Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TOURISM, TRADE AND WEALTH ACCUMULATION WITH ENDOGENOUS INCOME AND WEALTH DISTRIBUTION AMONG COUNTRIES

The purpose of this study is to study dynamic interactions among economic growth, structural change, international trade and tourist flows. It builds a multi-country growth model with endogenous wealth accumulation and tourism. The model is unique in that it introduces endogenous tourism within a general dynamic equilibrium framework. The model is built on microeconomic foundations. It not only integrates the three well-known Solow growth model, Oniki-Uzawa trade model, and the Uzawa two-sector model, but also introduces tourist flows between economies for any number of national economies. After building the model, we demonstrate that the motion of the J - country world economy can be described by J differential equations. We also simulate the global economy with three countries, showing that the world dynamics has a unique equilibrium. We carry out comparative dynamic analysis with regard to one country's total productivity factor, the propensity to save, the propensity to tour other countries, and the population.
Lemba origins revisited: tracing the ancestry of Y chromosomes in South African and Zimbabwean Lemba.

BACKGROUND Previous historical, anthropological and genetic data provided overwhelming support for the Semitic origins of the Lemba, a Bantu-speaking people in southern Africa. OBJECTIVE To revisit the question concerning genetic affinities between the Lemba and Jews. METHODS Y-chromosome variation was examined in two Lemba groups: one from South Africa (SA) and, for the first time, a group from Zimbabwe (Remba), to re-evaluate the previously reported Jewish link. RESULTS A sample of 261 males (76 Lemba, 54 Remba, 43 Venda and 88 SA Jews) was initially analysed for 16 bi-allelic and 6 short tandem repeats (STRs) that resulted in the resolution of 102 STR haplotypes distributed across 13 haplogroups. The non-African component in the Lemba and Remba was estimated to be 73.7% and 79.6%, respectively. In addition, a subset of 91 individuals (35 Lemba, 24 Remba, 32 SA Jews) with haplogroup J were resolved further using 6 additional bi-allelic markers and 12 STRs to screen for the extended Cohen modal haplotype (CMH). Although 24 individuals (10 Lemba and 14 SA Jews) were identified as having the original CMH (six STRs), only one SA Jew harboured the extended CMH.CONCLUSIONS. While it was not possible to trace unequivocally the origins of the non-African Y chromosomes in the Lemba and Remba, this study does not support the earlier claims of their Jewish genetic heritage.
Sex‐specific factors regulating pressure and flow

What is the topic of this review? There are sex‐ and sex‐hormone‐specific differences in autonomic control of blood pressure, central haemodynamics and cerebral blood flow. What advances does it highlight? Sex differences in autonomic control of blood pressure may underlie other sex‐specific characteristics associated with cerebral blood flow, which can, in turn, affect tissue function.
The relationship between corporate social responsibility disclosure and corporate governance characteristics in Malaysian public listed companies

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between corporate governance characteristics, namely the board size, board independence, duality, audit committee, ten largest shareholders, managerial ownership, foreign ownership and government ownership and the extent of corporate social responsibility disclosure. Design/methodology/approach - The content analysis was used to extract the CSR disclosure items from annual report and companies' web sites. Then, a CSR disclosure index was constructed after combining CSR disclosure items disclosed both in annual reports and in companies' web sites. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the corporate social disclosures index and the independent variables, namely the board size, board independence, duality, audit committee, ten largest shareholders, managerial ownership, foreign ownership and government ownership after statistically controlling the effects of a firm's size and the profitability of the companies. Findings - Results based on the full regression models indicated that only two variables were associated with the extent of disclosures, namely government ownership and audit committee. Government ownership and audit committee are positively and significantly correlated with the level of corporate social responsibility disclosure. The most significant variable that influences the level of CSR disclosure is government ownership. Research limitations/implications - The findings are limited to the context of the study and it was limited to Malaysian public listed companies, January to December 2006. The sources of data in this study were companies' annual reports and web sites only. Practical implications - The study is useful to organizations and statutory bodies to take into consideration in identifying the corporate governance characteristics that will enhance CSR disclosure, since it had been shown in previous studies that corporate social responsibility reporting in Malaysia is generally low. The government can determine how important it is that a company should be willing to allocate their costs towards corporate social responsibility activities. Thus, this study will emphasize the level of activities through corporate social responsibility reporting in Malaysian public listed companies and help the government to ascertain the level of corporate social responsibility activities through corporate social responsibility reporting among Malaysian public listed companies. Originality/value - The study reveals the extent of the disclosure of corporate social responsibility to companies web sites and constructed the CSR index based on two sources of data, namely companies' web sites and annual reports.
Technology strategies, innovation without R&D

