Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regional Policy Analysis in a Simple General Equilibrium Model with Vertical Linkages

The paper presents a simple three-region, two-sector general equilibrium model that is used for analyzing the effect of regional tax policies aimed at combat depopulation. The model includes exogenous asymmetry in terms of transport costs as well as a vertical industry structure that can account for endogenous location development in order to distinguish between the effects of "first nature" and "second nature" on the required subsidy for meeting the population policy target. Copyright (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Randomized, Controlled, Pilot Trial of Methylphenidate and Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy for Cocaine Dependence in Heroin Prescription

Abstract Cocaine dependence has proved difficult to treat, whether it occurs alone or in combination with opiate dependence. No intervention has been demonstrated to be uniquely effective. Patients might benefit most from combined pharmacotherapeutic and psychotherapeutic interventions. The present study sought to evaluate the feasibility, tolerability, and efficacy of methylphenidate (MP) and cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT) for cocaine dependence in diacetylmorphine-maintained patients. Sixty-two cocaine-dependent diacetylmorphine-maintained patients participated in a dual-site, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial with 4 treatment conditions. The participants were randomly assigned to receive MP or a placebo each combined with either CBGT or treatment as usual for 12 weeks. Methylphenidate 30 mg and a placebo in identical capsules were administered onsite twice daily under supervision in a fixed-dose regimen without titration. Manual-guided CBGT consisted of 12 weekly sessions. Participation in the CBGT sessions was voluntary. Primary outcome measures were retention in pharmacologic treatment, cocaine-free urine samples, self-reported cocaine use, and adverse effects. Urine screens were performed thrice weekly. Seventy-one percent of the participants completed the study protocol. Methylphenidate was well tolerated with similar retention rates compared with the placebo. No serious adverse effects occurred. No difference in cocaine-free urine screens was found across the 4 treatment groups. Self-reported cocaine use was reduced in all 4 study groups. Methylphenidate and CBGT did not provide an advantage over a placebo or treatment as usual in reducing cocaine use. There were no signs of additive benefits of MP and CBGT. Because of the small sample size, the results are preliminary.
Collusion with (almost) no information

We analyze noncooperative collusion in an infinitely repeated Bertrand game, where each of the n firms receives a privately observed, i.i. d. cost shock in each period and firms only (and privately) observe whether they have “won” the unit mass of consumers. No other information is available and no communication is allowed. We prove that there exist equilibria in private strategies approximating first-best profits when firms are sufficiently patient. In particular, productive efficiency obtains in the limit.
A Daily Trading Strategy in theETN Space

This article investigates whether the weekly trading strategy in the ETN space reported by Diavatopoulos et al. [forthcoming] may be profitably deployed as a daily strategy. Replicating their strategy on a daily basis, we report the following findings: 1) Mispricing is prevalent among ETNs on a daily basis. We enter into 451 trades over our 295-week period, using a mispricing threshold of 5% and requiring a minimum average daily volume of 20,000 shares. 2) Total returns to our strategy are significantly higher than the S&P 500 and also considerably higher than the returns to the weekly strategy. Our strategy generated total returns reaching as high as 276%, depending on our minimum daily trading volume requirements and mispricing thresholds. In contrast, the S&P 500 returned only 3.70% over this same period, while the weekly strategy generated returns reaching as high as 114%. 3) Similar to the weekly strategy, most of the trades and profits from the daily strategy come from the short side of our portfolio. 4) The daily strategy results in strikingly different returns than the weekly strategy in the lower mispricing thresholds. The weekly strategy was highly unprofitable at low mispricing thresholds; however, the daily strategy generated impressive total returns at mispricing thresholds as low as 0.50%.
A Description of Some Color Variants Produced by Serratia marcescens, Strain 274

Many workers have recognized the theoretical advantages to be derived from the use of a fast-growing, pigmented organism such as Serratia marcescens in the study of bacterial variation. Wasserzug (1888), Scheurlen (1896), Hefferan (1903), Rettger and Sherrick (1911), Eisenberg (1914), Breed and Breed (1927), Daddi (1932), Reed (1937) and others have reported observations on the appearance of more or less stable color variants of this species. These observations, however, have thrown little light on the mechanisms involved in the production of such variants. Some series or coincidence of events must be responsible for the cellular changes that are so conspicuous, but as yet so little is known concerning the rates at which variants arise, or the effects of environmental factors on rates of variation, that the nature of these events remains obscure. It has been the writer's object to approach the problem of color-variation in Serratia in a quantitative manner, and to attempt to measure the frequency with which variants are produced under different environmental conditions. The work reported in this paper' is of a preliminary nature and is concerned with the selection of a strain suitable for intensive study, the development of a special medium, and the recognition and characterization of specific variant types. Pigmented strains of Serratia were found to differ greatly both in color and in the frequency with which they produced paler variants. These differences proved so confusing that it was
Progress impeded: constraints on legal equality in post-Restoration Japan

