Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hedging with Stochastic and Local Volatility

We derive the local volatility hedge ratios that are consistent with a stochastic instantaneous volatility and show that this ‘stochastic local volatility’ model is equivalent to the market model for implied volatilities. We also show that a common feature of all Markovian single factor stochastic volatility models, (log)normal mixture option pricing models and ‘sticky delta’ models is that they predict incorrect dynamics for implied volatility. As a result they over-hedge the Black-Scholes model in the presence of a market skew and this explains the poor delta hedging performance of these models reported in the literature. Whilst the traditional ‘sticky tree’ local volatility models do not possess this unfortunate property, they cannot be used for pricing without exogenous and ad hoc smoothing of results. However the stochastic local volatility framework allows one to extend a good pricing model into a good hedging model. The theoretical results are supported by an empirical analysis of the hedging performance of seven models, each with different volatility characteristics, on the SP500 index skew. JEL Classification: G12, C16
Caution! MTurk Workers Ahead—Fines Doubled

Landers and Behrend (2015) are the most recent in a long line of researchers who have suggested that online samples generated from sources such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) are as good as or potentially even better than the typical samples found in psychology studies. It is important that the authors caution that researchers and reviewers need to carefully reflect on the goals of research when evaluating the appropriateness of samples. However, although they argue that certain types of samples should not be dismissed out of hand, they note that there is only scant evidence demonstrating that online sources can provide usable data for organizational research and that there is a need for further research evaluating the validity of these new sources of data. Because the target article does not directly address the potential problems with such samples, we will review what is known about collecting online data (with a particular focus on MTurk) and illustrate some potential problems using data derived from such sources.
The importance of early complementary feeding in the development of oral tolerance: Concerns and controversies

Rising rates of food allergies in early childhood reflect increasing failure of early immune tolerance mechanisms. There is mounting concern that the current recommended practice of delaying complementary foods until 6 months of age may increase, rather than decrease, the risk of immune disorders. Tolerance to food allergens appears to be driven by regular, early exposure to these proteins during a ‘critical early window’ of development. Although the timing of this window is not clear in humans, current evidence suggests that this is most likely to be between 4 and 6 months of life and that delayed exposure beyond this period may increase the risk of food allergy, coeliac disease and islet cell autoimmunity. There is also evidence that other factors such as favourable colonization and continued breastfeeding promote tolerance and have protective effects during this period when complementary feeding is initiated. This discussion paper explores the basis for concern over the current recommendation to delay complementary foods as an approach to preventing allergic disease. It will also examine the growing case for introducing complementary foods from around 4 months of age and maintaining breastfeeding during this early feeding period, for at least 6 months if possible.
WAITING TO PERSUADE

I analyze a sequential bargaining model in which players are optimistic about their bargaining power (measured as the probability of making offers), but learn as they play the game. I show that there exists a uniquely predetermined settlement date, such that in equilibrium the players always reach an agreement at that date, but never reach one before it. Given any discount rate, if the learning is sufciently slow, the players agree immediately. I show that, for any speed of learning, the agreement is delayed arbitrarily long, provided that the players are sufciently patient. Therefore, although excessive optimism alone cannot cause delay, it can cause long delays if the players are expected to learn.
Effects of Gabapentin on Anxiety Induced by Simulated Public Speaking

The effects of gabapentin, 400 mg and 800 mg, on anxiety induced by simulated public speaking (SPS) were investigated. Thirty-two normal male volunteers (aged 17-30 years) had their anxiety and mood evaluated by self-scales [Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) and Profile of Mood State (POMS)] during the SPS procedure. Physiological measures (heart rate and blood pressure) were taken. Treatment with gabapentin at 800 mg attenuated the anxiety of subjects that had a decrease on the VAMS item calm-excite. In addition, volunteers that received gabapentin at 400 mg and 800 mg showed a decrease in the hostility score in POMS. Our results suggest, in agreement with other studies, an anxiolytic potential to gabapentin.
Covert Visual Spatial Orienting and Saccades: Overlapping Neural Systems

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the functional anatomical relationship between covert orienting of visual spatial attention and execution of saccadic eye movements. Brain areas engaged by shifting spatial attention covertly and by moving the eyes repetitively toward visual targets were compared and contrasted directly within the same subjects. The two tasks activated highly overlapping neural systems and showed that common parietal and frontal regions are more activated during the covert task than the overt oculomotor condition. The possible nature of the relationship between these two operations is discussed.
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors as Therapeutic Agents for Cancer Therapy: Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetic Properties

