Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intrinsic variability and field statistics for the Vela pulsar – III. Two-component fits and detailed assessment of stochastic growth theory

The variability of the Vela pulsar (PSR B0833‐45) corresponds to well-defined field statistics that vary with pulsar phase, ranging from Gaussian intensity statistics off-pulse to approximately power-law statistics in a transition region and then lognormal statistics on-pulse, excluding giant micropulses. These data are analysed here in terms of two superposed wave populations, using a new calculation for the amplitude statistics of two vectorially combined transverse fields. Detailed analyses show that the approximately power-law and lognormal distributions observed are well fitted at essentially all on-pulse phases by Gaussian‐lognormal and double-lognormal combinations, respectively. The good fits found, plus the smooth but significant variations in fitting parameters across the source, provide strong evidence that the approximately power-law statistics observed in the transition region are not intrinsic. Instead, the data are consistent with the normal emission of the pulsar having lognormal statistics whenever the pulsar is detectable. This is consistent with generation in an inhomogeneous source obeying stochastic growth theory (SGT) and with the emission mechanism being purely linear (either direct or indirect), with no evidence for non-linear processes. A non-linear mechanism is viable only if it produces lognormal statistics when suitably ensemble-averaged. Variations in the SGT fit parameters with phase are consistent with the radiation being relatively more variable near the pulse edges than near the centre, consistent with earlier work. In contrast, the giant micropulses of Vela come from a very restricted phase range and have power-law statistics with indices (6.7 ± 0.6) not inconsistent with non-linear wave collapse. These results are consistent with normal pulses coming from a source and generation mechanism different from giant micropulses, as suggested previously on other grounds. Analysis of field statistics thus emphasizes the richness of pulsar physics, the apparently widespread applicability of SGT, and connections between variability and the generation mechanism.
Determinants of Health Kiosk Use and Usefulness: Case Study of a Kiosk Which Serves a Multi-Cultural Population

329 patients in a multi-cultural surgery in Nottinghamshire, England used a touch-screen health information kiosk in the practice and then filled in an online questionnaire after they had searched the system. This questionnaire sought background information on the patient's age, gender, country of birth and employment status as well as data on the use and usefulness of the kiosk. Ease of kiosk system use was found to be significant in determining both use and satisfaction variables. Older users and those not born in the UK were less likely to find the system easy or very easy to use. Employment status was also found to impact on kiosk use; both UK born and non-UK born skilled workers were found to use the kiosk more as compared to other groups. These findings help identify user populations who are good targets for information kiosks as well as the most effective ways to provide consumer health information via kiosk.
Determining Historical Volatility in Emerging Markets Using Advanced GARCH Models

This paper models the volatility present in the historical returns in the stock of the two major national indices of India. Sensitive Index or Sensex related to Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Nifty associated with National Stock Exchange (NSE). The objective is to model the phenomena of volatility clustering and persistence of shock using asymmetric GARCH family of models. Research showed that EGARCH model successfully models the Sensex (BSE) data whereas it is GJR-GARCH which was able to explain conditional variance in the returns from Nifty (NSE).
Lowering the line of visibility: incidental users in service encounters

Recent economic and technological developments have led to the emergence of the services industry and to the important role that information technology (IT) plays in it. The emergence of IT-based services, which has merged people's roles as customers and users, calls for closer collaboration between the domains of human–computer interaction (HCI) and services science. This article offers three contributions within this context. First, we elaborate on the concept of the ‘incidental user’ – a person involved as a customer in a service encounter that includes exchange of information with an IT system, often mediated by a service representative who is the main user of the system. Second, we suggest that two key design aspects – sharing information with incidental users and increasing their control over the interaction – can improve the service provided by the organisation to its customers. We propose a theoretical model that describes the consequences of such design decisions on the incidental user and on the service encounter. Specifically, we propose that these decisions improve the effectiveness of the service encounter and customers’ trust in the service-providing organisation. Finally, we suggest and demonstrate design solutions that expand the range of information exchanged between the service representative and the customer – by sharing information and/or by extending the level of interaction available to the customer. By applying established HCI practices and theories, and considering new design solutions, designers of service encounter environments can improve the customer's service experience and the service provider's effectiveness.
Decorin-inducible Peg3 Evokes Beclin 1-mediated Autophagy and Thrombospondin 1-mediated Angiostasis*

