Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Family Fortunes — A Guide to Saving for Retirement

ABSTRACT The paper investigates the level and incidence of saving required in order to maintain the standard of living that a household experiences whilst of working age into retirement. In order to do this, a model has been constructed that follows the income and expenditure of a household, allowing for tax and social security, as well as changing family circumstances. The model can be used to explain how a household should save in order to achieve a given standard of living in retirement. The author concludes that the usual message, to save a fixed proportion of income throughout a working lifetime, is at best not helpful and at worst could lead to a lower standard of living over the household's lifetime. People can and should manage the timing of their saving and borrowing in order to achieve optimum incomes.
Global assessment of agreement among streamflow projections using CMIP5 model outputs

Runoff outputs from 11 atmosphere–ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs) participating in the fifth phase of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project were used to evaluate the changes in streamflow and agreement among AOGCMs at the end of 21st century. Under the highest emission scenario (Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5), high flow is projected to increase in northern high latitudes of Eurasia and North America, Asia, and eastern Africa, while mean and low flows are both projected to decrease in Europe, Middle East, southwestern United States, and Central America. Projected changes under RCP4.5 show similar spatial distribution but with lower magnitude. The model spread of projected changes, however, is found to be large under both scenarios. Bootstrapped Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon U test revealed that projected changes of streamflow regimes are statistically not significant in 8–32% (19–59%) of the world under RCP8.5 (RCP4.5). The model agreement on projected increase or decrease in mean and high flows is stronger under RCP8.5 than that under RCP4.5. On the other hand, the projected changes in low flow are robust in both scenarios with strong model agreement. In ∼7% (4%) of the world, high flow is projected to increase and low flow is projected to decrease, whereas in ∼29% (13%) all mean, high, and low flows are projected to increase under RCP8.5 (RCP4.5).
The human vomeronasal organ. Part VI: A nonchemosen sory vestige in the context of major variations of the mammalian vomeronasal organ

A vomeronasal organ (VNO) is found in most extant a mphibians, reptiles, and mammals, but is absent in extant archosaurs (birds and croco dilians). In amniotes, the VNO differs greatly from its basal form, a simple neuroepitheli al patch, as it still exists in most lissamphibians, and in some taxa (e.g., primates and bats ) it presents extreme variations in epithelial structure. The history of the VNO literature since Ruysch [1703] prompts the question: what is a mammalian vomeronasal organ? Situated bil aterally, in the anteroventral nasal septum, the VNO is a part of a composite epithelial tube. Like any other sense organ, it includes a patch of sensory neuroepithelium (the vome ronasal neuroepithelium, VNNE). In certain species (e.g., man, chimpanzee), a low colu mnar ciliated, microvillar tube is generally present which also doubles as a septal glandul ar duct. The ancillary vomeronasal (VN) structures are the VN nerves (axons of the neurosen sory VN receptors with the interspersed paravomeronasal ganglia), the accessory olfactory b ulb and projections thereof, the chondro-osseous capsule, and glands all collectively called the vomeronasal organ complex. In order to standardize the terminology, our proposed definition of the primitive condition of the mammalian vomeronasal organ is: an epithelial p atch or tube of microvillar chemosensory neuroepithelium. This neuroepithelium is gener ally continuous with a patch of ciliated “receptor-free epithelium”(RFE), or a bare nondescript epithelium that completes the tube around its lumen. Two broad categories of the mammalian VNO exist: chemosensory VNO or non-chemosensory vestige of the VNO .
The relation between performance and family involvement – an exploration into the non-linear effects during the life-stage of Dutch firms

This article investigates the performances of family firms in general, family involvement in management (FIM), and ownership in particular. Using a sample of 495 Dutch non-listed firms, this article finds an inverse U-shaped relation over the age of the family firms in general which seems to be explained by FIM. There is also an indication that the effect of family involvement in ownership (FIO) is insignificant. This article provides useful insight into the potential to allow for interaction between time, and also indicates that size has the same potential to explain the relative performance of family firms versus non family firms.
A Mutation in Tac1p, a Transcription Factor Regulating CDR1 and CDR2, Is Coupled With Loss of Heterozygosity at Chromosome 5 to Mediate Antifungal Resistance in Candida albicans

