Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
One Continent, One Currency? Varieties of Common Currency Experience in Europe and Latin America

Currency unions have been promoted as a means to increase trade, investment and growth. A crucial issue in giving up the domestic currency is the loss of a mechanism to absorb real external shocks. High real exchange volatility between countries considering such a policy would suggest that a currency union could be quite costly in terms of large, persistent misalignment and thus balance of payments imbalances. Von Hagen and Neumann (1994) assessed the readiness of nine European countries for Euro-zone membership by examining real exchange rate variability. In this paper we analyze their predictions, and find them to be quite accurate for Europe. All of the nations which appeared ready for the Euro have joined. Of the three which did not appear prepared, two have retained their own currency, and the third has experienced real appreciation and stagnant exports. Given the prescience of this method, we apply it to nine Latin American nations. A number of countries in this region have begun to form a currency union by unilaterally adopting the U.S. dollar. The Von Hagen-Neumann method finds very high real exchange rate variability between the U.S. and the Latin American nations-indeed much higher than that between Germany and the countries which would later adopt the Euro-so adopting the dollar could cause very painful adjustment in Latin America. Copyright 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Public Accounts Committees in the Pacific Region

The purpose of the paper is to investigate whether organizational, institutional and behavioral approaches provide us with a proper framework to understand the functioning of PACs in the Pacific region. By investigating the impact of various organizational characteristics, scope of mandate and political affiliation of committee members, the paper finds that broader rights of access, smaller committee size, better representation of opposition forces on the committee and government chairpersons are associated with higher levels of activity.
Effect of Financial Performance on Share Prices in the Indian Corporate Sector: An Empirical Study

In the last two decades, emerging capital markets have undergone drastic changes in terms of market microstructure changes, specifically in secondary markets. One of the policy concerns is the factor determining equity prices in markets. This study examined the extent to which some financial performance indicators affect the stock price. The study uses the correlation analysis, factor analysis and multiple linear regressions to analyze the impact of financial performance on the market price of the share. The regression results of the study reveals that variables taken for the study, i.e., Book value, Earnings per share, Dividend cover, Growth rate and Dividend yield have a positive association with market price of Ashok Leyland and Dividend per share and Price - Earnings ratio have a negative association with the market price of its equity shares.
The impact on the independence of accounting regulators of structure, process and inputs.

The thesis describes a model of regulatory independence based on the maximisation of certain characteristics and minimisation of others. The detailed regulation of accounting in the UK has, since 1970 been carried out in the private sector. The fact that this has been allowed to continue would imply that the government is prepared to accept this as the status quo, despite the constitutional anomaly of non-governmental rule-making. The regulation of accounting is not merely technical, but has economic consequences which stretch beyond the capital market. One of the main justifications for regulatory activity being performed outside of government is that of bringing about independent action. From a review of the theory and practice of regulatory agencies, several key characteristics emerge which it is argued, impact upon the independence of agencies. These characteristics may be grouped under the following headings: motives for agency creation, agency tasks, structure and method of operating. In order to examine the impact of these characteristics on agencies two main approaches are used, both based upon the regulators and their regulatory environment. Firstly general characteristics of accounting regulatory bodies are examined. Secondly, where specific processes are being studied, the development of two accounting standards. Statements of Standard Accounting Practice (SSAP's) 20 and 22 are used. From these particular cases it emerges that the regulators appear to have been influenced in their actions by those companies who would be affected by their pronouncements. The role of the government in the process is also significant in that they appear to attempt to influence the outcome of accounting standards in the same way as other participants in the process. The model that is developed is then compared with general independence-influencing theories of regulatory agencies, such as agency capture, iron triangle and agency life-cycle. It is concluded that the maximisation of the 'independence model' is difficult to achieve, given the inherent pressures affecting the individual characteristics.
ASSESSING THE EFFICIENCY OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS USING DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS AND FRONTIER REGRESSION

