Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Asset Pricing with Heterogeneous Investors and Portfolio Constraints

We evaluate the impact of portfolio constraints on financial markets in a dynamic equilibrium pure exchange economy with one consumption good and two CRRA investors that may differ in risk aversions, beliefs regarding the dividend process and portfolio constraints. Despite numerous applications, portfolio constraints are notoriously difficult to incorporate into dynamic equilibrium analysis without the restrictive assumption of logarithmic preferences. We provide a tractable solution method that yields new insights on the asset pricing implications of portfolio constraints such as limited stock market participation, margin requirements and short sales prohibition without restricting risk aversion parameters. We demonstrate that in a setting where one investor is unconstrained while the other faces an upper bound constraint on the proportion of wealth that can be invested in stocks the model generates countercyclical market prices of risk and stock return volatilities, procyclical price-dividend ratios, excess volatility and other patterns consistent with empirical findings. In a setting with margin requirements we demonstrate that under plausible parameters tighter constraints decrease stock return volatilities during the times when the constraints are likely to bind.
Exogenous and endogenous determinants of spatial aggregation patterns in Tibetan Plateau meadow vegetation

Aims We aim to quantify the relative importance of various endogenous and exogenous processes influencing the spatial distribution of the individuals of plant species at different temporal and spatial scales in a species-rich and high-cover meadow in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Methods We calculated Green’s index of dispersion to infer the spatial distribution patterns of 73 herbaceous species at two scales (0.25 and 1.0 m 2 ). We constructed a series of generalized linear models to test the hypotheses that different species traits such as mean plant stem density, per capita dry biomass, maximum plant height and mean seed mass contribute to their spatial distribution. We used the first principal component of soil C, N and P to explain abundance variation across quadrats and sub-plots. Important Findings The individuals of the species studied were highly spatially aggregated. At both spatial scales, biomass and stem density explained the most variation in aggregation, but there was no evidence for an effect of mean seed mass on aggregation intensity. The effects of soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus at different depths affected plant abundance mostly at the broader spatial scale. Our results demonstrate that self-thinning and habitat heterogeneity all contribute to determine the spatial aggregation patterns of plant individuals in alpine meadow vegetation in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.
Capital Utilisation and Retirement

This empirical analysis aims at assessing the effect of the economic climate and the intensity of capital utilisation on companies’ capital retirement behaviour. It is conducted using individual company data, as well as original data on the degree of utilisation of production factors. The sample includes 6,998 observations over the period 1996-2008. This database is, to our knowledge, unique for the empirical analysis of the intensity of capital utilisation on firms’ capital retirement behaviour. We adjust for endogeneity biases by means of instrumental variables. The main results obtained from the estimation of capital retirement models may be summarised as follows: i) The retirement rate decreases with the variations in cyclical pressures measured by the changes in output and the workweek of capital; this relation corresponds to a countercyclical decelerator effect on capital retirement; ii) The capital retirement rate increases with the structural intensity of capital utilisation; this effect, which corresponds to a wear and tear one, is nevertheless small compared to the decelerator one; iii) The profit rate does not have a significant impact on the retirement rate. Compared with the existing literature, here mainly Mairesse and Dormont (1985), the contribution of these results is to show, through the use of unique survey data, that the effect of the intensity of capital utilisation on capital retirement is structurally positive, via a wear and tear effect, and cyclically negative, via a decelerator effect which completes that already taken into account via the effect of changes in value added.
Development and Application of the Monetary Rule for the Base Interest Rate of the National Bank of Ukraine

The paper studies methodological approaches to the formation of monetary policy rules for the base interest rate of the National Bank of Ukraine demonstrating the expediency of their development on the basis of the spread-adjusted Tay- lor rule. It carries out the assessment of equilibrium values for the rule’s parameters by using a modified Hodrick- Prescott filter as well as the identification of the possible parameters of the monetary rule and the estimation of their coefficients through the development of multivariate regression models.
Semi-Supervised Outlier Detection Using a Generative and Adversary Framework

