Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Capital structure and short‐term decisions

Share price pressure can lead to managerial myopia as managers face incentives to make short-run decisions. We show how long-run debt can negate myopic behavior by serving as an incentive to have high future earnings in order to avoid the risk of bankruptcy. We show how increases in leverage could have been a signal in response to growing share price pressure in the 1980s. We obtain a theory of capital structure whose predictions are in line with recent empirically observed patterns. We demonstrate the benefits of high bankruptcy penalties in inducing efficient decision making, and show how debt may, ex post, lead to inefficient decisions being taken in an effort to pay it off. This ex post consequence of debt can potentially undermine its ex ante incentive benefits. Copyright 2002, Oxford University Press.
Lateral Pancreatogastrostomy for Stenotic Pancreatojejunostomy After Pancreatoduodenectomy: A Case Report

There is a large body of literature that describes the short-term complications (e.g., pancreatic or biliary anastomotic leaks) that occur after PD, but little has been published regarding long-term anastomotic complications. Stenosis of the anastomosis is often asymptomatic but symptomatic and painful presentations are difficult to treat, and the optimal treatment is not currently defined. The aim of this work is to report case of pancreatojejunostomy stenosis. The Pancreatic enteric anastomosis stenosis was diagnosed following presentation with pancreatitis that developed following pancreatoduodenectomy. The patient was treated surgically by fashioning side to side pancreatogastrostomy.
Toxoplasma gondii myosin A and its light chain: a fast, single‐headed, plus‐end‐directed motor

Successful host cell invasion is a prerequisite for survival of the obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasites and establishment of infection. Toxoplasma gondii penetrates host cells by an active process involving its own actomyosin system and which is distinct from induced phagocytosis. Toxoplasma gondii myosin A (TgMyoA) is presumed to achieve power gliding motion and host cell penetration by the capping of apically released adhesins towards the rear of the parasite. We report here an extensive biochemical characterization of the functional TgMyoA motor complex. TgMyoA is anchored at the plasma membrane and binds a novel type of myosin light chain (TgMLC1). Despite some unusual features, the kinetic and mechanical properties of TgMyoA are unexpectedly similar to those of fast skeletal muscle myosins. Microneedle–laser trap and sliding velocity assays established that TgMyoA moves in unitary steps of 5.3 nm with a velocity of 5.2 μm/s towards the plus end of actin filaments. TgMyoA is the first fast, single‐headed myosin and fulfils all the requirements for power parasite gliding.
Efficacy and Safety of Topical Sirolimus Therapy for Facial Angiofibromas in the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1, such as sirolimus, effectively target skin lesions in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). However, systemic treatment causes adverse effects, and topical sirolimus has shown promise in the treatment of facial angiofibromas. Objective To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and optimal concentration of a topical sirolimus gel vs placebo for treatment of facial angiofibromas in TSC. Design, Setting, and Participants A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-escalation, phase 2 randomized clinical trial using 3 sirolimus gel concentrations was performed at Osaka University Hospital, Osaka, Japan. Thirty-six patients with TSC and facial angiofibromas, including 18 aged 3 to 18 years (children) and 18 aged 19 to 65 years (adults), were enrolled from December 10, 2013, to July 17, 2014. Analysis was by intention to treat. Interventions The adult and child groups were each subdivided into 3 groups (n = 12 each) and randomized to receive sirolimus gel concentrations of 0.05%, 0.1%, or 0.2% or placebo using a web-response system in a 2:1 fashion. The medication was applied to the patient’s lesions twice per day for 12 weeks. Each patient underwent assessment at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks during treatment and at 4 weeks after discontinuation of the treatment (16 weeks). Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point, planned before starting data collection, was an improvement factor, represented as a variable composed of tumor size reduction and a lessening of the redness of the 3 target tumors at 12 weeks relative to baseline. Results All 36 patients (13 male and 23 female; median age, 40 years; range, 6-47 years) completed the study analyses. The improvement factor was statistically significant in all active treatment groups receiving 0.2% sirolimus (mean [SD], 1.94 [0.68]; P < .001) and not in the adult subgroups receiving 0.1% (mean [SD], 0.88 [0.85]; P = .31) and 0.05% (mean [SD], 1.63 [1.11]; P = .09) concentrations of sirolimus. No significant adverse effects were observed. Mild skin dryness (13 patients [36%]) and irritation (11 patients [31%]) were observed. Low blood levels of sirolimus (<0.25 ng/mL) were detected in adults (1 patient [25%] in the 0.1% adult subgroup and 2 patients [50%] in the 0.2% adult subgroup) and particularly in children (1 patient [25%] in the 0.05% child subgroup, 2 patients [50%] in the 0.1% child subgroup, and 4 patients [100%] in the 0.2% child subgroup). Conclusions and Relevance Topical sirolimus gel is safe and effective for facial angiofibromas in TSC. The optimal concentration of sirolimus was 0.2%. Trial Registration umin.ac. jp Identifier: UMIN000012420
Treatment of renal anemia: Erythropoiesis stimulating agents and beyond

