Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonconcave penalized likelihood with a diverging number of parameters

A class of variable selection procedures for parametric models via nonconcave penalized likelihood was proposed by Fan and Li to simultaneously estimate parameters and select important variables. They demonstrated that this class of procedures has an oracle property when the number of parameters is finite. However, in most model selection problems the number of parameters should be large and grow with the sample size. In this paper some asymptotic properties of the nonconcave penalized likelihood are established for situations in which the number of parameters tends to ∞ as the sample size increases. Under regularity conditions we have established an oracle property and the asymptotic normality of the penalized likelihood estimators. Furthermore, the consistency of the sandwich formula of the covariance matrix is demonstrated. Nonconcave penalized likelihood ratio statistics are discussed, and their asymptotic distributions under the null hypothesis are obtained by imposing some mild conditions on the penalty functions. The asymptotic results are augmented by a simulation study, and the newly developed methodology is illustrated by an analysis of a court case on the sexual discrimination of salary.
Investigating the role of the noradrenergic system in human cognition

Animal research and computational modeling have indicated an important role for the noradrenergic system in the regulation of attention and behavior. According to a recent theory, the noradrenergic system is critical for the optimization of behavioral performance—by facilitating responses to motivationally significant stimuli and regulating the tradeoff between exploitative and exploratory behaviors (Aston-Jones & Cohen, 2005). However, until recently, crucial empirical tests of this theory in human subjects have been lacking. This is not so surprising since the study of neuromodulation in humans poses considerable methodological challenges. In this chapter we will discuss recent progress made in the development and validation of noninvasive measures and methods for investigating noradrenergic function in humans. This methodological progress has opened up new opportunities for testing predictions and further development of theories of noradrenergic function.
Single molecule TPM analysis of the catalytic pentad mutants of Cre and Flp site-specific recombinases: contributions of the pentad residues to the pre-chemical steps of recombination

Cre and Flp site-specific recombinase variants harboring point mutations at their conserved catalytic pentad positions were characterized using single molecule tethered particle motion (TPM) analysis. The findings reveal contributions of these amino acids to the pre-chemical steps of recombination. They suggest functional differences between positionally conserved residues in how they influence recombinase-target site association and formation of ‘non-productive’, ‘pre-synaptic’ and ‘synaptic’ complexes. The most striking difference between the two systems is noted for the single conserved lysine. The pentad residues in Cre enhance commitment to recombination by kinetically favoring the formation of pre-synaptic complexes. These residues in Flp serve a similar function by promoting Flp binding to target sites, reducing non-productive binding and/or enhancing the rate of assembly of synaptic complexes. Kinetic comparisons between Cre and Flp, and between their derivatives lacking the tyrosine nucleophile, are consistent with a stronger commitment to recombination in the Flp system. The effect of target site orientation (head-to-head or head-to-tail) on the TPM behavior of synapsed DNA molecules supports the selection of anti-parallel target site alignment prior to the chemical steps. The integrity of the synapse, whose establishment/stability is fostered by strand cleavage in the case of Flp but not Cre, appears to be compromised by the pentad mutations.
The high energy gamma-ray emission expected from Tycho's supernova remnant

A nonlinear kinetic model of cosmic ray (CR) acceleration in supernova remnants (SNRs) is used to describe the properties of Tycho's SNR. Observations of the expansion characteristics and of the nonthermal radio and X-ray emission spectra, assumed to be of synchrotron origin, are used to constrain the overall dynamical evolution and the particle acceler- ation parameters of the system, in addition to what is known from independent estimates of the distance and thermal X-ray observations. It is shown that a very ecient production of nuclear cosmic rays, leading to strong shock modification, and a large downstream magnetic field strength Bd 240G are required to reproduce the observed synchrotron emission from radio to X-ray frequencies. This field strength is still well within the upper bound for the eective magnetic field, consistent with the acceleration process. The 0 -decay-ray flux turns out to be somewhat greater than the inverse Compton (IC) flux o the Cosmic Microwave Background at energies below 1 TeV, dominating it strongly at 10 TeV. The predicted TeV-ray flux is consistent with but close to the very low upper limit recently obtained by HEGRA. A future detection at 10 TeV would clearly indicate hadronic emission.
The Frequency and Distribution of Idiopathic Osteosclerosis of the Jaw

