Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Determinants of Venture Capital Funding: Evidence Across Countries

This paper analyses the determinants of venture capital for a sample of 21 countries. In particular, we consider the importance of IPOs, GDP and market capitalization growth, labor market rigidities, accounting standards, private pension funds, and government programs. We find that IPOs are the strongest driver of venture capital investing. Private pension fund levels are a significant determinant over time but not across countries. Surprisingly, GDP and market capitalization growth are not significant. Government policies can have a strong impact, both by setting the regulatory stage, and by galvanizing investment during downturns. Finally, we also show that different types of venture capital financing are affected differently by these factors. In particular, early stage venture capital investing is negatively impacted by labor market rigidities, while later stage is not. IPOs have no effect on early stage venture capital investing across countries, but are a significant determinant of later stage venture capital investing across countries. Finally, government funded venture capital has different sensitivities to the determinants of venture capital than non-government funded venture capital. Our insights emphasize the need for a more differentiated approach to venture capital, both from a research as well as from a policy perspective. We feel that while later stage venture capital investing is well understood, early stage and government funded investments still require more extensive research.
Antibody response in rabbits to immunization with Mycobacterium leprae

Mycobacterium leprae purified from liver tissue of an infected armadillo (the A/10 preparation) was tested for antigenic composition by immunization of rabbits and characterization of the antibody response by crossed immunoelectrophoresis. The rabbit antisera detected seven distinct components in the M. leprae preparation. This number is far lower than in similar experiments with other mycobacteria. The M. leprae sonic extract gave far fewer lines after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and staining with Coomassie brillant blue than sonic extracts prepared from BCG, M. smegmatis, and M. phlei adjusted to the same protein concentration based on the Folin assay. The seven components detected in M. leprae cross-reacted extensively with M. avium, BCG, M. lepraemurium, M. smegmatis, and Nocardia asteroides. The seven components are involved in immune reactions in leprosy; antibodies against all of them were demonstrated in sera from patients with lepromatous leprosy, but the specificity of the antibodies varied from patient to patient. The reason for the demonstration of so few antigenic components and some of the implications of these findings for the use of armadillo-grown M. leprae to develop specific skin test reagents and in other aspects of leprosy research are discussed.
Managing Offshore Branch Campuses

The aim of this article is to develop a framework that encapsulates the key managerial complexities of running offshore branch campuses. In the transnational higher education (TNHE) literature, several managerial ramifications and impediments have been addressed by scholars and practitioners. However, the strands of the literature are highly scattered and not addressing the issues coherently and consistently. Therefore, in the first section of this article, we review the literature and highlight this fragmentation. In the second section, we borrow and explore a paradigm from the strategic management literature, known as the dichotomy of global integration (I) versus local responsiveness (R). This paradigm leads us to construct a multidimensional framework that proposes a perceptive insight into the field by reframing, reconceptualizing, and synthesizing the managerial complexities from a strategic perspective. It also highlights the hazards of taking polarized strategic stances (global integration or local responsiveness); the analysis suggests a “both-and” approach. We argue that the framework could be used as an analytical tool for TNHE institutions to reflect on their positions and potential change strategies.
The business case for diversity and the perverse practice of matching employees to customers

Purpose – The typical “business case” for workforce diversity management in the USA implies that matching the demographic characteristics of sellers to buyers increases firms' productivity and profitability. This paper aims to explore the consequences for both employers and employees of following that guidance.Design/methodology/approach – The paper statistically analyzes employment data on African Americans from one large US retailer and from the US advertising industry.Findings – In both cases analyzed, a badly conceived business case for diversity perversely translated into discriminatory employment practices, starting with stereotype‐based segregation in work assignments and spreading to consequent inequality in other employment outcomes such as earnings and promotions. Such patterns illegally limit employment opportunities for women and race/ethnic minorities. Simultaneously, they fail to promote customer relationships and sales.Practical implications – To avoid negative effects on both business and .
Low-field designs for interior MRI and CT coupling

The combination of CT and MRI for simultaneous image acquisition has not yet been successfully prototyped. To overcome the geometric conflict and electromagnetic interference between CT and MRI hardware, low-field magnet arrays are utilized. Using 3D magnetic field modeling software, several permanent magnet array designs are proposed yielding homogeneous field magnitudes of ~0.3-0.35 T. The results demonstrate potential configurations to enable interior MRI while working synergistically with x-ray hardware for simultaneous data acquisition.
Do Brand Advertising Spillovers Matter

