Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ROBUST POLICIES IN A STICKY INFORMATION ECONOMY

This paper analyzes the behavior of a central bank under strong (“Knightian”) uncertainty when the short-run trade-off between output and inflation is represented by the sticky information Phillips curve proposed by Mankiw and Reis [Quarterly Journal of Economics 117(4), 1295–1328 (2002)]. By solving the robust control problem analytically, we show why model uncertainty does not affect the optimal monetary policy response to demand and productivity shocks, whereas it causes a stronger reaction of the monetary policy instrument to a cost-push (i.e., markup) shock. Differently from what occurs in sticky price models, the antiattenuation effect can result in a degree of price level stabilization that is greater or less than that experienced in the rational expectation model, depending on the central bank's degree of conservatism. These results dramatically affect the rationale for delegating monetary policy to a central banker more conservative than the society.
Probing Cosmic Neutrino Background Charge via Unconventional Interferometer

If neutrinos carry non-zero electric charge, they would interact directly with photons. This would induce a phase shift along the photon path in the optical experiment. We propose a novel idea to detect this phase shift induced by cosmic neutrino background (CNB) and the photon interaction using laser interferometry experiment. We show that our setup can probe the CNB neutrino charge in the order of $10^{-18} \,e- 10^{-17}\, e$. This is quite competitive with the existing upper bound on neutrino charge from both laboratory experiments and astrophysical observations.
Down-Regulated Phosphoglycerate Kinase 1 Expression Is Associated With Poor Prognosis in Patients With Gallbladder Cancer

AbstractTo evaluate prognostic significance of phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) protein expression in patients with gallbladder cancer (GBC). Ninety-five patients who underwent surgical resection for GBC between January 2004 and December 2010 were enrolled. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated over a 10-year follow-up. PGK1 expression was assessed by tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry. Prognostic significance was analyzed using multivariate Cox regression.PGK1 was highly expressed in all gallbladder mucosa. Decreased PGK1 expression was detected in 54.7% (52/95) of patients with GBC. It was significantly down-regulated in GBC samples compared with that in gallbladder mucosa (P < 0.0001), and was associated with multiple clinicopathological factors. Multivariate survival analysis showed that low PGK1 expression was associated with shorter OS (median 12.8 vs 45.4 months; hazard ratio [HR] = 3.077; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.373–6.897; P = 0.006) and DFS (median 8.3 vs 37.9 months; HR = 2.988; 95% CI, 1.315–6.790; P = 0.009), indicating that PGK1 expression was an independent prognostic factor in patients with GBC.Low PGK1 expression was associated with progression in patients with GBC. PGK1 expression could be a useful prognostic biomarker for GBC.
Biodiversity conservation by farmers: analysis of actual and contingent participation

This paper examines actual and contingent participation by Dutch arable farmers in biodiversity conservation programmes. Probit and Tobit modelling were used to analyse the effect of farm and farmer characteristics and farmer attitudes on participation. The optimal bid offer was derived from a referendum contingent valuation (CV) survey for a proposed field margin programme. The results indicate that actual and contingent participation are better explained by the production environment and by familiarity with conservation programmes than by farmer characteristics or field characteristics. Contingent participation was significantly affected by farmers' perceptions of weed risks. The CV experiment suggested that up to 60 per cent participation might be achieved with appropriate bid offers. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
Maxwell - The Failure of Corporate Governance

This article examines a case of fraud – the Maxwell case – to assess the implications for corporate governance in Britain. The analysis of the case shows how Robert Maxwell was able to avoid the established network of regulations and controls. The authors then make a number of recommendations which suggest how this kind of fraud may be prevented in the future.
Short-Term Outcomes of the Australasian Randomized Clinical Study Comparing Laparoscopic and Conventional Open Surgical Treatments for Colon Cancer: The ALCCaS Trial

