Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Management and the Financial Crisis (We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us …)

The financial crisis of 2008-9 has revealed that our broad model of corporate governance is broken, independent of the shortcomings in the regulatory system. Managers and boards of directors in scores of systemically important firms failed to protect employees, customers, or shareholders, and placed the global financial system at risk. I assert that the root cause of the crisis can be found in five related systems: incentives; risk management and control; accounting; human capital; and culture. The worst firms had lethal combinations of strong incentives, weak control and risk management, flawed internal and external accounting, low skill and/or low integrity people, and corrosive cultures. Piecemeal attempts to fix elements of corporate governance will fail. The problem, to illustrate, is not just the structure of compensation. Nor will increasing required capital prevent problems at companies with strong incentives and weak controls. I believe that we may need a new kind of external agency for systemically risky firms that would take a holistic look at the five systems to identify weaknesses, make recommendations to managers and boards, and set regulatory policies, including assessing charges for insuring against losses. Without such a comprehensive assessment and improvement plan, boards cannot do their jobs, and the system will remain as subject to calamitous events as it was before the crisis.
Brown carbon: a significant atmospheric absorber of solar radiation?

Abstract. Several recent observational studies have shown organic carbon aerosols to be a significant source of absorption of solar radiation. The absorbing part of organic aerosols is referred to as "brown" carbon (BrC). Using a global chemical transport model and a radiative transfer model, we estimate for the first time the enhanced absorption of solar radiation due to BrC in a global model. The simulated wavelength dependence of aerosol absorption, as measured by the absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE), increases from 0.9 for non-absorbing organic carbon to 1.2 (1.0) for strongly (moderately) absorbing BrC. The calculated AAE for the strongly absorbing BrC agrees with AERONET spectral observations at 440–870 nm over most regions but overpredicts for the biomass burning-dominated South America and southern Africa, in which the inclusion of moderately absorbing BrC has better agreement. The resulting aerosol absorption optical depth increases by 18% (3%) at 550 nm and 56% (38%) at 380 nm for strongly (moderately) absorbing BrC. The global simulations suggest that the strongly absorbing BrC contributes up to +0.25 W m −2 or 19% of the absorption by anthropogenic aerosols, while 72% is attributed to black carbon, and 9% is due to sulfate and non-absorbing organic aerosols coated on black carbon. Like black carbon, the absorption of BrC (moderately to strongly) inserts a warming effect at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) (0.04 to 0.11 W m −2 ), while the effect at the surface is a reduction (−0.06 to −0.14 W m −2 ). Inclusion of the strongly absorption of BrC in our model causes the direct radiative forcing (global mean) of organic carbon aerosols at the TOA to change from cooling (−0.08 W m −2 ) to warming (+0.025 W m −2 ). Over source regions and above clouds, the absorption of BrC is higher and thus can play an important role in photochemistry and the hydrologic cycle.
Platelet-monocyte complex formation: effect of blocking PSGL-1 alone, and in combination with alphaIIbbeta3 and alphaMbeta2, in coronary stenting.

BACKGROUND Binding of platelet P-selectin to P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) is an initial event in the interactions between platelets and monocytes. Platelet-monocyte complexes (PMCs) have been implicated in several vascular disease processes, including acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and complications after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We investigated the effect of ex vivo blockade of PSGL-1, alone and in combination with blockade of the alphaMbeta(2) (Mac-1) and alpha(IIb)beta(3) (GP IIb/IIIa) integrins, on PMC formation. METHODS AND RESULTS Dual-label flow cytometry was used to detect PMCs in the blood of 10 volunteers and 10 patients undergoing PCI who received intravenous GP IIb/IIIa antagonists. PSGL-1 blockade, both prior to and after platelet stimulation, markedly reduced the formation of PMCs. Concomitant ex vivo blockade of the alphaMbeta(2) and alpha(IIb)beta(3) integrins did not result in further decreases of PMCs compared to PSGL-1 blockade alone. Antagonism of PSGL-1 also led to near elimination of leukocyte-platelet interactions under flowing conditions. CONCLUSION Blockade of PSGL-1 alone is sufficient to inhibit and reverse the formation of PMCs following platelet stimulation. Concurrent antagonism of PSGL-1 and the alpha(IIb)beta(3) and alphaMbeta(2) integrins was not more effective than inhibition of PSGL-1 alone. These results suggest that platelet-monocyte complex formation is mostly dependent on PSGL-1.
Fast encryption of image data using chaotic Kolmogorov flows