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of idiopathic osteosclerosis (IO) in the jaw by radiographic evaluation and to investigate the relationship between the findings in relation to age, gender, and localization. Methods: The study included 2,211 panoramic radiographs obtained from the patients (915 men and 1,296 women) whose ages ranged from 10–77 and who visited the Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology in the Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University between 2008 and 2009. Results: Of 2,211 patients, 135 patients (6.1%) had IO. The prevalence obtained in our study was in the range reported in the literature. IO was detected more often in mandible rather than the maxilla. In addition, mandibular molar localization was the most common localization, and most of the lesions were associated with root apices. Conclusions: In view of the findings, IO can be defined as developmental variations of normal bony architecture, which are unrelated to local stimuli. The lesions can arise at any age, any location with no sex predilection, and IO usually requires no treatment other than diagnosis. Because all these lesions were located in the jaw and could only is detected in panoramic evaluations, this indicates the importance of careful diagnostic evaluation of radiographies in dental examinations.
Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce an Empirical Study of Factors Influencing Adoption of Internet Banking among Students of Higher Education: Evidence from Pakistan

Abdul Kabeer Kazi is the chairperson of Department of IT with over 15 years of teaching experience in the fields of management sciences and information technology. His areas of interest include E-Commerce, M-Commerce, wireless communication, and applications of IT. Abstract This paper investigated the influence of factors on the intention to adopt Internet banking services among students of higher education in Pakistan. Theoretical framework used for this study has been adopted from Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with four independent variables. Convenience sampling method was used with a total of valid 220 respondents, which included students of Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari Institute of Technology (KASBIT), Karachi, Pakistan. Data was collected through self administered questionnaire of two parts: Demographic and Likert scale multi-item scale for variables under study. Results indicated that convenience, perceived credibility, and perceived usefulness had significant positive influence among students on the intention to adopt Internet banking. The findings from this research would be useful for banks in the subject area, particularly for students in Pakistan.
2 ESTIMATING VALUE-AT-RISK WITH A PRECISION MEASURE BY COMBINING KERNEL ESTIMATION WITH HISTORICAL SIMULATION

We thank seminar participants at the OCC and the 1996 Chicago Fed Bank Structure Conference for their comments. We also thank Rene Stulz for comments and suggestions and Amy Crews for guidance concerning kernel estimation. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Chase Manhattan Bank or any of its staff or of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency or members of its staff. In this paper we propose an alternative way to implement the historical simulation approach to Value-at-Risk (VaR) measurement, employing a non-parametric kernel quantile estimator (Sheather and Marron (1990)) of the probability density function (pdf) of the returns on a portfolio. Then we derive an expression for the pdf of any order statistic of the return distribution. Finally, because that pdf is not analytic, we employ numerical integration to obtain the moments of the order statistic, the mean being the VaR estimate, and the standard deviation allowing the construction of a confidence interval around the estimate. We apply this method to trading portfolios provided by a financial institution.
Nebular emission-line profiles of Type Ib/c supernovae - Probing the ejecta asphericity

In order to assess qualitatively the ejecta geometry of stripped-envelope core-collapse supernovae (SNe), we investigate 98 late-time spectra of 39 objects, many of them previously unpublished. We perform a Gauss-fitting of the [O i] λλ6300, 6364 feature in all spectra, with the position, full width at half maximum and intensity of the λ6300 Gaussian as free parameters, and the λ6364 Gaussian added appropriately to account for the doublet nature of the [O i] feature. On the basis of the best-fitting parameters, the objects are organized into morphological classes, and we conclude that at least half of all Type Ib/c SNe must be aspherical. Bipolar jet models do not seem to be universally applicable, as we find too few symmetric double-peaked [O i] profiles. In some objects, the [O i] line exhibits a variety of shifted secondary peaks or shoulders, interpreted as blobs of matter ejected at high velocity and possibly accompanied by neutron-star kicks to assure momentum conservation. At phases earlier than ∼200 d, a systematic blueshift of the [O i] λλ6300, 6364 line centroids can be discerned. Residual opacity provides the most convincing explanation of this phenomenon, photons emitted on the rear side of the SN being scattered or absorbed on their way through the ejecta. Once modified to account for the doublet nature of the oxygen feature, the profile of Mg i] λ4571 at sufficiently late phases generally resembles that of [O i] λλ6300, 6364 , suggesting negligible contamination from other lines and confirming that O and Mg are similarly distributed within the ejecta.
Gender influences on school students' mental models of computer science: a quantitative rich picture analysis with sixth graders

Despite great efforts, women are underrepresented in computer science and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. To understand the root of this we studied 112 high school students (51 female, 61 male) aged between 10 to 13 years. The questionnaire-based survey revealed a significant effect of gender on technical self-efficacy and on interest in computer science. Furthermore, we extracted the students' mental models by letting them draw computer scientists. A rich picture analysis revealed significant effects of gender on the stereotypicality of the images. The gender gap revealed by this multi-method approach influences students' career decisions and yields in declining participation of women in STEM. Consequently, future measures must focus on school students at an earlier age. These should be offering a variety of male and female role models and should strengthen the individual's technical self-efficacy, as it profoundly impacts later career decisions.
Numbers Versus Narrative: An Examination of a Controversy