: In many outlier detection tasks, only training data belonging to one class, i.e., the positive class, is available. The task is then to predict a new data point as belonging either to the positive class or to the negative class, in which case the data point is considered an outlier. For this task, we propose a novel corrupted Generative Adversarial Network (CorGAN). In the adversarial process of training CorGAN, the Generator generates outlier samples for the negative class, and the Discriminator is trained to distinguish the positive training data from the generated negative data. The proposed framework is evaluated using an image dataset and a real-world network intrusion dataset. Our outlier-detection method achieves state-of-the-art performance on both tasks.
Quality Of Life amongst Post Coronary Artery Bypass Patients at the National Heart Institute, Malaysia

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) surgery has increased the survival rate for individuals suffering from myocardial infarction or coronary ischemia. The present study aimed to examine the perception of quality of life amongst post CABG patients at the National Heart Institute Malaysia. A total of 69 post CABG patients, were studied using the Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 (SF-36). The findings showed that post CABG respondents possessed good level of quality of life (SF-36) physically and mentally. There were significant differences between the role physical in the physical functioning domains of quality of life with gender (t=0.286, p<0.05). Duration of physi
The Value Relevance of Direct Cash Flows Under International Financial Reporting Standards

This study examines if there has been a change in the value relevance of direct cash flow components since the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Australia. Our results show that for both industrial and extractive firms direct cash flow statements are value relevant under Australian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (AGAAP) and remain so after the adoption of IFRS. In addition, for industrial firms there is a significant increase in the value relevance of direct cash flows after IFRS, along with an increase in the value relevance of accruals. These results are consistent with the proposition that direct cash flows play a reinforcing role that complements the more complex IFRS accounts. Consequently, if the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) were to mandate direct cash flow statements it would, in all likelihood, provide users of accounts with a valuable incremental source of hard transaction information.
Detection of bodies in maritime rescue operations using unmanned aerial vehicles with multispectral cameras

In this study, we use unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with multispectral cameras to search for bodies in maritime rescue operations. A series of flights were performed in open‐water scenarios in the northwest of Spain, using a certified aquatic rescue dummy in dangerous areas and real people when the weather conditions allowed it. The multispectral images were aligned and used to train a convolutional neural network for body detection. An exhaustive evaluation was performed to assess the best combination of spectral channels for this task. Three approaches based on a MobileNet topology were evaluated, using (a) the full image, (b) a sliding window, and (c) a precise localization method. The first method classifies an input image as containing a body or not, the second uses a sliding window to yield a class for each subimage, and the third uses transposed convolutions returning a binary output in which the body pixels are marked. In all cases, the MobileNet architecture was modified by adding custom layers and preprocessing the input to align the multispectral camera channels. Evaluation shows that the proposed methods yield reliable results, obtaining the best classification performance when combining green, red‐edge, and near‐infrared channels. We conclude that the precise localization approach is the most suitable method, obtaining a similar accuracy as the sliding window but achieving a spatial localization close to 1 m. The presented system is about to be implemented for real maritime rescue operations carried out by Babcock Mission Critical Services Spain.
Controls on the autochthonous production and respiration of organic matter in cryoconite holes on high Arctic glaciers

