Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Challenges to liberal intergovernmentalism

Slapin (2011) and Finke et al. (2012) represent the best theory-based book-length studies of the most active period of treaty reform in the history of the European Union – from the Treaty of Amsterdam to the Treaty of Lisbon. These works offer the opportunity to assess the extent to which liberal intergovernmentalism – a ‘baseline’ theory of regional integration – has withstood empirical scrutiny. I first address what I consider a misinterpretation of liberal intergovernmentalism – the presumed pre-eminence given to a country’s relative capability. I then identify challenges to this framework. Methodologically, they concern the measurement of preferences, value of disagreement and opportunities for linkages in treaty negotiations. I then assess evidence of lower-than-unanimity thresholds for treaty reform, which may represent a theoretical challenge. Finally, I suggest that focal points and bargaining dynamics deserve greater scholarly attention.
Implications of Arctic Sea Ice Decline for the Earth System

Arctic sea ice decline has led to an amplification of surface warming and is projected to continue to decline from anthropogenic forcing, although the exact timing of ice-free summers is uncertain owing to large natural variability. Sea ice reductions affect surface heating patterns and the atmospheric pressure distribution, which may alter midlatitude extreme weather patterns. Increased light penetration and nutrient availability during spring from earlier ice breakup enhances primary production in the Arctic Ocean and its adjacent shelf seas. Ice-obligate marine mammals may be losers, whereas seasonally migrant species may be winners from rapid sea ice decline. Tundra greening is occurring across most of the Arctic, driven primarily by warming temperatures, and is displaying complex spatial patterns that are likely tied to other factors. Sea ice changes are affecting greenhouse gas exchanges as well as halogen chemistry in the Arctic. This review highlights the heterogeneous nature of Arctic change, which is vital for researchers to better understand.
Pathology of Sudden Death During Recreational Sports Activity: An Autopsy Study of 31 Cases

A growing number of people are involved in recreational physical activity. It is therefore not uncommon for a medical examiner to encounter sports-related sudden deaths and to be faced with the legal implications. The authors examined the clinical and cardiac pathologic patterns in 31 persons who died suddenly during sports activities and underwent autopsy at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of Paris between 1991 and 2001. Twenty-nine male subjects, ranging in age from 7 to 57 years (mean 30 years) and two female subjects, 8 and 60 years old, died suddenly during sports activities. The sports involved were various, with running the most frequent: 13 cases. Cardiomyopathies (10 cases) and coronary artery disease (9 cases) were the most frequent causes of deaths. Despite the severity of lesions, only 4 subjects had a known cardiovascular disease. In conclusion, with regard to prevention, efforts should be continued to improve the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tools and screening strategies. In this regard, medicolegal autopsies should be systematically performed in cases of sudden death during sports activities, because they provide accurate and useful information for a better knowledge of sports-related mortality.
Explaining Momentum Strategies Using Intrinsic Price Fluctuations

This paper focuses on cross-sectional equity momentum patterns by modeling a stock’s price path as the interaction between a long-term growth component and a number of fluctuating price components that oscillate around the long-term trend at various distinct frequencies. Using this specification, the results are consistent with a behavioural overreaction-to-private-information and underreaction-to- public-information explanation of cross-sectional explanation of momentum patterns. Cross-sectional momentum profitability is found to be robust to realistic transaction costs and a 6-month holding period appears to be the optimal tradeoff investment horizon between the short-term and the longer-term effect of the transaction costs. Simple stop-loss rules are shown to improve the performance of strategies with long-term holding horizon by discarding big and growth stocks, which achieve higher levels of price efficiency and therefore realise their momentum potential faster than small and value stocks.
Investing in Bankrupt Firms

The authors examine the investment characteristics of firms electin g to enter bankruptcy between 1973 and 1982. Comparisons are made before and after the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. The results indicate that the 1978 Act had no significant impact on bankruptcy decisions or resolutions for actively traded firms. Trading in bankru pt firms' securities is becoming more common, but no abnormal returns appear to be available. Systematic risk does not change significantl y with the filing of bankruptcy, but there is a significant increase in return variance. The financial markets also react to various announcements of stages in the reorganization process. Copyright 1988 by American Finance Association.
THE REPRESENTATION OF YOUNGER AGE COHORTS IN ASIAN PARLIAMENTS: DO ELECTORAL SYSTEMS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

This study examines the descriptive representation of younger age cohorts in Asian parliaments. Drawing from literature on women's parliamentary representation, it develops the hypothesis that proportional representation (PR) elections provide more incentives for the inclusion of younger representatives than do single-member district plurality (SMDP) electoral systems. Analysing an original dataset of over four thousand MPs from 14 countries, I find support for the argument that PR electoral systems favour the election of younger MPs even after controlling for multiple alternative explanations.
Rheumatic Mitral Valve Disease Is Associated With Worse Outcomes in Stroke: A Thailand National Database Study