Competing actor interpretations of Intellectual Capital Statements (ICS) may explain diverse opinions on their effectiveness in practice. Adopting Callon's (1986) moments of translation, we find that actors in our case study adapt ICS numbers and narrative to create specific inscriptions, privileging one over the other to suit their interests. This allows IC controversy to survive rather than be resolved or the network to fail.
Classification of impacted mandibular third molars on cone-beam CT images

Background Neurological involvement is a serious complication associated to the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars and the radiological investigation is the first mandatory step to assess the risk of a possible post-operative injury to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). The aim of this study was to introduce a new radiological classification that could be normally used in clinical practice to assess the relationship between an impacted third molar and mandibular canal on cone beam CT (CBCT) images. Material and Methods CBCT images of 80 patients (133 mandibular third molars) were independently studied by three members of the surgical team to draw a classification that could describe all the possible relationships between third molar and IAN on the cross-sectional images. Subsequently, the study population was subdivided according to this classification. The SPSS software, version 15.0 (SPSS® Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) was used for the statistical analysis. Results Eight different classes were proposed (classes 0-7) and six of them (classes 1-6) were subdivided in two subtypes (subtypes A-B). The distribution of classes showed a prevalence of buccal or apical course of the mandibular canal followed by lingual position and inter-radicular one. No differences have resulted in terms of anatomic relationship between males and females apart from a higher risk of real contact without corticalization of the canal when the IAN had a lingual course for female group. Younger patients showed an increased rate of direct contact with a reduced calibre of the canal and/or without corticalization. Conclusions The use of this classification could be a valid support in clinical practice to obtain a common language among operators in order to define the possible relationships between an impacted third molar and the mandibular canal on CBCT images. Key words:CBCT, classification, inferior alveolar nerve, third molars.
Measuring the effect of the zero lower bound on yields and exchange rates

The zero lower bound on nominal interest rates began to constrain many central banks’ setting of short-term interest rates in late 2008 or early 2009. According to standard macroeconomic models, this should have greatly reduced the effectiveness of monetary policy and increased the efficacy of fiscal policy. However, these models also imply that asset prices and private-sector decisions depend on the entire path of expected future short-term interest rates, not just the current level of the monetary policy rate. Thus, interest rates with a year or more to maturity are arguably more relevant for asset prices and the economy, and it is unclear to what extent those yields have been affected by the zero lower bound. In this paper, we apply the methods of Swanson and Williams (2013) to medium- and longer-term yields and exchange rates in the U.K. and Germany. In particular, we compare the sensitivity of these rates to macroeconomic news during periods when short-term interest rates were very low to that during normal times. We find that: 1) USD/GBP and USD/EUR exchange rates have been essentially unaffected by the zero lower bound, 2) yields on German bunds were essentially unconstrained by the zero bound until late 2012, and 3) yields on U.K. gilts were substantially constrained by the zero lower bound in 2009 and 2012, but were surprisingly responsive to news in 2010–11. We compare these findings to the U.S. and discuss their broader implications.
VERB HYPONYMY CONTAINING THE MEANING OF 'TO TAKE' IN BETAWI MALAY LANGUAGE

IN Betawi Malay language there are many lexemes which have similar relations of meaning. Some of which belong to synonymy while others belong to hyponymy. This article emphasizes the hyponymy of the verbs containing the meaning of "to take" using descriptive method. The data were taken from short stories and novels in Betawi Malay Language and also the dictionary of Kamus Dialek Jakarta (1982). The data were analyzed using Nida's (1975) componential analysis of lexical meaning. The theory was based on the assumption that a lexeme consists of a systematic semantics unit or contains a configuration of meaning which could be sorted into smallest components. The result showed that the lexeme bawe was the superordinate and its hyponymy was jungjung, dongdong, kandut, kempit, kepit, pikul, sandang, tengteng, jingjing, and keweng-keweng
IMD – A MOLECULAR DYNAMICS PROGRAM AND APPLICATIONS

The intention of this article is twofold: First, we want to describe IMD (ITAP Molecular Dynamics), a software package for classical molecular dynamics simulations on massively-parallel computers. The software is a general purpose package which can be used for any kind of condensed matter, but it contains a number of special features for simulation of the mechanical properties of solids, especially of quasicrystals and silicon interfaces. Second we want to describe a representative application of IMD to the simulation of shock waves in binary icosahedral qua-sicrystals. These simulation have been carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of metacomputing (clustering of massively-parallel supercomputers over intercon-tinental distances).
Alcohol Consumption and the Risk of Breast Cancer in a Prepaid Health Plan 1

