Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Debt Capacity and Optimal Capital Structure for Privately Financed Infrastructure Projects

Governments can use concession agreements to induce private sector development and operation of infrastructure projects. In concession agreements, several private sector companies form a separate company that becomes responsible for financing, building, and operating the facility. Before joining forces, though, the prospective players must determine how to fund the associated construction and startup costs. Such projects generally repay any debt obligations through their own net operating income, and do not provide the lenders with any other collateral. Thus, the likelihood of a costly bankruptcy becomes a real issue. This paper, explains that, under these circumstances, the amount of debt that a project can accommodate is less than 100 percent debt financing. The amount of debt that maximizes the investors' return on equity is less than the project's debt capacity, and the amount of debt that maximizes the project's net present value is even smaller. Exceeding these debt amounts and moving towards debt capacity is discouraged because it can quickly erode the project's value to the investors. An example is presented.
Patient Perspectives on Online Health Information and Communication With Doctors: A Qualitative Study of Patients 50 Years Old and Over

Background As health care systems around the world shift toward models that emphasize self-care management, there is increasing pressure for patients to obtain health information online. It is critical that patients are able to identify potential problems with using the Internet to diagnose and treat a health issue and that they feel comfortable communicating with their doctor about the health information they acquire from the Internet. Objective Our aim was to examine patient-identified (1) problems with using the Internet to identify and treat a health issue, (2) barriers to communication with a doctor about online health information seeking, and (3) facilitators of communication with a doctor about patient searches for health information on the Internet. Methods For this qualitative exploratory study, semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 56 adults age 50 years old and over. General concerns regarding use of the Internet to diagnose and treat a health issue were examined separately for participants based on whether they had ever discussed health information obtained through the Internet with a doctor. Discussions about barriers to and facilitators of communication about patient searches for health information on the Internet with a doctor were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Six higher-level general concerns emerged: (1) limitations in own ability, (2) credibility/limitations of online information, (3) anxiety, (4) time consumption, (5) conflict, and (6) non-physical harm. The most prevalent concern raised by participants who communicated with a doctor about their online health information seeking related to the credibility or limitations in online information. Participants who had never communicated with a doctor about their online health information seeking most commonly reported concerns about non-physical harm. Four barriers to communication emerged: (1) concerns about embarrassment, (2) concerns that the doctor doesn’t want to hear about it, (3) belief that there is no need to bring it up, and (4) forgetting to bring it up. Facilitators of communication included: (1) having a family member present at doctor visits, (2) doctor-initiated inquiries, and (3) encountering an advertisement that suggested talking with a doctor. Conclusions Overall, participants displayed awareness of potential problems related to online health information seeking. Findings from this study point to a set of barriers as well as facilitators of communication about online health information seeking between patients and doctors. This study highlights the need for enhanced patient communication skills, eHealth literacy assessments that are accompanied by targeted resources pointing individuals to high-quality credible online health information, and the need to remind patients of the importance of consulting a medical professional when they use online health resources to diagnose and treat a health issue.
Monitoring of Patients with Heart Failure

The recent guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology, recommends laboratory testing as an essential part of the evaluation of the patient presenting with acute or chronic heart failure. The decrease in BNP has been included as a treatment goal for the management of acute heart failure. As for other properties it is important to define what difference can be considered as a real change of the marker in serial measurements. Therefore, knowledge of pathophysiological influences and pre‐analytical issues as well as the intraindividual variability of BNP and N‐terminal proBNP (NT‐proBNP) due to analytical imprecision and biological variation is crucial. Erroneous test results with BNP or NT‐proBNP assays are rare but may occasionally occur analytical interferences and should be suspected if the results do not suit the clinical picture or the serial kinetics. Although BNP assays correlate closely, due to lack of standardization no two BNP assays are analytically equivalent, and the same assay must be used for serial measurement. The in‐vitro stabilities of BNP and NT‐proBNP are sufficient for routine use, and blood sampling for BNP or NT‐proBNP directly after arrival without a standardized period of rest is feasible, however, heavy physical exercise should be avoided before blood sampling. To be on the safe side a period of 10 minutes rest before blood sampling is recommended. BNP and NT‐proBNP are suitable for heart failure monitoring, and BNP and NT‐proBNP changes >50% from baseline correlated well with clinical course and a reduction of mortality in heart failure patients.
Fractional-delay sequential blind beamforming for wireless multipath communications in confined areas

