Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Representative Bureaucracy, Organizational Strategy, and Public Service Performance: An Empirical Analysis of English Local Government

The theory of representative bureaucracy suggests that organizations perform better if their workforces reflect the characteristics of their constituent populations. The management literature implies that the impact of representative bureaucracy is contingent on organizational strategy. Our empirical evidence on English local government is inconsistent with the basic theory of representative bureaucracy but supports a moderating effect of organizational strategy. Representative bureaucracy is negatively associated with citizens' perceptions of local authority performance. However, organizations pursuing a prospector strategy are able to mitigate this negative relationship.
Comparative frequency of bone sarcomas among different racial groups.

OBJECTIVE To analyse comparatively the relevant data from bone tumor registries in China, Japan, and the United States. METHODS The data of 38,959 histologically confirmed primary bone tumors collected by the Chinese Bone Tumor Registry 1957-1988, 20,272 collected by the Japanese Bone Tumor Registry 1972-1990, and 11087 diagnosed and treated at Mayo Clinic, USA were used for comparative analysis by race, age, sex and skeletal distribution. For reliability, we used ratios of different tumors to osteosarcoma for frequency analysis. We also included some data from the SEER 1973-1987 as well as from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, USA. RESULTS The relative frequency of osteosarcoma (OS) is higher in China and Japan than in the United States. There were only limited number of OS patients aged over 50 years in Chinese and Japanese groups, which might be due to the lower incidence of OS subsequent to Paget's disease in Asians. More osteosarcoma occurred in the flat bones in the Americans than in the Chinese and Japanese. The relative frequency of chondrosarcoma (CS) was higher in the American group than in the Asian groups. The average age of CS patient was younger in the Chinese than in the Japanese and the Americans. The data confirmed the previous report that the incidence of Ewing sarcoma was higher in western people than in Asians. The data showed that the comparative frequency of chordoma is higher in the Americans than in the Asians and that the incidence of giant cell tumor of bone is higher in the Chinese and Japanese than in the Americans. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this analysis provide useful information for the epidemiologic study and the clinical diagnosis of bone tumors.
Corporate Control and the Politics of Finance

In this paper I explore the effects of politics on corporate finance, including the determinants of capital structure and the regulatory and legal factors governing the market for corporate control. I examine the effects and consequences of the active corporate control market of the 1980s, then I outline the enormous political controversy and inaccurate media portrayals that ensued, and contrast them to the results obtained from intensive study of the phenomena by academic economists. First, I review new macroeconomic evidence on changes in productivity in American manufacturing that is dramatically inconsistent with popular claims that corporate control transactions were crippling the industrial economy in the 80s. Second, I show how the restructuring movement of the 1980s reflected the re-emergence of active investors in the U.S. and how restructuring addressed the conflict between management and shareholders over control of corporate free cash flow. Third, I summarize my conception of LBO associations as new organizational forms that overcome the deficiencies of large public conglomerates. I also discuss the similarity between LBO associations and Japanese business financing networks known as keiretsu. Fourth, I argue that the highly-leveraged financial structures of the 1980s should lead to a Japanese-style privatization of bankruptcy (i.e., out-of-court reorganization). Fifth, I present a theory of boom-bust cycles in venture markets that explains why many companies involved with late-1980s leveraged transactions encountered financial distress. Sixth, I argue that misguided changes in the tax and regulatory codes and in bankruptcy court decisions have distorted the normal economic incentives for out-of-court reorganizations, resulting in increased costs of financial distress and a sharp rise in the number of Chapter 11 filings. Seventh and last, I propose a set of changes in the Chapter 11 process designed to reduce the costs of financial distress and thus maximize the total value of the firm to all investors.
Applicability of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network/Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Southeast Asia: A Consensus Statement

