Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polish and Swedish Fiscal Policy in the Years 1772-1792. A Short-Run Analysis

This paper compares Poland and Sweden in the second half of eighteenth century, as two, poorly developed, agrarian countries. Sweden secured its existence, but Poland did not manage to break out of a political dependency and ultimately vanished from the map. We would like to discuss the causes of these different outcomes. Contemporary interpretations underline the role of reasonable fiscal policy. We argue that in this particular case this explanation is insufficient. Contrary to that, our analysis shows that in the context of short term political risks, expansive fiscal policy which led to unpayable debt may be more justifiable than policy of balanced budget.
Distributional Changes in the Gender Wage Gap

Using Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) data, the authors analyze changes in wage differentials between white men and women over time and across the entire wage distribution. The authors decompose distributional changes in the gender wage gap to assess the contribution of observed characteristics measuring individual productivity. They find that the gender wage gap narrowed by 16% at the lowest decile and by less than 5% at the highest decile. The decomposition results indicate that changes in the gender wage gap are mainly attributable to changes in educational attainment at the top of the wage distribution, with a sizable part due to work history changes at the bottom. The findings further reveal that the accuracy of the results depends on the direction in which the decompositions are performed.
A Dual-Use Ballute For Entry And Descent During Planetary Missions

An inflatable ballute system for aerocapture at the atmosphere-bearing planets and at Titan may provide significant performance benefits, compared to conventional propulsive capture and aerocapture technologies. Ballute simulations to date release the ballute at the appropriate instant and then ignore it to focus on the trajectory of the orbiter. The latest concept, which we pursue in this paper, is to employ the ballute to soft-land a small payload. Thus the same ballute can provide two uses (1) aerocapture of the orbiter and (2) soft-landing of the lander package, hence the term dual-use ballute. The dual-use ballute concept has the potential to dramatically alter the way we approach exploration of the atmosphere-bearing bodies in the Solar System. Cases investigated here include aerocapture and soft-landing at Mars, Titan and Neptune.
Resource specialisation among suspension-feeding invertebrates on rock walls in Fiordland, New Zealand, is driven by water column structure and feeding mode

Sessile suspension feeders are an important component of benthic−pelagic coupling on subtidal rocky reefs. We used stable isotope analysis to investigate intra-specific variation in trophic level and composition of basal organic matter sources (macroalgae and phytoplankton) supporting food webs used by sessile suspension feeders from rock wall sites throughout Fiordland in southwestern New Zealand. We characterised water column structure in terms of salinity and chlorophyll a from a 12 yr time series of CTD casts at 25 sites. During 2006 and 2010, at these same 25 sites, we measured the depth distribution of 8 common sessile suspensionfeeding inverte brates that use a broad range of feeding modes. In order to resolve variability in the use of basal organic matter sources in the food webs supporting these species, we measured δ13C and δ15N of the 8 suspension-feeding species at 11 core sites. Using a mass balance approach, we assessed intra-specific variability in the composition of basal organic matter as well as the trophic level of each species. These data demonstrate distinct patterns of resource specialisation among species linked to depth distribution and to intra-specific variation in food web position. Our results indicate that species composition and depth distribution of benthic suspension feeders have important influences on benthic−pelagic coupling at the regional scale (100 to 300 km).
Performance, carcass traits, and body composition of broilers fed different linseed oil levels between 21 and 56 days of age

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of different linseed oil levels (0.0, 3.3, 6.6, or 9.9%) in iso-energy diets fed during the period of 21 to 56 days of age on the performance, carcass traits, and body composition of broilers. A total of 1,600 broilers were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design consisting of four treatments with eight replicates of 40 birds per experimental unit. In the period of 21-42 days of age, weight gain increased, feed and calorie conversion ratios quadratically improved, and feed and metabolizable energy intakes linearly increased as dietary linseed oil level increased. Considering the entire experimental period, dietary linseed oil linearly increased weight gain and feed and energy intakes, and feed and calorie conversion ratios in a quadratic manner. On days 42 and 56, abdominal fat percentage and carcass yield were quadratically influenced by dietary linseed oil. Total body fat content at 56 days of age was quadratically influenced by dietary linseed levels.
Eigenvalue distribution and the production price-profit rate relationship in linear single-product systems: theory and empirical evidence

