Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Escaping Poverty in Tanzania: What Can We Learn from Cases of Success?

Drawing on longitudinal Q-Squared data from six research sites across mainland Tanzania, this paper examines how and why people experienced upward socio-economic mobility, and in some cases poverty escape, in a context where this has been limited.Using a locally relevant but comparable well-being classification system, we find that poverty is entrenched across all research sites. The overwhelming majority of households ranked in this study – derived from a representative sample in each site from the 2007 HBS – were identified by representatives in their community as being poor. Further, in line with other analyses, we find that there has been little socioeconomic mobility across these sites over the past decade, and stubborn levels of poverty despite sustained economic growth nationally.Through systematic analysis of the qualitative data set, we find that agriculture is a key factor in supporting upward mobility. But critically, we find that it is non-farm businesses, the accumulation of physical assets (such as land and housing), salaried employment and favourable marriage - some of which agriculture plays a role in supporting – which are most effective at moving people out of poverty. When it comes to moving beyond vulnerability, these findings hold. Those that manage to move beyond vulnerability often have multiple sources of income and own a number of valuable physical assets.A range of broad policy conclusions are made. These include that agricultural development should remain a priority; rural industrialization requires greater attention; asset accumulation needs to be promoted (and those assets need to be protected); access to credit, and business development, needs to be supported; and that secondary and vocational training opportunities need to be made accessible to young people from poorer households.
Differing effects of particle size and in the infrared and Raman spectra kaolinite shape

Abstract Infrared (IR) spectra of well-ordered kaolinites generally show four OH-stretching frequencies, near 3697, 3670, 3652 and 3620 cm -1 Raman spectra of the same kaolinites mostly show an additional band near 3686 cm -1 , which, in the coarsely crystalline Keokuk kaolinite, largely replaces the 3695 cm -I band. It is shown that the 3686 cm -1 band can be ascribed to a transverse optical crystal vibration involving the in-phase stretching vibration of the three inner-surface hydroxyl groups in the unit-cell. Raman exciting radiation, commonly of wavelength near 500 nm, can excite this crystal vibration in crystals of comparable and greater thickness. Infrared studies are usually made on clay-size (<2 μm) particles, which have mean thicknesses of 30−150 nm. Infrared radiation of wavelength near 2.7 μm can only excite whole crystal vibrations perpendicular to the plates. The in-phase vibration of inner-surface OH groups in the whole-crystal mode lies at 3697 cm-1, which is the same frequency as that of the longitudinal optical mode in macroscopic crystals.
Fully-dynamic min-cut

We show that we can maintain up to polylogarithmic edge connectivity for a fully-dynamic graph in <italic>\tilde O(\sqrt{n})</italic> time per edge insertion or deletion. Within logarithmic factors, this matches the best time bound for 1-edge connectivity. Previously, no <italic>o(n)</italic> bound was known for edge connectivity above <italic>3</italic>, and even for <italic>3</italic>-edge connectivity, the best update time was <italic>O(n^{2/3})</italic>, dating back to FOCS'92. Our algorithm maintains a concrete min-cut in terms of a pointer to a tree spanning one side of the cut plus ability to list the cut edges in <italic>O(\log n)</italic> time per edge. By dealing with polylogarithmic edge connectivity, we immediately get a sampling based expected factor <italic>(1+o(1))</italic> approximation to general edge connectivity in <italic>\tilde O(\sqrt{n})</italic> time per edge insertion or deletion. This algorithm also maintains a pointer to one side of a min-cut, but if we want to list the cut edges in <italic>O(\log n)</italic> time per edge, the update time increases to <italic>\tilde O(\sqrt{m})</italic>.
Null subjects , expletives and locatives in Sardinian 1

If we look at subtypes of expletive subjects, as identified by Svenonius (2002:5) for English, for example, we see that they can be pronouns, as is the case for extrapositional it or weather it, or they can consist of a locative element, like impersonal there. It is the latter in particular that will be at the centre of interest in this paper. The specific aim of this paper is to describe, interpret and analyse two subtypes of “subjectless” constructions in Sardinian that involve such a locative element, namely existential constructions and presentational impersonal constructions with intransitives. The paper will focus on the status and role of the locative element with respect to null subjects and/or expletives. More details concerning the relation between empty and overt expletives and overt locatives even in a null subject language such as Sardinian will be discussed in section 2. Sardinian displays wide diatopic variation; nevertheless it is often stated that there are roughly two main dialect areas, although these are not clearly defined and have several transitional areas. One is Logudorese in the North of the island; the other is Campidanese in the South. Thus there is a variation of forms with respect to locatives or existentials in Sardinian. Here, only the clitic locatives will be considered, which can be bi, bíe / ikke, ke, nke, ank, inchi, for the Logudorese varieties, and iddhoi, ddhoi, ddhui, ddhue, ddhu / inci, ci, ince, nce for the Campidanese varieties. All varieties, however, have null subjects. In what follows I shall principally use examples with bi, most of them stemming from the mailing list Sa Limba (cf. Sa-Limba 1999-2007). The occurrences of a locative or existential element are glossed with LOC. This, however, does not mean that bi always is to be interpreted as a true locative. All examples at issue here are thetic sentences (cf. Sasse 1987) or so-called presentational clauses, i.e. constructions that do not have predicate focus, but sentence focus (Lambrecht 1994). The data under discussion are given in the following examples:
Synthesis of Gelatin-γ-Polyglutamic Acid-Based Hydrogel for the In Vitro Controlled Release of Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) from Camellia sinensis