Anemia, complicating the course of chronic kidney disease, is a significant parameter, whether interpreted as subjective impairment or an objective prognostic marker. Renal anemia is predominantly due to relative erythropoietin (EPO) deficiency. EPO inhibits apoptosis of erythrocyte precursors. Studies using EPO substitution have shown that increasing hemoglobin (Hb) levels up to 10–11 g/dL is associated with clinical improvement. However, it has not been unequivocally proven that further intensification of erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA) therapy actually leads to a comprehensive benefit for the patient, especially as ESAs are potentially associated with increased cerebro-cardiovascular events. Recently, new developments offer interesting options not only via stimulating erythropoeisis but also by employing additional mechanisms. The inhibition of activin, a member of the transforming growth factor superfamily, has the potential to correct anemia by stimulating liberation of mature erythrocyte forms and also to mitigate disturbed mineral and bone metabolism as well. Hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors also show pleiotropic effects, which are at the focus of present research and have the potential of reducing mortality. However, conventional ESAs offer an extensive body of safety evidence, against which the newer substances should be measured. Carbamylated EPO is devoid of Hb augmenting effects whilst exerting promising tissue protective properties. Additionally, the role of hepcidin antagonists is discussed. An innovative new hemodialysis blood tube system, reducing blood contact with air, conveys a totally different and innocuous option to improve renal anemia by reducing mechanical hemolysis.
The Next Wave of Corporate Community Involvement: Corporate Social Initiatives

The practice of corporate philanthropy has evolved significantly over the past several decades and has now become an integral part of corporate strategy. This article identifies an emerging form of corporate community involvement called "Corporate Social Initiatives" (CSI). These programs differ from their predecessors in that they are connected to the firm's core values, responsive to moral pressures, based on the firm's core competencies, and have clear objectives and means of measurement. Firms are adopting these initiatives as a part of a strategy that seeks competitive advantage through reputation assets or as a response to perceived pressures from the moral marketplace. This article explicates the drivers behind the increased interest in CSI, relates CSI to changes in the environment of social expectations for business, reviews potential challenges to CSI programs, and suggests critical factors in the design of successful CSI programs.
Multi-transmit beam forming for fast cardiac imaging-a simulation study

