Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Banking Crises in Transition Economies: Fiscal Costs and Related Issues

The authors look at strategies for dealing with banking crises in 12 transition economies -- five from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, and Poland; the three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania; and four countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Ukraine. Three types of strategies were used to deal with the crises. The CEE countries generally pursued extensive restructuring and recapitalizing of banks; most CIS countries pursued large-scale liquidation; and the Baltic states generally pursued a combination of liquidation and restructuring. The strategy pursued reflected macroeconomic conditions and the level of development in a country's banking sector. There were more new banks in the former Soviet Union (FSU-the CIS and Baltic states), but they tended to be small, undercapitalized, and not deeply engaged in financial intermediation. The CEE countries generally incurred higher fiscal costs than the FSU countries but ended up with sounder, more efficient banking systems, with many of the recapitalized banks being privatized to strategic foreign investors. The CIS countries pursued a less fiscally costly approach but have been left with weak banking systems and low levels of intermediation. The Baltic states appear to have struck a good balance, incurring modest fiscal costs while making their systems sounder and more efficient. The findings suggest the following: a) Operational, financial, and institutional restructuring should be undertaken in parallel. b) Financial restructuring should involve adequate recapitalization to deter moral hazard and repeated recapitalization. c) Operational restructuring should entail privatization to core investors (particularly to reputable foreign banks). d) The enterprise problems underlying banking problems must also be addressed. e) Fiscal costs were reduced when governments dealt only with bad debt inherited from the socialist period; when small banks that held few deposits were allowed to fail, where the social costs of such failure were low; and when only banks that got into trouble because of external shocks were rescued while those suffering from poor management were liquidated. f) The government, not the central bank, should undertake bank restructuring. Central bank refinancing is not transparent and could lead to hyperinflation.
Galactomannan Assay and Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis - Comparison of the Test Performance at an in-house and the Kit Cut-off.

INTRODUCTION Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis (IPA) is an important opportunistic infection with a high degree of mortality and morbidity. Galactomannan assay (GM assay) is found to be useful for diagnosis of IPA in patients with neutropenia. However the utility of this assay has not been evaluated in a mixed patient population with other co-morbid conditions. Though a kit cut-off of 0.5 has been recommended for the diagnosis of IPA, studies have reported a higher sensitivity with cut-offs more than 0.5. AIM To establish an in-house cut-off and compare its utility with the kit cut-off to diagnose and categorize IPA as proven, probable and possible in patients with varied underlying risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS This observational study was done in St John's Medical College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India from January 2013-December 2014. GM assay was performed on 25 each of healthy controls and clinically diagnosed cases of IPA. The in-house cut-off was calculated by plotting the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC). RESULTS The in-house cut-off was calculated to be 0.52. Using this and the kit cut-off (0.5), the Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV) and the Negative Predictive Value (NPV) were found to be 75%, 79%, 76%, 82% and 79%, 71%, 77%, 82% respectively. Diabetes mellitus was found to be associated with more than 50% of the patients. CONCLUSION The established in house cut-off using healthy controls and patients with clinical diagnosis of IPA was not significantly different from that of the kit cut-off. Using either of these cut-offs, we could re-categorize two of the possible IPA cases in the probable group. This study helped to understand the clinical utility of this assay even in a mixed patient population with multiple co-morbidities.
Deregulations, Entry and Industrial Performance: The Impact of Recent Indian Policy Changes

