Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Immigration on Computer Manufacturing in the 1990s

This article examines the impact of immigration on the location of the computer and computer peripherals manufacturing (SIC 357) and electronic equipment manufacturing (SIC 367) industries in the United States. The authors hypothesize that to stay competitive and keep production costs low, the computer and computer peripherals manufacturing and electronic equipment manufacturing businesses that remain in the United States are shifting employment to areas receiving large numbers of immigrants. Using industry and immigration data by metropolitan area, the authors examine the impact of immigration on industry employment change during the 1990 decade. Results show that cities that attracted immigrants experienced slower declines in computer employment than they would have in the absence of immigration.
Public Service Motivation and Employment Sector: Attraction or Socialization?

Within the public service motivation (PSM) literature, several studies have shown that PSM is positively associated with public sector employment. However, the question of whether PSM influences or is influenced by employment decisions remains open, since these studies mostly rely on samples with current employees. This paper investigates the relationship between PSM and employment sector in a pre-entry as well as entry and post-entry setting using data from two panels with Danish physiotherapists: one with students entering their first job in the public or private sector and one with current employees among whom some have made a sector switch. The analyses show that while different dimensions of PSM are relevant for attraction effects in both sectors, PSM does only to a limited extent predict actual job choices and sector switches. Furthermore, once employed, public organizational membership does not foster PSM; it rather prevents PSM from declining as much as in the private sector. This suggests that PSM acts both as an antecedent and as a conse- quence of sector employment but in a more complex way than previously assumed.
Educational Attainment, Wages and Employment of Second-Generation Immigrants in France

We use data from the Trajectoires et Origines survey to analyze the labor-market outcomes of both second-generation immigrants and their French native counterparts. Second-generation immigrants have on average a lower probability of employment and lower wages than French natives. We find however considerable differences between second-generation immigrants depending on their origin: while those originating from Northern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and Turkey are less likely to be employed and receive lower wages than French natives, second-generation immigrants with Asian or Southern- and Eastern-European origins do not differ significantly from their French native counterparts. The employment gap between French natives and second generation immigrants is mainly explained by differences in their education; education is also an important determinant of the ethnic wage gap. Finally we show that these differences in educational attainment are mainly explained by family background. Although the role of discrimination cannot be denied, our findings do point out the importance of family background in explaining lifelong ethnic inequalities.
Do Brokerage Analysts' Recommendations Have Investment Value?

An analysis of new buy and sell recommendations of stocks by security analysts at major U.S. brokerage firms shows significant, systematic discrepancies between prerecommendation prices and eventual values. The initial return at the time of the recommendations is large, even though few recommendations coincide with new public news or provide previously unavailable facts. However, these initial price reactions are incomplete. For buy recommendations, the mean postevent drift is modest (+2.4 percent) and short-lived, but for sell recommendations, the drift is larger (-9.1 percent) and extends for six months. Analysts appear to have market timing and stock picking abilities. Copyright 1996 by American Finance Association.
Mitral Annular Shape, Size, and Motion in Normals and in Patients With Cardiomyopathy: Evaluation With Computed Tomography

Objective:To assess prospectively, in healthy subjects and in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), the 3-dimensional (3D) shape, size, and motion of the mitral annulus (MA) using computed tomography (CT). Materials and Methods:Twenty patients with no cardiac abnormalities (referred to as normals), 15 with DCM, and 15 with HOCM as determined by echocardiography underwent contrast-enhanced, retrospectively electrocardiography (ECG)-gated 64-slice CT of the heart. The MA was manually segmented in 10% steps of the RR interval with dedicated 3D software employing the point-wrap algorithm. The MA shape, area size, change of the MA area, and apicobasal MA motion throughout the cardiac cycle was determined and compared between the groups. Intercommissural distances were measured with CT and compared with findings during surgery in 9 patients undergoing ring annuloplasty. Results:The MA was nonplanar in all phases and subjects, being largest in diastole and smallest in systole. The MA area was significantly (P < 0.001) larger in patients with DCM (11.5 ± 4.1 cm2/m2) as compared with normals (5.5 ± 0.9 cm2/m2) and HOCM (4.7 ± 0.9 cm2/m2). The change of MA area throughout the cardiac cycle was significantly (P < 0.017) smaller in patients with DCM (12.2 ± 3.3%/m2) as compared with normals (20.0 ± 7.9%/m2) and HOCM (20.5 ± 7.7%/m2). The mean apicobasal motion was significantly (P < 0.017) smaller in patients with DCM (2.2 ± 1.0 mm/m2) as compared with normals (3.6 ± 0.8 mm/m2) and HOCM (2.7 ± 0.7 mm/m2). Intercommissural distances as determined by CT showed a good correlation (r = 0.68, P < 0.05) with intraoperative measurements (mean difference, 0.44 mm; limits of agreement, −2.73–3.62 mm). Conclusion:Our study provides in vivo human data on the 3D shape, size, and motion of the MA in healthy subjects. Significant changes in size and motion of the MA were noted in patients with HOCM.
Reform from Below: Behavioral and Institutional Change in North Korea

