Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Why Are there So Many Banking Crises

The last 25 years have seen an impressive number of banking crises all over the world. These crises have renewed interest of economic research on the causes of fragility of banks and the possible remedies to it. The justifications and organisation of public intervention in the banking sector have also been put into question. This article builds on this recent research in order to understand better the causes of banking crises and offer policy guidelines for reform of regulatory and supervisory systems. The main conclusions are: •Although many banking crises have been initiated by financial deregulation and globalization, these crises were largely amplified by political interference. •Supervision systems face a fundamental commitment problem, analogous to the time consistency problem confronted by monetary policy. •The key to successful reform is independence and accountability of banking supervisors. (JEL E58,G21)
Correlation between Pulse Wave Velocity and Fluid Distribution in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: In this study, we focused on whether volume overload plays a role in the development of arterial stiffness. Methods: Seventy-three prevalent hemodialysis patients were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Arterial stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), and volume overload was assessed by bioimpedance analysis. Results: Patients were divided into a high PWV group and a low PWV group based on the median of PWV. Age, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure (PP), extracellular water/total body water ratio (ECW/TBW), diabetic status (all p < 0.01), and history of cardiac events (p < 0.05) were significantly higher in the high PWV group (n = 37) than in the low PWV group. In the correlation analysis, PWV was positively associated with PP, systolic blood pressure, ECW/TBW, age, history of cardiac events, and diabetes (all p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that PWV was independently related to PP and ECW/TBW (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Volume overload plays an important role in the development of arterial stiffness in hemodialysis patients.
Dividend initiation announcements effects in initial public offerings

This paper examines the market reaction to dividend initiation announcements by Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in the UK. Using data for 131 Official Listed (OL) and 139 Unlisted Securities Market (USM) firms, covering the period 1982–1991, the study finds a positive market reaction to such announcements. Employing a random walk and random walk with a drift models to generate earnings expectations, the study finds that unexpected earnings are significantly positively related to the announcement day abnormal return, with unexpected dividends positive and significant, for the OL sample only. Contrary to prior research, no evidence of an ‘interaction effect’ between earnings and dividends signals is reported.
Human Resource Bundles and Manufacturing Performance: Organizational Logic and Flexible Production Systems in the World Auto Industry

Using a unique international data set from a 1989–90 survey of 62 automotive assembly plants, the author tests two hypotheses: that innovative HR practices affect performance not individually but as interrelated elements in an internally consistent HR “bundle” or system; and that these HR bundles contribute most to assembly plant productivity and quality when they are integrated with manufacturing policies under the “organizational logic” of a flexible production system. Analysis of the survey data, which tests three indices representing distinct bundles of human resource and manufacturing practices, supports both hypotheses. Flexible production plants with team-based work systems, “high-commitment” HR practices (such as contingent compensation and extensive training), and low inventory and repair buffers consistently outperformed mass production plants. Variables capturing two-way and three-way interactions among the bundles of practices are even better predictors of performance, supporting the integration hypothesis.
Reintegration and Maintenance of Employees with Breast Cancer in the Workplace

For many persons with cancer, return to work serves as a measure of recovery from the treatment aspect of the illness as well as a positive step toward the future. Problems related to insurance coverage exist for cancer survivors due to the lack of legal requirement that an insurance company insure any applicant. The occupational health nurse brings knowledge of cancer, cancer therapy, and rehabilitation to the employer and the employee and serves as a liaison between the needs of the organization and the employee with respect to return to work. Information sharing, values clarification, role playing, and legal and ethical consultation may be effective in helping the employer as well as the co-workers meet identified goals.
Corporate social responsibility disclosures in an emerging economy: case study of a tobacco company in Sri Lanka

The purpose of this study is to explore how corporate social responsibility (CSR) is undertaken and disclosed with a help of a case study. Global reporting initiatives (GRI) G3 sustainability reporting guidelines were used as the benchmark to analyse CSR disclosures. It was found that CSR engagement and disclosures were mainly focused on 'sustainable agriculture, 'civic life and 'empowerment'. The finding further supported stakeholder theory and legitimacy theory but disclosures were gradually declining. The unit of analysis was found to have paid adequate attention on all three aspects of CSR namely economic, environmental and social. CSR disclosures were on a par with 'A' level application of GRI G3 when compared to performance indicators stipulated in GRI G3. The reporting structure and formats had been modified as the company required from time to time. Despite the fact that sustainable agriculture programmes were continuing, the spending on CSR was gradually declining over time.
Density dynamics of diverse Spiroplasma strains naturally infecting different species of Drosophila