To guarantee security and privacy in image transmission and archival applications, adequate efficient bulk encryption techniques are necessary which are able to cope with the vast amounts of image data involved. Experience has shown that block-oriented symmetric product ciphers constitute an adequate design paradigm for resolving this task, since they can offer a very high level of security as well as very high encryption rates. In this contribution we introduce a new product cipher which encrypts large blocks of plain-text (images) by repeated intertwined application of substitution and permutation operations. While almost all of the current product ciphers used fixed (predefined) permutation operations on small data blocks, our approach involves parameterizable (keyed) permutations on large data blocks (whole images) induced by specific chaotic systems (Kolmogorov flows). By combining these highly unstable dynamics with an adaption of a very fast shift register based pseudo-random number generator we obtain a new class of computationally secure product ciphers which are firmly grounded on systems theoretic concepts, offering many features that make them superior to contemporary bulk encryption systems when aiming at efficient image data encryption.
Two-year outcome of a prospective, controlled study of a disease management programme for elderly patients with heart failure

Objective Elderly heart failure patients are at high risk of events. Available studies and systematic reviews suggest that elderly patients benefit from disease management programmes (DMPs). However, important questions remain open, including the optimal follow-up intensity and duration and whether such interventions are cost-effective during long-term follow-up and in different healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term efficacy of a hybrid DMP in consecutive older outpatients. Methods Intervention consisted in combined hospital-based (cardiologists and nurse-coordinators from two heart failure clinics) and home-based (patient's general practitioner visits) care. The components of the DMP were the following: discharge planning, education, therapy optimisation, improved communication, early attention to signs and symptoms. Intensive follow-up was based on scheduled hospital visits (starting within 14 days of discharge), nurse's phone call and home general practitioner visits. Results A group of 173 patients aged ≥70 years (mean age 77 ± 6 years, 48% women) was randomly assigned to DMP (n = 86) or usual care (n = 87). At 2-year follow-up, a 36% reduction in all-cause death and heart failure hospital admissions was observed in DMP vs. usual care. All-cause and heart failure admissions as well as the length of hospital stay were also reduced. DMP patients reported, compared to baseline, significant improvements in functional status, quality of life and β-blocker prescription rate. The intervention was cost-effective with a mean saving of &U20AC; 982.04 per patient enrolled. Conclusions A hybrid DMP for elderly heart failure patients improves outcomes and is cost-effective over a long-term follow-up.
The Future of the Accounting Profession: A Global Perspective

Trouble in the Accounting Profession A Short History of Accounting The Development of Accounting Thought Generally Accepted Accounting Principles The Auditing Problem International Accounting and Auditing A Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting Regulation of Financial Reporting--the Disclosure Issue Financial Reporting and Changing Prices Current Cost Accounting The Financial Statements Improving the Financial Statements The Future of Auditing The Future of Financial Reporting
Resilience of Native Plant Community Following Manual Control of Invasive Cinchona pubescens in Galápagos

As invasive plant species are a major driver of change on oceanic islands, their control is an important challenge for restoration ecology. The post‐control recovery of native vegetation is crucial for the treatments to be considered successful, but few studies have evaluated the effects of control measures on both target and non‐target species. To investigate the efficiency of manual control of Cinchona pubescens and its impacts on the sub‐tropical highland vegetation of Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, vegetation was sampled before and up to two years after control was carried out in permanent sampling plots. Manual control significantly reduced Cinchona density. Due to regeneration from the seed or bud bank, follow‐up control is required, however, for long‐term success. Despite heavy disturbance from tree uprooting, herbaceous angiosperms were little affected by the control actions, whereas dominant fern species declined in cover initially. Most native, endemic, and other introduced species regained their pre‐control levels of cover 2 years after control; some species even exceeded them. The total number of species significantly increased over the study period, as did species diversity. The native highland vegetation appeared to be resilient, recovering to a level probably more characteristic of the pre‐invasion state without human intervention after Cinchona control. However, some introduced species seemed to have been facilitated by the control actions, namely Stachys agraria and Rubus niveus. Further monitoring is needed to confirm the long‐term nature of vegetation change in the area.
The role of increased prolactin levels under gnrh analogue treatment in advanced prostatic carcinoma

