Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Empirical Investigation of German Firms’ Financial Structure and Ensuing Risks / Finanzierungsstruktur und Risiken im Unternehmenssektor der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Eine empirische Bestandsaufnahme

Summary This paper focuses on the question whether West German firms have experienced an increase in their financial risk position with due implications for the macroeconomy. The investigation is based on a special evaluation of the balance sheet statistics by the Deutsche Bundesbank broken down into firm size and legal form. Empirical findings suggest that owing to positive trends of various financial ratios, above all small and medium sized firms have been exposed to significantly higher risks in the time period 1987-1996. Further tests reveal that for this firms’ size investment and financial risk are negatively correlated. Considering the macroeconomic significance of small and medium sized enterprises, these empirical findings bear serious risks for growth, employment and the effectiveness of monetary policy. Zusammenfassung Die Untersuchung präsentiert empirische Ergebnisse zur Entwicklung der finanziellen Risikoposition westdeutscher Firmen im Zeitraum 1987-1996. Eine durch die Deutsche Bundesbank vorgenommene Sonderauswertung der Bilanzen von 19217 Firmen nach Größenklassen und Rechtsform bildet die Basis. Unter anderem zeigt sich, daß kleine und mittlere Firmen, insbesondere Nichtkapitalgesellschaften, wachsenden finanziellen Risiken ausgesetzt sind. Grundlagen der Risikomessung und der statistischen Aggregation werden erläutert und makroökonomische Konsequenzen diskutiert.
Intracranial vascular stenosis and occlusive disease: evaluation with CT angiography, MR angiography, and digital subtraction angiography.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Although digital subtraction angiography (DSA) provides excellent visualization of the intracranial vasculature, it has several limitations. Our purpose was to evaluate the ability of helical CT angiography (CTA) to help detect and quantify intracranial stenosis and occlusion compared with DSA and MR angiography (MRA). METHODS Twenty-eight patients underwent CTA, DSA, and 3D time-of-flight (TOF) MRA for suspected cerebrovascular lesions. All three studies were performed within a 30-day period. Two readers blinded to prior estimated or calculated stenoses, patient history and clinical information examined 672 vessel segments. Lesions were categorized as normal (0-9%), mild (10-29%), moderate (30-69%), severe (70-99%), or occluded (no flow detected). DSA was the reference standard. Unblinded consensus readings were obtained for all discrepancies. RESULTS A total of 115 diseased vessel segments were identified. After consensus interpretation, CTA revealed higher sensitivity than that of MRA for intracranial stenosis (98% versus 70%, P < .001) and occlusion (100% versus 87%, P = .02). CTA had a higher positive predictive value than that of MRA for both stenosis (93% versus 65%, P < .001) and occlusion (100% versus 59%, P < .001). CTA had a high interoperator reliability. In 6 of 28 patients (21%), all 6 with low-flow states in the posterior circulation, CTA was superior to DSA in detection of vessel patency. CONCLUSION CTA has a higher sensitivity and positive predictive value than MRA and is recommended over TOF MRA for detection of intracranial stenosis and occlusion. CTA has a high interoperator reliability. CTA is superior to DSA in the evaluation of posterior circulation steno-occlusive disease when slow flow is present. CTA results had a significant effect on patient clinical management.
Veranderingen in lijnvormige cultuurhistorische landschapselementen : resultaten van een steekproef over de periode 1900-2003

In het recente verleden zijn er diverse studies uitgevoerd naar cultuurhistorische elementen in het landschap. Tot op heden kennen deze studies belangrijke beperkingen in de tijd of qua methode. Het gevolg hiervan is dat er onvoldoende onderbouwde informatie over de exacte veranderingen in cultuurhistorische elementen in het landschap beschikbaar is. Deze studie sluit aan bij een benadering met behulp van een steekproef. Voor geheel Nederland is in 72 kilometerhokken over de periode 1900-2003 op basis van topografische kaarten (en vanaf 1990 ook met luchtfoto’s) bepaald welke elementen die in 1900 in het landschap aanwezig waren, zijn blijven bestaan. Voor Nederland, hoog en laag Nederland en enkele landschapstypen zijn de resultaten beschikbaar. Deze zijn, voor zover mogelijk, vergeleken met de resultaten uit andere studies. Trefwoorden: cultuurhistorie, landschap, steekproef
A W-band dielectric-lens-based integrated monopulse radar receiver

