Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bootstrap Methods in Econometrics: Theory and Numerical Performance

The bootstrap is a method for estimating the distribution of an estimator or test statistic by resampling one's data. It amounts to treating the data as if they were the population for the purpose of evaluating the distribution of interest. Under mild regularity conditions, the bootstrap yields an approximation to the distribution of an estimator or test statistic that is at least as accurate as the approximation obtained from first-order asymptotic theory. Thus, the bootstrap provides a way to substitute computation for mathematical analysis if calculating the asymptotic distribution of an estimator or statistic is difficult. The maximum score estimator Manski (1975, 1985), the statistic developed by Ha.rdle et al. (1991) for testing positive- definiteness of income-effect matrices, and certain functions of time- series data (Blanchard and Quah 1989, Runkle 1987, West 1990) are examples in which evaluating the asymptotic distribution is difficult and bootstrapping has been used as an alternative.1 In fact, the bootstrap is often more accurate in finite samples than first-order asymptotic approximations but does not entail the algebraic complexity of higher-order expansions. Thus, it can provide a practical method for improving upon first-order approximations. First-order asymptotic theory often gives a poor approximation to the distributions of test statistics with the sample sizes available in applications. As a result, the nominal levels of tests based on asymptotic critical values can be very different from the true levels. The information matrix test of White(1982) is a well-known example of a test in which large finite- sample distortions of level can occur when asymptotic critical values are used (Horowitz 1994, Kennan and Neumann 1988, Orme 1990, Taylor 1987). Other illustrations are given later in this chapter. The bootstrap often provides a tractable way to reduce or eliminate finite- sample distortions of the levels of statistical tests.
Origin, Persistence, and Resolution of the Rotational Grazing Debate: Integrating Human Dimensions Into Rangeland Research

Abstract The debate regarding the benefits of rotational grazing has eluded resolution within the US rangeland profession for more than 60 yr. This forum examines the origin of the debate and the major reasons for its persistence in an attempt to identify common ground for resolution, and to search for meaningful lessons from this central chapter in the history of the US rangeland profession. Rotational grazing was a component of the institutional and scientific response to severe rangeland degradation at the turn of the 20th century, and it has since become the professional norm for grazing management. Managers have found that rotational grazing systems can work for diverse management purposes, but scientific experiments have demonstrated that they do not necessarily work for specific ecological purposes. These interpretations appear contradictory, but we contend that they can be reconciled by evaluation within the context of complex adaptive systems in which human variables such as goal setting, experiential knowledge, and decision making are given equal importance to biophysical variables. The scientific evidence refuting the ecological benefits of rotational grazing is robust, but also narrowly focused, because it derives from experiments that intentionally excluded these human variables. Consequently, the profession has attempted to answer a broad, complex question—whether or not managers should adopt rotational grazing—with necessarily narrow experimental research focused exclusively on ecological processes. The rotational grazing debate persists because the rangeland profession has not yet developed a management and research framework capable of incorporating both the social and biophysical components of complex adaptive systems. We recommend moving beyond the debate over whether or not rotational grazing works by focusing on adaptive management and the integration of experiential and experimental, as well as social and biophysical, knowledge to provide a more comprehensive framework for the management of rangeland systems.
Suicide and self-harm among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities Suicide Prevention Australia August 2009

Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) is a non-profit, community organisation working as a public health advocate in suicide and self-harm prevention, intervention and postvention. SPA is the only national umbrella body active in suicide prevention throughout Australia, promoting: As a national organisation, SPA supports and assists both individuals and organisations throughout Australia, by promoting collaboration and partnerships in suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. SPA is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. SPA regularly publishes position statements on priority areas of suicide and self-harm prevention and postvention in Australia. These foundation documents provide a basis for understanding, discussion, teaching, delivery and research, and reflect the diversity of voices within the sector. They are not intended to be specific to or limited to policy-makers alone, but are instead written with a general cross-section of the educated lay public in mind (ie. broader community, media, and other NGOs). SPA Position Statements therefore represent a starting point for policy and strategy development, while supporting SPA's ongoing advocacy work and activities. These documents are developed in close consultation with community and specialist reference groups and are ratified by the SPA Board. They are reviewed annually with the intention of being reaffirmed, revised or retired, and generally do not refer to issues previously covered by other SPA Position Statements or by those currently in the process of being drafted. Acknowledgments SPA acknowledges the advice, support and involvement of those individuals and groups that contributed to the development of this position statement. Appreciation is particularly expressed to those who, through their participation, provided invaluable knowledge, expertise and experience. This includes members of the Suicide and self-harm among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities SPA Position Statement Reference Group and those who took part in the broader community consultation process or contributed independently via direct dialogue with SPA and its representatives. SPA also acknowledges and appreciates the ongoing contributions of the SPA Board and its State Delegates. Thanks are also expressed to Atari Metcalf at Inspire Foundation for his assistance in researching, writing and editing the position statement, and to Katrina Clifford for her proofreading of the position statement. Disclaimer This material has been prepared for information purposes only, and represents the views of Suicide Prevention Australia, based on the best available evidence at the time of publication. While all reasonable care has been taken in its preparation, Suicide Prevention Australia makes …
Spectral and Pseudospectral Properties of Finite Difference Models Used in Audio and Room Acoustics

