Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Maternal Education on Offspring's Mental Health

We estimate the causal effect of maternal education on the mental health of mother’s children in late adolescence and adulthood. Theoretical considerations are ambiguous about a causal effect of maternal education on children’s mental health. To identify the causal effect of maternal education, we exploit exogenous variation in maternal years of schooling, caused by a compulsory schooling law reform in West Germany. Based on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we ﬁnd no evidence of a causal protective effect of maternal education on children’s mental health. Instead, our empirical results suggest a moderate negative effect of maternal education on the daughters’ mental health. We ﬁnd no effects for the sons. Our investigation of potential mechanisms is consistent with the hypothesis that the negative effect of higher maternal labor supply outweighs the positive effect of an expansion in household resources.
Inertial modes of neutron stars with a superfluid core

We investigate the modal properties of inertial modes of rotating neutron stars with a core filled with neutron and proton superfluids, taking account of entrainment effects between the superfluids. In this paper, the entrainment effects are modelled by introducing a parameter η so that there is no entrainment state at η = 0. We find that inertial modes of rotating neutron stars with a superfluid core are split into two families, which we call ordinary fluid inertial modes (i o -modes) and superfluid inertial modes (iS-modes). The two superfluids in the core counter-move for the i s -modes. For the i o -modes, κ 0 = lim Ω → 0 ω/Ω is only weakly dependent on the entrainment parameter η, where Ω and ω are the angular frequency of rotation and the oscillation frequency observed in the corotating frame of the star, respectively. For the i s -modes, on the other hand, ‖κ 0 ‖ increases almost linearly as η increases. Avoided crossings as functions of η are therefore quite common between i o - and iS-modes. We find that some of the i s -modes that are unstable against the gravitational radiation reaction at η = 0 become stable when η is larger than η c r i t , the value of which depends on the mode. Since the radiation-driven instability associated with the current multipole radiation is quite weak for the inertial modes and the mutual friction damping in the superfluid core is strong, the instability caused by the inertial modes will be easily suppressed unless the entrainment parameter η is extremely small and the mutual friction damping is sufficiently weak.
Cloud Protection by Obfuscation: Techniques and Metrics

This paper presents a survey of software protection based on the concept of security by obscurity, code obfuscation is now a hot topic in the field of digital right management, protecting against reverse engineering and tampering. Obfuscation comes in handy in situations where depending on cryptographic techniques is not enough, this is typical in remote execution situations where the software is executed on an unforeseen exposed hostile environment, such as the new computing platforms: cloud-computing paradigm and smartphones. Obfuscation is popular among malware and virus developers but also game developers and industrials who need to protect their intellectual property. They use it to conceal the operation of their code while executing in an uncontrolled environment. In this paper, we discuss the same concepts but for the different purpose of cloud security. We explore the state-of-the art in techniques and algorithms for software obfuscation. We also address how to assess the strength of these techniques via a concrete set of metrics.
Using compound earcons to represent hierarchies

Previous research on non-speech audio messages called earcons showed that they could provide powerful navigation cues in menu hierarchies. This work used hierarchical earcons. In this paper we suggest compound earcons provide a more flexible method for presenting this information. A set of sounds was created to represent the numbers 0-4 and dot. Sounds could then be created for any node in a hierarchy by concatenating these simple sounds. A hierarchy of four levels and 27 nodes was constructed. An experiment was conducted in which participants had to identify their location in the hierarchy by listening to an earcon. Results showed that participants could identify their location with over 97% accuracy, significantly better than with hierarchical earcons. Participants were also able to recognise previously unheard earcons with over 97% accuracy. These results showed that compound earcons are an effective way of representing hierarchies in sound.
Identification and characterization of a highly alkaline and thermotolerant novel xylanase from Streptomyces sp.

Xylanases constitute an important industrial enzyme, which hydrolyzes the polysaccharide xylan. In this work, a novel Streptomyces strain producing cellulase-free xylanase was isolated from the soil samples collected from the mangrove forest of Kadalundi, Kerala, India. The strain produced unique enzyme, which exhibited optimal activity at pH 9.0 and tolerance up to pH 12.0. Media engineering was carried out to improve the enzyme production, which showed best enzyme production at 30°C, medium pH 9.0 and incubation time of 48 h. Enzyme was highly thermo-tolerant up to 70°C and alkaline tolerant. Partial gene amplification as well as partial purification of enzyme was carried out to characterize the enzyme. The unique features of the enzyme make it an ideal candidate for industrial application for paper and pulp industry.
Three-Dimensional Genus Statistics of Galaxies in the SDSS Early Data Release

