Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Evaluation of the Swedish Active Labor Market Policy: New and Received Wisdom

About 3% of GNP is spent on government labor market programs in Sweden, compared to 2% in Germany and less than 0.5% in the U.S. In Sweden these programs include extensive job training, public sector relief work, recruitment subsidies, youth programs, mobility bonuses, and unemployment benefits. Using county-level data, we provide new evidence that public relief workers displace other workers, especially in the construction sector. Our review of the previous literature suggests that job training programs have small effects on wages and re-employment in Sweden, but precise inferences are difficult because of small sample sizes. We also investigate alternative reasons for the stability of the Beveridge Curve in Sweden, and compare regional evolutions of employment and unemployment in Sweden and the U.S. Lastly, we present cross-country analysis for 1993 which, contrary to studies that use earlier data, shows that the extent of a country's active labor market programs is positively associated with the national unemployment rate.
Stream Segregation in the Perception of Sinusoidally Amplitude-Modulated Tones

Amplitude modulation can serve as a cue for segregating streams of sounds from different sources. Here we evaluate stream segregation in humans using ABA- sequences of sinusoidally amplitude modulated (SAM) tones. A and B represent SAM tones with the same carrier frequency (1000, 4000 Hz) and modulation depth (30, 100%). The modulation frequency of the A signals (fmodA) was 30, 100 or 300 Hz, respectively. The modulation frequency of the B signals was up to four octaves higher (Δfmod). Three different ABA- tone patterns varying in tone duration and stimulus onset asynchrony were presented to evaluate the effect of forward suppression. Subjects indicated their 1- or 2-stream percept on a touch screen at the end of each ABA- sequence (presentation time 5 or 15 s). Tone pattern, fmodA, Δfmod, carrier frequency, modulation depth and presentation time significantly affected the percentage of a 2-stream percept. The human psychophysical results are compared to responses of avian forebrain neurons evoked by different ABA- SAM tone conditions [1] that were broadly overlapping those of the present study. The neurons also showed significant effects of tone pattern and Δfmod that were comparable to effects observed in the present psychophysical study. Depending on the carrier frequency, modulation frequency, modulation depth and the width of the auditory filters, SAM tones may provide mainly temporal cues (sidebands fall within the range of the filter), spectral cues (sidebands fall outside the range of the filter) or possibly both. A computational model based on excitation pattern differences was used to predict the 50% threshold of 2-stream responses. In conditions for which the model predicts a considerably larger 50% threshold of 2-stream responses (i.e., larger Δfmod at threshold) than was observed, it is unlikely that spectral cues can provide an explanation of stream segregation by SAM.
TGFβ Signaling and Cardiovascular Diseases

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) family members are involved in a wide range of diverse functions and play key roles in embryogenesis, development and tissue homeostasis. Perturbation of TGFβ signaling may lead to vascular and other diseases. In vitro studies have provided evidence that TGFβ family members have a wide range of diverse effects on vascular cells, which are highly dependent on cellular context. Consistent with these observations genetic studies in mice and humans showed that TGFβ family members have ambiguous effects on the function of the cardiovascular system. In this review we discuss the recent advances on TGFβ signaling in (cardio)vascular diseases, and describe the value of TGFβ signaling as both a disease marker and therapeutic target for (cardio)vascular diseases.
U-Invariant Sampling and Reconstruction in Atomic Spaces With Multiple Generators

Given a U-invariant sampling scheme on a Hilbert space H. This paper characterizes atomic subspaces A of H such that every signal x ∈ A can be reconstructed from its generalized samples acquired with the U-invariant sampling scheme. If signal recovery is possible a linear filter is derived which reconstructs the signal from the samples. Moreover, the paper gives necessary and sufficient conditions on a sequence of sampling functions such that it forms a pseudoframe or pseudo-Riesz basis for a given atomic subspace A.
Individuals in foraging groups may use vocal cues when assessing their need for anti-predator vigilance

