of exclusion, which at multiple levels hinders the ability to engage with one's community. This article describes an exploratory, mixed methods study (N = 42) of the relationship between the social, cultural and environmental context and the experience of living with epilepsy in Cameroon. Participants were identified as `epileptics', consequently restrictions placed on them reduced their ability to perform traditional roles, affected their social value and excluded them from their communities. Participants detail the effects of their reduced `social value' and the challenges they face in attempts to be reintegrated as productive and functioning members of society.
Corporate Financial Policy, Taxation, and Macroeconomic Risk

This paper develops a simple model of corporate financial structure intended to formalize the macroeconomic concern over excessive leverage. In particular, we attempt to rationalize why firms designing an optimal capital structure would choose a level of debt that leaves them heavily exposed to macroeconomic risk. Our starting point is a variant of the "corporate control" model often used to motivate debt as the optimal financial contract. We modify this framework in two ways. First, we include common risks, interpretable as business cycle risks, as well as idiosyncratic risks. Second, we include corporate and investor-level taxes, and consider the implications of a net tax bias against equity finance. The tax distortion confronts firms with a tradeoff ex ante between the costs of equity finance and the costs of increased exposure to macroeconomic risk accompanying debt finance. In this regard, an equilibrium with "excessive leverage" is possible. Further, despite the possibility of renegotiation, debt is in general less effective than equity in insulating the firm against aggregate risk. Our model leads to the prediction that individual firm dividends may vary with macroeconomic conditions, even after controlling for the effects of relevant firm-specific performance measures, such as earnings. We present some formal econometric evidence in support of this prediction, using a panel of individual corporations. Evidence on some related predictions is also presented.
Investments and Network Competition

We analyze the impact of two-way access charges on the incentives to invest in networks with different levels of quality. When quality has an impact on all calls initiated by customers (destined both on-net and off-net), we obtain a result of ``tacit collusion" even in a symmetric model with two-part pricing. Firms tend to underinvest in quality, and this is exacerbated if they can negotiate reciprocal termination charges above cost. When the quality of off-net calls depends on the interaction between the quality of the two networks, no network has an incentive to jump ahead of its rival by investing more.
What Did Smith Mean by the Invisible Hand?

The invisible hand is not a power that makes the good of one the good of all, and it is not any of a number of other things it is said to be. It is simply the inducement a merchant has to keep his capital at home, thereby increasing the domestic capital stock and enhancing military power, both of which are in the public interest and neither of which he intended. Smith's exposition discloses how his rhetorical sallies could disfigure his economics, confuse his argument for free trade, and make him play fast and loose with facts and the ideas of others.
An interpretive study of high school dropouts in the context of a former disadvantaged community

The purpose of this study was to understand and to interpret the complex array of factors that contribute to the phenomenon of learners dropping out of school. This investigation highlights the phenomenon of high school dropouts in particular. Whilst I am not entirely comfortable with the term “dropout”, I have decided to use it based on its use in a report of the Ministerial Committee on Learner Retention in the South African Schooling System that was published in October 2007. This report provides various understandings of the term, and I use the term with reference to said report. The research methodology for the study is interpretive analysis, and the purpose thereof is to provide “thick description”, which means a thorough description of the characteristics, processes, transactions, and contexts that constitute the phenomenon being studied. The analysis is couched in a language not alien to the phenomenon, and takes into account the researcher’s role in constructing the description. The research data have identified a number of factors within families, within schools, and within communities that affect whether learners are likely to drop out, or to graduate, from high school. These are: poverty, almost all the parents of the participants were school dropouts themselves (did not complete their schooling), teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, the lack of home and school stability, social behaviour, rebellion, peer pressure, and a sense of caring.
The Price Elasticity of Selective Demand: A Meta-Analysis of Econometric Models of Sales

The author describes a meta-analysis of econometric studies that estimated the elasticity of selective sales or market share to price. The literature review yielded 367 suitable price elasticities from about 220 different brands/markets. The results indicate that the price elasticity is significantly negative and, in absolute value, eight times larger than the advertising elasticity obtained from a prior meta-analysis. The omission of distribution or quality, the use of only cross-sectional data, and temporal aggregation lead to severe biases in the estimates of price elasticity. The elasticity also differs significantly over the brand life cycle, product categories, estimation methods, and countries.
Modern Finance vs. Behavioural Finance: An Overview of Key Concepts and Major Arguments

