Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
State Responses to Fiscal Crises: The Effects of Budgetary Institutions and Politics

This paper explores the dynamics of state taxes and spending during the late 1980s, when regional economic downturns and increased expenditure demands led to substantial state budget deficits. More restrictive state fiscal institutions, such as "no-deficit-carryover" rules and tax and expenditure limitations, are correlated with more rapid fiscal adjustment to unexpected deficits. Political factors are also important. When a single party controls the state house and the governorship, deficit adjustment is much faster than when party control is divided. In gubernatorial election years, tax increases and spending cuts are both significantly smaller than at other times.
The relationship between technology-based and product-based knowledge and alliance formation in new firms

Firms are typically viewed as seeking alliances to achieve certain outcomes, advantages they perceive will result from these relationships. Our research investigates whether certain inputs, specifically knowledge, can explain differential alliance formation. Our empirical analysis of 67 new computer and telecommunications firms reveals that firms with more extensive technology-based and product-based knowledge are more likely to form alliances at a higher rate than those with less extensive knowledge. The implications for these findings are that alliances are more attractive to firms with a foundation of knowledge that can be leveraged, and firms with this knowledge have something of value to attract alliance partners.
Positioning the non-least-developed developing countries based on vulnerability-related indicators

A structure presenting relevant constructs of vulnerability for developing but not least-developed countries in the global trade regime shift was first proposed. Based on the structure, the vulnerability constructs were empirically summarized as three independent factors: economic scale, volatility degree, and development level. A map, showing the overall vulnerability positioning of the countries, with dimensions of 'economic scale' and 'volatility with resilience of development', was further created. The map reveals that most small-population states are more vulnerable. Nevertheless, some large economies may not be less vulnerable and should not be excluded if special treatments are offered to non-least-developed small states. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
One warehouse multiple retailer systems with vehicle routing costs

We consider distribution systems with a depot and many geographically dispersed retailers each of which faces external demands occurring at constant, deterministic but retailer specific rates. All stock enters the system through the depot from where it is distributed to the retailers by a fleet of capacitated vehicles combining deliveries into efficient routes. Inventories are kept at the retailers but not at the depot. We wish to determine feasible replenishment strategies i.e., inventory rules and routing patterns minimising infinite horizon long-run average transportation and inventory costs. We restrict ourselves to a class of strategies in which a collection of regions sets of retailers is specified which cover all outlets: if an outlet belongs to several regions, a specific fraction of its sales/operations is assigned to each of these regions. Each time one of the retailers in a given region receives a delivery, this delivery is made by a vehicle who visits all other outlets in the region as well in an efficient route. We describe a class of low complexity heuristics and show under mild probabilistic assumptions that the generated solutions are asymptotically optimal within the above class of strategies. We also show that lower and upper bounds on the system-wide costs may be computed and that these bounds are asymptotically tight under the same assumptions. A numerical study exhibits the performance of these heuristics and bounds for problems of moderate size.
HIV-Producing T Cells in Cerebrospinal Fluid

In HIV-1–infected subjects, the magnitude of HIV-1 viral load in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) correlates with the CSF white cell count. To determine whether HIV-1–producing T cells appear in CSF and whether their percentage and number correlate with viral load in CSF, we developed a flow cytometric assay that detects HIV-1–producing T cells by identifying intracellular p24 HIV-1 antigen. We found that most CSF T cells were not HIV-1 producing, even when cell-free viral load in CSF was high. Most activated T cells in CSF were also not HIV-1 producing, but the activated CD38+ CD4 T-cell fraction in CSF was independently associated with the fraction of HIV-1–producing T cells in CSF. We conclude that HIV-1–producing T cells appear in CSF and that their percentage and number correlate with cell-free viral load in CSF, even though the CSF total white cell count remains the best predictor for CSF viral load. In HIV-1 infection, CSF white cell counts seem to contain a large number of uninfected cells. White cell counts and viral load in CSF may result from systemic inflammation and immune activation.
Voluntary Initiatives and Regulatory Pressure: What the US Stock Market Tells us

This paper investigates the interdependence of voluntary corporate environmental programs and regulatory pressure. The WaxmanMarkey Bill in 2009 came as a surprise and brought the US economy on the brink of a CO2 emission trading system. We use this event to study whether rms with memberships in voluntary environmental programs focused on carbon emissions are rewarded by the stock market if the likelihood of federal legislation targeting carbon emissions is suddenly increased. The results will shed light on investor’s expectations of climate change policies and their value perception of voluntary carbon reduction programs. Previous studies show that rms exhibit negative abnormal stock returns for announcing membership in some of these programs, suggesting that the market associates signicant costs to this venture. It would therefore only seem rational for rms to join such programs in anticipation of new regulation.
Spectral Renormalization for Multi-Component Fourier Transform Infrared Absorbance Data: Importance to Multivariate Calibration and Quantitative Exploratory Chemometrics Studies