Background:Laparoscopy has revolutionized many abdominal surgical procedures. Laparoscopic colectomy has become increasingly popular. The short- and long-term benefits and satisfactory surgical oncological treatment of colorectal cancer by laparoscopic-assisted resection remain topical. The long-term outcomes of all international randomized controlled trials are still awaited, and short-term outcomes are important in the interim. Methods:Between January 1998 and April 2005, a multicenter, prospective, randomized clinical trial in patients with colon cancer was conducted. Six hundred and one eligible patients were recruited by 33 surgeons from 31 Australian and New Zealand centers. Patients were allocated to colectomy by either laparoscopic-assisted surgery (n = 294) or open surgery (n = 298). Patient demographics and secondary end-points, such as operative and postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and histopathological data, will be presented in this article. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. Survival will be reported only as the study matures. Results:Histopathological parameters were similar between the two groups, except in regard to distal resection margins. There was no statistically significant difference found in postoperative complications, reoperation rate, or perioperative mortality. Statistically significant differences in quicker return of gastrointestinal function and shorter hospital stay were identified in favor of laparoscopic-assisted resection. A statistically significant increased rate of infective complications was seen in cases converted from laparoscopic-assisted to open procedures but with no difference in reoperation or in-hospital mortality. Conclusions:Laparoscopic-assisted colonic resection gives significant improvements in return of gastrointestinal function and length of stay, with an increased operative time and no difference in the postoperative complication rate.
Lack of Consensus in the Diagnosis and Treatment for Ocular Tuberculosis among Uveitis Specialists

Abstract Purpose: To assess the approach of specialists to ocular tuberculosis (TB). Methods: The American Uveitis Society (AUS) Listserv was surveyed using two clinical cases and general questions. Results: Of 196 members, 87 responded (44.4%), of whom 64 were affiliated with practices in North America, while 23 were outside of North America. The survey provided normative data on how physicians evaluate patients with uveitis as well as opinions about ocular TB. Responses varied widely on such issues as (1) the pretest probability that a patient with granulomatous panuveitis had TB uveitis (range 1–75%) or that a patient with a risk factor for TB had ocular TB (range 0–90%); (2) the optimal duration of anti-TB therapy; and (3) whether therapy should be discontinued after 2 months in nonresponders. Conclusions: Consensus is lacking among uveitis specialists for the diagnosis or management of ocular TB.
Restructuring welfare politics: post-industrial labor markets, globalization and welfare preferences

While the welfare states in advanced capitalist economies reflect the class politics that have shaped them in the industrial age, welfare politics have changed in the post-industrial era. Permanent financial austerity has transformed welfare politics into a zero-sum game, because welfare gains for one group of beneficiaries now tend to come at the cost of other groups. In this context of sharpened distributional conflict, increasingly dualized labor markets and globalization have led to the emergence of new conflict lines within the labor force. We analyze whether contemporary welfare politics is indeed characterized by new conflict lines. For this purpose, we investigate how the new cleavages between labor market insiders and outsiders and between globalization winners and losers interact with different skill-levels to determine preferences for two different types of welfare-related policies: redistribution (i.e. the political lowering of income differences) and structural protectionism (i.e. the political support for jobs in declining industries). We show that the insider/outsider divide and globalization contribute to explaining individual-level variation in policy preferences. Our analysis is based on ordered logit models performed on cross-national survey data from the ISSP RoG IV 2006.
The Reversal of the Monday Effect: New Evidence from US Equity Markets

This article re-examines the Monday effect in the US stock market from 1964-1999 using daily returns from three large-cap indexes and two small-cap indexes. In the period before 1987, Monday returns are significantly negative in all five US stock indexes, confirming previous empirical findings. In the post-1987 period, we uncover a significant reversal of the Monday effect in the large-cap indexes (NYSE, S&38;P500 and DJCOMP), since Monday returns are significantly positive. Furthermore, significant differences in the persistence and reversal of the Monday effect are found between large-cap and small-cap stock indexes. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd 2001.
A Study to Compare Manual Pressure Release Technique with Ultrasound Therapy in the Treatment of Patients with Upper Trapezius Myofascial Pain

Background of the study: Myofascial trigger point (MTrP) can be defined as a hyperirritable spot in skeletal muscle that is associated with a hypersensitive palpable nodule in a taut band. MTrP is associated with pain on compression and the pain is typically of a referred type. There are various treatment modalities used for treating myofascial pain which includes individual treatment techniques like Manual pressure release, Acupuncture, Ultrasound therapy, Low level laser therapy, dry needling etc. Among these conservative techniques, Manual pressure release and Ultrasound therapy are said to be very effective. However no study has compared these 2 conservative therapies in the treatment of patients with Myofascial pain. Hence the purpose of this study is to compare the short term effects of Manual pressure release technique with Utrasound therapy in patients with Myofascial pain syndrome. Methodology: 30 subjects with Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) of upper trapezius muscles were selected for the study and randomized into two groups Group A and Group B. Group A subjects received Manual pressure release technique twice a day for 30 minutes, 3 days a week for 4 weeks and Group B were treated with therapeutic ultrasound therapy for 3 days a week a period of 4wks. Outcome Measures: Pre and Post test values of all the subjects were evaluated using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for measuring pain and Inch tape. Results: The results have revealed that there is extreme significance noted in Group A (p<0.0001) when compared to group B . Significant difference was also noted in both outcome scales VAS and Inch tape measurements. Conclusion: The results of this study have shown significant reduction of pain and improvement in cervical lateral flexion range of motion in patients treated with Manual pressure release technique(Group A) when compared to (Group B) that is Ultrasound therapy.
Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of some recently established coryneform bacteria