Background and Purpose— Rheumatic valvular heart disease is associated with the increased risk of cerebrovascular events, although there are limited data on the prognosis of patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease (RMVD) after stroke. Methods— We examined the association between RMVD and both serious and common cardiovascular and noncardiovascular (respiratory and infective) complications in a cohort of hospitalized stroke patients based in Thailand. Factors associated with in-hospital mortality were also explored. Data were obtained from a National Insurance Database. All hospitalized strokes between October 1, 2004, and January 31, 2013, were included in the current study. Characteristics and outcomes were compared for RMVD and non-RMVD patients. Logistic regression, propensity score matching, and multivariate models were used to assess study outcomes. Results— In total, 594 681 patients (mean [SD] age=64 [14.5] years) with a diagnosis of stroke (ischemic=306 154; hemorrhagic=195 392; undetermined=93 135) were included in this study, of whom 5461 had RMVD. Results from primary analyses showed that after ischemic stroke, and controlling for potential confounding covariates, RMVD was associated (P<0.001) with increased odds for cardiac arrest (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]=2.13 [1.68–2.70]), shock (2.13 [1.64–2.77]), arrhythmias (1.70 [1.21–2.39]), respiratory failure (2.09 [1.87–2.33]), pneumonia (2.00 [1.81–2.20]), and sepsis (1.39 [1.19–1.63]). In hemorrhagic stroke patients, RMVD was associated with increased odds (fully adjusted model) for respiratory failure (1.26 [1.01–1.57]), and in patients with undetermined stroke, RMVD was associated with increased odds (fully adjusted analyses) for shock (3.00 [1.46–6.14]), respiratory failure (2.70 [1.91–3.79]), and pneumonia (2.42 [1.88–3.11]). Conclusions— RMVD is associated with the development of cardiac arrest, shock, arrhythmias, respiratory failure, pneumonia, and sepsis after acute stroke.
Measuring the Effective Tax Burden in the Real World

This paper argues that forward-looking indices of the effective tax burden on income from capital – namely, effective marginal and average tax rates – are negatively biased because traditional models overlook dividend constraints associated with financial tax incentives, such as accelerated depreciation. The paper presents measures of the two indices adjusted to remove the bias and compares the new indices with the traditional ones. Numerical simulations carried out to quantify the magnitude of the bias for France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the UK give evidence of sizeable distortions in the unadjusted indices and, in turn, suggest significant mismeasurement in the current assessment of the effective tax burden.
Analysis of mergers and acquisitions in Brazilian companies

This article sheds light on how synergies arise through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and how best to evaluate them in Brazil. Through a review of the literature, it was analysed how generated synergies are assessed across different methodologies. This article analysed the synergy gains in Brazilian mergers and acquisitions between 2000 and 2007. The study employed three of the four techniques identified: accounting indicators, business valuation by discounted cash flow (DCF), and a variation on DCF, where synergy can be broken down into its constituent elements. Through its findings, the study identified improvements in the economic situation of enterprises and showed that these processes generated managerial and financial synergies.
Ecological Restoration in Australia: Environmental Discourses, Landscape Ideals, and the Significance of Human Agency

In the relatively young postsettler society of Australia, restoring nature to a pre-European ideal prompts a range of responses. We consider first the case of farmers in the southwest who reinterpret restorationist ideals as commensurate with continued productive land use. A local native species, the iconic malleefowl, is construed as a flagship for revaluing nature in a way that remains consistent with farmers' interests and sense of identity. Farmers position themselves, rather than scientists or Aboriginal people, as key stewards for managing agricultural landscapes. In comparison, restoration ideals for northern Australia center on attempts to keep “still wild”nature and Aboriginal culture intact. The invasive cane toad is reviled as “alien” in conservation-minded discourses; yet, where it has become familiar, it is also accorded positive symbolic meanings. This article illustrates the critical importance of qualitative cultural analysis in understanding the complexities of human agency in environmental management.
From the invisible hand to the gladhand: Understanding a careerist orientation to work

This article explores the concept of a careerist orientation to work, which is defined as the propensity to pursue career advancement through non-performance-based means. A scale is developed to measure this concept using a sample of 227 business school alumni. Exploratory empirical data suggest that careerism is associated with consistently more negative job attitudes, a greater desire to advance and to change jobs, and more frequent promotions. Implications of a careerist orientation to work for both individual career management and organizational career development are discussed.
Jews and Arabs in Israel