Although infrared spectroscopy is a very common analytical tool in the chemical sciences, quantitative infrared spectroscopic studies of multi-component solutions (particularly on-line or in-line studies) have been hampered by the lack of a concise and robust numerical approach. Using an inert chemical species as internal standard, the usual absorbance ratio analysis is generalized into a mathematical form that converts typical absorbance measurement A into its renormalized absorbance Arenorm, with the latter directly relating to the absolute moles rather than the concentration of the constituents. The renormalized absorbance has a number of very important properties, including (1) insensitivity to path length changes due to variations in temperature or pressure of the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) cell and (2) insensitivity to solution volume changes arising from reaction, chemical transport, or thermodynamic conditions. The methodology is first applied to a simple model test system to demonstrate its utility for multivariate calibration, and then re-applied to a real problem: the calibration of the rhodium carbonyl hydride HRh(CO)4, a long-sought species in organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis (Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed., vol. 41, 3786 (2002)). The utility of the developed methodology for multivariate calibration and exploratory chemometric studies is demonstrated. Emphasis is placed on providing a numerical recipe for the practicing analytical chemist.
Accountability and decision-making in feudal England: Domesday Book revisited

This paper makes a case for the role of Domesday Book in accounting history to be reassessed. The Domesday Book's historical context, construction, content and purpose are reviewed from an accounting history perspective. The Domesday Survey of 1086 was more than a fiscal land register because it enabled King William to establish the wealth of his tenants-in-chief raise taxes and distribute resources within the feudal structure which he had established. Although the Domesday Book is not commonly read as an accounting document, it is argued that aspects of Domesday illustrate the concepts of accountability, decision-making and control.
A compact strip-loaded slot antenna with double feeding strip and blended stub for GPR applications

A compact strip-loaded slot antenna fed by microstrip line with double feeding strip and double blended stub is present. With the use of proposed feeding, the rectangular slot antenna achieves a very wide impedance bandwidth of 167%, which can operate in frequencies lower than 960 MHz for ground penetrating radar (GPR) applications. In addition, the two curved strips are used for changing the behavior of electric field within the slot to improve radiation pattern across the frequency range of GPR. The designed antenna covers the band of 0.297 GHZ to 3.25 GHz, while achieving a compact size with the dimension of 23 × 27 cm2. The measured gain of the proposed antenna is over 0 dBi from 0.3 GHz to 3 GHz and has a maximum gain of 6.3 dBi.
Preferencias imprecisas y contexto en la valoración de la salud

La estimacion del valor economico de la salud proporciona informacion util para la evaluacion eficiente de las politicas con repercusiones sobre la salud, como por ejemplo la adopcion de tecnologias medicas de tratamiento y prevencion, o la adopcion de politicas de control de contaminacion. La estimacion a traves de metodos discretos, como la valoracion contingente, presenta el problema de la imprecision de las preferencias. En este articulo se aborda este problema proponiendo un formato para la pregunta de valoracion que permite a los individuos declarar un intervalo de valores en el cual se situa su posicion a pagar, sin forzar una cantidad determinada como respuesta. Se analiza tambien el efecto sobre las estimaciones obtenidas y el nivel de imprecision asociado, de la definicion del contexto en el que tienen lugar los cambios en la salud, comparando una situacion sin contexto junto a otra en la que los efectos se deben a la contaminacion atmosferica. La modelizacion econometrica utiliza un metodo de estimacion bayesiano para intervalos censurados, que contempla la incertidumbre existente entre los limites superior e inferior derivados del proceso de elicitacion. Los resultados prueban que la dispersion de los datos es significativamente mayor para los escenarios no-contextuales, aumentando para los sintomas mas graves.
The use of a novel method of endovenous steam ablation in treatment of great saphenous vein insufficiency: own experiences