We previously discovered that systemic delivery of decorin for treatment of breast carcinoma xenografts induces paternally expressed gene 3 (Peg3), an imprinted gene encoding a zinc finger transcription factor postulated to function as a tumor suppressor. Here we found that de novo expression of Peg3 increased Beclin 1 promoter activity and protein expression. This process required the full-length Peg3 as truncated mutants lacking either the N-terminal SCAN domain or the zinc fingers failed to translocate to the nucleus and promote Beclin 1 transcription. Importantly, overexpression of Peg3 in endothelial cells stimulated autophagy and concurrently inhibited endothelial cell migration and evasion from a 3D matrix. Mechanistically, we found that Peg3 induced the secretion of the powerful angiostatic glycoprotein Thrombospondin 1 independently of Beclin 1 transcriptional induction. Thus, we provide a new mechanism whereby Peg3 can simultaneously evoke autophagy in endothelial cells and attenuate angiogenesis.
An Empirical Analysis of the Business Value of Open Source Infrastructure Technologies

such technologies is lacking. In this paper, we contribute to this important, yet understudied, topic by examining the antecedents of the business value of open source infrastructure technologies. The paper puts forward a new model for explicating the organizational benefits of these technologies. Our findings suggest that in order to realize benefits from open source infrastructure technologies, organizations should have the human and technological capacities to absorb and utilize them as well as the ability to establish, maintain, and leverage ties with the technologies’ communities of developers and users. The paper focuses on open source databases (specifically, MySQL) as an instance of open source infrastructure technology. A PLS analysis of 149 responses from organizations that have implemented MySQL revealed that absorptive capacity for the database, ties with the technology’s user/developer community-of-practice, and an open source IT infrastructure that facilitates MySQL utilization explain about 20 per cent of the business value of the open source technology. These findings should help organizations realize the numerous potential benefits of open source technologies.
The environmental Porter hypothesis: theory, evidence, and a model of timing of adoption

The Porter hypothesis postulates that the costs of compliance with environmental standards may be offset by adoption of innovations they trigger. We model this hypothesis using a game of timing of technology adoption. We will show that times of adoption will be earlier if the non-adoption tax is higher. The environmental tax will turn the preemption game with low profits into a game with credible precommitment generating higher profits (pro-Porter). If there is a precommitment game without environmental taxes, the introduction of a tax will lead to lower profits (anti-Porter). An evaluation of the empirical literature indicates that the Porter hypothesis will hold even for profit-maximizing firms under multiple market imperfections such as imperfect competition, X-inefficiency, and agency costs. These are more likely to be present in sectors with large firms. In many case studies that we have evaluated, though, we detected an element of explicit or implicit subsidies for environmentally friendly behaviour, which is in line with Pigovian policies.
Do warrants lead the underlying stocks and index futures

The lead ‐ lag relation between options and stocks has been a subject of controversy for years with conflicting findings in the literature. In this thesis, we present an intuitive method to examine the lead ‐ lag relation, if any, in the tick ‐ by ‐ tick data of covered warrants and their underlying stocks or underlying index futures. Our method is non ‐ parametric and needs no assumptions which are critical to the regression ‐ based methods. We find that the electronically traded warrants do not lead stocks or index futures; the movements in the warrants’ quotes provide little information about the quotes of the underlying stocks or index futures. Instead, our analysis shows that the stocks and index futures lead the warrants. Moreover, if all transaction costs are ignored, we can use the movements of underlying assets’ quotes to generate profits by trading warrants that are both statistically and economically significant. However, as soon as the bid ‐ ask spread is accounted for, the profits disappear and sizable losses are incurred instead. These findings are consistent with a central tenet of financial economics: arbitraging two intimately related markets for a profit is not possible in the presence of market frictions.
Assessing the Impact of Regulatory Management Systems: Preliminary Statistical and Econometric Estimates

This Working Paper presents preliminary analytical estimates using the 1998 and 2005 surveys of indicators of systems for the management of regulatory quality. Two broad dimensions are found in regulatory management systems using Factor Analysis, and Principal Component Analysis. The first reflects an integrated approach to ex ante assessment, with the use of tools such as formal consultation and regulatory impact analysis as well as institutions for regulatory oversight, training and capacity building. The second focuses on the stock of regulation, with administrative simplification, streamlining licences and permits, etc. These data are correlated with other available datasets on regulatory frameworks, including the OECD indicators of Product Market Regulations, subsets of the Doing business and Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) from the World Bank and the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) from the World Economic Forum. Finally, the report presents some preliminary regressions with reduced forms, including fixed and random effects, linking the indicators to macroeconomic indicators. The findings tend to support the view that improvements in regulatory management system quality yield significant economic benefits.
Defective Rac-mediated proliferation and survival after targeted mutation of the β1 integrin cytodomain

