Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk-Adjusted Performances of World Equity Indices

ABSTRACT This article investigates whether equity indices of twenty-four emerging and twenty-eight developed markets compensate their investors equally after adjusting for total or downside risk, and examines the predictive power of reward-to-risk ratios for expected market returns. We find that when all fifty-two markets are ranked based on their alternative reward-to-risk ratios, almost all of the countries in the top (bottom) quartile are emerging (developed) markets. The pooled means of the reward-to-risk ratios are also significantly higher for emerging markets. Both portfolio and regressions analysis reveal that there is a significantly positive relation between various reward-to-risk metrics and expected market returns.
Uncovering the Professional Lives of Suburban Teachers of Color.

Vera J. Lee is an assistant clinical professor in the School of Education at Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. questioned and complicated “essentialized categories of race, ethnicity, nation, sex, gender” (p. 105), and individuals do not necessarily position themselves within one social category. Nieto (2008) also states that individuals can have “multiple identities” (p. 22) that connect to various cultural groups and reflect “different life experiences” (p. 22).
The Interest Rate Conditioning Assumption

A central bank’s forecast must contain some assumption about the future path for its own policy-determined short-term interest rate. I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the three main alternatives: (i) constant from the latest level (ii) as implicitly predicted from the yield curve (iii) chosen by the monetary policy committee (MPC) Most countries initially chose alternative (i). With many central banks having planned to raise interest rates at a measured pace in the years 2004–06, there was a shift to (ii). However, Norway, and now Sweden, has followed New Zealand in adopting (iii), and the United Kingdom has also considered this move. So this is a lively issue.
Diet before and during Pregnancy and Offspring Health: The Importance of Animal Models and What Can Be Learned from Them

This review article outlines epidemiologic studies that support the hypothesis that maternal environment (including early nutrition) plays a seminal role in determining the offspring’s long-term health and metabolism, known as the concept of Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD). In this context, current concerns are particularly focused on the increased incidence of obesity and diabetes, particularly in youth and women of child-bearing age. We summarize key similarities, differences and limitations of various animal models used to study fetal programming, with a particular focus on placentation, which is critical for translating animal findings to humans. This review will assist researchers and their scientific audience in recognizing the pros and cons of various rodent and non-rodent animal models used to understand mechanisms involved in fetal programming. Knowledge gained will lead to improved translation of proposed interventional therapies before they can be implemented in humans. Although rodents are essential for fundamental exploration of biological processes, other species such as rabbits and other domestic animals offer more tissue-specific physiological (rabbit placenta) or physical (ovine maternal and lamb birth weight) resemblances to humans. We highlight the important maternal, placental, and fetal/neonatal characteristics that contribute to developmentally programmed diseases, specifically in offspring that were affected in utero by undernutrition, overnutrition or maternal diabetes. Selected interventions aimed at prevention are summarized with a specific focus on the 1000 days initiative in humans, and maternal exercise or modification of the n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) balance in the diet, which are currently being successfully tested in animal models to correct or reduce adverse prenatal programming. Animal models are essential to understand mechanisms involved in fetal programming and in order to propose interventional therapies before they can be implemented in humans. Non-rodent animals are particularly important and should not be neglected, as they are often more physiologically-appropriate models to mimic the human situation.
An Empirical Analysis of Crude Oil Price, Consumer Price Level and Exchange Rate Interaction in Nigeria: A Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Approach

This work investigated the interaction of Crude Oil Price, Consumer Price Level and Exchange Rate in Nigeria using the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Model. A monthly data (January, 2007-February, 2015) obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria was used for the analysis. The analysis showed that all the variables were integrated of order one I (1) and no long-run relationship existed among them. The work also revealed that a shock on crude oil price had a negative impact on exchange rate. More so, variation in exchange rate was substantially caused by crude oil price. Furthermore, a shock on exchange rate had a negative effect on consumer price level. Therefore, government was advised initiate policies that will diversify the income stream of Nigeria’s economy. Similarly, a policy that will promote an enabling environment for local investors to produce goods locally so as to conserve foreign exchange was equally encouraged.
Risky Political Changes: Rational Choice vs Prospect Theory

This paper describes policy alternatives as lotteries, and studies how policy preferences are distorted by the cognitive anomalies postulated by Prospect Theory. Loss aversion induces a status quo bias. However, due to the reflection effect, the bias is asymmetric: too moderate attitudes toward a good reform or a good candidate, and too low severity toward bad politics. The reflection effect also determines low loyalty in partisan voting and weak concerns about partisan issues. Preferences about nonpartisan issues are independent of wealth because people use the status quo as a reference point. Ambitious platforms have more chances to pass than incremental and detailed changes because people are risk seeking in the realm of losses. In general, according to Prospect Theory the policy conflict within the society is smoother than under full rationality. Moreover, a pure majority system yields either prolonged conservatism or a radical abandonment of the status quo.
Personality Dimensions and Subjective Well-Being