"The cost efficiency of 520 New York school districts is measured using data envelopment analysis and stochastic frontier regression. Mean inefficiency is 14% using either method, and the rank order correlation coefficient of inefficiency between the two methods is 86. The three largest school districts (Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse) are among the most efficient. Student test scores are output variables, and socioeconomic control variables are included to adjust for the harshness of the educational environment in which districts operate. (JEL" C29, C61, 121) Copyright 1999 Western Economic Association International.
The Measurement and Determinants of Skill Acquisition in Young Workers’ First Job

The article analyses participation in five types of training (formal on-site, formal off-site, informal co-worker training, learning by watching and learning by doing) and self-assessed skill acquisition in young Flemish workers’ first job. A skill production function is estimated whereby the simultaneity of participation in the different types of training and skill acquisition is taken into account. The results clearly demonstrate the importance of informal training. Formal training participation is found to be only a fraction of total training participation. Moreover, the determinants of total training participation and skill acquisition differ from those of formal training participation. While some training types are complementary, others are clearly substitutes. Finally, most types of training generate additional skills. Nonetheless, learning by doing is found to be complementary to formal education in the production of both specific and general skills, whereas formal training serves as a substitute.
The globular cluster kinematics and galaxy dark matter content of NGC 3923

From observations with the GMOS multi-slit spectrograph on the Gemini North telescope, we have obtained spectra for 39 globular cluster candidates in the Virgo giant elliptical galaxy NGC 4649 (M60), of which 38 are confirmed globular clusters. The clusters extend out to a radius of 260 ′′ (3.5 effective radii). We find no rotation of the globular cluster system, with an upper limit of v/σ < 0.6 at a confidence level of 95%. The globular cluster velocity dispersion is constant with radius, within the uncertainties. We fit isotropic models to the globular cluster and stellar kinematics; these models yield a M/LV around 16 at 200 ′′ radius (16 kpc), an increase of a factor of two from the central M/L. We also use the mass profile as derived from X-rays to determine the orbital structure. Using axisymmetric orbit-based models and the X-ray mass profile, we find the orbital distribution is close to isotropic within 100 ′′ , and becomes tangentially biased beyond. Furthermore, when using the X-ray profile, we find a better fit to the kinematics compared to using a constant M/L model. Thus, both isotropic and axisymmetric orbit-based models give support for the presence of a dark matter halo in NGC 4649.
MYCOPHENOLATE MOFETIL IMPAIRS HEALING OF LEFT-SIDED COLON ANASTOMOSES 1

Introduction. Inadequate healing and consequent leakage from bowelanastomoses are a significant cause of postoperative morbidity and mortality.Immunosuppressive drugs are known to disturb healing processes and to impairthe mechanical stability of bowel anastomosis. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) isan immunosuppressive agent that selectively inhibits the proliferation of Tand B lymphocytes and has been shown to be effective in preventing allograftrejection after organ transplantation. Adverse effects are few; however,nothing is known in regard to possible adverse effects of MMF administrationon the healing of bowel anastomosis. The aim of the present study was toevaluate the effect of systemic MMF administration on the healing of colonanastomoses inrats. Methods. Rats underwent laparotomy, division of the left colon, andsigmoidostomy. MMF (25 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered intraperitoneally intwo groups (n=21 per group) 3 days before surgery and then once dailyuntil euthanization (7 animals per group; 2, 4, and 6 days after surgery). Bursting pressure measurements, histologic evaluation, morphometric analysis,mucin and collagen staining, and BrdU immunohistochemistry of the anastomoticsite were performed. Furthermore, matrix protein expression at the anastomoticsite was determined by collagen I and fibronectin Westernblots. Results. Administration of MMF significantly decreased anastomoticbursting pressure postoperatively. Accordingly, histology, mucin staining, andBrdU immunohistochemistry and measurements of the colonic crypt depth showedmore extended inflammation, a significantly lower proliferation rate, and asignificantly thinned mucosal layer in the MMF-treated groups when compared tocontrol animals, whereas matrix synthesis at the anastomotic site was notdifferent. Conclusions. The administration of the immunosuppressive agent MMFsignificantly impairs healing and mechanical stability of colon anastomosis inrats during the early postoperative period. MMF act to disturb host reparativeprocesses mainly by impairment of reparative colonic epithelium proliferationand less by a disturbance of matrixsynthesis.
Social Marketing Initiatives: National Kidney Foundation's Organ Donation Programs in Singapore