The antioxidant property and other health benefits of the most abundant catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), are limited because of poor stability and permeability across intestine. Protecting the EGCG from the harsh gastrointestinal tract (GIT) environment can help to increase its bioavailability following oral administration. In this study, EGCG was loaded to hydrogel prepared from ionic interaction between an optimized concentration of gelatin and γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA), with ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) as the crosslinker. Physicochemical characterization of hydrogel was done using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dependence of the swelling degree (SD) of the hydrogel to the amount of gelatin, γ-PGA, EDC, swelling time and pH was determined. A high SD of the crosslinked hydrogel was noted at pH 4.5, 6.8
A practical and linguistically-motivated approach to compositional distributional semantics

Distributional semantic methods to approximate word meaning with context vectors have been very successful empirically, and the last years have seen a surge of interest in their compositional extension to phrases and sentences. We present here a new model that, like those of Coecke et al. (2010) and Baroni and Zamparelli (2010), closely mimics the standard Montagovian semantic treatment of composition in distributional terms. However, our approach avoids a number of issues that have prevented the application of the earlier linguistically-motivated models to full-fledged, real-life sentences. We test the model on a variety of empirical tasks, showing that it consistently outperforms a set of competitive rivals. 1 Compositional distributional semantics The research of the last two decades has established empirically that distributional vectors for words obtained from corpus statistics can be used
A Transiting “51 Peg-like” Planet

Doppler measurements from Keck exhibit a sinusoidal periodicity in the velocities of the G0 dwarf HD 209458, having a semiamplitude of 81 m s-1 and a period of 3.5239 days, which is indicative of a "51 Peg-like" planet with a minimum mass (M sin i) of 0.62 MJup and a semimajor axis of 0.046 AU. Follow-up photometry reveals a drop of 0.017 mag at the predicted time (within the errors) of transit by the companion based on the velocities. This is the first extrasolar planet observed to transit its star. The radius of the planet derived from the magnitude of the dimming is 1.42 RJup, which is consistent with models of irradiated Jupiter-mass planets. The transit implies that sin i > 0.993, leading to a true mass of 0.62 MJup for the planet. The resulting mean density of 0.27 g cm-3 implies that the companion is a gas giant.
Covered Calls Uncovered

Typical covered call strategies collect the equity and volatility risk premiums but also embed exposure to a naive equity reversal strategy that is uncompensated. This article presents a novel risk and performance attribution methodology that deconstructs the strategy into these three exposures. Historically, the equity exposure contributed most of the risk and return. The short volatility exposure realized a Sharpe ratio of nearly 1.0 but contributed only 10% of the risk. The equity reversal exposure contributed approximately 25% of the risk but provided little return in exchange. The authors propose a risk-managed covered call strategy that eliminates the uncompensated equity reversal exposure. This modified covered call strategy has a superior Sharpe ratio, reduced volatility, and reduced downside equity beta. Equity index covered calls have historically provided attractive risk-adjusted returns, largely because they collect an equity risk premium and a volatility risk premium from their long equity exposure and short volatility exposure, respectively. However, they also embed exposure to an uncompensated risk, a naive equity market reversal strategy. In this article, the authors present a novel performance attribution methodology, which deconstructs the strategy into these three identified exposures, in order to measure each exposure’s contribution to the covered call’s return. The covered call’s equity exposure is responsible for most of the strategy’s risk and return. The strategy’s short volatility exposure has had a realized Sharpe ratio close to 1.0, but its contribution to risk has been less than 10%. The equity reversal exposure is responsible for about one-quarter of the covered call’s risk but provides little reward. Finally, the authors propose a risk-managed covered call strategy that hedges the equity reversal exposure in an attempt to eliminate this uncompensated risk. Their proposed strategy improves the covered call’s Sharpe ratio and reduces its volatility and downside equity beta. Editor’s note: Roni Israelov and Lars N. Nielsen manage option portfolios and covered calls at AQR Capital Management and may have a commercial interest in the topics discussed in this article. Editor’s note: This article was reviewed and accepted by Executive Editor Robert Litterman. Authors’ note: The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of AQR Capital Management, LLC (“AQR”), its affiliates, or its employees, nor do they constitute an offer, a solicitation of an offer, or any advice or recommendation to purchase any securities or other financial instruments by AQR.
The Organization of Lending and the Use of Credit Scoring Techniques in Italian Banks: Results of a Sample Survey

