Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Globalisation, Institutional Structures and Real Estate Markets in Central European Cities

This paper examines the urban development process in post-socialist cities of Budapest, Prague and Warsaw in the context of economic globalisation and societal transformation. Several factors have helped to shape the post-socialist cities of central Europe since the end of the 1980s. These include political transformation, economic change, restitution, privatisation, price liberalisation and decentralisation of local government. It is argued that local government administrative and planning structures have been ill prepared in meeting the requirements of international investment capital in a co-ordinated and effective manner. Institutional constraints has promoted an organic form of urban development primarily determined through the international demand for, and supply of, commercial and retail space.
Reduction of wobble artefacts in images from mobile transmission X-ray vehicle scanners

Detector boom wobble in transmission X-ray vehicle scanners is an unpredictable and currently uncontrollable problem, which lowers the quality of captured X-ray images. We propose (i) a method for image correction which is able to correct for 70% of boom wobble error given estimates of boom wobble, and (ii) a method of wobble estimation, based on the fusion of instantaneous wobble estimates with previous estimates, which is robust against non-Gaussian X-ray beam cross-sections and approaches ground truth accuracy. The combination of the two approaches provides a method for the reduction of wobble artefacts in images. The two methods have good potential for application in analogous scenarios in medical imaging, radiation physics, laser science and biophysics.
Simulation of Land Use Consequences of Urban Corridor in Kolkata: An Integrated Spatial and Expert System Model

The probability of land use to transform under the influence of transport corridors is an economic measurement unit of a specific land use defined by its accessibility level, economic level and spatial interactions. This study examines land use transitions due to development of transport corridor using expert judgement analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for measuring priority ranking of a particular land use to transit to other use, along the second Vivekananda Bridge- Belghoria Expressway(2VBBE) running through a relatively depressed urban fringe of Kolkata, India. Using the rank scores from AHP, a spatial model-Multivariate Grid Analysis (MVGA) was conceptualized to analyze the probability of transition of land activity in the zone of influence. The model has used data of over a period of 16 years (1999–2006) to find out the Transition Probability Index (TPI) of land use in the congruous lands. MVGA cumulatively uses property values, accessibility, environmental and demographic factors to project the proposed land use structure for 2020. It spatially predicted the land uses which might undergo incredible changes due to the facility development. These results can implicate policies for internalization of benefits of the corridor in urban development of Kolkata Metropolitan Area.
The X-Ray Structure of A399 and A401: A Pre-Merging Cluster Pair

We present {\em ASCA} results of the pair clusters A399 and A401. The region between the two clusters exhibits excess X-rays over the value expected with a simple superposition of the two clusters. We see, however, no temperature rise at the merging front; the temperature is near the average of those in the inner regions of the two clusters. These indicate that the two clusters are really interacting but it is not strong at present. The inner regions of the two clusters show no radial variations of temperature, abundance and absorption values. We set upper-limits of mass deposition rate of cooling flow to be $\dot{M}<35\;\rm M_{\odot}yr^{-1}$ and $\dot{M}<59\;\rm M_{\odot}yr^{-1}$ for A399 and A401, respectively. A hint of azimuthal variation of the temperature is also found.
Possibilities of HfO2 for Double-Pole Four-Throw Double-Gate RF CMOS switch

In this paper, we have designed a Double-Pole Four-Throw (DP4T) RF CMOS switch, using Double-Gate (DG) MOSFET which has a high dielectric Hafnium-dioxide (HfO2) in place of Silicon-dioxide (SiO2). The performance of HfO2 for the switch such as an effective ON-resistance, attenuation, flat-band capacitance, average dynamic power, doping densities, Debye length, and mobility of carriers, barrier heights and working efficiency at high temperature has been discussed. The results for the analysis of this DP4T DG RF CMOS switch with HfO2 includes the basics of the circuit elements required as integrated circuits for the radio frequency communication systems.
Association of different tumor necrosis factor alpha promoter allele frequencies with ankylosing spondylitis in HLA-B27 positive individuals.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the potential association of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) promoter alleles with ankylosing spondylitis. METHODS DNA from 141 HLA-B27 positive Caucasian patients with ankylosing spondylitis and 46 B27-positive and 99 B27-negative healthy Caucasian controls was investigated by polymerase chain reaction amplification of the TNFalpha promoter region and subsequent dot-blot analysis with allele-specific oligonucleotides. RESULTS There was a significant decrease in the promoter alleles TNF-238.2 and TNF-308.2 in the ankylosing spondylitis group (266 wild-type alleles, 16 variant alleles) compared with the B27-positive (75 wildtype promoter alleles, 17 variant alleles; P<0.0004) and the B27-negative (159 wild-type promoter alleles, 39 variant alleles; P< 0.00001) control groups. Positivity for the variant promoter alleles conferred protection and a relative risk of 0.3 to B27-positive individuals. CONCLUSION These data indicate that allelic variations in the TNFalpha promoter influence disease susceptibility in HLA-B27 positive individuals. This protective effect of variant promoter alleles could be related to differences in TNFalpha production or could reflect the association of different B27 haplotypes with ankylosing spondylitis.
Determinants of Protection in Thai Manufacturing