Abstract Japan's first Western-style criminal law of 1880 is an odd mixture of ‘old’ and ‘new’. The principle of legality (‘no punishment without law’) is laid out in this code for the first time in the country's legal history, while another mooted principle, legal equality (‘everyone has to obey the same law’), is finally omitted. Instead, the law introduces new forms of legal inequality. This paper compares the law with one of its main drafts which still supports the two principles. The paper assesses the impact of the unequal treaties that Japan had signed with the Western powers in the 1850s in this development, and considers the difficulties the Japanese had in comprehending legal principle in relation to the role of the state.
State‐Preference Pricing and Volatility Indices

This study uses a state-preference pricing approach to develop a state-price volatility index (SVX), as a forecast for market future realised volatility. We show that SVX is a more efficient forecaster than CBOE VIX for 30-day realised volatility of SPX returns, using both in-the-sample and out-of-the-sample tests. This result is robust to different measures of realised market volatilities. We also show that SVX provides a better volatility forecast than other alternative measures, including the at-the-money implied volatilities and GARCH (1, 1) volatility. Our results provide a foundation for forecasting higher risk-neutral moments using the same state prices.
Strategic control and corporate entrepreneurship: an empirical study

This paper examines the relationship between strategic control and corporate entrepreneurship in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria. A survey research method was used to generate data from a sample of manufacturing firms in Nigerian on strategic control and corporate entrepreneurship variables. Responses from the survey were statistically analysed using descriptive statistics, product moment correlation, regression analysis and Z-test (approximated with the independent sample t-test). The findings of the study show that there is a statistical significant relationship between strategic control and corporate entrepreneurship as well as a significant difference between the entrepreneurship of firms whose strategic control are low and the entrepreneurship of firms whose strategic control are high. These findings have practical applications for manufacturing firms that are attempting to become more entrepreneurial, and will also help researchers to better understand the relationship between strategic control and corporate entrepreneurship.
Differential Gains from Business Link Support and Advice: A Treatment Effects Approach

The provision of advisory support to small firms is almost ubiquitous in OECD countries, although it is organised in different ways and is justified on slightly different grounds. In England publicly supported advisory services are provided through the Business Link (BL) network. Here, we consider two questions: what sort of companies receive advisory support from BL; and, what types of firms benefit most from that support? Our analysis is based on a telephone survey of 2000 firms, around half of which had received intensive assistance from BL between April and October 2003. Probit analysis suggests that the probability of receiving assistance was greater among younger businesses, those with larger numbers of directors in the firm, and those with more gender diversity among the firm's leadership team. Our business-growth models suggest that BL intensive assistance was having a positive effect on employment growth in 2003. BL had a positive but insignificant impact on sales growth over the period. Employment growth effects tend to be larger where firms have a management and organisational structure, which is more conducive to absorbing and making use of external advice. The analysis suggests that BL might increase its impact through targeting these larger, more export-orientated, businesses. Employment growth effects differ little, however, depending on either the ethnic or the gender diversity of the leadership team.
Foreign Trade in the Transition: The International Environment and Domestic Policy

This paper started as one of a series of overview articles initiated by the Transition Economics Division of the World Bank's Policy Research Department to review and assess the growing body of evidence on the determinants of a successful transition. Its objective, however, evolved beyond a review of the literature into a more substantial research exercise designed to test the proposition and document more systematically the evidence behind it. The paper focuses almost exclusively on the economies that entered transition because of the sudden collapse of communism: the European and Central Asian members of the former Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA). It considers three broad sets of determinants of the speed with which these transitional economies have been able to normalize their trading performance and boost their exports: their initial, pre-transition conditions, the changes in their access to western markets, and their policy stances. Finally, the study offers strong empirical evidence that the pace of implementing a liberal economic reform, including government commitment to macroeconomic stability and openness to international trade, is the single most important variable explaining differences in the pace of trade reorientation.
Bilateral Additional Slips of Triceps Brachii Forming Osseo-Musculo-Fibrous Tunnels for Ulnar Nerves

