Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Bayesian Perspective to Analyze Branch Location Patterns in Spanish Banking

We analyze the determinants of bank branch location in Spain controlling for geography explicitly. After a long period of intense expansion, most savings banks are now involved in merger processes. However, given the contributions of this type of bank to combatting financial exclusion, this process might exacerbate the consequences of the crisis for some social groups. Related problems such as new banking regulation initiatives, or the current excess capacity in the sector, add further relevance to this problem. We address the issue from a Bayesian spatial perspective, which has several advantages over other methodologies used in previous studies. Specifically, the techniques we choose allow us to assess with some precision whether over-branching or under-branching have taken place. Results suggest that both phenomena exist in the Spanish banking sector, although implications for the three types of banks in the industry (commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions) differ.
Dissemination and genetic diversity of chlamydial agents in Polish wildfowl: Isolation and molecular characterisation of avian Chlamydia abortus strains

Wild birds are considered as a reservoir for avian chlamydiosis posing a potential infectious threat to domestic poultry and humans. Analysis of 894 cloacal or fecal swabs from free-living birds in Poland revealed an overall Chlamydiaceae prevalence of 14.8% (n = 132) with the highest prevalence noted in Anatidae (19.7%) and Corvidae (13.4%). Further testing conducted with species-specific real-time PCR showed that 65 samples (49.2%) were positive for C. psittaci whereas only one was positive for C. avium. To classify the non-identified chlamydial agents and to genotype the C. psittaci and C. avium-positive samples, specimens were subjected to ompA-PCR and sequencing (n = 83). The ompA-based NJ dendrogram revealed that only 23 out of 83 sequences were assigned to C. psittaci, in particular to four clades representing the previously described C. psittaci genotypes B, C, Mat116 and 1V. Whereas the 59 remaining sequences were assigned to two new clades named G1 and G2, each one including sequences recently obtained from chlamydiae detected in Swedish wetland birds. G1 (18 samples from Anatidae and Rallidae) grouped closely together with genotype 1V and in relative proximity to several C. abortus isolates, and G2 (41 samples from Anatidae and Corvidae) grouped closely to C. psittaci strains of the classical ABE cluster, Matt116 and M56. Finally, deep molecular analysis of four representative isolates of genotypes 1V, G1 and G2 based on 16S rRNA, IGS and partial 23S rRNA sequences as well as MLST clearly classify these isolates within the C. abortus species. Consequently, we propose an expansion of the C. abortus species to include not only the classical isolates of mammalian origin, but also avian isolates so far referred to as atypical C. psittaci or C. psittaci/C. abortus intermediates.
1 DURATION MODELS AND DIFFERENTIAL EVOLUTION IN THE ANALYSIS OF LARGE DATA SETS

Two measures of unemployment duration were obtained for each individual from data collected by Istat through the Quarterly Labour Force Survey. One measure was the length of on-going spells of unemployment, declared by the interviewed individual in a first wave and suitably adjusted considering information in a second wave (Spell Answers). The other was the time elapsed between the dates of the end of the previous job and the beginning of the current job in the second wave (Spell Reconstructions). They were modelled by traditional duration models via a mixture distribution of the answered and reconstructed spells , instead of using their minimum. The likelihood of the mixture is highly complex with a large number of covariates. Hence, classical optimisation methods do not provide robust parameter estimations. A stochastic search algorithm, called Differential Evolution, is proposed to tackle the numerical optimisation problem. In fact, even if DE is still rather unknown, it proves to be consistently and clearly superior to other search heuristic and classical optimisation approaches in many applications. Moreover, it is very simple to implement and requires little or no parameter tuning. A comparison between the ordinary duration models based on a sole unemployment spell for individuals (spell answers or spell reconstructions) is also reported. JEL classification: C41, J64
GEOGRAPHY OF BRILL-NOETHER LOCI FOR SMALL SLOPES

Let X be a non-singular projective curve of genus g ≥ 2 over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero. Let M(n, d) denote the moduli space of stable bundles of rank n and degree d on X and W k−1 n,d the Brill-Noether loci in M(n, d). We prove that, if 0 ≤ d ≤ n and W k−1 n,d is non-empty, then it is irreducible of the expected dimension and smooth outside W k n,d . We prove further that in this range W k−1 n,d is non-empty if and only if d > 0, n ≤ d+(n−k)g and (n, d, k) 6 (n, n, n). We also prove irreducibility and non-emptiness for the semistable BrillNoether loci.
Chapter 2 A Possibilistic Approach for Activity Recognition in Smart Homes for Cognitive Assistance to Alzheimer ’ s Patients