The processes of absorption (A), distribution (D), metabolism (M) and excretion (E) (collectively referred as ADME) determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a compound. Lack of optimum PK is one of the major reasons for compounds to fail in the clinic resulting in high attrition rates. In the beginning of 1990, 39% of the drugs failed in the clinic due to poor PK emphasizing its importance in drug development (Waterbeemd and Gifford, 2003). In 1988, a study of the pharmaceutical companies in UK showed that non-optimal PK was one of the major reasons (~40%) for termination of drugs in development (Prentis et al., 1988). In the last two decades this number dropped to ~ 10% (Yengi et al., 2007). The main reasons for this significant drop in the number of compounds failing for PK reasons can be attributed to the following: a) application of concepts of drug metabolism and PK to design compounds in medicinal chemistry programs (Smith et al., 1996); b) development of in vitro ADME assays that are predictive of in vivo behavior (PK) of drugs (Obach et al., 1997; Venkatakrishnan et al.,2003; Pelkonen and Raunio, 2005; Thompson,2000; Fagerholm, 2007); c) use of the Lipinski rule of 5 to design oral drugs (Lipinski, 2000); d) development of computer programs to predict the human PK parameters and profiles based on in vitro ADME properties of drugs (Jamei et al., 2009); e) PK/PD correlation studies in preclinical setting and f) high throughput screening of ADME properties in in vitro and in vivo assays for hundreds of compounds in the lead identification to lead optimization stages of drug discovery. The consequence of all the above mentioned developments in ADME have resulted in the frontloading of non-drug like compounds early in drug discovery and ultimately reducing the attrition rates of compounds in the clinic. Histone acetylases (HATs) and Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that carry out acetylation and deacetylation, respectively, of histone proteins (Minucci and Pelicci, 2006). Histone proteins form a complex with DNA called as nucleosomes, which are the structural units of chromatin. The interplay of HATs and HDACs activities regulate the structure of chromatin and control gene expression. The aberrant expression of HDACs has been linked to the pathogenesis of cancer (Minucci and Pelicci, 2006). Histone deacetylase inhibitors
Randomized controlled trial of berberine sulfate therapy for diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Vibrio cholerae.

To evaluate the antisecretory activity of berberine sulfate (BS), we studied 165 adult patients with acute diarrhea due to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Vibrio cholerae in randomized controlled trials. In patients with ETEC diarrhea who received 400 mg of BS in a single oral dose, the mean stool volumes were significantly less than those of the controls during three consecutive 8-hr periods after treatment (P less than .05). At 24 hr after treatment, significantly more patients who were treated with BS and had ETEC diarrhea stopped having diarrhea as compared with the controls (42% vs 20%, P less than .05). In patients with cholera who received 400 mg of BS, the mean 8-hr stool volume during the second 8-hr period after treatment declined to 2.22 liters, which was significantly less than the 2.79 liters found in the controls (P less than .05). However, patients with cholera who received 1200 mg of BS plus tetracycline did not have significant reduction in stool output compared with patients who received tetracycline alone. No side effects of BS were noted. These results indicated that BS is an effective and safe antisecretory drug for ETEC diarrhea, whereas the activity against cholera is slight and not additive with tetracycline.
Exploring the role of integrative and instrumental motivation in an english conversation class of a teaching english as a foreign language (TEFL) program

The major purpose of this study was to explore the role of integrative and instrumental motivation in an English conversation class of teaching English as a foreign language program. Moreover, this study investigated the influence that the teacher‟s methodology, personality and materials have on students‟ attitudes, behaviours, motivation and participation during class. The participants of this study were six students in third semester and the teacher of the English conversation class in a TEFL program in a middle sized city located at the south-eastern of Pereira (Colombia). Throughout the data collected during the observations, field notes and interviews applied to students of the English conversation class and its subsequent comparative analysis, it was found that participants perceived themselves as being more successful in learning English as a foreign language when they developed integrative motivation. During the entire time of the research study, most of the participants developed instrumental motivation. They did not show successfulness in foreign language learning achievement based on student‟s participation, grades, oral partial, attitudes in class, etc. On the other hand, the data collected showed that the teacher‟s personality, methods and materials had a positive impact on most of the students.
School pathways and economic practices of Portuguese Ciganos: some continuities and changes

ABSTRACT The main aim of this article is to offer a comprehensive perspective to a better understanding of the actual situation of Portuguese Ciganos.1 In Portugal, the lack of recognition of Ciganos (Roma) and the sometimes incorrect ‘knowledge’ about them which are reflected in images that are limitative and distorted, suggest inferiority and are full of disdain, all of which negatively affects and restricts the life of Ciganos persons. This article intends to presents some of the main results of two qualitative studies conducted between 2004–2010, one of which sought to get to know Ciganos’ representations of domains, practices and situations perceived as discriminatory, while the other looked at the social integration paths of these persons. These studies produce new knowledge about both individual academic and occupational trajectories, and some of the main intergenerational changes that have occurred among Portuguese Ciganos. In addition, the article offers a new view about some social policies in Portugal and its impacts on Ciganos singularities. In fact, it’s possible to conclude that the universalism of the national social policies has not produced the desired effects in terms of a reduction in levels of poverty, exclusion, discrimination among Portuguese Ciganos.
The role of transmembrane cationic gradients in immune complex stimulation of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