This work examines the association between personality dimensions (extraversion and neuroticism) and subjective well-being. Subjective well-being is associated both with extraversion and neuroticism, and currently, neuroticism is generally considered the more important. A total of 368 students from the University of Rovira i Virgili completed the Extraversion and Neuroticism subscales of the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Eysenck, Eysenck, & Barrett, 1985), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988). Regression analyses revealed the personality variable of neuroticism as one of the most important correlates of subjective well-being. Regression analyses also showed that 44% of the variance of subjective well-being was accounted for by neuroticism, whereas extraversion only explained 8% of the variance. El presente trabajo estudia la relación existente entre las dimensiones de personalidad (extraversión y neuroticismo) y bienestar subjetivo. El bienestar subjetivo parece estar asociado tanto con la extraversión como con el neuroticismo, y el neuroticismo se considera la dimensión más importante. Un total de 368 estudiantes de la Universidad Rovira i Virgili cumplimentaron los siguientes cuestionarios: las subescalas de Extraversión y Neuroticismo del Cuestionario de Personalidad de Eysenck-Revisado (EPQ-R; Eysenck, Eysenck y Barrett, 1985), la Escala de Satisfacción en la Vida (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985), y la escala de Afecto Positivo y Afecto Negativo (PANAS; Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988). Los análisis de regresión múltiple mostraron que, dentro de las variables de personalidad, el neuroticismo era la variable con mayor valor predictivo. Asimismo, el neuroticismo explicaba el 44% de la varianza de bienestar subjetivo, mientras que la extraversión solamente explicaba el 8%.
The microtubule plus-end localization of Aspergillus dynein is important for dynein–early-endosome interaction but not for dynein ATPase activation

Cytoplasmic dynein in filamentous fungi accumulates at microtubule plus-ends near the hyphal tip, which is important for minus-end-directed transport of early endosomes. It was hypothesized that dynein is switched on at the plus-end by cargo association. Here, we show in Aspergillus nidulans that kinesin-1-dependent plus-end localization is not a prerequisite for dynein ATPase activation. First, the Walker A and Walker B mutations in the dynein heavy chain AAA1 domain implicated in blocking different steps of the ATPase cycle cause different effects on dynein localization to microtubules, arguing against the suggestion that ATPase is inactive before arriving at the plus-end. Second, dynein from ΔkinA (kinesin 1) mutant cells has normal ATPase activity despite the absence of dynein plus-end accumulation. In ΔkinA hyphae, dynein localizes along microtubules and does not colocalize with abnormally accumulated early endosomes at the hyphal tip. This is in contrast to the colocalization of dynein and early endosomes in the absence of NUDF/LIS1. However, the Walker B mutation allows dynein to colocalize with the hyphal-tip-accumulated early endosomes in the ΔkinA background. We suggest that the normal ability of dyenin to interact with microtubules as an active minus-end-directed motor demands kinesin-1-mediated plus-end accumulation for effective interactions with early endosomes.
Consumers motivations for buying local and organic products in developing vs developed countries.

Despite numerous studies reporting on organic consumer profiles, there is a gap in thorough understanding of consumers motivations for buying local and organic products. More precisely, do consumers prefer local products because they want to support local producers or do environment and the question of food miles matter in their choice ? Besides, very little is known about organic consumers in developing countries, since most surveys are conducted in most developed countries. Our purpose is to fill this double gap, by conducing qualitative surveys based on individual interviews in four developing countries (Brazil, Egypt, Uganda and China) and two European countries, France and Denmark, in order to study consumers choice for organic products from supermarkets, farmers markets or local organic food network. Products were selected to cover examples of imported organic products that compete with comparable products of local origin. First results from Brazil and France show that French consumers are more concerned by environment than Brazilian consumers, but that most consumers in both samples are not concerned by food miles and their subsequent environmental impacts. Results also shed light on different patterns related to commitment to supporting small or local farmers, and suggest implications for policy makers.
Internal waves and the generation of turbulence in the thermocline of a large lake

