Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Merit Pay, Market Conditions, Equity, and Faculty CompensationJ. Amey

hat's the source of greatest dissatisfaction among working conditions for faculty? Dissatisfaction with salary. 1 Research at the unit, institution, state, and national levels supports this finding time and again. But what is the root of this dissatisfaction? Does " pouring " money on the problem fix it? For all faculty or only for some? Is this a problem of economics, policy, distribution, or perception? Why are two faculty members, who do essentially the same work, paid dif-ferently? Why can some faculty negotiate strategic hiring salaries while others can't? Researchers provide no definitive answers to these questions. Scholars paid close attention to compensation-related issues in the 1970s and 1980s—a period of institutional growth and gains in collective bargaining. But interest waned during the 1990s, and today most research on pay is conducted " in house. " Institutional researchers may look only at practices within their own colleges or they may " benchmark " data to " peer institutions. " Deans and department chairs may compare salaries across disciplines to justify requests for increases or to respond to offers extended to faculty by other institutions. But these " decision-oriented " studies are seldom available , and in any case they tell us little about the larger picture. We do have national data bases—IPEDS, for instance—that provide trend data. But the challenge remains: making the numbers explain faculty dissatisfaction. To begin this process, this essay discusses three factors affecting the base pay of higher education faculty. 2 Base salary is the amount of pay from which other elements of monetary and quasi-monetary compensation are derived. It also lays the foundation for a faculty member's future direct compensation and benefit packages. 3 Department chairs or deans typically establish salary ranges within which to offer base salaries to prospective employees. Many variables help to determine these ranges and salaries, including rank of the position and the candidate's years of experience. Institutional sector (public or independent), type of institution, research university or community college, for example, collective bargaining agreements, and contract length may also affect base salary. An institution's values are clarified if it emphasizes gender, Marilyn J. Amey is associate professor of higher education at the Center for the Study of Advanced Learning Systems, and coordinator of the Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education programs at Michigan State University. Her research interests include postsecondary leadership, administration, and faculty issues across two-and four-year institutions. She has …
A life‐cycle risk management framework for PPP infrastructure projects

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a life cycle risk management framework for public private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects that lead to the realization of value for money and balance of interests between different partners including the public and end users.Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on extensive theoretical research and literature reviews, coupled with case study methodologies. A comprehensive review of current literature in the field was first carried out. Then three PPP infrastructure projects, two from Australia and one from China, are studied to scrutinize reasons leading to their dilemma and articulate the valuable lessons learnt in relation to risk analysis and mitigation.Findings – The paper found that properly assessing risks (financial, government's political and public's acceptance/rejection risks), ensuring value for money and protecting the public (and end users') interests are essential in PPP infrastructure projects and this can only be achieve.
Is Enhanced Audit Quality Associated with Greater Real Earnings Management?

SYNOPSIS We examine whether firms resort to real earnings management when their ability to manage accruals is constrained by higher quality auditors. In settings involving strong upward earnings management incentives, i.e., for firms that meet or just beat earnings benchmarks and firms that issue seasoned equities, we find that city-level auditor industry expertise and audit fees are associated with higher levels of real earnings management. We find similar, albeit weaker, results for the Big N auditors. Our paper suggests an unintended consequence of higher quality auditors constraining accrual earnings management, namely, firms resorting to potentially even more costly real earnings management. We also find that longer auditor tenure is associated with greater real earnings management, which could suggest merits of mandating audit firm rotation. JEL Classifications: M40; M41.
Patterns of paid and unpaid work in Western Europe: gender, commodification, preferences and the implications for policy

This article explores how parents in couple families reconcile employment and child-care, and how far the current emphasis of EU-level policy on enhancing the formal provision of child-care fits with patterns and/or preferences in Western European member states. We use European Social Survey data from 2004—05 on working patterns and preferences, and on child-care use and preferences regarding the amount of formal provision. We find that working hours remain a very important dimension of work/family reconciliation practices, with large differences in both patterns and preferences. There is very little evidence of convergence towards a dual, full-time worker model family outside the Nordic countries, although the balance between the hours which men and women spend in paid work is becoming less unequal. The part that kin (partners and grandparents) play in providing child-care remains important in all but three countries, and, for the most part, mothers report that they are content with the amount of formal child-care available. We suggest that work/family reconciliation measures need to encompass a more extended policy package, the components of which are likely to be specific to member states.
Investment: Concepts, Analysis, Strategy

I. INTRODUCTION. 1. Introduction. 2. Investment Decisions. 3. Investment Types. 4. Investment Markets. II. INVESTMENT CONCEPTS. 5. Basic Investment Concepts. 6. Portfolio Theory. 7. Capital Asset Pricing Model. 8. Capital Asset Pricing Extensions. 9. Efficient Market Theory. III. SECURITY ANALYSES. 10. Valuation of Fixed Income Securities. 11. Management of Fixed Income Securities. 12. Valuation of Equity Securities. 13. Management of Equity Securities. 14. Commingled Investment Portfolios. 15. Global Investment. 16. Financial Futures. 17. Options. IV. STRATEGY. 18. The Process of Investment Management. 19. Asset Allocation. 20. Manager Selection and Taxes. 21. Performance Monitoring.
Differential Clonal Expansion in an Invading Cell Population: Clonal Advantage or Dumb Luck?

