Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vertical Integration between Hospitals and Insurers

The welfare effects of vertical integration are ambiguous. Cost efficiencies and the elimination of double marginalization may offset increases in market power and incentives to raise rivals' costs. To study the effects of vertical integration between insurers and hospitals, we develop a model of bargaining and competition. Integrated firms have incentives to increase hospital prices to rivals to steer demand to integrated partners. We estimate the model using administrative data on claims and plans from Chile, where vertically integrated hospitals account for half of all admissions. Our estimates imply that steering incentives are significant and that vertical integration decreases welfare.
ENORM: A Framework For Edge NOde Resource Management

Current computing techniques using the cloud as a centralised server will become untenable as billions of devices get connected to the Internet. This raises the need for fog computing, which leverages computing at the edge of the network on nodes, such as routers, base stations and switches, along with the cloud. However, to realise fog computing the challenge of managing edge nodes will need to be addressed. This paper is motivated to address the resource management challenge. We develop the first framework to manage edge nodes, namely the Edge NOde Resource Management (ENORM) framework. Mechanisms for provisioning and auto-scaling edge node resources are proposed. The feasibility of the framework is demonstrated on a PokéMon Go-like online game use-case. The benefits of using ENORM are observed by reduced application latency between 20-80 percent and reduced data transfer and communication frequency between the edge node and the cloud by up to 95 percent. These results highlight the potential of fog computing for improving the quality of service and experience.
Quality of Medical Service and Purchase Intention: A Conceptual Framework and Empirical Evidence

Existing studies have presented a wide range of factors determining the quality of medical service. No studies tried integrating and classifying them in a systematic and concise way. This paper presents a conceptual framework for organizing various determinant factors into three hierarchical categories, and examines the categories’ influences on a customer’s intention to purchase a medical service. Empirical analysis was done by using data from Chinese medical tourists in Korea. The role of an invasiveness of treatment is additionally explored as a moderating variable in order to examine the relative importance of influencing factors. Depending on the type of medical services to be purchased, an invasiveness of treatment will play a moderating role between the quality of medical service and customer’s purchase intention.
MENGAPA PERBANKAN SYARIAH MASIH DISAMAKAN DENGAN PERBANKAN KONVENSIONAL?

Dewasa ini atmosfer syariah semakin digemari masyarakat Indonesia. Namun sayangnya esensi syariah tampaknya belum terintegrasi di dalam akad-akad transaksi syariah. Beberapa penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa terdapat beberapa factor yang memicunya. Penelitian ini menggunakan metodologi interpretif dengan metode fenomenologi. Kesimpulan dari penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat dua faktor yang memicu mengapa perbankan syariah masih diidentikkan dengan perbankan konvensional, yaitu karena faktor standard dan SDM. Standar yang berupa PSAK syariah dinilai belum sepenuhnya syar’i dan implementatif. Alasan kedua terkait dengan pemahaman SDM perbankan syariah tentang syariah. Sejauh yang mereka pahami, syariah berarti sekedar bebas riba. Inilah yang menyebabkan jarak antara kajian teori dan praktik menjadi semakin lebar.
Composition and Simulation Theorems via Pseudo-random Properties

We prove a randomized communication-complexity lower bound for a composed function — OrderedSearch ◦ IP — by lifting the randomized query-complexity lower-bound of OrderedSearch to the communication-complexity setting. We do this by extending ideas from a paper of Raz and Wigderson [RW89]. We think that the techniques we develop will be useful in proving a randomized simulation theorem. We also generalize the deterministic simulation theorem of Raz and McKenzie [RM99], to any inner-function which satisfies certain hitting property. We prove that IP satisfies this property, and as a corollary we obtain deterministic simulation theorem for an inner-function gadget with logarithmic block-size with respect to the arity of the outer function. This answers an open question posed by Göös, Pitassi and Watson [GPW15]. Our result also implies the previous results for the Indexing inner-function. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, arkadev.c@tifr.res.in Charles University, Prague, koucky@iuuk.mff. cuni.cz Charles University, Prague, bruno.loff@gmail.com Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, sagnik@tifr.res.in ISSN 1433-8092 Electronic Colloquium on Computational Complexity, Report No. 14 (2017)
Factors Affecting Consumer's Online Shopping Buying Behavior