An integrated monopulse receiver has been developed for tracking applications at W-band frequencies. The receiver is based on dielectric-lens-supported, coplanar-waveguide-fed slot-ring antennas integrated with uniplanar subharmonic mixers. The design center frequency is 94 GHz and the IF bandwidth is 2-4 GHz. The measured DSB conversion losses of the individual receiver channels range from 14.4 to 14.7 dB at an LO frequency of 45.0 GHz and an IF of 1.4 GHz. This includes the lens reflection and absorption losses, backside radiation, RF feedline loss, mixer conversion loss, and IF distribution loss. Excellent monopulse patterns are achieved with better than 45 dB difference pattern nulls using IF monopulse processing. This translates to sub-milliradian angular accuracy for a 24 mm aperture. Better than 25 dB nulls are possible over a 600 MHz bandwidth.
OLIGONUCLEOTIDES AS CODING MOLECULES IN AN ANTI-COUNTERFEITING SYSTEM

Due to the growing numbers of counterfeited products on the world market, there is a huge demand for new and forgery-proof marking systems. We developed a unique system using “molecular beacons” with well adapted thermodynamic parameters. This marking system consists of the three components: DNA tag (a label or directly printing), detection pen (contains the “molecular beacon” solution), and DNA-scanner (reads the specific signal triggered by the detection pen even at daylight). The vast coding capacity of DNA combined with the highly specific signal offers a degree of security that is unmatched by conventional identification technologies.
Identify FactorsAffecting Organizational Creativity : A literature review

In today’s business environment, one of the essential elements to an organizational success is adaptability, which is introduces as people must be able to accept changes and so takes creativity and innovation. To encourage creativity organizations need to create a climate that supports and enables the creative thinking of employees. In other words, organizations must try to remove barriers that might impede creativity and enhance the factors that enable creativity. For more understanding of creativity, this article attempts to bring into business setting a conceptual framework, which is supported by prior literature. So we review writings in an attempt to clearly identify the factors that influence organizational creativity and hence that need to be taken into consideration when managing creativity in organizational setting.
Clinical Outcomes of Peritoneal Dialysis Patients Transferred from Hemodialysis: A Matched Case-Control Study

♦ Objective: Our study aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients transferred to peritoneal dialysis (PD) because of complications related to hemodialysis (HD). ♦ Methods: In a 1:2 matched case-control study, we compared patient and technique survival between patients initially treated with HD for at least 3 months and then transferred to PD (transfer group) and patients started on and continuing with PD (no-transfer group). ♦ Results: All baseline characteristics except for initial residual urinary output were comparable between the groups. Compared with patients in the transfer group, patients in the no-transfer group had a higher initial daily residual urinary output [850 mL (range: 600 - 1250 mL) vs 0 mL (range: 0 - 775 mL/d), p = 0.000]. The main reasons for transfer to PD were vascular access problems and cardiovascular disease. Patient survival and technique failure rates did not significantly differ between the groups (p > 0.05). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival rates were 80.0%, 53.7%, and 27.6% in the transfer group and 89.7%, 60.2%, and 43.1% in the no-transfer group. Age (per 10 years) and serum albumin were independent risk factors for long-term survival in PD patients. Relative risk of either death or technique failure was not significantly increased in patients transferred from HD. ♦ Conclusions: Patients who transferred to PD after failing HD had outcomes on PD similar to those for patients who started with and were maintained on PD. Age (per 10 years) and serum albumin were independent risk factors for long-term survival in PD patients.
Morningness–eveningness and daytime functioning in university students: the mediating role of sleep characteristics