We examined breast cancer incidence in a cohort of about 69,000 women who were members of a large prepaid health plan in Northern California and who answered detailed questions about alcohol consump tion from 1979 through 1984 as part of a voluntary multiphasic health checkup. Among white, black, and Hispanic women with no prior cancer, breast cancer had developed in 303 by the end of 1984. In analysis controlling only for age there was a progressive increase in breast cancer incidence with each higher level of reported alcohol consumption. In multivariate analyses controlled for age, race, body mass, and smoking, the relative risk at 1-2 drinks per day was 1.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-2.3), at 3-5 drinks per day it was 1.5 (95% CI 0.8-2.8), and at 6 or more drinks per day it was 3.3 (95% CI 1.2-9.3). Past drinkers tended to have been heavier drinkers than current drinkers and had a relative risk of 2.2 (95% CI 1.2-3.9). Study of wine, beer, and liquor use did not suggest that any particular alcoholic beverage was responsible. Signifi cant associations with heavy alcohol consumption were strongest among white, and among postmenopausal women. This study adds support to the growing evidence that alcohol may be a risk factor for development of breast cancer.
Emotional intelligence under stress: valuable or overrated?

Stress has created a vigorous discourse among researchers of various fields and considered as one of the most vital issue that has not yet been solved. A growing interest has been developed on the influence of emotional intelligence in reducing stress level among students. This study examined emotional intelligence as four interrelated processes which were postulated from the four-branch emotional intelligence theory of Salovey and Mayer. A self-reported measure of the Assessing Emotions Scale (AES) and the Perceived Stress Scale was used respectively to measure emotional intelligence and stress level of the participants involved. PLS-SEM was employed to assess the measurement construct and structural model of this study. The findings indicated a significant negative relationship between the ability to perceive emotion, the ability to manage one’s own emotion, and the ability to manage others emotion with stress. However, no significant associations were identified between the ability to utilize emotion and stress among the participants involved. Results also confirmed that the ability to perceive and assess emotion accurately as the most prominent emotional intelligence dimension in predicting stress. The applied utilities of emotional intelligence are discussed and the potential value of integrating emotional intelligence in formal tertiary education systems is also highlighted.
Group-Induced Extremization: Review of Evidence and a Minority-Change Explanation

A review of evidence from a number of experiments suggests that as a result of discussion the average of the group members' positions (attitudes, judgments) becomes more extreme. These shifts seem to occur primarily when group members' initial positions are distributed across the two sides of the scale in such a way as to create a majority-minority constellation. Accordingly, it is proposed that underlying the extremity-shifts reported in the literature is the movement of a minority toward the majority's side. That such minority-change is nor the only source of extremization is suggested by one study finding that group discussion enhances the extremity of individual positions. An analysis of the special distribution of positions existing on the items selected in that experiment permits the following conclusion. Discussion-induced extremization is (also) caused by the impact of arguments in the discussion favoring the side which most or all members preferred to begin with. Other explanations cannot be discarded at the present time. At the least they point to important aspects of small-group functioning which it would seem fruitful to investigate.
Effective Duration of Antimicrobial Therapy for the Treatment of Acute Lobar Nephronia

OBJECTIVE. Effective treatment of acute lobar nephronia (ALN) can prevent its progression to renal abscess. The goal of this prospective study was to compare the treatment efficacy for pediatric patients who had ALN with a 3- vs 2-week intravenous plus oral antimicrobial-therapy regimen. METHODS. Patients who were suspected of having an upper urinary tract infection underwent a systematic scheme of ultrasonographic and computed tomographic (CT) evaluation for ALN diagnosis. Patients with positive CT findings were enrolled and randomly allocated with serial entry for either a total 2-week or a 3-week antibiotic treatment regimen. Antibiotics were changed from an intravenous form to an oral form 2 to 3 days after defervescence of fever. Follow-up clinical evaluations and urine-culture analyses were performed 3 to 7 days after cessation of antibiotic treatment. Patients with persistent infection or relapse were considered as treatment failures. RESULTs. A total of 80 patients with ALN were enrolled. Forty-one patients were treated with a 2-week antimicrobial protocol, and the other 39 patients were treated with a 3-week course. Seven treatment failures, 1 persistent infection, and 6 infection relapses were identified, all of which were in the 2-week treatment group. Prolonged fever before admission and positive Escherichia coli growth (>105 colony-forming units per mL) in urine culture were noted as risk factors for treatment failure. All treatment failures were managed successfully with an additional 10-day antibiotic course. CONCLUSION. A total of 3 weeks of intravenous and oral antibiotic therapy tailored to the pathogen noted in cultures should be the treatment of choice for pediatric patients with ALN.