Imaging at high temporal resolution is critical for a better understanding of transient cardiac phases with potential diagnostic value. Typically, parallel receive beam forming is used to achieve this. As an alternative, transmitting multiple lines simultaneously [i.e., multi-line transmit (MLT)] has been proposed. However, this approach has received less attention, most likely because of potential cross-talk artifacts between beams. In this study, based on different transducer configurations, the cross-talk level of different MLT systems was investigated and their point spread functions (PSFs) were compared with that of conventional beam forming (single-line transmit, SLT) by computer simulation. To reduce cross-talk artifacts, 7 different windowing functions were tested on transmit and receive: rectangular, Tukey (α = 0.5), Hann, cosine, Hamming, Gaussian (α = 0.4), and Nuttall. The simulation results showed the cross-talk varied inversely with the MLT beam opening angle and apodization could significantly reduce these artifacts at distinct opening angles, which were dependent on the transducer configuration. The optimal settings for an MLT system were highly dependent on the exact transducer configuration and must be deduced based on a given transducer. In particular, for a typical cardiac transducer configuration, a 4MLT imaging system with an opening angle of 22.73° and a Tukey (α = 0.5)-Tukey (α = 0.5) windowing scheme provided very similar image quality to SLT but with a 4 times higher frame rate. In addition, the MLT approach can be combined with (multiple) parallel receive beamforming to increase frame rate further. With these methods, a frame rate of approximately 300 Hz can be achieved to generate a 90° sector image without significant loss in image quality.
Towards a three-dimensional framework of centrally regulated and goal-directed exercise behaviour: a narrative review

The Central Governor Model (CGM) ignited a paradigm shift from concepts of catastrophic failure towards central regulation of exercise performance. However, the CGM has focused on the central integration of afferent feedback in homeostatic control. Accordingly, it neglected the important role of volitional self-regulatory control and the integration of affective components inherently attached to all physiological cues. Another limitation is the large reliance on the Gestalt phenomenon of perceived exertion. Thus, progress towards a comprehensive multidimensional model of perceived fatigability and exercise regulation is needed. Drawing on Gate Control Theory of pain, we propose a three-dimensional framework of centrally regulated and goal-directed exercise behaviour, which differentiates between sensory, affective and cognitive processes shaping the perceptual milieu during exercise. We propose that: (A) perceived mental strain and perceived physical strain are primary determinants of pacing behaviour reflecting sensory-discriminatory processes necessary to align planned behaviour with current physiological state, (B) core affect plays a primary and mediatory role in exercise and performance regulation, and its underlying two dimensions hedonicity and arousal reflect affective-motivational processes triggering approach and avoidance behaviour, and (C) the mindset-shift associated with an action crisis plays a primary role in volitional self-regulatory control reflecting cognitive-evaluative processes between further goal-pursuit and goal-disengagement. The proposed framework has the potential to enrich theory development in centrally regulated and goal-directed exercise behaviour by emphasising the multidimensional dynamic processes underpinning perceived fatigability and provides a practical outline for investigating the complex interplay between the psychophysiological determinants of pacing and performance during prolonged endurance exercise.
A synergistic interweaving of formal and informal methods

In most studies of bridging between informal specifications, formal specifications are transformed from informal specifications after completion of specification of the whole system. Most of these formal specifications are used for rigorous study of the system in question, consistency checking, verification of behavior or support system synthesis. During the process of system specification, the strength of formal and informal methods are not complementing to each other. We identified a new specification approach which makes formal methods and informal methods complement each other to a greater extent. This new method interweaves formal methods with informal methods. We find out that this method leads to better quality of specifications, facilitate better changes management and maintenance. This is particular useful during initial specification of systems which is the first stage of specifying informal world in some formal languages. We report our preliminary findings of this novel approach in this paper and exemplify our approach with an example in JSD and CSP.
Toll-like receptor 9 signaling mediates the anti-inflammatory effects of probiotics in murine experimental colitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS We tested whether the attenuation of experimental colitis by live probiotic bacteria is due to their immunostimulatory DNA, whether toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling is required, and whether nonviable probiotics are effective. METHODS Methylated and unmethylated genomic DNA isolated from probiotics (VSL-3), DNAse-treated probiotics and Escherichia coli (DH5 alpha) genomic DNA were administered intragastrically (i.g.) or subcutaneously (s.c.) to mice prior to the induction of colitis. Viable or gamma-irradiated probiotics were administered i.g. to wild-type mice and mice deficient in different TLR or in the adaptor protein MyD88, 10 days prior to administration of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to their drinking water and for 7 days thereafter. RESULTS Intragastric and s.c. administration of probiotic and E. coli DNA ameliorated the severity of DSS-induced colitis, whereas methylated probiotic DNA, calf thymus DNA, and DNase-treated probiotics had no effect. The colitis severity was attenuated to the same extent by i.g. delivery of nonviable gamma-irradiated or viable probiotics. Mice deficient in MyD88 did not respond to gamma-irradiated probiotics. The severity of DSS-induced colitis in TLR2 and TLR4 deficient mice was significantly decreased by i.g. administration of gamma-irradiated probiotics, whereas, in TLR9-deficient mice, gamma-irradiated probiotics had no effect. CONCLUSIONS The protective effects of probiotics are mediated by their own DNA rather than by their metabolites or ability to colonize the colon. TLR9 signaling is essential in mediating the anti-inflammatory effect of probiotics, and live microorganisms are not required to attenuate experimental colitis because nonviable probiotics are equally effective.
HER2 as a Prognostic Factor in Breast Cancer