This paper examines the results of a survey carried out in 2007 by the Bank of Italy concerning different characteristics of the organization of lending activities. Between 2003 and 2006 the physical distance between the headquarters and the branches increased, the limits to the decision-making process of loan officers were eased, their mobility raised, and the use of economic incentives to reward their activity expanded. The huge heterogeneity in organizational structures persists even within relatively homogenous size classes. The diffusion of statistical models to assess credit risk (scoring) accelerated recently particularly among large banks, boosted by the new Basel Capital Accord. Scoring is either very important or determinant in decisions on credit extension while it is rarely influential in setting interest rates, the duration of the credit, and the amount and type of collateral required. The survey shows that banks have been progressively adapting their organizational structure in order to incorporate the credit scoring tools into their lending processes.
Heterogeneous Firms , Endogenous Quality Choice , and the Flight to Quality in International Trade

This paper presents a model of international trade with heterogeneous firms and endogenous product quality choice. Firms compete on a market with two quality segments. Successful market entrants start by producing standard quality products and are then given the opportunity to switch to higher quality production. Firms with low productivity switch quality segments since their profit opportunities from supplying standard quality products are low. The introduction of international trade leads to a rise in the required productivity for market entry and to a reallocation of firms in favor of higher quality products. In this sense firms ’fly to higher quality’ in order to prevent market exit. Finally, the model predictions are shown to be in accordance with recent studies on product quality in international trade. JEL classification: F12, L15
Banks and Bonds: The Impact of Bank Loan Announcements on Bond and Equity Prices

We study the effect of bank loan announcements on the borrowing firms' bond and equity prices. Our sample consists of 896 loan deals signed between 1997 to 2003 involving 364 different US firms. Wereport the first comprehensive evidence that also firm bond prices react to bank loan announcements. Using a two-day event window, we find significant abnormal bond credit spreads reduction of 11 basispoint spread (BPS) on average. The corresponding average stock price reaction is 26 BPS. While stock returns are unaffected by firm risk, bondholders of riskier firms are more sensitive to the loss given default which increases with bank borrowing. Such firms experience bond credit spread increases. Our analysis also provides an estimate of the net impact on firm value of bank loan announcements, between -5 BPS for riskier and smaller firms and 18 BPS for safer and larger companies. Collectively, the results indicate that the overall positive effect on equity value comes from two sources. First, bank certification reduces information asymmetry. Second, there is a transfer of bondholder's wealth to the shareholders as a resultof claim dilution.
Projection‐Based Model Reduction for Time‐Varying Descriptor Systems Using Recycled Krylov Subspaces

We will present a projection approach for model reduction of linear time–varying descriptor systems based on earlier ideas in the work of Philips and others. The idea behind the proposed procedure is based on a multipoint rational approximation of the monodromy matrix of the corresponding differential–algebraic equation. This is realized by orthogonal projection onto a rational Krylov subspace. The algorithmic realization of the method employs recycling techniques for shifted Krylov subspaces and their invariance properties. The proposed method works efficiently for macromodels, such as time varying circuit systems and models arising in network interconnection, on limited frequency ranges. Bode plots and step response are used to illustrate the performance of the reduced order models. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Trivalent graphs and solitons