This paper examines determinants of effective rates of protection (ERP) and nominal rates of protection (NRP) in Thai manufacturing. Our results indicate political bargains in Thailand are struck over ERP rather than NRP. Moreover, protection tends to be granted to industries that have a high level of industry concentration and are experiencing increased import competition. The relatively open foreign investment policy regime in Thailand means that policymakers are more responsive to requests made by foreign investors, including requests for tariff cuts. The decision to grant protection to Thai industries is justified on the basis of the ability of industries to generate employment and backward linkage to the rest of the economy.
How do interactions of Kano model attributes affect customer satisfaction? An analysis based on psychological foundations

This paper analyses how the interactions of services' attributes, classified by the Kano model, affect customer satisfaction. The present research argues that foundations of the attributes interactions' impact on customers' satisfaction are similar to interactions between intrinsic and extrinsic psychological motivators. To carry out this research, data were collected by interviewing a sample of 119 customers of pizzerias and 152 customers of video rental stores. The results show that the impact of a superior level of ‘attractive’ and ‘one-dimensional’ attributes on customer satisfaction, decreases from 30% to 70% if ‘must-be’ or ‘one-dimensional’ attributes are unfulfilled. These findings support the assumption that it is important to achieve adequate performance of ‘must-be’ and ‘one-dimensional’ attributes before offering ‘attractive’ attributes or hoping to achieve superior performance of ‘one-dimensional’ attributes. It is important for a company to be able to identify the Kano model category for each attribute. The managerial implication suggests that companies should identify and keep ‘must-be’ and one-dimensional attributes on an adequate performance level. Only in this way attributes classified as ‘attractive’ or ‘one-dimensional’ can bring differentials in the market and have full effect on customer satisfaction. No previous papers have studied how the interaction of attributes with different Kano model classifications impact on customer satisfaction and relate it with psychological aspects. This study may lead to the development of more refined methods to design, manage and improve services and products, finding not only attributes relevancy, but also their best combination.
Contemporary debates and new directions in HRM in MNCs: introduction

This paper focuses on the debates about globalisation – its nature and impact – and the significance of multinational companies in the global economy. Introduces the special issue of the International Journal of Manpower, based on selected papers presented at the 7th Conference on International Human Resource Management hosted by the University of Limerick in June 2003, which focused on the issue of HRM and its transferability in such corporations. The MNC is viewed as the vehicle by which dominant HR policies and practices are transported across national boundaries and the papers shed light on the likelihood of, and limits, to this transfer. In order to contextualise the debate, the paper begins by outlining the extent to which human resource management remains a key issue for multinational corporations and, in advance of introducing the five papers in this special issue, summarily charts some of the key research trends emerging in the literature on international human resource management (IHRM).
Effects of varying the dietary concentration of phenobarbital on its enhancement of 2-acetylaminofluorene-induced hepatic tumorigenesis.

Studies in this laboratory first showed that the incidence of hepatic tumors induced by a brief exposure to dietary 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) is substantially increased if the AAF treatment is followed by prolonged phenobarbital feeding. Our subsequent experiments focused in part on an examination of the characteristics of the tumorigenic enhancement process in liver in an effort to determine whether this experimental system constitutes a valid initiation-promotion model that may be useful for mechanistic studies of multistage tumorigenesis. These investigations involved analyses of the effects on hepatic tumorigenesis of changing the duration of AAF feeding, the duration of phenobarbital feeding, and the interval between the termination of AAF feeding and the onset of phenobarbital feeding. The results demonstrated that the characteristics of the hepatocarcinogenic response to the sequential AAF-phenobarbital treatment protocol are consistent with the classic initiation-promotion model originally derived from studies of skin tumorigenesis. The present investigation further extends the characterization of the liver initiation-promotion model by comparing the tumor promoting effects of different dietary levels of phenobarbital. When fed at dietary concentrations that did not affect body weight gain, phenobarbital elicited dose-dependent increases in the final incidence (plateau level) of hepatic tumors in rats previously fed AAF. However, these phenobarbital treatments did not affect the time to onset or to cessation (attainment of the plateau phase) of tumorigenesis. The highest dietary concentration of phenobarbital (0.25%) retarded tumor formation initially but ultimately had the strongest promoting effect; rats on this regime also showed a reduction in growth rate. None of the phenobarbital treatments affected the growth rates or the morphological characteristics (degree of differentiation) of the tumors that were produced. On the basis of the evidence presented it is concluded that ( a ) phenobarbital has no initiating activity and ( b ) tumor promotion by phenobarbital involves primarily and increase in the probability that initiated hepatocytes will express the neoplastic phenotype and does not influence the character of this phenotype or the kinetics of its expression.
The 32-year relationship between cholesterol and dementia from midlife to late life