A meeting of regional experts was convened in Manila, Philippines, to develop a resource-stratified chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) management guideline. In patients treated with highly emetogenic chemotherapy in general clinical settings, triple therapy with a serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine-3 [5-HT3]) antagonist (preferably palonosetron), dexamethasone, and aprepitant is recommended for acute CINV prevention. In resource-restricted settings, triple therapy is still recommended, although a 5-HT3 antagonist other than palonosetron may be used. In both general and resource-restricted settings, dual therapy with dexamethasone (days 2 to 4) and aprepitant (days 2 to 3) is recommended to prevent delayed CINV. In patients treated with moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, dual therapy with a 5-HT3 antagonist, preferably palonosetron, and dexamethasone is recommended for acute CINV prevention in general settings; any 5-HT3 antagonist can be combined with dexamethasone in resource-restricted environments. In general settings, for the prevention of delayed CINV associated with moderately emetogenic chemotherapy, corticosteroid monotherapy on days 2 and 3 is recommended. If aprepitant is used on day 1, it should be continued on days 2 and 3. Prevention of delayed CINV with corticosteroids is preferred in resource-restricted settings. The expert panel also developed CINV management guidelines for anthracycline plus cyclophosphamide combination schedules, multiday cisplatin, and chemotherapy with low or minimal emetogenic potential, and its recommendations are detailed in this review. Overall, these regional guidelines provide definitive guidance for CINV management in general and resource-restricted settings. These consensus recommendations are anticipated to contribute to collaborative efforts to improve CINV management in Southeast Asia.
A Novel Approach for Subretinal Implantation of Ultrathin Substrates Containing Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium Monolayer

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of a new technique for the implantation of ultrathin substrates containing stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells into the subretinal space of retina-degenerate Royal College of Surgeon (RCS) rats. Methods: A platform device was used for the implantation of 4-µm-thick parylene substrates containing a monolayer of human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE (hESC-RPE). Normal Copenhagen rats (n = 6) and RCS rats (n = 5) were used for the study. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scanning and histological examinations were performed to confirm placement location of the implant. hESC-RPE cells attached to the substrate before and after implantation were evaluated using standard cell counting techniques. Results: SD-OCT scanning and histological examination revealed that the substrates were precisely placed in the rat’s subretinal space. The hESC-RPE cell monolayer that covered the surface of the substrate was found to be intact after implantation. Cell counting data showed that less than 2% of cells were lost from the substrate due to the implantation procedure (preimplantation count 2,792 ± 74.09 cells versus postimplantation count 2,741 ± 62.08 cells). Detailed microscopic examination suggested that the cell loss occurred mostly along the edges of the implant. Conclusion: With the help of this platform device, it is possible to implant ultrathin substrates containing an RPE monolayer into the rat’s subretinal space. This technique can be a useful approach for stem cell-based tissue bioengineering techniques in retinal transplantation research.
Evaluating the occurrence and disappearance of real options

This paper investigates the decision-making of a firm that has an option to invest in a single project among multiple alternatives. This type of option is called a maxoption, and the nature of a max-option has been investigated in several papers. I extend the previous analysis to a model that allows the random occurrence and disappearance of alternative projects in which to invest. The occurrence and disappearance of opportunities in which to invest will be caused by changes in regulation, the exit and entry of rival firms, technological innovation, political risk, catastrophes, etc. For example, the model applies to land development with an alternative land use choice under uncertainty about changes in zoning and development regulations. I show the properties of the exercise region and the value function for the option. Specifically, I demonstrate that the prospective future occurrence of an alternative has the significant effect of increasing the option value and deferring the investment decision.
The effect of managerial power in executive compensation contracts —Empirical evidence from China's capital market

This paper applies the sample of the Chinese listed companies during 2004 to 2010, and tests the effect of managerial power in executive compensation contracts by analyzing the relationship between managerial power and compensation levels. It is found that managerial power has a significant positive impact effect on monetary compensation and perks, and the effect of managerial power in China's capital market is confirmed. Further studies showed that corporate ownership has a significant moderating effect on the effect of managerial power. Specifically, the effect of managerial power in executive compensation contracts has different levels of existence both in the state-owned and private enterprises, but State-owned enterprises are more prominent. In the local state-owned enterprises, executives prefer to grab the monetary private benefits by using their power, while in the central state-owned enterprises; executives prefer to grab perks and other non-monetary private benefits by using their power.
Can the Augmented Solow Model with Migration Explain the Italian Internal Brain Drain?

We extend the Dolado et al. (1994) model to both inflows and outflows of migrants and assume that they have a human capital endowment that contributes to increase/decrease the stock of human capital in the receiving/sending economy. We derive the conditional convergence equation in which the impact of migration flows on the growth rate is disentangled in a pure quantity effect and in a quality or composition effect of immigration and emigration rates that accounts for the relative human capital endowment of migrants with respect to resident population. Next, we test the model with Italian regional data for the 1970–2005 time period. We find that the model provides a good explanation of the Italian experience. The quantity effect is negative for the immigration rate and positive for the emigration rate, whereas the composition effect is positive for immigration and negative for emigration. Finally, we separate the centre‐north from the south and find that the composition effect of emigration is stronger for the latter. We interpret these results as a clear evidence of a brain drain from the Mezzogiorno to the centre‐northern regions.
The impact of a comprehensive course in advanced minimal access surgery on surgeon practice.