Finite difference solutions to the wave equation are simple and flexible modeling tools for approximating physical systems in audio and room acoustics. Each model is characterized by a matrix operator and the time-stepping solution by a sequence of powers of the matrix. Spectral decomposition of representative matrices provide some practical insight into solution behavior and in some cases stability. In addition to computed eigenvalue spectra, pseudospectra provide a description of numerical amplification due to rounding errors in floating point arithmetic. The matrix analysis also shows that certain boundary implementations in non-cuboid geometries can be unstable despite satisfying conditions derived from von Neumann and normal mode analyses.
Regulation of Endocytic Recycling of KCNQ1/KCNE1 Potassium Channels

Stress-dependent regulation of cardiac action potential duration is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. It is accompanied by an increased magnitude of the slow outward potassium ion current, IKs. KCNQ1 and KCNE1 subunits coassemble to form the IKs channel. Mutations in either subunit cause long QT syndrome, an inherited cardiac arrhythmia associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Here we demonstrate that exocytosis of KCNQ1 proteins to the plasma membrane requires the small GTPase RAB11, whereas endocytosis is dependent on RAB5. We further demonstrate that RAB-dependent KCNQ1/KCNE1 exocytosis is enhanced by the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1, and requires phosphorylation and activation of phosphoinositide 3-phosphate 5-kinase and the generation of PI(3,5)P2. Identification of KCNQ1/KCNE1 recycling and its modulation by serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1-phosphoinositide 3-phosphate 5-kinase -PI(3,5)P2 provides a mechanistic insight into stress-induced acceleration of cardiac repolarization.
Amachi: Mentoring Children of Prisoners in Philadelphia.

This report documents the work of Amachi, a mentoring program for children of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated parents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Volunteers are recruited from inner-city congregations to provide one-to-one mentoring to the children. Beyond being the source of mentors, the congregations are a key part of the initiative. Information for this report comes from interviews with program developers, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Amachi staff, pastors, church volunteer coordinators, and mentors. This report describes challenges and successes of the Amachi model, focusing on the structure of the program in Philadelphia; describes the steps involved in transforming Amachi from plan to reality, highlighting the strategies for recruiting children, pastors, and volunteers; and examines the experiences of mentors and mentees and the challenges and successes of the matches thus far. A combination of four factors was essential (structure, management, commitment, and resources) . One partner was an organization that had substantive experience with mentoring and could provide the necessary infrastructure. The partnership between secular and faith-based organizations was designed to be a "true partnership. " There was leadership that was able to bridge the faith and secular communities. A firm system of accountability was key to success. (Contains 11 references and 23 endnotes.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Ectomycorrhizal fungi on the early colonizing shrub Sarcolaena oblongifolia F. facilitate the establishment of an endemic tree Uapaca bojeri L. in Madagascarian highland forests

Ectomycorrhizal fungal community is largely integrated into the overall diversity and ecosystem processes. This study aims to determine the below-ground structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi community associated with Uapaca bojeri and Sarcolaena oblongifolia in highland sclerophyllous forest of Madagascar and to assess the impact of shared ectomycorrhizal symbiont on tree seedling recruitment and plant succession facilitation. Ectomycorrhizal fungi were identified based on morphotyping and RFLP analysis of rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-large subunit followed by sequence analysis of each RFLP pattern. Impacts of shared ectomycorrhizal symbionts on seedling development of U. bojeri were investigated in soil microcosm collected at different distances from naturally established of both host plant species. The ECM fungal communities associated with both plants showed high similarity and were dominated by the genus Russula. Expressed as RFLP types, 21 taxa of ECM fungi were collected from root tips. More than half of these ECM taxa were shared between the two plant species. The better development of U. bojeri seedling was observed in soil samples naturally influenced by S. oblongifolia and located between 5 and 10 m from established U. bojeri where seedlings were colonized particularly by shared ectomycorrhizal symbionts. This study demonstrates that natural establishment of secondary colonizing hosts may contribute to tree seedling recruitment and development by providing compatible ectomycorrhizal symbionts.
Cortical stimulation improves skilled forelimb use following a focal ischemic infarct in the rat