[1] There is current debate about whether the balance of photosynthesis and respiration has any impact on the net accumulation of organic matter on glacier surfaces. This study assesses controls on rates of net ecosystem production (NEP), respiration, and photosynthesis in cryoconite holes during the main melt season (June–August 2009) on three valley glaciers in Svalbard. Cryoconite thickness and organic matter content explained 87% of the total variation in rates of respiration (in units of volume), and organic matter (but not sediment depth) was a significant (p< 0.05) control on photosynthesis (by volume). The average rates of respiration and gross photosynthesis within the cryoconite holes were overall closely balanced, ranging from net autotrophic to heterotrophic. Sediment depth explained over half the variation of NEP, with net autotrophic rates typical only in sediment <3 mm thick. The measured rates of NEP were not sufficient to account for the organic matter which has likely accumulated in the cryoconite on timescales of less than decades, suggesting three alternatives for the source of the organic matter. First, the glacier surface may have received windblown allochthonous organic material from surrounding environments. Second, cryoconite may consist of in-washed autochthonous material from the glacier surface which has comparable organic carbon content. Third, much of the organic matter may have accumulated in the hole during a nascent period, when rates of NEP were much higher. The cycling of autochthonous labile carbon produced by phototrophs may sustain a significant proportion of the total in situ microbial activity within cryoconite holes.
The psychopathy construct in a Swedish context : conceptualization and validation of different assessments

Psychopathy is a personality disorder that is associated with affective and interpersonal features (e.g., lack of empathy, egocentricity) in combination with behavioral deviance. Despite being extensively researched, formal criteria for classifying psychopathy are lacking, and some of its core features are intensively debated in the field (Skeem et al., 2011). One of the reasons behind the conceptual controversy is that during the past three decades, psychopathy has mainly been operationalized with one single measure, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare 1991, 2003). Alternative assessments and models of psychopathy have gained increased attention in international research. This dissertation project aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of traditional and alternative assessments and models of psychopathy, primarily in a Swedish context. Study I aimed to investigate the field reliability of the PCL-R in a Swedish setting, involving life-sentenced offenders (N = 27) undergoing court-ordered risk assessments. The results demonstrated good reliability for the antisocial Facet 4, but considerably lower reliability for the remaining facets. The aim of Study II was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Swedish translation of the self-report measure Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R; Lilienfeld & Widows, 2005) in a non-criminal sample (N = 227). The results demonstrated solid reliability (test-retest and internal consistency) and somewhat mixed construct validity for the PPI-R. Factor analyses failed to confirm any of the proposed factor structures. In Study III, we investigated perceptions of the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality (CAPP; Cooke et al., 2012) model among Swedish forensic practitioners (N = 90), using prototypicality analysis. The aim was also to investigate broader perceptions and attitudes about psychopathy. The results demonstrated support for the content validity of the CAPP, and findings were highly similar to those in previous international research. Study IV aimed to investigate perceptions of the Boldness construct from the Triarchic model of psychopathy (Patrick et al., 2009) among professional and layperson raters from Sweden and the U.S. (N = 535), using prototypicality analysis. The results demonstrated general support for the content validity of Boldness, even though the ratings varied across the subgroups. In conclusion, this dissertation project demonstrated mixed findings regarding the field reliability of the PCL-R. It also demonstrated support for the reliability and validity of alternative assessments and models of psychopathy. LIST OF SCIENTIFIC PAPERS I. Sturup, J., Edens, J.F. , Sörman, K. , Karlberg, D. , Fredriksson, B. , & Kristiansson, M. (2014). Field Reliability of the Psychopathy Checklist Revised Among Life Sentenced Prisoners in Sweden. Law and Human Behavior, 38(4), 315-24. II. Sörman, K. , Nilsonne, G. , Howner, K. , Tamm, S. , Caman, S. , Wang, H.X. , Edens, J.F. , Gustavsson, P., Lilienfeld, S.O. , Petrovic, P., Fischer, H. , &
Host Stage Structure and Baculovirus Transmission in Mamestra brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae: a Laboratory Examination of Small Scale Epizootics

