Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring Chinese Productivity Growth, 1952-2005

This paper has two objectives. (i) Assess the availability and the quality of the data series necessary to construct productivity measures for the Chinese economy. (ii) Produce a set of productivity statistics that can be integrated into the existing set of OECD productivity indicators and that can be updated later on. The paper in three sections examines the availability and quality of output, labor, and capital data. A further section discusses and calculates a range of productivity measures. The final section offers some thoughts on the future calculation of productivity measures for China.
Analysis of competitive electricity markets under a new model of real-time retail pricing

In this paper, we propose a new real-time retail pricing model characterized by ex-post adjustments to exanté price, and investigate the stability and efficiency properties of the resulting closed loop system. Under this pricing mechanism, electricity is priced at the exanté price (calculated based on predicted demand) up to the amount consumed at the previous time period. Any deviation of the demand from the previous time period is penalized or reimbursed at the ex-post price (calculated based on actual demand, after consumption). It is assumed that the exanté and ex-post prices are calculated based on the aggregate consumption of the population. Therefore, although an individual consumer is a price-taker, he might adjust his behavior strategically based on the mean consumption of the population. Within this class of pricing mechanisms we investigate the social welfare and price stability properties. Simulation is used to show that the approximate dynamics with individual-mass interaction has better stability and robustness properties than pure exanté pricing.
Phoneme probability estimation with dynamic sparsely connected artificial neural networks

This paper presents new methods for training large neural networks for phoneme probabilit y estimation. An architecture combining time-delay windows and recurrent connections is used to capture the important dynamic information of the speech signal. Because the number of connections in a fully connected recurrent network grows super-linear with the number of hidden units, schemes for sparse connection and connection pruning are explored. It is found that sparsely connected networks outperform their fully connected counterparts with an equal number of connections. The implementation of the combined architecture and training scheme is described in detail . The networks are evaluated in a hybrid HMM/ANN system for phoneme recognition on the TIMIT database, and for word recognition on the WAXHOLM database. The achieved phone error-rate, 27.8%, for the standard 39 phoneme set on the core test-set of the TIMIT database is in the range of the lowest reported. All training and simulation software used is made freely available by the author, and detailed information about the software and the training process is given in an Appendix. Nikko Ström, Phoneme Probability Estimation with Dynamic Sparsely Connected Artificial Neural Networks 2 Table of contents Abstract.1
2016 Ieee International Conference on Big Data (big Data) on Robust Truth Discovery in Sparse Social Media Sensing

—In the big data era, it's important to identify trustworthy information from an influx of noisy data contributed by unvetted sources from online social media (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, Flickr). This task is referred to as truth discovery which aims at identifying the reliability of the sources and the truthfulness of claims they make without knowing either of them a priori. There are two important challenges that have not been well addressed in current truth discovery solutions. The first one is " misinformation spread " where a majority of sources are contributing to false claims, making the identification of truthful claims difficult. The second challenge is " data sparsity " where sources contribute a small number of claims, providing insufficient evidence to accomplish the truth discovery task. In this paper, we developed a Robust Truth Discovery (RTD) scheme to address the above two challenges. In particular, the RTD scheme explicitly quantifies different degrees of attitude that a source may express on a claim and incorporates the historical contributions of a source using a principled approach. The evaluation results on two real world datasetsshow that the RTD scheme significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art truth discovery methods.
Large-Effect Beneficial Synonymous Mutations Mediate Rapid and Parallel Adaptation in a Bacterium

Contrary to previous understanding, recent evidence indicates that synonymous codon changes may sometimes face strong selection. However, it remains difficult to generalize the nature, strength, and mechanism(s) of such selection. Previously, we showed that synonymous variants of a key enzyme-coding gene (fae) of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 decreased enzyme production and reduced fitness dramatically. We now show that during laboratory evolution, these variants rapidly regained fitness via parallel yet variant-specific, highly beneficial point mutations in the N-terminal region of fae. These mutations (including four synonymous mutations) had weak but consistently positive impacts on transcript levels, enzyme production, or enzyme activity. However, none of the proposed mechanisms (including internal ribosome pause sites or mRNA structure) predicted the fitness impact of evolved or additional, engineered point mutations. This study shows that synonymous mutations can be fixed through strong positive selection, but the mechanism for their benefit varies depending on the local sequence context.
Cosmic rays and space weather: effects on global climate change