The key to the success of Italian industrial districts lies in their flexibility and innovation. Yet except for a few rare cases, investments in R&D have been very limited. The paper explores this apparent conundrum. Even though there are alternative methods to introduce innovations (for example, the supply of machinery), it still remains difficult, from a traditional point of view, to adequately explain the widespread creation of original knowledge that is no doubt present in these enclaves, and that is able to bring about effective product and process innovation in order to maintain competitiveness. By using evolutionary theories and numerous empirical examples, the paper outlines the mechanisms for generating knowledge, the learning patterns and the specialisation processes that appear to characterise the most dynamic Italian districts.
Hydrophobic interaction and a model for the elasticity of elastin

The thermodynamics of the elastic process in the rubberlike protein elastin have been investigated by microcalorimetery. The results indicate that the reversible heat liberated upon the extension of water‐swollen elastin at room temperature is much largerthan the stored elastic energy, indicating a large than the stored elastic energy, indicating a large, negative internal energy change for stretching. The ratio of the measured internal energy change to the stored energy varies inversely wiht extension, and at 22° C it is −91 for 2% extension and −3 for 70% extension. The interanl energy change also varies dramatically with temperature over the range of 2–65° C it is zero.
Poverty, Income Inequality, and Growth in Pakistan: A Pooled Regression Analysis

This study estimates a set of fixed effects/random effects models to ascertain the long-run relationships between poverty, income inequality, and growth using pooled data from eight household income and expenditure surveys conducted between 1992/93 and 2007/08 in Pakistan. The results show that growth and inequality play significant roles in affecting poverty, and that the effect of the former is substantially larger than that of the latter. Furthermore, growth has a significant positive impact on inequality. The results also show that the absolute magnitude of net growth elasticity of poverty is smaller than that of gross growth elasticity of poverty, suggesting that some of the growth effect on poverty is offset by the rise in inequality. The analysis at a regional level shows that both the gross and net growth elasticity of poverty are higher in rural areas than in urban areas, whereas the inequality elasticity of poverty is higher in urban areas than in rural areas. At a policy level, we recommend that, in order to reduce poverty, the government should implement policies focusing on growth as well as adopting strategies geared toward improving income distribution.
Nonstationarity, cointegration and structural breaks in the Australian term structure of interest rates

This article examines the unit-root property of the Australian short- and long-term interest rates using unit-root tests that accommodate a single or two breaks under the null and/or alternative hypothesis. Two breaks in interest rates are found to coincide with the 1982/83 and 1990/91 recessions or the 1993 inflation targeting period. We further investigate the implications of these structural breaks on the cointegrating relationship implied by the single, linear expectations hypothesis of the term structure of interest rates. While there is evidence that the data are consistent with the expectations hypothesis at the shorter end of the term structure, breaks in interest rates generate a shift in the cointegrating relationship, thus altering the information content of the term structure. Failing to account for a regime shift in the cointegration regression, the data erroneously supports the expectations hypothesis at the longer end of the term structure. These results have profound implications for policy makers who may inadequately exploit the information content of the term structure to predict future changes in inflation.
Does School Matter? An Empirical Analysis of CEO Education, Compensation, and Firm Performance

In this paper the educational background of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Large U.S. Firms are examined. Specifically, the educational background of CEOs from large U.S. firms, as identified in the Forbes 800 Compensation List, are examined. Information concerning the number of Chief Executive Officers that received their undergraduate and graduate degrees from 463 institutes of higher education are compiled. We find that most CEOs have an undergraduate degree, while about half possess a graduate degree. The results indicate that there are preferred educational backgrounds for selection as the CEO of a major corporation. We also examine how the educational background of the CEO is related to the CEO’s total compensation. The evidence indicates that those CEOs that do not have a degree earn significantly more than those CEO’s that do have a college degree. We find little evidence that the school attended affects the compensation that the CEO receives. Finally, we examine firm ROA and Tobin’s Q based on the educational background of the CEO. We find an association between possession of a degree as well as where the degree was earned and the ROA and Tobin’s Q of the firm.
A 1.5-GHz 6.144T Correlations/s 64 $\times $ 64 Cross-Correlator With 128 Integrated ADCs for Real-Time Synthetic Aperture Imaging