Providing cognitive assistance to Alzheimer’s patients in smart homes is a field of research that receives a lot of attention lately. The recognition of the patient’s behavior when he carries out some activities in a smart home is primordial in order to give adequate assistance at the opportune moment. To address this challenging issue, we present a formal activity recognition framework based on possibility theory and description logics. We present initial results from an implementation of this recognition approach in a smart home laboratory.
Strontium Barium Niobate Thin Films for Dielectric and Electro-Optic Applications

The existence of strontium barium niobate crystals (SrxBa1-xNb2O6, noted SBN:100x) was first reported in 1960 (Francombe, 1960) and first large SBN single crystals were grown by Ballman and Brown over the range 0.25<x<0.75 (Ballman & Brown, 1966). In 1970, the Bell Telephone Laboratories had published successive thorough investigations of the optical, electrical, and structural properties of SBN crystals. The high values of the electro-optic and pyroelectric coefficients oriented further work mainly towards holographic and pyroelectric applications. The development of SBN films started at the USSR Academy of Science in Novosibirsk (Baginsky et al., 1978) using a RF sputtering technique. Different deposition techniques have been then investigated: mainly sol-gel process, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Thin SBN films are particularly attractive for their potential use as low voltage electro-optic (e-o) waveguides. Electro-optic light modulation is a key function in light-wave technologies, mostly realized by exploiting the linear e-o Pockels effect in ferroelectric bulk crystals like lithium niobate (LN) for primary example. Optimizing the performance of an eo modulator involves minimizing the half-wave voltage-length product (Vπ L) and the drive power (P). A considerable decrease in the required Vπ L and P values, by three orders of magnitude, is expected from the replacement of bulk crystals by thin film waveguides about 1μm thick. Beside LN and SBN, the ferroelectric materials which have been considered in the literature in view of preparing electro-optic thin films are mainly BaTiO3 (BT), (Ba,Sr)TiO3 (BST), and (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 (PLZT). The implementation of Pockels e-o effect in thin film waveguides also opens up the path to the realization of electrically-tunable photonic crystal (PC) devices. Through the engineering of photonic band gaps, PC structures enable developing the functionality and reducing radically the size of optical devices. Theoretically position and shape of a photonic band gap can be electro-optically controlled. This e-o control considerably broadens the scope of PC structures potential functionality. The future deployment of photonic technology largely rests on the tunability of PC characteristics. The Pockels electro-optic effect is the expression of the dielectric non linear properties in the range of optical frequencies where ionic displacement is negligible and relative dielectric permittivity is reduced to its electronic component. The interest for dielectric non linear
Does interleaved practice enhance foreign language learning? The effects of training schedule on Spanish verb conjugation skills.

Do the cognitive benefits of interleaving—the method of alternating between two or more skills or concepts during training—extend to foreign language learning? In four experiments, we investigated the efficacy of interleaved versus conventional blocked practice for teaching adult learners to conjugate Spanish verbs in the preterite and imperfect past tenses. In the first two experiments, training occurred during a single session and interleaving between tenses began during the presentation of introductory content (Experiment 1) or during randomly ordered verb conjugation practice trials at the end of the training session (Experiment 2). This yielded, respectively, numerically higher performance in the blocked group and equivalent performance in the interleaved and blocked groups on a 2-day delayed test. In Experiments 3 and 4, the amount of training was increased across 2 weekly sessions in which the blocked group trained on 1 tense per session and the interleaved group trained on both tenses per session, with random interleaving occurring during verb conjugation practice trials. Interleaving yielded substantially better performance on a 1-week delayed test. Thus, although interleaving did not confer an advantage over blocking under 2 different single-session training schedules, it improved learning when used to practice conjugating verbs across multiple training sessions. These results constitute the first demonstration of an interleaving effect for foreign language learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Essays on tax revenue composition in developing countries

This thesis focuses on the composition of tax revenue in developing countries and analyses its determinants and consequences. The first part examines the political economy factors shaping tax revenue composition, by considering the impact of elections and democratization, while the second part deals with the consequences of specific tax revenue compositions in terms of tax revenue stabilization and social welfare. Several results emerge. Elections have a significant influence on tax revenue composition since indirect tax revenues are decreased in election times (Chapter 1). These electoral manipulations are less strong in countries where democracy is well-Established. Moreover, Chapter 2 found that a more democratic political regime, with strong constraints on the executive, helps to enhance domestic tax revenues that are necessary to replace the lost revenues from trade liberalization. The second part of the thesis reveals interesting results on the effects of tax revenue composition on the stabilization of tax revenue and on its social incidence. Chapter 3 highlighted the importance of finding remedies to tax revenue instability since it induces public spending instability which in turn decreases the level of public investment. A higher reliance on domestic indirect taxes in total tax revenues has been found to lead to the stabilization of tax revenue. In addition, the results of Chapter 4 showed that the value-Added tax significantly reduces tax revenue instability in the developing countries where it was adopted. The social incidence of domestic indirect taxes was compared to the social incidence of tariffs in Chapter 5 and it was established that tariffs are more regressive than taxes on consumption in Burkina Faso.
Effects of Acarbose in Metabolic Control of Patients it e iabetes Mellits