HER2 amplification/overexpression is a marker of poor prognosis in breast cancer. The prognostic impact of HER2 positivity is lower in node-negative compared with node-positive women. The only significant, independent prognostic factors in breast cancer are node status, HER2 status and menopausal status. HER2-positive tumors also contain p53 abnormalities, tend to be hormone receptor and bcl-2 negative, have lymphoid infiltration (LI) and a high mitotic index. Patients with LI who are HER2 positive have a better prognosis than those who are HER2 negative, whereas HER2-positive patients without LI have a significantly worse prognosis than HER2-negative patients. Morphological and biological alterations appear to identify two categories of breast tumor. Two hypotheses may explain the progression to two tumor types: (1) atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) is a precursor of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is a precursor of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC); or (2) ADH is a precursor of HER2-negative IDC whereas DCIS is a precursor of HER2-positive IDC. The second theory fits well with two breast cancer subsets and the characteristics of ADH and DCIS. The first type of IDC occurs in older patients, progresses slowly due to estrogen dependency but is aggressive long term. The other type progresses rapidly, is HER2 positive and is more likely to occur in young patients.
Trust and Reputation in the Sharing Economy: The Role of Personal Photos on Airbnb

‘Sharing economy’ platforms such as Airbnb have recently flourished in the tourism industry. The prominent appearance of sellers' photos on these platforms motivated our study. We suggest that the presence of these photos can have a significant impact on guests' decision making. Specifically, we contend that guests infer the host's trustworthiness from these photos, and that their choice is affected by this inference. In an empirical analysis of Airbnb's data and a controlled experiment, we found that the more trustworthy the host is perceived to be from her photo, the higher the price of the listing and the probability of its being chosen. We also find that a host's reputation, communicated by her online review scores, has no effect on listing price or likelihood of consumer booking. We further demonstrate that if review scores are varied experimentally, they affect guests' decisions, but the role of the host's photo remains significant.
Intervention, Consociationalism and De Facto Partition: The role of the external dimension in shaping post-war Kosovo 1999-2012

