Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The dynamics of the Singapore commercial property market

This paper assesses the cointegration characteristics of commercial property prices, property stock prices, gross domestic product (financial and business services/ commerce), interest rates and supply of commercial space in the Singapore economy over the period 1980–1997. The primary motivation is to provide useful insights into the long-term and short-run dynamics of commercial property market in the presence of stock market conditions and macroeconomic influences. Our evidence suggests that commercial property market is linked to the property stock market and macroeconomic conditions in the long run, and that about 0.10 of the deviations between the actual and the equilibrium value of commercial property price is corrected in each quarter.
Potency of Combined Estrogenic Pesticides

develop any neurological disease. The incubation periods correspond to survival times assessed according to the criteria in (25). 29. Whole brain hemispheres were fixed in buffered 10% formalin. Pieces of brain were then embedded either in paraffin for immunohistochemistry (7-mmsections) or in Araldite (4-mm sections) for fine morphological examination. Antibodies were a polyclonal antibody to mouse glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and a horseradish peroxidase–conjugated secondary antibody (Dako). Seven PrPres– and six PrPres1 brains were examined. Spongiform lesions and gliosis could not be seen in any brain region of PrPres– mice. The absence of localized PrPres deposits was confirmed by PrP immunohistochemistry. 30. Whole brain hemispheres were fixed overnight with a solution of 1% glutaraldehyde and 1% paraformaldehyde in 0.12 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). After 1 hour postfixation with 2% osmic acid, they were stained en bloc with uranyl acetate and embedded in Araldite. Ultrathin sections were stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate before examination with a Philips CM10 electron microscope. 31. We thank R. Bradley for BSE-infected cattle brain homogenate, C. Weissmann and R. H. Kimberlin for helpful discussions, and R. Rioux and J. C. Mascaro for expert animal care. We also thank P. Fritch and M. Wasowicz, as well as L. Court, who encouraged our research on TSE. Supported by a grant from D.R. E.T. (Paris).
The Source of Gains to Targets and Their Industry Rivals: Evidence Based on Terminated Merger Proposals

We examine merger gains to targets and their industry rivals and find evidence consistent with the signaling hypothesis. We find that targets and rivals benefit from the merger announcement, but termination results in significant negative returns for targets and significant positive returns for rivals. Termination gains to rivals support the hypothesis that rival firms could become acquisition targets. The gains are positively related to subsequent acquisition activity involving the target and the extent of merger activity in the industry, and are inversely related to the relative size of the target rivals, the presence of competing bidders, and the regulatory environment.
Evidence for a large‐scale population structure among accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana: possible causes and consequences for the distribution of linkage disequilibrium

The existence of a large‐scale population structure was investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana by studying patterns of polymorphism in a set of 71 European accessions. We used sequence polymorphism surveyed in 10 fragments of ∼600 nucleotides and a set of nine microsatellite markers. Population structure was investigated using a model‐based inference framework. Among the accessions studied, the presence of four groups was inferred using genetic data, without using prior information on the geographical origin of the accessions. Significant genetic isolation by geographical distance was detected at the group level, together with a geographical gradient in allelic richness across groups. These results are discussed with respect to the previously proposed scenario of postglacial colonization of Europe from putative glacial refugia. Finally, the contribution of the inferred structure to linkage disequilibrium among 171 pairs of essentially unlinked markers was also investigated. Linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed that significant associations detected in the whole sample were mainly due to genetic differentiation among the inferred groups. We discuss the implication of this finding for future association studies in A. thaliana.
Using Protected Areas as a Tool for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecotourism: A Case Study of Kakum National Park in Ghana

Increasingly, conservationists and policymakers are using protected areas as a tool for biodiversity conservation and ecotourism. This article discusses livelihood challenges associated with the use of protected areas as a tool for ecotourism at the Kakum National Park in Ghana. The article reveals that most residents in villages close to the park have not realized the expected benefits of ecotourism despite giving up access to resources inside park boundaries more than a decade ago. However, one of the villages has been innovative in using the creation of the park to improve livelihoods in the community and could therefore serve as a model to others.
Does work-life balance depend on where and how you work?

This article reports on a symposium presented in EAWOP, 2009 that examined work-life balance issues in different occupational contexts. During a global recession where developing work-life balance policies may not be considered organizational priorities; we argue that the need for systematic research into work-life balance has never been greater. The findings of the four papers included in the symposium suggest that work-life balance initiatives that are firmly grounded in workplace context and that acknowledge diverse approaches to conceptualising and managing the work-home interface will be more successful than those that assume “one size fits all”.
iPS Cell-Derived Immunosuppressive Myeloid Cells.