carbose is a reversible inhibitor of the intestinal alpha-glucosidases, the oral administration of which delays absorption of carbohydrates. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of administration of acarbose on parameters of glycaemic control, lipid parameters and tolerability in ambulant type 1 diabetic subjects. Materials and Methods: Entry criteria included being: diabetic, age below 30 years and a history of at least one episode of diabetic ketoacidosis insufficiently controlled with diet and insulin. The data of 17 patients (6 men and 11 women, mean age 17.2±3.5 (range 14–26) years, median duration of diabetes 8 (range 1–20) years were valid for statistical analysis. Results: During the run-in period HbA1c levels tended to decrease from 9.5±1.1 to 9±1.7%. After 12 weeks of acarbose treatment, the mean level had decreased further to 7.6±1.6% (P: 0.002). After discontionuing acarbose, HbA1c levels increased to a mean level of 8.8±0.9%. A significant reduction in Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) (from 195±62 to 139±73 mg/dL, P<0.01) and 2 hour post prandial glucose (2 hppG) was observed with acarbose (from 231±82 to 159±72 mg/dL, P<0.001). Reduction in total cholesterol (from 159±36 to 146±26 mg/dL, p: 0.09) and triglycerides (from100±22 to 81±23 mg/dL, p: 0.02) was detected after treatment with acarbose. No significant changes were observed in HDL cholesterol. The most frequent reported adverse events were flatulence (7 subjects) and mild abdominal pain (2 subjects). Conclusion: We conclude that acarbose up to 3×100 mg/day can be a valuable adjunct to insulin in improving metabolic control in persons with type 1 diabetes
Serum Protein Profile at Remission Can Accurately Assess Therapeutic Outcomes and Survival for Serous Ovarian Cancer

Background Biomarkers play critical roles in early detection, diagnosis and monitoring of therapeutic outcome and recurrence of cancer. Previous biomarker research on ovarian cancer (OC) has mostly focused on the discovery and validation of diagnostic biomarkers. The primary purpose of this study is to identify serum biomarkers for prognosis and therapeutic outcomes of ovarian cancer. Experimental Design Forty serum proteins were analyzed in 70 serum samples from healthy controls (HC) and 101 serum samples from serous OC patients at three different disease phases: post diagnosis (PD), remission (RM) and recurrence (RC). The utility of serum proteins as OC biomarkers was evaluated using a variety of statistical methods including survival analysis. Results Ten serum proteins (PDGF-AB/BB, PDGF-AA, CRP, sFas, CA125, SAA, sTNFRII, sIL-6R, IGFBP6 and MDC) have individually good area-under-the-curve (AUC) values (AUC = 0.69–0.86) and more than 10 three-marker combinations have excellent AUC values (0.91–0.93) in distinguishing active cancer samples (PD & RC) from HC. The mean serum protein levels for RM samples are usually intermediate between HC and OC patients with active cancer (PD & RC). Most importantly, five proteins (sICAM1, RANTES, sgp130, sTNFR-II and sVCAM1) measured at remission can classify, individually and in combination, serous OC patients into two subsets with significantly different overall survival (best HR = 17, p<10−3). Conclusion We identified five serum proteins which, when measured at remission, can accurately predict the overall survival of serous OC patients, suggesting that they may be useful for monitoring the therapeutic outcomes for ovarian cancer.
The Economic Burden of Breast Cancer in Korea from 2007-2010

Purpose This study estimates the socioeconomic cost and burden for breast cancer patients in Korea between 2007 and 2010. Materials and Methods This study used a prevalence-based approach to estimate the cost of breast cancer. Breast cancer patients were defined as those who were hospitalized or have visited an outpatient clinic during the period from 2007 to 2010. The socioeconomic costs of breast cancer were subdivided into two costs: direct and indirect. Results From 2007 to 2010, the prevalence of treated breast cancer increased from 7.9% to 20.4%. The total socioeconomic costs incurred by breast cancer increased by approximately 40.7% from US $668.49 million in 2007 to US $940.75 million in 2010. The direct medical care costs for 2010 were 1.4 times greater (US $399.22 million) than for 2007 (US $278.71 million). The direct non-medical costs rose from US $50.69 million in 2007 to US $75.83 million in 2010, a 49.6% increase. Regarding the economic burden of breast cancer, the total indirect costs were US $339.09 million in 2007 and increased by 37.3% to US $465.70 million in 2010. In the sensitivity analysis, with the annual discount rate for each year ranging from 0%-5%, the costs increased 1.1-1.2 times. Conclusion Due to the growing incidence of breast cancer, the annual prevalence and related costs are increasing. We must strive to reduce the socioeconomic burden of breast cancer through preventive measures and early screening.
Critical Thinking in Intensive Language Programs for International Students in U.S. Universities.