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . 3 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES . 6 1 KOSOVO AND THE RESEARCH OF THE EXTERNAL DIMENSION OF CONSOCIATIONALISM . 9 1.1 PURPOSE, RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND PROPOSITIONS . 10 1.2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK . 16 1.3 CONSOCIATIONAL LITERATURE AND KOSOVO . 17 1.4 BACKGROUND . 20 1.5 METHODOLOGY . 27 1.6 OUTLINE OF THE STUDY . 38 2 LITERATURE REVIEW: THE COERCIVE CONSOCIATIONAL CASE . 40 2.1 THE TRANSFERABILITY OF CONSOCIATIONALISM . 43 2.2 THE SHIFT OF THRESHOLDS IN THE COMPLEX POWER-SHARING THEORY: THE INSTITUTIONAL PARADIGM . 50 2.3 LITERATURE ON KOSOVO . 56 2.4 CONSOCIATIONAL ANALOGIES . 71 CONCLUSION . 77 3 THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM . 79 3.1 THE PROCESS OF IMPOSITION OF PR WITH RESERVED SEATS . 81 3.2 THE RELATION BETWEEN CONSOCIATIONALISM, DEMOGRAPHY AND GROUP ELITES-DOES KOSOVO FIT? 94 3.3 THE FAILURE OF THE CONSOCIATIONAL EXPERIMENT DURING 2001-2008 . 106 3.4 THE POST-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD . 114 CONCLUSION . 122 4 EXECUTIVE POWER-SHARING . 125 4.1 UNMIK’S POST-CONFLICT STIFLING OF EXECUTIVE POWER-SHARING . 127 4.2 EXECUTIVE POWER SHARING UNDER THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK (2002-2007) . 139 4.3 POST-INDEPENDENCE EXECUTIVE POWER SHARING . 152 CONCLUSION . 167 5 VETO POWERS . 170 5.1 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF VETO ARRANGEMENTS WITHIN A COERCIVE CONSOCIATIONAL FRAMEWORK . 171 5.2 GENERAL ANALYSIS OF THE VETO ARRANGEMENTS . 177
LC-StatCom with symmetrical I-V characteristic: Total Harmonic Distortion Study

In this paper, the effect of capacitor voltage ripple on current quality in a cascaded H-bridge (CHB) low-capacitance static compensator (LC-StatCom) with symmetrical I-V characteristics is investigated. Total harmonic distortion of the synthesized ac voltage of an H-bridge converter operating with different capacitor voltage ripples is evaluated for both inductive and capacitive operating modes. Simulation-based analyses on a 350-VA three-cell CHB LC-StatCom system are provided to demonstrate LC-StatCom's effectiveness to provide high quality current compared to a conventional StatCom.
Was Capital Fleeing Southeast Asia? Estimates from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand

Capital flight is the movement of capital from a resource-scarce developing country to avoid social control. It is measured as the net unrecorded capital outflow, or the residual between officially recorded uses and sources of funds. For Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, we estimated total capital flight at US$ 658 billion (in 1995 prices) over the period 1970–2000. Including imputed interest earnings, we estimated the stock of capital flight at US$ 1 trillion as of 2002. The figures mean large amounts of lost resources that could have been utilized in the four countries to generate additional output and jobs.
Bank Interest Rate Adjustments: Are They Asymmetric?

This paper is concerned with the asymmetric adjustments between three Australian bank interest rates: a bank bill rate, a loan rate and a deposit rate. A multivariate asymmetric error-correction model is applied to capture the interplay of long-run relationships between the levels of the rates and short-run relationships between the changes in the rates. The empirical analysis, for the sample period 1990:01-2000:04, shows that interest rate adjustments, in response to positive and negative shocks, are asymmetric in the short run, but not in the long run. In particular, the results suggest that banks adjust their loan and deposit rates, in response to a change in the bank-bill rate, at a faster rate during periods of monetary easings (negative changes) than during periods of monetary tightenings (positive changes). Copyright 2001 by The Economic Society of Australia.
Live Leishmania tarentolae secreting HNP1 as an immunotherapeutic tool against Leishmania infection in BALB/c mice.

AIM Several disadvantages about chemotherapy for leishmaniasis has reinforced discovery of novel therapeutic agents especially immunotherapeutics. HNP1, as a member of the mammalian antimicrobial peptides family, is an attractive molecule due to its broad functional spectrum. Here, the in vivo potency of HNP1 in transgenic Leishmania tarentolae as an immunotherapy tool against Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice was examined. METHODS & RESULTS 3 weeks after infection with L. major, the treatment effect of L. tarentolae-HNP1-EGFP was pursued. The results were promising in respect to parasite load control and Th1 immune response polarization compared with controls. CONCLUSION Immunotherapy by live L. tarentolae secreting HNP1 can elicit cellular immune response in a susceptible mouse model in order to control L. major infection.