The role of prolactin in the progress of prostatic carcinoma still is obscure. It is known to modulate testosterone metabolism and may have a prognostic value in determining disease progression. Prolonged treatment with a GnRH analogue has been introduced recently as a therapeutic alternative to surgical castration in advanced prostatic carcinoma. It has been reported that prolactin levels remain unchanged or even decrease in GnRH analogue treatment. By contrast, in this series of 15 prostatic carcinoma patients treated with GnRH analogue, a significant rise was demonstrated in clinical responders as well as nonresponders. In the latter group, prolactin rise was more pronounced. These results suggest that frequent prolactin determinations might be of prognostic value in determining early disease progression under GnRH analogue treatment.
Optimal impulse control of a diffusion process with both fixed and proportional costs of control

This paper concerns the optimal control of a system where the state is modeled by a homogeneous diffusion process in R1. Each time the system is controlled a fixed cost is incurred as well as a cost which is proportional to the magnitude of the control applied. In addition to the cost of control, there are holding or carrying costs incurred which are a function of the state of the system. Sufficient conditions are found to determine the optimal control for an infinite horizon problem. The optimal policy is one of "impulse" control originally introduced by Bensoussan and Lions [2] where the system is controlled only a finite number of times in any bounded time interval and the control requires an instantaneous finite change in the state variable. The issue of the existence of such controls is not addressed.
The Company They Keep: Innovation Returns To Corporate Venture Capital In The Medical Device Industry, Entrepreneurial Clinicians, and Competitive Coinvestors

Corporate venture capitalists (CVC) invest in entrepreneurial startups for financial and strategic goals. CVCs may use direct equity investment to stimulate innovation that is appropriable by the investing firms. At the same time, CVC is also used for strategic goals which may include blocking competitors or gaining a window on competitor’s technology. In this paper, I analyze corporate venture capital (CVC) investment and innovation performance in the medical device industry. I provide project level evidence that CVC investment is associated with the production of knowledge by the startup that is appropriated by the investing firm. In a given industry, CVCs share a common pool of potential startups in which to invest. Empirically, the likelihood of production of relevant knowledge by the startup is greater if the founder is an entrepreneurial clinician as opposed to a non-clinician background. At the same time, the likelihood of production of relevant knowledge for the investing CVC is diminished if multiple CVCs (competitive CVCs) coinvest in the same startup firm. The suppression of innovation performance is pronounced in higher rounds of investment. This paper makes significant contributions to our understanding of project level dynamics and the innovation returns to CVC. This paper also contributes to our understanding of innovation in the medical device industry and the significance of entrepreneurial physicians (clinicians) as the founding entrepreneur.
Retrospective Assessment of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting after Unrestricted Clear Fluids before Day Surgery: An Observational Study

Background: Nausea and vomiting during and after the surgery are distressing for both the patient and his/her family. In addition, when vomiting occurs intraoperatively under regional anaesthesia, it offers significant challenge to the operating surgeon, potentially increasing the duration of the procedure and the risk of bleeding and inadvertent associated surgical trauma. Aim of the study: To assess postoperative nausea and vomiting after unrestricted clear fluids before day surgery. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Surgery, Rama Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, India. For the study, medical records of 200 patients who underwent surgical procedure at the hospital were selected for review. It was made sure that included patients were restricted from fluid intake for 12 hours before the surgery. We analysed records of randomly selected 200 patients who underwent surgical procedure at the hospital for the study period. Results: A total of 200 patient records randomly selected from the pool of records were analysed in the present study. We observed that mild nausea was experienced by 27 patients, moderate was experienced by 16 patients and severe nausea was experienced by 3 patients. We observed that 14 patients had vomiting only once, 8 patients had 2-3 times vomiting and 2 patients had vomiting more than 3 times. The results were compared and found to be statistically non-significant. Conclusion: From the results of the present study, this can be concluded that restriction of food and fluid intake before the day surgery is an efficacious method in avoiding nausea and vomiting in patients during post-operative time.
Bone loss in the oestrogen‐depleted rat is not exacerbated by sitagliptin, either alone or in combination with a thiazolidinedione

Antihyperglycaemic therapy on bone was evaluated in the ovariectomized (OVX), non‐diabetic adult rat. Animals were treated daily for 12 weeks with various doses of sitagliptin, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, combinations of sitagliptin with pioglitazone or vehicle alone. Sitagliptin target engagement was confirmed by assessing inhibition of plasma dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP‐4) and oral glucose tolerance. Parameters related to bone health were evaluated in femur and vertebrae by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry and histomorphometry. Bone mineral density (BMD) generally did not differ significantly between OVX‐sitagliptin‐treated animals and OVX‐vehicle controls. In lumbar vertebrae, however, there was significantly less BMD loss with increasing sitagliptin dose. Thiazolidinedione (TZD) treatment generally resulted in lower BMD; OVX‐TZD‐treated (but not OVX‐sitagliptin‐treated) animals also had lessened cortical thickness in central femur and profoundly greater bone marrow adiposity in lumbar vertebrae. These findings support prior findings with TZDs and suggest a neutral or beneficial impact of DPP‐4 inhibition on bone health.
Outside Entrepreneurial Capital