Background: Cellular and animal studies suggest that hypercholesterolemia contributes to Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the relationship between cholesterol and dementia at the population level is less clear and may vary over the lifespan. Methods: The Prospective Population Study of Women, consisting of 1,462 women without dementia aged 38–60 years, was initiated in 1968–1969 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Follow-ups were conducted in 1974–1975, 1980–1981, 1992–1993, and 2000–2001. All-cause dementia was diagnosed according to DSM-III-R criteria and AD according to National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke–Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria. Cox proportional hazards regression examined baseline, time-dependent, and change in cholesterol levels in relation to incident dementia and AD among all participants. Analyses were repeated among participants who survived to the age of 70 years or older and participated in the 2000–2001 examination. Results: Higher cholesterol level in 1968 was not associated with an increased risk of AD (highest vs lowest quartile: hazard ratio [HR] 2.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94–8.43) among those who survived to and participated in the 2000–2001 examination. While there was no association between cholesterol level and dementia when considering all participants over 32 years, a time-dependent decrease in cholesterol over the follow-up was associated with an increased risk of dementia (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.22–4.58). Conclusion: These data suggest that midlife cholesterol level is not associated with an increased risk of AD. However, there may be a slight risk among those surviving to an age at risk for dementia. Declining cholesterol levels from midlife to late life may better predict AD risk than levels obtained at one timepoint prior to dementia onset. Analytic strategies examining this and other risk factors across the lifespan may affect interpretation of results.
A queda recente da desigualdade: relevância e limites

The objective of this essay is to elucidate the undeniable relevance of the current movement of fall of the inequality in a context of economic prices stability, and recovery of the economic activity, with characteristics that much time the country did not live, pointing the limits that the National Research for Sample of Domiciles (PNAD) demonstrates. The current movement of fall of the inequality presents some dimensions that must be taken in account to understand the limits characterize that it. The concern is turned, not only, toward the identification of some determinative of the process, but also toward the indication of still absent subjects in many studies, that limit more robust conclusions on possible relations between the fall of the inequality and structural modifications in the distributions functional and individual of income. Moreover, the recognition of the importance of the reduction of the inequality must be followed of the identification of limits that the process loaded and loads, which determines that the current analysis assumes a partial character on the distribution of income and its perspectives. Key-Words: Inequality, Income distribution, Labor Market Area 12 Economia do Trabalho Classificacao JEL: H53 Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs 1 Professor titular do Instituto de Economia da Unicamp. 2 Aluna de mestrado do curso de Desenvolvimento Economico – Economia Social e do Trabalho da Unicamp. 3 Aluno de mestrado do curso de Desenvolvimento Economico – Economia Social e do Trabalho da Unicamp.
Why Large Financial Institutions Buy Put Options from Companies

This study explores the strategic interaction between large institutional investors and firms that issue put options written on their own stock. The firms experience large positive abnormal annual returns after they sell put options. The vast majority of issued put options expire without being exercised, and the buyers of these options, which are predominantly investment banks, lose money. We propose a model that gives a rationale why an uninformed party, an investment bank will trade in put options with an informed party, the issuing firm, although the expected profits from this trade are negative. The model shows how trading with an informed party can be profitable because the bank can acquire valuable information and afterwards earn abnormal returns on trades in other securities of the same firm. Finally, we outline several predictions from the model, and propose empirical tests to establish our proposition that an investment bank can legally acquire private information and trade profitably on it.
Competition and risk in South East Asian commercial banking

This article investigates the effects of competition on bank risk taking behaviour in four South East Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam). Our main finding is that competition does not increase bank risk-taking behaviour and the results appear robust to different model specifications, estimation approaches and variable construction. We also find that concentration is inversely related to bank risk whereas regulatory restrictions positively influence bank risk-taking.
Do Investors Recognize Information Technology As A Strategic Asset? A Longitudinal Analysis Of Changes In Ownership Structure And IT Capability

