Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing Share Buyback Decisions of Indian Companies

This study examines the motivation for share repurchase decision by taking 240 non-financial share buybacks from the period 1998-99 to 2014-15. It employs logistic regression model to find the association between the firm-specific parameters and share repurchase decision. The empirical findings corroborate the evidence that excess capital hypothesis, undervaluation hypothesis, liquidity hypothesis and employee stock option hypothesis are the prime incentives for share repurchase decision in India. In the Indian context, leverage hypothesis does not hold good because of restriction of the use of debt in share repurchase. The study doesn’t support substitution hypothesis. The study for the first time, examines liquid hypothesis, employee stock option hypothesis and corporate governance hypothesis along with other hypotheses to know the impact of these on share buyback decisions. The result shows that share repurchasing firms are more liquid than non-repurchasing firms. This study finds a significant and positive relationship between stock options and the decisions to buy back shares, but it doesn’t find any evidence supporting corporate governance hypothesis.
Effect of a randomized, controlled trial of exercise on mood and physical function in individuals with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of exercise on mood and physical function in individuals with fibromyalgia. METHODS Subjects were randomly assigned to an exercise (EX) or control (CTL) group. EX subjects participated in 3 30-minute exercise classes per week for 23 weeks. Subjects were tested at entry and at 6, 12, and 23 weeks. Tests included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), 6-minute walk, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Mental Health Inventory (MHI), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES), and a measure of tender points and knee strength. RESULTS Fifty subjects (27 EX, 23 CTL) completed the study, and 31 (15 EX, 16 CTL) met criteria for efficacy analyses. In efficacy analyses, significant improvements were seen for EX subjects in 6-minute walk distances, BDI (total, cognitive/ affective), STAI, FIQ, ASES, and MHI (3 of 5 subscales) scores. These effects were reduced but remained during intent-to-treat analyses. CONCLUSION Exercise can improve the mood and physical function of individuals with fibromyalgia.
Understanding Tolerable Upper Intake Levels Toxicology of Micronutrients : Adverse Effects and Uncertainty 1 , 2

The establishment of safe upper intake levels for micronutrients must consider the intake-response relations for both deficiency and toxicity. Limited data are available on the toxicities of most micronutrients, and few studies that meet the criteria considered essential for the risk assessment of other chemicals in food, such as pesticides and food additives, have been performed. In some cases, the application of large uncertainty factors, which are used to establish the amount of a chemical that would be safe for daily intake throughout life, could result in nutritionally inadequate intakes of micronutrients. As a consequence, lower than normal uncertainty factors have been applied to determine safe or tolerable intakes of many micronutrients. There is no clear scientific rationale, on the basis of the metabolism and elimination of micronutrients or the nature of the adverse effects reported for high intakes, for the use of reduced uncertainty factors for micronutrient toxicity. A review of recent evaluations of selected vitamins and minerals shows little consistency in the application of uncertainty factors by different advisory groups, such as the Institute of Medicine in the United States and the Scientific Committee on Foods in the EuropeanUnion. It is apparent that, in some cases, the uncertainty factor applied was selected largely to give a result that is compatible with nutritional requirements; therefore, the uncertainty factor represented part of risk management rather than hazard characterization. The usual risk assessment procedures for chemicals in food should be revised for micronutrients, so that the risks associated with intakes that are too low and too high are considered equally as part of a risk-benefit analysis. J. Nutr. 136: 493S–501S, 2006.
Variations in prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum by country of birth: A study of 900,074 pregnancies in Norway, 1967—2005