Facultative heritable bacterial endosymbionts can have dramatic effects on their hosts, ranging from mutualistic to parasitic. Within-host bacterial endosymbiont density plays a critical role in maintenance of a symbiotic relationship, as it can affect levels of vertical transmission and expression of phenotypic effects, both of which influence the infection prevalence in host populations. Species of genus Drosophila are infected with Spiroplasma, whose characterized phenotypic effects range from that of a male-killing reproductive parasite to beneficial defensive endosymbiont. For many strains of Spiroplasma infecting at least 17 species of Drosophila, however, the phenotypic effects are obscure. The infection prevalence of these Spiroplasma vary within and among Drosophila species, and little is known about the within-host density dynamics of these diverse strains. To characterize the patterns of Spiroplasma density variation among Drosophila we used quantitative PCR to assess bacterial titer at various life stages of three species of Drosophila naturally-infected with two different types of Spiroplasma. For naturally infected Drosophila species we found that non-male-killing infections had consistently lower densities than the male-killing infection. The patterns of Spiroplasma titer change during aging varied among Drosophila species infected with different Spiroplasma strains. Bacterial density varied within and among populations of Drosophila, with individuals from the population with the highest prevalence of infection having the highest density. This density variation underscores the complex interaction of Spiroplasma strain and host genetic background in determining endosymbiont density.
Drought migration and population growth in the Sahel: the case of the Malian Gourma: 1900-1991.

This paper explores the development of the population of the Gourma in Northern Mali from the beginning of this century to the present. As part of Northern Sahel, the area has been hard-hit by at least four droughts this century and is among the least developed in Mali. The data used include the available population censuses, colonial records and recent survey research. The droughts of 1973 and 1984 may have increased child mortality, but the most important effects may have been short-term reductions in fertility, as well as increased migration. While approximately 30 per cent of adult men are absent, the overall picture of migration is much more complex than simply one of emigration, as migration into the Gourma and internal redistribution of population also play an important role.
Steroid Sensitive Sites in the Avian Brain: Does the Distribution of the Estrogen Receptor α and β Types Provide Insight into Their Function?

Studies in avian species have often been useful in elucidating basic concepts relevant to the regulation of reproductive behaviors by sex steroid hormones. Once a link between a steroid hormone and a behavioral response has been established, one can use the localization of steroid hormone receptors in the brain to facilitate the identification of neural circuits that control behavior. The recent identification of a second type of estrogen receptor called estrogen receptor β or ERβ has raised new issues about the action of steroid hormones in the brain. A hypothesis has been proposed by Kuiper et al. [1998] based on studies in mammalian species suggesting that ERα (the name given to the ER that was previously described) is important for reproduction while ERβ is more important for non-reproductive functions. In this paper we apply this hypothesis more generally by examining possible functions of ERβ in avian species. We have initiated studies of the ERβ in the brain of two avian species, the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). ERβ was cloned in both species and the mRNA for this receptor type was localized in the brain employing in situ hybridization histochemistry methods. In both species ERβ was found to be diffusely present in telencephalic areas consistent with a role for this receptor subtype in cognitive functions. However, ERβ mRNA was also found in many brain areas that are traditionally thought to be important in the regulation of reproductive functions such as the preoptic region, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the nucleus taeniae. Of the two receptor types, only mRNA for ERα was observed in the telencephalic vocal control nucleus HVc of male starlings. Steroid receptors in this nucleus are thought to be an example of an evolutionary specialization that has evolved to coordinate the production of courtship vocalizations with other aspects of reproduction. The lack of ERβ mRNA expression in HVc is consistent with the hypothesis that ERα is preferentially involved in reproductive behaviors while ERβ is involved in the steroid regulation of other neural functions. However, the widespread occurrence of ERβ in other nuclei involved in reproductive function suggests that one must be cautious about the general applicability of the above hypothesis until more is known about ERβ function in these other nuclei.
Values, Power and Instrumentality

The policy agenda of the Labour government embodies both continuities and discontinuities with its Conservative predecessor. Its new departures, especially those which involve increased central direction from Whitehall, imply a number of assumptions about the values which should underpin the management of the education service, the ways in which power should be distributed within it and the mechanisms through which policy objectives can be best translated into actual changes in schools and colleges. This article explores how far the concept of managerialism contributes to our understanding of institutional responses to the new policy environment and draws some conclusions about possible future directions for research in education management.
Economic Value Added versus Traditional Performance Metrics in the Czech Food-Processing Sector

The aim of this article is to investigate the relationship between Economic Value Added, traditional performance measures (Return on Assets ‘ROA’ and Return on Equity ‘ROE’) and their ability to measure the creation of shareholder wealth in food-processing firms in the Czech Republic. To assess the relationship, a simple regression test was used and the following hypothesis were tested: • a strong positive linear relationship exists between EVA and the traditional performance measures of ROA and ROE and • the EVA measure reflects changes in shareholder wealth more consistently than the traditional performance measures ROA and ROE. The regression analysis results indicate in all cases a positive correspondence between EVA and financial performance metrics and show higher quality information content of EVA indicator as regards the ability to create shareholder wealth than the traditional performance measures.
Single passive leg movement-induced hyperemia: a simple vascular function assessment without a chronotropic response.