TAC1, a Candida albicans transcription factor situated near the mating-type locus on chromosome 5, is necessary for the upregulation of the ABC-transporter genes CDR1 and CDR2, which mediate azole resistance. We showed previously the existence of both wild-type and hyperactive TAC1 alleles. Wild-type alleles mediate upregulation of CDR1 and CDR2 upon exposure to inducers such as fluphenazine, while hyperactive alleles result in constitutive high expression of CDR1 and CDR2. Here we recovered TAC1 alleles from two pairs of matched azole-susceptible (DSY294; FH1: heterozygous at mating-type locus) and azole-resistant isolates (DSY296; FH3: homozygous at mating-type locus). Two different TAC1 wild-type alleles were recovered from DSY294 (TAC1-3 and TAC1-4) while a single hyperactive allele (TAC1-5) was isolated from DSY296. A single amino acid (aa) difference between TAC1-4 and TAC1-5 (Asn977 to Asp or N977D) was observed in a region corresponding to the predicted activation domain of Tac1p. Two TAC1 alleles were recovered from FH1 (TAC1-6 and TAC1-7) and a single hyperactive allele (TAC1-7) was recovered from FH3. The N977D change was seen in TAC1-7 in addition to several other aa differences. The importance of N977D in conferring hyperactivity to TAC1 was confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. Both hyperactive alleles TAC1-5 and TAC1-7 were codominant with wild-type alleles and conferred hyperactive phenotypes only when homozygous. The mechanisms by which hyperactive alleles become homozygous was addressed by comparative genome hybridization and single nucleotide polymorphism arrays and indicated that loss of TAC1 heterozygosity can occur by recombination between portions of chromosome 5 or by chromosome 5 duplication.
Earnings Divergence of Immigrants

From 1981 to 1991 the mean earnings of immigrants fell further behind those of natives in Hong Kong, with the earnings gap widening from 11.3% to 25.5%. Earnings divergence of this magnitude is rather unusual among countries that receive many immigrants. We show that earnings divergence in Hong Kong is mainly due to divergence between skill prices for immigrants' education and for natives' education. Intertemporal shift in the demand for skills caused by economic restructuring in Hong Kong has a differential impact not only on prices of different levels of skill, but also on prices of skills from different sources.
An empirical test of marginal productivity theory

We explore an hitherto unused approach to testing marginal productivity theory. Our method rests on the simple idea that, under the assumption of a linear homogeneous production function, residual profits are informative about the discrepancies between factor payments and marginal products. Our empirical application using data on manufacturing plants in Chile suggest moderate deviations from marginal productivity theory which depend on firm size.
Office or Officeholder? Regime Deinstitutionalization and Sources of Individual Political Influence

How to separate the office from the officeholder is one of the most difficult questions in the empirical study of institutions and leadership. We argue that provided there is an indicator for the overall individual influence among members of the political elite and there is sufficient variability among individuals taking the same office, being promoted and demoted into different offices over time, we can separate latent individual and institutional components of influence at an aggregate, regime level. Our latent variable model thus provides a new tool to measure the degree of regime deinstitutionalization. Using expert surveys that assess the ranking of the top political actors in Russia from 1994 to 2011 and restricting personal effects to those that are constant over time, we find that on average office dominates individual by the order of two. We discuss regime deinstitutionalization in comparative perspective, demonstrate the generalizability by analyzing Ukraine, and account for patronage networks.
Managing Quality in Hotel Excelsior