The authors focus on the organ donation scene in Singapore and explore the range of marketing activities and responsibilities of the primary organ procurement agency in Singapore, the National Kidney Foundation. The authors examine Horton and Horton's (1991) model of willingness to become a potential organ donor and apply it with modifications to a sample of 368 multiracial Singapore residents. The authors find that, in addition to altruistic values and product knowledge, spiritual beliefs surrounding organ donation have an impact on a person's willingness to be a potential organ donor. The authors discuss implications for marketers and policymakers.
The External Sourcing of Technological Knowledge by US Pharmaceutical Companies: Strategic Goals and Inter‐organizational Relationships

This study of the organization of the discovery function by large US pharmaceutical companies (LPCs) examines an important knowledge acquisition strategy—external sourcing of compounds and technologies. Through a critical examination of the “capabilities” thesis in strategic management and of the theoretical conceptualization in organization studies of innovation networks, we undertake an in‐depth qualitative analysis of the network relationships LPCs establish with biotechnology firms/public research laboratories. We additionally examine the motivations and degree of strategic intent of R&D managers involved in external knowledge sourcing. The paper identifies the tensions and contradictions in network relationships and indicates how these lead to changes in knowledge sourcing. This qualitative analysis is placed in its industry and technology context. This reveals both the pressures towards and the trends in external knowledge sourcing, as compared with in‐house discovery. Extensive interviews with US LPCs and biotechnology firms provide a rare glimpse of how some of the most important actors in global innovation networks handle a significant new innovation strategy.
The Social Efficiency of Private Decisions to Enforce Property Rights

Costs must be incurred if an owner is to enforce private property rights effectively. We show that, in a perfectly competitive economy, private decisions to enforce rights may result in either more or less enforcement than is socially efficient. Cases of multiple stable equilibria occur, and an equilibrium may be locally, but not globally, efficient. Resources may not be employed in their socially most valuable uses, and enforcement may be accompanied by inefficient investment in resource productivity.
Glucagon facilitates colonoscopy and reduces patient discomfort: a randomized double-blind controlled trial with salivary amylase stress analysis

Objective Randomized placebo-controlled trials on the effectiveness of glucagon in colonoscopy were conducted more than a decade ago and the outcomes varied for each study. Since then, techniques and imaging technology in colonoscopy have steadily improved. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the effectiveness of glucagon as an antispasmodic, which may facilitate smooth scope intubation and reduce patient discomfort during screening colonoscopy under current equipment settings. Methods A total of 70 patients undergoing colonoscopy under conscious sedation were randomized into two groups: a group with intravenous administration of 1 mg glucagon and a placebo group. After colonoscopy, patients completed questionnaires on pain, abdominal fullness, and acceptance of future colonoscopy. Difficulty in scope manipulation was scored by endoscopists, and times for cecal intubation, observation, and the number of polyps detected by colonoscopy were also recorded. In addition, we evaluated patient discomfort objectively with a newly developed portable analyzer of salivary amylase activity. This study was performed double-blind, and assignments were not disclosed to patients or to endoscopists. Results Scores for acceptance for future colonoscopy, pain, abdominal fullness, and scope manipulation were significantly lower in the glucagon group. Salivary amylase activity, determined at the time the scope was inserted to the cecum, was significantly lower in the glucagon group, and cecal intubation time was significantly shorter in the glucagon group. Observation time and polyp detection rate were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion These results indicate that intravenous administration of glucagon can reduce patient discomfort and improve scope intubation during screening colonoscopy.
Regulating Corporate Criminal Sanctions: Federal Guidelines and the Sentencing of Public Firms*