The state is often conceptualized as playing an enabling role for economic development, providing public goods, such as the legal protection of property rights, with the political economy of reform conceived in terms of bargaining among elites or special interest groups. We document a case which turns this perspective on its head: efficiency-enhancing institutional and behavioral changes arising, not out of a conscious, top-down program of reform, but rather as unintended (and in some respects, unwanted) by-products of state failure. Responses from a survey of North Korean refugees demonstrate that the economy marketized in response to state failure with the onset of famine in the 1990s and subsequent reforms and retrenchments appear to have had remarkably little impact on at least some significant share of the population. There is strong evidence, however, of powerful social changes, including increasing inequality, corruption, and changed attitudes about the most effective pathways to higher social status and income. These assessments appear to be remarkably uniform across demographic groups. While the survey sample marginally over-weights demographic groups with less favorable assessments of the regime, even counterfactually re-calibrating the sample to match the underlying resident population suggests widespread dissatisfaction with the North Korean regime.
Safety of HES 130/0.4 (Voluven®) in patients with preoperative renal dysfunction undergoing abdominal aortic surgery: a prospective, randomized, controlled, parallel‐group multicentre trial

Background and objective: Patients with impaired renal function are at risk of developing renal dysfunction after abdominal aortic surgery. This study investigated the safety profile of a recent medium‐molecular‐weight hydroxyethyl starch (HES) preparation with a low molar substitution (HES 130/0.4) in this sensitive patient group. Methods: Sixty‐five patients were randomly allocated to receive either 6% hydroxyethyl starch (Voluven®; n = 32) or 3% gelatin (Plasmion®; n = 33) for perioperative volume substitution. At baseline, renal function was impaired in all study patients as indicated by a measured creatinine clearance < 80 mL min−1. The main renal safety parameter was the peak increase in serum creatinine up to day 6 after surgery. Results: Both treatment groups were compared for non‐inferiority (pre‐defined non‐inferiority range hydroxyethyl starch < gelatin + 17.68 &mgr;mol L−1 or 0.2 mg dL−1). Other renal safety parameters included minimum postoperative creatinine clearance, incidence of oliguria and adverse events of the renal system. Baseline characteristics, surgical procedures and the mean total infusion volume were comparable. Non‐inferiority of hydroxyethyl starch vs. gelatin could be shown by means of the appropriate non‐parametric one‐sided 95% CI for the difference hydroxyethyl starch − gelatin [−∞, 11 &mgr;mol L−1]. Oliguria was encountered in three patients of the hydroxyethyl starch and four of the gelatin treatment group. One patient receiving gelatin required dialysis secondary to surgical complications. Two patients of each treatment group died. Conclusion: As we found no drug‐related adverse effects of hydroxyethyl starch on renal function, we conclude that the choice of the colloid had no impact on renal safety parameters and outcome in patients with decreased renal function undergoing elective abdominal aortic surgery.
Capital Controls and the International Transmission of U.S. Money Shocks

In this paper we assess whether capital controls effectively insulate countries from U.S. monetary shocks, looking simultaneously at a large range of country experiences in a unified estimation framework. We estimate the effect of identified U.S. monetary shocks on the exchange rate and foreign country interest rates, and test whether countries with less open capital accounts exhibit systematically smaller responses. We find essentially no evidence in favor of this notion. Other country factors such as the exchange rate regime or degree of dollarization explain more of the cross-country differences in responses. The significant differences in responses we do find are more pronounced at short horizons.
On Uncertainty, Market Timing and the Predictability of Tick by Tick Exchange Rates

This paper examines the predictability of exchange rates on a transaction level basis using both past transaction prices and the structure of the order book. In contrast to the existing literature we also recognise that the trader may be subject to (Knightian) uncertainty as opposed to risk regarding the structure by which exchange rates are determined and hence regarding both the model he employs to make predictions and the reliability of any conditioning information. The trader is faced with a two stage decision problem due to this uncertainty; first he needs to resolve a question of market timing as to when to enter the market and then secondly how to trade. We provide a formalisation for this two stage decision problem. Statistical tests indicate the significance of out of sample ability to predict directional changes and the economic value of predictability using one week of tick-by-tick data on the USD-DM exchange rate drawn from Reuters DM2002 electronic trading system. These conclusions rest critically on the frequency of trading which is controlled by an inertia parameter reflecting the degree of uncertainty; trading too frequently significantly reduces profitability taking account of transaction costs.
Economic effects of farmer-grazier conflicts in Nigeria: a case study of Bauchi State.