Many studies of social species have reported variation in the anti-predator vigilance behaviour of foraging individuals depending on the presence and relative position of other group members. However, little attention has focused on how foragers assess these variables. It is commonly assumed that they do so visually, but many social species produce frequent calls while foraging, and these ‘close’ calls might provide valuable spatial information. Here, we show that foraging pied babblers (Turdoides bicolor) are less vigilant when in larger groups, in the centre of a group and in closer proximity to another group member. We then show that foragers are less vigilant during playbacks of close calling by more individuals and individuals on either side of them when compared with calls of fewer individuals and calls on one side of them. These results suggest that foragers can use vocal cues to gain information on group size and their spatial position within a group. Future studies of anti-predator vigilance should consider the relative importance of both visual and vocal monitoring of group members.
Auditory startle response in trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE Previous studies have shown elevated autonomic responses to startling tones in trauma survivors with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The origin of these abnormal responses is obscure. The present study attempted to clarify this issue by prospectively evaluating responses to sudden, loud tones in individuals who arrived at a hospital emergency room after psychologically traumatic events. METHOD By using a previously established protocol, autonomic and muscular responses to the tones were evaluated at 1 week, 1 month, and 4 months after the traumatic event. Structured diagnostic interviews performed at 4 months classified subjects into groups with (N=36) and without (N=182) PTSD, which were further subdivided according to the presence or absence of major depressive disorder as follows: neither PTSD nor depression (N=166), depression alone (N=16), PTSD alone (N=21), and both PTSD and depression (N=15). RESULTS The groups showed comparable physiological responses to the tones at 1 week posttrauma. However, at 1 and 4 months posttrauma, the subjects with PTSD showed a greater heart rate response and required more stimulus trials to reach the criteria of skin conductance and orbicularis oculi electromyogram nonresponse. These findings were not significantly influenced by comorbid depression and were not explained by the severity of the traumatic event or by the intensity of the initial symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Differences in physiological response to startling tones develop along with PTSD in the months that follow a traumatic event. This pattern supports the theories that associate PTSD with progressive neuronal sensitization.
Convergence and Segregation of the Multiple Rod Pathways in Mammalian Retina

Using a multidisciplinary approach, we demonstrate that three different pathways are responsible for the transmission of rod signals across the mouse retina. Each pathway serves a primarily nonoverlapping range of stimulus intensities, with ganglion cells receiving either segregated or convergent inputs. For both on-center (ON) and off-center (OFF) ganglion cells, the primary rod pathway carries signals with the lowest threshold, whereas the secondary rod pathway is less sensitive by ∼1 log unit. In addition, OFF signaling uses a tertiary rod pathway that is ∼1 log unit less sensitive than the secondary. Although some ganglion cells received rod inputs exclusively from one of the pathways, others showed convergent inputs. Using pharmacological and genetic approaches, we defined classes of ON and OFF ganglion cells for which the scotopic inputs derive only from the primary pathway or from both primary and secondary pathways. In addition, we observed a class of OFF ganglion cell receiving mixed input from primary and tertiary pathways. Interestingly, OFF ganglion cells receiving convergent inputs from all three rod pathways or from the secondary and tertiary pathways together were never observed. Overall, our data show a complex arrangement of convergence and segregation of rod inputs to ganglion cells in the mammalian retina.
Work organization in lean production and traditional plants

Proposes a framework (developed from an analysis of the existing literature) which will be useful to research the linkages between work organization and lean production practices. The framework considers two types of work organization practices: type (a) which is directly linked to lean production practices such as JIT/TQM (worker autonomy, multifunctional employees, feedback to workers, etc.) and type (b) which influences the setting up and the maintenance of type (a) practices (training, compensation, etc.). Tests hypotheses concerning the practices which can be said to be directly linked to JIT/TQM on data collected on 43 manufacturing plants through valid and reliable measurement instruments. The results show that lean production plants seem to use more teams for problem solving, to take employees’ suggestions more seriously, to rely more heavily on quality feedback both for workers and supervisors, to document production procedures more carefully and to have employees able to perform a greater variety of tasks including statistical process control. Lean production plants, however, show almost no differences with regard to aspects of work organization which involve hierarchy.
BANK EFFICIENCY AND STOCK RETURNS IN SELECTED ASEAN COUNTRIES

∗ This paper examines the relationship between bank efficiency and stock returns in selected ASEAN countries for the period 1987-2007.We first estimate the cost and profit efficiency of the sample of listed banks using the non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach. We then test both variables for co-integration and estimate the panel vector errorcorrection model to examine the long and short-term relationship between a bank’s efficiency and stock returns. The results show that a bank’s stock returns prices are co-integrated with both cost and profit efficiency, suggesting a long-term relationship between the two. The results also indicate the superiority of profit efficiency relative to cost efficiency in predicting stock returns in the ASEAN countries. Overall, we conclude both cost and profit efficiency contains useful information for shareholders who wish to explain bank stock returns.
Do Diseconomies of Scale Impact Firm Size and Performance? A Theoretical and Empirical Overview

