Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Setting the Trade Policy Agenda: What Roles for Economists?

Economists have influenced the trade policy agenda for establishing multilateral trade rules, disciplines and procedures and for negotiating MFN and preferential reductions in trade barriers and subsidies, in addition to affecting the agenda for unilateral policy reform. These roles are considered in turn, before focusing on the economistsÂ’ contribution though quantifying the extent and effects of existing trade distortions and alternative reform initiatives. Many trade distortions remain, however, so the paper then looks at where trade economistsÂ’ efforts in agenda-setting need to be focused in the years ahead.
Do Children Copy an Expert or a Majority? Examining Selective Learning in Instrumental and Normative Contexts

This study examined whether instrumental and normative learning contexts differentially influence 4- to 7-year-old children’s social learning strategies; specifically, their dispositions to copy an expert versus a majority consensus. Experiment 1 (N = 44) established that children copied a relatively competent “expert” individual over an incompetent individual in both kinds of learning context. In experiment 2 (N = 80) we then tested whether children would copy a competent individual versus a majority, in each of the two different learning contexts. Results showed that individual children differed in strategy, preferring with significant consistency across two different test trials to copy either the competent individual or the majority. This study is the first to show that children prefer to copy more competent individuals when shown competing methods of achieving an instrumental goal (Experiment 1) and provides new evidence that children, at least in our “individualist” culture, may consistently express either a competency or majority bias in learning both instrumental and normative information (Experiment 2). This effect was similar in the instrumental and normative learning contexts we applied.
Japan - Myth, Miracle or Menace?

Discusses aspects of the Japanese economic miracle, where industry and business are seen as superior in quality. Argues, briefly, that Westerners fail to understand Japanese business behaviour because they do not realize that the Japanese are not constrained by Western concepts, but are bound by a different culture. Argues for an intelligent recognition of the economic war between Japanese and Western companies – and a change of tactics from the Westerners.
SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE INDUCED BY PARTICULATE MATTER AIR POLLUTION: THE IMPORTANCE OF BONE-MARROW STIMULATION

The relationship between the level of particulate air pollution (PM 10 ) and the mortality and morbidity rates from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases is well established, but the biological mechanisms responsible for these associations are still unclear. The injurious effects of particulate air pollution may be either local (in the lung) or systemic. Bone-marrow release of leukocytes and platelets is an important component of the systemic inflammatory response. We have developed methods to quantify bone-marrow stimulation and showed in animals that acute exposure to ambient particles accelerates the transit of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) through the marrow whereas chronic exposure expands the size of the bone marrow pool of PMN. Human studies showed that an episode of severe air pollution stimulates the bone marrow in a manner similar to that observed in animals. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that alveolar macrophage produce the mediators implicated in the bone marrow response to ambient particles. Cytokines produced in the lung due to deposition of ambient particles also appear in the circulation. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that PMN recently released from the bone marrow preferentially sequester in pulmonary capillaries, are less chemotactic, and contain more damaging granular enzymes, all factors that potentate their ability to damage alveolar tissue. In animals that naturally develop atherosclerosis, deposition of ambient particles in the lung causes progression of atherosclerotic plaques with phenotypic changes in atherosclerotic plaques characteristic of lesions vulnerable to rupture. We conclude that exposure to ambient particulate matter air pollution induces a systemic inflammatory response that includes the release of inflammatory mediators into the circulation that stimulate the bone marrow to release leukocytes and platelets. We postulate that this systemic response to particulate air pollution augments lung inflammation and changes the phenotype of atherosclerotic plaques to make them more vulnerable to rupture.
The factors that affect the performance of open source software development – the perspective of social capital and expertise integration

Drawing on social capital theory, we develop a theoretical model aiming to explore how open source software (OSS) project effectiveness (in terms of team size, team effort and team's level of completion) is affected by expertise integration. This in turn is influenced by three types of social capital – relational capital, cognitive capital and structural capital. In addition, this study also examines two moderating effects – the impact of technical complexity on the relationship between cognitive capital and expertise integration, and of task interdependence on the relationship between expertise integration and task completion. Through a field survey of 160 OSS members from five Taiwanese communities, there is support for some of the proposed hypotheses. Both reciprocity and centrality affect expertise integration as expected, but the influence of commitment and cognitive capital (including expertise and tenure) on expertise integration is not significant. Finally, expertise integration affects both team size and team effort, which in turn jointly influence task completion. This research contributes to advancing theoretical understanding of the effectiveness of free OSS development as well as providing OSS practitioners with insight into how to leverage social capital for improving the performance of OSS development.
Mechanism of Non-Capacitative Ca2+ Influx in Response to Bradykinin in Vascular Endothelial Cells