Purpose – To investigate the factors affecting consumer’s online shopping behavior. Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive type of study using judgmental sampling for selecting the samples from online shopping users of Kanpur city. The data has been collecting with the help of questionnaire. The factor analysis is performed for identifying the factors, the nonparametric test has been used for hypothesis testing. Findings – The study results suggest that consumers’ online shopping behavior is being affected by several factors like demographic factors, social factors, consumer online shopping experience, knowledge of using internet and computer, website design, social media, situational factors, facilitating conditions, product characteristics, sales promotional scheme, payment option, delivery of goods and after sales services plays an important role in online shopping. Research limitations/implications – The study results cannot be generalized to the all online shopping users because of small sample size and geographical location from where data is collected. Future studies may also apply some more statistical techniques to improve the conclusiveness of the findings reported in this study. Practical implications – The results should be of interest to the online retailers in deciding their marketing program. Originality/value – The paper is based on original work, the questionnaire has been found reliable after checking the cronback Alpha value. The KMO values supports the adequacy of sample size. It will help the academicians and scholars in their research work in the form of a literature on online shopping. It will also provide guidelines to online retailers in making their marketing program.
Financial Efficiency and the Ownership of Czech Firms

In this paper we analyze the evolution of firm financial efficiency in the Czech Republic. Using a large panel of more than 400,000 Czech firm/years we study whether firms fully utilize their resources, how firm financial efficiency evolves over time, and how firm financial efficiency is determined by ownership structure. We employ a panel version of a stochastic production frontier model for the period 1996-2007 with time-invariant efficiency. We differentiate among various degrees of ownership concentration and their domestic or foreign origin. In a two-stage set-up we estimate the degree of firm inefficiency and then we estimate the effect of ownership structure on the distance from the efficiency frontier. Our results support the hypothesis that concentration and foreign ownership are positively related to financial efficiency.
Wettability and surface roughness of natural and plantation-grown narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.) wood

Plantation-grown wood species are becoming more important. Their anatomical, physical, and mechanical properties are different and generally more variable than wood grown in natural stands. The objective of this study was to investigate the wettability and surface roughness (SR) of natural and plantation-grown narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.) wood. The logs were cut from a natural stand versus three different spacings of plantation-grown narrow-leaved ash wood stands. Plantation spacings were 3 x 2 m, 3 x 2.5 m, and 4 x 4 m. The wetting behavior of the wood samples was characterized by the contact angle (CA) method (goniometer technique). A stylus type profilometer was used for the SR measurement according to the DIN 4768 (1990) standard. The SR and CA measurements were done on both the radial and tangential surfaces of the samples. Individual values of both SR and CA of ash wood showed statistically significant differences. Based on the findings, it appears that the natural-grown ash wood have higher (less favorable) SR and lower (more favorable) CA values compared to all the plantation-grown ash wood on both radial and tangential surfaces. Tangential surfaces had lower SR values and higher CA values than the radial surfaces for all groups. In conclusion, plantation-grown narrow-leaved ash wood can be utilized for bonded wood products such as plywood, laminated veneer lumber, and glulam.
Micropylar Pollen Tube Guidance by Egg Apparatus 1 of Maize

Pollen tube guidance precedes the double fertilization of flowering plants. Here, we report the identification of a small maize protein of 94 amino acids involved in short-range signaling required for pollen tube attraction by the female gametophyte. ZmEA1 is exclusively expressed in the egg apparatus, consisting of the egg cell and two synergids. Chimeric ZmEA1 fused to green fluorescent protein (ZmEA1:GFP) was first visible within the filiform apparatus and later was localized to nucellar cell walls below the micropylar opening of the ovule. Transgenic down-regulation of the ZmEA1 gene led to ovule sterility caused by loss of close-range pollen tube guidance to the micropyle.
An Acute, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Cross‐over Study of 320 mg and 640 mg Doses of Bacopa monnieri (CDRI 08) on Multitasking Stress Reactivity and Mood