It is shown that the fourth order real self-adjoint difference operator on the Tivalent Tree admits nontrivial deformations preserving one energy level and therefore defines a nontrinial hierarhy of the completely integrable nonlinear systems representible through the ''L-A-B-triple''. The Laplace transformations for these operators are also constructed. Nothing like that exists for the second order difference operators on this tree.
Correlation between radiographic severity of knee osteoarthritis and future disease progression. Results from a 3-year prospective, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effect of glucosamine sulfate.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between baseline radiographic severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and the importance of long-term joint space narrowing. DESIGN Sub-analysis from a three-year randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective study, of 212 patients with knee OA, recruited in an osteoarthritic outpatient clinic and having been part of a study evaluating the effect of glucosamine sulfate on symptom and structure modification in knee OA. MATERIAL AND METHODS Measurements of mean joint space width (JSW), assessed by a computer-assisted method, were performed at baseline and after 3 years, on weightbearing anteroposterior knee radiographs. RESULTS In the placebo group, baseline JSW was significantly and negatively correlated with the joint space narrowing observed after 3 years (r=-0.34, P=0.003). In the lowest quartile of baseline mean JSW (<4.5mm), the JSW increased after 3 years by (mean (S.D.)) 3.8% (23.8) in the placebo group and 6.2% (17.5) in the glucosamine sulfate group. The difference between the two groups in these patients with the most severe OA at baseline was not statistically significant (P=0.70). In the highest quartile of baseline mean JSW (>6.2mm), a joint space narrowing of 14.9% (17.9) occurred in the placebo group after 3 years while patients from the glucosamine sulfate group only experienced a narrowing of 6.0% (15.1). Patients with the most severe OA at baseline had a RR of 0.42 (0.17-1.01) to experience a 0.5mm joint space narrowing over 3 years, compared to those with the less affected joint. In patients with mild OA, i.e. in the highest quartile of baseline mean JSW, glucosamine sulfate use was associated with a trend (P=0.10) towards a significant reduction in joint space narrowing. CONCLUSION These results suggest that patients with the less severe radiographic knee OA will experience, over 3 years, the most dramatic disease progression in terms of joint space narrowing. Such patients may be particularly responsive to structure-modifying drugs.
Assigning functions to distinct regions of the N-terminus of the prion protein that are involved in its copper-stimulated, clathrin-dependent endocytosis

The cellular prion protein (PrPC) is essential for the pathogenesis and transmission of prion diseases. Although PrPC is known to be located in detergent-insoluble lipid rafts at the surface of neuronal cells, the mechanism of its internalisation is unclear, with both raft/caveolae-based and clathrin-mediated processes being proposed. We have investigated the mechanism of copper-induced internalisation of PrPC in neuronal cells by immunofluorescence microscopy, surface biotinylation assays and buoyant sucrose density gradient centrifugation in the presence of Triton X-100. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis was selectively blocked with tyrphostin A23, which disrupts the interaction between tyrosine motifs in the cytosolic domains of integral membrane proteins and the adaptor complex AP2, and a dominant-negative mutant of the adaptor protein AP180. Both these agents inhibited the copper-induced endocytosis of PrPC. Copper caused PrPC to move laterally out of detergent-insoluble lipid rafts into detergent-soluble regions of the plasma membrane. Using mutants of PrPC that lack either the octapeptide repeats or the N-terminal polybasic region, and a construct with a transmembrane anchor, we show that copper binding to the octapeptide repeats promotes dissociation of PrPC from lipid rafts, whereas the N-terminal polybasic region mediates its interaction with a transmembrane adaptor protein that engages the clathrin endocytic machinery. Our results provide an experimental basis for reconciling the apparently contradictory observations that the prion protein undergoes clathrin-dependent endocytosis despite being localised in lipid rafts. In addition, we have been able to assign distinct functions in the endocytic process to separate regions of the protein.
Palomena prasina (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) vibratory signals and their tuning with plant substrates

Palomena prasina is interesting for the study of vibrational communication within the Pentatomid subfamily Pentatominae, because its host range is limited to woody plants, unlike the better known Nezara viridula, whose vibrational communication is commonly used as a model for the whole family. The vibrational repertoire of P. prasina was described several decades ago and is redescribed in this paper using modern methods for non-contact vibration recording. Additionally, we hypothesized that this species has retained the capacity for signal frequency variation necessary for tuning to resonance properties of various host plants of Pentatominae, but if the signals are emited in the absence of mechanical feedback, they are tuned more specifically to their native acoustic environment — woody plants. By recording live bugs signalling on different substrates and comparing spectral properties of their signals among substrates, we found that there is a match between the signals emitted on a woody branch and those emitted on a non-resonant surface, while spectral properties of signals emitted on herbaceous plants differ. Our findings provide evidence in support of the signal tuning hypothesis and shed further light on the crucial role of substrate in vibrational communication of insects.
Job Guarantee: a Structuralist Perspective

This paper aims at formalising and assessing the validity of the critiques of the Job Guarantee (JG) policy proposed by Minsky (1965). In order to do so, we develop a multisectoral Post-Keynesian Stock-Flow Consistent (PK-SFC) model. Our paper is a step, following Missaglia (2011), towards the creation of a structuralist/ SFC model. We introduce several new features in an PK-SFC model: (i) a more disaggregated households sector than usual, (ii) three production sectors and the possibility of constrained output, and (iii) a more elaborated labor market with endogenous labor supply. We use the model to compare and contrast two Keynesian policies: theJG and a traditional Keynesian Demand Spur (KDS).