AbstractWe present the ﬁrst analysis of three-dimensional genus statistics for the SDSSEDR galaxy sample. Due to the complicated survey volume and the selection func-tion, analytic predictions of the genus statistics for this sample are not feasible, there-fore we construct extensive mock catalogs from N-body simulations in order to com-pare the observed data with model predictions. This comparison allows us to evaluatethe eﬀects of a variety of observational systematics on the estimated genus for theSDSS sample, including the shape of the survey volume, the redshift distortion eﬀect,and the radial selection function due to the magnitude limit. The observed genus forthe SDSS EDR galaxy sample is consistent with that predicted by simulations of aΛ-dominated spatially-ﬂat cold dark matter model. Standard (Ω 0 =1) cold dark mat-ter model predictions do not match the observations. We discuss how future SDSSgalaxy samples will yield improved estimates of the genus.Key words: cosmology: large-scale structure of universe — cosmology: observa-tions — galaxies: distances and redshifts — methods: statistical1
Practical estimation methods for linked employer-employee data

Methods for the analysis of linked employer-employee data are not yet available in standard econometrics packages. In this paper, we make the fixed-effects methods developed originally by Abowd, Kramarz, Margolis and others more accessible, where possible, and show how they can be implemented in Stata. To illustrate these techniques, we give an example using German linked data. There is a caveat: when the number of plants is prohibitively large and the investigator wants to estimate the correlation between the worker and firm unobserved heterogeneities, the regressionbased techniques discussed are not feasible. In this version of the paper, we replace our earlier Two-Step estimator by a Classical Minimum Distance estimator. Zusammenfassung: Die Analyse von zusammengefügten Personenund Firmendaten ist bisher nicht in die Statistiksprogramme integriert worden. In dem vorliegenden Beitrag werden die ursprünglich von Abowd, Kramarz, Margolis u.a. entwickelten Analyseverfahren aufbereitet und, sofern möglich, wird gezeigt, wie diese in Stata implementiert werden können. Die vorgestellten Methoden werden mit einem kombinierten Firmen-Beschäftigtendatensatz (LIAB) aus Deutschland veranschaulicht. Es gibt jedoch eine Einschränkung: sofern die Anzahl der Firmen sehr großist und man die Korrelation zwischen den unbeobachtbaren Personenund Firmenheterogenitäten schätzen möchte, können die in diesem Papier vorgestellten Regressionstechniken nicht verwendet werden. In dieser Fassung des Papiers wird der in der vorherigen Version verwendete 2-Stufen-Schätzer durch einen „Classical Minimum Distance“-Schätzer ersetzt.
Dynamic Sparsi cation for Quadratic Assignment Problems

We present a framework for optimizing sparse quadratic assignment problems. We propose an iterative algorithm that dynamically generates the quadratic part of the assignment problem and, thus, solves a sparsi ed linearization of the original problem in every iteration. This procedure results in a hierarchy of lower bounds and, in addition, provides heuristic primal solutions in every iteration. This framework was motivated by the task of the French government to design the French keyboard standard, which included solving sparse quadratic assignment problems with over 100 special characters; a size not feasible for many commonly used approaches. Designing a new standard often involves multiple stakeholders having con icting opinions and, hence, no agreement on a single well-de ned objective function to be used for an extensive one-shot optimization. Since the process of designing the standard is highly interactive, it demands rapid prototyping, e.g., quick primal solutions, on-they evaluation of manual changes, and prompt assessments of solution quality. Particularly concerning the latter aspect, our algorithm is able to provide high-quality lower bounds for these problems within only a few minutes.
Natural genetic variation in male reproductive genes contributes to nontransitivity of sperm competitive ability in Drosophila melanogaster

Female Drosophila melanogaster frequently mate with multiple males, and the success of a given male depends not only on his genotype but also on the genotype of his competitor. Here, we assess how natural genetic variation affects male–male interactions for traits influencing pre‐ and postcopulatory sexual selection. Males from a set of 66 chromosome substitution lines were competed against each other in a ‘round‐robin’ design, and paternity was scored using bulk genotyping. We observed significant effects of the genotype of the first male to mate, the second male to mate and an interaction between the males for measures of male mating rate and sperm utilization. We also identified specific combinations of males who show nontransitive patterns of reproductive success and engage in ‘rock‐paper‐scissors’ games. We then tested for associations between 245 polymorphisms in 32 candidate male reproductive genes and male reproductive success. We identified eight polymorphisms in six reproductive genes that associate with male reproductive success independent of the competitor (experimentwise P < 0.05). We also identified four SNPs in four different genes where the relative reproductive success of the alternative alleles changes depending on the competing males' genetic background (experimentwise P < 0.05); two of these associations include premature stop codons. This may be the first study that identifies the genes contributing to nontransitivity among males and further highlights that ‘rock‐paper‐scissors’ games could be an important evolutionary force maintaining genetic variation in natural populations.
A comparative study on polygonal mesh simplification algorithms