Os efeitos da estrutura etaria e da densidade do hospedeiro na transmissao horizontal de um baculovirus foram investigados em laboratorio, utilizando-se populacoes de lagarta do repolho, Mamestra brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Os insetos foram mantidos a tres combinacoes de instares e tres densidades populacionais em recipientes fechados contendo larvas infectadas. As larvas foram observadas diariamente e o numero de mortes e o tempo letal foram registrados. Os niveis de mortalidade viral foram marginalmente superiores em recipientes contendo hospedeiros sob maior densidade populacional. As larvas apresentaram um risco de infeccao aparentemente maior quando combinacoes de instares mais avancados foram usadas. Os niveis de mortalidade de larvas mais velhas foram maiores que as de larvas mais jovens. As medias de tempo letal das populac oes larvais foram maiores para larvas mais jovens, observando-se um declinio mais acentuado na curva de sobrevivencia das larvas em estagio mais adiantado de desenvolvimento.
Evaluation of Cytotoxic Potential of Acorus calamus Rhizome

The present work evaluated the cytotoxicity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of rhizome of Acorus calamus Linn. which is a well known medicinal plant used in traditional treatment. Both extracts were found to be cytotoxic as determined by Allium cepa root tip assay and XTT assay in MDA-MB-435S and Hep3B cell lines. Results of the study indicate that the plant possesses antitumor properties and may serve as a potential source for investigation and development of anticancer drugs.
Landfill Leachate Treatment Using PAC Supplemented SBR Technique-Influence of Input Air

In this study, sequencing batch reactors (SBR) was used for treatment of raw landfill leachate from Kulim landfill site. To show the effect of adsorbent on SBR performance, two types of SBRs (namely non–powdered activated carbon–SBR (NPAC–SBR) and powdered activated carbon–SBR (PAC–SBR)) were used for treatment of landfill leachate. Results showed that the average removal efficiencies of phenols, total iron, zinc, ammonia (NH3–N), colour, suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), and total dissolved salts (TDS) parameters inside NPAC–SBR were 25%, 33.33%, 63.48%, 89.40%, 10.2%, –98.08%, –42.90%, 98.5%, and 36.47%, respectively; whereas those inside PAC– SBR were 55%, 83.33%, 65.22%, 89.90%, 65.40%, 13.46%, 27.30%, 99.40%, and 37.32%, respectively. Additionally, saving quantities of supplied air in NPAC–and PAC–SBR were 0% and 50.54 %, respectively. It can be conclude that PAC as adsorbent in the PAC–SBRs was enhanced the removal efficiencies of the mentioned pollutants from leachate, increased dissolved oxygen (DO) and saving quantity of supplied air in the reactor.
Population dynamics of indoor sampled mosquitoes and their implication in disease transmission in Abeokuta , south-western Nigeria

Background & objectives: A longitudinal study was carried out to investigate the species composition, seasonal abundance, parity and feeding preference of indoor sampled mosquitoes in Abeokuta, south-western Nigeria. Methods: The mosquitoes were sampled weekly from five stratified locations using Center for Disease Control (CDC) light-traps between August 2005 and July 2006. The mosquitoes were examined for abdominal condition and dissected for age composition. Microscopic and precipitin techniques were also employed for the determination of host blood source. Results: A total of 2969 mosquitoes which belong to 10 species of mosquitoes were collected during the study period. Mansonia africana (35.65%) constituted the most abundant species followed by Culex quinquefasciatus (32.23%) and Anopheles gambiae complex (13.52%). Other species in decreasing order of abundance were Coquilletidia maculipennis (8.2%), Aedes albopictus (5.9%), Ae. aegypti (1.93%), M. uniformis (1.81%), Cx. duttoni (0.25%), Cx. tigripes (0.25%) and An. funestus (0.25%). Seasonal abundance revealed a significant difference (p <0.05) in the population of mosquito vectors collected during the wet season as compared to the dry season and their abundance was positively correlated with rainfall. The results showed that the majority of the vector species collected were unfed and nulliparous. Moreover, the blood meal test was positive for human blood. Conclusion: The preponderance of mosquitoes observed in the study is of public health concern since they serve as vectors of most tropical diseases including malaria.
Education, Signaling, and Wage Inequality in a Dynamic Economy