This article explores the patterns of political tolerance and intolerance among Jews and Arabs, patterns that are largely structured by the broader conflict. The two groups are characterized by “focused intolerance. ” Both groups are generally intolerant, and the targets of their intolerance are highly concentrated and provide a mirror image of one another. The Arabs overwhelmingly select targets from among Jewish right-wing groups, and Jews select theirs from among Arab left-wing groups. Intolerance usually arises from perceptions of extreme threat, but it may be mitigated by a strong belief in the norms of democracy and minority rights. The Israeli context provides for the requisite threat but does not encourage the counterbalancing support for abstract norms that can be applied directly to the conflict at hand.
Prognostic factors in cirrhotic patients receiving long‐term sclerotherapy for the first bleeding from oesophageal varices

Objective and design The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors in cirrhotic patients receiving long-term sclerotherapy for their first bleeding from oesophageal varices. Methods Ninety-eight patients with acute bleeding from oesophageal varices receiving long-term endoscopic injection sclerotherapy were retrospectively investigated. Thirteen variables (five qualitative and eight quantitative) related to clinical, biological, and radiographic features were collected at admission. The qualitative variables were: gender, hepatocellular carcinoma, cause of cirrhosis, ascites and degree of encephalopathy. The quantitative variables were age, bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin index, number of sessions of sclerotherapy, volume of ethanolamine oleate, time taken to reach the hospital and shock index. These variables were examined with a multivariate analysis using stepwise logistic regression procedures and a prognostic index was calculated from the Cox equation. The predictive power of the final Cox model was prospectively tested in 43 patients with cirrhosis receiving long-term sclerotherapy for their first variceal bleeding. Results Of the 13 variables studied in a multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model, four had an independent prognostic value: the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, bilirubin, albumin and time taken to reach the hospital. When the Cox model was examined in an independent set of 43 patients, there were no statistically significant differences between the observed and expected survival. Conclusion Prognosis of patients with bleeding from oesophageal varices is related to residual liver function and time taken to reach the hospital. Furthermore, the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma is an additional risk factor.
Central Bank Authorities' Beliefs About Foreign Exchange Intervention

This paper presents the results of a survey of monetary authorities with respect to foreign exchange intervention. The survey offers evidence on new issues that would otherwise be difficult to investigate, such as response times, non-foreign exchange factors in intervention and profitability. The survey also reveals new evidence on previously studied issues, such as channels of effectiveness. Respondents disagreed with predominant views on intervention and volatility and common arguments against intervention. Exchange rate regimes explain central bank beliefs about important aspects of intervention, including factors that lead to detection of secret interventions and the potential profitability of intervention.
Creditors' and Shareholders' Reporting Demands in Public Versus Private Firms: Evidence from Europe

In this study we investigate whether the importance of accounting information in contracting and communication with shareholders and creditors affects earnings timeliness in publicly disclosed general-purpose financial statements. To operationalize the relationship between timeliness demands and the importance of accounting information to shareholders and creditors, we compare the (asymmetry in) earnings timeliness of public firms with that of private firms. We attribute public versus private firm differences in timeliness to shareholders’ demands when a country’s institutions provide strong investor protection. Similarly, we attribute these differences to creditors’ demands when the institutions provide strong creditor protection. Our analysis of public and private firms in 13 Western European countries suggests that creditors and shareholders have different timeliness demands. In particular, we find that the public versus private firm difference in asymmetric timeliness is not associated with a country’s degree of investor protection but positively associated with a country’s degree of creditor protection. The results further suggest that shareholders demand symmetric rather than asymmetric timeliness. An important implication of our study is that general-purpose financial statements are responsive to creditors’ reporting demands, which contrasts with the idea that these — primarily private — creditors would use special-purpose reports.
The impact of pharmacist interventions on the inappropriate use of acid-suppression therapy.

OBJECTIVE The inappropriate use of acid-suppression therapy (AST) in non-intensive care unit patients contributes to inappropriate polypharmacy, drug interactions, community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia, and increased health care expenditures for institutions and individuals. The purpose of this study was to determine whether clinical pharmacist interventions significantly decreased the rate of inappropriately used AST. DESIGN A single group, pre-test post-test. SETTING The Geriatric Evaluation and Management unit in the St. Louis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. PATIENTS All patients admitted between July 1, 2006, through April 30, 2007 (control group), and May 1, 2007, through February 28, 2008 (PharmD group), were evaluated. All patients with a minimum length of stay of seven days were eligible for inclusion. Data were obtained from the Computerized Patient Record System regarding the use of proton-pump inhibitors, histamine-2 receptor antagonists, sucralfate, and the indication for these therapies. INTERVENTIONS A clinical pharmacist was present during the weekly interdisciplinary team rounds to make recommendations in the intervention group, compared with a nonpharmacist control group. OUTCOME MEASURES The percent of patients on these therapies without an appropriate indication (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision) were identified from the chart review, and comparisons were made between the control and PharmD groups. RESULTS A total of 142 and 151 patients were admitted during the control and PharmD arms, respectively. Of these patients, 117 in each group were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. The primary outcome, the number of patients receiving AST prior to discharge without an appropriate indication, occurred 46.2% (54/117) versus 23.9% (28/117) (P = 0.001) in the control and PharmD groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This study examined the impact of pharmacists' active participation in interdisciplinary team rounds compared with a nonpharmacist control group. These results demonstrate pharmacist participation associated with potential cost savings and improved patient care.
The effect of foreign direct investment on the use and success of US sanctions