Objective Endovascular procedures are gaining more and more popularity as treatment of great saphenous vein (GSV) incompetence. The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of steam GSV ablation. Methods Steam ablation using the steam vein sclerosis system (CERMA, France) was performed in 20 patients with GSV incompetence. The efficacy of the procedure was evaluated using ultrasound and the following parameters were assessed: changes in lumen diameter, GSV wall thickness, reflux and presence/absence of blood flow. Results The GSV steam ablation resulted in the obliteration of the vein lumen in all patients – reflux or blood flow were not observed in any subject. A significant decrease of GSV lumen diameter and an increase of GSV wall thickness were also observed in all subjects following the procedure. No postoperative complications were noted. The steam ablation technique was also positively assessed by the patients. Conclusions Steam ablation is an endovascular surgical technique, which can become popular and widely used due to its efficacy and safety. It is also easy to use and patient-friendly. The research on its use should be continued.
Evaluation of Green Dot: An Active Bystander Intervention to Reduce Sexual Violence on College Campuses

Using a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 7,945 college undergraduates, we report on the association between having received Green Dot active bystander behavior training and the frequency of actual and observed self-reported active bystander behaviors as well as violence acceptance norms. Of 2,504 students aged 18 to 26 who completed the survey, 46% had heard a Green Dot speech on campus, and 14% had received active bystander training during the past 2 years. Trained students had significantly lower rape myth acceptance scores than did students with no training. Trained students also reported engaging in significantly more bystander behaviors and observing more self-reported active bystander behaviors when compared with nontrained students. When comparing self-reported active bystander behavior scores of students trained with students hearing a Green Dot speech alone, the training was associated with significantly higher active bystander behavior scores. Those receiving bystander training appeared to report more active bystander behaviors than those simply hearing a Green Dot speech, and both intervention groups reported more observed and active bystander behaviors than nonexposed students.
One Nation, After All: What Middle-Class Americans Really Think About God, Country, Family, Racism, Welfare, Immigration, Homosexuality, Work, The Right, The Left and Each Other

The subject of great critical acclaim and extensive review attention, One Nation, After All concludes that the reports of cultural divides are highly exaggerated, and Americans agree about much more -- on religion, family, race, and morality -- than politicians and media pundits would have us believe. These are among the surprising findings reached by renowned sociologist Alan Wolfe after two years of listening to middle-class citizens in eight communities around the nation.In frank and often moving language, middle-class Americans, "left" and "right", express their views about immigrants of all races -- whom they welcome but insist should learn English and work hard -- and about giving a second chance to the deserving poor but not to the undeserving. They are remarkably tolerant on questions of religion, affirmative action, and family issues -- but not about homosexuality.Wolfe's study, which has already had an impact on the way we discuss domestic politics, disproves thought cliches that have wrongly polarized Americans, and shows the many values that hold our nation together.
Research the American Way: The Role of US Elites in Disseminating and Legitimizing Canadian Academic Accounting Research

This paper examines authorship distribution in a premiere Canadian-based research journal, Contemporary Accounting Research (CAR). It provides empirical evidence of a strong US elite dominance in the research agenda of a non-US research community. This is illustrated through a consistently higher proportion of authorship representation and participation of US elites (measured by doctoral origins) in CAR and its associated Conference. We also found that a small group of Canadian schools (measured by academic affiliations) contributes the most publications to CAR but their representation on the CAR editorial board and participation at the PhD Consortium was limited. We express our concern as to the constructive role of CAR as a top-tier journal in the dissemination of accounting research. We draw upon discussion on a European research tradition (represented by Accounting, Organizations and Society and The European Accounting Review), and its general approach to accounting research, which is perceived as distinct from the US elite approach (Lukka and Kasanen, 1996). Insights gained help widen the acceptable research in top tier journals such as CAR to further its aim to enhance geographical and intellectual diversity.
Novel properties of hepatic canalicular reduced glutathione transport revealed by radiation inactivation

Mittur, Aravind V. , Neil Kaplowitz, Ellis S. Kempner, and Murad Ookhtens. Novel properties of hepatic canalicular reduced glutathione transport revealed by radiation inactivation. Am. J. Physiol. 274 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 37): G923–G930, 1998. —Transport of GSH at the canalicular pole of hepatocytes occurs by a facilitative carrier and can account for ,50% of total hepatocyte GSH efflux. A low-affinity unit with sigmoidal kinetics accounts for 90% of canalicular transport at physiological GSH concentrations. A lowcapacity transporter with high affinity for GSH has also been reported. It is not known whether the same or different proteins mediate lowand high-affinity GSH transport, although they do differ in inhibitor specificity. The bile of rats with a mutation in the canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cMOAT or MRP-2, a 170-kDa protein) is deficient in GSH, implying that cMOAT may transport GSH. However, transport of GSH in canalicular membrane vesicles (CMV) from these mutant rats remains intact. We examined the functional size of the two kinetic components of GSH transport by radiation inactivation of GSH uptake in rat hepatic CMV. High-affinity transport of GSH was inactivated as a single exponential function of radiation dose, yielding a functional size of ,70 kDa. In contrast, low-affinity canalicular GSH transport exhibited a complex biexponential response to irradiation, characterized by an initial increase followed by a decrease in GSH transport. Inactivation analysis yielded a ,76-kDa size for the low-affinity transporter. The complex inactivation indicated that the low-affinity transporter is associated with a larger protein of ,141 kDa, which masked ,80% of the potential transport activity in CMV. Additional studies, using inactivation of leukotriene C4 transport, yielded a functional size of ,302 kDa for cMOAT, indicating that it functions as a dimer.
Exploratory spatial analysis of birth defect rates in an urban population.