This article examines the spillover effects of television brand advertising on consumer demand, using carbonated soft drinks as a case study. Spillover effects are modeled using the conventional linear and constant elasticity of substitution (CES) advertising production functions. The latter allows for imperfect substitution between brand advertising and spillovers from advertising all other brands belonging to the same company as well as relaxes the assumption of constant returns to scale. Empirical results confirm strong and positive brand advertising spillover effects across brands belonging to the same company as well as negative spillover effects from advertising by competitors. Empirical results also indicate that the CES advertising production function outperforms the linear function, providing strong support for decreasing returns to scale in advertising and imperfect substitution between brand advertising and advertising of other brands in the same company. Finally, the CES function results in significantly higher estimates of the price elasticities of demand as well as lower estimated markups. [EconLit citations L13, L66, M37].
PPAR‐gamma‐mediated neuroprotection in a chronic mouse model of Parkinson’s disease

Rosiglitazone is a commonly prescribed insulin‐sensitizing drug with a selective agonistic activity on the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma (PPAR‐γ). PPAR‐γ can modulate inflammatory responses in the brain, and agonists might be beneficial in neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study we used a chronic 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine plus probenecid (MPTPp) mouse model of progressive Parkinson’s disease (PD) to assess the therapeutic efficacy of rosiglitazone on behavioural impairment, neurodegeneration and inflammation. Mice chronically treated with MPTPp displayed typical features of PD, including impairment of motor and olfactory functions associated with partial loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)‐positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), decrease of dopamine (DA) and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) content and dynorphin (Dyn) mRNA levels in the caudate‐putamen (CPu), intense microglial and astroglial response in the SNc and CPu. Chronic rosiglitazone, administered in association with MPTPp, completely prevented motor and olfactory dysfunctions and loss of TH‐positive cells in the SNc. In the CPu, loss of striatal DA was partially prevented, whereas decreases in DOPAC content and Dyn were fully counteracted. Moreover, rosiglitazone completely inhibited microglia reactivity in SNc and CPu, as measured by CD11b immunostaining, and partially inhibited astroglial response assessed by glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity. Measurement of striatal MPP+ levels 2, 4, 6 h and 3 days after chronic treatment indicated that MPTP metabolism was not altered by rosiglitazone. The results support the use of PPAR‐γ agonists as a putative anti‐inflammatory therapy aimed at arresting PD progression, and suggest that assessment in PD clinical trials is warranted.
Cox 26 is a novel stoichiometric subunit of the yeast cytochrome c oxidase

Article history: Received 8 January 2016 Received in revised form 31 March 2016 Accepted 6 April 2016 Available online 12 April 2016 The cytochrome c oxidase (COX) is the terminal enzyme of the respiratory chain. The complex accepts electrons from cytochrome c and passes them onto molecular oxygen. This process contributes to energy capture in the form of amembrane potential across the innermembrane. The enzyme complex assembles in a stepwise process from the threemitochondria-encoded core subunits Cox1, Cox2 and Cox3,which associatewith nuclear-encoded subunits and cofactors. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the cytochrome c oxidase associates with the bc1complex into supercomplexes, allowing efficient energy transduction. Here we report on Cox26 as a protein found in respiratory chain supercomplexes containing cytochrome c oxidase. Our analyses reveal Cox26 as a novel stoichiometric structural subunit of the cytochrome c oxidase. A loss of Cox26 affects cytochrome c oxidase activity and respirasome organization. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Measuring Residents’ Attitude toward Sustainable Tourism: Development of Sustainable Tourism Attitude Scale

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a scale assessing residents’ attitudes toward sustainable tourism (SUS-TAS). Following the pretesting phase, a 51-item scale of resident attitudes toward sustainable community tourism was administered to 800 households in a small tourism community in Texas. Psychometric properties of SUSTAS along with its practical and theoretical implications are discussed within the framework of sustainable tourism development.
Human COQ9 Rescues a coq9 Yeast Mutant by Enhancing Coenzyme Q Biosynthesis from 4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid and Stabilizing the CoQ-Synthome

