Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CEOs vs. CFOs: Incentives and Corporate Policies

We undertake a broad-based study of the effect of managerial risk-taking incentives on corporate financial policies and show that the risk-taking incentives of chief executive officers (CEOs) and chief financial officers (CFOs) significantly influence their firms' financial policies. In particular, we find that CEOs' risk-decreasing (-increasing) incentives are associated with lower (higher) leverage and higher (lower) cash balances. CFOs' risk-decreasing (-increasing) incentives are associated with safer (riskier) debt-maturity choices and higher (lower) earnings-smoothing through accounting accruals. We exploit the stock option expensing regulation of 2004 to establish a causal link between managerial incentives and corporate policies. Our findings have important implications for optimal corporate compensation design.
Mass-Count Disparity in Mobile Traffic

Mass-count disparity is a basis of the elephants and mice phenomenon in Internet traffic analysis. Mobile applications tend to minimize transmission overhead by reducing object size. Assuming the mice get smaller, we first look at properties of mass-count disparity in the smart device traffic. We find the existence of elephants and represent an accurate inequality measure using the Gini coefficient where the heavy-tail property is not clearly visible in the trace. The Gini coefficients range from 0.71 (web) to 0.98 (application market traffic), implying a heavy inequality distribution toward 1. The cutoff point of elephants is 1.55 MB that is even comparable with small size photos. Our hypothesis from the early analysis indicates that every mobile user is potentially generating elephant flows. We observe that a significant stance of application market traffic is responsible for such phenomenon.
GLYCATED ALBUMIN AT 4 WEEKS CORRELATES WITH A1C LEVELS AT 12 WEEKS AND REFLECTS SHORT-TERM GLUCOSE FLUCTUATIONS.

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the performance of glycated albumin (GA) monitoring by comparing it to other measures of glycemic control during intensification of antidiabetic therapy. METHODS This 12-week, prospective, multicenter study compared the diagnostic clinical performance of GA to glycated hemoglobin A1C (A1C), fructosamine corrected for albumin (FRA), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and mean blood glucose (MBG) estimated from self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in 30 patients with suboptimally controlled type 1 or 2 diabetes. RESULTS Mean A1C decreased from 9.5% to 8.1%. Mean SMBG correlated closely with CGM (Pearson r = 0.783 for daily estimates and r = 0.746 for weekly estimates, P<.0001). Both GA and FRA levels significantly correlated with changes from baseline in A1C and mean weekly SMBG (P<.001). The lowest observed median GA occurred at 4 weeks, followed by a small increase and then a slight reduction, mirroring changes in overall mean SMBG values. The median A1C fell throughout the treatment period, failing to reflect short-term changes in SMBG. A ≥1% reduction in GA at 4 weeks was significantly associated with a ≥0.5% change in A1C at 12 weeks (odds ratio [OR] = 19.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4, 944, P = .018). CONCLUSION In patients receiving glucose-lowering therapy, changes in GA at 4 weeks were concordant with changes in A1C at 12 weeks, and both GA and FRA more accurately reflected short-term blood glucose fluctuations than A1C.
A Method for Retrospective Dose Evaluation in Interventional Radiology using DICOM

Skin dose assessment in interventional radiology (IR) procedures can be made retrospectively by using the dose-area product (DAP) registered and data provided by the DICOM header, in facilities having a PACS or other alternative image archiving system, such as medical CD-ROM under DICOM standard. Patient skin dose evaluation based on this method can help to decide on the need for further clinical patient follow up on a quantitative basis, in case of high skin doses. Also for patients undergoing repeated procedures, later overirradiation of the same skin region and skin injuries could be avoided by changing X-ray beam incidences, in accordance to the assessed skin dose distribution. The present work describes an exploit of the DICOM header information from procedures to estimate the skin dose distribution, making use of performance output data of the X-ray tube measured on quality control (QC) routine checks.
Two-dimensional modulation technique with dc voltage control for single-phase two-cell cascaded converters

In this paper, a simple feed-forward modulation technique for single-phase two-cell multilevel cascaded converters is presented. All the possible switching states of the power converter are taken into account applying a two dimensional control region. The proposed technique uses the actual values of the DC-Link capacitor voltages to obtain output phase voltages and currents with low harmonic distortion with any dc voltage in the H-bridges of the cascaded converter. The possible switching sequences of the converter are studied and, depending on the actual dc voltage values, their desired values are achieved. Simulation results are shown in order validate the proposed technique working as a synchronous rectifier.
The Economics Of Post-Communist Transition