Passive leg movement (PLM)-induced hyperemia is a novel approach to assess vascular function, with a potential clinical role. However, in some instances, the varying chronotropic response induced by PLM has been proposed to be a potentially confounding factor. Therefore, we simplified and modified the PLM model to require just a single PLM (sPLM), an approach that may evoke a peripheral hemodynamic response, allowing a vascular function assessment, but at the same time minimizing central responses. To both characterize and assess the utility of sPLM, in 12 healthy subjects, we measured heart rate (HR), stroke volume, cardiac output (CO), mean arterial pressure (MAP), leg blood flow (LBF), and calculated leg vascular conductance (LVC) during both standard PLM, consisting of passive knee flexion and extension performed at 1 Hz for 60 s, and sPLM, consisting of only a single passive knee flexion and extension over 1 s. During PLM, MAP transiently decreased (5 ± 1 mmHg), whereas both HR and CO increased from baseline (6.0 ± 1.1 beats/min, and 0.8 ± 0.01 l/min, respectively). Following sPLM, MAP fell similarly (5 ± 2 mmHg; P = 0.8), but neither HR nor CO responses were identifiable. The peak LBF and LVC response was similar for PLM (993 ± 189 ml/min; 11.9 ± 1.5 ml·min-1·mmHg-1, respectively) and sPLM (878 ± 119 ml/min; 10.9 ± 1.6 ml·min-1·mmHg-1, respectively). Thus sPLM represents a variant of the PLM approach to assess vascular function that is more easily performed and evokes a peripheral stimulus that induces a significant hyperemia, but does not generate a potentially confounding, chronotropic response, which may make sPLM more useful clinically. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using the single passive leg movement (PLM) technique, a variant of the vascular function assessment PLM, we have identified a novel peripheral vascular assessment method that is more easily performed than PLM, which, by not evoking potentially confounding central hemodynamic responses, may be more useful clinically.
Shareholder Value Maximization - Is There a Role for Corporate Social Responsibility?

Although often viewed as inconsistent with the corporate goal of value maximization, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement can add value by helping companies develop and maintain their reputations for fair dealing with each of their important non-investor stakeholder groups, including employees, suppliers, and local communities. Such "reputational capital" in turn helps reinforce the commitment of those stakeholders through what amount to informal or implicit contracts-contracts that are often critical to a company's long-run success. Copyright Copyright (c) 2009 Morgan Stanley.
The Effect of Life Expectancy on Fertility, Saving, Schooling and Economic Growth: Theory and Evidence

We construct a simple growth model where agents with uncertain survival choose schooling time, life-cycle consumption and the number of children. We show that rising longevity reduces fertility but raises saving, schooling time and the growth rate at a diminishing rate. Cross-section analyses using data from 76 countries support these propositions: life expectancy has a significant positive effect on the saving rate, secondary school enrollment and growth but a significant negative effect on fertility. Through sensitivity analyses, the effect on the saving rate is inconclusive, while the effects on the other variables are robust and consistent. These estimated effects are decreasing in life expectancy.
Assessment of Azorean ancestry by Alu insertion polymorphisms

Knowledge of population ancestry from genetic markers is essential, for example, to understand the history of human migration and to carry out admixture and association studies. Here we assess the genome ancestry of the Azorean population through analysis of six Alu polymorphic sites (TPA‐25, ACE, APO, B65, PV92, and D1) in 65 Azoreans and 30 Portuguese unrelated blood donors and compare data for the Y‐chromosome and mtDNA. Allele frequencies were calculated by direct counting. Statistical analysis was performed using Arlequin 2.0. Nei's genetic distance was calculated with DISPAN software, and trees were constructed by neighbor joining (NJ) using PHYLIP 3.63. The results show that all Alu insertions were polymorphic. APO is the closest to fixation. The less frequent insertions are PV92 and D1 in the Azores and Portugal, respectively. ACE and TPA‐25 show the highest values of heterozygosity in both populations. Allele frequencies are very similar to those obtained in European populations. These results are validated by the Y‐chromosome and mtDNA data, where the majority of the maternal and paternal lineages are European. Overall, these data are reflected in the phylogenetic tree, in which the Azoreans and the Portuguese branch with Catalans, Andalusians, Moroccans, and Algerians. We conclude that the population of the Azores shows no significant genetic differences from that of mainland Portugal and that it is an outbred population. Moreover, the data validate the use of Alu insertion polymorphisms to assess the origin and history of human populations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:223–226, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Neurobehavioral performance in young adults living on a 28-h day for 6 weeks.