This paper presents a new adaptive antenna-array beamforming receiver for multipath correlated signals in hostile environments, such as indoor confined or underground areas, where intersymbol interference (ISI) and intrasymbol interference (isi) are predominant. The proposed receiver uses a new synchronization approach for multipath propagation and is based on sequential blind CMA and nested LMS beamformings with adaptive fractional-time-delay estimation. This approach uses on one hand CMA and LMS to recover any time path arrival (TPA) that is an integer multiple of the sampling interval, and nested adaptive fractional time delay estimation with LMS on the other hand to recover any TPA that is a non-integer multiple of the sampling interval. Coherent Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) with hard Decision Feedback Identification (DPI) is also proposed for optimal and constructive combination of these different extracted paths. Analysis and results show the promising performance of the new adaptive antenna-array structure for different operating conditions and modulation schemes.
On the Empirics of Market Integration in ECOWAS

Abstract This paper uses the gravity model to investigate the market implications of unilateral and preferential economic reforms in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The results show that the traditional explanatory variables of the gravity model are the significant determinants of trade flows in the ECOWAS region, and that belonging to this grouping fosters trade. Hence policy advice should focus on strengthening these factors, which are likely to enhance the possibility of greater intra‐regional trade. This can contribute to drawing foreign direct investment to the region, enhancing policy credibility, and bringing greater economic and political stability.
Networks as an innovative approach in geoparks and geotourism

Geoparks as an innovation for the protection of natural and geological heritage play an important role in the development of geotourism and knowledge exchange. The European Geopark Network (EGN) and the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network (GGN) have introduced geotourism as a target for geopark creation, and they introduced the network concept to geotourism activities. Geoparks through network activities can encourage the small and medium-sized enterprises and local producers in geotourism. This paper aims at analysing network activity between geoparks and evaluating the connectivity rate of the Global Geoparks Network and the European Geoparks Network. To this end, nineteen geopark strategies were analysed (13 in Europe and 5 in Asia – China, Malaysia, Japan, and Iran- and 1 in Australia). It was concluded that UNESCO Global Geoparks Network and European Geoparks Network have concentrated their network activity on the area of meeting, conference, and exchange of knowledge. Moreover, authorities of geoparks attempt for development of tourism marketing in their territory.
Scatter reduction of the 50-60 Hz breakdown voltage test for insulating liquids

There are several reasons to test the breakdown voltage of insulating liquids: acceptance tests on new deliveries, testing of treated liquids prior to or during filling into electrical equipment, and monitoring and maintaining oil-filled apparatus in service. Among others, the test for the determination of breakdown voltage at 50 or 60 Hz is one of the most important. In fact, it is worldwide accepted that this test gives quickly very useful information even if mainly related with moisture and particle content than the intrinsic properties of the insulating liquids. This test is standardized by IEC and ASTM but has some limitations in terms of the statistical scatter of mean value of the breakdown voltage. The present paper presents an improvement on the scatter of the mean values of the breakdown voltage by increasing the number of requested shots and discarding the most disperse results. In addition, it is presented as a revised test cell having stirring device on the top and round edges at the bottom may further reduce the standard deviation of the same breakdown voltage. Others experimental parameters which may still influence the scatter of the same standardized test are also examined and discussed.
The Binding of 2-(4′-Methylaminophenyl)Benzothiazole to Postmortem Brain Homogenates Is Dominated by the Amyloid Component

2-(4′-Methylaminophenyl)benzothiazole (BTA-1) is an uncharged derivative of thioflavin-T that has high affinity for Aβ fibrils and shows very good brain entry and clearance. In this study, we asked whether BTA-1, at concentrations typical of those achieved during positron emission tomography (PET) studies, could specifically bind to amyloid deposits in the complex milieu of human brain or whether amyloid binding was overshadowed by nonspecific binding, found even in brains that did not contain amyloid deposits. We quantitatively assessed [3H]BTA-1 binding to crude homogenates of postmortem brain obtained from nine Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects, eight controls, and six subjects with non-AD dementia. BTA-1 binding was >10-fold higher in AD brain, and the majority (94%) of the binding was specific (displaceable). High-affinity [3H]BTA-1 was observed only in AD brain gray matter and was not present in control brain gray matter, AD brain white matter, or cerebellum. The Kd of [3H]BTA-1 for binding to AD brain (5.8 ± 0.90 nm) was very similar to theKd for binding to synthetic Aβ fibrils. In addition, the Ki of various BTA analogs for inhibition of [3H]BTA-1 binding to AD brain homogenates was very similar to their Ki for inhibition of [3H]BTA-1 binding to synthetic Aβ fibrils. Nanomolar concentrations of [3H]BTA-1 did not appear to bind to neurofibrillary tangles. Finally, BTA-1 did not appear to bind significantly to common neuroreceptors or transporter sites. These data suggest that the binding of BTA-1 to AD brain is dominated by a specific interaction with Aβ amyloid deposits.
Determinants of SMEs' perceptions of electronic banking in Pakistan