Bradykinin is a potent vasoactive nonapeptide. It elicits a rise in cytosolic Ca2+ (Ca2+)i in endothelial cells, resulting in Ca2+-dependent synthesis and release of endothelial vasodilators. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism of bradykinin-induced Ca2+ influx in primary cultured rat aortic endothelial cells and in a mouse heart microvessel endothelial cell line (H5V). Bradykinin-induced Ca2+ influx was resolved into capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE) and non-CCE. The non-CCE component was inhibited by a B2 receptor antagonist (HOE140; 1 µM) and a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor (U73122; 10 µM). The action of bradykinin could be mimicked by 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-glycerol, an analogue of diacylglycerol (DAG), and by RHC80267, a DAG-lipase inhibitor. Immunoblots showed that TRPC6 was one of the main TRPC channels expressed in endothelial cells. Transfection of H5V cells with two siRNA constructs against TRPC6 both markedly reduced the TRPC6 protein level and, at the same time, decreased the percentage of cells displaying bradykinin-induced non-CCE. siRNA transfection also reduced the magnitude of non-CCE among the cells responding to bradykinin. Taken together, our data suggest that bradykinin-induced non-CCE is mediated via the B2-PLC pathway, and that DAG may be involved in this process. Further, TRPC6 is one of the important channels participating in bradykinin-induced non-CCE in endothelial cells.
Supervisor Discretion in Target Setting: An Empirical Investigation

ABSTRACT: In a setting in which corporate headquarters dictates total sales targets, we study how supervisors allocate sales targets to individual stores. Specifically, we analyze whether supervisors strategically use discretion in the target-setting process to address compensation contracting issues. We first examine whether supervisors use discretion to manage compensation risk. The results are consistent with the agency-theoretic prediction that supervisors provide easier targets to stores facing higher levels of store-specific risk. Next, we examine whether discretion is used to mitigate fairness concerns. The results suggest that, consistent with behavioral arguments, supervisors use discretion to deal with fairness issues, even if the area of the supervisor’s discretion is not the source of the fairness concerns. Finally, we analyze whether supervisors use discretion in the target-setting process to reduce their potential confrontation costs. Consistent with research in psychology, we find that supe.
Restructuring, layoffs and litigation: form and substance in reporting operating income

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss how a decision of restructuring and firing people in a Portuguese company was based on financial data, and how the interpretation of such data made the process quite complex. This complexity was particularly relevant in the litigation that followed. At the core of the restructuring decision was the evolution of the firm's operating income; and a central point in litigation was precisely what should be considered the operating income of the company under analysis, and how it could influence the case's court outcome.Design/methodology/approach – In 2008 a Portuguese company fired people in its finance department. The main reason presented by the management to the laid off persons was the evolution of the firm's operating income, which was negative for several consecutive years. The paper, after a background analysis of restructuring decisions and financial performance, will focus on this case and the correspondent issues, that are mainly related to the conce.
A Framework for Biodynamic Feedthrough Analysis—Part I: Theoretical Foundations

Biodynamic feedthrough (BDFT) is a complex phenomenon, which has been studied for several decades. However, there is little consensus on how to approach the BDFT problem in terms of definitions, nomenclature, and mathematical descriptions. In this paper, a framework for biodynamic feedthrough analysis is presented. The goal of this framework is two-fold. First, it provides some common ground between the seemingly large range of different approaches existing in the BDFT literature. Second, the framework itself allows for gaining new insights into BDFT phenomena. It will be shown how relevant signals can be obtained from measurement, how different BDFT dynamics can be derived from them, and how these different dynamics are related. Using the framework, BDFT can be dissected into several dynamical relationships, each relevant in understanding BDFT phenomena in more detail. The presentation of the BDFT framework is divided into two parts. This paper, Part I, addresses the theoretical foundations of the framework. Part II, which is also published in this issue, addresses the validation of the framework. The work is presented in two separate papers to allow for a detailed discussion of both the framework's theoretical background and its validation.
An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Louisville’s Enterprise Zone

Louisville, Kentucky, has one of the oldest and largest enterprise zones (EZs) in the United States, yet until recently, the program had not been independently evaluated. Perhaps because no clearly superior evaluation methodology has emerged in the literature, the efficacy of EZ programs around the United States remains a contentious subject among scholars and policy makers alike. The authors take a quasi-experimental approach in evaluating Louisville’s EZ, using many different measures to give the program every chance to show success. Program tax exemptions and administrative costs of more than $55 million within the 13-year period studied are identified. The measures reveal that one of the EZ’s three objectives was obtained in one geographic subset of the zone, but not because of the EZ policy treatment. The research adds one more case study to the EZ literature and provides another indication of the questionable benefits of EZ programs.
Special interest tourists collecting places and destinations: A case study of Australian World Heritage sites