T ability of nondifferentiated embryonic stem (ES) cells to modulate alloresponses was well documented more than 10 years ago. In that work, the authors transplanted rat ES cells in allogenic recipients. They monitored the engraftment of these cells and observed that the cells engrafted and differentiated into multilineage progenitors. Anticipating that these chimeric recipients would become tolerant, they transplanted cardiac allografts from the same donors. Indeed, these grafts, but not those from third-party donors, were tolerated. In addition, when the ES cells were differentiated into hematopoietic progenitors, they too engrafted across MHC barriers tolerizing these recipients to cardiac allografts. In both of these examples, the mechanism of tolerance induction was shown to be related to the thymus because thymectomized recipient mice or rats failed to display tolerance. In the current article by Sasaki et al, they show that myeloid cells derived from mouse iPS cells abrogated alloresponses in an in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction. In vivo, their cells protected ES cell-derived embryoid bodies (EBs) from immunological rejection. Unfortunately, cells recovered from EBs hardly express MHC antigens. Thus, this allograft is not suitable to determine how strong their immunosuppressive cells are. Indeed, when they repeated their experiments using donor skin, the myeloid cells failed to protect skin grafts from rejection, suggesting that the immunosuppressive effect was limited and not capable of protecting highly immunogenic allografts. It can be agreed that the immunogenicity of pluripotent stem cells is very poor. What is unclear is whether poor MHC expression alone is sufficient to impact tolerance induction. Is the thymus involved? The current paper by Sasaki et al unfortunately does not address this question. It would be interesting to ask the question whether their myeloid cellsmigrated into the thymus and influenced thematuration of the recipient's T cells. It is interesting that the authors implicate inducible nitric oxide synthase. It has been apparent for some time that soluble factors play a role because supernatants recovered from ES cell cultures were found to be immunosuppressive. What remains unclear is what growth factors may be responsible for this effect. TGF-β is required
Effects of ultrasound guidance on the minimum effective anaesthetic volume required to block the femoral nerve.

BACKGROUND We tested the hypothesis that ultrasound guidance may reduce the minimum effective anaesthetic volume (MEAV50) of ropivacaine 0.5% required to block the femoral nerve compared with nerve stimulation guidance. METHODS After standard premedication and sciatic nerve block were given, 60 patients undergoing knee arthroscopy were randomly allocated to receive a femoral nerve block with ropivacaine 0.5% using either nerve stimulation (group NS, n = 30) or ultrasound (group US, n = 30) guidance. The volume of the injected solution was varied for consecutive patients based on an up-and-down staircase method according to the response of the previous patient. The initial volume was 12 ml. A double-blinded observer evaluated the occurrence of complete loss of pinprick sensation in the femoral nerve distribution, with concomitant block of the quadriceps muscle: positive or negative responses within 30 min after the injection determined a 3 ml decrease or increase for the next patient, respectively. RESULTS The mean (sd) MEAV50 for femoral nerve block was 15 (4) ml (95% CI, 7-23 ml) in group US and 26 (4) ml (95% CI, 19-33 ml) in group NS (P = 0.002). The effective dose in 95% of cases (ED95) calculated with probit transformation and logistic regression analysis was 22 ml (95% CI, 13-36 ml) in group US, and 41 ml (95% CI, fs 24-66 ml) in group NS. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound guidance provided a 42% reduction in the MEAV of ropivacaine 0.5% required to block the femoral nerve as compared with the nerve stimulation guidance.
Model-Free Volatility Indexes in the Financial Literature: A Review

This article describes the primary uses of the VIX index in the financial literature, offering for the first time a joint view of its successes and failures in key financial areas. VIX is a model-free volatility index that measures the investor “fear” gauge due to its significant and negative relationship with SP (2)a market risk measure used to analyze risk flows from financial markets and to relate private and public risks; and (3)a volatility measure to estimate the spot volatility dynamics, the volatility risk premium and volatility jumps. This survey offers an entre for researchers who consider VIX as a proxy for volatility and/or risk.
Marketing Research: an applied approach: 3rd European Edition

Marketing Research: An Applied Approach is comprehensive, practical, applied, managerial, and presents a balanced coverage of both qualitative and quantitative material. This book is written from the perspective of users of marketing research. It reflects the current trends in international marketing, ethics and the integration of the Internet and computers, as well as a focus on the practice of marketing research by featuring Sports Marketing Surveys and other marketing research organizations.
Hyperlipidemia Impairs Osteoanabolic Effects of PTH