Abstract. We consider possible effects of cosmic rays and some other space factors on the Earth's climate change. It is well known that the system of internal and external factors formatting the climate is very unstable; decreasing planetary temperature leads to an increase of snow surface, and decrease of the total solar energy input into the system decreases the planetary temperature even more, etc. From this it follows that even energetically small factors may have a big influence on climate change. In our opinion, the most important of these factors are cosmic rays and cosmic dust through their influence on clouds, and thus, on climate.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Pediatric Spinal Cord at 1.5T: Preliminary Results

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recent studies suggest that pediatric subjects as old as 8-years-of-age may have difficulty with the ISNCSCI examinations. Our aim was to investigate DTI parameters of healthy spinal cord in children with noncervical IS for comparison with children with SCI and to prospectively evaluate reliability measures of DTI and to correlate the measures obtained in children with SCI with the ISNCSCI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five controls with thoracic and lumbar IS and 5 children with cervical SCI were imaged twice by using a single-shot echo-planar diffusion-weighted sequence. Axial imaging was performed to cover the entire cervical spinal cord in controls. For the SCI subjects, 2 vertebral bodies above and below the injury were imaged. FA and D values were obtained at different levels of the cervical spinal cord. All subjects with SCI had undergone ISNCSCI clinical examinations. Statistical analysis was performed to access differences of the DTI indices between the controls and SCI subjects, reproducibility measurements, and correlations between DTI and ISNCSCI. RESULTS: Subjects with SCI showed reduced FA and increased D values compared with controls. Test-retest reproducibility showed good ICC coefficients in all the DTI index values among controls (≥0.9), while the SCI group showed moderate ICC (≥0.77). There were statistically significant correlations between the various DTI indices and ISNCSCI scores. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary DTI indices in children were determined and showed good reproducibility. Reduced FA and increased D values were seen in children with SCI in comparison with controls and showed good clinical correlation with ISNCSCI examinations.
Prognostic value of a combined estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, Ki-67, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 immunohistochemical score and comparison with the Genomic Health recurrence score in early breast cancer.

PURPOSE We recently reported that the mRNA-based, 21-gene Genomic Health recurrence score (GHI-RS) provided additional prognostic information regarding distant recurrence beyond that obtained from classical clinicopathologic factors (age, nodal status, tumor size, grade, endocrine treatment) in women with early breast cancer, confirming earlier reports. The aim of this article is to determine how much of this information is contained in standard immunohistochemical (IHC) markers. PATIENTS AND METHODS The primary cohort comprised 1,125 estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) patients from the Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination (ATAC) trial who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy, had the GHI-RS computed, and had adequate tissue for the four IHC measurements: ER, progesterone receptor (PgR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki-67. Distant recurrence was the primary end point, and proportional hazards models were used with sample splitting to control for overfitting. A prognostic model that used classical variables and the four IHC markers (IHC4 score) was created and assessed in a separate cohort of 786 patients. RESULTS All four IHC markers provided independent prognostic information in the presence of classical variables. In sample-splitting analyses, the information in the IHC4 score was found to be similar to that in the GHI-RS, and little additional prognostic value was seen in the combined use of both scores. The prognostic value of the IHC4 score was further validated in the second separate cohort. CONCLUSION This study suggests that the amount of prognostic information contained in four widely performed IHC assays is similar to that in the GHI-RS. Additional studies are needed to determine the general applicability of the IHC4 score.
Direct Band Gap Wurtzite Gallium Phosphide Nanowires

The main challenge for light-emitting diodes is to increase the efficiency in the green part of the spectrum. Gallium phosphide (GaP) with the normal cubic crystal structure has an indirect band gap, which severely limits the green emission efficiency. Band structure calculations have predicted a direct band gap for wurtzite GaP. Here, we report the fabrication of GaP nanowires with pure hexagonal crystal structure and demonstrate the direct nature of the band gap. We observe strong photoluminescence at a wavelength of 594 nm with short lifetime, typical for a direct band gap. Furthermore, by incorporation of aluminum or arsenic in the GaP nanowires, the emitted wavelength is tuned across an important range of the visible light spectrum (555–690 nm). This approach of crystal structure engineering enables new pathways to tailor materials properties enhancing the functionality.
The role of management accounting practices as facilitators of the environmental management

Purpose – The paper aims to explore the role of management accounting practices as facilitators of the environmental management.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study involving semi‐structured interviews with environmental and accounting managers from six Spanish factories has been carried out to analyse how four management accounting practices commonly used at operational level – investment appraisals, costing systems, budgets and performance measures – may reinforce the environmental management and guarantee the maintenance of an environmental management system according to the European Community's Eco‐Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). Findings – The analysis suggests that management accounting practices operate as a facilitator mechanism for the environmental management by reinforcing the four EMAS significant elements: commitment to the continual improvement of the environmental performance; compliance with environmental legislation; communication with interested parties; and employee invo.
CORRUPTION AND INFLATION IN TRANSITION EU MEMBER COUNTRIES