INTRODUCTION Practising surgeons need an effective means for learning new skills and procedures in advanced minimal access surgery (MASA). Currently, available educational methods include traditional continuing medical education symposia (1-day courses), instructional videos, mentoring, or comprehensive courses that combine lectures, skills laboratories and live surgery. The impact of comprehensive courses in advanced MASA on surgeons' knowledge, skills and practice has not been clearly established. METHODS We completed a survey of all physicians who attended comprehensive courses in advanced gastrointestinal MASA held at the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) in Hamilton, Ont. RESULTS Of 158 course attendees, we received 65 responses (response rate 41%). Fifty-six men and 9 women responded, with a mean age of 44.9 years and a mean practice duration of 12.3 years. Eighty-seven percent of respondents were community-based surgeons. As a result of attending CMAS courses, respondents felt they experienced a substantial improvement in the knowledge and skills required to complete MASA. After a comprehensive course at CMAS, most respondents reported that they had introduced MASA procedures into their practice. The mean overall impact of a course on a surgeon's practice (with respect to patient referrals, procedural armamentarium and personal satisfaction) was rated by respondents at 3.92 (standard deviation [SD] 0.71; Likert scale 1-5, 1=negative, 5=positive). CONCLUSIONS A comprehensive course in advanced MASA has a positive impact on attendees' knowledge and skills. Ultimately, surgeons attending MASA courses will begin to introduce new MASA procedures into surgical practice. These courses have a distinct role in the teaching of MASA to surgeons in practice.
Multi-scale Tensor l1-Based Algorithm for Hyperspectral Image Classification

Sparsity-based model has been successfully applied in hyper spectral image classification. However, previous ℓ1-based method fails to consider the spatial structure of each pixel. In this paper, we generalize the ℓ1-based method to its tensor form, which takes full advantage of the spatial structure of the pixel. To optimize the scale of the spatial structure, a multi-scale fusion framework based on the ensemble learning method is proposed to further improve classification performance. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method can achieve state-of-the-art classification performance.
Market structure-performance hypothesis in Kenyan banking industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test market structure-performance hypothesis in banking industry in Kenya. Specifically, the structure-conduct-performance (SCP) and market efficiency hypotheses were examined to determine how market concentration and efficiency affect bank performance in Kenya. Design/methodology/approach – The study used secondary data of 44 commercial banks operating from 2000 to 2009. Three proxies to measure bank performance were used while market concentration and market share were used as proxies for market structure. Market concentration was measured using two concentration measures; the concentration ratio of the four largest banks (CR4) and Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, while market share was used as a proxy for efficiency. The study made use of generalized least square regression method. Findings – The empirical results confirm that market efficiency hypothesis is a predictor of firm performance in the banking sector in Kenya and rejects the traditional SCP hypothesis. Th.
News Shocks and Business Cycles: Bridging the Gap from Different Methodologies

An important disconnect in the news driven view of the business cycle formalized by Beaudry and Portier (2004), is the lack of agreement between different—VAR and DSGE—methodologies over the empirical plausibility of this view. We argue that this disconnect can be largely resolved once we augment a standard DSGE model with a ﬁnancial channel that provides ampliﬁcation to news shocks. Both methodologies suggest news shocks to the future growth prospects of the economy to be signiﬁcant drivers of U.S. business cycles in the post-Greenspan era (1990-2011), explaining as much as 50% of the forecast error variance in hours worked in cyclical frequencies.
The Characteristics of Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) and UCB Transplantation

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) was disclosed to possess the proliferative capacity containing hematopoietic progenitors and has recently been applied for allogeneic transplantation as an attractive alternative to bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. UCB contains similar and higher proportions of immature hematopoietic progenitors, compared to bone marrow stem cells, although the number of collectable cells is limited. The yield of collectable UCB volume ranges from 70 to 150 ml. The colony formation of CFU-Mix of UCB was higher, but that of CFU-GM and CFU-E was lower, compared to those of bone marrow. The analyses of expression of differentiation antigens and adhesion molecules on CD34+ cells of UCB by flow cytometer, revealed that the coexpression rates of CD38 and CD44 on CD34+ cells were almost the same, but the mean fluorescence intensity of those was low compared to adult bone marrow. These results indicate that UCB contains more primitive hematopoietic progenitors. UCB transplantation has greater advantages of lower incidences of graft versus host disease, and unlimited number of donors compared with other allogeneic transplantation would widen the indication of transplantation by technical and methodological development.
A Trinomial Logit Analysis of Household Composition