Are birth defect rates unusually high in particular urban localities? The answer requires that the birth defect rate for which 'significance' is claimed be adjusted for the variable population sizes of each area for which the rate is computed and for the spatial dependence of rates based on shared observations between neighboring areas. By address-matching birth and birth defect records to a digital road map, we are able to compute local birth defect rates at regular grid locations by dividing the number of birth defects that occurred in the geographical vicinity of a grid location by the total number of births in the same vicinity. We test for significance, at regular spatial intervals, against the null hypothesis that the observed rate at any locality could reasonably have arisen by chance alone, given the underlying geographical variation in births. Significance is determined by using Monte Carlo simulations, where each birth location has an identical probability of being a defect. From 1000 simulations, a statistical distribution of the birth defect rate for each grid location is determined. The proportion of the simulated birth defect rates that are less than the observed rate at any grid location is the probability that the observed rate is significant. These probabilities, portrayed as isarithmic maps, show areas that have significantly high birth defect rates. Our results show birth defect rates for the period 1983 to 1990 in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.A.
Anti‐apoptotic effects of Curcuma longa L. extract and its curcuminoids against blue light‐induced cytotoxicity in A2E‐laden human retinal pigment epithelial cells

The purpose of the study was to investigate the protective effect of the Curcuma longa L. extract (CLE) and its curcuminoids against blue light‐induced cytotoxicity in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells laded with A2E. A2E has been concerned in age‐related macular degeneration (AMD).
Intrapatient Reproducibility of the BISxp® Monitor

Background:The Bispectral Index (BIS) reportedly reflects anesthetic depth. It is recommended that anesthetic agents should be titrated to maintain the BIS between 40 and 60 arbitrary BIS units during anesthesia. For anesthesia providers to follow this recommendation, the monitor should be predictably affected by different anesthetic agents and have good interpatient and intrapatient reproducibility. The authors hypothesized that when two BISxp® devices (Aspect Medical Systems, Newton, MA) are placed concurrently on the same patient, their readings are concordant throughout the anesthetic period. Methods:Simultaneous BIS recordings from two BISxp® monitors were obtained during anesthesia at 5-s intervals from 12 participants. Results:In total 22,860 concurrent paired BIS readings were obtained. For 10.7% of the time, there were sustained periods of 30 s or greater where the readings suggested a different depth of anesthesia. For 6% of the time, there were sustained periods of 30 s or greater where the readings differed by 10 or more arbitrary BIS units. The regression coefficient (R2) for the two devices was 0.65 (range, 0.35–0.92). There was zero bias between the devices, and the 95% limits of agreement ranged between −18 and +17. Conclusion:A conflicting anesthetic management was suggested by the simultaneous BIS readings 10.7% of the time. These results suggest that BISxp® does not always provide a reproducible single number. Anesthesia providers should not rely exclusively on the BIS reading when assessing depth of anesthesia.
Selecting and Implementing Service Technology: Control, Uncertainty and Competitive Advantage

This article explores practical and competitive aspects of the role that technology plays in service firms. A review of resource-based theory leads to a conceptual model describing how technology can contribute to sustainable competitive advantage (SCA). The pragmatic challenge of implementation is then explored and the first conceptual model is extended. These discussions lead to two research propositions that are employed to (a) select four suitable case studies from a larger sample, and (b) structure subsequent analysis and discussion of the case findings. The propositions and corresponding data reveal a potential paradox implicit in the technology selection and implementation process. Namely that SCA is often based upon resources that emerge from conditions of uncertainty, ambiguity and poor ex ante 'measurability', whereas these same conditions have a negative impact upon managerial control and therefore implementation success.