The aim of this study was to explore the mediating role of sleep characteristics in the relationship between morningness–eveningness and three different aspects of daytime functioning: daytime sleepiness, depressive mood and substance use in university students. A multiple mediator model was proposed with sleep debt, poor sleep quality and bedtime delay at weekends as parallel mediators in these relationships. We analysed the data of 1052 university students aged 18–25 years who completed a modified version of the School Sleep Habits Survey, which included questions on sleep and the Composite Scale of Morningness, Sleepiness Scale, Depressive Mood Scale and Substance Use Scale. Students with more pronounced eveningness reported greater daytime sleepiness, greater depressive mood and more frequent substance use, as well as greater sleep debt, poorer sleep quality and greater bedtime delay at weekends. Mediation analyses indicated that morningness–eveningness affected daytime sleepiness and substance use both directly and indirectly through all proposed sleep‐related mediators. However, the effect of morningness–eveningness on depressive mood was entirely indirect and was accounted for more by poor sleep than by sleep debt or bedtime irregularity. In conclusion, there are multiple possible mechanisms through which morningness–eveningness affects daytime functioning in university students, and sleep characteristics are a significant mechanism. Sleep debt, poor sleep quality and bedtime irregularity can, to a significant extent, explain the feeling of daytime sleepiness and greater substance use in students with eveningness preferences. However, more depressed mood in the evening‐orientated students is primarily a consequence of their poor sleep quality.
Quels modèles pour prévenir les accidents du travail d'aujourd'hui ?

Globalement les caracteristiques des accidents du travail ont evolue au cours des cinquante dernieres annees. Les accidents les plus nombreux voient leur frequence persister et font encore l’objet de nombreux prejuges. Il s’agit des accidents inities par une perturbation du mouvement de la victime. Parallelement, l’etude des evolutions concomitantes de la prevention des accidents du travail et des caracteristiques des modeles d’accidents oriente clairement l’interet pratique vers des modeles intermediaires repondant a des besoins locaux. Certains caracteres des modeles d’accidents sont examines avec une attention toute speciale accordee a la modelisation des accidents avec perturbation du mouvement. A propos de ceux-ci on releve curieusement, sur certains aspects, une proximite avec les accidents technologiques majeurs. Enfin, le modele d’accident developpe par les auteurs est presente. L’objectif de son elaboration, ses specificites et les consequences de celles-ci, en termes de contribution a une meilleure prevention sont discutes.
Reproducing Network Structure: A Comparative Study of Random Graph Generators

The problem of generating graphs similar to a given one arises in such tasks as data anonymization and significance testing of network mining tools. Main challenges lie in a rich diversity of graph domains emerging in various research areas and the uncertainty about graph properties to be reproduced. Our central statement is that a good graph generation model should follow two requirements on generated graphs: 1) similarity to the original one in terms of manifold graph metrics, and 2) variability wide enough to mimic natural diversity across a graph domain. In this work we have compared three state-of-the-art graph generators, Embedding based Random Graph Generator, Gscaler, and Stochastic Kronecker Graph, universal enough to fit an arbitrary graph. We found that ERGG and Gscaler greatly outperform SKG in graph reproducing accuracy in terms of graph metrics. An experiment with domain imitation showed that the variability of ERGG generated graphs resembled the original variability, while Gscaler graphs were almost identical.
Studies of interactions between silane coupling agents and cellulose fibers with liquid and solid‐state NMR