Federal Sentencing Guidelines Governing Organizations purport to constrain judicial discretion over corporate criminal penalties. We investigate the effect on courts' sentencing decisions using pre‐ and post‐Guidelines data, including evidence on cases and penalties that the Guidelines do not completely control. We find that fines and total penalties are higher than they were previously. Evidence that fines increased more in Guidelines‐constrained cases than elsewhere suggests the effort to constrain judicial discretion has had a direct effect. Evidence of higher total penalties, even in cases not directly constrained by the Guidelines, suggests that judges may have cooperated with the policy of imposing higher fines and total sanctions, although not to the extent that the Guidelines prescribe. Our findings are inconsistent with the basic attitudinal model from the political science literature. We explore other forces that may be at work.
Influenza A Virus Infection Impairs Mycobacteria-Specific T Cell Responses and Mycobacterial Clearance in the Lung during Pulmonary Coinfection

Individuals infected with mycobacteria are likely to experience episodes of concurrent infections with unrelated respiratory pathogens, including the seasonal or pandemic circulating influenza A virus strains. We analyzed the impact of influenza A virus and mycobacterial respiratory coinfection on the development of CD8 T cell responses to each pathogen. Coinfected mice exhibited reduced frequency and numbers of CD8 T cells specific to Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the lungs, and the IFN-γ CD8 T cell response to BCG-encoded OVA was decreased in the lungs of coinfected mice, when compared with mice infected with BCG alone. Moreover, after 2 wk of infection, mice coinfected with both pathogens showed a significant increase in the number of mycobacteria present in the lung compared with mice infected with BCG only. Following adoptive transfer into coinfected mice, transgenic CD8 T cells specific for OVA257–264 failed to proliferate as extensively in the mediastinal lymph nodes as in mice infected only with BCG-OVA. Also noted was a reduction in the proliferation of BCG-specific CD4 transgenic T cells in mice coinfected with influenza compared with mice infected with BCG alone. Furthermore, phenotypic analysis of CD11c+ dendritic cells from mediastinal lymph nodes of the infected mice showed that coinfection was associated with decreased surface expression of MHC class II and class I. Thus, concurrent pulmonary infection with influenza A virus is associated with decreased MHC expression on dendritic cells, reduced activation of BCG-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells, and impaired clearance of mycobacteria.
Parental child care in single-parent, cohabiting, and married-couple families : Time-diary evidence from the United Kingdom

The time that parents spend caring for their children is a topic of intense interest among researchers, policymakers, and parents themselves. Parental inputs of time are enormously valuable investments in children’s well-being and development. However, the declining prevalence of two-parent, married-couple families and the steady influx of mothers into the labor market are generally believed to have placed these investments at risk. We use time-diary data from the United Kingdom 2000 Time Use Study (UKTUS) to investigate how parents’ time spent in child care differs with their marital status and other characteristics. Unlike previous economic studies, which have analyzed alternative child-care activities but only among two-parent families (e.g., Peter Kooreman and Arie Kapteyn, 1987; Daniel Hallberg and Anders Klevmarken, 2003), we examine differences among married, cohabiting, and single-parent families. The household production model indicates that single-parent households may differ from married and cohabiting households either because there are fewer time resources or because there are fewer opportunities for economies of scale or specialization in household activities (Gary Becker, 1985). If marital relationships are more stable than cohabiting relationships, the type of union may matter.
The Value of Bank Durability: Borrowers as Bank Stakeholders

