Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Stern Review: A Dual Critique

The Stern Review, described as the most comprehensive review ever carried out on the economics of climate change, was published on 30 October 2006. The twin papers from a combined team of scientists and economists present a critique in two parts of the Stern Review. Part I focuses on scientific issues and their treatment in the Review. It forms the point of departure for Part II which deals with economic aspects. Each paper has its own list of authors. In relation to both scientific and economic issues, the authors question the accuracy and completeness of the Stern Reviewâ€™s analysis and the objectivity of its treatment. They conclude that the Review fails to present an accurate picture of scientific understanding of climate change issues, and will reinforce ill-informed alarm about climate change. Two interrelated features of the Stern Review are that it greatly understates the extent of uncertainty as to possible developments, in highly complex systems that are not well understood, over a period of two centuries or more; and its treatment of sources and evidence is persistently selective and biased. These twin features have combined to make the Review a vehicle for speculative alarmism. In the judgement of the authors of the Dual Critique, the Stern Review mishandles data; gives too little attention to actual observation and evidence, as distinct from the results of model-based exercises; and takes no account of the failures of due disclosure, and the chronic limitations of peer reviewing, that have been characteristic of work relating to climate change which governments have commissioned and drawn on. As to specifically economic aspects, the authors note among other weaknesses that the Review systematically overstates projected costs of climate change, partly though by no means wholly as a result of its failure to acknowledge the scope for long-term adaptation to possible global warming; underestimates the likely costâ€”including to the worldâ€™s poorâ€”of the drastic global mitigation programme that it calls for; and proposes worldwide adoption of a specially low rate of interest for discounting the costs and benefits of mitigation, on the basis of inadequate analysis and without regard for the problems and risks that would result. So far from being an authoritative guide to the economics of climate change, the Stern Review is deeply flawed. It does not provide a basis for informed and responsible policies.
Analysts’ Preference for Growth Investing and Vulnerability to Market-Wide Sentiment

Existing studies have argued that the market-wide sentiment primarily affects individual noise traders, rather than other sophisticated market participants. Contrary to this perspective, in this study, we find that the financial analysts, who are sophisticated market participants, may be more vulnerable to sentiment than are other market participants. As a reason for this vulnerability, we focus on analysts’ preference for growth investing, and predict that, due to this preference, their fair value estimations for growth stocks would be more upwardly biased by bullish market-wide sentiment than those of other market participants. We also predict that this optimism for growth stocks would lower the investment value of their recommendations. As is consistent with our predictions, we find that, especially during periods of bullish sentiment, analysts consider growth stocks to be undervalued, even though these stocks are in fact overvalued. In addition, we find that recommended stocks experience poor relative return performance, especially after periods of bullish sentiment, and that this poor performance is not observed after controlling for growth factors.
Body image in boys: a review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE Both scientific research and popular attention have begun to focus on the neglected issue of body image in boys. We reviewed the findings of this emerging literature. METHOD Using computer and manual search techniques, we located 17 studies that assessed body image attitudes in boys under age 18. RESULTS We located 17 studies, most performed within the last 10 years. Eight studies used exclusively questionnaires or interviews; the rest also used figure drawings from which the subjects could choose specific images in answer to questions. Although boys generally displayed less overall body concern than girls, many boys of all ages reported dissatisfaction with their bodies, often associated with reduced self-esteem. Whereas girls typically wanted to be thinner, boys frequently wanted to be bigger. However, most studies failed to distinguish between "bigness" due to increased muscle and that due to fat. CONCLUSIONS Body image dissatisfaction in boys is common and often associated with distress. To better assess this phenomenon, future studies should take care to separate the indices of muscle and fat.
A Practical Approach to Conducting and Using the Training Needs Assessment

Although training needs assessment (TNA) is essential for effective training efforts, this important component of training and development is often ignored. The authors present a systematic, legally defensible TNA which has proved to be successful. Sample materials for conducting a TNA are included. The use of the TNA as a central data base for other personnel/human resource management activities is also discussed.
A Study on the Impact of Strategic Human Resource Practices on Organizational Performance