Abstract There is no doubt that quality in the hotel industry is an important issue. Delivering quality in hospitality operations involves reliably providing accommodation, food, service and entertainment within an environment that meets the expectations of customers, simultaneously creating opportunities for adding value that will exceed expectations and result in delight and repeat purchases or recommendations. Managing quality in hospitality operations is difficult, complicated by the complex blend of production and service elements that need to be managed over the short cycle of operations. Hotel Excelsior initiated a benchmarking exercise in 5-star hotels and recognizing the contribution that quality might play in achieving company objectives in marketing and profitability, decided to gain ISO 9002 registration in July of 1999. ISO 9002 does not guarantee improvements in quality, but the management of Hotel Excelsior believes that the systems and controls have this effect. Hotel Excelsior has taken on that challenge. The paper analyzes how they established HRN EN ISO 9002 (Croatian Norm European Norm ISO 9002) and the advantages of an orientation towards quality.
Characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi strains isolated from Ixodes pacificus ticks in California

In a survey of 1,714 adult Ixodes pacificus ticks collected in northern California, 24 (1.4%) were found to be infected with spirochetes that reacted with an anti-Borrelia burgdorferi polyvalent conjugate in direct immunofluorescence tests. Eleven isolates of B. burgdorferi from these ticks were characterized by monoclonal antibody, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and Western blot (immunoblot) analyses. Ten of the isolates had molecular and antigenic characteristics similar to those of other U.S. isolates. One strain, cloned by limiting-dilution techniques, was different from any previously reported U.S. strain, but similar to reported European strains. The cloned strain, DN127-Cl9-2, did not react with monoclonal antibodies to Osp A and Osp B major proteins found in most of the U.S. strains. It exhibited an abundant protein with an apparent molecular weight of 25,000.
Dietary medium- or long-chain triglycerides improve body condition of lean-genotype sows and increase suckling pig growth.

In a field trial conducted on a commercial swine farm, lean-genotype sows (n = 485) were fed diets containing 0 or 10% supplemental fat as either medium-chain triglyceride or choice white grease from d 90 of gestation until weaning (15.5 d). Effects on standard sow and litter production traits were examined together with assessment of sow body condition using live ultrasound. Daily feed intake during lactation was 10% higher in sows consuming diets without added fat (7.2 vs 6.5 kg; P < 0.01); however, lactation ME (23.9 Mcal/d) and digestible lysine (54 g/d) intakes were unaffected (P > 0.10). Sows supplemented with fat were 4 kg heavier on d 109 of gestation (220 vs 224 kg; P < or = 0.01), 1 d after farrowing (210 vs 214 kg; P < or = 0.01), and at weaning (210 vs 214 kg; P < or = 0.01). Expressed as overall gain, this amounted to a 23% increase (0.66 vs 0.86 kg/d; P < or = 0.01) and was accompanied by a 49% increase in backfat (0.82 vs 1.68 mm; P < or = 0.03) from d 90 to farrowing. Changes in sow weight (-0.01 kg/d) and backfat (+4.2 mm) over lactation were minimal and were not affected by fat supplementation (P > or = 0.10). Longissimus muscle area at weaning was slightly greater (44.96 vs 46.2 cm2) in sows consuming fat than in control sows (P < or = 0.05), but changes in longissimus muscle area were not significant from d 90 to weaning (P > or = 0.10). Gestation length, pigs born alive, average birth weight, survival (d 3 to weaning), and days to estrus were not affected by diet (P > 0.10). However, supplemental fat increased pig ADG (192 vs 203 g/d; P < 0.01) and average pig weaning weight (4.3 vs 4.5 kg) at 15.5 d (P < or = 0.02). No differences between the two fat sources were detected. This large-scale study demonstrated that supplemental fat during gestation and lactation effectively improved sow condition and improved suckling pig performance without affecting energy intake during lactation, implying improved efficiency of sow energy utilization.
Structural characterization of a six-nucleotide RNA hairpin loop found in Escherichia coli, r(UUAAGU).