The susceptibility patterns of 480 isolates representing six recently defined species of coryneform bacteria (Corynebacterium amycolatum [n = 101], Corynebacterium auris [n = 48], Corynebacterium glucuronolyticum [n = 86], Brevibacterium casei [n = 50], Dermabacter hominis [n = 49], and Turicella otitidis [n = 146]) to 17 antimicrobial agents were determined by an agar dilution method. Most significantly, for C. amycolatum strains the MICs at which 90% of isolates are inhibited were > or = 32 micrograms/ml for nearly all agents. However, all 480 strains examined were susceptible to glycopeptide antibiotics.
Perceptions of Competence: Age Moderates Views of Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease

Background/Study Context: Older adults have more complex and differentiated views of aging than do younger adults, but less is known about age-related perceptions of Alzheimer’s disease. This study investigated age-related perceptions of competence of an older adult labeled as “in good health” (healthy) or “has Alzheimer’s disease” (AD), using a person-perception paradigm. It was predicted that older adults would provide more differentiated assessments of the two targets than would younger adults. Methods: Younger (n = 86; 18–36 years) and older (n = 66; 61–95 years) adults rated activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and memory abilities of a female target aged 75 years, described as healthy or with AD. Data on anxiety about aging, knowledge of and experience with aging and AD, knowledge of memory aging, and positive and negative biases toward aging and AD were also collected. Results: Older adults perceived the healthy target as more capable of cognitively effortful activities (e.g., managing finances) and as possessing better memory abilities than the AD target. As predicted, these differences were greater than differences between targets perceived by younger adults. The interaction effect remained significant after statistically controlling for relevant variables, including education and gender. Additionally, exploratory analyses revealed that older adults held less positively biased views of AD than younger adults, but negatively biased views were equivalent between age groups. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that mere labels of “healthy” and “Alzheimer’s disease” produce significant and subtle age differences in perceived competencies of older adults, and that biases towards AD vary by age group and valence. Our findings extend the person-perception paradigm to an integrative analysis of aging and AD, are consistent with models of adult development, and complement current research and theory on stereotypes of aging. Future directions for research on perceptions of aging are suggested.
Willingness to Pay and Inclusive Tariff Designs for Improved Water Supply Services in Urban Bangladesh

The study investigates willingness to pay for improved water supply services in urban Bangladesh, using a contingent valuation survey of 3000 households in Khulna city. Since the large connection cost is regarded as one of the major obstacles to expand the piped network among the poor, the study explicitly incorporates the connection cost in addition to monthly charge. The construct validity tests show that the respondents have understood the elicitation questions and answered truthfully. Policy simulations show that poor households are less likely to be connected under fixed charge tariff, and introduction of volumetric tariff will increase the acceptance of the improved water service by poor households. Increasing block tariff shows the highest uptake rate of the improved service by the poor. The large connection cost is found to be a critical bottleneck to expanding the coverage for the poor. Easy payments systems for connection charge such as installment payments, or including the connection costs under the capital investment of the project, will significantly improve the inclusion of the poor in the proposed water supply scheme.
Consumer willingness to pay for low-pesticide fresh produce in Taiwan

Willingness to pay (WTP) for reductions in health risk associated with consuming pesticide residues on vegetables are estimated using the contingent valuation method with in‐person interviews of married females in Taiwan. Estimated median WTP for 25 per cent, 50 per cent and 90 per cent reductions in the risk of developing cancer from consuming pesticide residues on a popular Taiwanese vegetable, bok choy, are estimated as 46 per cent, 56 per cent and 75 per cent of the current price of bok choy, respectively. WTP is significantly related to the scope or magnitude of the risk reduction, although it varies less than proportionately to the risk increment. WTP is also significantly related to measures of consumer preferences for health.
The Search for New Governance: Corporatisation and Privatisation of Public Universities in Malaysia and Thailand