High‐resolution thermistor chain data collected between 5 and 20 m in a large stratified freshwater lake (Lake Constance) at a water depth of 60 m reveal the frequent occurrence of large‐amplitude (≥ 1‐m) vertical density inversions that indicate overturns in the pelagic thermocline. Velocity data collected simultaneously with the temperature measurements indicate that the density inversions are mainly produced by shear instabilities. A comparison between the timing of the passage of the basin‐scale internal Kelvin wave and the density inversions demonstrates a pronounced phase relationship, implying that the processes leading to the occurrence of turbulence and mixing are connected to the passage of the Kelvin wave. Two different processes are identified during which density inversions were particularly common. An increased number of density inversions and especially high dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy were observed when Kelvin wave–induced critical shear supported the generation of large Kelvin–Helmholtz billows. A particularly large number of density inversions was also associated with the passage of nonlinear highfrequency waves of large amplitudes. The density inversions typically occurred at the wave troughs, which indicates breaking of these waves. These observations indicate that self‐induced shear generated by the basinscale seiche and by high‐frequency internal waves leads to a significant amount of turbulence and mixing in the pelagic thermocline.
A Cross-Kingdom Internal Ribosome Entry Site Reveals a Simplified Mode of Internal Ribosome Entry

ABSTRACT Rhopalosiphum padi virus (RhPV) is an insect virus of the Dicistroviridae family. Recently, the 579-nucleotide-long 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of RhPV has been shown to contain an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) that functions efficiently in mammalian, plant, and insect in vitro translation systems. Here, the mechanism of action of the RhPV IRES has been characterized by reconstitution of mammalian 48S initiation complexes on the IRES from purified components combined with the toeprint assay. There is an absolute requirement for the initiation factors eIF2 and eIF3 and the scanning factor eIF1 to form 48S complexes on the IRES. In addition, eIF1A, eIF4F (or the C-terminal fragment of eIF4G), and eIF4A strongly stimulated the assembly of this complex, whereas eIF4B had no effect. Although the eIF4-dependent pathway is dominant in the RhPV IRES-directed cell-free translation, omission of either eIF4G or eIF4A or both still allowed the assembly of 48S complexes from purified components with ∼23% of maximum efficiency. Deletions of up to 100 nucleotides throughout the 5′-UTR sequence produced at most a marginal effect on the IRES activity, suggesting the absence of specific binding sites for initiation factors. Only deletion of the U-rich unstructured 380-nucleotide region proximal to the initiation codon resulted in a complete loss of the IRES activity. We suggest that the single-stranded nature of the RhPV IRES accounts for its strong but less selective potential to bind key mRNA recruiting components of the translation initiation apparatus from diverse origins.
Measurement distance effects on Bayliss difference patterns

The effects of measurement distance in distorting low-sidelobe difference patterns are examined. Previous calculations have used obsolete suboptimum aperture distributions. The Bayliss linear distribution is a versatile, highly efficient and robust optimum distribution; its use allows a single curve of sidelobe measurement error versus measurement distance (normalized to far-field distance 2D/sup 2// lambda ) for a given sidelobe level. Data are given for patterns from a uniform distribution to a 50-dB Bayliss. Difference patterns require slightly larger measurement distances than sum patterns. For example, the first sidelobe of a 40-dB Bayliss pattern is in error by 1 dB at a distance of 7D/sup 2// lambda . The results should apply approximately for circular apertures as well. >
Circadian Adaptation to Night Shift Work Influences Sleep, Performance, Mood and the Autonomic Modulation of the Heart

Our aim was to investigate how circadian adaptation to night shift work affects psychomotor performance, sleep, subjective alertness and mood, melatonin levels, and heart rate variability (HRV). Fifteen healthy police officers on patrol working rotating shifts participated to a bright light intervention study with 2 participants studied under two conditions. The participants entered the laboratory for 48 h before and after a series of 7 consecutive night shifts in the field. The nighttime and daytime sleep periods were scheduled during the first and second laboratory visit, respectively. The subjects were considered “adapted” to night shifts if their peak salivary melatonin occurred during their daytime sleep period during the second visit. The sleep duration and quality were comparable between laboratory visits in the adapted group, whereas they were reduced during visit 2 in the non-adapted group. Reaction speed was higher at the end of the waking period during the second laboratory visit in the adapted compared to the non-adapted group. Sleep onset latency (SOL) and subjective mood levels were significantly reduced and the LF∶HF ratio during daytime sleep was significantly increased in the non-adapted group compared to the adapted group. Circadian adaptation to night shift work led to better performance, alertness and mood levels, longer daytime sleep, and lower sympathetic dominance during daytime sleep. These results suggest that the degree of circadian adaptation to night shift work is associated to different health indices. Longitudinal studies are required to investigate long-term clinical implications of circadian misalignment to atypical work schedules.
The quality of midday meals eaten at school by adolescents; school lunches compared with packed lunches and their contribution to total energy and nutrient intakes