IT capability is known to increase financial performance and affects strategic topics like vertical integration and competitive action. It is seen as a strategic although intangible asset and receives a lot of interest in research and practice. Recent studies show that this organizational asset is developed over time and needs continuous investment to be built. Long-term oriented investors value strategic assets as they are essential drivers for firms’ long-term success and survival. Hence, compared to other companies in the same industry, a higher ratio of long-term oriented investors in a firm’s ownership structure should reflect a firm’s ability to create strategic assets. Based on archival data from 2000 to 2009 we investigate the interplay of a firm’s IT capability and its ownership structure. We find that superior IT capability is related to a high ratio of long-term oriented investors. Further, empirical analysis shows that changes in IT capability induce adjustments in the ownership structure. This study contributes to the body of literature on the business value of IT by studying the capital market effects of IT capability. Practical implications and areas of further research are outlined.
Selection of the Flood Management Solution of Karstic Field

Abstract Water resources management in karst areas is a very complex task, especially with regard to solving the problem of floods and protection against pollution. This is also true for flood protection of Vrgorsko polje, which is the subject of this paper. Complexity of water system and socio-economic characteristics in the broader area requires integral problem solving through analyses of several alternatives with different technical and technological features as well as different socio-economic and ecological impacts. In this paper, an elaborated integral approach to problem solving is presented as well as system analyses and the procedure of multicriteria selection of an optimum solution for karstic polje flood protection. The problem was successfully solved using the procedure with two basic steps. The first step analyzed possible basic solution concepts while the second analyzed engineering solutions in compliance with the adopted concepts. The results confirm the validity of this approach, which resulted in the elaboration of a flood protection project that was acceptable for all participants in the system.
Evaluation of Antigenotoxic Effects of Plant Flavonoids Quercetin and Rutin on HepG2 Cells

The flavonoid quercetin and its derivative rutin were investigated for genotoxicity/antigenotoxicity activity in human hepatoma HepG2 cells using the comet assay. The extract cytotoxicity was evaluated using the trypan blue exclusion dye method with quercetin and rutin concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 200.0 μg/mL of culture medium. Three minor non‐cytotoxic concentrations were chosen to evaluate the genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity of the flavonoids (0.1, 1.0 and 5.0 μg/mL) through comet assay. The cultures were treated with three different concentrations of rutin or quercetin (genotoxicity) or their association with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) or doxorubicin (DXR) (antigenotoxicity test) in three protocols: pre‐treatment, simultaneous treatment and post‐treatment. The cell cultures were also treated with 1% DMSO (control group), AFB1, MMS and DXR (positive‐control). Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and Dunnett's test (p ≤ 0.05). Quercetin at concentrations higher than 10.0 μg/mL or rutin higher than 50.0 μg/mL exhibited a cytotoxic effect on the cells, showing that quercetin is more cytotoxic than rutin. Furthermore, neither compound was able to induce genotoxicity in the concentrations evaluated. On the other hand, both flavonoids reduced DNA damage induced by AFB1, MMS and DXR in all treatment protocols. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Legitimation Strategies Used in Response to Environmental Disaster: A French Case Study of Total SA's Erika and AZF Incidents

This paper presents a case study examining the environmental disclosure decisions and practices of Total SA (hereafter, Total), one of the largest integrated oil and gas companies in the world. Because the company has a substantial international presence and operates in environmentally sensitive industries, management is constantly exposed to ethical and social issues. The company faced two major environment-related disasters: (1) the sinking of the Erika tanker, leading to a major oil spill along the Atlantic coast of Bretagne in 1999; and (2) the 2001 deadly explosion of the AZF chemical plant in the suburb of Toulouse, France. In this case study I aim at investigating the strategies employed by Total to defend and downplay its environmental performance and activities related to these incidents. The case is framed within legitimacy theory, originating from the notion of a ‘social contract’ between organizations and society. Findings generally indicate that Total used communication strategies to legitimate their actions and support the argument that social and environmental disclosures remain a powerful legitimacy device rather than an effort towards greater accountability.
Is the reduction of chronic diseases related to food consumption in the hands of the food industry

Up to now, most nutritional policies have been set up to inform consumers about the health benefits induced by more balanced diets. Reviews of the impacts of these policies show that the effects are often modest. This has led governments to implement, in more recent times, policies focused on the market environment, especially on the characteristics of the food supply. The goal of this paper is to review theoretical and empirical studies focusing on changes in the food supply induced by alternative policies, and to attempt to draw from them policy guidelines and conjectures to test in future research.
Incitations et contraintes à la gestion du résultat

Cette communication est une revue de la litterature sur la gestion du resultat. Deux resultats apparaissent : l'absence de monotonie stricte des incitations contrairement a la formulation naive des predictions de Watts & Zimmerman (1986) et la necessite de prendre en compte des contraintes pour comprendre les politiques comptables.