Transition in Central and Eastern Europe has led to a U-shaped response of output: a sharp decline in output followed by recovery. Most of the countries of Central Europe seem now firmly on the upside; most of the countries of Eastern Europe are still close to the bottom of the U: an optimistic view is that they are now negotiating the turn. Olivier Blanchard, a distinguished economist who has worked on transition since its beginning, is one of the first to present a unified analysis of the process of transition. The U-shaped response of output, its causes and its implications, are the subject of this book. The text is split into four chapters. The first reviews the facts; the second focuses on the two basic mechanisms underlying transition: reallocation and restructuring; the third looks more closely at a number of issues, from the interactions between restructuring and privatization to the nature of the labour market in transition; the fourth chapter pulls the material together in an analytical model of transition. This model is then used to discuss policy issues, from the design of privatization to the role of fiscal policy in transition.
Reporting bias and heterogeneity in selfassessed health. Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey

This paper explores reporting bias and heterogeneity in the measure of self-assessed health (SAH) used in the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). The ninth wave of the BHPS includes the SF-36 general health questionnaire, which incorporates a different wording to the self-assessed health variable used at other waves. Considerable attention has been devoted to the reliability of SAH and the scope for contamination by measurement error; the change in wording at wave 9 provides a form of natural experiment that allows us to assess the sensitivity of panel data analyses to a change in the measurement instrument. In particular, we investigate reporting bias due explicitly to the change in the question. We show how progressively more general specifications of reporting bias can be implemented using panel data ordered probit and generalised ordered probit models. Then we explore the sensitivity of measures of socioeconomic inequality and of mobility in health to changes in the measurement of SAH.
Gender innovation through the lens of effectuation

Today, the strength of firms is embodied in their capability to survive within an increasingly competitive environment, or face failure. Innovation is studied by scholars at different levels of analysis in firms, including gender. Some consider 'innovation' to be a revolution in the world of new ideas and concepts, where others focus on innovation adoption. In this effort to pursue the missing variables, it might be useful to adhere closely to Sarasvathy's (2001) concept by examining the role of effectuation between males and females through an in-depth quantitative study in a Lebanese media small and medium enterprises. In a paternalistic society, supported long-rooted habits and norms, this study seeks to examine gender innovation through the lens of effectuation, and whether this relationship leads to positive outcomes in the firm's performance and its innovative capability. The results clearly stand out with respect to effectuation and innovation in this media service enterprise.
HIP1–ALK, A Novel ALK Fusion Variant that Responds to Crizotinib

Introduction: The aim of this study was to identify anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements in lung cancer patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and to explore their responses to crizotinib. Methods: Screening of 99 lung cancer PDX models by the NanoString ALK fusion assay identified two ALK-rearranged non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors, including one harboring a previously known echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)–ALK fusion and another containing an unknown ALK fusion variant. Expression array, RNA-Seq, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and direct sequencing were then conducted to confirm the rearrangements and to identify the novel fusion partner in the xenograft and/or the primary patient tumor. Finally, pharmacological studies were performed in PDX models to evaluate their responses to ALK inhibitor crizotinib. Results: Two ALK-rearranged NSCLC PDX models were identified: one carried a well-known EML4–ALK variant 3a/b and the other harbored a novel huntingtin interacting protein 1 (HIP1)–ALK fusion gene. Exon 28 of the HIP1 gene located on chromosome 7 was fused to exon 20 of the ALK gene located on chromosome 2. Both cases were clinically diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. Compared with the other lung cancer PDX models, both ALK-rearranged models displayed elevated ALK mRNA expression. Furthermore, in vivo efficacy studies demonstrated that, similar to the EML4–ALK-positive model, the HIP1–ALK-containing PDX model was sensitive to treatment with crizotinib. Conclusions: Discovery of HIP1 as a fusion partner of ALK in NSCLC is a novel finding. In addition, the HIP1–ALK-rearranged tumor is sensitive to treatment with crizotinib in vivo, implicating HIP1–ALKas an oncogenic driver of lung tumorigenesis. Collectively, our results indicate that HIP1–ALK-positive NSCLC may benefit from clinical applications of crizotinib.
A high density overlapping gate charge coupled device array

In this talk a technique for constructing a high density overlapping gate charge coupled device array is described and experimental verification of the concept is presented. The technique involves forming an asymmetrical well within each gate region. A bit density advantage of nearly four to one compared with a standard poly-silicon overlapping gate structure is achieved; this comparison is based upon serpentine arrays using identical mask design rules in each case. A density greater than 6\times10^{6} bits/inch2results using a minimum geometry length of five microns. The array structure will be described and array characteristics will be given and compared to standard overlapping gate arrays.
The development of executive function in early childhood.