Abstract Improving functional recovery following cerebral strokes in humans will likely involve augmenting brain plasticity. This study examined skilled forelimb behavior, neocortical evoked potentials, and movement thresholds to assess cortical electrical stimulation concurrent with rehabilitative forelimb usage following a focal ischemic insult. Adult rats were trained on a task that required skilled usage of both forelimbs. They then underwent an acute focal ischemic insult to the caudal forelimb area of sensorimotor cortex contralateral to their preferred forelimb. During the same procedure, they also received a stimulation electrode over the infarct area and two depth electrodes anterior to the lesion to record evoked potentials. One week following the surgery, rats received cortical stimulation during performance of the skilled task. Evoked potentials and movement thresholds were also determined. Functional assessment revealed that cortical stimulation resulted in superior performance compared to the no stimulation group, and this was initially due to a shift in forelimb preference. Cortical stimulation also resulted in enhanced evoked potentials and a reduction in the amount of current required to elicit a movement, in a stimulation frequency dependent manner. This study suggests that cortical stimulation, concurrent with rehabilitative training, results in better forelimb usage that may be due to augmented synaptic plasticity.
MICROSCALE LASER PEEN FORMING OF SINGLE CRYSTAL: DYNAMIC DEFORMATION AND ANISOTROPY

Microscale laser peen-forming (μLPF) is an innovative process in which compressive residual stress is induced into the treated surface to improve fatigue life of the micro scale metallic parts and meanwhile shape the parts with a controlled bending deformation. In this work, dynamic deformation in μLPF of single crystal aluminum is investigated. A finite element model based on meso scale crystal plasticity integrated with consideration of dynamic effects is implementated to simulate the shock wave propagation in aluminum single crystal and to predict the deformation, lattice rotation and the induced surface residual stress distributions in μLPF. The crystal elastic moduli are pressure dependent to capture the large volume strains properly and to enable evolution of shocks from steep pressure gradient. Experimentally, local plastic deformation as well as residual stress distributions on both top and bottom surfaces measured by X-ray micro-diffraction, is compared with the results obtained from FEM simulation.
Cultural Cognitive Style and Web Design: Beyond a Behavioral Inquiry into Computer-Mediated Communication

Numerous studies have identified links among culture, user preferences, and Web site usability. Most of these studies were reports of findings from a behavioral perspective in explaining how cultural factors affect processes of Web-related content design and use. Based on the research of Vygotsky and Nisbett, the authors propose a broader model, referred to as ‘‘cultural cognition theory,’’ by which Web design, like other types of information production, is seen as being shaped by cultural cognitive processes that impact the designers’ cognitive style. This study explores issues related to Web designers’ cultural cognitive styles and their impact on user responses. The results of an online experiment that exposed American 1 and Chinese users to sites created by both Chinese and American designers indicate that users perform information-seeking tasks faster when using Web content created by designers from their own cultures.
Criticality features in ULF magnetic fields prior to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake

The criticality of ULF (Ultra-low-frequency) magnetic variations is investigated for the 2011 March 11 Tohoku earthquake (EQ) by natural time analysis. For this attempt, some ULF parameters were considered: (1) Fh (horizontal magnetic field), (2) Fz (vertical magnetic field), and (3) Dh (inverse of horizontal magnetic field). The first two parameters refer to the ULF radiation, while the last parameter refers to another ULF effect of ionospheric signature. Nighttime (L.T. = 3 am ± 2 hours) data at Kakioka (KAK) were used, and the power of each quantity at a particular frequency band of 0.03–0.05 Hz was averaged for nighttime hours. The analysis results indicate that Fh fulfilled all criticality conditions on March 3–5, 2011, and that the additional parameter, Dh reached also a criticality on March 6 or 7. In conclusion, criticality has reached in the pre-EQ fracture region a few days to one week before the main shock of the Tohoku EQ.
Mortality Risk and Real Optimal Asset Allocation for Pension Funds

We analyze the problem of real optimal asset allocation for a pension fund maximising the expected CRRA utility of its real disposable wealth. The financial horizon of the analysis coincides with the random death time of a representative subscriber. We consider a very general setting where there exists a stochastic investment opportunity set together with stochastic contributions and pensions and we derive a quasi-explicit solution. When the market price of risk is independent of the state variables we are also able to compute a closed-form solution. Numerical simulations provide useful practical guidelines regarding the optimal investment strategy.
(UBS Pensions Series 033) Can the retirement-consumption puzzle be resolved? Evidence from the British Household Panel Survey