A 65-nm CMOS, 18-mm<sup>2</sup>, 1.5-GHz 64 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 64 cross-correlator with 128 on-chip analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) enables real-time synthetic aperture radiometric imaging. This brief enables high-resolution synthetic aperture radiometry by greatly improving the integration and energy efficiency of the mixed-signal baseband cross-correlator. The design supports analog-in and digital correlation out, removing approximately 5 W of power that would otherwise be needed for I/O between the ADCs and the digital correlation core. The prototype 6.144T correlation/s 1.5 Gsamples/s 64 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 64 correlator is designed for satellite-based radiometric imaging of water in the atmosphere. Massive parallelism together with an optimized correlation scheme leads to a measured energy consumption of only 0.35 pJ/correlation/cycle. A correlation efficiency greater than 90% is achieved for input signal levels greater than −30 dBm.
Capital Utilization and Returns to Scale

This paper studies the implications of procyclical capital utilization rates for inference regarding cyclical movements in labor productivity and the degree of returns to scale. We organize our investigation around five questions that we study using a measure of capital services based on electricity consumption: (1) Is the phenomenon of near or actual short-run increasing returns to labor an artifact of the failure to accurately measure capital utilization rates? (2) Can we find a significant role for capital services in aggregate and industry-level production technologies? (3) Is there evidence against the hypothesis of constant returns to scale? (4) Can we reject the notion that the residuals in our estimated production functions represent technology shocks? (5) How does correcting for cyclical variations in capital services affect the statistical properties of estimated aggregate technology shocks? The answer to the first two questions is yes. The answer to the third and fourth questions is no. The answer to the fifth question is "a lot. "
Environmental Interest Group Behavior and Self‐Selection Bias in Contingent Valuation Mail Surveys

This paper analyzes the behavior of a general sample and an environmental interest group sample in a contingent market for wetlands preservation. Mail survey response rates and environmental values for wetlands preservation are significantly greater in the environmental interest group sample than in the general population sample. An estimate of the potential self-selection bias in the benefits of wetlands preservation is made. These results suggest that self-selection bias in contingent valuation mail surveys could upwardly bias aggregate benefit estimates as much as 50 percent. Potential, but costly, solutions to the problem of self-selection bias are suggested.
Wobbling but Still on its Feet: The Turkish Economy in the Global Financial Crisis

This paper examines the Turkish economy in a world of current global financial crisis. It shows that Turkey's key economic strengths include relatively prudent fiscal balances and a resilient banking sector. Key economic weaknesses include non-financial private sector foreign debt rollover risk, substantial household indebtedness where the unemployment rate is rising, an overvalued Turkish lira with its potential for rapid depreciation, and contracted growth and demand for Turkish imports. Turkey needs formal and informal institutional flexibility to prioritise social welfare spending and fixed capital investments by the public sector, rather than an exclusive preoccupation with price stability via monetary and fiscal discipline.
Biosynthesis, maturation, and acid activation of the Semliki Forest virus fusion protein

The Semliki Forest virus spike protein has a potent membrane fusion activity which is activated in vivo by the low pH of endocytic vacuoles. The spike protein is composed of two transmembrane subunits, E1 and E2, plus E3, a peripheral polypeptide. Acid-induced conformational changes in the E1 or E2 subunits were analyzed by using monoclonal antibodies specific for the acid-treated spike protein. E1 and E2 reacted with the antibodies after treatment of wild-type or mutant virus at the pH of fusion. The E1 conformational change resembled fusion in its requirement for both low pH and cholesterol. Pulse-chase analysis and intracellular pH treatment were then used to determine the ability of the newly synthesized spike to undergo acid-induced conformational changes. p62, the precursor to E2 and E3, was shown to undergo a pH-dependent conformational change similar to that of E2 and was sensitive to acid very soon after biosynthesis. In contrast, a posttranslational maturation event was required for the conversion of E1 to the pH-sensitive form. E1 maturation occurred fairly late in the exocytic pathway, after the virus spike had passed the medial Golgi but before incorporation of the spike into a new virus particle.
Serum immunoglobulin levels in type 2 diabetes patients with chronic periodontitis.