The hydrolysis of three alkoxy‐silane coupling agents, γ‐methacryloxypropyl trimethoxy silane (MPS), γ‐aminopropyl triethoxy silane (APS), and γ‐diethylenetriaminopropyl trimethoxy silane (TAS), was carried out in ethanol/water solutions (80/20 w/w) at different pH values and followed by 1H, 13C and 29Si NMR spectroscopy. Acidic media were found to stabilize the hydrolyzed forms. As expected, the formation of silanol groups was followed by their self‐condensation to generate oligomeric structures, yielding, ultimately, solid homopolycondensated structures, as analyzed by 29Si and 13C high‐resolution solid‐state NMR. Hydrolyzed MPS in acidic media was then successfully adsorbed onto a cellulose surface and the ensuing substrates submitted to thermal treatment at 110–120 °C under reduced pressure, in order to create covalent bonds between cellulose and the coupling agent. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Origin and Use of Cannabis in Eastern Asia: Their Linguistic-Cultural Implications

Archeological evidence has shown that cannabis was used as a fiber plant in northeastern Asia in neolithic times — about 6,000 years ago. The Chinese character for hemp, ma, dates to about 3,000 years ago and was derived from an ideogram depicting the plant's fiber producing character. In early writings separate characters were assigned to male and female hemp plants, its seeds, fruits, etc. This differentiation indicates the antiquity of its cultivation as it points to an enduring and varied relationship of man to the plant. The cannabis plant had multitudinal uses in ancient times in China, another fact attesting toits antiquity as a cultivated species. Besides its importance as a plant fiber, cannabis was an important food plant, being listed as one of the five major "grains. " The medicinal properties of the plant were first recorded in the classical herbal Pen Ts'ao Ching, first compiled in the second century A. D. but undoubtedly based on traditions passed down from prehistoric times. The stupefying nature of cannabis and its hallucinogenic effect were clearly described. The drug was used as a cure for various diseases and as an effective pain killer. Later pharmacopoeias repeated or confirmed these properties but indicated that the plant was rarely used, and then only by necromancers for its hallucinogenic effect. The original character ma in later usage assumed two additional connotations. One connotation meant numerous or chaotic, derived from the nature of the plants' fibers. The second connotation was one of numbness or senselessness, apparently derived from the stupefying effect of the fruits and leaves. Ma was used in these ways as a radical for many other characters. It is suggested that the drug use of the plant was widely known to the neolithic peoples of northeastern Asia and that it played an important part in the practice of shamanism — widespread in that northern area. The great mobility of these nomadic tribes apparently carried the plant to western Asia and from there into India, where its use proliferated. While cannabis use and shamanism in general were on the upswing in these other Asian locales, its hallucinogenic practices slowly declined in China from the age of Confucius onwards. Only in sporadic small areas did the shamanistic traditions continue.
Immune deficiencies , infection , and systemic immune disorders Reduced thymic output , cell cycle abnormalities , and increased apoptosis of T lymphocytes in patients with cartilage-hair hypoplasia

Miguel A. de la Fuente, MD, PhD,* Mike Recher, MD,* Nicholas L. Rider, DO, Kevin A. Strauss, MD, D. Holmes Morton, MD, Margaret Adair, MD, Francisco A. Bonilla, MD, PhD, Hans D. Ochs, MD, Erwin W. Gelfand, MD, Itai M. Pessach, MD, PhD, Jolan E. Walter, MD, PhD, Alejandra King, MD, Silvia Giliani, PhD, Sung-Yun Pai, MD, and Luigi D. Notarangelo, MD Boston, Mass, Strasburg and Lancaster, Pa, Denver, Colo, Seattle, Wash, Santiago, Chile, and Brescia, Italy
Empirical Research on the Influencing Factors of Online Customer Trust

This paper discusses the relationship among antecedents of trust, ability trust and goodwill trust in internet environments. Findings of the study indicate customer perceived value and customer satisfaction are positively related to ability trust and goodwill trust, corporate reputation has a significantly negative impact on ability trust, trust propensity has a significantly positive correlativity with goodwill trust.
Planning at the Urban Fringe: An Examination of the Factors Influencing Nonconforming Development Patterns in Southern Florida