The binding region of the Escherichia coli S2 ribosomal protein contains a conserved UUAAGU hairpin loop. The structure of the hairpin formed by the oligomer r(GCGU4U5A6A7G8U9CGCA), which has an r(UUAAGU) hairpin loop, was determined by NMR and molecular modeling techniques as part of a study aimed at characterizing the structure and thermodynamics of RNA hairpin loops. Thermodynamic data obtained from melting curves for this RNA oligomer show that it forms a hairpin in solution with the following parameters: DeltaH degrees = -42.8 +/- 2.2 kcal/mol, DeltaS degrees = -127.6 +/- 6.5 eu, and DeltaG degrees (37) = -3.3 +/- 0.2 kcal/mol. Two-dimensional NOESY WATERGATE spectra show an NOE between U imino protons, which suggests that U4 and U9 form a hydrogen bonded U.U pair. The U5(H2') proton shows NOEs to both the A6(H8) proton and the A7(H8) proton, which is consistent with formation of a "U" turn between nucleotides U5 and A6. An NOE between the A7(H2) proton and the U9(H4') proton shows the proximity of the A7 base to the U9 sugar, which is consistent with the structure determined for the six-nucleotide loop. In addition to having a hydrogen-bonded U.U pair as the first mismatch and a U turn, the r(UUAAGU) loop has the G8 base protruding into the solvent. The solution structure of the r(UUAAGU) loop is essentially identical to the structure of an identical loop found in the crystal structure of the 30S ribosomal subunit where the guanine in the loop is involved in tertiary interactions with RNA bases from adjacent regions [Wimberly, B. T. , Brodersen, D. E. , Clemons, W. M. , Morgan-Warren, R. J., Carter, A. P., Vonrhein, C. , Hartsch, T. , and Ramakrishnan, V. (2000) Nature 407, 327-339]. The similarity of the solution and solid-state structures of this hairpin loop suggests that formation of this hairpin may facilitate folding of 16S RNA.
Growth Through Fiscal Policy

The following exerpts are from a lecture delivered by Walter W. Heller at the Pick-Congress Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, on October 18, 1965. This lecture was the first of a series of lectures given by Roosevelt University through a grant of the Edward A. Filene Fund, under the general title "The Monetary and Fiscal Revolution. " Because of the extreme timeliness of Dr. Heller's remarks, the Editor felt that these remarks, even in this rough form, consti tute a significant contribution to our understanding of current economic problems.
The Choice of Ski Areas: Estimation of a Generalized CES Preference Ordering with Characteristics

Abstrac-t-A Generalized CES (GENCES) preference ordering is developed and estimated. It incorporates characteristics of both the individual and the activities. The GENCES is used to explain the share of ski time an individual allocates to each ski area as a function of site characteristics, skiing ability, and costs. The stochastic specification limited the shares to the 0-1 simplex. This specification was found to be more appropriate than the conventional normality assumption. The null hypothesis that preferences are homothetic and additive is rejected. Charactenrstics, ability, and costs are important determinants of demand. The estimated elasticities provide numerous insights into skier behavior.
The Evolving Landscape of Banking