In neoplastic cell growth, clones and subclones are variable both in size and mutational spectrum. The largest of these clones are believed to represent those cells with mutations that make them the most “fit,” in a Darwinian sense, for expansion in their microenvironment. Thus, the degree of quantitative clonal expansion is regarded as being determined by innate qualitative differences between the cells that originate each clone. Here, using a combination of mathematical modelling and clonal labelling experiments applied to the developmental model system of the forming enteric nervous system, we describe how cells which are qualitatively identical may consistently produce clones of dramatically different sizes: most clones are very small while a few clones we term “superstars” contribute most of the cells to the final population. The basis of this is minor stochastic variations (“luck”) in the timing and direction of movement and proliferation of individual cells, which builds a local advantage for daughter cells that is cumulative. This has potentially important consequences. In cancers, especially before strongly selective cytotoxic therapy, the assumption that the largest clones must be the cells with deterministic proliferative ability may not always hold true. In development, the gradual loss of clonal diversity as “superstars” take over the population may erode the resilience of the system to somatic mutations, which may have occurred early in clonal growth.
A Study On The Economic Value Of Firm`s Big Data Technologies Introduction Using Real Option Approach - Based On YUYU Pharmaceuticals Case -

This study focus on a economic value of the Big Data technologies by real options model using big data technology company's stock price to determine the price of the economic value of incremental assessed value. For estimating stochastic process of company's stock price by big data technology to extract the incremental shares, Generalized Moments Method (GMM) are used. Option value for Black-Scholes partial differential equation was derived, in which finite difference numerical methods to obtain the Big Data technology was introduced to estimate the economic value. As a result, a option value of big data technology investment is 38.5 billion under assumption which investment cost is 50 million won and time value is a about 1 million, respectively. Thus, introduction of big data technology to create a substantial effect on corporate profits, is valuable and there are an effects on the additional time value. Sensitivity analysis of lower underlying asset value appear decreased options value and the lower investment cost showed increased options value. A volatility are not sensitive on the option value due to the big data technological characteristics which are low stock volatility and introduction periods.
The Outsourcing of Corporate Tax Function Activities

This study investigates the factors associated with firms' decisions to outsource corporate tax‐planning and ‐compliance activities. The results indicate that transaction costs relating to human‐asset specificity, proprietary technology, and economies of scale, along with the status of firms' top tax professionals and recent growth, are factors that help explain variation in the proportion of 1997 tax‐planning expenditures made to external service providers. In contrast, only firm size and growth help explain variation in the proportion of tax‐compliance activities outsourced. Finally, the results indicate that firms with more of a tax‐planning focus outsource greater (lesser) proportions of their tax‐planning (‐compliance) activities. These results provide the first empirical evidence relating to the economic motivations behind tax function outsourcing.
Tumor Cell Expression of CD59 Is Associated With Resistance to CD20 Serotherapy in Patients With B-Cell Malignancies

The anti-CD20 chimeric monoclonal antibody rituximab (Rituxan) is used to treat patients with various B-cell tumors, including patients with plasma cell dyscrasias who have CD20+ disease. Many patients with CD20+ disease have either primary unresponsive disease or progress after initially responding to rituximab; therefore, understanding how tumor cells are, or become, resistant to rituximab is of clinical relevance. In this report, we determined whether tumor cells express antigens that block complement-mediated lysis or antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and thereby contribute to rituximab resistance. We demonstrate that expression of the complement regulator CD59 is associated with resistance to rituximab-mediated complement lysis of multiple myeloma (MM) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) cell lines. Moreover, neutralization of CD59 using a blocking monoclonal antibody reversed resistance to rituximab-mediated complement lysis of CD20++ CD59++ ARH-77 MM cells. In addition, we demonstrate the presence of CD59 and rituximab binding on viable tumor cells from patients with MM and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia with progressive disease despite rituximab therapy. Last, we also examined MM and NHL B-cell lines, as well as patient tumor cells, for the expression of other antigens that may have a role in blocking ADCC activity, such as Fas ligand (FasL), MUC1, or TRAIL. FasL, MUC1, and/or TRAIL were coexpressed with complement regulators on many of these cells. These studies therefore show that complement regulators, particularly CD59 and antigens that may block ADCC, are present on various B-cell tumors and associated with rituximab resistance in patients. A prospective, clinical study is assessing the role of these antigens in mediating rituximab resistance.
Socioeconomic determinants of poverty among urban households in South‐West Nigeria