Abstract The aim of the study is to explore the possible relationship between use of strategic human resource practices and the financial performance of manufacturing and service firms in India. The study assumes that there is a link between the business strategy pursued by the firm and its human resource policies and practices. It is also assumed that there is a ‘fit’ aspect (external and internal) between the business strategy and the human resources policies. The ‘external fit’, is the extent the human resource planning and implementation process is part of the strategy process in the organization. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire from 115 firms representing manufacturing and service sectors in India. ANOVA results show that firms pursuing different business strategies have different degree of the ‘external-internal fit’ of human resources. Also, firms pursuing different business strategies use different levels of strategic human resource practices. The ‘external-internal fit’ of human resources shows significant variance in the use of strategic human resources practices. The multiple comparisons indicate that the use of strategic human resources practices is more among firms having higher fit. The ANOVA test also confirms that the degree of ‘external-internal fit’ of human resources and use of strategic human resource practices has significant variance for all the three financial variables, Return on Capital, Return on Net Worth and Tobin' s q. Regression results show a difference between the manufacturing and service sector firms in the variability of all the dependent variables viz. strategic human resource practices, and financial performance variables of ‘Return on Capital’, ‘Return on Net Worth’ and ‘Tobin's q’.
A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON MULTIPLE INTERNAL RATES OF RETURN

ABSTRACT The most commonly cited drawback to using the internal rate of return to evaluate deterministic cash flow streams is the possibility of multiple conflicting internal rates, or no internal rate at all. We claim, however, that contrary to current consensus, multiple or nonexistent internal rates are not contradictory, meaningless or invalid as rates of return. There is, moreover, no need to carefully examine a cash flow stream to rule out the possibility of multiple internal rates, or to throw out or ignore “unreasonable” rates. What we show is that when there are multiple (or even complex-valued) internal rates, each has a meaningful interpretation as a rate of return on its own underlying investment stream.It does not matter which rate is used to accept or reject the cash flow stream, as long as one identifies the underlying investment stream as a net investment or net borrowing. When we say it does not matter which rate is used, we mean that regardless of which rate is chosen, the cash-flow acceptance or rejection decision will be the same, and consistent with net present value.
The Market for Qualified Manpower in the UK

Does the UK higher education system and our graduate labor market operate to provide UK industry and commerce with the highly qualified manpower it needs? This paper focuses on time series and cross section evidence relating to graduate destinations, unemployment, and earnings in order to describe the present market for qualified manpower. Patterns of subject specialization, occupational choice and the early work histories and career mobility of graduates are outlined to further assess the nature of the supply of qualified manpower in the United Kingdom. Copyright 1992 by Oxford University Press.
Seeing is Believing and Vice Versa: Investigation of the Altered Perception during Subjective Assessment of Streaming Multimedia

Quality of Experience is one of the most important components in the definition of service value. The primary role of the subjective evaluation of multimedia service quality is to reflect the true satisfactory of users. However, these reflections may not carry the desired level of accuracy under specific circumstances. This paper presents how basic information regarding the service not only distorts mean QoE results, but also manipulates perception itself. The research utilized 7 different measurement scales for subjective assessment of the perceived quality. A total of 90 participants evaluated the streaming multimedia, but while 30 performed blind tests, a group of 60 were given minimal information regarding the type of connection and transmission security. The results contain the scoring patterns of the participants and also our findings on the expressive power of scales.
Deep Context Model for Grammatical Error Correction

In this paper, we propose a deep context model based on recurrent neural networks (RNN) for grammatical error correction. For a speciﬁc error type, we treat the error correction task as a classiﬁcation problem where the grammatical context representation is learnt from native text data that are largely available. Compared with traditional classiﬁer methods, our model does not require sophisticated feature engineering which usually requires linguistic knowledge and may not cover all context patterns. Experiments on CoNLL-2014 shared task show that our approach signiﬁcantly outperforms the state-of-the-art classiﬁer and machine translation approaches for grammatical error correction.
Regulation of Human Cell Engraftment and Development of EBV-Related Lymphoproliferative Disorders in Hu-PBL-scid Mice1

Human PBMC engraft in mice homozygous for the severe combined immunodeficiency (Prkdcscid) mutation (Hu-PBL-scid mice). Hu-PBL-NOD-scid mice generate 5- to 10-fold higher levels of human cells than do Hu-PBL-C.B-17-scid mice, and Hu-PBL-NOD-scid β2-microglobulin-null (NOD-scid-B2mnull) mice support even higher levels of engraftment, particularly CD4+ T cells. The basis for increased engraftment of human PBMC and the functional capabilities of these cells in NOD-scid and NOD-scid-B2mnull mice are unknown. We now report that human cell proliferation in NOD-scid mice increased after in vivo depletion of NK cells. Human cell engraftment depended on CD4+ cells and required CD40-CD154 interaction, but engrafted CD4+ cells rapidly became nonresponsive to anti-CD3 Ab stimulation. Depletion of human CD8+ cells led to increased human CD4+ and CD20+ cell engraftment and increased levels of human Ig. We further document that Hu-PBL-NOD-scid mice are resistant to development of human EBV-related lymphoproliferative disorders. These disorders, however, develop rapidly following depletion of human CD8+ cells and are prevented by re-engraftment of CD8+ T cells. These data demonstrate that 1) murine NK cells regulate human cell engraftment in scid recipients; 2) human CD4+ cells are required for human CD8+ cell engraftment; and 3) once engrafted, human CD8+ cells regulate human CD4+ and CD20+ cell expansion, Ig levels, and outgrowth of EBV-related lymphoproliferative disorders. We propose that the Hu-PBL-NOD-scid model is suitable for the in vivo analysis of immunoregulatory interactions between human CD4+ and CD8+ cells.
Housing Careers, House Price Dispersion and the Housing Market Multiplier

