Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chinese Corporate Governance History and Institutional Framework

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On the Relationship between Audit Tenure and Fees Paid to the Audit Firm and Audit Quality

Abstract We investigate the impact of audit firm tenure, partner tenure, audit fees, fees for non-audit services and total fees on audit quality, as measured by discretionary accruals. Our sample consists of Spanish non-financial public companies for the years between 2006 and 2013. Results indicate that audit quality increases with audit firm tenure but decreases with partner tenure. Moreover, the level of fees paid to the audit firm seems to have a negative impact on audit quality, which is mainly driven by fees for audit services. In this regard, we do not observe any significant relationship between fees for non-audit services and audit quality. Our results also show that the negative relationship between either long partner tenures or high fees and audit quality does not occur when the tenure with the audit firm is long. Therefore, long audit firm tenures do not only seem to involve higher audit quality ‘per se’, but also moderate the negative effects of partner tenure and audit fees on audit quality. The results of this study, which are robust to several sensitivity checks, may be relevant for the current debate on auditor rotation and the joint provision of audit and non-audit services.
Towards a hybrid model? A systematic review of human resource management research on Chinese state-owned enterprises (1993–2017)

Abstract Over the past two decades, there has been a proliferation of research on human resource management (HRM) in Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as a result of the wide-reaching state-sector reform of the late 1980s. This article aims to provide a systematic review of literature on this topic and capture the nature of HRM in Chinese SOEs, both in research and practice. The article draws on 178 studies from 43 English academic journals over a period of 25 years (1993–2017). In analysing this literature and by taking stock of theoretical frameworks, research methods, themes and analysis of academic articles in this area, we have gained a number of insights. The study has found that the research methods used have shifted from qualitative and interpretive methodology toward quantitative and sophisticated modelling. A further insight is that there has been a relatively heavy reliance on institutional theory in the earlier studies reviewed, and since then a switch towards organizational behaviour perspectives. The level of analysis has moved from macro to micro level and thematic foci have become more diverse and complex. We highlight a number of avenues, theoretical and empirical, for future studies in this field.
Exploration of the Pregnancy-Related Health Information Seeking Behavior of Women who Gave Birth in the Past Year

ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 Background . 1 Statement of Need . 2 Public Health Significance . 3 Specific Aims and Research Questions . 5 Implications.6 Definition of Key Terms . 6 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW . 8 Pregnancy and Public Health . 8 Health Literacy.8 Health Literacy and Information . 12 Health Information Seeking Behavior . 14 The Importance of HISB . 15 Guiding Framework . 16 Characteristics of Information Seekers . 18 Avoidance . 18 Demographics . 19 Personal Experience . 21 Saliency . 22 Beliefs . 23 Characteristics of Information Sources . 23 Popular media . 24 Social Support Group Members.25 Health Care providers . 27 The Internet . 28 Other Sources . 31 Health Information Seeking in Pregnant Women . 32
Investigating the Macroeconomic Factors that determine a Female Worker to participate in the Labor Force: Evidence from the South Asian Countries

Over the last four decades female labor force participation rate increases significantly in the South Asian countries, while it remains stagnant or sometime declines into the developed countries. The study is for investigating the macroeconomic determinants that play the vital role in decision making whether a female will participate in the labor force or not. Data are taken from five south Asian countries named Bangladesh, India, Sri-Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan over the period of 1990-2015. Breusch-Pagan, Honda, King-Wu, Standardized Honda and Standardized King-Wu Lagrange Multiplier test confirm there exists cross-section effects. Hausman test confirms that fixed effect model is appropriate for empirical analysis for this study. But Breusch-Pagan LM test, Pesaran scaled LM test and Baltagi, Feng, and Kao bias-corrected scaled LM test confirm that there exist cross-sectional dependence in residuals. Therefore, Panel Corrected Standard Error (PCSE) model has been employed to get the unbiased estimators. Empirical results of PCSE model confirm that per capita GNI, Square of per capita GNI, Education, and Fertility rate have statistically significant impact on fertility rate in the south Asian countries. Empirical results also reveal the validity of inverted U shaped hypothesis of female labor force participation decision.
Police-citizen Interaction in Africa: An Exploration of Factors that Influence Victim's Reporting of Crimes