Purpose - The role of household socio-economic factors towards achieving enduring poverty interventions especially among urban households of Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. Household socio-economic factors, among others, have been identified by development practitioners in developing countries as variables which can easily be manipulated through policy levers to improve welfare of the poor. The purpose of this paper is to examine poverty situations among urban households in Ekiti State, Nigeria with emphasis on household socioeconomic characteristics and their associated influence on poverty. Design/methodology/approach - A multistage sampling approach was used to select 80 households who were interviewed using a well structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed through Poverty index and Tobit regression model. Findings - The study found that 41.0 percent of the households covered by the study were poor and would have to mobilize financial resources up to 45.0 percent of 1 US Dollar (N130) per day (for each household member) to be able to escape poverty. The incidence and depth of were higher among female headed households with values 0.26 and 0.43, respectively. The same pattern was also found among households with larger number of dependants with values ranging from 0.74 to 1.00 for incidence of poverty and from 0.70 to 0.77 for depth of poverty. Dependency ratio, household assets and educational status of household head, among others, are socio-economic factors influencing the poverty. Originality/value - The study recommends, among others, implementation of the new minimum wage scheme, encouragement of the universal basic education and adult education programmes, employment generations, family planning measures, and a well focused gender specific interventions for poverty reduction.
The research of photovoltaic grid-connected inverter based on adaptive current hysteresis band control scheme

Based on conventional current hysteresis band control, an adaptive hysteresis band control algorithm featuring dynamically modulate hysteresis band width was presented in this paper, and will be used in the application of photovoltaic grid-connected inverter. In the platform environment of Matlab/Simulink, the simulation modules of photovoltaic array, hysteresis band calculator, adaptive hysteresis band controller and reference current generator specially for non-linear load were built based on the new mathematical models and novel algorithms, finally, A single-phase photovoltaic grid-connected inverter system composed of photovoltaic array, DC link capacitor, single phase full-bridge PWM inverter, filter inductor, power grid and non-linear load modeled as a rectifier was created, the adaptive hysteresis band controller was integrated into the inverter system to control switching frequency, while the reference current generator to control the current injected into power grid with good power quality. The simulation result indicated that the switching frequency could be fixed constant while dynamically and instantaneously modulating current hysteresis band width and should be adequate high, which will result in the synchronization of power grid voltage and inverter current and near unity of power factor.
Clinician beliefs and attitudes about buprenorphine/naloxone diversion.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Concern about diversion of buprenorphine/naloxone (B/N) in the United States may affect prescribing patterns and policy decisions. This study examines addiction treatment clinician beliefs and attitudes regarding B/N diversion. METHODS Participants (n = 369) completed a 34-item survey in 2010 during two national symposia on opioid dependence. We conducted multivariable regression, examining the relationship of perceived danger from B/N diversion with clinician characteristics and their beliefs about B/N treatment and diversion. We compared causal beliefs about diversion among clinicians with and without B/N treatment experience. RESULTS Forty percent of clinicians believed that B/N diversion is a dangerous problem. The belief that B/N diversion increases accidental overdoses in the community was strongly associated with perceived danger from B/N diversion. CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Attitudes and beliefs, not education level, were associated with clinician's perceived danger from B/N diversion. Clinicians with greater B/N patient experience were more likely to believe treatment access barriers are the major cause of B/N diversion.
Time-Dependent 3-D Statistical KMC Simulation of Reliability in Nanoscale MOSFETs

This paper presents a thorough numerical investigation of statistical effects associated with charge trapping dynamics and their impact on the reliability projection in decananometer MOSFETs. By means of a novel 3-D kinetic Monte Carlo TCAD reliability simulation technology, we track the time-dependent variability associated with granular charge injection and trapping into the oxide traps. We consider the interactions between the statistical variability of the virgin transistors, introduced by the discreteness of charge and granularity of matter, and the stochastic nature of the trap distribution and the trapping process itself. As a result, the path to device failure (PtDF), defined as the stochastic succession of trapping events that bring the device parameters to a predefined failure criteria, is analyzed in detail. In particular, we show that the two stochastic components determining the PtDF, namely the traps' capture time constants and threshold voltage shifts, are uncorrelated. The charge injection variability is shown to play a dominant role in determining the statistical dispersion of the reliability behavior. Furthermore, we show that the short- and long-term reliability behaviors are uncorrelated. Finally, 3-D fringing and percolative effects are shown to play an important role in determining the statistical degradation of nanoscale MOSFETs.
Identification of a Class of Small Molecule Inhibitors of the Sirtuin Family of NAD-dependent Deacetylases by Phenotypic Screening*

