Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Size and Sources of Municipal Incumbency Advantage in Canada

This article uses a new dataset of nearly 2,000 municipal elections from 1874 to 2018 to estimate the size of municipal incumbency advantage in Canada for the first time. Incumbency increases the probability that a candidate will win the next election by more than 30 percentage points and accounts for well over half of overall incumbent success. Incumbency advantage varies modestly by institutional context but varies substantially over time, with a distinct decrease during a period of partisan elections in the mid-twentieth century. These findings represent one of the first estimates of municipal incumbency advantage in an advanced democracy outside the United States and provide a new approach to estimating and comparing incumbency advantage in multi-member and single-member districts. The findings suggest important similarities between Canadian and American municipal elections, demonstrate that incumbency advantage has varied significantly at the municipal level over time, and illustrate the value of historical election data for scholars of urban electoral politics.
Intersectionality, Repeal, and Reproductive Rights in Ireland

In this chapter, I reflect on the ways in which reproductive activism might be said to have failed in its intersectionality during the formal referendum campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment in Ireland and, in particular, on the ways in which the formal processes of constitutional law reform that had to be negotiated in order to achieve meaningful reform and liberalisation of abortion law shaped these failures. My intention in this chapter is not to contribute in any substantial way to our evolving understanding of intersectionality and intersectional practice, but rather to reflect on the ways in which a self-avowedly intersectional and intergenerational activism for abortion law reform in Ireland may have fallen short of that avowel within the formal process of constitutional law reform as it operates in Ireland. The chapter proceeds in three parts. First, I reflect on the referendum campaign itself and particularly on some of the tactical maneuvers of the campaign relevant to the question of intersectionality. Second, I illustrate some of the ways in which the new law and its operation fail adequately to deliver reproductive justice to all with a particular focus on trans and non-binary persons, and migrants living in Ireland. Third, I will reflect on the difficulties of intersectionality in constitutional referendum campaigns.
Adenoid cystic and adenoid basal carcinomas of the cervix.

: Adenoid basal and adenoid cystic carcinomas of the cervix are uncommon and differ from each other in their histology, treatment, and prognosis. Whereas adenoid basal carcinoma is a slow-growing, locally invasive lesion amenable to simply hysterectomy, adenoid cystic carcinoma is an aggressive tumor associated with regional lymph node involvement and late pulmonary metastases. This study, based on the evaluation of nine cases of adenoid cystic and five cases of adenoid basal carcinoma of the cervix, reviews the literature and formulates a program for the management of these rare lesions.
Small and Medium Enterprises Export by Indian Regions: Uncovering the Role of Spatial Factors

The present study uncovers the critical regional factors essentially responsible for inter-state small and medium enterprises (SMEs) export differences. In this context, this study is useful from the perspective of regional/local policy implications, as it is focused on critical regional determinants of SMEs’ export. Based on a wide range of interconnected theories, this study designs an analytical framework comprising a set of regional factors, which are proposed to have a significant impact on export capabilities of local SMEs. The empirical results indeed confirm the relation significantly. States with larger and productive SMEs are more successful in export activities. Likewise, Indian states may enhance their SMEs’ export by focusing on regional factors such as market, skill and power generation capacity. JEL Classification: F12, F14, R12
Microfinance in Latin America and the Caribbean: the curse and blessing of ethnic diversity

ABSTRACT Latin America is one of the most ethnically diverse regions in the world, and is also characterized by high levels of poverty. As a poverty alleviation tool, microfinance emerged in the region and has significantly evolved over the years. However, the implications of the region’s high diversity on the performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) are however not known. We attempt to fill this gap by providing evidence on the association between MFI performance and indices of ethnic and linguistic fractionalization. Our findings suggest that fractionalization promotes MFI financial performance but is detrimental to outreach depth. These results are robust to various sensitivity tests.
ELECTRICITY AVAILABILITY, HUMAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH CAUSALITY IN SUB SAHARA AFRICA: REVISITED EVIDENCES

The paper examines the impact of electricity availabilities proxy by electricity supply, human capital development and the role of institutional qualities on economic growth in Sub Sahara African countries using a panel data spanning from 1980 to 2016. The study utilized various dynamic panel models (dynamic ordinary least square, DOLS, PMG, DFE and FMOLS) and several panel unit roots model were adopted to check the degree of integration of the variables. Our empirical results found that electricity consumption, electricity availability and control of corruption have a positive impact on economic growth in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) countries. However, human capital development has a negatively significant impact on economic growth in SSA countries. A deregulated energy sector is likely to yield smaller net benefits than a regulated market due to nature of African economies due to the level of corruption in the region. We therefore suggest a policy to improving their institutions qualities and build a good political structure to utilities government expenditure on electricity supply and human capital development to ensure economic growth in SSA countries.
A Re-Examination of Analysts’ Differential Target Price Forecasting Ability