While personal insecurity in Africa is typically associated with civil wars, crime is actually a far more common threat to the continent’s citizens. Rates of homicide, sexual assault, and property crime in Africa are often far higher than global averages. Despite such threats, many Africans do not report crimes to the police. According to surveys conducted in 32 African countries in 2011, 2012, and 2013, 56% of respondents who had experienced a crime within the previous 12 months did not report it to the police. Common explanations for such inhibited reporting of crimes include a general lack of trust in the police, the politicization of police forces, citizens’ inability to easily access the police, or low community cohesion where victims reside. Using multilevel logistic regression techniques, this study tests these explanations. Findings suggest that neither trust in police nor politicization of police forces displays significant influence on citizens’ likelihood of r eporting crimes. Likewise, community cohesion bears no consistent relationship with higher rates of reporting, while access to police does appear positively associated with the likelihood of reporting victimizations. Contrary to findings in many developed countries, women in Africa appear to be less likely than men to report crimes to the police. Afrobarometer publications report the results of national sample surveys on the attitudes of citizens in selected African countries toward democracy, markets, civil society, and other aspects of development. Afrobarometer publications are simultaneously co-published by the six Afrobarometer Core Partner and Support Unit Institutions. All Afrobarometer publications can be searched and downloaded from www.afrobarometer. org. Support for Afrobarometer ’s current Round 7 surveys is provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, U.S. State Department, National Endowment for Democracy, and Transparency International.
Man and herpetofauna of the mediterranean islands

●● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ? ● ● ? ● ? ● ● ● ? ● ● ? ● ● ● ● ● ● ? ● ● ● ● ● ● ? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ? ● ? ● ●
Economic Modeling in the Management of Transition to Bioeconomy

The management of the transition to bioeconomy has developed relatively recently, to cope with the challenges of the 21st century. The determinants of transition are related to economic, social, biological and environmental evolution. In particular, the envisaged factors consist in demographic increase, excessive unsustainable consumption, industrial development, climatic changes, depletion of traditional or non-renewable resources. This article presents, first, the conceptual model of the transition process, making a review of the specialized literature. The authors render applicability to the sustainable economic model developed in the primary sector, which is the first biomass-producing industry with potential to generate new products, used in the secondary and tertiary industrial sectors. The second part of the article defines the behavioral research model. The article aims at providing an applicative perspective to the behavioral model, through the economic integration of data collected from the biomass industry. The third part of the article presents the results of the case study, interpreted in the light of the responses to the questionnaire transmitted to the respondents. Data were collected using a questionnaire addressed to management and employees in the biomass industry. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used, and d splints were analyzed by software-ul Smart PLS 3. One of the main goals of this paper is to identify and assess the relationship between the sustainable development of Bioeconomy through the indicators of performance obtained by producers of biomass in the framework of the economic model of transition to the bioeconomy. The conclusions of our research are in line with the existing literature and confirm the theoretical assumptions, underlining that the performance and sustainable development of the producers is a direct consequence of the association of a number of factors such as innovation and technology, regulation, knowledge and skills of the human factor.
Meningitis in children of Riyadh.

: One hundred and forty cases of meningitis admitted to the Children's Hospital in Riyadh from June 1980 to the end of May 1982 were included in a prospective study. Sixty-seven percent were under 1 year of age and 90% were under 5 years old. One hundred and twenty-four (88.6%) had purulent CSF, 12 (8.6%) had viral and four (2.9%) had tuberculous meningitis. E. coli was the commonest causative organism in the neonates. After that age S. pneumoniae was the predominant isolate. The implication of increasing resistance of H. influenzae to ampicillin therapy were discussed and a further rare case of meningitis caused by Flavobacterium meningosepticum was described. Seventy-three (52%) were cured completely, 39 (28%) survived with immediate neurological deficits and 28 (20%) died. Mortality and neurological sequelae were found to be high in four categories of patients: neonates, patients who were stuporose or comatose on admission, those who were partially treated before admission and those who presented late after the onset of their symptoms.
Influence of Works Definition on Performance of Government Construction Projects in Kenya