The World Heritage brand signals the best in protected areas. Certain destinations and places hold particular appeal to special interest tourists resulting in the conscious collection of those sites. TV programs, authors and others take advantage of this penchant to collect places; yet, there is little literature on this behaviour. This paper reports on research testing the contention there is a specific group of visitors who collect World Heritage listed sites. The article examines World Heritage visitor recognition prior to and after time on-site. A case study approach is applied and visitor surveys used across five Australian properties. Findings demonstrate only 13% of site visitor do collect World Heritage Areas but their socio-demographics profiles are too diverse to develop a specific socio-demographic profile of this group. Additionally, only 60% of respondents knew they were visiting a World Heritage listed site indicating a significant weakness in the World Heritage brand.
Managing Channel Profits

Маркетинговый канал дистрибуции состоит из нескольких участников, каждый из которых имеет свои собственные критерии принятия решений. Однако решения каждого участника канала влияют на прибыли и, соответственно, на деятельность всех остальных участников маркетингового канала. Недостаток координации в деятельности участников канала ведет к нежелательным последствиям для всех.
A Survey of Tourist Expectations and Economic Potential for a Proposed Wildlife Sanctuary in a Maasai Group Ranch near Amboseli, Kenya

This paper looks at the ethical, ecological, community, economic and management issues in extending wildlife tourism and conservation beyond national park boundaries in Kenya. It specifically examines the proposed Kuku Community Conservation Area (KCCA). Prerequisites, including the availability of diverse tourist attractions, local community support, the support of tourism investors and other stakeholders are considered. Research focused on interviews with tourists and tour operators visiting the Tsavo-Amboseli Ecosystem. Wildlife was the number one attraction for over 75% of tourists, though some were attracted by the Maasai culture. Most of the tourists (over 75%) were willing to visit a community wildlife sanctuary. This willingness was independent of their belief that the Maasai were actually benefiting from wildlife resources (p > 0.20) but was dependent (p < 0.001) on their desire to have the Maasai benefit. Most of them (over 70%) wanted the Maasai Community to benefit from wildlife and tourism, even though a majority (over 70%) did not know the role the community played in conservation, or (over 80% of them) the socio-economic burden that wildlife places on local communities. A majority (over 60%) of tourists had not visited a Maasai cultural centre, but most (over 70%) would have visited if they knew what was presented there. Based on a simple management model of 46 staff, KCCA could potentially generate a net Ksh10.35 million (US$147,867) annually, in addition to revenue from a proposed cultural centre and resource access benefits for the local community. With the existing tourist attractions in the area and with potential partnerships with tour companies, maximum benefit to the community from the successful tourism industry already operating in the area can be realised, hence legitimising wildlife conservation for the community.
Monetary policy during transition: progress and pitfalls in central and eastern Europe, 1990-6

Monetary policy rarely accomplished stabilization if sound fiscal policy had not already been established. Distinctions between different nominal anchors can be exaggerated. Any credit crunch owed more to micro distortions than to tight money. Initial stabilization did not always precede the resumption of growth, but there is little evidence that more gradual transition would have made disinflation easier. Thereafter, countries usually experienced large capital inflows whatever the ostensible exchange-rate regime. Fiscal tightening and more exchange-rate flexibility offer a sounder eventual response. Poor incentives and corporate governance in banks should have been anticipated: subsequent improvements were slow and costly. Large investments in writing off bad debt and providing adequate resources for supervision made monetary transmission more reliable, and hardened budget constraints through which the price mechanism could improve efficiency. Copyright 1997 by Oxford University Press.
Subgingival microbiota in peri-implant mucosa lesions and adjacent teeth in partially edentulous patients.

BACKGROUND Osseointegrated dental implants have been shown to be a predictable approach to provide the adequate support for the replacement of missing teeth. It has been observed that implants showing signs of peri-implantitis contain subgingival microbiota similar to that around natural teeth with periodontal disease. This study identified the subgingival microbiota around implants with peri-implant lesions and natural teeth in partially edentulous patients. METHODS Clinical and radiographic parameters were recorded and microbial samples taken from 16 implants with signs of pocketing, 12 neighboring and 11 non-neighboring teeth to the affected implants in 11 patients and 15 stable implants in eight patients (controls). Samples were cultured using techniques for Enterobacteriaceae spp and facultative/anaerobic periodontal pathogens. Statistical analysis included Friedman test to establish differences between the subgingival microbiota cultured from implants and teeth and two-tailed Mann Whitney test and chi square to find differences in two separate samples (P < or = 0.05). RESULTS There were statistical differences between the subgingival microbiota in peri-implant lesions and stable implants for Gram-negative enteric rods (P <0.05). P. gingivalis (1.42%) was detected in peri-implant lesions but not in stable implants. A significant correlation between the subgingival microbiota from implants and neighboring teeth for Gram-negative enteric rods (P = 0.023) and implants and non-neighboring teeth for P. gingivalis (P = 0.042) was found. The frequency detection of Gram-negative enteric rods (75%) and P. intermedia/nigrescens (25%) was higher in peri-implant lesions (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS The subgingival microbiota in peri-implant lesions showed high levels of periodontopathic bacteria and superinfecting bacteria compared to healthy stable implants. The role of superinfecting bacteria in the pathogenesis of peri-implant lesions needs further investigation.
Unobserved Components Business Cycles for New Zealand: What are They, and What Might Drive Them?