Epidemiological and in vitro studies have suggested that hyperlipidemia/oxidized phospholipids adversely affect bone. We recently found that oxidized phospholipids attenuate PTH‐induced cAMP and immediate‐early gene (IEG) expression in MC3T3‐E1 cells, raising concerns that clinical hyperlipidemia may attenuate osteoanabolic effects of PTH in vivo. Thus, we studied whether intermittent PTH treatment has differential osteoanabolic effects in wildtype (C57BL/6) and hyperlipidemic (LDLR−/−) mice. Consistent with our previous in vitro studies, induction of IEGs in calvarial tissue, 45 min after a single dose of recombinant hPTH(1‐34), was attenuated in LDLR−/− mice compared with C57BL/6 mice. Daily hPTH(1‐34) injections for 5 wk significantly increased total and cortical BMD and BMC, assessed by pQCT, in C57BL/6 mice. However, this induction was completely abrogated in LDLR−/− mice. Similarly, PTH(1‐34) failed to increase BMD in another hyperlipidemic mouse model, ApoE−/− mice. Histomorphometric analysis showed that trabecular bone of both mice responded similarly to PTH(1‐34). Structural parameters improved significantly in response to PTH(1‐34) in both mouse strains, although to a lesser degree in LDLR−/− mice. With PTH(1‐34) treatment, osteoblast surface trended toward an increase in C57BL/6 mice and increased significantly in LDLR−/− mice. PTH(1‐34) did not alter resorption parameters significantly, except for the eroded surface (ES/BS), which was reduced in the C57BL/6 but not in the LDLR−/− mice. These results show that PTH(1‐34) has adverse effects on cortical bones of the hyperlipidemic mice, suggesting that the therapeutic effects of PTH may be compromised in the presence of hyperlipidemia.
Surface Electromyographic Examination of Poststroke Neuromuscular Changes in Proximal and Distal Muscles Using Clustering Index Analysis

Whether stroke-induced paretic muscle changes vary across different distal and proximal muscles remains unclear. The objective of this study was to compare paretic muscle changes between a relatively proximal muscle (the biceps brachii muscle) and two distal muscles (the first dorsal interosseous muscle and the abductor pollicis brevis muscle) following hemisphere stroke using clustering index (CI) analysis of surface electromyograms (EMGs). For each muscle, surface EMG signals were recorded from the paretic and contralateral sides of 12 stroke subjects versus the dominant side of eight control subjects during isometric muscle contractions to measure the consequence of graded levels of contraction (from a mild level to the maximal voluntary contraction). Across all examined muscles, it was found that partial paretic muscles had abnormally higher or lower CI values than those of the healthy control muscles, which exhibited a significantly larger variance in the CI via a series of homogeneity of variance tests (p < 0.05). This finding indicated that both neurogenic and myopathic changes were likely to take place in paretic muscles. When examining two distal muscles of individual stroke subjects, relatively consistent CI abnormalities (toward neuropathy or myopathy) were observed. By contrast, consistency in CI abnormalities were not found when comparing proximal and distal muscles, indicating differences in motor unit alternation between the proximal and distal muscles on the paretic sides of stroke survivors. Furthermore, CI abnormalities were also observed for all three muscles on the contralateral side. Our findings help elucidate the pathological mechanisms underlying stroke sequels, which might prove useful in developing improved stroke rehabilitation protocols.
Who's Displaced First? The Role of Race in Layoff Decisions

We test empirically the proposition that race significantly affects an employee's layoff chances. Using data from a financial firm (N = 8918), we find that whites are less likely to be laid off than nonwhites and that, among nonwhites, Asians are less likely to be laid off than blacks or Hispanics. These findings are statistically significant after controlling for structural factors (business unit, occupation, and job level) and individual characteristics (tenure and performance rating). A similar pattern of racial differences exists in other employment practices more actively monitored by the firm, including promotions, pay raises, and performance ratings. Yet these differences are smaller than those in layoffs and are significant for blacks only, not for Hispanics. Our findings suggest that monitoring personnel decisions can reduce racial inequality. Furthermore, our findings highlight that racial differences in employment outcomes vary among minority groups.
Dynamics of the Trade Balance: The Turkish J-Curve

The J-curve hypothesis suggests a specific pattern for the response of the trade balance to real exchange rate changes; a real depreciation initially worsens the trade balance, but through time the trade balance improves, and thus the response of the trade balance over time generates a tilted J-shape. This study investigates the existence of a J-curve in the Turkish data in the 1987-2000 period by using quarterly data. First, an error correction model is estimated to differentiate between the long-run equilibrium and short-run dynamics. Then the response of trade balance to real exchange rate shocks is investigated by using the generalized impulse response methodology. Even though the suggested long-run pattern, which is the improvement of the trade balance in response to a real depreciation emerges, our results do not exactly support the J-curve hypothesis in the short run.
OSSI-PET: Open-Access Database of Simulated $[^{11}{\rm C]Raclopride}$  Scans for the Inveon Preclinical PET Scanner: Application to the Optimization of Reconstruction Methods for Dynamic Studies