The structure of the financial services industry is in flux. Liberalization, deregulation, and advances in information technology have changed the financial landscape dramatically. Interbank competition has heated up and banks face increasing competition from nonbanking financial institutions and the financial markets. The predictability of the industry with low levels of financial innovation, little innovation in distribution channels and well defined and rigid institutional structures is gone. Product innovations, new distribution channels, and emerging new competitors are in abundance. Moreover, the subprime crisis that has hit the financial sector in 2007–2008 appears to have a major impact on the structure of the industry. This article emphasizes the importance of understanding the economics of banking for assessing the changes in the industry. In particular, we point at relationship banking as a prime source of the banks’ comparative advantage. The proliferation of transaction-oriented banking (trading and financial market activities) does however seriously challenge relationship banking. In order to focus on these issues in a rigorous way, we will evaluate the key insights from the relationship banking literature, including the potential complementarities and conflicts of interest between intermediated relationship banking activities and financial market (underwriting, securitization, etc.) activities. We also address the issue of the optimal conglomeration of bank activities, including the empirical evidence on scope and scale economies. We analyze the strategic positioning of banks in the currently highly uncertain competitive arena, and link this to the theory of the firm and particularly firm boundaries and learning.
Effects of quercetin and chrysin on 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The objective of current study is to investigate the effects of the administration of chrysin (CH) and quercetin (Q) on rat liver in which oxidative and histological damage had been induced by 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD). Rats were randomly divided into six equal groups. TCDD was orally administered at the dose of 2 μg/kg/week, and Q and CH were orally administered at the doses of 20 mg/kg day and 50 mg/kg/day, respectively, by gavages dissolved in corn oil. The liver samples to be analyzed for the determination of oxidative and histological alternations were taken from rats at 60 days. The results indicated that although 2,3,7,8‐TCDD significantly induced (P ≤ 0.01) lipid peroxidation (increase of MDA levels), it positively affected oxidant/antioxidant system (a decline in the levels of GSH, CAT, GSH‐Px, and CuZn‐SOD) in rats significantly. The histological changes observed in the liver correlated with the biochemical findings. However, these effects of TCDD on oxidative and histological changes were eliminated by Q and CH treatment. In conclusion, TCDD caused an adverse effect on rat's liver. When Q and CH were given together with TCDD, they prevented hepatotoxicty induced by TCDD. Thus, it is thought that Q and CH may be useful as a new category of anti‐TCDD toxicity agent. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2013.
The indirect impacts of management support and commitment on knowledge management systems (KMS) adoption: Evidence from Malaysian Technology Industries

The study investigates the impacts of management support and commitment on the adoption of knowledge management systems (KMS) in Malaysian technology industries. By analysing data from a survey of 108 managers across the Malaysian technology industries, the study contributes to the KMS adoption literature by empirically establishing the indirect impacts of organisations’ management support and commitment through the mediations of other organisational elements. First of all, the results suggest that the effects of management support and commitment are only indirect through the mediation of other variables, namely knowledge classification and knowledge sharing culture. Moreover, knowledge classification has a positive influence on perceived benefits, which is a determinant of KMS adoption. Second, even though management support and commitment has a positive impact on rewards and incentives, and policy and procedures, the findings indicate that these organisational elements did not have any influence on KMS adoption. However, policies and procedures did influence perceived ease of use, which is a determinant of perceived benefits. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. Key words: Knowledge management systems, adoption, management support and commitment, Malaysia.
FUTURE VALUE: THE $7 TRILLION CHALLENGE

As of May 2003, $7.6 trillion (or 58%) of the aggregate value of the U.S. stock market represented "future value"-that portion of value that does not depend on current operating performance but rather on anticipated growth. This concept of future growth value is especially important in newer industry sectors and among companies whose value is based heavily on intangible assets, such as brand and proprietary knowledge. But traditional accounting remains focused on tangible assets. And because most executives rely on accounting- based financial data to run their businesses, they end up focusing on current operating results when they should be investing in strategies that optimize future growth. In short, many of the assets that are most responsible for creating value in today's economy are not managed as well as they could be. 2004 Morgan Stanley.
Earth's Rising Atmospheric Co2 Concentration: Impacts on the Biosphere

Concern has been expressed over the potential climatic and biological consequences of Earth's rising atmospheric CO2 concentration, which is expected to double above pre-industrial values sometime this century. This paper reviews several of the biological consequences that are likely to result, including enhanced plant photosynthesis and growth, an increase in plant water use efficiency, and the potential for atmospheric CO2 to reduce the growth-retarding effects of several environmental stresses. Implications of these phenomena are also briefly discussed, including the potential for atmospheric CO2 enrichment to enhance ecosystem biodiversity and carbon sequestration.