We use unobserved components methodology to establish a New Zealand common cycle from economic activity data for 14 regions, and to assess the extent to which the region‐specific cycles are additionally important. We then aggregate the 14 regions to 5 regions, and estimate a similar common cycle. At this level of aggregation, we can assess the statistical significance and relative strengths of influence on the common cycle of monetary and fiscal policy variables and several external shock variables. Our results show that structural breaks associated with New Zealand’s major economic policy reforms of the mid‐1980s through to the early 1990s play an important role, and that New Zealand’s region‐specific growth cycles have exhibited considerable diversity. The variance contributions of region‐specific cycles dominate common‐cycle contributions, a result consistent with multivariate findings for Australasia, but contrary to evidence for the US and for Australian states. We also establish that during key periods, terms of trade and net immigration variables have had distinctive procyclical influences on the common cycle, that real government expenditure has had a modest crowding‐out role, and that monetary policy has had no additional significant influence.
Effect of Seasonality of Valuations on Property Risk

Valuations on individual properties in property indices are often not carried out at the end of each reporting period or properties not revalued in a given reporting period. This study presents improved property risk formulae to account for this seasonality of revaluations in quarterly, monthly and six-monthly property indices. Using benchmark property returns series from the US, Canada, UK and Australia, it is found that the impact of revaluation seasonality on property risk is most evident in the quarterly US and Canadian property returns series. In each of these four cases, significant increases in property risk are required to account for appraisal-smoothing and revaluation seasonality.
Comparison of ustekinumab and etanercept for moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

BACKGROUND Biologic agents offer a range of new therapeutic options for patients with psoriasis; however, the relative benefit-risk profiles of such therapies are not well known. We compared two biologic agents, ustekinumab (an interleukin-12 and interleukin-23 blocker) and etanercept (an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor alpha), for the treatment of psoriasis. METHODS We randomly assigned 903 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis to receive subcutaneous injections of either 45 or 90 mg of ustekinumab (at weeks 0 and 4) or high-dose etanercept (50 mg twice weekly for 12 weeks). The primary end point was the proportion of patients with at least 75% improvement in the psoriasis area-and-severity index (PASI) at week 12; a secondary end point was the proportion with cleared or minimal disease on the basis of the physician's global assessment. Assessors were unaware of the treatment assignments. The efficacy and safety of a crossover from etanercept to ustekinumab were evaluated after week 12. RESULTS There was at least 75% improvement in the PASI at week 12 in 67.5% of patients who received 45 mg of ustekinumab and 73.8% of patients who received 90 mg, as compared with 56.8% of those who received etanercept (P=0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). Similarly, 65.1% of patients who received 45 mg of ustekinumab and 70.6% of patients who received 90 mg of ustekinumab had cleared or minimal disease according to the physician's global assessment, as compared with 49.0% of those who received etanercept (P<0.001 for both comparisons). Among patients who did not have a response to etanercept, 48.9% had at least 75% improvement in the PASI within 12 weeks after crossover to ustekinumab. One or more adverse events occurred through week 12 in 66.0% of patients who received 45 mg of ustekinumab and 69.2% of patients who received 90 mg of ustekinumab and in 70.0% who received etanercept; 1.9%, 1.2%, and 1.2%, respectively, had serious adverse events. Safety patterns were similar before and after crossover from etanercept to ustekinumab. CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of ustekinumab at a dose of 45 or 90 mg was superior to that of high-dose etanercept over a 12-week period in patients with psoriasis. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00454584.)
Migration, Tied Foreign Aid and the Welfare State

In this paper we highlight aspects related to the links between international migration, foreign tied aid and the welfare state. We model migration as a costly movement from an aid-recipient developing country with low income, poor infrastructure, and no welfare system, towards a rich donor, developed country with a well-developed welfare system. Within this model we find, among other things, that the best response of the developed donor country is to increase aid as the co-financing rate by the recipient country increases. When the immigration cost decreases, e.g. due to greater economic integration between the two countries, it is beneficial for the donor country to increase aid.