This paper attempts to analyse how governments in Malaysia and Thailand have adopted indirect policy instruments along the lines of “corporatisation” and “privatisation” to reform higher education governance. By focusing on a few key issues related to changing state and education relationships and new regulatory arrangements when higher education service providers and funding sources are increasingly diversified in these Asian societies, this article examines whether these “state-guided” regimes are no longer relevant and have become less capable in shaping public policy formation and public sector management, particularly when their policy instruments are becoming more globally driven by “liberalising and marketising trends”.
A reassessment of explanations for discordant introgressions of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes

Hybridization is increasingly recognized as a significant evolutionary process, in particular because it can lead to introgression of genes from one species to another. A striking pattern of discordance in the amount of introgression between mitochondrial and nuclear markers exists such that substantial mitochondrial introgression is often found in combination with no or little nuclear introgression. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed to explain this discordance, including positive selection for introgressing mitochondrial variants, several types of sex‐biases, drift, negative selection against introgression in the nuclear genome, and spatial expansion. Most of these hypotheses are verbal, and have not been quantitatively evaluated so far. We use individual‐based, multilocus, computer simulations of secondary contact under a wide range of demographic and genetic scenarios to evaluate the ability of the different mechanisms to produce discordant introgression. Sex‐biases and spatial expansions fail to produce substantial mito‐nuclear discordance. Drift and nuclear selection can produce strong discordance, but only under a limited range of conditions. In contrast, selection on the mitochondrial genome produces strong discordance, particularly when dispersal rates are low. However, commonly used statistical tests have little power to detect this selection. Altogether, these results dismiss several popular hypotheses, and provide support for adaptive mitochondrial introgression.
Very short term forecasting in global solar irradiance using linear and nonlinear models

The behavior of the Photovoltaic Systems are based on solar radiation that focuses on the panels, thus the generation of energy depends on this resource. Planning of these systems makes that demanding energy can be interrupted due to variant radiation behavior. Very short term forecasting models can be useful to improve the available supplies. Present proposal allows a first approach for term shorter prediction of global solar irradiance. Linear and nonlinear models were compared to implement this forecasting. Results show that nonlinear models based on computational intelligence techniques provide better results with a simpler methodology to get the models.
Pengaruh Kompensasi Bonus Dan Leverage Terhadap Manajemen Laba Studi Empiris Pada Perusahaan Manufaktur yang Terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia Tahun 2009-2012

This study aimed to examine: 1)the effect of bonus plan to earnings management, 2) the effect of leverage to the earnings management . The study population was all companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the year 200 9-201 2. Samples was determined by purposive sampling method, a total of 68 companies. Techniques of data analysis using multiple linear regression analysis with earnings management as the dependent variable, bonus plan and leverage as an independent variable.Data processing with SPSS version 16.0 for Windows. Results show that(1) Bonus planhas effect to earnings management (2) Leverage h as no effect to earnings management Keywords: earnings management, bonus plan, leverage
Relationship between Circadian Typology and Big Five Personality Domains

We explored the relationship between personality, based on the five‐factor model, and circadian preference. To this end, 503 participants (280 females, 223 males) were administered the Morningness‐Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and the self‐report version of the Big Five Observer (BFO) to determine circadian preference and personality features, respectively. Morning types scored significantly higher than evening and intermediate types on the conscientiousness factor. Evening types were found to be more neurotic than morning types. With reference to the big five personality model, our data, together with those of all the previous studies, indicate that the conscientiousness domain is the one that best discriminates among the three circadian types. Results are discussed with reference to neurobiological models of personality.
Attachment in US children experiencing nonmaternal care in the early 1990s

This review paper presents and places in context findings from 23 manuscripts based on the data sets of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD). The NICHD study tracked the development of more than 1000 children from birth through age 15. The children were born across the USA to families that were diverse in terms of their economic, educational, and ethnic background. The children also varied in terms of the timing, extent, quality, and type of their child care experiences. The findings reported in this review paper pertain to (1) predictors of child–mother attachment; (2) links between child–mother attachment and children's developmental outcomes; and (3) methods for assessing attachment. The review paper also includes suggestions for future attachment research afforded by the data sets of the NICHD SECCYD. Not all the hypotheses tested in the reviewed papers were confirmed, and those that were confirmed were associated with modest effect sizes. Some findings emerged under specific conditions, even though they were expected to be more universal. These findings need to be discussed and aligned with theory. Also, the extent to which the findings generalize beyond the historical period and the country in which the data were collected merits discussion and exploration.