This study aims to collect the perceptions of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) owners/executives/managers on the potential benefits and risks associated with Electronic Banking (EB) in Pakistan. The SMEs were selected from the yellow pages and every hundredth company was targeted randomly. Data were collected through primary sources and examined via frequency analysis and mean score analysis. The results indicate that the SMEs perceive EB as a tool to save time, facilitate quick responses and minimise the risk of carrying cash. The firms' most desired EB facilities are the payment of utility bills, submission of complaints and downloading of daily account reports. The SMEs also consider that EB increases the chances of government access to public data, fraud and data losses. The outcomes help bankers understand the concerns and demands of SMEs which not only represent a viable market segment in terms of the number and value of accounts, but also provide a considerable amount of retail profits.
Debt servicing and economic growth in Nigeria: an empirical investigation

In this study we reviewed and analyse the effect of external debt service payment practices on sustainable economic growth and development with particular emphasis on Nigeria. To achieve the objective of this research, we use debt payment to Multilateral Financial creditors, Paris club creditors, London club creditors, Promissory notes holders and other creditors (Non-Paris Creditors) as variables to statistically determine whether they have inverse relationship with gross domestic product (GDP) and gross fixed capital formation at current market prices (GFCF). Data pertaining to 1981 through 2004 were used with the ordinary least square multiple regression method. We found that debt payment to London club creditors, Paris club creditors, promissory notes holders and Other creditors have significant impact on the GDP and GFCF. Debt payment to Paris club creditors and debt payment to promissory notes holders are positively related to GDP and GFCF, while debt payment to London club creditors and Other creditors shows a negative significant relation to GDP and GFCF. We therefore recommend among others that government should ensure that any loan deal with either London club or Other creditors should be deal that will open Nigeria to greater trade and investment and can stimulate the private sector, since debt payment to these two creditors impact negatively on our economic growth. KEYWORDS: Debt Management, Creditors, Debtors, Gross Domestic Product
Causal Relations Among Stock Returns, Interest Rates, Real Activity, and Inflation

Using a multivariate vector-autoregression approach, this paper investigates causal relations and dynamic interactions among asset returns, real activity, and inflation in the postwar United States. Major findings are (1) stock returns appear Granger-causally prior and help explain real activity; (2) with interest rates in the vector autoregression, stock returns explain little variation in inflation, although interest rates explain a substantial fraction of the variation in inflation; and (3) inflation explains little variation in real activity. Copyright 1992 by American Finance Association.
LUCAS, KEYNES, AND THE CRISIS

The article contrasts an intellectual history perspective on the transition from classical to neo-classical economics with doctrinal accounts of the marginal revolution. Marshall's opinions on the mixture of theoretical, methodological, and moral and political elements involved in the generational divide shows that more was at stake than accounts in which theory alone is stressed suggest. It is also argued that in other respects less was at stake: drawing a sharp dividing line between pre- and post-marginal treatments of policy issues does not do justice to underlying continuities in the empirical utilitarian tradition. The article is dedicated to the memory of R. D. C. (Bob) Black, whose work on Jevons illustrates the benefits of an intellectual historian's approach to this significant transition in economic thinking.
The Endogeneity between Language and Earnings: International Analyses

This study is concerned with the determinants of dominant language fluency, its effects on earnings, and its endogeneity with earnings among immigrants. Dominant language fluency is hypothesized to be a function of three fundamental variables: exposure to the language, efficiency in second language acquisition, and economic benefits from language fluency. Conceptual variables with empirical counterparts are developed. Earnings are hypothesized to be a function of language skills, among other variables. Ordinary least squares, instrumental variables, and sample selection bias techniques are used to estimate the equations for Australia. Comparisons are made with analyses for the United States, Canada, and Israel.
How Consistent Are Winning Strategies? The Role of Competitor Analysis and Budgets on Performance in a Simulation