OBJECTIVES Performance on many cognitive tasks varies with time awake and with circadian phase, and the forced desynchrony (FD) protocol can be used to separate these influences on performance. Some performance tasks show practice effects, whereas the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) has been reported not to show such effects. We aimed to compare performance on the PVT and on an addition test (ADD) across a 6-week FD study, to determine whether practice effects were present and to analyze the circadian and wake-dependent modulation of the 2 measures. DESIGN AND SETTING A 47-day FD study conducted at the Brigham and Women's Hospital General Clinical Research Center. PARTICIPANTS Eleven healthy adults (mean age: 24.4 years, 2 women). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS For 2 baseline days and across 6 weeks of FD, we gave a test battery (ADD, PVT, self-rating of effort and performance) every 2 hours. During FD, there was a significant (P < 0.0001) improvement in ADD performance (more correct calculations completed), whereas PVT performance (mean reaction time, fastest 10% reaction times, lapses) significantly (P < 0.0001) declined week by week. Subjective ratings of PVT performance indicated that subjects felt their performance improved across the study (P < 0.0001), but their rating of whether they could have performed better with greater effort did not change across the study (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The decline in PVT performance suggests a cumulative effect of sleep loss across the 6-week study. Subjects did not accurately detect their declining PVT performance, and a motivational factor could not explain this decline.
RENAL TUBULAR CELL NECROSIS AND APOPTOSIS IN TRANSPLANTED KIDNEYS

Renal wedge biopsies were taken from donors' kidneys immediately at the end of cold ischaemia and 30min after transplantation in 11 cases. Five renal grafts showed immediate and six showed delayed renal function clinically. The ratio of apoptotic and necrotic renal tubular cells and Ki67 activity was determined in both biopsies. Necrotic and apoptotic as well as proliferating renal tubular cells were seen in all samples. Both apoptotic and proliferative activity was decreased in samples taken 30min after transplantation in cases of immediate renal function compared to the samples taken before transplantation. This phenomenon was not observed in cases of delayed renal function.
Proliferation and fragmentation: Transactions costs and the value of aid

Abstract The problem of the proliferation of the number of aid donors and aid channels continues to worsen. It is widely and plausibly believed that this significantly reduces the value of aid by increasing direct and indirect transactions costs. We contribute to the existing literature by: (a) categorising the apparent adverse effects of proliferation; (b) producing a reliable and fair indicator of the relative degree to which the main bilateral donors proliferate or concentrate their aid; (c) giving some explanation of why some donors proliferate more than others; (d) constructing a reliable measure of the extent to which recipients suffer from the problem of fragmentation in the sources of their aid; and (e) demonstrating that the worst proliferators among the aid donors are especially likely to be suppliers of aid to recipients suffering most from fragmentation. There are significant implications for aid policy.
Life Cycle Finance and the Design of Pension Plans

This article reviews recent scientific literature on consumer financial decisions over the life cycle, outlining its implications for the design of pension plans. It begins with a review of advances in the theory of rational financial planning and wealth management. It then summarizes the recent empirical literature on the actual behavior of households regarding saving, investing, and insuring their consumption in old age. Finally, it briefly comments on the practical implications of the theory for the design of pension systems and outlines areas of future research.
Childcare Use and Parents Labour Supply in Australia

Based on data which are representative of the Australian population in 2002, this paper first analyses the demand for and cost of formal and informal childcare for couple and sole-parent families, shedding light on factors which affect the demand for childcare. The predicted demand of formal childcare and the predicted costs of informal childcare arising from these models are then used to impute total childcare costs at different levels of labour supply. Finally, the predicted total costs are incorporated in the estimation procedure of structural labour supply models for couple and sole parent families. By making several extensions to the methodology adopted in Doiron and Kalb (2005a), who estimated similar models based on 1996 Australian data and which this paper largely replicates in terms of methodology, it is found that the average elasticities of labour supply with regard to the cost of childcare are quite similar to the earlier estimates. The elasticities remain at the lower end of the range found in the international literature with the exception of the elasticities for sole parents with preschool children and/or on relatively low wages.