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) in women living in Norway by their country of birth, and explore whether the variations in the occurrence of HG could be explained by the differences in maternal sociodemographic factors. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Methods: All primiparous women registered in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) from 1967 through June 2005 (N=900,074) comprised the sample. Data on HG, age, plurality and sex of the fetus were obtained from the MBRN and linked to the data on country of birth and maternal education obtained from Statistics Norway. Independent associations between country of birth and HG were studied by multiple logistic regression with and without adjustment for potential confounders. Results: The overall prevalence of HG in primiparous women in Norway during the study period was 0.89% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.88—0.92). Women born in Western Europe had the lowest prevalence of HG (0.8%), whereas those born in India and Sri Lanka had the highest (3.2%). Women born in Africa (except North Africa) and India or Sri Lanka were 3.4 (95% CI 2.7— 3.5) and 3.3 (95% CI 2.6—3.4) times more likely to develop HG than women born in Norway, after adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusions: Substantial variations in the prevalence of HG in Norway by country of birth cannot be explained by the differences in maternal sociodemographic factors.
Metal Stenting with or without Endobiliary Radiofrequency Ablation for Unresectable Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Background: Retrospective comparison of stent patency and survival of patients with unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) treated by placement of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) with or without endobiliary radiofrequency ablation (ERFA). Methods: Between January 2010 and September 2014, 76 patients with biliary obstruction caused by unresectable extrahepatic CCA (27 patients with Bismuth type I hilar CCA and 49 patients with distal CCA) were recruited into this study. Patients either received ERFA with SEMS (n = 34) or SEMS only (n = 42). Stent patency and survival of both groups were compared and predictors for overall survival were analyzed. Results: Demographic data were not different between the two groups. Complication rates of both groups were similar. Thirty-day stent patency was obtained in all patients and the median stent patency in the ERFA + SEMS group (9.5 months, 4.5 - 14.0 months) was significantly longer than that in the SEMS group (8.4 months, 4.9 - 11 months) (P = 0.024). The overall survival curve in the ERFA + SEMS group was significantly better than that of the SEMS group (P = 0.036). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses showed that ERFA, tumor AJCC stage, extrahepatic CCA type, serum albumin and adjuvant chemotherapy were significant prognostic factors for overall patient survival. Conclusions: ERFA is effective for unresectable extrahepatic CCA and may improve metal stent patency and patient survival for unresectable extrahepatic CCA with biliary obstruction. Prospective randomized trials will be needed to confirm these findings.
The Synergistic Effect of Azoles and Fluoxetine against Resistant Candida albicans Strains Is Attributed to Attenuating Fungal Virulence

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the synergistic effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, in combination with azoles against Candida albicans both in vitro and in vivo and explored the underlying mechanism. MICs, sessile MICs, and time-kill curves were determined for resistant C. albicans. Galleria mellonella was used as a nonvertebrate model for determining the efficacy of the drug combinations against C. albicans in vivo. For the mechanism study, gene expression levels of the SAP gene family were determined by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, and extracellular phospholipase activities were detected in vitro by the egg yolk agar method. The combinations resulted in synergistic activity against C. albicans strains, but the same effect was not found for the non-albicans Candida strains. For the biofilms formed over 4, 8, and 12 h, synergism was seen for the combination of fluconazole and fluoxetine. In addition, the time-kill curves confirmed the synergism dynamically. The results of the G. mellonella studies agreed with the in vitro analysis. In the mechanism study, we observed that fluconazole plus fluoxetine caused downregulation of the gene expression levels of SAP1 to SAP4 and weakened the extracellular phospholipase activities of resistant C. albicans. The combinations of azoles and fluoxetine showed synergistic effects against resistant C. albicans may diminish the virulence properties of C. albicans.
Gendered participation in community forest governance in India

ABSTRACT Recent forest governance practices in India have responded to environmental change and subsequent livelihood insecurity by focusing resource governance policies on communities. A paradigm shift has occurred involving participatory inclusive bottom-up approaches, rather than state-centric, top-down forestry. With the formulation of the 1988 National Forest Policy, several variants of participatory models of forest governance – social forestry, community forestry, joint forest management – have been tried out, with differing degrees of success. The 2006 Forests Right Act adopts a rights-based approach to participatory forestry to address the serious concerns of environmental degradation, livelihood insecurity, tenure reforms and questions of autonomy and identity of forest-dependent communities. Using mainly qualitative methodology, this paper reviews forest governance policies and undertakes a critical examination of recent participatory forestry practices. Drawing empirical evidence from two community-based forest governance institutions in the state of Odisha in eastern India, the paper demonstrates how participatory forestry programmes, albeit successful, may be exclusionary with regard to women’s engagement in cases where their involvement is under-represented.
Langasite, langanite, and langatate bulk-wave Y-cut resonators

Materials in the langasite family are of current interest for both bulk wave and surface wave devices. Piano-convex Y-cut bulk wave resonators have been built and tested on overtones 1 through 9 using LGS (langasite; La/sub 3/Ga/sub 5/SiO/sub 14/), LGN (langanite; La/sub 3/Ga/sub 5.5/Nb/sub 0.5/O/sub 14/), and LGT (langatate; La/sub 3/Ga/sub 5.5/Ta/sub 5.5/O/sub 14/). Frequencies and motional inductances are compared with calculated values, with good agreement except for the motional inductance of LGT. For all three materials, frequency variation is an essentially parabolic function of temperature. For LGN and LGT, reported values of the Q-frequency product are significantly above the classical limit for AT-cut quartz. A maximum 4 f value of 25.6/spl times/10/sup 6/, where frequency is in megahertz;, was observed for an LGT resonator; for an unplated resonator, 29.2/spl times/10/sup 6/ was measured. Still higher values are believed possible.
An intervention to reduce television viewing by preschool children.

