The Capital Structure Decisions of New Firms

Based on data from the Kauffman Firm Survey, examines the funding sources of firms in their first year of operations. Highlights start-ups' reliance on external debt financing such as bank loans and credit cards, regardless of their credit scores

Mobilising of the German 1848 Protest Song Tradition in the Context of International Twentieth Century Folk Revivals

AbstractThe rediscovery of democratic traditions of folk song in Germany after the Second World War was not just the counter-reaction of singers and academics to the misuse of German folk song by the Nazis. Such a shift to a more ‘progressive’ interpretation and promotion of folk tradition at that time was not distinct to Germany and had already taken place in other parts of the Western world. After firstly examining the relationship between folk song and national ideologies in the nineteenth century, this article will focus on the democratic ideological basis on which the 1848 revolutionary song tradition was reconstructed after the Third Reich. It will look at how the New Social Movements of West Germany and the folk scene of the GDR functioned in providing channels of transmission for this, and how in this process a collective cultural memory was created whereby lost songs – such as those of the 1848 Revolution – could be awakened from extinction. These processes will be illustrated by textual and musical adaptations of key 1848 songs such as ‘Badisches Wiegenlied’ (Baden Lullaby), ‘Das Blutgericht’ (The Blood Court) and ‘Trotz alledem’ (For all that) within the context of the West German folk movement and its counterpart in the GDR.</jats:p

Weeds, nitrogen, and yield: Measuring the effectiveness of an organic no-till system

Previous research in the mid-Atlantic and midwestern USA has identified advantages and drawbacks of organic no-till vegetable production, but few studies have been conducted in the warmer southeastern region. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of tillage [no-till (NT) vs. conventional tillage (CT) of a cereal rye/crimson clover cover crop] and three nitrogen fertilization rates on organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) yield, weed suppression, and soil N dynamics in two years in a soil series in Clemson, SC. Squash yields were similar between tillage treatments in both years. NT tomato yields were 43% greater than CT yields in 2014, whereas CT tomato yields were 46% greater than NT yields in 2015. Squash and tomato yields per unit of management labor (time) were significantly greater in NT compared to CT treatments for both years. There were no statistical differences in squash and tomato yields between N fertilization treatments in either year. Pre-season soil N levels were significantly higher in NT tomato plots in 2014 but similar between tillage treatments in tomato plots in 2015 and in squash plots both years. Post-season soil N levels in tomato plots were similar between tillage treatments both years. Post-season soil N levels were significantly higher in NT squash plots in 2014 and in CT squash plots in 2015. Roller-crimped NT mulches provided adequate early-season weed suppression in both years and saved considerable weed management and seedbed preparation labor. Overall, the results demonstrated that organic no-till is a viable method for reduced tillage summer vegetable production in the South Carolina Piedmont region

The Romance of Terror: Stevenson\u27s Dynamiter and Verne\u27s Submariner

Discusses Robert Louis Stevenson\u27s co-authored novel The Dynamiters (More New Arabian Nights, 1885) in the context of late Victorian bombing campaigns and use of dynamite by Irish Fenians and anarchists, exploring the generic differences between Stevenson\u27s use of romance and Joseph Conrad\u27s The Secret Agent (1907), with extensive comparison between Stevenson\u27s dynamiter Zero and Jules Verne\u27s Captain Nemo in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1869-1870)

The Poor Man\u27s Friend in Need : Baird, Burns and Miller

Surveys the career of the Rev. George Baird (1761-1840), principal of the University of Edinburgh and minister of Edinburgh\u27s High Kirk, assessing Baird\u27s edition of the poems of Michael Bruce (1796), tracing his early encounter with the Scottish poet Robert Burns and his later connection with the self-educated Scottish writer and geologist Hugh Miller, and describing his efforts to relieve destitution and improve education in the west and north of Scotland and his extensive travels on behalf of the General Assembly\u27s Highlands and Islands Committee

Patterns of Financing: A Comparison Between White- and African-American Young Firms

Based on Kauffman Firm Survey data, examines differences in start-up and follow-on capital injections into and capital use by firms with African-American and white owners. Explores how access to capital affects the racial gap in new business formation

Usefulness and Usability of a Personal Health Record and Survivorship Care Plan for Colorectal Cancer Survivors: Survey Study

Background: As a result of improvements in cancer screening, treatment, and supportive care, nearly two-thirds of individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) live for 5 years after diagnosis. An ever-increasing population of CRC survivors creates a need for effective survivorship care to help manage and mitigate the impact of CRC and its treatment. Personal health records (PHRs) and survivorship care plans provide a means of supporting the long-term care of cancer survivors. Objective: The purpose of this study is to characterize the usefulness of a CRC PHR and survivorship care plan and to describe the usability of these technologies in a population of CRC survivors. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess a PHR and survivorship care plan specifically targeting CRC survivors. Methods: Twenty-two patients with CRC were recruited from surgery clinics of an academic medical center and Veterans Affairs hospital in Indianapolis and provided access to an online Colorectal Cancer Survivor’s Personal Health Record (CRCS-PHR). Survey data were collected to characterize the usefulness of the CRCS-PHR and describe its usability in a population of CRC survivors. CRC survivors were surveyed 6 months after being provided online access. Means and proportions were used to describe the usefulness and ease of using the CRC website. Open-ended questions were qualitatively coded using the constant comparative method. Results: CRC survivors perceived features related to their health care (ie, summary of cancer treatment history, follow-up care schedule, description of side effects, and list of community resources) to be more useful than communication features (ie, creating online relationships with family members or caregivers, communicating with doctor, and secure messages). CRC survivors typically described utilizing traditional channels (eg, via telephone or in person) to communicate with their health care provider. Participants had overall positive perceptions with respect to ease of use and overall satisfaction. Major challenges experienced by participants included barriers to system log-in, lack of computer literacy or experience, and difficulty entering their patient information. Conclusions: For CRC, survivors may find the greater value in a PHR’s medical content than the communication functions, which they have available elsewhere. These findings regarding the usefulness and usability of a PHR for the management of CRC survivorship provide valuable insights into how best to tailor these technologies to patients’ needs. These findings can inform future design and development of PHRs for purposes of both cancer and chronic disease management