This article tests Oliver Williamson's proposition that transaction cost economics can explain the limits of firm size. Williamson suggests that diseconomies of scale are manifested through four interrelated factors: atmospheric consequences due to specialization, bureaucratic insularity, incentive limits of the employment relation and communication distortion due to bounded rationality. Furthermore, Williamson argues that diseconomies of scale are counteracted by economies of scale and can be moderated by adoption of the multidivisional organization form and by high internal asset specificity. Combined, these influences tend to cancel out and thus there is not a strong, directly observable, relationship between a large firm's size and performance. A review of the relevant literature, including transaction cost economics, sociological studies of bureaucracy, information-processing perspectives on the firm, agency theory, and studies of incentives and motivation within firms, as well as empirical studies of trends in firm size and industry concentration, corroborates Williamson's theoretical framework. The framework translates into five hypotheses: (1) Bureaucratic failure, in the form of atmospheric consequences, bureaucratic insularity, incentive limits and communication distortion, increases with firm size; (2) Large firms exhibit economies of scale; (3) Diseconomies of scale from bureaucratic failure have a negative impact on firm performance; (4) Economies of scale increase the relative profitability of large firms over smaller firms; and (5) Diseconomies of scale are moderated by two transaction cost-related factors: organisation form and asset specificity. The hypotheses were tested by applying structural equation models to primary and secondary cross-sectional data from 784 large US manufacturing firms. The statistical analyzes confirm the hypotheses. Thus, diseconomies of scale influence the growth and profitability of firms negatively, while economies of scale and the moderating factors have positive influences. This implies that executives and directors of large firms should pay attention to bureaucratic failure.
Sunshine Trading: Liquidity Formation Using Preopening Periods

This paper studies liquidity formation in financial markets with costly participation and asymmetric information. We propose a theoretical model in which a preopening period is instrumental in the liquidity formation process. At equilibrium, expected utility maximizing traders use the preopening period to communicate their liquidity needs and (part of) their private information concerning stock valuation. This sunshine trading enhances liquidity and translates into higher gains from trade. To test our theory, we use data from the West-African Bourse. Three trading patterns are empirically documented: i) part of the large orders are placed early during the preopening period and are not cancelled, ii) for most of the stocks, tentative pr ices reveal information long before trading actually occurs, and iii) large volumes are transacted without significant price movements. Consistently with our model, we argue that market participants implement sunshine trading strategies bound to enhance market liquidity. We provide some implications of our findings for global portfolio management and for the design of financial markets.
Relative temporal constraints in the Rete algorithm for complex event detection

Complex Event Processing is an important technology for information systems with a broad application space ranging from supply chain management, systems monitoring, and stock market analysis to news services. Its purpose is the identification of event patterns with logical, temporal or causal relationships within multiple occurring events. The Rete algorithm is commonly used in rule-based systems to trigger certain actions if a corresponding rule holds. Its good performance for a high number of rules in the rulebase makes it ideally suited for complex event detection. However, the traditional Rete algorithm is limited to operations such as unification and the extraction of predicates from a knowledge base. There is no support for temporal operators. We propose an extension of the Rete algorithm to support the detection of relative temporal constraints. Further, we propose an efficient means to perform the garbage collection in the Rete algorithm in order to discard events after they can no longer fulfill their temporal constraints. Finally, we present an extension of Allen's thirteen operators for time-intervals with quantitative constraints to deal with too restrictive or too permissive operators by introducing tolerance limits or restrictive conditions for them.
HIERARCHICAL GRID COARSENING FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE POISSON EQUATION IN FREE SPACE

In many applications the solution of PDEs in innite domains with vanishing boundary conditions at innity is of interest. If the Green's function of the particular PDE is known, the solution can easily be obtained by folding it with the right hand side in a nite subvolume. Unfortunately this requires operations. Washio and Oosterlee presented an algorithm that rather than that uses hierarchically coarsened grids in order to solve the problem (Numer. Math. (2000) 86: 539n563). They use innitely many grid levels for the error analysis. In this paper we present an extension of their work. Instead of continuing the renement process up to innitely many grid levels, we stop the renement process at an arbitrary level and impose the Dirichlet boundary conditions of the original problem there. The error analysis shows that the proposed method still is of order , as the original method with innitely many renements.
Book Review Essay: Conflict, Ecology and the Politics of Environmental Security

For most of the 1990s the relationships between environment and conoict have been both an ongoing part of the debate about rethinking security and a matter of considerable dispute in the empirical literature. Part of the debate has been about scientiac method and the most appopriate way of proceeding to investigate these complex relationships. Deanitional difaculties abound. Methodological controversy has been unavoidable. But the larger context of who and what is threatening to whom, and what ought to be secured in the arst place, has repeatedly intruded on the scholarly analysis. This has complicated the formulation of both research questions and policy advice. These three books encapsulate many dimensions of the discussion; juxtaposing them allows the assumptions in each to be usefully contrasted with those in the other volumes. Hastings’ volume in particular allows some reoection on the politics of this scholarship and the importance of basic conceptual frameworks in social science. In the early 1990s in North America Thomas Homer-Dixon led the way in initiating a research effort trying to link matters of environmental change with
Using Bracketed Parses to Evaluate a Grammar Checking Application

We describe a method for evaluating a grammar checking application with hand-bracketed parses. A randomly-selected set of sentences was submitted to a grammar checker in both bracketed and unbracketed formats. A comparison of the resulting error reports illuminates the relationship between the underlying performance of the parser-grammar system and the error critiques presented to the user.
Kinetic properties of the binding of alpha-lytic protease to peptide boronic acids.