This article analyzes the effects on the marriage and household composition decisions of characteristics of the householder and of the place of residence. High housing costs reduced the probability of living alone. For female householders, increases in income decreased the probability of living alone rather than with unrelated individuals; the reverse was true for male householders. An increase in income decreased the probability of marriage for female householders over twenty-three years of age and increased the probability of marriage for male householders. Non-white householders over forty were less likely to be married than white householders over forty. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.
Assessing the 2005 Growth and Stability Pact Reform: A New Fiscal Policy Rule for the Euro Zone Is Required

This paper analyzes the 2003 and 2005 Growth and Stability Pact reforms in the light of the 2008 financial crisis and national counter-cyclical fiscal policies followed in the euro-zone since then. It uses the Kopits-Symanski (1998) fiscal policy rule model in order to assess the evolution of fiscal governance before and after the reforms. Most of the characteristics of the model suffered sharp deteriorations: precision, simplicity, consistency and strong executive power, leading to a final conclusion of a better post-2003 GSP but a worse post-2005 GSP, the issue of the penchant of euro zone members for free rider behaviour requiring particularly strong executive power and coercive capacities. Because of degrading fiscal governance since 2005, the euro zone lacks a proper tool to back monetary policy and to follow long run sustainable growth because of increasing debt default risk among its members.
Hierarchical Organization and Performance Inequality: Evidence from Professional Cycling

This article proposes an equilibrium theory of the organization of work in an economy with an implicit market for productive time. In this market, agents buy or sell productive time. This implicit market gives rise to the formation of teams, organized in hierarchies with one leader (buyer) at the top and helpers (sellers) below. Relative to autarky, hierarchical organization leads to higher within and between team payoffs/productivity inequality. This prediction is tested empirically in the context of professional road cycling. We show that 46% of performance inequality in the Tour de France is due to hierarchical organization within team whereas team composition only accounts for 6%.
Using Locational Equilibrium Models to Evaluate Housing Price Indexes

This paper analyses how the properties of locational equilibrium models can be used to evaluate approaches for constructing price indexes for heterogeneous houses. Housing markets play a key role in locational equilibrium models. Prices for houses determine that implicit costs that households bear when locating in a given community. We evaluate a variety of price indexes all relying on hedonic models for predicting interjurisdictional housing prices. The application uses a unique panel data set of housing transactions in Southern California. The rank predictions of different models are robust with respect to the hedonic model and the composite commodity definition used in aggregation. They do not depend significantly on the spatial or temporal definitions used to define the choice set of local housing markets. Finally, housing price estimates are strongly correlated with education and environmental amenities.
An Analytical Method to Obtain Maximum Allowable Grid Support by Using Grid-Connected Converters

Recently, supporting the grid voltage and proper operation of the grid-connected converters (GCCs) under a wide range of grid voltage conditions have become major requirements. An analytical study is very useful for evaluating the supporting capability of the available control strategies in GCCs. This paper analytically studies, then modifies the supporting capability of three existing strategies. The contribution of this paper is two-fold: first, analytical expressions of instantaneous active/reactive powers oscillation and maximum phase currents are formulated and used to conduct several comparisons among different strategies. Second, based on the obtained formulas for the maximum phase currents, maximum allowable support (MAS) control schemes are proposed under unbalanced voltage conditions. The MAS control schemes have two important objectives: obtaining maximum active or reactive power delivery and simultaneously respecting the maximum phase currents under the unbalanced condition. The proposed equations can further estimate the maximum depth of the faulted voltage where each strategy is still able to satisfy the voltage support requirements imposed by the grid codes. The proposed expressions can also help all techniques to provide their maximum voltage or frequency support under the pre-set maximum phase current limitations. Different selected simulation and experimental tests are carried out for comparing the strategies, and validating the effectiveness of the proposed MAS equations.
Improving automated detection of land cover change for large areas using Landsat data

Detection of land cover change using multi- temporal data is crucial for many Earth Science issues. We examine the potential of several alternative approaches for automated detection of land cover change using Landsat data. Specifically we test their efficacy in consistently detecting change for large areas by examining their performance for Eastern Paraguay. We used Landsat imagery with limited training data solely from 10 km squares located at one degree intersections. Traditional classifiers showed a substantial decrease in accuracy when extrapolating from one scene to multiple other scenes, whereas decision tree and support vector machine classifiers maintained accuracy.