The yeast transcriptional repressor Sir2p silences gene expression from the telomeric, rDNA, and silent mating-type loci and may play a role in higher order processes such as aging. Sir2p is the founding member of a large family of NAD-dependent deacetylase enzymes, named the sirtuins. These proteins are conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, but most remain uncharacterized, including all seven human sirtuins. A reverse chemical genetic approach would be useful in identifying the biological function of sirtuins in a wide variety of experimental systems, but no cell-permeable small molecule inhibitors of sirtuins have been reported previously. Herein we describe a high throughput, phenotypic screen in cells that led to the discovery of a class of sirtuin inhibitors. All three compounds inhibited yeast Sir2p transcriptional silencing activity in vivo, and yeast Sir2p and human SIRT2 deacetylase activity in vitro. Such specific results demonstrate the utility and robustness of this screening methodology. Structure-activity relationship analysis of the compounds identified a key hydroxy-napthaldehyde moiety that is necessary and sufficient for inhibitory activity. Preliminary studies using one of these compounds suggest that inhibition of sirtuins interferes with body axis formation in Arabidopsis.
Restricted frequency inequality is equivalent to restricted dissipativity

A variety of powerful tools and results in systems and control theory rely on classical Kalman-Yakubovich-Popov-Zames results establishing equivalence between special frequency domain inequalities (FDIs), linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) and time domain inequalities (TDIs). Recent developments have addressed FDIs within (semi)finite frequency ranges to increase flexibility in the system analysis and synthesis. In this paper it is shown that validity of a general FDI within a restricted frequency range is equivalent to validity of the corresponding TDI under rate limitations specified by a matrix-valued integral quadratic constraint. The latter property of a system is termed "restricted dissipativity". Its special cases are "restricted passivity" and "restricted finite gain property". The equivalence between restricted FDI and restricted dissipativity is established for both continuous-time and discrete-time settings. The paper together with the previous developments extends Kalman-Yakubovich-Popov-Zames FDI-LMI-passivity results to FDIs specified within restricted frequency ranges.
Immunohistochemical distribution of vanilloid receptor, calcitonin-gene related peptide and substance P in gastrointestinal mucosa of patients with different gastrointestinal disorders

The immunohistochemical distribution of capsaicin/vanilloid (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, TRPV1) receptors and neuropeptides (CGRP, SP) was studied in the gastrointestinal mucosal biopsies of patients with gastritis, erosions, ulcers, polyps, adenocarcinoma, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, polyps without and with hyperplasia, dysplasia and adenocarcinoma in colon. The studies were carried out in 127 patients and 30 people with only functional dyspepsia (without any histological alteration). The results were: (1) the positivity of TRPV1 receptor and CGRP was detected, and weak participation of SP was detected in patients with different gastric diseases; (2) the presence of TRPV1, CGRP and SP could be detected in chronic inflammation of bowel disease; (3) SP could not detected in patients with colon polyps, dysplasia and adenocarcinoma; (4) the presence of TRPV1 and CGRP was proved in colon dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. We conclude that (1) the immunohistochemical distribution of TRPV1, CGRP and SP differs in gastrointestinal diseases of the upper and lower tract, and (2) the participation of TRPV1, CGRP and SP differs significantly in these different gastrointestinal diseases.
Testing for Misspecification in Binary Response Models With Competing Distributions

In empirical studies, the probit and logit models are often used without checks for their competing distributional specifications. It is also rare for econometric tests to be focused on this issue. Santos Silva ["Journal of Applied Econometrics" (2001 ), Vol. 16, pp. 577-597] is an important recent exception. By using the conditional moment test principle, we discuss a wide class of non-nested tests that can easily be applied to detect the competing distributions for the binary response models. This class of tests includes the test of Santos Silva (2001 ) for the same task as a particular example and provides other useful alternatives. We also compare the performance of these tests by a Monte Carlo simulation. Copyright 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
A space for time: accounting and Time Based Management in a high technology company☆

Time Based Management is often presented as a managerial technology that is useful in all areas of management and possibly one that makes cost accounting useless and perhaps in some situations a direct impediment to management control. In this paper, however, we argue that Time Based Management cannot exist without the construction of a space within which time -- as a one-dimensional decision parameter -- can function. Here, cost accounting provides some of the mechanisms which seal off a production space, free it from external uncertainties and disruptions and make it possible to manage by time alone.