This paper uses data from the British Household Panel Survey to shed further light on the fall in spending at retirement (the “retirement-consumption puzzle”). Comparing food spending for men retiring involuntarily early (through ill health or redundancy) with spending for those who retire voluntarily, it finds a significant fall in spending only for those who retire involuntarily. This is consistent with the observed fall in spending being linked to a negative wealth shock for some retirees. Evidence on psychological and financial well-being also indicates that the retirement experience of involuntary retirees is very different to that of voluntary retirees.
Correlation between physical fitness, self-control, attention and academic achievement in socially disadvantaged schoolchildren aged 9-12 from Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Background Current literature has linked the parameters physical fitness, self-control, attention, socio-economic status and academic achievement in various combinations and has provided evidence for physical and psychological health improvements. The purpose of this study is to assess the relations between the above-mentioned five parameters within the frame of the DASH-study. Methods Cross-sectional data including the academic achievement, 20-m shuttle run, a psychosocial questionnaire including questions about the socio-economic status (SES), the brief self-control-scale and the d2-test of attention were collected within the frame of the longitudinal DASH-study taking place in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Participants (N=945) are aged 9-12 and divided approximately equally across gender (50.5% are female and 49.5% male). Results The correlation analysis revealed no significant relation between physical fitness and academic achievement. There was a small positive correlation between physical fitness and attention. No significant relations could be found neither between self-control and academic achievement nor between self-control and attention. Further, the results did not indicate a relation between physical fitness and self-control. But the results show a substantial positive correlation between SES and academic achievement and a small positive relation between SES and attention. Discussion The two key findings of the present study are that attention is associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and that SES is related to academic achievement and attention. All other parameters do not correlate significantly, thereby deviating from results of contemporary research.
Novel Evidence and Severe Tests

While many philosophers of science have accorded special evidential significance to tests whose results are "novel facts", there continues to be disagreement over both the definition of novelty and why it should matter. The view of novelty favored by Giere, Lakatos, Worrall and many others is that of use-novelty: An accordance between evidence e and hypothesis h provides a genuine test of h only if e is not used in h's construction. I argue that what lies behind the intuition that novelty matters is the deeper intuition that severe tests matter. I set out a criterion of severity akin to the notion of a test's power in Neyman-Pearson statistics. I argue that tests which are use-novel may fail to be severe, and tests that are severe may fail to be use-novel. I discuss the 1919 eclipse data as a severe test of Einstein's law of gravity.
International negotiations on the environment : Uniform vs. differentiated standards

Most of the international environmental agreements that have been signed in the past to resolve transboundary pollution problems appear constrained in the sense that either monetary transfers accompany uniform abatement standards (agreements based on a uniform standard with monetary transfers), or differentiated abatement standards are established but without monetary transfers (agreements based on differentiated standards). For two asymmetric countries facing the challenge of a transboundary pollution problem, we compare the relative efficiency of these two second-best agreements in the case of quasi-linear utility functions. We especially study what role the costs associated with transfer payments across countries play in the choice of cooperative agreements. To conduct this analysis, we first construct the Pareto sets corresponding to each agreement. We next analyze the agreement which will be signed by both countries using the generalized Nash bargaining solution (1953). On the one hand, our results demonstrate the equivalence of the Pareto sets corresponding to the two agreements for one special case which coincides with the first-best solution. On the other hand, in the neighborhood of this case, we show the possible superiority of the agreement based on a uniform standard with transfers over that based on differentiated standards. In this case, the level of the costs associated with transfer payments must be sufficiently low compared to the relative marginal abatement costs of the countries in the differentiated agreement.
Biotechnologically Relevant Enzymes and Proteins

A hemolytic peptide from the mycophilic fungus Sepedonium chrysospermum (Bull.) Fr. Abstract The hemolytic activity of an extract of the mycoparasite Sepedonium chrysospermum (teleomorph Hypomyces chrysospermus) was detected and characterized. Extraction of the fungal biomass by methanol yielded a fraction in which the hemolytic activity against human red blood cells corresponded to a peptide with a molecular mass of 7,653.72 Da and an isoelectric point of approximately 5.8. The peptide was temperature resistant, and the hemolysis was only partially inhibited, even after a 30-min pre-incubation at 100°C. Its hemolytic activity was unaffected by treatment with proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin. Among the divalent cations assayed, Hg 2+ was the strongest inhibitor of hemolysis. The reducing agent, dithiothreitol, and the membrane lipid, cholesterol, demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibitory activities. Finally, hemolytic activity triggered by the peptide was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, and a pore-forming activity was detected.