Rare additional slips of triceps brachii muscle was found bilaterally in a sixty two year old South Indian male cadaver during routine dissection of upper limb for undergraduate students at Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India. On left side, the variant additional muscle slip took origin from the lower part of the medial intermuscular septum about 4 cm proximal to the medial humeral epicondyle. From its origin, the muscle fibres were passing over the ulnar nerve and were joining the triceps muscle to get inserted to the upper surface of olecranon process of ulna. On right side, the additional muscle slip was larger and bulkier and was arising from the lower part of the medial border of the humerus about 4 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle in addition to its attachment to the medial intermuscular septum. On both sides, the additional slips were supplied by twigs from the radial nerve. On both sides, the ulnar nerve was passing between variant additional slip and the lower part of the shaft of the humerus in an osseo-musculo-fibrous tunnel. Such variant additional muscle slips may affect the function of triceps muscle and can lead to snapping of medial head of triceps and ulnar nerve over medial epicondyle and also can dynamically compress the ulnar nerve during the contraction of triceps leading to ulnar neuropathy around the elbow.
An ecosystem approach to analyse the livelihood of fishers of the Old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh region, Bangladesh

This paper applies an ecosystem approach to analyse the livelihood of fishers dependent on the Old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Results suggest that the livelihood of fishers is increasingly threatened because of the fragile river ecosystem and poor livelihood assets. Most fishers face a wide range of vulnerability including shocks, trends and seasonality. This is because the ecosystem of the resource base on which their livelihood depends (i.e. the Old Brahmaputra River) has been degraded severely resulting in a significant decline in fish catch due to a combination of factors, such as over-fishing, use of destructive fishing gears, water pollution, siltation, rapid urbanisation and environmental degradation. We propose an adoption of the socio-ecological system with active community participation in the management of the resource base and collaboration amongst key stakeholders to produce positive livelihood outcomes for the fishers.
Extreme polyploidy in a large bacterium

Cells rely on diffusion to move metabolites and biomolecules. Diffusion is highly efficient but only over short distances. Although eukaryotic cells have broken free of diffusion-dictated constraints on cell size, most bacteria and archaea are forced to remain small. Exceptions to this rule are found among the bacterial symbionts of surgeonfish; Epulopiscium spp. are cigar-shaped cells that reach lengths in excess of 600 μm. A large Epulopiscium contains thousands of times more DNA than a bacterium such as Escherichia coli, but the composition of this DNA is not well understood. Here, we present evidence that Epulopiscium contains tens of thousands of copies of its genome. Using quantitative, single-cell PCR assays targeting single-copy genes, we have determined that copy number is positively correlated with Epulopiscium cell size. Although other bacteria are known to possess multiple genomes, polyploidy of the magnitude observed in Epulopiscium is unprecedented. The arrangement of genomes around the cell periphery may permit regional responses to local stimuli, thus allowing Epulopiscium to maintain its unusually large size. Surveys of the sequences of single-copy genes (dnaA, recA, and ftsZ) revealed genetic homogeneity within a cell consistent with only a small amount (≈1%) of the parental DNA being transferred to the next generation. The results also suggest that the abundance of genome copies in Epulopiscium may allow for an unstable genetic feature, a long mononucleotide tract, in an essential gene. With the evolution of extreme polyploidy and large cell size, Epulopiscium has acquired some of the advantages of eukaryotic cells.
Caesarean Section During Second Stage of Labor in a Tertiary Centre.

BACKGROUND There is an alarming rise in caesarean section leading to increased adverse outcomes for both the mother and fetus when compared with vaginal delivery. Within this increasing caesarean section rate, there is a concerning increase in the rate of second stage caesarean section. This study highlight the feto-maternal outcome of caesarean section in second stage of labour. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort review of all women with a singleton, cephalic fetus at term delivered by caesarean section in the second stage of labor between April 1, 2013 and March 30, 2017 at Patan Academy of Health Sciences. The main outcome measures were second stage caesarean section, indications and its maternal and fetal morbidity. RESULTS During the study period, there were 40,860 deliveries. A total of 18,011 (44%) babies were born by caesarean section, 10484 emergency and 7527 elective. Out of the emergency caesarean section, 200 (1.9 %) were performed in second stage of labor. In this study, the most common indication was cephalopelvic disproportion. (92.4%) were delivered without a trial of instrumental delivery. In terms of maternal complications, atonic post partum haemorrhage uterine incision extension 18 (12.5%), postoperative fever 27(18.8%), wound infection 7 (4.8%) were observed. In perinatal complications, meconium stained amniotic fluid 49(34.2%), neonatal hyperbilirubinemia 14(9.7%) and increased nursery admission 2(15.3%) and 2(1.3%) perinatal mortality were seen. CONCLUSIONS Cesarean sections done in second stage of labor are associated with several intra-operative maternal complications and neonatal morbidity.
The relationship between Business Excellence and Performance – An empirical study using Kanji's Leadership Excellence Model