Polygonal meshes are a common way of representing three dimensional surface models in many different areas of computer graphics and geometry processing. However, with the evolution of the technology, polygonal models are becoming more and more complex. As the complexity of the models increase, the visual approximation to the real world objects get better but there is a trade-off between the cost of processing these models and better visual approximation. In order to reduce this cost, the number of polygons in a model can be reduced by mesh simplification algorithms. These algorithms are widely used such that nearly all of the popular mesh editing libraries include at least one of them. In this work, polygonal simplification algorithms that are embedded in open source libraries: CGAL, VTK and OpenMesh are compared with the Metro geometric error measuring tool. By this way we try to supply a guidance for developers for publicly available mesh libraries in order to implement polygonal mesh simplification.
Parallel Computer Systems Based on Numerical Integrations

This paper deals with continuous system simulation. The systems can be described by system of differential equa- tions or block diagram. Differential equations are usually solved by numerical methods that are integrated into sim- ulation software such as Matlab, Maple or TKSL. Taylor series method has been used for numerical solu- tions of differential equations. The presented method has been proved to be both very accurate and fast and also procesed in parallel systems. The aim of the thesis is to design, implement and compare a few versions of the parallel system.
Big data: A new challenge for tourism

This paper proposes the foundations for a definition of digital tourist survey field based on the study of social networks. Several social network provide essential information on the perceptions of tourist destination. Nevertheless to operate correctly, several points should be discussed. This article provides multiple ideas for reflections on the challenges and opportunities offered by these new media.
Differential resolvents of minimal order and weight

We will determine the number of powers of α that appear with nonzero coefficient in an α-power linear differential resolvent of smallest possible order of a univariate polynomial P( t) whose coefficients lie in an ordinary differential field and whose distinct roots are differentially independent over constants. We will then give an upper bound on the weight of an α-resolvent of smallest possible weight. We will then compute the indicial equation, apparent singularities, and Wronskian of the Cockle α-resolvent of a trinomial and finish with a related determinantal formula.
Corporation effective tax rates and company size: evidence from Germany

Abstract We investigate the relationship between the effective tax rate (E.T.R.) and company size in Germany to test tax planning–political power versus political cost theories. In contrast to most studies in this field, which use linear approximations, this paper uses a quantile regression approach. We use data from Compustat, corresponding to non-financial listed companies during 1992–2009. The results indicate a nonlinear relation, with a positive sign for the first quantiles and a negative one in the last part of the distribution. Additionally, leverage, inventory intensity and return on assets are found to be significant determinants of the E.T. R.
Actual Evapotranspiration Estimation Using Remote Sensing: Comparison of SEBAL and SSEB Approaches

The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the daily actual evapotranspiration (ET) accuracy obtained by remote sensing algorithms when compared with Bowen ratio measurements performed in the cotton fields. The experiment was conducted in a cotton experimental field of EMBRAPA located in Ceara State, Brazil. Seven TM Landsat-5 images acquired in 2005 and 2008 were used to perform SEBAL and SSEB algorithms. The comparison between the estimated values by remoting sensing algorithms and the measured values in situ showed an acceptable accuracy. Besides, SSEB algorithm showed to be an important tool for ET analysis in the semi-arid regions, due to the fact that it does not need the meteorological data to solve the energy balance, but only the average temperature of the “hot” and “cold” pixels. Additionally, SSEB presents simpler processing than SEBAL algorithm that needs to solve an iterative process to obtain the sensible heat flux values.
Gene expression profiling in undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma induced by high-dose radiation

Published gene expression studies for radiation-induced thyroid carcinogenesis have used various methodologies. In this study, we identified differential gene expression in a human thyroid epithelial cell line after exposure to high-dose γ-radiation. HTori-3 cells were exposed to 5 or 10 Gy of ionizing radiation using two dose rates (high-dose rate: 4.68 Gy/min, and low-dose rate: 40 mGy/h) and then implanted into the backs of BALB/c nude mice after 4 (10 Gy) or 5 weeks (5 Gy). Decreases in cell viability, increases in giant cell frequency, anchorage-independent growth in vitro, and tumorigenicity in vivo were observed. Particularly, the cells irradiated with 5 Gy at the high-dose rate or 10 Gy at the low-dose rate demonstrated more prominent tumorigenicity. Gene expression profiling was analyzed via microarray. Numerous genes that were significantly altered by a fold-change of >50% following irradiation were identified in each group. Gene expression analysis identified six commonly misregulated genes, including CRYAB, IL-18, ZNF845, CYP24A1, OR4N4 and VN1R4, at all doses. These genes involve apoptosis, the immune response, regulation of transcription, and receptor signaling pathways. Overall, the altered genes in high-dose rate (HDR) 5 Gy and low-dose rate (LDR) 10 Gy were more than those of LDR 5 Gy and HDR 10 Gy. Thus, we investigated genes associated with aggressive tumor development using the two dosage treatments. In this study, the identified gene expression profiles reflect the molecular response following high doses of external radiation exposure and may provide helpful information about radiation-induced thyroid tumors in the high-dose range.
Selecting an Appropriate Operationalization of the System Usage Construct: An IT Artifact Perspective