BACKGROUND Television viewing has been associated with increased violence in play and higher rates of obesity. Although there are interventions to reduce television viewing by school-aged children, there are none for younger children. OBJECTIVE To develop and evaluate an intervention to reduce television viewing by preschool children. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial conducted in 16 preschool and/or day care centers in rural upstate New York. PATIENTS Children aged 2.6 through 5.5 years. INTERVENTION Children attending intervention centers received a 7-session program designed to reduce television viewing as part of a health promotion curriculum, whereas children attending the control centers received a safety and injury prevention program. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Change in parent-reported child television/video viewing and measured growth variables. RESULTS Before the intervention, the intervention and control groups viewed 11.9 and 14.0 h/wk of television/videos, respectively. Afterward, children in the intervention group decreased their television/video viewing 3.1 h/wk, whereas children in the control group increased their viewing by 1.6 h/wk, for an adjusted difference between the groups of -4.7 h/wk (95% confidence interval, -8.4 to -1.0 h/wk; P =.02). The percentage of children watching television/videos more than 2 h/d also decreased significantly from 33% to 18% among the intervention group, compared with an increase of 41% to 47% among the control group, for a difference of -21.5% (95% confidence interval, -42.5% to -0.5%; P =.046). There were no statistically significant differences in children's growth between groups. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first to show that a preschool-based intervention can lead to reductions in young children's television/video viewing. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effects associated with reductions in young children's television viewing.
FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI PEMILIHAN KARIR MENJADI AKUNTAN PUBLIK

ABSTRACT This research is aimed to analyze some factors which give influence to the student interest to become public accountant which consist of work market, professional training, payroll, professional recognition, social value, work environment, and personality. This research has been conducted at STIESIA and PERBANAS. The sample collection of this research has been done by using purposive sampling with the criteria allaccounting students in seventh semester. The source of data of this research has been obtainedby conducting research to the 100 accounting students by issuing questionnaires directly. The analysis method has been carried out by using multiple linear regressions. The result of this research shows that: (1) The professional training does not have any influence to the career selection to become a public accountant. (2) Payroll has positive influence to the career selection to become a public accountant. (3) The professional recognition has positive influence to the career selection to become a public accountant. (4) Social value does not have any influence to the career selection to become a public accountant. (5) Environment does not have any influence to the career selection to become public accountant. (6) Personality has positive influence to the career selection to become a public accountant. Keywords: professional training, payroll, professional recognition, career selection to become a public accountant.
The Value of Cash Holdings, Ownership Disparity, and Corporate Governance: Evidence from Korean Business Groups

This study examines the impacts of business group affiliation, ownership disparity, and corporate governance on cash holdings and the value of excess cash of firms, using business group data from Korea, where such organizations are called “chaebols. ” We find that Korean chaebol-affiliated firms have lower (higher) cash holdings (value of excess cash) compared to non-chaebol-affiliated firms; however, ownership disparity increases (decreases) cash holdings (value of excess cash) in chaebol firms. Furthermore, corporate governance enhances the value of excess cash and alleviates the negative effect of the ownership disparity in cash value for chaebol firms.
Nitric Oxide Trapping of the Tyrosyl Radical of Prostaglandin H Synthase-2 Leads to Tyrosine Iminoxyl Radical and Nitrotyrosine Formation*

The determination of protein nitrotyrosine content has become a frequently used technique for the detection of oxidative tissue damage. Protein nitration has been suggested to be a final product of the production of highly reactive nitrogen oxide intermediates (e.g. peroxynitrite) formed in reactions between nitric oxide (NO⋅) and oxygen-derived species such as superoxide. The enzyme prostaglandin H synthase-2 (PHS-2) forms one or more tyrosyl radicals during its enzymatic catalysis of prostaglandin formation. In the presence of the NO⋅-generator diethylamine nonoate, the electron spin resonance spectrum of the PHS-2-derived tyrosyl radical is replaced by the spectrum of another free radical containing a nitrogen atom. The magnitude of the nitrogen hyperfine coupling constant in the latter species unambiguously identifies it as an iminoxyl radical, which is likely formed by the oxidation of nitrosotyrosine, a stable product of the addition of NO⋅ to tyrosyl radical. Addition of superoxide dismutase did not alter the spectra, indicating that peroxynitrite was not involved. Western blot analysis of PHS-2 after exposure to the NO⋅-generator revealed nitrotyrosine formation. The results provide a mechanism for nitric oxide-dependent tyrosine nitration that does not require formation of more highly reactive nitrogen oxide intermediates such as peroxynitrite or nitrogen dioxide.
Consultative Authority Decision Making: On the Development and Characterization of Arab Corporate Culture