Coq9 is required for the stability of a mitochondrial multi-subunit complex, termed the CoQ-synthome, and the deamination step of Q intermediates that derive from para-aminobenzoic acid (pABA) in yeast. In human, mutations in the COQ9 gene cause neonatal-onset primary Q10 deficiency. In this study, we determined whether expression of human COQ9 could complement yeast coq9 point or null mutants. We found that expression of human COQ9 rescues the growth of the temperature-sensitive yeast mutant, coq9-ts19, on a non-fermentable carbon source and increases the content of Q6, by enhancing Q biosynthesis from 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4HB). To study the mechanism for the rescue by human COQ9, we determined the steady-state levels of yeast Coq polypeptides in the mitochondria of the temperature-sensitive yeast coq9 mutant expressing human COQ9. We show that the expression of human COQ9 significantly increased steady-state levels of yeast Coq4, Coq6, Coq7, and Coq9 at permissive temperature. Human COQ9 polypeptide levels persisted at non-permissive temperature. A small amount of the human COQ9 co-purified with tagged Coq6, Coq6-CNAP, indicating that human COQ9 interacts with the yeast Q-biosynthetic complex. These findings suggest that human COQ9 rescues the yeast coq9 temperature-sensitive mutant by stabilizing the CoQ-synthome and increasing Q biosynthesis from 4HB. This finding provides a powerful approach to studying the function of human COQ9 using yeast as a model.
Entrepreneurs and the Process of Obtaining Resources

This paper examines the process of how entrepreneurs assemble resources. In the model, the entrepreneur's challenge is to convince two complementary resource providers to commit their resources to a new venture. Before committing their resources, one of them needs to perform a costly evaluation. The entrepreneur has a problem with getting sufficient attention, because each provider has an incentive to wait and free-ride on the other's evaluation. For some parameters the entrepreneur solicits both partners with equal intensity (“knocking on every door”); for others, the entrepreneur always solicits the same partner (“pestering”). For many but not all parameter ranges, the process of assembling resources takes too much time relative to what is socially efficient. The model thus explores what factors facilitate or hinder the creation of new firms.
Is an alignment between business and information technology the appropriate paradigm to manage IT in today’s organisations?

For many years practitioners and academics have tried to answer the question of how to strategically align the objectives of information technology (IT) and business and their delivery. A strategic alignment model (SAM) has been developed and improved over the years. This model was originally developed in the 1980s when the business environment was more stable. However, owing to major market changes SAM no longer provides companies with the much‐needed answers. The alignment concept is about a sequential development of strategies and a sequential operationalisation. Unfortunately, now that reliance on IT has increased to the level where a lack of IT agility and responsiveness can create a competitive disadvantage, the sequential model is too slow. This article promotes a notion of fusion. Today’s chief information officers are increasingly becoming company strategists who help their chief executive officer colleagues to steer companies. Business and IT strategies have to be developed simultaneously and implemented simultaneously. The conclusions of this article are based on practitioner views and experiences.
The new focus on the policy capacity of the federal government

Abstract: Senior officials in the federal public service are giving new attention to the need to strengthen policy capacity and this article draws heavily on the work of a task force of federal officials. Four themes run through the article: there is a strong, but neglected, managerial dimension to policy work; the greatest weakness in the current system is dealing with longer-term and strategic issues, especially of a horizontal nature; policy managers need to pay more attention to how to work with and support the external policy community; leadership at the most senior levels of the public service is critical for strengthening policy capacity. Policy management within departments is examined in terms of seven broad policy functions and organizational arrangements. Policy management across government is examined in terms of the role of central agencies and the special problems of horizontal coordination, including the conditions promoting coordination and the machinery of interdepartmental relations. The importance of the personnel dimension of policy work is underlined, with consideration of policy generalists, policy managers and policy specialists. Finally, relations with the policy research community and the provinces are examined. Sommaire: Les dirigeants de la Fonction publique federale s'interessent davantage maintenant a la necessite de renforcer la capacite d'elaboration des politiques, et le present article s'appuie largement sur les travaux d'un groupe de travail compose de fonctionnaires. L'article illustre quatre themes: le travail d'elaboration de politiques comporte un aspect de gestion tres marque, mais neglige; la plus grande faiblesse du systeme actuel reside dans sa facon d'aborder les questions strategiques et a long terme, surtout celles de nature horizontale; il faut que les administrateurs de politiques cherchent davantage a collaborer avec les organes deliberants exterieurs et a leur fournir leur appui; il incombe aux plus hauts dirigeants de la Fonction publique d'avoir le leadership si Ton veut renforcer la capacite d'elaboration de politiques. On examine la gestion des politiques dans les ministeres par rapport a sept grandes fonctions des politiques et aux arrangements organisationnels. On etudie la gestion des politiques dans tout le gouvernement en fonction du role des organismes centraux et des problemes particuliers de la coordination horizontale, notamment les conditions favorables a la coordination et le mecanisme des relations interministerielles. On souligne l'importance de l'aspect personnel dans le travail d'elaboration et on mentionne les generalistes, les administrateurs et les specialistes des politiques. On aborde pour finir les relations avec le milieu de la recherche sur les politiques et avec les provinces.
Risk factors for skin cancers: a nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study.