A typical finding in many empirical studies is that the production price-profit rate relationship is, by and large, monotonic. This paper derives, in terms of the usual single-product model, the spectral conditions that make possible the appearance of such monotonicity. Furthermore, using data from input-output tables for a number of countries and years, it examines the extent to which actual economies fulfil those spectral conditions.
The Horizon-AGN simulation: evolution of galaxy properties over cosmic time

We compare the predictions of Horizon-AGN, a hydro-dynamical cosmological simulation that uses an adaptive mesh refinement code, to observational data in the redshift range 0 6. We study the reproduction, by the simulation, of quantities that trace the aggregate stellar-mass growth of galaxies over cosmic time: luminosity and stellar-mass functions, the star formation main sequence, rest-frame UV-optical-near infrared colours and the cosmic star-formation history. We show that Horizon-AGN, which is not tuned to reproduce the local Universe, produces good overall agreement with these quantities, from the present day to the epoch when the Universe was 5% of its current age. By comparison to Horizon-noAGN, a twin simulation without AGN feedback, we quantify how feedback from black holes is likely to help shape galaxy stellar-mass growth in the redshift range 0 6, particularly in the most massive galaxies. Our results demonstrate that Horizon-AGN successfully captures the evolutionary trends of observed galaxies over the lifetime of the Universe, making it an excellent tool for studying the processes that drive galaxy evolution and making predictions for the next generation of galaxy surveys.
Clinical aspects of allergic disease Evaluation of devices for skin prick testing

Background: Previous comparisons of devices for percutaneous skin testing have revealed statistically and clinically significant differences, from one device to another, in the size of reactions to histamine and allergen extracts and at negative control sites. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the performance of several skin test devices which are either new, modified, or used with a modified technique. Methods: Twenty subjects were tested five to eight times with each of the devices both to glycerol-saline and to 10 mg/ml histamine base. The devices tested were the MultiTest II, Duo Tip-Test (prick and scarification), Quintest, DermaPik (prick and scarification), and small pox needle. Results: There were highly significant differences among the devices for the size of the reaction to histamine (mean wheal diameter 4.28 to 8.59 mm, p < 0.0001), the standard errors of the wheals to histamine (0.82 to 1.45 mm, p < 0.05) and in the mean wheal size with glycerol-saline (0.00 to 2.48 mm, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Devices for performing skin prick testing vary greatly in several characteristics, including the size of reactions at both positive and negative test sites. Each skin test technician should be tested with the device used in that skin testing laboratory to establish criteria for positive and negative tests. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998;101:153-6.)
Extracting equation of state parameters from black hole-neutron star mergers: aligned-spin black holes and a preliminary waveform model

Information about the neutron-star equation of state is encoded in the waveform of a black hole-neutron star system through tidal interactions and the possible tidal disruption of the neutron star. During the inspiral this information depends on the tidal deformability $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ of the neutron star, and we find that the best-measured parameter during the merger and ringdown is consistent with $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ as well. We performed 134 simulations where we systematically varied the equation of state as well as the mass ratio, neutron star mass, and aligned spin of the black hole. Using these simulations we develop an analytic representation of the full inspiral-merger-ringdown waveform calibrated to these numerical waveforms; we use this analytic waveform and a Fisher matrix analysis to estimate the accuracy to which $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ can be measured with gravitational-wave detectors. We find that although the inspiral tidal signal is small, coherently combining this signal with the merger-ringdown matter effect improves the measurability of $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ by a factor of $\ensuremath{\sim}3$ over using just the merger-ringdown matter effect alone. However, incorporating correlations between all the waveform parameters then decreases the measurability of $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ by a factor of $\ensuremath{\sim}3$. The uncertainty in $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ increases with the mass ratio, but decreases as the black hole spin increases. Overall, a single Advanced LIGO detector can only marginally measure $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ for mass ratios $Q=2\char21{}5$, black hole spins ${J}_{\mathrm{BH}}/{M}_{\mathrm{BH}}^{2}=\ensuremath{-}0.5\char21{}0.75$, and neutron star masses ${M}_{\mathrm{NS}}=1.2{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}\char21{}1.45{M}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}$ at an optimally oriented distance of 100 Mpc. For the proposed Einstein Telescope, however, the uncertainty in $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ is an order of magnitude smaller.
Comparison of Evolutionary Algorithms for Optimal Design of Broadband Multilayer Microwave Absorber for Normal and Oblique Incidence