Many empirical works suggest that education has a positive effect on earnings not only because it raises human capital but also because it functions as a signal when employers have incomplete information on employees' skills. The signaling role could have important consequences on the dynamics of education, wages, and wage distribution when there exist intergenerational linkages in educational decisions. This paper examines the dynamic effects in an economy where education has the dual roles and some fraction of individuals is credit constrained from taking education. In particular, it investigates how the number of educated individuals, the importance of the signaling value of education, and the wage inequality between educated and uneducated workers change over time in such economy, and compares the dynamics with those when education does not function as a signal. It also examines whether the signaling role leads to higher aggregate consumption or not in the long run.
The effect of lead toxicity on male albino rats reproduction with ameliorate by vitamin E and pumpkin seeds oil

Lead is an industrial pollutant that may exert specific toxic effect on mammals. The aim of study was to investigate the protective effect of vit. E and pumpkin seeds oil on male reproductive system of albino rat induced by lead toxicity , the studying toxic effect of lead on body weight , testis weight, Glutathione, Glutathione-stransferase, lipid peroxide, testosterone, lead residue , sperm gram, Nrf2 gene expression and histopathological change in testes of rat. Sixty male albino rats randomly divided into 4 groups. Group I was given olive oil 3 times a week orally, group II was given 1.5 g/L lead acetate daily in drinking water, group III was given lead acetate plus 600 mg/kg/ bwt vit. E orally 3 times a week, while group IV was given lead acetate plus 288 mg/kg/bwt pumpkin seeds oil orally 3 time a week. The experiment was extended for 8 weeks. Our results revealed significant decrease in body weight, GSH, GST, testosterone hormone level and sperm viability, and significant increase in MDA, concentration of lead, sperm abnormality and expression of Nrf2 gene in group II without any significant changes in testis and epididymis weight. Moreover, the pathological changes in testes showed focal degeneration with loss of spermatogenic series in the seminiferous tubules. All above mentioned result were significantly improved in group III & IV. In conclusion, vitamin E and pumpkin seeds oil have a protective effect on the testicular damage induced by lead.
Applications of remote sensing and GIS for damage assessment

Remotely sensed imagery data from satellites and airborne platforms have become important tools to assess vulnerability of urban areas and to grasp damage distribution due to natu- ral disasters. The platform and sensors of remote sensing should be selected considering the area to cover, urgency, weather and time conditions, and resolution of images. Satellites with optical and/or SAR sensors can cover much larger areas than other platforms, and hence, they can be used for macro-scale urban modeling and damage detection in large-scale natural disasters. Aerial tele- vision imagery and photography are very useful to observe buildings and infrastructures with high resolution. Thus automated detection of damage is possible using only post-event images or both pre- and post-event images. Use of airborne SAR is also highlighted for 3D urban modeling. In this paper, recent developments and applications of advanced technologies, notably, remote sensing and GIS, are reviewed from the viewpoint of risk assessment and post-event disaster management.
Distribution and Growth in France and Germany: Single Equation Estimations and Model Simulations Based on the Bhaduri/Marglin Model

We analyse the relationship between functional income distribution and economic growth in France and Germany from 1960 until 2005. The analysis is based on a demand-driven distribution and growth model for an open economy inspired by Bhaduri & Marglin (1990), which allows for profit- or wage-led growth. First, we apply a single equation approach, estimating the effects of redistribution on the demand aggregates and summing up these effects in order to obtain the total effect of redistribution on GDP growth. Since interactions between the demand aggregates are omitted from this approach, we also apply a simulation approach taking into account these interactions. In the single equation approach we find that growth in France was wage-led, whereas the effect in Germany was undetermined. The results of the simulation approach, however, suggest that the wage-led nature of growth in France becomes even more pronounced when considering the interactions between the demand aggregates, while in Germany the simulations show a tendency towards wage-led growth in the longer run.