Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
White matter hyperintensities in the forties: Their prevalence and topography in an epidemiological sample aged 44–48

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are a frequent finding on T2‐weighted MRI of the brain in elderly individuals, but their prevalence and severity in younger asymptomatic populations is less well studied. We report the topography of WMHs on T2‐weighted fluid inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI in 428 individuals aged 44‐48 years recruited randomly from a healthy community sample. WMHs were delineated from FLAIR and T1‐weighted scans by using a computer algorithm, further verified and then classified using k‐nearest neighbor (kNN) algorithm into deep WMH (DWMH), and periventricular WMH (PVWMH), which included extended periventricular “rims” and frontal and occipital “caps”. Small caps and pencil‐thin rims were not taken as WMHs for this analysis. The new computer algorithm was validated and compared with the scores of visual rating, and the correspondence between the two methods was high. We found that 218 (50.9%) subjects had WMHs. 146 of the 218 (34.1% of whole sample population of 428) subjects had deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMHs). The average number of WMH clusters (occurrences) per brain was 1.37 (0.94 for DWMH and 0.43 for pathological PVWMH) and the mean WMH tissue volume was 0.278 ml. There was no significant sex difference in the severity and distribution of WMHs. The study suggests that small punctate or focal WMHs are common in the brains of individuals in their 40s, and may represent an early stage of development of these lesions. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An Experimental Investigation of Age Discrimination in the English Labor Market

Carefully-matched pairs of written job applications were made to test for age discrimination in hiring. A twenty-one year-old and a thirty-nine year-old woman applied for jobs where a "new graduate" was sought; men aged twenty-seven and forty-seven, inquired about employment as waiters; women aged twenty-seven and forty-seven, inquired about employment in retail sales. The rate of net discrimination against the older graduate, and against the older waiters in their London inquiries, correspond to the highest rates ever recorded anywhere, by written tests, for racial discrimination. There was a statistically significant preference for the older applicant in retail sales.
Title: Parental occupational exposure to heavy metals and welding fumes and risk of testicular germ cell tumors in offspring: a registry-based case-control study

Background: Data are scarce on the association between prenatal/preconception environmental exposure and testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) in offspring. We examined parental occupational exposures to heavy metals and welding fumes in relation to TGCT in offspring in a registry-based case-control study (NORD-TEST Study). Methods: We identified TGCT cases diagnosed at ages 14-49 years in Finland (1988-2012), Norway (1978-2010), and Sweden (1979-2011) through nationwide cancer registries. These cases were individually matched by country and year of birth to controls selected from population registries. Information on parental occupations was retrieved from censuses. From this, we estimated prenatal/preconception exposures of chromium, iron, nickel, lead, and welding fumes (all three countries), and cadmium (Finland only) for each parent using job-exposure matrices specifying prevalence (P) and mean exposure level (L). Exposure indices were calculated as product of P and L (P×L), and exposure categories were based on P×L or different combinations of P and L. Results: The study comprised 8,112 cases and 26,264 controls. We observed a statistically non-significant elevated risk of TGCT where P×L>0 except for paternal exposure to cadmium. We found no statistically significant dose-response relationship, but a statistically significant elevated TGCT risk associated with paternal exposure category where both P and L of chromium were high (vs. no chromium; odds ratio=1.37, 95% confidence interval; 1.05-1.79). Conclusion: Our study provides little evidence of associations between parental exposures to heavy metals/welding fumes and TGCT in offspring with the potential exception of high paternal chromium exposure. Impact: Further research on paternal chromium exposure is warranted.
The Investment Behaviour of Firms in an Oligopolistic Setting

Industrial organization theory has identified strategic investment in capacity as an important element in competition in oligopolistic markets. In this paper, the authors specify a model of oligopolistic investment behavior and test it with panel data for 114 firms in fifteen narrowly defined U.K. manufacturing industries in the 1970s and 1980s. The industries are distinguished according to their market characteristics as fragmented, dominant firm, and dominant group sectors. The results indicate behavior that is noncooperative in fragmented sectors, cooperative in dominant group sectors, and competitive in dominant firm sectors. Copyright 1998 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Elevation of preoperative serum C‐reactive protein level is related to poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