Abstract Objective To compare food and nutrient intakes from midday meals provided by schools with those from packed lunches and to estimate the contribution from food eaten at midday to the total daily energy and nutrient intakes of teenagers. Design Dietary data were recorded in 4 d estimated diaries of which 2 d were school days. The school day data were analysed for total and midday energy and nutrient intakes. The latter were compared with the recommendations of the Caroline Walker Trust (CWT). Setting Cambridgeshire, UK, 2006. Subjects Teenagers (n 757) aged 14–15 years, from eighteen secondary schools, who reported food eaten at school. Results The contribution to total daily energy intake from all lunches eaten at school was 29 % (boys) and 28 % (girls). School meals provided greater quantities of protein, starch, carotene and folate but also more saturated fats and Na than packed lunches. Intakes of energy and several nutrients fell below the CWT recommendations for both types of lunch. School meals and packed lunches provided different types of foods; greater quantities of rice, pasta and vegetables in school meals; more yoghurt, cheese, fruit and juices but also more confectionery and soft drinks in packed lunches. Conclusions There has been concern that schoolchildren who are not opting for lunch provided by schools are compromising the overall quality of their diet, but the present study showed small differences in nutrient content between packed and school lunches. These data were collected in 2005–2007 before the government programme of improvements reached secondary schools.
Multisensory Oddity Detection as Bayesian Inference

A key goal for the perceptual system is to optimally combine information from all the senses that may be available in order to develop the most accurate and unified picture possible of the outside world. The contemporary theoretical framework of ideal observer maximum likelihood integration (MLI) has been highly successful in modelling how the human brain combines information from a variety of different sensory modalities. However, in various recent experiments involving multisensory stimuli of uncertain correspondence, MLI breaks down as a successful model of sensory combination. Within the paradigm of direct stimulus estimation, perceptual models which use Bayesian inference to resolve correspondence have recently been shown to generalize successfully to these cases where MLI fails. This approach has been known variously as model inference, causal inference or structure inference. In this paper, we examine causal uncertainty in another important class of multi-sensory perception paradigm – that of oddity detection and demonstrate how a Bayesian ideal observer also treats oddity detection as a structure inference problem. We validate this approach by showing that it provides an intuitive and quantitative explanation of an important pair of multi-sensory oddity detection experiments – involving cues across and within modalities – for which MLI previously failed dramatically, allowing a novel unifying treatment of within and cross modal multisensory perception. Our successful application of structure inference models to the new ‘oddity detection’ paradigm, and the resultant unified explanation of across and within modality cases provide further evidence to suggest that structure inference may be a commonly evolved principle for combining perceptual information in the brain.
Examination of college student achievement within an ecological framework

This study examined the extent to which variance in college student achievement was explained by self-efficacy, motivation, study habits, extracurricular activity involvement, perceptions of social support and perceptions of support from faculty, as well as perceptions of university support. Participants were 195 college students from a large, urban university. Self-efficacy and organizational study habits played a significant role in college student achievement. Implications to help improve student outcomes are discussed.
Do Banks or VCs Spur Small Firm Growth?

It is well accepted that access to entrepreneurial finance encourages entrepreneurship and growth. Empirical studies on topic, however, segregate the effect of entrepreneurial finance on entrepreneurship by the source of capital. In this paper, we compare the effect of two main sources of entrepreneurial finance on small firm formation and growth: banks versus venture capital (VC). Based on U.S. data spanning 1995–2011, and regardless of controls for endogeneity, we find the effect of VC to be both economically and statistically significant in stimulating new firms, new establishments, new employment, and new payroll. We do not find similar evidence for banks.
The Dilemma of Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Industrialization plays a vital role in economic development of a country. Unfortunately from the last few years this sector is facing a lot of problems in the country. The number of sick industrial units is increasing. At present the number of sick industrial units has gone over 4000 units in Pakistan. Gadoon Amazai Estate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is also seriously affected by this industrial sickness.Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate which was established with the aim of providing the employment opportunities to stop the poppy cultivation, which failed miserably. The abolishment of incentives proved to be a major setback resulting into the closure of most of the established directional and sustainability factor in the policy arrangements.To achieve sustainable development in GAIE, it is needed to formulate the strategies keeping in view the market force efforts are to be made to reduce the cost of the products without disturbing the similar industries in the country and these efforts are to be supported by infrastructure facilities. As Gadoon Amazai industrial estate had improved the socio economic conditions of the people area. The recommendations for probable revival of sick industrial units must be honored. Key words: Industrial Sector, Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate, KPK, Pakistan.