The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of corruption on inflation in the EU during the specific conditions of transition of socialist economies to the modern entrepreneurial society. We used the corruption perception index as the best measure of corruption in observed countries while inflation was measured by consumer price index. The research could not be done in terms of administrative control on prices because it would not give the right results. Therefore, the success of the research assumptions was some level of liberalization of domestic economy where the cumulative liberalization index is used as an adequate measure. Investigation of seemingly unrelated social phenomena gave additional light on the causes of price increases in the observed transition countries, and also gave the possibility of finding complete and the most appropriate instruments to combat inflation. The researching paper demonstrates the positive impact of corruption on inflation while the strength of its influence is however weak. In addition too, the impact of corruption on inflation is largely indirect and occurs with a time delay because it takes some period of time in order to switch "cost of corruption" to the final holders of such costs. Indicators for the observed transition time related to Croatia, more closely fit the observed data of other transition countries.
Monetary Policy and the Convergence to Low Inflation: a Small Macro Model for Hungary and Poland, 1991-1998 " Central Banks, Financial Structure and Monetary Policy in the Economies in Transition in Central and Eastern Europe " We Thank

We estimate two parsimonious structural models for inflation, the output gap, the domestic interest rate and the exchange rate for Hungary and Poland, for the period of “transition” (1991-1998). The empirical analysis shows that, at the aggregate level, the transmission of monetary policy impulses to macro variables may be characterized in a similar fashion to that of advanced open industrial countries. We highlight similarities and differences between the two countries under study and with other industrial countries studied in the recent literature. We draw several conclusions on understanding and modeling the effects of monetary policy, and also on the desirable design of policy rules, during the process of disinflation. JEL classification: E17, E52, P24.
Measuring pesticide ecological and health risks in West African agriculture to establish an enabling environment for sustainable intensification

We outline an approach to pesticide risk assessment that is based upon surveys of pesticide use throughout West Africa. We have developed and used new risk assessment models to provide, to our knowledge, the first detailed, geographically extensive, scientifically based analysis of pesticide risks for this region. Human health risks from dermal exposure to adults and children are severe enough in many crops to require long periods of up to three weeks when entry to fields should be restricted. This is impractical in terms of crop management, and regulatory action is needed to remove these pesticides from the marketplace. We also found widespread risks to terrestrial and aquatic wildlife throughout the region, and if these results were extrapolated to all similar irrigated perimeters in the Senegal and Niger River Basins, they suggest that pesticides could pose a significant threat to regional biodiversity. Our analyses are presented at the regional, national and village levels to promote regulatory advances but also local risk communication and management. Without progress in pesticide risk management, supported by participatory farmer education, West African agriculture provides a weak context for the sustainable intensification of agricultural production or for the adoption of new crop technologies.
House of Debt: How They (and You) Caused the Great Recession, and How We Can Prevent It from Happening Again

The Great American Recession resulted in the loss of eight million jobs between 2007 and 2009. More than four million homes were lost to foreclosures. Is it a coincidence that the United States witnessed a dramatic rise in household debt in the years before the recession - that the total amount of debt for American households doubled between 2000 and 2007 to $14 trillion? Definitely not. Armed with clear and powerful evidence, Atif Mian and Amir Sufi in House of Debt reveal how the Great Recession and Great Depression, as well as the current economic malaise in Europe, were caused by a large run up in household debt followed by a significantly large drop in household spending. Though the banking crisis captured the public's attention, Mian and Sufi argue strongly with real data that current policy is too heavily biased toward protecting banks and creditors, with the goal of increasing the flow of credit, a response that is disastrously counterproductive when the fundamental problem is actually too much debt. As their research shows, excessive household debt leads to foreclosures and makes people spend less and save more. Less spending means less demand for goods, followed by declines in production and huge job losses. How do we end such a cycle? With a direct attack on debt, say Mian and Sufi. More aggressive debt forgiveness after the crash helps, but we can be rid of painful bubble-and-bust episodes only if the financial system moves away from its reliance on inflexible debt contracts. As an example, they propose new mortgage contracts that are built on the principle of risk-sharing, a concept that would have prevented the housing bubble from emerging in the first place. House of Debt offers convincing answers to some of the most important questions facing the modern economy today.
Debt Fragility and Bailouts