An increased serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) level was found in patients with various malignant tumors and was associated with poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological significance and the prognostic value of preoperative CRP levels in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.
An exploration of small business Website optimization: Enablers, influencers and an assessment approach

The literature reveals a need for more integrated research contributions to small business Internet adoption and theoretical development. There is also a need for these developments to relate more closely to effective, or optimized, use of web applications in business processes and growth. To address this, and building upon recent integrated theoretical developments, the aim of this study is to explore the determinants and outcomes relating to small business Website optimization. Five determining variables isolated from recent theoretical developments relate to small business Website adoption outcomes. Utilizing an optimization rating instrument with these variables a methodological approach produced four key findings. From these findings we develop an optimization model and focus important contributions as propositions. These propositions provide a new understanding of the enablers and influencers of small business Website optimization and a basis for research to develop further insights in this area.
Risk and regulation of emerging price volatility of non- staple agricultural commodity in China

The development of agriculture penetrated in China’s history but recently has to face emerging challenge of drastic price volatility caused by pernicious speculation. The year of 2010 saw drastic price volatility of non-staple agricultural commodities, such as green beans, garlic and ginger, in China’s agricultural market. The drastic price volatility brought immense adverse effect to Chinese market expectation and people's daily living, and aroused extensive social concern in China. Speculation and price manipulation emerged from information asymmetry may induce herd behavior under the pressure of high inflation and people’s panicky emotion. The related risks were analyzed and suggestions were put forward as to what possible cures are effective countermeasures and what ways may contribute to prevention of emerging price volatility of non-staple agricultural commodity. This paper contributed to identifying risks and vulnerable parts of non-staple agricultural commodity market, and was important for preventing cascading risk effects. It offered a new insight for agricultural market regulation, and contributed to agriculture research as well as market management and public administration. As other developing countries may also face similar problems in their agricultural markets, this paper has potential broad sense and enlightenment.
The evolving role of women in Pakistani politics

In Pakistan’s upcoming general elections on March 11th 2013 only 36 women are contesting general National Assembly seats on political party tickets, up from 34 in the 2008 elections. This low number contradicts overall trends whereby a growing number of women are contesting elections as independent candidates and more women are registered to vote than ever before. Despite these indicators, Pakistan’s political parties have done little in this election cycle to facilitate women’s participation in the political process. This is owing to fears of low female voter turnout and the consequence of local government systems that have prevented political parties from cultivating female candidates at the grass-roots level. Pakistan’s outgoing National Assembly – the first one in the country’s history to complete a full five-year term – was also exceptional for the activity of female parliamentarians: 20 out of 53 private members’ bills during the government’s tenure were moved by women, and women outperformed their male counterparts in terms of formal interventions during parliamentary proceedings (FAFEN, 2012). But this greater participation is not reflected in the number of women contesting seats on political party tickets in the upcoming general elections scheduled for May 11th 2013. Despite indicators that a growing number of women are entering politics and registering to vote, Pakistan’s political parties have done little in this election cycle to facilitate female participation in the political process. Pakistan’s national and provincial assemblies have reserved seats for women and candidates are appointed to these on the basis of their party’s electoral strength. The quota for reserved women’s seats was increased to 17% by former president Pervez Musharraf in 2002 in a bid to improve female representation. However, these reserved seats have since been criticised for perpetuating tokenism, especially since most women nominated to the seats hail from politically well-established and influential families. For example, in the 2013 elections the Punjab-based Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has nominated the party chairman’s niece and the wife and daughter of PMLN senator Chaudhry Jafar Iqbal for reserved women’s seats in the National Assembly.
Small states as aid donors

While debate continues on whether the foreign policies of small states are1 or are or not generically different from those of large states, little has been written explicitly about the association of size of donors with the quality of their foreign aid. This essay hypothesizes that the aid policies of small states will differ from those of large states in ways that may be measured empirically, just as Plischke, East, Sawyer, and Hermann have demonstrated with quantitative data that the general foreign policy behavior of small states varies significantly from that of large ones. More particularly, it is hypothesized that small states give higher quality aid, and give it relatively more generously, than large states. This hypothesis is grounded on general impressions—Sweden is widely acknowledged as a “good” donor and the United States an indifferent one—and on extrapolations from small state theory that will be sketched below.
Economic Reform and Entrepreneurship in Barbados