Does culture make business organizations, or do business organizations make their own cultures? The question underlies all debates about the impact of national culture on corporate culture. Moreover, Inquiries into this impact have ranged in response from determining effect to shaping effect. Whether determining or shaping, analysis of the effect presupposes that the corporation is the predominant form of business organizations in a given culture. What if the predominant form were not the corporation? Indeed, it is estimated that over 90% of Arab business entities are family businesses. Consequently, the study of Arab corporate culture must take into consideration the dynamics of such pattern of ownership-management. Combined with various factors and forces characteristic of Arab-Islamic culture, this pattern of ownershipmanagement has historically shaped the development of Arab corporate culture. This paper is an attempt to propose a characterization of Arab corporate culture in the framework of analyzing the historical development of the Arab business organization as shaped by Arab-Islamic cultural factors and forces. Using methodologies of literature review and historical analysis, we will demonstrate that the strongly patriarchal and collectivist Arab-Islamic culture has historically produced what we call Consultative Authority Decision Making (CADM) model that places power and prerogatives in the hands of the individual. Unlike conventional wisdom, this model is not totally authoritarian, but it sure is far from being democratic. The first part of the paper will address the historical development of the Arab decision making model along with the cultural and religious factors that have shaped it. Meanwhile the second part will be devoted to a characterization of Arab corporate culture in light of the CADM and as shaped by Arab-Islamic cultural factors and forces.
A Study on Ownership Structure and Financial Performance of Listed Beverage Food and Tobacco Companies in Sri Lanka

The relevant literature suggests that ownership structure is one of the main corporate governance mechanisms influencing the scope of financial performance. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between ownership structure and financial performance of listed beverage food and tobacco companies for the period of 2010-2015. This study also examines the impact of ownership structure on financial performance. The sample consists of 10 listed beverage food and tobacco companies in Sri Lanka. In this study, data was collected from secondary sources and hypotheses are examined by using Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis. The results reveal that ownership concentration and foreign ownership structure are positively correlated with financial performance of listed beverage food and tobacco companies while institutional ownership structure isn’t significantly correlated with financial performance. It is also found that there is a significant impact of foreign ownership structure on financial performance. Higher the foreign ownership structure in listed beverage food and tobacco companies, the higher the financial performance which is preferable for the shareholders and it improves the wealth of companies.
Ankle Arthroplasty in Patients Younger and Older than 50 Years: A Prospective Series with Long-term Follow-up

One hundred consecutive cases treated with ankle arthroplasty for osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis were followed prospectively and annually for up to 15 years. Survivorship analysis was performed, with the endpoint being prosthesis revision or change to arthrodesis. Patients who were younger than 50 years at the first implantation constituted one group (group A, 30 ankles). The other group (group B, 70 ankles) consisted of patients aged 50 years or older at the first implantation. All patients were assessed clinically according to the Kofoed Ankle Score. The distribution of OA/rheumatoid arthritis in group A was 18/12, and in group B it was 43/27 (not significant). The median age in group A was 46 years (range, 22–49 years), and in group B it was 63 years (range, 51–83 years). In group A, one case was revised, and three cases were converted to arthrodesis after a median of 5 years (range, 5–9 years). In group B, four cases were revised, and four cases were converted to arthrodesis after a median of 5.5 years (range, 2–8 years). The results of cases with traumatic OA did not differ between groups A and B. It was concluded that the results of ankle arthroplasty were of equal quality in patients younger than 50 years and those who were older.
A robust 
 ℋ∞ observer‐based stabilization method for systems with uncertain parameters and Lipschitz nonlinearities

This paper deals with the robust observer‐based ℋ∞ control design for a class of Lipschitz nonlinear discrete‐time systems with parameter uncertainties. Based on the use of a reformulated Lipschitz property combined with the slack variable techniques and some mathematical artifacts, it is shown that the solution of the discrete‐time output feedback stabilization problem is conditioned by a set of bilinear matrix inequalities, which become linear matrix inequalities by freezing some scalars. Furthermore, we show that some existing and elegant results reported in the literature can be regarded as particular cases of the stability conditions presented here. Numerical examples are provided to show the validity and superiority of the proposed method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.