The significant emphasis bestowed on infrastructural development as a catalyst of economic growth and regional integration by the Kenyan government seems to continue for the foreseeable future. Development of comprehensive project’s scopes facilitate the alleviation of scope creep and hence promote sound management of project finances and deliverables. The objective of the study was to assess the influence of works definition on performance of government construction projects in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design and used simple random sampling to select a sample from the registered Architects/projects managers practicing in Nairobi Kenya and involved with government projects. The unit of analysis therefore was government construction projects while unit of observation was 728 Registered Architects/projects managers within Nairobi. A sample size of 251 was used. The study generated both qualitative and quantitative data. Data was collected using questionnaires and analysed using SPSS. The findings of the study showed a significant and positive relationship between works definition and performance of government construction projects in Kenya. The study concluded that comprehensive work definition and development of corresponding work breakdown structures, enables project managers to assign duties and plan for allocation of resources and efficiently monitor progress. This greatly enhances the performance of government construction projects in Kenya.
Towards Online Personalized-Monitoring of Human Thermal Sensation Using Machine Learning Approach

Thermal comfort and sensation are important aspects of building design and indoor climate control, as modern man spends most of the day indoors. Conventional indoor climate design and control approaches are based on static thermal comfort/sensation models that view the building occupants as passive recipients of their thermal environment. To overcome the disadvantages of static models, adaptive thermal comfort models aim to provide opportunity for personalized climate control and thermal comfort enhancement. Recent advances in wearable technologies contributed to new possibilities in controlling and monitoring health conditions and human wellbeing in daily life. The generated streaming data generated from wearable sensors are providing a unique opportunity to develop a real-time monitor of an individual’s thermal state. The main goal of this work is to introduce a personalized adaptive model to predict individual’s thermal sensation based on non-intrusive and easily measured variables, which could be obtained from already available wearable sensors. In this paper, a personalized classification model for individual thermal sensation with a reduced-dimension input-space, including 12 features extracted from easily measured variables, which are obtained from wearable sensors, was developed using least-squares support vector machine algorithm. The developed classification model predicted the individual’s thermal sensation with an overall average accuracy of 86%. Additionally, we introduced the main framework of streaming algorithm for personalized classification model to predict an individual’s thermal sensation based on streaming data obtained from wearable sensors.
Mitigating Bias in Algorithmic Employment Screening: Evaluating Claims and Practices

There has been rapidly growing interest in the use of algorithms in hiring, especially as a means to address or mitigate bias. Yet, to date, little is known about how these methods are used in practice. How are algorithmic assessments built, validated, and examined for bias? In this work, we document and analyze the claims and practices of companies offering algorithms for employment assessment. In particular, we identify vendors of algorithmic pre-employment assessments (i.e., algorithms to screen candidates), document what they have disclosed about their development and validation procedures, and evaluate their practices, focusing particularly on efforts to detect and mitigate bias. Our analysis considers both technical and legal perspectives. Technically, we consider the various choices vendors make regarding data collection and prediction targets, and explore the risks and trade-offs that these choices pose. We also discuss how algorithmic de-biasing techniques interface with, and create challenges for, antidiscrimination law.
The effects of brisk walking on endurance fitness, lipoprotein metabolism and other risk factors for coronary heart disease

This thesis examines the potential of a one year programme of brisk walking to influence endurance fitness, lipoprotein metabolism and other risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in previously sedentary, middle-aged men. Seventy-two asymptomatic males were recruited into the study and randomly allocated on a two to one basis into either a walking group (n = 48) or a control group (n = 24). Walkers were asked to build up to an average of 45 minutes of brisk walking per day and maintain this level thereafter. Control subjects continued with their habitual lifestyle. Both groups undertook not to change their dietary habits. Maximum oxygen uptake (V0₂max) was predicted at base line, three, six and 12 months from submaximal heart rate and oxygen uptake data during treadmill walking. Endurance fitness was assessed at similar intervals by measuring heart rate and blood lactate concentration during standardised submaximal treadmill walking. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apoproteins A-I and B, triglycerides and lipoprotein(a) were measured at each observation point. Additionally, plasma fibrinogen, resting arterial blood pressure and indices of pulmonary function were determined. Differences in the response of walkers and controls over time were examined using two way analysis of variance for repeated measures employing the 5% level of significance. Adherence to the walking programme was high and 42 of the walkers (88%) remained in the study for the year completing an average of 28 ± 9 (mean ± SD) minutes of brisk walking each day (self-report). The response of the walkers over time was significantly different to that of the controls for predicted V0₂max and for heart rate and blood lactate concentration during standardised submaximal exercise indicating that brisk walking favourably influenced endurance fitness. No significant differences were observed between groups for any of the lipoprotein variables or other CHD risk factors monitored during the study. It was concluded that brisk walking did not influence established CHD risk factors in this group of previously sedentary middle-aged men despite the evidence of improved endurance fitness.
PRODIGE: A phase III randomized placebo-controlled trial of thromboprophylaxis using dalteparin low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in patients with newly diagnosed malignant glioma