In the last few years, Barbados has been able to maintain a sustainable economic situation under trying times in the world economy. This institutional research investigates whether a framework conducive to enhancing entrepreneurial behavior will cause entrepreneurship. It looks at the economic reforms undertaken between 1990 and 2010 to see how they have proven to be effective in the achievement of a stable economic system that stimulates entrepreneurial development. Interviews were conducted with ten key Government officers to ascertain what took place in past two decades. It was noted that before the reform much of the business environment was agro based, however the reform has opened up the economy for entrepreneurial ventures and foreign capital. The research has shown that economic policies are needed and there are many issues to solve along the way.
Asymptomatic Malaria and its Challenges in the Malaria Elimination Program in Iran: a Systematic Review

Background: The objective of this study was to find an appropriate approach to asymptomatic malaria in elimination setting through a systematic review. Methods: A broad search was conducted to find articles with the words ‘malaria’ in their titles and ‘asymptomatic’ or ‘submicroscopic’ in their texts, irrespective of the type of study conducted. The Cochrane, Medline/Pub Med, and Scopus databases, as well as Google Scholar were systematically searched for English articles and reports and Iran’s databases-Iran Medex, SID and Magiran were searched for Persian reports and articles, with no time limitation. The study was qualitatively summarized if it contained precise information on the role of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase. Results: Six articles were selected from the initial 2645 articles. The results all re-emphasize the significance of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase, and emphasize the significance of diagnostic tests of higher sensitivity to locate these patients and perform interventions to reduce the asymptomatic parasitic reservoirs particularly in regions of low transmission. However, we may infer from the results that the current evidence cannot yet specify an accurate strategy on the role of asymptomatic malaria in the elimination phase. Conclusion: To eliminate malaria, alongside vector control, and treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, active and inactive methods of case detection need to be employed. The precise monitoring of asymptomatic individuals and submicroscopic cases of malaria through molecular assays and valid serological methods, especially in regions where seasonal and low transmission exists can be very helpful at this phase.
Gender, Top Management Compensation Gap, and Company Performance: Tournament Versus Behavioral Theory

Manuscript Type: Empirical. Research Question/Issue: This study is among the first to investigate the impact of gender on the relationship between the compensation gap of the CEO and Vice‐Presidents on company performance, testing if companies managed by a female CEO or a male CEO follow tournament or behavioral theory. Tournament theory suggests that a large compensation gap between CEO and company Vice‐Presidents (VPs) leads to higher company performance; behavioral theory states that higher performance may be achieved with a small compensation gap between CEO and VPs. Additionally the study also investigates if companies managed by a female CEO perform better, or not, than those managed by a male CEO, and if the factors that explain the compensation gap between CEO and VPs in these two groups of companies are the same, or not. Data for the investigation emanated from the USA during the period 1992 to 2004. Research Findings/Insights: The results reflect something quite new in the area – on average, companies managed by a female CEO perform better, and have a smaller compensation gap between the CEO and VPs than companies managed by a male CEO. In companies managed by a female CEO, a smaller difference in the total compensation gap between CEO and Vice‐Presidents leads, on average, to higher company performance, however, when the CEO is a male, a higher compensation gap is required to obtain higher company performance. The results provide empirical support that the behavioral theory is predominant in companies managed by a female whereas tournament theory is predominant in companies managed by a male. Theoretical/Academic Implications: The paper fills an important gap in the existing literature by providing econometric evidence that males and females CEOs have a different impact on the relationship between CEO and VPs compensation gap and company performance, and that it is not indifferent to choosing a male or a female CEO in terms of company performance. Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study offers an insight to practitioners and policy makers suggesting that gender influences the relationship between the CEO and Vice‐Presidents compensation gap and company performance. Boards may be able to improve company performance if they limit the compensation gap between CEO and VPs when the CEO is a female and extend it, when it is a male.
Inflationary Financing of Government Expenditure in an Endogenous Growth Model

Abstract This paper analyses the role of inflation in economies with endogenous growth and congestion in public services. Optimal policy rules are derived for public services and investment. The other findings are as follows. Monetary policy should maximize economic growth. The more inefficient the public sector is, the higher the growth-maximizing inflation rate is. If a currency union accepts a new member with an inefficient public sector, this will boost inflation in the union and decrease growth and welfare in all member economies of the union.
An improvement of calcium determination technique in the shell of molluscs