We challenge the view that persistent differences in accuracy across analysts are proof that analysts differ in their ability to forecast stock prices. We show that these persistent differences in target price accuracy are driven instead by stock return volatility. Building upon option pricing theory, we construct a measure of forecast quality that controls for stock return volatility and forecast horizon. Contrary to previous studies, which failed to properly account for differences in stock return volatility, our empirical analysis reveals that analysts do not exhibit differences in their ability to forecast stock prices. We show that the accuracy of a target price strongly depends on the stock return volatility and the forecast horizon.
Informed trading, order flow shocks and the cross section of expected returns in Borsa Istanbul

ABSTRACT This paper examines the relationship between information asymmetry and stock returns in Borsa Istanbul. For all stocks that are traded in Borsa Istanbul between March 2005 and April 2017, we estimate the probability of informed trading (PIN) to proxy for information asymmetry. Firm-level cross-sectional regressions indicate a statistically insignificant relationship between PIN estimates and future returns. Moreover, univariate and multivariate portfolio analyses assert that investors that hold stocks that have high information asymmetry do not obtain significant future returns. Consequently, our results suggest that information asymmetry proxied by PIN is a firm-specific risk and can be eliminated with portfolio diversification. Findings are robust to different factorizations in estimating PIN and free of any bias due to trade classification algorithms, boundary solutions, floating-point exceptions and symmetric order flow shocks.
Menstruation in Adolescents: What's Normal?

Clinicians need to be aware of evidence-based norms for pubertal development and menstrual function. Parameters for normal and abnormal menstrual bleeding in adolescents are listed in Table 2. Informing adolescents and their parents about these parameters and encouraging prospective charting of bleeding can help to determine whether the bleeding pattern is unusual enough to warrant diagnostic testing or therapy. Physicians and women should be encouraged to consider the menstrual cycle as a “vital sign. ”[19,35] Just as abnormalities in pulse, respiration, or blood pressure can signal the need for medical evaluation, so too can menstrual abnormalities. It may be helpful to suggest to an adolescent that menstrual abnormalities in the absence of hormonal therapies should warrant attention: “Your body is telling you something. ” Abnormal bleeding while on hormonal contraception has a very different pathophysiology from abnormal bleeding without hormonal contraception. Appropriate evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment have the potential to prevent future morbidities and to significantly improve an adolescent's quality of life. [36] Table 2 Quick Guide to Periods in Adolescents: What's Normal/What's Not
A review of customer citizenship behaviors in the service context

ABSTRACT During the last two decades, studies on customer citizenship behavior in the service context have gained the attention of researchers. However, there is no comprehensive review exploring the various dimensions, antecedents, and consequences of customer citizenship behavior. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to critically review the studies of customer citizenship behavior to provide deeper insights, which help us to identify the research gaps in this area and to prepare a future research agenda, and thereby contributing toward the development of this research field. The authors find that several areas were under-explored in prior research. There is a potential for identifying additional dimensions of customer citizenship behavior as well as the antecedents and consequences of customer citizenship behavior. The authors also assess methodological issues with regard to this research field and set a future research agenda.
QUO VADIS KHILAFATISME: SEBUAH KENISCAYAAN ATAU ANCAMAN DALAM DISKURSUS IDEOLOGI REPUBLIKAN PANCASILAIS

Having an advantage of being the majority in Indonesia makes the Islamic ideologies particularly the ideology of Islamic Khilafah spreads easily amongs the Indonesian moeslim. Furthermore, those who believe in the ideology of Islamic Khilafah also believe that this ideology is the solution to the problem of the nation such as poverty, unemployement, amorality etc. Historically, the concept of Islamic Khilafah tells that a secular nation is unacceptable and the nation of the Islamic Khilafah is the absolute answer to that. This article elaborates the value of the Islamic notions proposed by Islamic sholars, formal instutions or even Hizbu Tahrir then compares them to the value of Pancasila. In this article, I compare many references regarding Islamism, Khilafatism, and Pancasilaism, and then present them in a critical narration. In short, the optimism to the value of Pancasila rises due to the fact that Islam is apparently one of the foundations of Pancasila. In the other hand, I reckon that the ideology of Islamic Khilafah is a failed product due to its nature of violence and absoluteness which make the ideology and the followers stuck in their comfort zone and their claim of righteousness.
Validation of the Thai Version of ICIQ-VS (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire -Vaginal symptoms) in Thai Women