─ Microwave absorbers have emerged as an indispensable industrial apparatus in today’s world, owing to their multitude of uses, both civil as well as military. This paper focuses on the use of three evolutionary algorithms, namely, particle swarm optimization, bat algorithm and cuckoo search algorithm for the purpose of obtaining optimal designs of seven layer microwave absorbers over a wide frequency range, and both cases of normal and oblique incidence. The resultant optimal designs are compared in terms of maximum reflection coefficient and total thickness with those presented in existing literature. Index Terms ─ Bat algorithm, Chew’s recursive formula, cuckoo search algorithm, multilayer microwave absorber, particle swarm optimization, polarization.
Fatty acid composition of milk from Brown Swiss and Holstein-Friesian black and white cows kept in a certified organic farm.

Fatty acid composition of milk from Brown Swiss and Holstein-Friesian black and white cows kept in a certifi ed organic farm. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the fatty acid composition of cows milk, kept in a certifi ed organic farm, independent of breed and season of nutrition. In the selected dairy farm, cows of two different breeds, i.e. Brown Swiss (BS) and Holstein-Friesian black and white (HF) between 45th–100th day of lactation, were managed under the same environment conditions. There were highly signifi cant effects of the season on the SFA content in milk, where in SFA content were higher in the winter season compared with the summer season. The studies showed a signifi cant infl uence of the season on the level of: BA, TVA, LA, CLA9, CLA10, EPA, DPA, DHA. Milk from BS cows was characterized by higher concentration of SFA, BA, AA, EPA and DPA during summer season of feeding. However, milk from HF cows was characterized higher concentration of MUFA, PUFA, OA, LA, TVA and CLA and lover of SFA. In the winter season milk from BS cows was characterized by a higher concentration of SFA, MUFA, BA, TVA and CLA compared with milk of HF breed. Finally, milk from HF breed in organic system during summer and winter season was characterized much higher nutritional value.
Stock Returns after Major Price Shocks: The Impact of Information

This paper focuses on stocks that experience major price changes. Using analyst reports as a proxy, I find that price events accompanied by information are followed by drift, while no-information ones result in reversals. One interpretation of these results is that investors underreact to news about fundamentals and overreact to other shocks that move stock prices. Consistent with this hypothesis, information-based price changes are more strongly correlated with future earnings surprises than no-information ones. Furthermore, drift exists only when the direction of the price move and of the change in analyst recommendations have the same sign. Finally, the ratio of no-information to information-based price shocks is strongly correlated with aggregate implied volatility and also forecasts momentum returns.
Anti-inflammatory activity of 4-methoxycinnamyl p-coumarate isolated from Etlingera pavieana rhizomes in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages

Nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins E2 (PGE 2 ) play a critical role as inflammatory mediators but overproduction can lead to inflammatory diseases. Regulation of NO and PGE 2 secretion is a particular target in the development of anti-inflammatory agents. 4-methoxycinnamyl p -coumarate (MCC) was isolated from rhizomes of Etlingera pavieana by NO inhibitory activity-guided isolation. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of MCC on NO and PGE 2 production as well as enzymatic activities of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. MTT assay showed that MCC at 6.25 to 25 µM has no significant cytotoxicity compared to unstimulated control cells. MCC significantly reduced NO and PGE 2 production with IC 50 values of 8.5±0.4 and 26.2±3.7 µM, respectively. MCC at concentrations to 25 µM significantly inhibited iNOS enzyme activity but it did not suppress COX-2 enzyme activity. Interestingly, MCC itself did not reduce COX-1 expression and reversed the suppressive effect on COX-1 expression in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Collectively, these results suggest that MCC inhibits NO and PGE 2 production, as well as iNOS enzyme activity. MCC exhibits potent anti-inflammatory action with selective inhibitory effect on COX expression and might be used in the development of an anti-inflammatory agent with fewer side effects than current drugs.
Investigation of Status Quo of Dietary Behavior in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objective: To investigate the status quo of dietary behavior of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and analyze its influence factors. Methods: All patients (n = 104) who went to the department of gastroenterology of Hua Dong Hospital were recruited. Dietary behavior of patients was investigated by a questionnaire self-designed while the nutritional status was evaluated using the Patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Results: Among 104 cases with IBD, the numbers of well dietary belief were 58 cases (55.8%) and the poor were 46 cases (45.2%). The good eating habits were 33 cases (31.7%), the general were 25 cases (24.0%) and the poor were 46 (44.2%). The adequate intakes of carbohydrate, protein and fat were separately 36 cases (34.6%), 25 cases (24.0%) and 33 cases (31.7%) while the inadequate intakes were separately 68 cases (65.4%), 79 cases (76.0%) and 71 cases (68.3%). Sex, culture degree and duration were influence factors of the dietary belief (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The problems in dietary behavior are not optimistic. Most patients with IBD are with poor dietary belief and eating habits while the intake of carbohydrate, protein and fat is insufficient although the choice of food is reasonable. And majority of patients were combined with malnutrition. Education of the dietary knowledge about IBD should be strengthened, especially for patients who are female, short-term duration and lower culture degree.
Enteroparasites and commensals among individuals living in rural and urban areas in Abadia dos Dourados, Minas Gerais state, Brazil

The aim of this study was to evaluate the enteroparasite and commensal occurrence in inhabitants living in the city of Abadia dos Dourados, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Three hundred and seventy six people were selected at random, 188 living in the rural area and 188 living in the urban area, from January through December of 1996. Using the Lutz method 177 (47.1%) individuals infected: 102 (57.6%) in the rural population and 75 (39.9%) in the urban population (P < 0.05). Of the total 177 enteroparasite and commensal occurrences diagnosed were: Entamoeba coli (18.3%), hookworm (17.8%), Endolimax nana (6.1%), Giardia lamblia (5.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides (2.6%), Entamoeba hartmanni (2.1%), Iodamoeba butschlii (1.6%), Strongyloides stercoralis (1.3%), Enterobius vermicularis (0.5%), and Trichostrongylus sp (0.5%). Geohelminths were predominant in the rural area, with an occurrence of hookworm infections at 28.2% in these individuals and 7.4% in the urban people (OR: 14.33 CI: 6.230 to 32.970). The infection rate of enteroparasites was high in the population studied. In conclusion, it is necessary to implement regular parasitological exams and education about the forms and consequences of transmitting parasites, primarily among people living in the rural area.
On the origins of urban Wolof: Evidence from Louis Descemet's 1864 phrase book

ABSTRACT Based on evidence from a French-Wolof phrase book published in Senegal in 1864, this article makes the case that urban Wolof, a variety of the language characterized by significant lexical borrowing from French, is a much older variety than scholars have generally claimed. Historical evidence suggests that urban Wolof emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries in the coastal island city of Saint-Louis du Sénégal, France's earliest African settlement and future capital of the colonial entity that would be known as French West Africa. The intimate nature of early contact between African and European populations and the later role played by the métis or mixed-race population of the island as linguistic brokers contributed to a unique, urban variety of Wolof that has important links to today's variety of urban Wolof spoken in Dakar and other cities throughout the country.
Simulation results of the grasping analysis of an underactuated finger