This paper studies debt fragility and the sharing of the resulting strategic uncertainty through ex post bailouts. Default arises in equilibrium because of both fundamental shocks and beliefs. The probability of default depends on borrowing rates and, in equilibrium, on the beliefs of lenders about this probability. This interaction creates a strategic complementarity and thus the basis for strategic uncertainty. The paper analyzes the role of credible ex post bailouts as a means of sharing both fundamental and strategic uncertainty. While bailouts may occur in some states, debt fragility remains.
Matching the Best Viewing Angle in Depth Cameras for Biomass Estimation Based on Poplar Seedling Geometry

In energy crops for biomass production a proper plant structure is important to optimize wood yields. A precise crop characterization in early stages may contribute to the choice of proper cropping techniques. This study assesses the potential of the Microsoft Kinect for Windows v.1 sensor to determine the best viewing angle of the sensor to estimate the plant biomass based on poplar seedling geometry. Kinect Fusion algorithms were used to generate a 3D point cloud from the depth video stream. The sensor was mounted in different positions facing the tree in order to obtain depth (RGB-D) images from different angles. Individuals of two different ages, e.g., one month and one year old, were scanned. Four different viewing angles were compared: top view (0°), 45° downwards view, front view (90°) and ground upwards view (−45°). The ground-truth used to validate the sensor readings consisted of a destructive sampling in which the height, leaf area and biomass (dry weight basis) were measured in each individual plant. The depth image models agreed well with 45°, 90° and −45° measurements in one-year poplar trees. Good correlations (0.88 to 0.92) between dry biomass and the area measured with the Kinect were found. In addition, plant height was accurately estimated with a few centimeters error. The comparison between different viewing angles revealed that top views showed poorer results due to the fact the top leaves occluded the rest of the tree. However, the other views led to good results. Conversely, small poplars showed better correlations with actual parameters from the top view (0°). Therefore, although the Microsoft Kinect for Windows v.1 sensor provides good opportunities for biomass estimation, the viewing angle must be chosen taking into account the developmental stage of the crop and the desired parameters. The results of this study indicate that Kinect is a promising tool for a rapid canopy characterization, i.e., for estimating crop biomass production, with several important advantages: low cost, low power needs and a high frame rate (frames per second) when dynamic measurements are required.
Growth in Unemployment Raises Poverty Rates: Most Low-Wage Earnings Constitute Supplement to Primary Household Income

Inequality with respect to personal earned income has increased in recent years. This trend has gone hand in hand with changes in both the employment constellations of households and the labor market activity of individuals (e.g. through 'minijobs'). In particular, the years since 2000 have seen a rise in the share of households with no market income because their members are either registered or hidden unemployed. These findings do not necessarily indicate an increase in relative poverty, because the latter depends on net household income and not just on individual primary incomes. While the risk of poverty also increased in recent years amongst low-wage earners, the rise only applied to those 47% of low-wage earners who live in households without another gainfully employed household member. More than half of all low-wage earners live in households that have a below-average risk of poverty. Unemployment still represents the principal risk factor for poverty. Whereas the likelihood of being poor in the event of unemployment was 29% in 1993, this risk had increased by ten percentage points by 2003. For an unemployed person living alone or whose spouse or partner was not working, the risk of poverty in 2003 was a substantial risk of 53%.
Epigenetic variation in the serotonin transporter gene predicts resting state functional connectivity strength within the salience‐network

Genetic variation in the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) has been associated with psychopathology and aberrant brain functioning in a plethora of clinical and imaging studies. In contrast, the neurobiological correlates of epigenetic signatures in SLC6A4, such as DNA methylation profiles, have only recently been explored in human brain imaging research. The present study is the first to apply a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging approach to identify changes in brain networks related to SLC6A4 promoter methylation (N = 74 healthy individuals). The amygdalae were defined as seed regions given that resting state functional connectivity in this brain area is under serotonergic control and relates to a broad range of psychiatric phenotypes. We further used bisulfite pyrosequencing to analyze quantitative methylation at 83 CpG sites within a promoter‐associated CpG island of SLC6A4 from blood‐derived DNA samples. The major finding of this study indicates a positive relation of SLC6A4 promoter methylation and amygdaloid resting state functional coupling with key nodes of the salience network (SN) including the anterior insulae and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortices. Increased intra‐network connectivity in the SN is thought to facilitate the detection and subsequent processing of potentially negative stimuli and reflects a core feature of psychopathology. As such, epigenetic changes within the SLC6A4 gene predict connectivity patterns in clinically and behaviorally relevant brain networks which may in turn convey increased disease susceptibility. Hum Brain Mapp 36:4361–4371, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.