Little research exists in humans concerning the anxiolytic, antidepressant, sedative, and adaptogenic actions the traditional Ayurvedic medicine Bacopa monnieri (BM) possesses in addition to its documented cognitive‐enhancing effects. Preclinical work has identified a number of acute anxiolytic, nootropic, and adaptogenic effects of BM that may also co‐occur in humans. The current double‐blind, placebo‐controlled cross‐over study assessed the acute effects of a specific extract of BM (KeenMind® ‐ CDRI 08) in normal healthy participants during completion of a multitasking framework (MTF). Seventeen healthy volunteers completed the MTF, at baseline, then 1 h and 2 h after consuming a placebo, 320 mg BM and 640 mg of BM. Treatments were separated by a 7‐day washout with order determined by Latin Square. Outcome measures included cognitive outcomes from the MTF, with mood and salivary cortisol measured before and after each completion of the MTF. Change from baseline scores indicated positive cognitive effects, notably at both 1 h post and 2 h post BM consumption on the Letter Search and Stroop tasks, suggesting an earlier nootropic effect of BM than previously investigated. There were also some positive mood effects and reduction in cortisol levels, pointing to a physiological mechanism for stress reduction associated with BM consumption. It was concluded that acute BM supplementation produced some adaptogenic and nootropic effects that need to be replicated in a larger sample and in isolation from stressful cognitive tests in order to quantify the magnitude of these effects. The study was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12612000834853). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal trajectory formation of human reaching movement in crank-rotation task

Opening a door, turning a steering wheel, rotating a coffee mill are typical examples of human movements constrained by the external environment. The constraints decrease mobility of the human arm and lead to redundancy in the distribution of interaction force between the arm joints. Due to the redundancy of force actuation in the constrained motions, there is an infinite number of ways to form the arm trajectory. However, humans form the hand trajectory in a unique way. How do humans resolve the redundancy of the constrained motions and specify the hand trajectory? To investigate these problems, we examine the trajectories of the human arm in a crank-rotation task. To explain the trajectory formation in constrained point-topoint motions, we propose a novel criterion minimizing hand contact force change and torque change over the time of the movement. Our experiments show a close matching between the prediction and the subjects’ data. This indicates that in constrained movements the CNS naturally selects a moving contact frame as the criterion for the trajectory formation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 36(12): 22–32, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ scj.20368
IDENTIFICATION OF A TRANSFORMING ras ONCOGENE IN AN ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION‐INDUCED CORNEAL TUMOR OF Monodelphis domestica

Abstract— Chronic exposure of the gray, short‐tailed opposum, Monodelphis domestica to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) induces mesenchymal tumors of the cornea. High molecular weight DNA samples from 6 UVR‐induced corneal tumors were assayed for their ability to transform NIH 3T3 cells to tumorigenicity. NIH 3T3 cells transfected with DNA from 5 of the corneal tumors produced 14 tumors in nude mice. Cell lines were established from these tumors. DNA from 13 of 14 tumor cell lines contained repetitive opossum DNA sequences. Southern blot analysis revealed that DNA from 3 of 4 cell lines derived from tumorigenic NIH 3T3 cells transfected with DNA from a single opposum tumor contained opossum Ki‐ras oncogene sequences in addition to the murine Ki‐ras gene. Northern blot analysis of mRNA from a mouse tumor cell line containing opossum Ki‐ras gene sequences showed mRNA species identical in size to opossum Ki‐ras mRNA, as well as murine Ki‐ras mRNA species. These results suggest that an activated Ki‐ras oncogene was present in one of the original opossum corneal tumors tested. Thus, activation of Ki‐ras may play a role in the development of UVR‐induced corneal tumors in Monodelphis domestica. Further characterization of ras oncogenes in these opossum tumors may provide information on the molecular mechanisms by which UVR induces corneal tumors in this species.
Speckle in ultrasound B-mode scans