The kinetic parameters for peptide boronic acids in their interaction with alpha-lytic protease were determined and found to be similar to those of other serine proteases [Kettner, C. , & Shenvi, A. B. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 15106-15114]. alpha-Lytic protease hydrolyzes substrates with either alanine or valine in the P1 site and has a preference for substrate with a P1 alanine. The most effective inhibitors are tri- and tetrapeptide analogues that have a -boroVal-OH residue in the P1 site. At pH 7.5, MeOSuc-Ala-Ala-Pro-boroVal-OH has a Ki of 6.4 nM and Boc-Ala-Pro-boroVal-OH has a Ki of 0.35 nM. Ac-boroVal-OH and Ac-Pro-boroVal-OH are 220,000- and 500-fold less effective, respectively, than the tetrapeptide analogue. The kinetic properties of the tri- and tetrapeptide analogues are consistent with the mechanism for slow-binding inhibition, E + I in equilibrium EI in equilibrium EI*, while the less effective inhibitors are simple competitive inhibitors. MeO-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-boroAla-OH is a simple competitive inhibitor with a Ki of 67 nM at pH 7.5. Other peptide boronic acids, which are analogues of nonsubstrates, are less effective than substrate analogues but still are effective competitive inhibitors. For example, MeOSuc-Ala-Ala-Pro-boroPhe-OH has a Ki of 0.54 microM although substrates with a phenylalanine in the P1 position are not hydrolyzed. Binding for boronic acid analogues of both substrate and nonsubstrate analogues is pH dependent with higher affinity near pH 7.5. Similar binding properties have been observed for pancreatic elastase. Both enzymes have almost identical requirements for an extended peptide inhibitor sequence in order to exhibit highly effective binding and slow-binding characteristics. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Female and male driving behaviour on Swedish urban roads and streets

Knowledge of male and female driver behaviour is essential when addressing gender issues in the planning and design of highways and streets. The objective of the study was to establish if there are significant differences in driver behaviour in male and female drivers for a variety of Swedish urban street designs, environments and traffic condition. The comparative analysis was based on additional data extraction from an existing dataset. Behaviour data of male and female drivers was analysed through descriptive statistics, multiple regression and comparison of speed profiles. The field study detected no significant difference between the free-flow speed of men and women on average. For a number of studied sites there was an indication of slightly higher female free flow speeds. Men and women had the same probability to be platoon leaders on arterials and urban streets. On suburban streets there was an indication that the likelihood for men to lead a platoon was slightly higher, although the data supporting this was very limited. On average male and female platoon leaders maintained the same speed (i.e. free flow speed). On average male and female drivers maintained the same time headway to the nearest platoon vehicle in front. On one investigated suburban street women drivers kept 0.2 seconds greater headway than male drivers (significant on 90 % level). In the driving simulator study, performed for urban street conditions, men had significantly higher free flow speed than women (2 km/h). For the event "passing an occupied bus stop" men drove and average of 4 km/h faster than women. No difference in behaviour between men and women was recorded for the event of "arriving at a crosswalk with approaching pedestrians". The conclusion of the field study was that Swedish male and female drivers differed only marginally in their speed and headway driving behaviour. The simulator study, which enabled "controlled experiments" for different traffic events, indicated some differences for specific traffic situations which should be further explored. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135582.
Is Environmental Performance a Determinant of Bond Pricing?Evidence from the U.S. Pulp and Paper and Chemical Industries

In this study I provide evidence that there is an economically significant relation between a firm’s environmental performance and its bond yields. Firms that have poor environmental performance will face future environmental liabilities related to compliance and clean-up costs due to increasingly strict environmental laws and regulations. These liabilities are large enough to drive polluting firms into bankruptcy and can leave bondholders’ claims subordinate to environmental liabilities. I also find evidence that the relation between environmental performance and bond yields fades as bond quality increases, which is consistent with the non-linear pay-off structure of bonds. This study focuses on two of the most polluting industries in the U.S., chemical and pulp and paper. The paper’s findings support ongoing calls for greater cooperation between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which would allow for the reporting of quantifiable environmental information in firms’ disclosures. It also provides evidence of environmental performance as a determinant of bankruptcy risk. Bankruptcy due to a history of poor environmental performance often leaves the related environmental liabilities underfunded. Many regulators are required to ensure adequate funds are available for remediation to match ongoing environmental degradation. Thus, the interplay between a firm’s bankruptcy risk and its environmental performance has broad implications.