The role of monovalent cationic gradients in human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) stimulation was investigated by monitoring immune complex‐stimulated transmembrane depolarization and superoxide production, events which accompany—and have been used as indicators of—PMNL activation. Abolishing only the Na+ gradient by substitution of choline for extracellular Na+ did not affect the resting membrane potential but reduced the rate of stimulus‐induced transmembrane depolarization to 50% of control. In contrast, collapsing both Na+ and K+ gradients by suspension in K+ buffer (high K‐PRK) depolarized the cells and reduced the stimulus‐induced rate of depolarization to 11% of control. Pretreatment of cells suspended in Na+ buffers with 5‐(N,N‐dimethyl)amiloride hydrochloride (DMA) or with valinomycin reduced by one‐half the rate of immune complex induced membrane depolarization. Conversely, in the absence of either or of both Na+ or K+ gradients, or in the presence of valinomycin, immune complex elicited an enhanced rate of superoxide production. However, PMNL prepared via NH4CI (NH4CI‐PMNL) instead of H2O (H2O‐PMNL) lysis of residual red blood cells exhibited an absolute requirement for an intact Na+ gradient in cell stimulation. The present results thus demonstrate that: (1) both Na+ and K+ gradients participate equally in the membrane depolarization elicited by immune complex; (2) neither a Na+ or a K+ gradient is required for immune complex activation, or for activity of the respiratory burst; and (3) an artifactual requirement for an intact Na+ gradient occurs in neutrophils prepared by the NH4CI lysis technique.
Randomized trial - oxybutynin for treatment of persistent plantar hyperhidrosis in women after sympathectomy

OBJECTIVE: Hyperhidrosis is a common disease, and thoracoscopic sympathectomy improves its symptoms in up to 95% of cases. Unfortunately, after surgery, plantar hyperhidrosis may remain in 50% of patients, and compensatory sweating may be observed in 70%. This clinical scenario remains a challenge. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of oxybutynin in the treatment of persistent plantar hyperhidrosis and compensatory sweating and its effects on quality of life in women after thoracoscopic sympathectomy. METHOD: We conducted a prospective, randomized study to compare the effects of oxybutynin at 10 mg daily and placebo in women with persistent plantar hyperhidrosis. The assessment was performed using a quality-of-life questionnaire for hyperhidrosis and sweating measurement with a device for quantifying transepidermal water loss. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01328015. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were included in each group (placebo and oxybutynin). There were no significant differences between the groups prior to treatment. After oxybutynin treatment, there was a decrease in symptoms and clinical improvement based on the quality-of-life questionnaire (before treatment, 40.4 vs. after treatment, 17.5; p = 0.001). The placebo group showed modest improvement (p = 0.09). The outcomes of the transepidermal water loss measurements in the placebo group showed no differences (p = 0.95), whereas the oxybutynin group revealed a significant decrease (p = 0.001). The most common side effect was dry mouth (100% in the oxybutynin group vs. 43.8% in the placebo group; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Oxybutynin was effective in the treatment of persistent plantar hyperhidrosis, resulting in a better quality of life in women who had undergone thoracoscopic sympathectomy.
A Hierarchical Model of Perceived Value of Group-Oriented Travel Experiences to Major Events and its Influences on Satisfaction and Future Group-Travel Intentions

ABSTRACT This study seeks a deeper understanding of the forms of value that travel consumers derive from a group-travel experience to a major event. We focus on specific group-travel value dimensions of social, hedonic, monetary, functional – major event, functional – event-destination tourism infrastructure, epistemic, and convenience. A sample of 389 consumers is used to substantiate our framework. We also empirically examine this model with satisfaction and future group-travel intentions – with satisfaction found to fully mediate the relationship between the perceived value of the group-travel experience and future group-travel intentions. This framework can serve to advance further theory development in this domain.
Antecedents of strategic orientations in Romanian SMEs : An institutional framing perspective

Using data from 325 Romanian SMEs, we test the joint effect of perceived opportunities and threats in a situation of macro institutional change on strategic orientations. Our findings show that perceived threats moderate the impact of perceived opportunities on SMEs strategic orientation in such a way that perceived threats increase the positive association between perceived opportunities and the prospector strategic orientation, as well as the negative association between perceived opportunities and the defender strategic orientation. Implications of current findings for the framing perspective in institutional theory are also discussed and directions for future research are drawn.
Effect of Emotional Leadership on Employee Performance among Staff of Tertiary Institutions in Gombe