According to the Cognitive Complexity and Control (CCC) theory, the development of executive function can be understood in terms of age-related increases in the maximum complexity of the rules children can formulate and use when solving problems. This Monograph describes four studies (9 experiments) designed to test hypotheses derived from the CCC theory and from alternative theoretical perspectives on the development of executive function (memory accounts, inhibition accounts, and redescription accounts). Each study employed a version of the Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS), in which children are required first to sort cards by one pair of rules (e.g., color rules: "If red then here, if blue then there"), and then sort the same cards by another, incompatible pair of rules (e.g., shape rules). Study 1 found that although most 3- to 4-year-olds failed the standard version of this task (i.e., they perseverated on the preswitch rules during the postswitch phase), they usually performed well when they were required to use four rules (including bidimensional rules) and those rules were not in conflict (i.e., they did not require children to respond in two different ways to the same test card). These findings indicate that children's perseveration cannot be attributed in a straightforward fashion to limitations in children's memory capacity. Study 2 examined the circumstances in which children can use conflicting rules. Three experiments demonstrated effects of rule dimensionality (uni- vs. bidimensional rules) but no effects of stimulus characteristics (1 vs. 2 test cards; spatially integrated vs. separated stimuli). Taken together, these studies suggest that conflict among rules is a key determinant of difficulty, but that conflict interacts with dimensionality. Study 3 examined what types of conflict pose problems for 3- to 4-year-olds by comparing performance on standard, Partial Change, and Total Change versions of the DCCS. Results revealed effects of conflict at the level of specific rules (e.g., "If red, then there"), rather than specific stimulus configurations or dimensions per se, indicating that activation of the preswitch rules persists into the postswitch phase. Study 4 examined whether negative priming also contributes to difficulty on the DCCS. Two experiments suggested that the active selection of preswitch rules against a competing alternative results in the lasting suppression of the alternative. Taken together, the results of these studies provide the basis for a revision of the CCC theory (CCC-r) that specifies more clearly the circumstances in which children will have difficulty using rules at various levels of complexity, provides a more detailed account of how to determine the complexity of rules required in a task, takes account of both the activation and inhibition of rules as a function of experience, and highlights the importance of taking intentionality seriously in the study of executive function.
Tandem repeat variation in human and great ape populations and its impact on gene expression divergence

Tandem repeats (TR) are stretches of DNA that are highly variable in length and mutate rapidly, and thus an important source of genetic variation. This variation is highly informative for population and conservation genetics, and has also been associated with several pathological conditions and with gene expression regulation. However, genome-wide surveys of TR variation have been scarce due to the technical difficulties derived from short-read technology. Here, we explored the genome-wide diversity of TRs in a panel of 83 human and nonhuman great ape genomes, and their impact on gene expression evolution. We found that populations and species diversity patterns can be efficiently captured with short TRs (repeat unit length 1-5 base pairs) with potential applications in conservation genetics. We also examined the potential evolutionary role of TRs in gene expression differences between humans and primates by using 30,275 larger TRs (repeat unit length 2-50 base pairs). About one third of the 13,035 one-to-one orthologous genes contained TRs within 5 kilobase pairs of their transcription start site, and had higher expression divergence than genes without such TRs. The same observation held for genes with repeats in their 3’ untranslated region, in introns, and in exons. Using our polymorphism data for the shortest TRs, we found that genes with polymorphic repeats in their promoters showed higher expression divergence in humans and chimpanzees compared to genes with fixed or no TRs in the promoters. Our findings highlight the potential contribution of TRs to recent human evolution through gene regulation.
Allogeneic Cancellous Bone Graft and a Burch-Schneider Ring for Acetabular Reconstruction in Revision Hip Arthroplasty

Background: There is an ever-increasing number of failed hip arthroplasties associated with massive deficiency of acetabular bone stock consisting of a segmental or cavitary defect. This study was undertaken to evaluate the long-term results after use of morselized cryopreserved allogeneic bone graft and an antiprotrusio cage to treat such a deficiency. Methods: From January 1, 1988, to January 1, 1994, forty-one patients (forty-one hips) with an acetabular defect classified as type III or IV according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons system were operated on with use of a Burch-Schneider ring and morselized cryopreserved allogeneic cancellous bone graft. Thirty-eight patients (thirty-eight hips) were available for clinical and radiographic follow-up examinations at an average of 7.3 years (range, 4.2 to 9.4 years) after surgery. Results: All measured clinical parameters had improved significantly by the time of the follow-up examination (p < 0.0001). Radiographs confirmed that none of the thirty-eight hips had any measurable migration or displacement of the acetabular component and that osseous consolidation occurred only within the grafted area in all patients. Conclusion: Acetabular reconstruction with use of morselized cryopreserved allogeneic cancellous bone graft and the Burch-Schneider ring can be highly successful in managing massive acetabular deficiencies in revision hip arthroplasty.
Securitization of Taxes Implicit in PAYG Pensions