This paper aims at promoting more systematic information systems (IS) usage research. It suggests that there is a link between the operationalization of the system usage construct and the researchers’ view of the information technology (IT) artifact in a particular research. We suggest that in order to get an appropriate operationalization of the system usage construct, the richness of the measure should correspond to the chosen conceptualization of the IT artifact. Using extant IS literature, we performed an exploratory analysis of a sample of studies to better understand the relationship between these two concepts and showed how the fit could sometimes be improved. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of this study for future research.
DIAGONALS IN TENSOR PRODUCTS OF OPERATOR ALGEBRAS

Abstract In this paper we give a short, direct proof, using only properties of the Haagerup tensor product, that if an operator algebra $A$ possesses a diagonal in the Haagerup tensor product of $A$ with itself, then $A$ must be isomorphic to a finite-dimensional $C^*$-algebra. Consequently, for operator algebras, the first Hochschild cohomology group $H^1(A,X)=0$ for every bounded, Banach $A$-bimodule $X$, if and only if $A$ is isomorphic to a finite-dimensional $C^*$-algebra. AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 46L06. Secondary 46L05
How does childhood bilingualism and bi-dialectalism affect the interpretation and processing of pragmatic meanings?

Recent research has reported superior socio-communicative skills in bilingual children. We examined the hypothesis of a bilingual pragmatic advantage by testing bilingual, bi-dialectal and monolingual children on the comprehension and processing of various pragmatic meanings: relevance, scalar, contrastive, manner implicatures, novel metaphors and irony. Pragmatic responses were slower than literal responses to control items. Furthermore, children were least accurate with metaphors and irony. Metaphors and irony were also the most difficult to process; for these meanings, pragmatic responses were slower than literal responses to the same critical items. Finally, pragmatic performance positively correlated with working memory. Despite this variation, we found no bilingual or bi-dialectal advantage over monolinguals in pragmatic responses or speed of pragmatic processing. This was also true despite bilinguals’ and bi-dialectals’ lower vocabularies as measured by formal tests. We conclude that bilingual children exhibit monolingual-like pragmatic interpretation, despite their often-reported weaker language knowledge in the target language.
Children's collaboration in emergent game environments

The research presented in this paper examines how collaborative learning manifests in different environments of emergent play. Emergent games are interesting objects of study from a serious games perspective as their non-linear and open-ended nature can alleviate issues caused by impersonal and inflexible content. But, in order for them to be useful in learning contexts, methods for assessment of player actions and participation in emergent games need to be improved. Our approach to this issue was to device a methodology to track individual group members’ work contributions during different types of group exercises. Groups of middle-school children, ages 6-9, were tasked to build structures out of LEGOs and in the game Minecraft and, through the devised tracking method, data from the different exercises were compared in order to determine how the collaborative patterns within the groups varied depending on what type of exercise they were performing. The results of the study indicate that the computer based emergent system was experienced as more engaging and immersive than the face-to-face one, and that it fostered continuous discovery, experimentation and problem solving throughout the game session. The devised methodology resulted in some good indicators regarding collaborative behavior, but more parameters need to be added for it to be usable for effective and meaningful player assessments.
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Short-term synaptic depression (STD) and spike-frequency adaptation (SFA) are two basic physiological cortical mechanisms for reducing the system's excitability under repetitive stimulation. The computational implications of each one of these mechanisms on information processing have been studied in detail, but not so the dynamics arising from their combination in a realistic biological scenario. We show here, both experimentally with intracellular recordings from cortical slices of the ferret and computationally using a biologically realistic model of a feedforward cortical network, that STD combined with presynaptic SFA results in the resensitization of cortical syn-aptic efficacies in the course of sustained stimulation. This fundamental effect is then shown in the computational model to have important implications for the network response to time-varying inputs. The main findings are: (1) the addition of SFA to the model endowed with STD improves the network sensitivity to the degree of synchrony in the incoming inputs; (2) presynaptic SFA, whether slow or fast, combined with STD results in postsynaptic neurons responding briskly to abrupt changes in the presynaptic input current and ignoring sustained stimulation, much more effectively than either SFA or STD alone; (3) for slow presynaptic SFA postsynaptic responses to strong inputs decrease inversely to the input, whereas for weak input current to presynaptic neurons transient postsynaptic responses are strongly facilitated, thus enhancing the system's sensitivity for subtle changes in weak presynaptic inputs. Taken together, these results suggest that in systems designed to respond to temporal aspects of the input, SFA and STD might constitute two necessary, linked elements whose simultaneous interplay is important for the performance of the system.