A wide range of medical imaging applications benefits from the availability of realistic ground truth data. In the case of positron emission tomography (PET), ground truth data is crucial to validate processing algorithms and assessing their performances. The design of such ground truth data often relies on Monte-Carlo simulation techniques. Since the creation of a large dataset is not trivial both in terms of computing time and realism, we propose the OSSI-PET database containing 350 simulated [11C]Raclopride dynamic scans for rats, created specifically for the Inveon pre-clinical PET scanner. The originality of this database lies on the availability of several groups of scans with controlled biological variations in the striata. Besides, each group consists of a large number of realizations (i.e., noise replicates). We present the construction methodology of this database using rat pharmacokinetic and anatomical models. A first application using the OSSI-PET database is presented. Several commonly used reconstruction techniques were compared in terms of image quality, accuracy and variability of the activity estimates and of the computed kinetic parameters. The results showed that OP-OSEM3D iterative reconstruction method outperformed the other tested methods. Analytical methods such as FBP2D and 3DRP also produced satisfactory results. However, FORE followed by OSEM2D reconstructions should be avoided. Beyond the illustration of the potential of the database, this application will help scientists to understand the different sources of noise and bias that can occur at the different steps in the processing and will be very useful for choosing appropriate reconstruction methods and parameters.
Alternative Systems of Business Tax in Europe: An applied analysis of ACE and CBIT Reforms

This paper explores the economic implications of an allowance for corporate equity (ACE), a comprehensive business income tax (CBIT) and a combination of the two in the EU. We illustrate the key trade-offs in designing ACE and CBIT in the presence of tax distortions at various decision margins of firms, such as its financial structure, investment, profit allocation and discrete location. Using an applied general equilibrium model for Europe, we quantitatively assess the effects of ACE, CBIT and combined reforms in EU countries. The results suggest that ACE is welfare improving as long as corporate tax rates are not used to cover the cost of base narrowing. CBIT typically reduces welfare by exacerbating marginal investment distortions. When governments adjust statutory corporate tax rates to balance their budget, however, CBIT reforms become more attractive while ACE reforms are welfare reducing in a number of countries. European coordination of reforms mitigates fiscal spillovers within the EU and renders ACE reforms more, and CBIT reforms less, attractive for welfare. A combination of ACE and CBIT reforms can be designed to be revenue neutral and welfare improving through smaller financial distortions.
Social Networks and a New Venture's Innovative Capability: The Role of Trust within Entrepreneurial Teams

This paper examines the effects of social networks and trust on a new venture's innovative capability. The concept of social networks is studied as the configuration of internal and external social networks for entrepreneurial team members. This study collected information about 112 technology-based entrepreneurial teams from the 65 research-based incubators in Taiwan. The results indicate that both internal and external social networks have marginally positive impacts on a new venture's innovative capability, and trust within the entrepreneurial teams is found to be as important a moderator for the relationship between external social networks and innovative capability. Moreover, results reveal that a higher level of trust between entrepreneurial team members can reduce the external social networks spanning the boundaries of the new venture and therefore may cause a not invented here syndrome which will reduce its innovative capability.
Frequency Index Modulation for Low Complexity Low Energy Communication Networks

In this paper, we propose a low-complexity multi-user communication system based on frequency index modulation that suits Internet of Things applications. This system aims to reduce the transmitted energy and the peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems and to perform without sacrificing data rate in comparison with conventional OFDM. In this design, OFDM-like signals are used to make the implementation of the system easy by the virtue of fast Fourier transform (FFT). In the proposed scheme, an OFDM bandwidth of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$N_{\text {FIM}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> total sub carriers is divided into <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$N_{B}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> equal number of sub-bands, with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$N$ </tex-math></inline-formula> subcarriers in every sub-band. At the transmitter side of each sensor, the outgoing bit stream is divided into two blocks: mapped and modulated. The bits within the mapped block are used to activate the corresponding subcarrier in its predefined sub-band in order to carry the data content of the modulated block, while the other <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$N-1$ </tex-math></inline-formula> subcarriers are nulled out. At the receiver, the FFT is performed first, and then the square-law envelope detector is applied to estimate the active frequency index to recover the mapped bits, followed by a conventional demodulation process to demodulate the transmitted bits. Once the system is presented and analyzed, energy efficiency, PAPR and complexity are studied to show the features of the proposed scheme. Moreover, we derive closed-form expressions of the bit error rate performance over Rayleigh fading channels and we validate the outcome by simulation results. With the characteristics exhibited in this paper, the proposed system would constitute an excellent candidate for wireless sensor applications where it represents a simpler substitution for frequency-hopping-based architectures, in which the hops carry extra bits.