This paper investigates the internal versus external financing decisions among 1900 early stage privately held UK firms in 1996-1997. We study the factors that affect rejection rates in applications for outside finance among the different types of investors, taking into account the non-randomness in a firm’s decision to seek outside finance. The data support the traditional pecking order theory; firms with greater capital expenditures / profits are more likely to seek finance and apply for more external finance. The data further indicate growth oriented firms are much more likely to apply for external finance. There are some differences in the internal versus external financing of female and male founder CEO firms, but these differences are largely attributable to growth orientation. Firms in industries with a greater proportion of larger competitors are less likely to obtain all of their desired outside capital. The data also indicate banks are less likely to finance completely new startups, while venture capital funds are more likely to finance innovative and growth orientated firms. Overall, the data do not indicate the presence of a capital gap in entrepreneurial finance; rather, firms seeking capital are able to secure their requisite financing from at least one of the many different available sources. Classification-JEL: G21, G22, G23, G24, G31, G32, G35
Emotional Metaheuristics For in-situ Foraging Using Sensor Constrained Robot Swarms

We present a new social animal inspired emotional swarm intelligence technique. This technique is used to solve a variant of the popular collective robots problem called foraging. We show with a simulation study how simple interaction rules based on sensations like hunger and loneliness can lead to globally coherent emergent behavior which allows sensor constrained robots to solve the given problem
Crossing a fitness valley as a metastable transition in a stochastic population model

We consider a stochastic model of population dynamics where each individual is characterised by a trait in {0,1,. ,L} and has a natural reproduction rate, a logistic death rate due to age or competition and a probability of mutation towards neighbouring traits at each reproduction event. We choose parameters such that the induced fitness landscape exhibits a valley: mutant individuals with negative fitness have to be created in order for the population to reach a trait with positive fitness. We focus on the limit of large population and rare mutations at several speeds. In particular, when the mutation rate is low enough, metastability occurs: the exit time of the valley is random, exponentially distributed.
Have You Got the Risk Right? On Risk Appetite, Strategic Planning, and a Truly Holistic Approach to Risk Management

A company’s overall risk profile is in no small measure determined by how much liquidity it has available to meet unforeseen cash outflows, and by how much debt leverage it has in its balance sheet, which may limit its access to new funding. In addition, the overall risk profile is clearly also a function of the risks identified in the “risk register” , the list of key risks which is typically an output of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) programs. However, the ERM process is often detached from the analytical work of predicting and managing the company’s financial position. Enterprise Risk Budgeting (ERB) is about creating an interface between these processes. At the heart of this lies a risk-adjusted financial planning model that is capable of utilizing the knowledge about risk contained in the risk register, and of expressing overall risk in terms of well-recognized financial bottom lines, such as earnings, cash, or key financial ratios. The goal of ERB is that the risk-return profile of various strategic and financial policies (such as investment budgets, strategic plans, capital structure, and so on) can be reliably addressed to ensure that risk is within the company’s risk appetite. When Enterprise Risk Budgeting is applied, ERM, financial management, and strategic decision-making become integrated processes.
Recent advances in hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa

Background Hypertension was once considered rare in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but currently it has become a widespread problem with immense socioeconomic importance. The purpose of this review is to summarise new information on hypertension in SSA that has been published since the last major review in 2008. Methods and results A literature search was performed in Pubmed, Embase, WHO Global Cardiovascular Infobase, African Journal On-Line, and African Index Medicus using the following search criteria: hypertension, high blood pressure, and Africa/SSA. Epidemiological surveys that used the WHO STEPS approach or similar methods were also included. The overall prevalence of hypertension in SSA was estimated at 16.2% (95% CI 14.2% to 20.3%) with an estimated number of hypertensive individuals to be 74.7 million. The prevalence of hypertension varies widely from country to country. It is projected that the number of affected individuals will increase by 68% (125.5 million) by 2025. Mass migration of rural Africans to urban areas and rapid changes in lifestyle and risk factors account for the rising prevalence of hypertension. Conclusions Proactive public health interventions at a population level need to be introduced to control the growing hypertension epidemic, and there needs to be a major improvement in access to hypertensive care for the individual. There is an important need for better epidemiological data and hypertension related outcome trials in SSA.