This dissertation examines how critical thinking skills are addressed in university-level intensive language programs for international students in the United States. The theoretical framework for this study was built upon Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. Three research questions inquired about language instructors’ ability to conceptualize critical thinking, integration of critical thinking into intensive language programs curricula and assessment tools, and obstacles in implementation of critical thinking in language instruction. Twenty-one instructors from intensive language programs for international students at six research universities in the Northeast part of the United States participated in this study. The data collection instruments were a questionnaire and follow-up interviews. A qualitative data analysis using a coding scheme revealed that the majority of the participants did not have a strong conceptualization of critical thinking and had difficulty in articulating critical thinking as a cultural construct. The analysis also revealed that the instructors from intensive language programs with re-designed curricula that included critical thinking as learning and instructional objectives reported a high success rate in preparing international students for academic challenges unlike the instructors from language programs that follow a traditional structure-oriented approach to language teaching. Some instructors from structure-oriented language programs reported that they developed their own critical thinking materials to infuse language instruction with critical thinking instruction. Other CRITICAL THINKING IN INTENSIVE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN U.S. UNIVERSITIES Eva Wegrzecka-Kowalewski, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2018 v than their programs’ focus on language assessment, obstacles in implementing critical thinking into language curricula listed by the instructors included a lack of textbooks encouraging critical thinking, resistance from administrators and other instructors to re-design language curricula, students’ lack of motivation to learn critical thinking, and difficulty of teaching and evaluating critical thinking. With no other studies existing on teaching critical thinking in intensive language programs in universities in the U.S., this study offers pioneering evidence and implications for (a) stronger implementation of critical thinking skills in language support programs for international students planning to pursue academic degrees, (b) reconceptualization of the notion of academic literacy to include critical thinking, (c) development of critical thinking instructional materials and textbooks for language instruction, and (d) training in critical thinking instruction in teacher education programs and professional development initiatives.
Software for Next Generation Automation and Control

The current trend in automation and control research has been toward "intelligent" systems that are intended to adapt quickly to change while providing extensibility through a modular, distributed design. The key to integration of these systems lies in their control software; however the main barrier to flexibility lies in the difficulties associated with the development of this software. In this paper, we look at the basic requirements for this next generation of automation and control systems and introduce a new software tool that is based on the IEC 61499 standard that is intended to address the issue of software development.
Subjective Well-being, Risk Perceptions and Time Discounting: Evidence from a large-scale cash transfer programme

The risk and time preferences of individuals as well as their subjective expectations regarding the future are likely to play an important role in choice behaviour. Measurement of these individual characteristics in large-scale surveys has been a recent development and empirical evidence on their associations with behaviour remains limited. We summarize the results of measuring individuals’ attitudes towards inter-temporal choice, risk, and the future in a large-scale field survey in Kenya. We find very low rates of inconsistency in interpreting questions on time and risk preferences. Cash transfers alone do not appear to impact time discounting or risk aversion, but they do have an important impact on subjective well-being measures and on future perceptions of quality of life.
Incidence of Peste des petits ruminants in nomadic sheep and goat of Jammu region.

Aim: The present study was planned with an aim to access the incidence of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in nomadic sheep and goat of Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) state of India. Materials and Methods:A total of 34 nasal swabs (13 sheep and 21 goats) samples of 13 flocks suspected for PPR infection were screened for presence of PPR virus antigen by PPR sandwich-ELISA kit. Results: The overall incidence of PPR by sandwich ELISA was observed to be 55.55%, with higher incidence in goats (66.66%) than in sheep (35.71%). Location wise incidence of PPR ranged between 33.33-100%. The overall age wise incidence of PPR was highest in young animals of 0-6 months (83.33%), followed by 6-12 months (66.66%) and lowest in adults of >12 months (31.35 %). Whereas month wise incidence of PPR was highest in the month of February. Conclusion: In nut shell it can be concluded that PPR is fairly prevalent in nomadic sheep and goats of Jammu region of J&K state with the evidences of natural transmission of PPR.
Development of Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis resulting in cellular dysplasia and peripheral cytopenias. Research into MDS have found that both hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the nurturing niche of HSCs are genetically altered in MDS. In this review we present the existing views on the origin of cytogenetic abnormalities in HSC and MSC compartments in MDS. Based on the available data, we speculate that the origin of the chromosomal aberrations of the hematopoietic compartment occurs at the hematopoietic stem/ progenitor level. The genetic aberrations in MSC compartment appears to initiate independently from their hematopoietic counterparts. Whether the genetic events in both HSC and MSC compartments which lead to MDS occur simultaneously or at different time points in the disease development need to be determined in future.