The authors examine the value of bank durability to borrowing firms. The analysis is based on theoretical models of the asset services view of intermediation that imply that private information and associated relationship-specific activities are intrinsic to bank lending. The authors analyze share price effects on firms with lending relationships with Continental Illinois Bank during its de facto failure and subsequent FDIC rescue. They find the bank's impending insolvency had negative effects and the FDIC rescue positi ve effects on client firm share prices. The authors conclude that borro wers incur significant costs in response to unanticipated reductions in bank durability and, thus, are bank stakeholders. Copyright 1993 by American Finance Association.
Financial Sector Reforms in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia: A Preliminary Assessment

This paper reviews and assesses the financial sector reforms in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. After a description of the financial sector before reforms, it explains the main features of the comprehensive reform process in each country. It also reviews the sequencing of reforms and discusses econometric evidence of the impact of the reforms on saving in each of the three countries. Subsequently, the paper sets out remaining issues to be addressed in the three countries, including a further strengthening of the banking system and development of financial instruments and markets.
Oral Intoxication of Mice with Shiga Toxin Type 2a (Stx2a) and Protection by Anti-Stx2a Monoclonal Antibody 11E10

ABSTRACT Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains cause food-borne outbreaks of hemorrhagic colitis and, less commonly, a serious kidney-damaging sequela called the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Stx, the primary virulence factor expressed by STEC, is an AB5 toxin with two antigenically distinct forms, Stx1a and Stx2a. Although both toxins have similar biological activities, Stx2a is more frequently produced by STEC strains that cause HUS than is Stx1a. Here we asked whether Stx1a and Stx2a act differently when delivered orally by gavage. We found that Stx2a had a 50% lethal dose (LD50) of 2.9 μg, but no morbidity occurred after oral intoxication with up to 157 μg of Stx1a. We also compared several biochemical and histological parameters in mice intoxicated orally versus intraperitoneally with Stx2a. We discovered that both intoxication routes caused similar increases in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, indicative of kidney damage, as well as electrolyte imbalances and weight loss in the animals. Furthermore, kidney sections from Stx2a-intoxicated mice revealed multifocal, acute tubular necrosis (ATN). Of particular note, we detected Stx2a in kidney sections from orally intoxicated mice in the same region as the epithelial cell type in which ATN was detected. Lastly, we showed reduced renal damage, as determined by renal biomarkers and histopathology, and full protection of orally intoxicated mice with monoclonal antibody (MAb) 11E10 directed against the toxin A subunit; conversely, an irrelevant MAb had no therapeutic effect. Orally intoxicated mice could be rescued by MAb 11E10 6 h but not 24 h after Stx2a delivery.
Nocturnal Oximetry and Transcutaneous Carbon Dioxide in Home-Ventilated Neuromuscular Patients

BACKGROUND: Pulse oximetry alone has been suggested to determine which patients on home mechanical ventilation (MV) require further investigation of nocturnal gas exchange. In patients with neuromuscular diseases, alveolar hypoventilation (AH) is rarely accompanied with ventilation-perfusion ratio heterogeneity, and, therefore, oximetry may be less sensitive for detecting AH than in patients with lung disease. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pulse oximetry (SpO2) and transcutaneous carbon dioxide (PtcCO2) during the same night were interchangeable or complementary for assessing home MV efficiency in patients with neuromuscular diseases. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from the charts of 58 patients with chronic neuromuscular respiratory failure receiving follow-up at a home MV unit. SpO2 and PtcCO2 were recorded during a 1-night hospital stay as part of standard patient care. We compared AH detection rates by PtcCO2, SpO2, and both. RESULTS: AH was detected based on PtcCO2 alone in 24 (41%) patients, and based on SpO2 alone with 3 different cutoffs in 3 (5%), 8 (14%), and 13 (22%) patients, respectively. Using both PtcCO2 and SpO2 showed AH in 25 (43%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Pulse oximetry alone is not sufficient to exclude AH when assessing home MV efficiency in patients with neuromuscular diseases. Both PtcCO2 and SpO2 should be recorded overnight as the first-line investigation in this population.