The complexometric method is usually applied to quantitative calcium determination in different materials; however the application of this method to calcium determination in molluscs shells infers significant interferences to the results. The snail Bradybaena similaris, a terrestrial gastropod, was used as experimental model to the improvement of this method. The shells were calcinated and dissolved in nitric acid, the hydrogen peroxide was also used to clarify the medium after the acid addition. The calcination procedure and the use of nitric acid reduced the significantly the interferences, allowing a major degree of destruction of the organic substances of the shell. The improvement of the calcium determination technique usually employed showed calcium content of 874.24 ± 56.617 mg of CaCO3/g of ash in comparison to the conventional technique that allowed the determination of 607.79 ± 67.751 mg of CaCO3/g of shell, wet weight.
SOAP, a novel malaria ookinete protein involved in mosquito midgut invasion and oocyst development

An essential, but poorly understood part of malaria transmission by mosquitoes is the development of the ookinetes into the sporozoite‐producing oocysts on the mosquito midgut wall. For successful oocyst formation newly formed ookinetes in the midgut lumen must enter, traverse, and exit the midgut epithelium to reach the midgut basal lamina, processes collectively known as midgut invasion. After invasion ookinete‐to‐oocyst transition must occur, a process believed to require ookinete interactions with basal lamina components. Here, we report on a novel extracellular malaria protein expressed in ookinetes and young oocysts, named secreted ookinete adhesive protein (SOAP). The SOAP gene is highly conserved amongst Plasmodium species and appears to be unique to this genus. It encodes a predicted secreted and soluble protein with a modular structure composed of two unique cysteine‐rich domains. Using the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei we show that SOAP is targeted to the micronemes and forms high molecular mass complexes via disulphide bonds. Moreover, SOAP interacts strongly with mosquito laminin in yeast‐two‐hybrid assays. Targeted disruption of the SOAP gene gives rise to ookinetes that are markedly impaired in their ability to invade the mosquito midgut and form oocysts. These results identify SOAP as a key molecule for ookinete‐to‐oocyst differentiation in mosquitoes.
Nonfarm Employment and Rural Welfare: Evidence from the Himalayas

The potential importance of nonfarm employment for the welfare of rural households has long been recognized, but whether the nonfarm sector offers prospects for improving the welfare of the rural poor remains a contentious issue. We examine distributional and well-being effects of nonfarm employment of rural households in the Himalayas. We account for heterogeneity of nonfarm employment, and estimate a system of structural equations to better understand the causal linkages between nonfarm employment and household well-being. The results confirm that disaggregating nonfarm employment activities matters for understanding the relationship between nonfarm employment and rural welfare. While low-return nonfarm employment is associated with lower income inequality, high-return nonfarm activities have a disequalizing effect on the distribution of household incomes. We also find that the ability to engage in high-return nonfarm activities is associated with higher economic well-being. Poor households, on the other hand, tend to rely on low-return activities that do not contribute to improved well-being.
The Profitability Of The U.S. Food Supply Chain: Financial Indicators, Cross-Section And Time-Series Effects

This study examines the U.S. agribusiness’ profitability from 1986 to 2008. By using regression analysis, we model accounting returns as a function of diverse financial indicators. To select the explanatory variables we further decompose the DuPont equation and perform some ad hoc transformations to model return on investment (rather than return on equity). In addition, using a two-way fixed effects model, we test within sectors and time effects of returns. We compare time effects with the three most recent economic recessions.
Is Honesty the Best Policy? Curtailing Insurance Fraud through Optimal Incentive Contracts

An incentive contracting approach is used to characterize optimal contracts when insured individuals possess private information about their losses and are able to misrepresent permanently their loss magnitudes by engaging in the falsification of claims. We demonstrate that efficient agreements necessarily induce some falsification but that the extent of such claims inflation is mitigated partially by an indemnification schedule that overcompensates small losses while overpaying larger ones. The differential costs of generating insurance claims through falsification provide an avenue by which the heterogencous insureds can credibly signal their underlying losses and are exploited in an optimal contract to implement loss‐contingent insurance payments.