Cell matrix adhesion is required for cell proliferation and survival. Here we report that mutation by gene targeting of the cytoplasmic tail of β1 integrin leads to defective proliferation and survival both in vivo and in vitro. Primary murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from mutant homozygotes display defective cell cycle coupled to impaired activation of the FAK-PI3K-Akt and Rac-JNK signaling pathways. Expression in homozygous MEFs of a constitutively active form of Rac is able to rescue proliferation, survival, and JNK activation. Moreover, although showing normal Erk phosphorylation, mutant cells fail to display Erk nuclear translocation upon fibronectin adhesion. However, expression of the constitutively activated form of Rac restores Erk nuclear localization, suggesting that adhesion-dependent Rac activation is necessary to integrate signals directed to promote MAPK activity. Altogether, our data provide the evidence for an epistatic interaction between the β1 integrin cytoplasmic domain and Rac, and indicate that this anchorage-dependent signaling pathway is crucial for cell growth control.
US and European Public Procurement Policies for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME): A Comparative Perspective

This paper provides a comparative perspective of public procurement policies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the United States and Europe. Public procurement is increasingly recognized as a strategic function of public administration because of the huge amount of resources it consumes, as well as the important policy objectives it seeks to promote, including SME-related objectives. Progress towards meeting SME procurement participation goals, however, remains elusive on both sides of the Atlantic. Policy makers and administrators have little comparative research upon which to draw regarding the effectiveness of various policy approaches, a shortcoming this paper seeks to address. An institutional perspective is adopted which helps explain similarities and differences in U.S. and European SME policies.
Product Diversification and Labor Productivity Dispersion in German Manufacturing Industries

Empirical research has shown tremendous productivity differences, even within narrowly defined industries. A great host of studies is explainsing this productivity disparity by factors such as idiosyncratic technology shocks, input price differences, management skills, or international trade. Although these explanations are undoubtedly important, the current paper suggests that product diversification strategies of firms can also play an important role. Using a matched producer-product panel dataset of German manufacturing industries over the period 2003-2006, we find that the average degree of product diversification across industry establishments is positively related to within-industry labor productivity dispersion.
The Galactic Habitable Zone and the Age Distribution of Complex Life in the Milky Way

We modeled the evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy to trace the distribution in space and time of four prerequisites for complex life: the presence of a host star, enough heavy elements to form terrestrial planets, sufficient time for biological evolution, and an environment free of life-extinguishing supernovae. We identified the Galactic habitable zone (GHZ) as an annular region between 7 and 9 kiloparsecs from the Galactic center that widens with time and is composed of stars that formed between 8 and 4 billion years ago. This GHZ yields an age distribution for the complex life that may inhabit our Galaxy. We found that 75% of the stars in the GHZ are older than the Sun.
What Are the Macroeconomic Effects of High-Frequency Uncertainty Shocks

Following the Great Recession, econometric models that better account for un certainty have gained increased attention, and an increasing number of works evaluate the effects of uncertainty shocks. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of high-frequency uncertainty shocks on a set of low-frequency macroeconomic variables representative of the U.S. economy. Rather than estimating models at the same common low-frequency, we use recently developed econometric methodology that allows us to avoid aggregating high-frequency data before estimating models. The impulse response analysis uncovers various salient facts. First, in line with the existing literature, high-frequency uncertainty shocks are associated with a broad-based decline in economic activity. Second, we find that credit and labor market variables react the most to uncertainty shocks. Third, we show that the responses of macroeconomic variables to uncertainty shocks are relatively similar across single-frequency and mixed-frequency data models, suggesting that the temporal aggregation bias is not acute in this context. Finally, we find that some macroeconomic variables exhibit an asymmetric response to uncertainty shocks over the different phases of the business cycle.
Switching Between Discrete and Continuous Models To Predict Genetic Activity