Modern Finance has dominated the area of financial economics for at least four decades. Based on a set of strong but highly unrealistic assumptions its advocates have produced a range of very influential theories and models. Nonetheless, in the last two decades a new academic school of thought has emerged that refutes the key assumption of a homo economicus; an assumption that represents the cornerstone for the development of the theory of efficient markets. The first empirical evidence against efficient markets in the mid-eighties signalled the beginning of a fierce debate between these two schools of thought. This paper gives an overview of the key arguments of these two distinctive academic doctrines.
Economic Capital and the Aggregation of Risks Using Copulas

Insurance companies measure and manage capital across a broad range of diverse business products. Thus there is a need for the aggregation of the losses from the various business lines whose risk distributions vary. Risk dependencies between losses from different business lines have long been recognised in the insurance industry as integral factors driving the insurer's aggregate loss process. However, in the past, there has been limited attempt at adequately modelling the dependence structure to be factored in the aggregation process for capital determination purposes. The current industry standard is to solely use linear correlations to describe the dependence structure. While being computationally convenient and straightforward to understand, linear correlations fail to capture all the dependence structure that exist between losses from multiple business lines. Other more general dependence modelling techniques such as copulas have become popular recently. In this paper, we address the issue of the aggregation of risks using copula models. Copulas can be used to construct joint multivariate distributions of the losses and provide a rather flexible and realistic model of allowing for the dependence structure, while separating the effects of peculiar characteristics of the marginal distributions such as thickness of tails. This modelling structure allows us to explore the impact of dependencies of risks on the total required economic capital. Using numerical illustrations based on Australian general insurance data, the sensitivities of the capital requirement to the choice of the copula and other modelling assumptions are investigated. The related issue of the diversification benefit from operating multiple business lines in the context of aggregation of risks by copulas is also explored. The key conclusion is that there is a large variation in the capital requirement as well as diversification benefit under different copula assumptions. The results of this paper serve as a reminder to actuaries and other industry practitioners of the significance of choosing an appropriate aggregation model for capital purposes.
Estado de la comunicación de responsabilidad social corporativa en el sector hotelero español

The aim of the authors in this paper is to analyse the online corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication of hospitality companies in Spain by applying a theoretical framework that integrates two major perspectives used in the study of CSR in the tourism industry: sustainable development and stakeholder theories. The findings show that the CSR information communicated in this sector is currently scattered through the reports and websites of the companies analysed. Thus, the authors identify several areas for improvement in the CSR management and communication in the hospitality sector.
Poverty and Materialism: A Look at Impoverished versus Affluent Children

Concerns about materialism have been elevated to a public policy issue, with consumer activists and social scientists calling for restrictions on marketing to children. A recent UNICEF report on the welfare of children suggests that those from low-income families may be particularly vulnerable to marketing efforts. The current research provides a first glimpse into the consumer values of impoverished children. Personal interviews conducted with 177 children and adolescents from impoverished and affluent families reveal differences in materialistic values. Although younger children (ages 8–10 years) from poor families exhibit similar levels of materialism to their more affluent peers, when they reach adolescence (ages 11–13 years) and beyond (ages 16–17 years), impoverished youth are more materialistic than their wealthier counterparts. Further analysis shows that this difference is associated with lower self-esteem among impoverished teens. The authors discuss the implications of these findings, including public policy solutions aimed at reducing low-income children's vulnerability to developing materialistic values that undermine their well-being.
Framing the “Green” alternative for environmentally conscious consumers

Purpose – Many market examples show that consumers are willing to pay a premium for “green” products and services. The purpose of this paper is to gain some insight into how consumers respond to green alternatives, and examine how managers can best position their green products to maximize the premium consumers are willing to pay.Design/methodology/approach – A series of behavioral experiments was conducted to demonstrate how the green product's characteristics are framed significantly affects the size of the “green premium” consumers are willing to pay.Findings – The results show that positive framing (focusing on the advantages of the green product) works best for environmentally conscious consumers while negative framing (focusing on avoiding the disadvantages of the non‐green product) works best for less environmentally conscious consumers. Additionally, subtractive price framing which focuses on the discount consumers would pay for the non‐green product alternative results in a higher green premium t.
Evaluating Athens Stock Exchange market efficiency: Is a mean-variance filter profitable?