Ultrasound images obtained with a simple linear or sector scan show a granular appearance, called "speckle. " This speckle is analyzed. The reduction in speckle that can be obtained with a compound scan with maximum amplitude writing is computed. The reduction in speckle is almost as large as can be obtained with averaging. It depends on the number of independent amplitude values that are measured. The condition for the independence of two amplitude values is derived, and thus a limit is given for the possible reduction in speckle.
Backbone makes a significant contribution to the electrostatics of α/β‐barrel proteins

The electrostatic properties of seven α/β‐barrel enzymes selected from different evolutionary families were studied: triose phosphate isomerase, fructose‐1,6‐bisphosphate aldolase, pyruvate kinase, mandelate racemase, trimethylamine dehydrogenase, glycolate oxidase, and narbonin, a protein without any known enzymatic activity. The backbone of the α/β‐barrel has a distinct electrostatic field pattern, which is dipolar along the barrel axis. When the side chains are included in the calculations the general effect is to modulate the electrostatic pattern so that the electrostatic field is generally enhanced and is focused into a specific area near the active site. We use the electrostatic flux through a square surface near the active site to gauge the functionally relevant magnitude of the electrostatic field. The calculations reveal that in six out of the seven cases the backbone itself contributes greater than 45% of the total flux. The substantial electrostatic contribution of the backbone correlates with the known preference of α/β‐barrel enzymes for negatively charged substrates.
Identification of mechanically induced genes in human monocytic cells by DNA microarrays

Background Hypertension is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Macrophages are critically involved in both atherogenesis and plaque instability. Although macrophages may be subjected to excess mechanical stress in these diseases, the way in which biomechanical forces affect macrophage function remains incompletely defined. Objective To investigate the molecular response to mechanical force in macrophages. Design and methods We used a DNA microarray with 1056 genes to describe the transcriptional profile of mechanically induced genes in human monocytic THP-1 cells. Mechanical deformation was applied to a thin and transparent membrane on which cells were cultured. After THP-1 cells were pre-incubated in the presence of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (0.2 μmol/l) for 24 h, THP-1 cells attached to the membrane were subjected to biaxial mechanical strain. Interleukin-8 concentrations were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results In DNA microarray analysis, cyclic mechanical strain at 1 Hz induced only three genes more than 2.5-fold at 3 and 6 h in THP-1 cells: prostate apoptosis response-4 (3.0-fold at 3 h, 6.7-fold at 6 h), interleukin-8 (4.3-fold at 6 h) and the immediate-early response gene, IEX-1 (2.6-fold at 6 h). Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed the amplitude-dependent induction of these three genes. In addition, mechanical strain increased interleukin-8 protein expression. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that human monocytic cells respond to mechanical deformation with induction of immediate-early and inflammatory genes. These findings suggest that mechanical stress in vivo, such as that associated with hypertension, may play an important part in atherogenesis and instability of coronary artery plaques, through biomechanical effects on vascular macrophages.
Servitization strategies from customers’ perspective: the moderating role of co-creation

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the moderating role of co-creation in the implementation of servitization strategies in the pharmaceutical industry in a business-to-business (B-to-B) context. More specifically, this investigation explores the impact of different levels of services (base, intermediate and advanced) on servitization and on performance by using co-creation as a moderating factor. Design/methodology/approach A research framework was developed and empirically tested in the pharmaceutical sector. Data collection was conducted through the online distribution of questionnaires. The final sample included 219 pharmacy stores, and the data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Findings Main findings suggest that when the level of co-creation of the design of services is high, there are significant effects of servitization on firm performance. The moderating effect of co-creation is illustrated in regard to intermediate and advanced services, but results referring to the impact of intermediate services on servitization appear non-significant with a low degree of co-creation. No significant effects could be found for the impact of base services on performance and servitization for both high and low degrees of co-creation. Findings show an impact of advanced services on performance through the mediating effect of servitization when the degree of co-creation is high. Originality/value Most research concerning servitization has been done from the perspective of manufacturers and service providers. This study adds value to the literature because it was designed from a customer’s perspective. Moreover, it contributes towards the conceptualization of the servitization research strategy and business models in a B2B context. This is accomplished through the investigation of the moderating effect of co-creation on the impact of the different levels of services on servitization and on performance.
The Deleveraging of U.S. Firms and Institutional Investors' Role