AIM The association between diabetes and periodontal disease has been well documented. Periodontitis is associated with alterations in immune responses in both diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. While diabetes is considered to be a risk factor for periodontal disease progression, few studies have demonstrated an association between the level of glycemic control and periodontal disease. Although poor glycemic control is significantly associated with poor periodontal health, few studies have been performed in Saudi Arabia to evaluate the immune responses in poor and better glycemic control and its effect on periodontal tissue. The aim of this study is to assess serum immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, IgM) in type 2 diabetic (poor control and better control) and nondiabetic subjects with chronic periodontitis. METHODS AND MATERIALS A total of 105 female patients were included in the study and they were divided into three groups, with 35 patients in each group. Group 1 was comprised of cases of diabetes exhibiting better control (HbA1c</=9%) and Group 2 was comprised of cases of diabetes exhibiting poorer control (HbA1c>9%). The third group was comprised of nondiabetic subjects with chronic periodontitis. In this study, clinical examination included plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and attachment level (measured in all three groups). Serum immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM) levels were estimated and compared to the levels estimated for diabetic controls. RESULTS Mean plaque index, bleeding index, and probing pocket depth showed no significant differences among the three groups. However, mean clinical attachment loss was significantly higher for Group 2 as compared to Groups 1 and 3. IgA and IgG levels were found to be significantly higher in Group 2 (poorly controlled diabetes) as compared to Group 1 (better control) and Group 3 (control group). There is a positive correlation between CAL and IgA and IgG, whereas there is a negative correlation between CAL and IgM. CONCLUSION The present study indicates that poor glycemic control may be associated with the increase in IgA and IgG serum antibodies. Elevated antibody levels may explain why poorly controlled diabetes exacerbates periodontal disease. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE These findings demonstrate the importance of the immune system as well as good glycemic control, especially in patients diagnosed with periodontitis. The changes observed in immune response may be the cause or the effect of periodontal disease in diabetic patients. The increased incidence of periodontitis in diabetic patients suggests that the alteration in immune response may contribute to the pathogenesis of periodontitis in patients with poorly controlled diabetes.
Molecular analysis of group A rotaviruses detected in adults and adolescents with severe acute gastroenteritis in Italy in 2012

Hospital‐based surveillance of acute gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus has produced ample knowledge on the infection in children, whereas little is known on rotavirus infection among adults. The Italian surveillance program RotaNet‐Italia collected 1,595 samples from patients admitted to hospital with gastroenteritis in 2012. All patients presented with vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and/or abdominal pain. Forty‐two samples obtained by the RotaNet‐Italia (2.6%) were from adolescents or adults (10–89 years). The study compared the genotypes and gene sequences of the rotavirus strains identified in adults with strains obtained from children worldwide. All 42 Italian strains were genotyped by the EuroRotaNet RT‐nested‐PCR protocols, and 12 rotaviruses from patients >13‐year‐old were subjected to nucleotide sequencing of their VP7 and/or VP4 genes. All strains analyzed belonged to the common human genotypes G1P[8], G2P[4], G4P[8], and G9P[8], except an uncommon G3P[19] genotype detected in a single patient. Phylogenetic analysis of the 12 strains showed that within each genotype they clustered in RVA lineages reported worldwide. The amino acid sequences of the VP7 and the VP8* hypervariable regions were highly conserved between the RVA strains collected from adults and children, in each lineage. Genotyping, phylogenetic analysis, and the study of viral epitopes revealed that rotaviruses circulating in adults in Italy are closely similar to the strains circulating in children, with high nucleotide identity particularly with strains reported in Europe and Asia. The circulation of the same rotavirus strains in both children and adults suggests that adults may contribute to sustain the circulation of rotaviruses through the population. J. Med. Virol. 86:1073–1082, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Determination of aperture structure and fluid flow in a rock fracture by high‐resolution numerical modeling on the basis of a flow‐through experiment under confining pressure

A numerical model incorporating experimentally determined fracture surface geometries and fracture permeability is proposed for characterizing aperture structures and fluid flow through rock fractures under confining pressures. The model was applied to artificially created granite tensile fractures with varying shear displacements (0–10 mm) and confining pressures (10–100 MPa). The findings of the study were consistent with those obtained previously, which characterized experimentally determined contact areas and changes in shear stress during the shear process. While the confining pressures considered herein are higher than those of previous studies, experimentally obtained fracture permeability is important for understanding subsurface flow, specifically the fluid flow characteristics in aperture structures under different confining pressures. Development of preferential flow paths is observed in all aperture structures, suggesting that the concept of channeling flow is applicable even under high confining pressures, as well as the existence of 3‐D preferential flow paths within the subsurface fracture network.