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the weak form of market efficiency, based on the concept of mean-variance analysis. The investigation initiates with an appraisal of the prediction of future closing prices from past closing prices from a sample comprising the stock of 79 enterprises with large capitalisation listed in Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) for the period of 01/01/2002 to 31/12/2006. The assessment continues with the filter rule test, where the buy or sell signal for going short acts as a detector of short-term movements outside the boundaries of specific risk, in order to appraise the short position in relation to the long position under the criterion of maximum profit generation.
The Regional Dimension of Collective Wage Bargaining: The Case of Belgium

Rusinek M. and Tojerow I. The regional dimension of collective wage bargaining: the case of Belgium, Regional Studies. The potential failure of national industry agreements to take into account productivity levels in the least productive regions has been considered as one of the causes of regional unemployment in European countries. This paper investigates the role of the collective bargaining structure in the relationship between regional wage and productivity differentials. Using a rich Belgian-linked employer–employee dataset, it is found that the more an industry is decentralized in terms of wage setting, the more regional differences in productivity are reflected in wages. It is concluded that the current Belgian wage-setting system already includes mechanisms that allow regional productivity to be taken into account.
Testing the Theory of Tournaments: An Empirical Analysis of Broiler Production

Broiler chickens are raised by contract growers whose rewards depend explicitly upon relative performance. We use data on the performance of broiler producers facing both tournament and linear performance evaluation compensation structures to test three predictions from the theory of tournaments: that changes in the level of prizes that leave prize differentials unchanged will not affect performance; that, in mixed tournaments, more able players will choose less risky strategies; and that tournament organizers will attempt to handicap players of unequal ability or reduce mixing to avoid the disincentive effects of mixed tournaments. Our evidence is consistent with each prediction.
Metaplastic Breast Carcinomas: Are They of Myoepithelial Differentiation?: Immunohistochemical Profile of the Sarcomatoid Subtype Using Novel Myoepithelial Markers

We investigated 20 spindle cell (sarcomatoid) metaplastic carcinomas (MCs) without squamous differentiation. In addition, five high-grade phyllodes tumors were assessed for comparison. Our immunohistochemical antibody panel included pan-cytokeratin (CK), low molecular weight CK (CK8/18), four basal cell type CKs (34βE12, CK5/6, CK14, and CK17), vimentin antibodies, as well as antibodies to established (SMA, CD10, p63, S-100, maspin, calponin, GFAP, SM-myosin), and novel (CD29, 14-3-3σ) myoepithelial markers. Sixteen of the 20 tumors (80%) expressed at least two markers of the combination CD10/p63/SMA. S-100 detected 1 case negative for CD10/p63/SMA and 3 cases that only expressed one marker of this combination. While 18 MCs (90%) were positive for CD29, 14-3-3σ (11 cases) and maspin (9 cases) were observed in 55% and 45%, respectively. Antibodies to pan-CK and the basal cell type CKs were strongly reactive in 12 tumors (60%), but in 6 cases (30%) positivity for these markers was weak and only focal; 2 MCs showed no positivity for CK. The stromal component of all phyllodes tumors was positive for vimentin, whereas all other investigated markers were absent except for focal p63 and CD10 expression in 1 case each. Our findings convincingly show a myoepithelial immunophenotype in sarcomatoid MCs, which is demonstrated by the presence of basal cell type CKs and the combination of the established myoepithelial markers CD10, p63, SMA, and S-100. We conclude that tumors with weak or even absent CK expression should only be diagnosed as primary sarcomas of the breast after exclusion of a myoepithelial immunophenotype. CD29 and 14-3-3σ represent valuable novel myoepithelial markers in these diagnostically difficult cases.
Full Credibility with Generalized Linear and Mixed Models

Abstract Generalized linear models (GLMs) are gaining popularity as a statistical analysis method for insurance data. For segmented portfolios, as in car insurance, the question of credibility arises naturally; how many observations are needed in a risk class before the GLM estimators can be considered credible? In this paper we study the limited fluctuations credibility of the GLM estimators as well as in the extended case of generalized linear mixed model (GLMMs). We show how credibility depends on the sample size, the distribution of covariates and the link function. This provides a mechanism to obtain confidence intervals for the GLM and GLMM estimators.
Uptake of benzoate by Rhodopseudomonas palustris grown anaerobically in light

The uptake and anaerobic metabolism of benzoate were studied in short-term experiments with phototrophic cells of Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Cells that were preincubated and assayed anaerobically in the presence of 1 mM dithiothreitol accumulated [7-14C]benzoate at a rate of at least 0.5 nmol . min-1 . mg-1 of protein. Cells that were preincubated aerobically, or anaerobically in the absence of a reducing agent or an electron donor such as succinate, took up benzoate at reduced rates. Benzoate was removed from the external medium with remarkably high efficiency; initial uptake rates were independent of substrate concentration, and uptake remained linear down to concentrations of less than 1 microM. Uptake rates were not sensitive to external pH in the range of 6.5 to 8.1, and very little free benzoate was found associated with the cells. By contrast, benzoyl coenzyme A (CoA) was formed rapidly in cells exposed to labeled benzoate. Its appearance in such cells, together with the more gradual accumulation of other compounds tentatively identified as reduction products, is consistent with the identification of benzoyl CoA as an intermediate in the anaerobic reductive metabolism of benzoate. The very effective uptake of external benzoate can be explained by its conversion to benzoyl CoA immediately after its passage across the cell membrane by simple or facilitated diffusion. Such a chemical conversion would serve to maintain a downhill concentration gradient between the cell cytoplasm and the cell surroundings, even at very low external benzoate concentrations.
Kinetics of Th1 and Th2 cytokine production during the early course of acute and chronic murine graft-versus-host disease. Regulatory role of donor CD8+ T cells.

Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in the parent-into-F1 model are mediated by predominantly cellular or humoral immune responses, respectively, and are strikingly different entities by 2 wk of disease. Both forms of GVHD, however, evolve from a common starting point, i.e., donor CD4+ T cell recognition of host alloantigen and IL-2 production. Our study examines the first 2 wk of GVHD to delineate the events that critically influence GVHD development. Surprisingly, both forms of GVHD are initially characterized by increased Th2 cytokine (IL-4 and IL-10) production and B cell activation which persists into wk 2. The earliest distinguishing features of acute GVHD were detectable at days 5 through 7 of disease and consisted of 1) expansion of donor CD8+ T cells, and 2) increased IFN-gamma production by donor CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, IFN-gamma production by donor CD4+ T cells was not seen if donor CD8+ T cells were not engrafted in comparable numbers. Chronic GVHD in the DBA-into-BDF1 model was found to be caused by a relative defect in the ability of DBA CD8+ T cells to induce acute GVHD and to produce IFN-gamma. These studies demonstrate that both acute and chronic GVHD begin as a Th2 cytokine-mediated, B cell stimulatory response. The transition to acute GVHD is critically dependent on the engraftment of donor CD8+ T cells, which terminate B cell hyperactivity by 1) eliminating activated B cells and 2) promoting IFN-gamma secretion by donor CD4+ T cells.
CHD6, a Cellular Repressor of Influenza Virus Replication, Is Degraded in Human Alveolar Epithelial Cells and Mice Lungs during Infection

ABSTRACT The influenza virus polymerase associates to an important number of transcription-related proteins, including the largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II complex (RNAP II). Despite this association, degradation of the RNAP II takes place in the infected cells once viral transcription is completed. We have previously shown that the chromatin remodeler CHD6 protein interacts with the influenza virus polymerase complex, represses viral replication, and relocalizes to inactive chromatin during influenza virus infection. In this paper, we report that CHD6 acts as a negative modulator of the influenza virus polymerase activity and is also subjected to degradation through a process that includes the following characteristics: (i) the cellular proteasome is not implicated, (ii) the sole expression of the three viral polymerase subunits from its cloned cDNAs is sufficient to induce proteolysis, and (iii) degradation is also observed in vivo in lungs of infected mice and correlates with the increase of viral titers in the lungs. Collectively, the data indicate that CHD6 degradation is a general effect exerted by influenza A viruses and suggest that this viral repressor may play an important inhibitory role since degradation and accumulation into inactive chromatin occur during the infection.
Increased behavioral economic demand and craving for alcohol following a laboratory alcohol challenge.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Although increases in subjective alcohol craving have been observed following moderate doses of alcohol (e.g. priming effects), the effects of alcohol consumption on behavioral economic demand for alcohol are largely unstudied. This study examined the effects of alcohol intoxication on alcohol demand and craving. DESIGN A between-subjects design in which participants were randomly assigned to either an alcohol (n = 31), placebo (n = 29) or control (n = 25) condition. SETTING A laboratory setting at the University of Missouri, USA. PARTICIPANTS Eighty-five young adult moderate drinkers were recruited from the University of Missouri and surrounding community. MEASUREMENTS Change in demand for alcohol across time was measured using three single items: alcohol consumption at no cost (i.e. intensity), maximum price paid for a single drink (i.e. breakpoint) and total amount spent on alcohol (i.e. Omax). Alcohol demand at baseline was also assessed using an alcohol purchase task (APT). Craving was assessed using a single visual analog scale item. FINDINGS In the alcohol group compared with the combined non-alcohol groups, intensity, breakpoint and craving increased from baseline to the ascending limb and decreased thereafter (Ps < 0.05; Omax , P = 0.06). Change in craving following alcohol consumption was significantly associated with change in each of the demand indices (Ps < 0.0001). Finally, the demand single items were associated with corresponding indices from the APT (Ps < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Alcohol demand increases following intoxication, in terms of both the maximum amount people are willing to pay for one drink and the number of drinks people would consume if drinks were free. Behavioral economic measures of alcohol value can complement subjective craving as measures of moment-to-moment fluctuations in drinking motivation following intoxication.