Molecular biologists use a variety of models when they predict the behavior of genetic systems. A discrete model of the behavior of individual macromolecular elements forms the foundation for their theory of each system. Yet a continuous model of the aggregate properties of the system is necessary for many predictive-tasks. I propose to build a computer program, called PEPTIDE, which can predict the behavior of moderately complex genetics systems by performing qualitative simulation on the discrete model, generating a continuous model from the discrete model through aggregation, and applying limit analysis to the continuous model. PEPTIDE's initial knowledge of a specific system will be represented with a discrete model which distinguishes between macromolecule structure and function and which uses five atomic processes as its functional primitives. Qualitative Process (QP) theory [Forbus 83] provides the representation for the continuous model. Whenever a system has multiple models of a domain, the decision of which model to use in a given time becomes a critically important issue. Knowledge of the relative significance of differing element concentrations and the behavior of process structure cycles will allow PEPTIDE to determine when to switch reasoning modes. A.I. Laboratory Working Papers are produced for internal circulation, and may contain information that is, for example, too preliminary or too detailed for formal publication. It is not intended that they should be considered papers to which reference can be made in the literature.
Exogenously-sourced ethylene increases stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, and growth under optimal and deficient nitrogen fertilization in mustard

In order to ascertain the stomatal and photosynthetic responses of mustard to ethylene under varying N availability, photosynthetic characteristics of mustard grown with optimal (80 mg N kg−1 soil) or low (40 mg N kg−1 soil) N were studied after the application of an ethylene-releasing compound, ethephon (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid) at 40 days after sowing (DAS). The availability of N influenced ethylene evolution and affected stomatal conductance and photosynthesis. The effect of ethylene was smaller under deficient N where plants contained higher glucose (Glc) sensitivity, despite high ethylene evolution even in the absence of ethephon, potentially because the plants were less sensitive to ethylene per se. Ethephon application at each level of N increased ethylene and decreased Glc sensitivity, which increased photosynthesis via its effect on the photosynthetic machinery and effects on stomatal conductance. Plants grown with sufficient-N and treated with 200 μl l−1 ethephon exhibited optimal ethylene, the greatest stomatal conductance and photosynthesis, and growth. These plants made maximum use of available N and exhibited the highest nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE).
Children: Rights and Childhood

1. John Locke's children Part 1: Childhood 2. The concept of childhood 3. The modern conception of childhood Part 2: Children's rights 4. Children's moral rights 5. Liberation or caretaking? 6. Arbitrariness and incompetence 7. The wrongs of children's rights 8. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 9. Children under the law 10. Children's rights to vote and sexual choice Part 3: Children, parents, family and state 11. Bearing and rearing 12. Family and state 13. Parental rights to privacy and autonomy 14. Collectivism 15. The problem of child abuse 16. Conclusion: a modest collectivist proposal. Index
Towards Financial Self-reliance: A handbook on Resource Mobilization for Civil Society Organizations in the south

Foreword * Preface * Part One: Setting the Scene - the Larger Picture * Overview of Possibilities * Why Should Anyone Help a Southern CSO? * Part two: Ways of Mobilizing Resources - Revenue from Earned Income * Indigenous Foundations * Individual Philanthropy * Building Grass-roots Organizations * Resources from Government * Resources from Government * Resources for Sustainability from Foreign Development Agencies * Resources from the Corporate Sector * Building Reserve Funds and Endowments * Conversion of Debt * Microcredit Programmes * Social Investment * Use of the Internet * Part Three: Deciding Which way to go * Next Steps * Introduction to the Commentaries * Commentaries * Commentator Biographies * Further Reading * Resource Organizations * Index
Do Long Work Hours Contribute to Divorce?

Abstract Despite frequent claims in the popular press that Americans are working longer hours to the detriment of their families, little academic research has directly tested this proposition. I provide new descriptive evidence on the link between work hours of married couples and the likelihood that a couple will get divorced. Using samples of working couples from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, I uncover several key facts: First, the incidence of divorce is much greater when both spouses are working than when only one spouse is employed. Second, the work hours of women are more highly correlated with divorce than are the work hours of men. Finally, despite these robust correlations, it is difficult to attribute a causal effect of work hours to divorce propensity.
Automatic diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation with shape and appearance features from MRI

Intervertebral disc herniation is a major reason for lower back pain (LBP), which is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States. Automation of herniated disc diagnosis reduces the large burden on radiologists who have to diagnose hundreds of cases each day using clinical MRI. We present a method for automatic diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation using appearance and shape features. We jointly use the intensity signal for modeling the appearance of herniated disc and the active shape model for modeling the shape of herniated disc. We utilize a Gibbs distribution for classification of discs using appearance and shape features. We use 33 clinical MRI cases of the lumbar area for training and testing both appearance and shape models. We achieve over 91% accuracy in detection of herniation in a cross-validation experiment with specificity of 91% and sensitivity of 94%.