Abstract Housing markets reflect our housing consumption profile over the life cycle. As we age, marry and have kids, we seek larger dwellings and to a greater extent owner-occupied housing. The up-trading process has two key characteristics: first, it is equity induced. Second, it impacts both the supply and demand sides of housing markets. This is our point of departure. The paper combines a housing ladder with a house price index to show how up-trading amplifies shocks and introduces a multiplier into the housing market. The interplay between market segments results in up-trading induced price dispersion and a price response in the segments on top of the ladder that exceeds those of segments further down, even when shocks are equal across market segments. Finally, as up-trading impacts both housing supply and housing demand, even balanced shocks to net demand might impact house prices. Focusing on different market segments, shocks to demand might have both direct (the size effect) and indirect (the up-trading effect) effects on the house price index. This paper highlights policy options at a finer level when in need of stimulating or dampening house price cycles.
Effect of virtual reality headset for pediatric fear and pain distraction during immunization.

AIM Fear of needles is a well-known phobia among children and adults. This study presents the rationale, feasibility and results of a pilot study applying a virtual reality (VR) headset as a fear reduction and pain distraction during immunizations. PATIENTS & METHODS 17 subjects and 17 parents rated their fear and pain level pre- and postimmunization using Wong-Baker pain scale and McMurtry children's fear scale. Immunization was provided, while subject was wearing a VR headset. RESULTS Ratings of anticipated versus actual fear and pain due to immunizations improved following use of the VR headset in 94.1% of pediatric subjects. CONCLUSION The use of a VR headset was well received and reduced overall fear and pain in children receiving immunizations.
Stock Return and Dividend Growth Predictability Across the Business Cycle

This paper develops an extension of Cochrane's (2008) joint hypothesis framework by allowing the coefficients to depend on the state of the economy. For recessions the results are clear-cut. Dividend yields vary entirely due to return predictability. However, in expansions, the "dog that did not bark" effect is present with respect to both return and dividend growth predictability. Dividend yields vary much less during stable periods of economic booms and returns and dividend growth seem only weakly predictable.
Risk factors for chronic venous disease

Objective Chronic venous disease (CVD) is a common problem in developing and developed countries. Methods A cross-sectional study, conducted in two major towns in Serbia, comprised 3225 subjects over 18 years old, enrolled in the survey consecutively by general practitioners (GPs) within their normal framework. Diagnosis of CVD was made by GPs on the basis of symptoms and visual examination. Data on potential risk factors were collected by the use of a questionnaire. Results The prevalence of CVD was significantly higher in women (73.7%) than in men (70.1%), although severe forms of CVD were significantly more frequent in men. Risk factors for CVD were age, body mass index ≥25.00 kg/m2, family history of CVD, history of blood clots in veins and ever-smoking in both sexes, and menopause, increased number of child births and physical inactivity in women. Conclusion The results obtained suggest the possibility of CVD prevention by modification of some behavioural risk factors.
Inhibition of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity at the surface of human myeloid cells is correlated with macrophage maturation and transforming growth factor beta production.

The protease gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) activity was detected at the surface of human blood granulocytes and monocytes and myeloblastic HL-60 and monoblastic U937 leukemia cell lines using an enzymatic assay (cleavage of gamma-glu-p-nitroanilide and inhibition by the specific irreversible inhibitor of gamma-GT, i.e., acivicin). Flow cytometric analysis of gamma-GT expression and detection of a 2.4-kb gamma-GT mRNA species by Northern blot analysis confirmed the presence of gamma-GT in cells of the monocytic-granulocytic lineage. Differentiation of HL-60, U937 cells, and blood monocytes along the macrophage pathway or granulocytic maturation of HL-60 cells was accompanied by an increase in gamma-GT mRNA levels without modulation of cell surface gamma-GT activity and protein. When added to leukemic cell cultures, acivicin produced a dose- and time-dependent inhibitory growth effect associated with the induction of morphological features characteristic of macrophage maturation and enhanced surface expression of phenotypic markers CD11b and CD71 characteristic of monocyte development. When cultured in the presence of acivicin, freshly isolated monocytes also underwent characteristic changes in morphology and antigenic phenotype (increase in CD71 and HLA-DR class II) consistent with their differentiation into macrophages. In parallel, a marked production of latent transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta was observed in supernatants of cells cultured with acivicin, although TGF-beta 1 mRNA species were expressed in these cells at a level almost similar to that in unstimulated cell cultures. Moreover, acivicin-treated cells still differentiated into macrophages in the presence of a neutralizing antibody to TGF-beta 1/beta 2. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Building an active semantic data warehouse for precision dairy farming