To preserve solvency, a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pension system needs to adjust contribution rates and pension promises over time. Currently, it is not possible to hedge in the financial market against politically determined uncertainty as regards these parameters. I consider a policy reform whereby property rights are established on the implicit lifetime tax levied by PAYG finance, and are assigned to the pension institution. These property rights are well defined if the reform also features rule-based allocation of aggregate risk, in the form of defined-contribution or defined-benefit schemes. I show that a PAYG pension system may indeed be instantly restructured so as to minimize political risk and allow financial-market diversification of risk. A side benefit is securitization of human-capital flows, which are not traded in existing financial markets. The new securities, if traded in appropriately competitive financial markets, are complementary to the Notional Account reforms of the 1990s. However, fiscal instability can increase if securitization is implemented in the absence of initial solvency and credible adoption of rule-based methods to allocate aggregate risk.
Agricultural Market Structure, Generic Advertising, and Welfare

This analysis begins with a definition and discussion of productive advertising. Then, following Dixit and Norman, persuasive advertising is used to study the welfare effects of generic advertising by marketing orders. The study first examines horizontal competition when the competing advertiser is a monopoly, and results show that the socially optimal level of advertising for a competitive marketing order is positive only if advertising raises monopoly output. Next, advertising choices of a marketing order which sells its output to a monopolistic distributor are considered. If the distributor is a monopolist, then marketing order advertising raises welfare. This finding is in marked contrast to the results for the horizontal case studied by Dixit and Norman.
Durable-Goods Monopolists

Durable-goods monopolists face special problems because the sale of their products creates a secondhand market not controlled by the monopolist. To the extent the monopolist is able to rent his product rather than sell it, or to make binding promises about his future production, such problems are ameliorated. Given the inability to do the above, the monopolist is led to producing goods less durable than those produced by either competitive firms or monopolist returns. A reverse Averch-Johnson result--that monopolist sellers may invest less in fixed costs (including plant modernization and research and development) than would the renters--is shown. It is also shown that, even though sellers have less monopoly power than renters and nondurable-goods monopolists, it is possible that the seller will cause a greater deadweight loss than the other types of monopolies.
Combinations of Protein-disulfide Isomerase Domains Show That There Is Little Correlation between Isomerase Activity and Wild-type Growth*

Protein-disulfide isomerase (PDI) has five domains: a, b, b′, a′ and c, all of which except c have a thioredoxin fold. A single catalytic domain (a or a′) is effective in catalyzing oxidation of a reduced protein but not isomerization of disulfides (Darby, N. J., and Creighton, T. E. (1995) Biochemistry34, 11725–11735). To examine the structural basis for this oxidase and isomerase activity of PDI, shuffled domain mutants were generated using a method that should be generally applicable to multidomain proteins. Domains a and a′ along with constructs ab, aa′, aba′, ab′a′ display low disulfide isomerase activity, but all show significant reactivity with mammalian thioredoxin reductase, suggesting that the structure is not seriously compromised. The only domain order that retains significant isomerase activity has the b′ domain coupled to the N terminus of the a′ domain. This b′a′c has 38% of the isomerase activity of wild-type PDI, equivalent to the activity of full-length PDI with one of the active sites inactivated by mutation (Walker, K. W., Lyles, M. M., and Gilbert, H. F. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 1972–1980). Individual a and a′ domains, despite their very low isomerase activities in vitro, support wild-type growth of apdi1Δ Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain yeast. Thus, most of the PDI structure is dispensable for its essential function in yeast, and high-level isomerase activity appears not required for viability or rapid growth.
Molecular epidemiology of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus colonizing the anterior Nares of school children of Udupi Taluk

Context: Community associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) cause serious skin and soft tissue infections including necrotizing fasciitis and necrotizing pneumonia. Production of Panton Valentine Leucocidine (PVL) toxin is implicated in its enhanced virulence. A variant of epidemic MRSA-15 (EMRSA-15) which produces PVL toxin has been isolated and characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method from the Indian population both in hospital and community settings. Aims: Identify the epidemiological type of MRSA colonizing the anterior nares of school children in Udupi taluk. Settings and Design: The study population included children of the age group of 5-16 years belonging to the Udupi taluk of Karnataka, India. A total of 1503 children were screened for MRSA colonization during July 2009 to December 2010. Materials and Methods: PVL assay, Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome (SCC) mec typing and PFGE typing were carried out with all the MRSA isolates. Statistical Analysis Used: Frequency distribution of different variables was assessed by SPSS. Results: Among the 1.1% of MRSA, 58.8% (10/17) of isolates were positive for pvl and 41.7% (7/17) were identified as SCC mec type IV. PFGE patterns of all the strains were identical with Indian variant EMRSA-15; however they were different from classical EMRSA-15 in 3-4 bands. Conclusions: The Indian variant EMRSA-15 gains much epidemiological relevance owing to the acquisition of pvl gene. In spite of low prevalence of nasal colonization of MRSA, emergence of the virulent Indian variant EMRSA-15 in our community is a worrisome fact to be reckoned with.