The principle that a ‘quality’ organisation will outperform its competitors is at the heart of the quality awards that may be found all around the globe. Empirical evidence supporting theory is remarkably scarce however, and this is particularly the case in Europe. This paper describes the results of a positivist study examining the relationship between Business Excellence and organisational Performance using Kanji and Sá's Leadership Excellence Model as a measure of business excellence maturity. The inclusion of both private and public sector organisations in the sample was a particular feature of the study. The results show a positive relationship for both types of organisation, although some differences were observed for different stakeholder groups.
Mountain Places, Cultural Spaces: The Interpretation of Culturally Significant Landscapes

This paper presents an overview of how national park interpretation in New Zealand is incorporating Māori perspectives of cultural landscapes. Since the formation of the Department of Conservation in 1987, interpretive material containing information about the relationship between local iwi (Māori tribal groups) and natural areas has increased. Co-operative management strategies have been instigated by the Department to ensure that interpretation conveying Māori perspectives and cultural values for the landscape is accurate and authorised by iwi members. The paper analyses the findings from a survey that asked visitors about their experiences of the cultural interpretation at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. At this site, Department of Conservation staff aim to (1) increase visitors' understanding of the Māori relationship to the land and (2) direct appropriate visitor behaviour whilst in the area. Many survey respondents were unaware of the relationship between Māori and the area prior to their visit, despite reporting cultural activities and experiences with indigenous peoples as travel motivators. On-site interpretation contributed to raising visitors' awareness that the landscape has special significance to local iwi, thus providing a cultural dimension to the visitors' experiences at this internationally renowned natural area.
Examining the preferences and perceived pyschological benefits of urban parks by socioeconomic status: A case study in Lansing, Michigan

EXAMINING THE PREFERENCES AND PERCEIVED PYSCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF URBAN PARKS BY SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS: A CASE STUDY IN LANSING, MICHIGAN By Jeremy McWhorter Urban parks offer opportunities for physical activity, enjoyment of nature, and social interaction. Access to nearby parks has been shown in studies to improve perceived psychological health. However, research has indicated that not all styles of parks are perceived in the same way. Studies have investigated the relationship between preference for park landscapes and gender, age and race and have shown that different park characteristics appeal to different population groups. Few studies have investigated the relationship between socioeconomic status/social class and landscapes, both natural and developed, and how they are perceived. In this study, perceptions of resident visitors were surveyed in three socioeconomically (SES) stratified (high, medium, and low) neighborhoods in Lansing, Michigan in the summer of 2013. Interviews (n=90) were conducted in 6 parks across the city (i.e., one natural and one developed park-pair for each of the three neighborhoods). Park visitors from each neighborhood were asked about their perceived psychological benefits in the park they were visiting and then asked the same questions while viewing photos of the paired-park. Results showed that residents in the high-SES neighborhoods preferred natural parks; residents from the medium-SES neighborhood preferred natural and developed parks; and residents from low-SES neighborhoods preferred developed parks. Future data collection methods assessing public attitudes towards urban parks should include SES-stratified neighborhoods in the future.
Diasporas, migration, and trade: the Indian diaspora in North America

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the migration of the Indian diaspora to Canada and the USA and its role in fostering trade and investment between them using its transnational social networks.Design/methodology/approach – This study was based on interviews with 25 Indian immigrants, 13 in Canada and 12 in the USA.Findings – The social networks that immigrants had in both their country of residence (COR) and country of origin (COO) act as conduits of trade and investment between the two. The Indian diaspora further facilitates economic engagement between the COO and COR by running cross‐border businesses, introducing Indian products and brands in the COR, introducing the Indian culture and helping non‐Indians to invest in India. Within the COO, the diaspora's social networks often helped Indians in India connect with markets, suppliers and potential business partners in the COR.Research limitations/implications – The sample size was 25 people and was restricted to managers, executives and en.
Feasibility of Long-Term Continuous EEG Monitoring During the First Days of Life in Preterm Infants: An Automated Quantification of the EEG Activity

Long-term EEG monitoring (LTM) with several electrodes could be a useful tool for surveillance of the brain during the first critical days of life. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of multichannel LTM for automated analysis of EEG activity from d 1 to 3 using eight electrodes. Premature infants (GA <31 wk; n = 48) were continuously monitored for 3 d. EEG monitoring for a total of 3257 h was successfully performed. Total absolute band power (tABP) was calculated per second. Artifacts were removed visually or by an algorithm removing the highest 5, 10, 15, and 20% tABPs. NS difference was found between the trends of visually edited and 5% mathematically trimmed data. Two groups were compared (24 ≤ GA < 28 wk and 28 ≤ GA < 31 wk) using the median of tABP for all frequency bands per day. The results showed that tABP differed between groups. The changes of tABP d 1–3 were equal in both groups. Automatically assessed LTM confirms that the EEG activity depends on GA. However, it reveals that the early changes (d 1–3) are independent of GA. The study demonstrates the feasibility of multichannel LTM and the possibility of developing automated EEG analyses.