The study examined the economic effects of farmer-grazier conflicts in the fadama areas of Bauchi State in Nigeria. Bauchi State occupies total land area of 492,359 km2 and has human population of 4,696,465. Using multistage random sampling technique a total of 60 fadama farmers were randomly selected from 60 Fadama Users Associations (FUA) and a corresponding 60 pastoralists randomly selected from 60 fadama communities where the selected FUAs resided. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaire administered through individual personal interviews. The data were analysed using the descriptive statistics, t-test and alternative cost technique. Results revealed that about N3, 193, 100.00 was incurred from both totally damaged and partially destroyed tube well/washbore equipment with water pumps recording N176, 415.00. Motorcycles and bicycles accounted for N565, 254.00 in terms of losses experienced. Comparatively, the arable farmers incurred higher (N80, 075,172.00) losses in monetary term than the pastoralists (N7, 047, 013.00). While reduction in farm production, increased poverty within and among the communities and social insecurity and inadequate food supply for the family were the major setbacks encountered in the area, interruption of education of children and reduction in healthcare provision of the family represented relatively lower proportions. Further, the income (N358, 000.00) of farmers in the conflict area was significantly (p
Percolation phenomena in disordered topological networks

Topological polymer networks consist of circular polymers that are topologically linked. Topological networks made of small circular DNA or protein molecules are of great interest in biology and nanotechnology because they are found in living organisms and can be constructed in-vitro. The physical factors that determine the topology of a network as well as the pathways that are followed for its formation remain poorly understood. In our previous work we proposed a novel biophysical/computational approach to model the formation of planar DNA minicircle networks in trypanosomatid parasites. This model suggests that minicircle networks in trypanosomatid parasites emerged from topologically free minicircles upon space confinement through a percolation pathway. Our model however is somewhat idealized because it assumes that the centers of the minicircles in the network are positioned following a regular planar lattice. Here we propose an extension of the model by allowing the centers of the minicircles to be randomly displaced from the vertices of the lattice. We numerically show that networks form following a percolation pathway upon increasing minicircle density. Our model suggests that the critical percolation density increases as Dperc = 0.8357 − 1.4297 exp(0.6439x) with x is the maximum displacement of the centers of the minicircles. Our results therefore show that the plane distribution of minicircles does not dramatically affect the percolation of minicircles and therefore supports they hypothesis that DNA minicircle networks in trypanosomes evolved through a percolation pathway.
Visual Processing in Infants and Children Studied Using Functional MRI

We studied the development of visual processing in 58 children, ranging from 1 d to 12 y of age (median age 29 mo), using functional magnetic resonance imaging. All but nine children had either been sedated using chloral hydrate (n = 12) or pentobarbital (n = 28). Nine children were studied under a full halothane/N2O:O2 anesthesia. In the first postnatal month, 30% of the neonates showed a positive blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast signal, whereas, for infants between the ages of 1 mo and 1 y, 27% did so. Thirty-one percent of children between 1 and 6 y of age and 71% of children aged 6 y and above showed a positive BOLD contrast signal change to our visual stimulation paradigm.Besides the usual positive BOLD contrast signal change, we also noted that a large portion of the children measured displayed a negative BOLD contrast signal change. This negative BOLD contrast signal change was observed in 30% of children up to 1 mo of age, in 27% between 1 mo and 1 y of age, in 47% between 1 and 6 y of age, and in 14% of children 6 y and older. In the children in which we observed a negative correlating BOLD contrast signal change, the locus was more anterior and more lateral than the positive BOLD contrast signal, placing it in the secondary visual cortical area. The results indicate that when using functional magnetic resonance imaging on children, the primary visual cortical area does not respond functionally in the same manner as that of the adult until 1.5 y of age. This supports earlier clinical and electrophysiologic findings that different cortical mechanisms seem to contribute to visual perception at different times postnatally.
Ixodid Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Infesting Humans in Tokat Province of Turkey: Species Diversity and Seasonal Activity

ABSTRACT: Ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are the major vectors of pathogens threatening animal and human health. Tokat Province, Turkey, is a suitable habitat for extended tick activity with its moderate climate and vegetation. In the present study, we surveyed humans visiting health centers to determine the species diversity, geographical distribution, and seasonal activity of ixodid ticks infesting them. Out of 5,999 adult ticks collected from humans from April to September, 2008, 800 ticks were identified to species, while the remaining were identified to genus according to their distinct morphological characteristics. Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma detritum, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, Haemaphysalis punctata, Dermacentor marginatus, and Ixodes laguri were the most prevalent tick species among 24 ixodid tick species infesting humans in the region. One of these tick species, Hyalomma isacii was identified as a new record for the ixodid tick fauna of Turkey. Hyalomma species were the most abundant in summer, while Dermacentor and Ixodes species displayed the lowest frequency. Hyalomma aegyptium infestation was very common on humans in the province. Results indicated that a variety of ixodid tick species infest humans depending on the season in the target area. It is possible that a variety of ixodid tick species may contribute to the spread of tick-borne diseases such as Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), which is endemic in the region.
Agriculture Share of the Gross Domestic Product and its Implications for Rural Development