Corporate leverage has decreased markedly in the U.S. since 1992. In contrast to press coverage of hedge funds increasing debt, increases in institutional investments, primarily by mutual funds, account for part of this deleveraging. We use implied mutual fund trades constructed from individual-investor flows as exogenous variation in institutional ownership for estimation. Supporting the hypothesis institutions contributed to deleveraging, our estimates increase significantly after regulatory reforms incentivized stronger institutional governance. Firms deleverage by reducing debt and transitioning to debt associated with enhanced monitoring and efficiency. Counterfactual simulations indicate aggregate leverage would have been eight percentage points higher without institutions' influence.
POLICY OPTIONS TO LOWER RICE PRICES IN INDONESIA

Di Indonesia, harga beras membuat 28 juta masyarakat pra-sejahtera menghabiskan nyaris separuh penghasilannya. Menanggapi hal ini, pemerintah menerapkan Harga Eceran Tertinggi (HET) dan menugaskan Badan Urusan Logistik (Bulog) untuk menstabilkan harga beras. Sebagai salah satu perwujudan tugasnya, Bulog ditunjuk menjadi importir tunggal beras. Kajian ini menganalisis efektiitas HET, kinerja Bulog sebagai importir beras, dan korelasi antara harga beras di Indonesia dan pasar internasional. Makalah ini mengusulkan opsi kebijakan untuk menurunkan harga beras dengan menggarisbawahi potensi perdagangan internasional. Makalah ini menggunakan Error Correction Model (ECM) dan hasil wawancara. Hasilnya: (1) HET menekan para pedagang eceran, sementara para tengkulak, pemilik penggilingan, dan pedagang grosir yang mengambil laba terbesar dari sistem distribusi beras dalam negeri; (2) Akibat kendala birokrasi, Bulog kerap mengimpor beras ketika harga internasional sudah telanjur meningkat; (3) Harga beras di Indonesia terdeviasi dan lebih mahal dibandingkan pasar internasional. Makalah ini merekomendasikan agar pemerintah mengkaji HET, memberikan kebebasan kepada Bulog untuk menentukan waktu maupun kuantitas beras yang perlu diimpornya dengan berdasarkan pada analisis pasar, dan membentuk forum konsultasi dengan sektor swasta yang memenuhi syarat. Hal ini akan menjaga harga beras senantiasa kompetitif baik bagi konsumen maupun pedagang eceran, serta akan membawa Indonesia lebih dekat dengan rantai nilai regional. In Indonesia, rice prices cost around 28 million poor nearly half of their income. In response, the government implements price ceiling (HET) and assigns National Logistics Agency (Bulog) to stabilize rice prices. As part of its duties, Bulog was appointed as the sole rice importer. This study analyzed the effectiveness of HET, Bulog’s performance as rice importer, and the correlation between rice prices in Indonesia and in international market. This paper explores policy options to lower rice prices by highlighting the potential of international trade. This study used Error Correction Models (ECM) and semi-structured interviews. The results: (1) HET pressures retailers, while middlemen, rice millers, and wholesalers benefit the most from domestic rice distribution; (2) Due to bureaucratic constraints, Bulog frequently imported rice when international prices were already rising; (3) Rice prices in Indonesia deviate away from and higher than the international market. This paper recommends the government to review HET, to give freedom to Bulog to determine the timing and quantity of rice importation based on its market analysis, and to organize consultative forums with qualified private sector. This will keep the prices competitive for both consumers and retailers and bring Indonesia closer to the regional value chain.