The results of a number of simulations concerning the grasping analysis is presented. The grasping device consist in an under-actuated finger driven by un-extendible tendon that is one of the fingers of a mechanical prosthesis that was principally conceived as human prosthesis. The results, however, are useful for any similar finger to be used in grasping devices for industrial and agricultural applications, Aanalysis maps of the grasping were obtained which show the “robustness” of the socket. The method seems to be a suitable tool for the optimum design of such under-actuated fingers for grasping devices.
Direct experimental determination of the spontaneous polarization of GaN

We present a universal approach for determining the spontaneous polarization Psp of a wurtzite semiconductor from the emission energies of excitons bound to the different types of stacking faults in these crystals. Employing micro-photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, we observe emission lines from the intrinsic and extrinsic stacking faults in strain-free GaN micro-crystals. By treating the polarization sheet charges associated with these stacking faults as a plate capacitor, Psp can be obtained from the observed transition energies with no additional assumptions. Self-consistent Poisson-Schroedinger calculations, aided by the microscopic electrostatic potential computed using density-functional theory, lead to nearly identical values for Psp. Our recommended value for Psp of GaN is -0.022+/-0.007 C/m^{2}.
Glomus herrerae, a new sporocarpic species of Glomeromycetes from Cuba

A new species forming glomoid spores in large sporocarps (500–900 × 780–1500 μm), two spore wall layers, being swl1 thin (0,3–0,8 μm), semi-persistent and hyaline to light yellow; swl2 thick (12–30 μm), laminated, orange brown to dark red brown was found in semi-natural ecosystems in Cuba and is herein described as Glomus herrerae.
The role of banking portfolios in the transmission from currency crises to banking crises - potential effects of Basel II

This paper evaluates the potential effects of the Basel II accord on preventing the transmission from currency crises to financial crises. By analyzing the case study of South Korea, it shows how mismatches on banks’ balance sheets were the primary cause for such a transmission, and models how Basel II would have affected those balance sheets. The paper shows that due to South Korea’s positive credit rating in the months leading up to the crisis, the regulatory capital reserves under Basel II would have been even lower than those under Basel I, and that therefore Basel II would have had adverse effects on the development of the crisis. In the second part, the article analyses whether the behavior of rating agencies has changed since their failure to predict the Asian crisis. The paper finds no robust econometric evidence that rating agencies have started to take micromismatches into account when assigning sovereign ratings. Thus, given the current approach of credit rating agencies, we have reservations concerning the effectiveness of Basel II to prevent the transmission from currency crises to banking crises, both for the case of South Korea and for potential future crises.
The Estimation of Long-run Relationship between Serbian and German Economic Growth

Germany has always had an essential influence on Serbia's economic development. Today, Germany is Europe's economic and political superstar so this is even more pronounced. Hence, the aim of this paper is to explore the fundamental causal relationship between German and Serbian economy. In doing so, after the introductory part, where we emphasized interconnection in terms of investment, foreign trade, employment, new technologies etc., we are extending our study using quarterly 2004q1-2015q2 GDP data of both Serbia and Germany to estimate the Vector Error Correction model (VECM). The results suggest that there is co-integration between Serbia's and Germany's economic growth. The statistically significant negative coefficient on et-1 indicates that Serbian GDP responds to a temporary disequilibrium between the Germany and Serbia. On the other hand, Germany does not appear to respond to a disequilibrium between the two economies; the t-ratio on et-1 is statistically insignificant. These results support the idea that economic conditions in Serbia depend on those in Germany incomparably more than conditions in Germany depend on Serbia. Despite a solid long-term impact, there is not short run causality running from GerGDP to SrbGDP.