Abstract Objective : To determine the psychometric properties of the Thai version of International Counsultation on Incontinence Questionair - Vaginal Symptoms (ICIQ-VS). Methods : This was a cross-sectional, observation study. Women who attended the urogynecoloty clinic, whether or not they complained of vaginal symptoms, were enrolled. Participants completed the Thai version of ICIQ-VS before being examined by the gynecologist according to the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system. About 2 weeks later, the participants who had no treatment returned to the clinic for completion of the retest questionnaire. Results : Eighty-six women with a mean age of 54.4 years were recruited. The final Thai version of ICIQ-VS was developed. It demonstrated good psychometric properties (validity and reliability). With regard to the construct validity, there was statistically significant difference between the symptomatic group (ICIQ-VS 5a>0) and the asymptomatic group (ICIQ-VS 5a=0) assessed by vaginal symptom score (VSS) ( P < 0.001), sexual matter score (SMS) ( P < 0.001) and quality of life (QoLS) ( P < 0.001). The test-retest reliability was considered moderate to excellent for all questions. Conclusion : The Thai version of ICIQ-VS was successfully validated and could assess the severity of pelvic organ prolapse according to the questionnaire score. Keywords : ICIQ-VS questionnaire, pelvic organ prolapse, vaginal symptom
Some Properties of Inflation Expectations in the Euro Area

This paper assesses the euro area inflation expectations by examining five different survey&#8208;based expectations indicators. The Survey of Professional Forecasters outperforms all other expectations indicators in terms of forecasting accuracy. We test the unbiasedness and efficiency of these indicators by viewing the Rational Expectations Hypothesis (REH) from a time&#8208;varying perspective in a state space framework. Our model shows that the deviations from expectations' unbiasedness and efficiency are the most pronounced in the global financial crisis. Additionally, we offer evidence that the adaptive expectations and regressive expectations models are considerably more in line with actual data than REH.
Measuring Tourists’ Emotional Solidarity with One Another—A Modification of the Emotional Solidarity Scale

Although tourists’ affective bonds with one another are essential to their travel experiences as well as their pretrip anticipations, it nevertheless remains as an underexplored topic in tourism research. Responding to this research gap, this study modified the Emotional Solidarity Scale (ESS), which is originally intended to measure affective bonds between tourists and residents and developed new scales for its theoretical antecedents (i.e., shared beliefs, shared behaviors, and propensity to interact), using potential faith-based tourists in the United States as the target population. For scale modification and development, both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The modified ESS (resulting in two unique factors—communality and fairness) along with the new scales for its antecedents demonstrated strong psychometric properties. Further studies are suggested to confirm the two-dimensional structure of the modified ESS and the relationships between the three antecedents in tourists’ intragroup relationship settings.
Double-blind comparison of loratadine (SCH 29851), astemizole, and placebo in hay fever with special regard to onset of action.

: In this double-blind study, 65 patients with hay fever were treated for 14 days with either loratadine 10 mg once daily, astemizole 10 mg once daily, or placebo. On the third day of treatment loratadine was statistically superior to placebo, but astemizole and placebo showed no significant differences according to the ratings for symptomatology, efficacy, and individual symptoms. Adverse effects were minimal and did not differ between the three groups. Loratadine had a significantly earlier onset of action than astemizole with comparable efficacy and safety.
Long-Term Consequences of Growing Up in a Recession on Risk Preferences

Risk preferences play a fundamental role in individuals’ economic decision-making. We examine whether the historical macroeconomic environment shapes individuals’ willingness to take risks. Using nationally representative samples from Japan and exploiting regional variation in economic conditions, we find that men who experienced severe economic conditions in youth are more risk averse in adulthood and the effect is long-lasting. In addition, those men are less likely to be self-employed and they have longer tenure, which are consistent with elevated risk aversion. This study highlights the importance of experience at a critical period of life on the formation of risk preferences.
Causing factors, outcomes, and governance of Shadow IT and business-managed IT: a systematic literature review