Leadership is very crucial to all human endeavors, so also our organizations, its effectiveness and performance of employees. This study examines the effects of emotional leadership and subordinate performance in Gombe tertiary institutions of learning. The study uses a cross sectional survey with a sample of 339 employees. Therefore, 339 copies of questionnaire were administered to the employees of the tertiary institution under study. The study used emotional quotient inventory (EQ-i) measures to measure emotional leadership and work in progress (WIP) questionnaire to measure subordinate performance. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 20 the study used multiple regressions for analysis. Result from the analysis revealed that leader’s assertiveness and leader`s relationship were found to lead to job performance while empathy and adaptability were found not to lead to job performance. It was recommended that Leaders should be aware of every situation, and also need to know how to diagnose situations and identify the types of behavior that are appropriate, in addition, they need to know how to use different behaviors skillfully. That will help employees perform well in their given task. Keywords : Emotional Leadership, Job Performance
Neuroepithelial progenitor cells explanted from human fetal brain proliferate and differentiatein vitro


Putative neuroepithelial cells were explanted from several germinative zones of the brain of 5-to-12 week old human fetuses, obtained from legal abortions. In each case, an homogeneous population of neuroepithelial-like cells expressing nestin and vimentin was obtained. Cells proliferated in vitro in response to bFGF which favoured a neuroblastic differentiation with expression of MAP-5 and beta3-tubulin. Cells could be maintained and propagated as neuroblasts in serum-free medium. The multipotentiality of the cells was revealed by growing them in serum-containing medium, where a mixed population of cells of the neuronal lineage and of glial cells including putative radial glia, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, progressively differentiated. These human progenitor cells proliferating in vitro have many potential applications in gene therapy of neurodegenerative diseases.
Motor interference between Humans and Humanoid Robots: Effect of Biological and Artificial Motion

If humanoid robots are to become commonplace in our society, it is important to understand how they are perceived by humans. An influent model in social cognitive neuroscience posits that in human face-to-face interaction, the observation of another individual performing an action facilitates the execution of a similar action, and interferes with the execution of different action. In one interference experiment, null interference was reported when subjects observed an industrial robotic arm moving at a constant velocity perform an incongruent task, suggesting that this effect may be specific to interacting with other humans. This experimental paradigm was adapted to investigate how humanoid robots interfere with humans. Subjects performed rhythmic arm movements while observing either a human agent or humanoid robot performing either congruent or incongruent movements with comparable kinematics. The variance of the executed movements was used as a measure of the amount of interference in the movements. In a previous report, we reported that in contrast to the robotic arm, the humanoid robot caused a significant increase of the variance of the movement during the incongruent condition. In the present report we investigate the effect of the movement kinematics on the interference. The humanoid robot moved either with a biological motion, based on a realistic model of human motion, or with an artificial motion. We investigated the variance of the subjects' movement during the incongruent condition, with the hypothesis that it should be reduced for the artificial movement in comparison to the biological movement. We found a significant effect of the factors defining the experimental conditions, congruency and type of movements' kinematics, on the subjects' variation. Congruency was found to have the expected effect on the area, but the increase in incongruent conditions was only significant when the robot movements followed biological motion. This result implies that motion is a significant factor for the interference effect
French Validation of the NOSE and RhinoQOL Questionnaires in the Management of Nasal Obstruction

Objective. Until now, there has been no validated and specific questionnaire in French allowing the assessment of nasal obstruction and its consequences on quality of life. The aim of this study was to validate the French translation and sociocultural adaptation of the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) and Rhinosinusitis Quality of Life Survey (RhinoQOL) self-questionnaires. Study Design. Prospective instrument validation study. Setting. French tertiary referral center. Subjects and Methods. The questionnaires were translated into French and then translated back into English. The final version was administered twice to an asymptomatic control population (n = 50) and once to a population with symptomatic septal deviation (n = 50). The psychometric properties (reliability, reproducibility, validity, responsiveness) were assessed by test-retest procedure, internal consistency, correlation intra- and interscores, and response sensitivity between both populations. Results. There was no statistical difference in both responses obtained from the control population after the test-retest procedure. Internal consistency was 0.86 for the NOSE and 0.57, 0.67, and 0.83 for the scores of the RhinoQOL (frequency, bothersomeness, and impact, respectively). There was always a strong correlation between all NOSE variables and RhinoQOL scores (r > 0.40; P < 10−3). Effect size showed a high sensitivity to change. Conclusion. The French versions of both questionnaires appear to be as reliable, valid, and sensitive to change as the English versions. Their association was strong, allowing assessment of nasal obstruction in all its dimensions.