Although the relationship between trade and the use and success of sanctions is frequently studied in international relations, researchers have generally failed to address the importance of foreign direct investment (FDI) on sanctions despite global capital markets dwarfing the exchange of goods and services. Using panel data for 171 countries from 1971 to 2000, we test the effect of FDI on the use and success of sanctions imposed by the USA. We find evidence that a high level of economic engagement in the form of US FDI as a percentage of the recipient county’s gross domestic product reduces the likelihood of the use of US sanctions. We also find that, when sanctions are imposed, declining US FDI generally has a positive and significant effect on sanctions success. However, if non-US firms offset lost US FDI, the probability of sanctions success decreases. The results show that investors may have an important influence on foreign policy outcomes.
Proteome analysis of Madrid E strain of Rickettsia prowazekii

Rickettsia prowazekii, an obligate intracellular Gram‐negative bacterium, is the etiologic agent of epidemic typhus. The threat of typhus as a biological weapon lies in its stability in the dried louse feces and in its infection by inhalation of an aerosol. Consequently, it is listed as a select agent and warrants more research to understand its pathogenesis. Although the genomic DNA sequence of strain Madrid E has been completed, the actual expression of the individual protein has not been investigated. In order to provide a global view of the expressed protein profile, the whole cell lysate of purified rickettsia (Madrid E strain) was reduced, alkylated, and digested with trypsin. The total digest was characterized by a two‐dimensional liquid chromatography mass spectrometry system and analyzed with a modified version of the ProteomeX workstation. A total of 252 proteins out of 834 predicted protein‐coding genes were identified, 238 proteins were identified by the detection of at least two unique peptides. Only 14 proteins were identified by the detection of one unique peptide in all three separate analyses. Among the 238 proteins identified by multiple unique peptides, 230 proteins were found in at least two of three separate analyses. The reproducible and convenient methodology and the information described here have provided a foundation for future proteome study of various R. prowazekii strains with different virulence.
Arteriovenous Anastomosis: Is This the Way to Control Hypertension?

One in 4 people will develop hypertension, and there are estimated to be ≈1 billion patients with hypertension worldwide.1 Hypertension confers an incremental cardiovascular risk; with each 20 mm Hg rise in systolic blood pressure (BP) or 10 mm Hg rise in diastolic BP >115/75 mm Hg giving a doubling in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in adults aged 40 to 69 years.2 Financial estimates indicate that if BP could be reduced to <140/90 mm Hg, the National Health Service in the UK could save ≈£97.2 million from reduced complications such as stroke, heart failure (HF), and renal failure.3 With increasing longevity, the number of people with hypertension is predicted to reach 1.5 billion by 2025.1 Despite the availability of a plethora of medications designed to treat hypertension, nearly half remain above target BP, leaving them at risk of cardiovascular, renal, and neurological morbidity and mortality. Recently, it has been suggested that as many as 14% of patients with hypertension on medication will develop resistance to current drug therapy.4,5 Moreover, patients fail to sustain concordance to lifelong polypharmacy for numerous reasons, including real or perceived drug-related side effects or intolerance, cost, inconvenience, or lifestyle decision. Thus, there remains a substantial unmet clinical need to find new treatment strategies that efficiently enable patients to obtain target BP without side effects that exceed the estimated clinical benefits associated with attaining optimal BP control. Here, we look at the ROX Coupler, a device currently undergoing trials for the control of arterial hypertension, which proposes to fill this treatment gap by providing an immediate and sustained reduction in BP with a device using a mechanism substantially different from the current raft of devices that target the neurohumoral and sympathetic regulatory systems. The ROX Coupler creates …
Litigation, Mass Media, and the Campaign to Criminalize the Firearms Industry

This article extends the co-authors’ researches on mass media coverage of crusades against manufacturers and marketers of tobacco products in the United States to media coverage of similar crusades against manufacturers and marketers of firearms in the United States. The major contention of the article is that firearms-reformers have used civil suits and allied publicity outside courts to depict firearms producers and retailers as criminals. A major tactic that has unified reformers’ efforts inside and outside courts is deployment of crimtorts, civil litigation for torts that includes elements of criminal prosecution. Crimtorts and publicity through entertainment media enabled opponents of firearms companies to lose case after case yet to damage the reputations or brands of firearms makers and marketers. The firearms interests fended off crusaders in civil action after civil action yet became portrayed as outright criminals owing mostly to crimtorts.