The study considered the relationship between Gross Domestic Product and output of major stapled food crops of Nigeria between 1990 and 2001. Data used were collected from various issues of Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, Annual Reports and Bureau of Statistics. Using correlation matrix, the result showed that there is a strong, positive and statistically significant relationship between GDP and these food crops except for wheat. Policies should therefore be put in place by the appropriate authorities geared towards providing production incentives to the rural farmers to enable them produce more of these stapled food crops that have significant impact on the GDP of Nigeria. (Report and Opinion 2010;2(8):26-31). (ISSN: 1553-9873).
Power and Democracy in Denmark: Still a Viable Democracy

In its final report, the Danish Democracy and Power Study (1998–2004) pointed to a number of serious democratic problems such as declining political party membership, a growing gap between a competent and resourceful majority and a marginalised minority, the growing influence of the media, the transfer of power from the political to the judicial system, and the democratic deficit associated with European Union membership. However, the report also concluded that overall democratic development in the last 30–40 years has been surprisingly positive. This article assesses the development of democracy in Denmark in relation to the parliamentary chain of governance: the standard used in the final report of the majority of the Norwegian power study group. The conclusion is that, in the case of Denmark, democratic development has not – as the parliamentary committee initially expected – resulted in a systematic weakening of the parliamentary chain of governance.
Pricing Treasury Inflation Protected Securities and Related Derivatives using an HJM Model

Abstract This paper uses an HJM model to price TIPS and related derivative securities. First, using the market prices of TIPS and ordinary U.S. Treasury securities, both the real and nominal zero-coupon bond price curves are obtained using standard coupon bond price stripping procedures. Next, a three-factor arbitrage-free term structure model is fit to the time-series evolutions of the CPI-U and the real and nominal zero-coupon bond price curves. Then, using these estimated term structure parameters, the validity of the HJM model for pricing TIPS is confirmed via its hedging performance. Lastly, the usefulness of the pricing model is illustrated by valuing call options on the inflation index.
Legal Frameworks and Credit Information Systems in China, Korea, and Singapore

We analyse the relationship between Public Credit Registries and Credit Bureaus in East Asia by observing credit information markets, in particular, in China, Singapore, and Korea. Singapore's credit information system consists of only a Credit Bureau. China and Korea have gone in different directions. Public Credit Registries play the role of credit information sharing in China, while Public Credit Registries and Credit Bureaus coexist in Korea. The results suggest an important relationship between the development of financial markets and credit information systems. The lower the income level and the heavier the government's hand in financial markets, the greater the need for Public Credit Registries; whereas, financial liberalisation and rising incomes encourage Credit Bureaus.
Self-tuning control of a two-link flexible manipulator using neural networks

In this paper, a self-tuning control of a two-link flexible manipulator using neural networks is presented. The neural networks learn the gains of PI controllers for the flexible manipulator. Numerical results show that this presented neural network control system can suppress the vibration of the flexible manipulator and track the desired joint angles. Simulation results show that the self-tuning control system using neural network can be used effectively for the position control of the two-link flexible manipulator.
Photography and travel brochures: The circle of representation

The power of the visual image to inspire travel to distant places is well exploited by the myth-makers in tourism marketing and is important for understanding tourist behaviour. This paper explores the relevance of the 'circle of representation' concept to understanding one particular group of tourists: backpackers. First it reviews previous research on visual images and tourist photography, then it presents findings of research investigating the visual images of Australia promoted to and perceived by backpacker travellers. Specifically, the paper investigates evidence for the 'hermeneutic circle' whereby tourists (backpackers) reproduce the iconic images of destinations in their personal photographs. Brochure photographs projected to backpacker tourists and their own photography choices during travel are found to be part of a cultural 'circle of representation' or perhaps a 'spiral of representation' through which the iconic images of Australia are perpetuated.
Modelling stock return volatility: comparative evidence from selected emerging African and Western developed markets

This paper investigates volatility persistence by comparing evidence from selected emerging African and Western developed markets, taking into account the rate of volatility decay. Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) and GARCH-in-mean (GARCH-M) models are used to estimate volatility persistence and risk premium for these markets. The results presented here suggest that there is volatility persistence in the four emerging African markets and the five developed markets. The study concludes that volatility risk exists in these markets and investors would require compensation for bearing this type of risk.