Although the components of plan quality are well defined, little empirical research has been conducted to understand the degree to which policies are being implemented after plan adoption and the factors contributing to the variation in plan implementation. The authors test the efficacy of land-use planning and plan implementation in Florida by measuring the degree to which wetland development over a ten-year period conforms to the original design of adopted comprehensive plans. First, they spatially identify concentrated areas of wetland alteration permits and compare these locations with the adopted future land-use maps for county and city jurisdictions in the southern portion of the state. Second, they examine the major factors influencing nonconforming development patterns across the study area. Results indicate a well-defined spatial pattern of nonconforming wetland development and isolate specific socioeconomic, demographic, and geographic variables impacting these deviations from the original spatial intent of local plans.
Parkinsonism with organophosphate poisoning

Parkinsonism is a primary neurotoxic manifestation of organophosphate pesticide intoxication. We report here the case of a 67-year-old man who developed acute parkinsonism with tremors and rigidity following exposure to fenitrothion, an organophosphate pesticide. His parkinsonism disappeared, and 2 months later he was able to walk alone without antiparkinsonian drug treatment. To identify particular lesions in the brain, Z score images were obtained from SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) scans of the patient during the acute poisoning and a follow-up scan performed 2 months later. We indicate that reversible parkinsonism correlated with putaminal hyperperfusion as observed in the Z score images obtained during the acute event; this condition resolved later in concert with resolution of the clinical parkinsonism. We believe that the SPECT scan Z score images in this study are an important find in elucidating parkinsonism manifestations due to organophosphate poisoning.
Can History Be Open Source? Wikipedia and the Future of the Past

History is a deeply individualistic craft. The singly authored work is the standard for the profession; only about 6 percent of the more than 32,000 scholarly works indexed since 2000 in this journal’s comprehensive bibliographic guide, “Recent Scholarship,” have more than one author. Works with several authors—common in the sciences—are even harder to find. Fewer than 500 (less than 2 percent) have three or more authors.1 Historical scholarship is also characterized by possessive individualism. Good professional practice (and avoiding charges of plagiarism) requires us to attribute ideas and words to specific historians—we are taught to speak of “Richard Hofstadter’s status anxiety interpretation of Progressivism. ”2 And if we use more than a limited number of words from Hofstadter, we need to send a check to his estate. To mingle Hofstadter’s prose with your own and publish it would violate both copyright and professional norms. A historical work without owners and with multiple, anonymous authors is thus almost unimaginable in our professional culture. Yet, quite remarkably, that describes the online encyclopedia known as Wikipedia, which contains 3 million articles (1 million of them in English). History is probably the category encompassing the largest number of articles. Wikipedia is entirely free. And that freedom includes not just the ability of anyone to read it (a freedom denied by the scholarly journals in, say, jstor, which requires an expensive institutional subscription) but also—more remarkably—their freedom to use it. You can take Wikipedia’s entry on Franklin D. Roosevelt and put it on your own Web site, you can hand out copies to your students, and you can publish it in a book—all with only one restriction: You may not impose any more restrictions on subsequent readers and users than have been imposed on you. And it has no authors in any conventional sense. Tens of thousands of people—who have not gotten even the glory of affixing their names to it—have written it collaboratively. The Roosevelt entry, for example, emerged over four years as five hundred authors made about one thousand edits. This extraordinary freedom and cooperation make Wikipedia the most important application of the
The Potential of Hydrogels as Synthetic Articular Cartilage

The relatively poor mechanical properties of conventional synthetic hydrogels are illustrated and compared with those of articular cartilage. By using the composite structure of the natural material as a model a new family of hydrogels, based on interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) technology, has been developed. The underlying synthetic strategies are discussed and the properties of a novel representative network presented. IPN formation produces networks that are stiffer and stronger than the hydrogel copolymers of similar water content. In this behaviour these simple IPNs begin to mimic the properties of biological hydrogel composites. Thus, these materials have exciting potential for demanding in vivo applications.