ABSTRACT Digitalization of agricultural technology has led to the emergence of precision dairy farming, which strives for the simultaneous improvement of productivity as well as animal well-being in dairy farming through advanced use of technology such as movement sensors and milking parlors to monitor, control, and improve dairy production processes. The data warehouse serves as the appropriate technology for effective and efficient data management, which is paramount to the success of precision dairy farming. This paper presents a joint effort between industry and academia on the experimental development of an active semantic data warehouse to support business intelligence and business analytics in precision dairy farming. The research follows an action research approach, deriving lessons for theory and practice from a set of actions taken in the course of the project. Among these actions are the development of a loading stage to facilitate data integration, the definition of an analysis view as well as the introduction of semantic OLAP patterns to facilitate analysis, and analysis rules to automate periodic analyses. The large volumes of generated sensor data in precision dairy farming required careful decision-making concerning the appropriate level of detail of the data stored in the data warehouse. Semantic technologies played a key role in rendering analysis accessible to end users.
N‐Methyl‐D‐Aspartate Receptor Activation and Ca2+ Account for Poor Pyramidal Cell Structure in Hippocampal Slices

The CA1 pyramidal cells appear damaged in micrographs of guinea pig hippocampal slices incubated in normal physiological buffer at 36–37°C. This is remedied if slices are incubated in modified buffers for the first 45 min. Cell morphology is improved if this buffer is devoid of added Ca2+ and much improved if it contains N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists or 0 mM Ca2+ and 10 mM Mg2+. The cells then appear similar to CA1 pyramidal cells in situ. These findings support the notion that NMDA receptor activation and Ca2+, acting in the period immediately after slice preparation, permanently damage CA1 pyramidal cells in vitro.
An Experimental Study of Boundary-Layer Transition Induced Vibrations on a Hydrofoil

In this paper, we investigate through an experimental approach the laminar to turbulent transition in the boundary-layer flow along a hydrofoil at a Reynolds number of 7.5 × 105 , together with the vibrations of the hydrofoil induced by the transition. The latter is caused by a Laminar Separation Bubble (LSB) resulting from a laminar separation of the boundary-layer. The experiments, conducted in the hydrodynamic tunnel of the Research Institute of the French Naval Academy, are based on wall pressure and flow velocity measurements along a rigid hydrofoil, which enable a characterization of the Laminar Separation Bubble and the identification of a vortex shedding at a given frequency. Vibrations measurements are then carried out on a flexible hydrofoil in the same operating conditions. The results indicate that the boundary-layer transition induces important vibrations, whose characteristics in terms of frequency and amplitude depend on the vortex shedding frequency, and can be coupled with natural frequencies.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Troubled futures? The global food crisis and the politics of agricultural derivatives regulation

ABSTRACT The global food crisis of 2007–08 triggered an important US-led initiative to tighten regulations over agricultural derivatives markets. The lead role of the US reflected its structural power in global finance and the influence of societal interests within the US concerned about the rapid growth of financial investment in agricultural derivatives markets over the past decade. Encouraged by market developments and deregulation in the United States, these investments represented a “financialization” of agriculture that was blamed for contributing for global food price volatility. In their push for tighter regulation, US domestic groups were able to boost their influence by allying with other domestic actors concerned about volatile energy prices and by linking their cause to the broader politics of financial reform in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. This episode has important lessons for the literatures analyzing the IPE of both food and finance.
Presidential Strategy in the Judicial Appointment Process

I examine presidential use of public appeals on behalf of nominees to the U.S. courts of appeals from 1977 to 2005. Presidents Clinton and W. Bush have utilized this strategy far more regularly than did their predecessors. I find that presidents go public more often and more quickly on behalf of nominees facing a difficult confirmation climate, as well as on behalf of those who would diversify the bench. However, nominees who received more presidential support were not more likely to be confirmed by the Senate and appeared to be less likely to be confirmed. These findings indicate an important shift in presidential strategy concerning appointments to the courts of appeals in the newly politicized confirmation climate. These findings also provide evidence that presidents may be motivated by factors beyond confirmation success when determining how to expend public support on behalf of individuals nominated to these important courts.