2011 Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurs in 20–30% of patients with malignant glioma per year of survival. We have conducted an RCT testing the efficacy and safety of long-term dalteparin for the prevention of VTE in newly diagnosed malignant glioma. Methods: Adults with newly diagnosed malignant glioma were randomized to receive dalteparin 5,000 anti-Xa units or placebo, both subcutaneously daily for 6 months starting within the first month after surgery. Patients were allowed to continue study medication for up to 12 months. Because of the poor prognosis of malignant glioma it was determined apriori that the primary outcome was 6-month VTE-free survival. In order to detect a 60% VTE hazard reduction with LMWH with 80% power, 512 patients were required. Results: Recruitment began October 2002 and was closed in May 2006 because of expiration of study medication and no further re-supply. Of the 563 patients screened at 15 centers, 174 were excluded. Of the 389 eligible patients approached for c.
Exploring the retention and success of students with disability in Australian higher education

ABSTRACT The proportion of higher education students with disability is increasing. We know there is institutional variation in retention and performance of higher education students with disability, and there is a need to understand the reasons for this. This exploratory national study examines supports and adjustments provided by universities, including the role of disability practitioners, influence retention and performance of students with disability. The study uses a mixed-methods approach. National equity retention and performance data are analysed by higher education institution. Qualitative data on institutional policies and practices collected from a purposive sample of Australian higher education institutions are then analysed. Findings from the study include identification of factors linked to retention and performance of students with disability, including different types of disability.
Local authority museums after the cuts :a study of other-than-public forms of management

Museum asset transfer is a process where responsibility for the operation and management of museum buildings owned by local authorities are transferred to external groups. Instances of museum asset transfer are increasing as local authorities attempt to reduce expenditure in response to austerity measures. While the politics of austerity have been thoroughly described and critiqued, its repercussions for local authority museum services are yet to be grasped. This thesis examines one of these repercussions, seeking to understand the processes, people and rationales involved in asset transfer. The methodology for the thesis takes the writings associated with actor-network-theory (ANT) as a point of departure. This provides a way into the detail of how asset transfer works, both inside the local authority and for the groups of local people involved. Chapter 4 illustrates the influence of limited numerical data and reductive valuation frameworks on decision-making, showing how certain types of museum are more vulnerable to cuts than others. Chapter 5 describes the mechanics of asset transfer, showing that transfer groups have limited leverage to shape transfer conditions. Chapter 6 investigates how organisational practices shape relationships, structure actions and circulate implicit logics as a means to understanding the experience of members of transfer bodies entering the museum profession for the first time. I show that perceptions of professional identity are important and are informed by encounters with organisational practices as much as with people. Chapter 7 provides empirical evidence of how the public nature of these buildings complicates as well as motivates transfer, with attempts to ensure this publicness was maintained having both limiting and enabling effects. While asset transfer involves separation from the public infrastructure of the local authority and the withdrawal, in part or in full of their financial support, this thesis seeks to show that transfer bodies and council officers remain concerned with the public nature of these buildings, exploring how this concern is translated into action in this context. The forms of management resulting from asset transfer are termed ‘community’ or ‘alternative’ management in professional debates. The term ‘other-than-public’ is proposed as a productive prefix as it highlights the central conceptual tension of transfer: interpreting and maintaining publicness in a setting where public support has been removed.