Shadow IT and Business-managed IT describe the autonomous deployment/procurement or management of Information Technology (IT) instances, i.e., software, hardware, or IT services, by business entities. For Shadow IT, this happens covertly, i.e., without alignment with the IT organization; for Business-managed IT this happens overtly, i.e., in alignment with the IT organization or in a split responsibility model. We conduct a systematic literature review and structure the identified research themes in a framework of causing factors, outcomes, and governance. As causing factors, we identify enablers, motivators, and missing barriers. Outcomes can be benefits as well as risks/shortcomings of Shadow IT and Business-managed IT. Concerning governance, we distinguish two subcategories: general governance for Shadow IT and Business-managed IT and instance governance for overt Business-managed IT. Thus, a specific set of governance approaches exists for Business-managed IT that cannot be applied to Shadow IT due to its covert nature. Hence, we extend the existing conceptual understanding and allocate research themes to Shadow IT, Business-managed IT, or both concepts and particularly distinguish the governance of the two concepts. Besides, we find that governance themes have been the primary research focus since 2016, whereas older publications (until 2015) focused on causing factors.
Paying the High Price of Active Management: A New Look at Unit Trust Fees

This study attempts to allocate the fund management expenses of actively managed South African general equity unit trusts between active and passive management portions, thereby calculating the implicit cost of active management. The active expense ratio of a unit trust can be calculated by using the published total expense ratio (TER) of the unit trust, its correlation relative to its benchmark and the expense ratio of a comparable exchange traded fund (ETF) tracking the benchmark of the unit trust. This study focuses on actively managed South African equity unit trusts available to the retail investor for the period March 2007 to February 2015. The active expense ratios of these unit trusts were calculated on the basis of a three-, five- and eight-year analysis period. It was found that the mean active expense ratios of the South African unit trust sample amounted to 4,14%, 4,29% and 4,25% respectively in the case of the three-, five- and eight-year periods. The comparable mean reported TERs amounted to 1,60%, 1,61% and 1,61% respectively. Thus the mean active expense ratio is more than 150% higher than the comparable mean reported TER in each period. A similar study was conducted by Miller (2010), investigating the active expense ratios of actively managed large cap American unit trusts. He found that the mean active expense ratio was 6.44%, compared with a mean TER of 1.20%. However, due to a higher degree of active management being employed by South African managers, the active expense ratios are lower than those of the American counterparts.
For a Left Populism

Chantal Mouffe’s brief work For a Left Populism sets out to tackle the issue of how left politics should respond to the global trend towards populism. While elections in recent years have ushered in populist leaders in states ranging from the Philippines to the United States, Mouffe focuses her analysis on Western European populism specifically. Her argument centres on the importance of recovering democracy in an increasingly “post-democratic” world; to successfully radicalise democracy, Mouffe argues, leftists must first reform existing political institutions. While Mouffe makes an original argument for a reclamation of the term ‘populism’ by a leftist audience, the brevity of For a Left Populism makes a thorough understanding of its theoretical underpinnings difficult for those unfamiliar with Mouffean scholarship to parse.
On the Corporate Use of Green Bonds

When do wholesalers issue green bonds to finance their socially responsible activities instead of charging a premium for the products they produce? We show that in less competitive retail markets when retailers can &#8220;skim&#8221; more of the premium that end consumers pay for socially responsible products, green bonds provide additional funds to help cover the cost of a wholesaler's socially responsible activities. Similar incentives arise if the wholesaler's input is a small component of the end consumers&#8217; product, or if it is difficult for end consumers to identify the wholesaler's socially responsible activities.
The Cost of Independence: Evidence from Companies’ Decisions to Dismiss Audit Firms as Tax-Service Providers

This study examines whether companies' decisions to dismiss or substantially reduce reliance on their audit firms as tax-service providers in the wake of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act affect tax avoidance. We hypothesize that decoupling audit and tax-service provision and subsequently obtaining tax services from a new provider can result in decreased tax avoidance because the new provider lacks familiarity with a client's existing tax planning or does not have the expertise to generate new tax-avoidance opportunities. Consistent with our hypothesis, our results reveal that sample companies' book (cash) effective tax rates increased by economically significant 1.36 (1.63) percentage points in the year after terminating or substantially decreasing purchases of tax services from their audit firms, and discretionary permanent book-tax differences declined significantly. We find that decreases in tax avoidance were larger for companies whose outgoing tax-service providers were tax-specific industry experts.
Endogenization of the Reference Point Reduces the Effect of Loss Aversion for Portfolio Optimization∗

We study portfolio optimization problems in a generic complete market, where an agent derives not only consumption utility but also gain-loss utility. The agent faces an external reference point and any deviation from it may lead to a certain mental cost. We consider three models where the agent partially endogenizes her reference points: (i) partially endogenized preferred personal equilibrium, (ii) mentally optimal reference points, and (iii) mental reference point updating. In all these models, we find that the agent chooses a prospect as if the reference point were exogenously given without any endogenization taking place and had a smaller or equal degree of loss aversion.