BACKGROUND Constitutional factors and sun exposure are associated with skin cancer risk. However, these relations are complex and differ according to skin cancer type. METHODS We examined the associations of constitutional risk factors and sun exposure with the risks of three types of skin cancer simultaneously and evaluated the interaction between constitutional susceptibility and sun exposure in a nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study [200 melanoma, 275 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and 283 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cases, and 804 controls]. Information regarding skin cancer risk factors was obtained from the retrospective supplementary questionnaire. RESULTS Constitutional susceptibility was an independent risk factor for all three types of skin cancer. Sunlamp usage or tanning salon attendance was a risk factor for melanoma after adjusting for potential confounding variables (OR for ever vs never usage, 2.06, 95% CI 1.30-3.26). Higher sun exposure while wearing a bathing suit was an independent risk factor for all three types of skin cancer. We observed a significant interaction between constitutional susceptibility and sun exposure while wearing a bathing suit on melanoma risk (P, interaction, 0.03); women with the highest susceptibility and highest exposure had an OR of 8.37 (95% CI 3.07-22.84). This interaction was weaker and non-significant for SCC and BCC. CONCLUSIONS These data largely confirm past studies on risk factors for skin cancer but provide evidence of difference on the strength of these risk factors for melanoma compared with SCC and BCC.
Conjoint analysis: A new methodological approach for researching the decision policies of venture capitalists

Decision making is central to the ability of venture capitalists to predict those new ventures likely to succeed, yet most studies into their decision making use post-hoc methodologies that may generate biased results. People are poor at introspection and often suffer from recall and post-hoc rationalization biases among others. Therefore, researchers should consider using real-time methods that eliminate many of these biases. One such method is conjoint analysis. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the potential that conjoint analysis has to: (1) improve the validity of prior research into VCs' decision making; and (2) act as a catalyst for adopting conceptual tools from other disciplines that can be tested empirically. Both these functions have the purpose of increasing one's insight into the assessment policies of VCs.
Fuzzy controller design for a class of model reference adaptive systems

Amid design of fuzzy control systems, one important way is to regard the fuzzy systems as approximators to approximate the unknown functions in the system. Concerning the unknownness of the unknown functions, generally there are two cases: a completely unknown case, and a partly unknown case. Clearly, if an unknown function belongs to the latter, the knowledge available about the function should be utilised as much as possible in the system development. In this paper, our goal is to design a fuzzy controller for a class of model reference adaptive systems with uncertainties, which can correspond to the either case.
Coarse thinking, implied volatility, and the valuation of call and put options

People think by analogies and comparisons. Such way of thinking, termed coarse thinking by Mullainathan et al [Quarterly Journal of Economics, May 2008] is intuitively very appealing. We derive a new option pricing formula based on the assumption that the market consists of coarse thinkers as well as rational investors. The new formula, called the behavioral option pricing formula is a generalization of the Black-Scholes formula. The new formula not only provides explanations for the implied volatility skew and term structure puzzles in equity index options but is also consistent with the observed negative relationship between contemporaneous equity price shocks and implied volatility.
The Chief Financial Officer's Perspective on Auditor Client Negotiations

Auditor-client negotiation about difficult client accounting issues involves both the auditor and the client. On the client side, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) plays a central role in the financial reporting process, yet is rarely the focus of academic study. This paper reports how a sample of Canadian CFOs viewed the negotiation process and context, using an experiential questionnaire to build on the negotiation model developed and demonstrated for the auditor side of the negotiation by Gibbins, Salterio, and Webb 2001, and corroborated by a comparison of common questionnaire items across auditor and CFO samples by Gibbins, McCracken, and Salterio 2005. The CFOs saw negotiation with the auditors as a consequence of change in accounting and disclosure standards or personnel influential to their financial reporting, or business changes, such as, new business deals or acquisitions. Negotiation was thrust upon the CFO, and the CFO then had to manage it. The CFOs informed other management (such as the CEO) and was aware of their interests, but did not generally seek their help. Informing the Board or the audit committee of the issue was much less frequent. The issue being negotiated was seen as complex, requiring research and analysis, and dependent on knowledge and expertise, with the result more likely reflecting form over substance (a result some CFOs suggested was more agreeable to the auditor than to the CFO).