This article looks at the role of competitor analysis in the development of marketing strategies in a business simulation. It is, in part, a replication of an earlier study by Green and Faria that indicated that good strategic decisions are, on the whole, successful even when actions of competitors are ignored completely. The current study, based on the MARKSTRAT2 simulation, confirmed the results of Green and Faria in that the strategies continued to be successful in an environment with different competitors. However, in the rerun situation, the winning strategies did not deliver the profits necessary to earn the budget levels achieved in the original run of the simulation, and the original strategies could only be pursued by providing additional funding. In this sense, it is clear that in the reruns, the original strategies were less successful, thus supporting the notion that competitor analysis is an important step in strategy development.
Corporate responsibility reporting of biodiversity in the supply chain

Industrial development, accompanying human population growth, has had a major role in creating the situation where bio-diverse materials and services essential for sustaining business are under threat. A major contributory factor to biodiversity decline comes from the cumulative impacts of extended supply chain business operations. However, within Corporate Responsibility (CR) reporting impacts on biodiversity due to supply chain operations have not traditionally been given equal weighting with other environmental issues. This paper investigates the extent of CR reporting in managing and publicising company biodiversity supply chain issues by reviewing a cross-sector sample of publicly available CR reports. The report contents were examined for suggestions of industrial sectorial trends in the level of biodiversity consideration. The reporting of environmental management system use within company supply chain management is assessed in the samples and is considered as a mechanism for responsible supplier partnership working.
Crisis Informatics: Studying Crisis in a Networked World

Serious crises and disasters have micro and macro social arrangements that differ from routine situations, as the field of disaster studies has described over its 100-year history. With increasingly pervasive information and communications technology (ICT) and a changing political arena where terrorism is perceived as a major threat, the attention to crisis is high. Some of these new features of social life have created real change in the sociology of disaster that we are only beginning to understand. However, much of what might seem to be new is not; rather ICT makes some behaviors more visible, in particular first response and altruistic activities. Even so, with each new crisis event, the calls for technological solutions and policy change come fast and furious, often in absence of empirical research. Our lab is establishing an area of sociologically informed research and ICT development in the area of crisis informatics. Here, we report on some of the challenges and findings when conducting empirical study where the subject of attention is disperse, emergent and increasingly expanding through on-line arenas. We specifically consider the challenge of studying citizen- side information generation and dissemination activities during the April 16, 2007 crisis at Virginia Tech, which we have investigated both on-site and on-line.
A pesticide spraying mission assignment performed by multi-quadcopters and its simulation platform establishment

This paper proposes a new mission assignment scheme aimed at the farmland spraying problem by using the plant-protection-quadcopters. A mathematical model of the mission assignment problem is established by simplifying some minor factors of the optimization problem and a Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) method is used to obtain the optimal solution. Then, a simulation platform is established and a series of simulations are carried out to verify the reasonability and correctness of this mission assignment scheme.
The 1990 clean air act amendments : overview, utility industry responses, and strategic implications

Rappel de la legislation americaine en matiere de pollution de l'air : reduction des emissions de SO 2 et controle des emissions de NO x , incitations a la conservation de l'energie et a la production d'energie renouvelable. Analyse des reponses du secteur secondaire et notamment de l'industrie charbonniere. Presentation des axes strategiques de la politique energetique.
Supply and Demand for Married Female Labor: Rural and Urban Differences In the Southern United States

Abstract This study examined the supply of and demand for married female labor in the southern United States. Special attention was given to differences in labor force participation, labor supply, and quantities of labor supplied and demanded across rural and urban areas. Once state effects were accounted for, decisions to change participation were found not to vary by urban-rural designation. Differences in demand were fully captured by an intercept shifter and the variations in hours supplied by married females between urban and rural areas. Labor supply varied greatly with the effects of key determinants (number of children, work force experience, family income) being strongly different in rural areas. Different policies are needed to promote female labor supply in rural areas as opposed to urban areas.
Antimicrobial sesquiterpenoids from Laurus nobilis L.

Activity-guided fractionations of leaf extracts from Laurus nobilis L. led to the isolation of a known sesquiterpene lactone, deacetyl laurenobiolide (1). Compound 1 showed antimicrobial activity against periopathic pathogens (Actinomyces viscosus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans), opportunistic Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) and fungi (Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus). Furthermore, acetylation and cyclisation of deacetyl laurenobiolide (1) yielded laurenobiolide (2) and a new compound, (5S,6R,7S,8S,10R)-6,8-dihydroxyeudesma-4(15),11(13)-dien-12-oic acid 12,8-lactone (3), respectively. Compounds 2 and 3 also showed antimicrobial activities. All compounds 1–3 demonstrated growth inhibitory effects with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 31 to 1000 µg mL−1. This is the first report of compounds 1–3 showing antimicrobial activities.