During 1985 the Government of India introduced a package of measures aimed at substantial deregulation of the industrial sector. This was done by relaxing various kinds of government controls, delicensing of a large number of industries, liberalization of import of raw materials, components and machinery and import of technology through royalty and limpsum payments. The stated objective of these policy measures was the promotion of industrial efficiency and improve? ment of the quality of goods and services so as to make them internationally competitive. This paper attempts an analysis of the impact of these policy changes on industrial structure, conduct and performance for a cross section of 163 Indian industries. The sample covers all the three digit industires covered by the Annual Survey of Industries, National Industrial Classification (NIC), except activities relating to minting of coins, generation of electricity, gas, water works, storage, warehousing, repairs and services. An empirical analysis of the impact of these policies on industrial behaviour and performance would prove useful for formulation of policies for the future. We attempt to identify the variables that discriminated the two periods, namely, the samples for the pre-deregulation years and the post deregulation years. Identification of statistically significant discriminants for the preand post-deregulation samples would be useful for analyzing the impact of the policy measures and formulating the future policy correctives. For identifying the discriminants it is proposed to use the cross section sample of 163 manufacturing sectors for two time periods: 1982-83, representing the pre-deregulation period, and 1986-87, representing the post-deregulation period. For the post-deregulation period, it would have been desirable to choose a year more distant from 1985 but since no data are available beyond 1987 there was no choice. 1982-33 was selected as the base year to exclude the impact of some minor policy changes that did take place during 1984. 2. POLICY CHANGES INTRODUCED DURING 1985
XFEM formulation for discontinuities in fractured rock masses

The paper describes some aspects of the application of XFEM to represent Geomechanical discontinuities, including the choice of additional nodal variables and the appearance and remedies to the oscillations that may take place depending on the mesh layout. An example of application to recover the stresses along a discontinuity line emanating from a tunnel cross-section is presented together with the comparison to an analytical solution. The formulation is developed in terms of the “overhang” displacement variables on the other side of the discontinuity (instead of more traditional displacement jump variables), and the oscillations associated to nodes too close to the discontinuity are solved by moving those nodes onto the discontinuity (instead of moving them away as seems more common in current practice).
Outcomes of Shunt Tube Coverage With Glycerol Preserved Cornea Versus Pericardium

Pericardium is a biomaterial widely used for covering the outflow tubes of glaucoma drainage devices. Recently, glycerol preserved cornea has been introduced as an alternative that offers durability and improved cosmesis because of its clarity. We retrospectively reviewed 262 patients in the University of Alabama Birmingham Glaucoma Service who underwent shunt procedures using either cornea tissue or pericardium to cover the tube. The primary outcome measure was the number of erosions of the covering material. Nine out of 101 (8.9%) patients in the pericardium covered group experienced an erosion compared with 3 out of 161 (1.9%) in the cornea covered group. A significant difference was reached with P=0.0125. Median follow-up was 440 days for the cornea group and 331 days for the pericardium group. The type of glaucoma (primary open-angle glaucoma vs. secondary glaucoma) was not associated with the risk of erosion (odds ratio, 0.501; 95% confidence interval, 0.204-1.234). The median time to exposure was 252 days in the pericardium group and 440 days in the cornea group (P=0.0017).
Computing cost of sensitivity and survey speed for aperture array and phased array feed systems

Aperture array (AA) and phased array feed (PAF) systems are envisaged to play an important role in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), because their multi-beaming capability can be used to improve survey speed and enhance observing flexibility. In this paper, we demonstrate that computing costs and I/O rates should be considered as an integral part of the overall system design. We do so by comparing the correlator and imaging computing requirements for the current SKA phase 1 (SKA1) AA-low baseline design with those for an alternative design with the same survey speed and sensitivity. We also compare the correlator and imaging computing demands and survey speed for the proposed SKA1 survey array (dishes with PAFs), the envisaged SKA1 dish array (dishes with single pixel feeds (SPFs)) and an AA-mid alternative design for the 300-1000 MHz range. We conclude that the current SKA1 baseline design may not be the optimal solution in view of computing requirements (hence operating costs) for given sensitivity and survey speed.
Anxiety and attentional bias for threat: an event-related potential study

We investigated the attentional bias for threat in selected high and low trait-anxious participants using an event-related potential technique. A modified cue–target paradigm was adopted with threatening and nonthreatening pictures as uninformative location cues. In high anxious individuals, reactions were speeded up and the occipitoparietal P1 amplitude was enhanced when targets appeared at the same location as threatening pictures relative to nonthreatening ones, whereas in low anxious individuals, the P1 amplitude tended to be enhanced when the targets appeared at the opposite location to threatening pictures. These results suggest that the attentional bias caused by peripheral threatening stimuli is able to modulate the visual inputs in early processing stages, and this mechanism is markedly influenced by an individual's anxiety level.
Histologic analysis of acetabular and proximal femoral bone in patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that osteonecrosis of the femoral head may also involve the acetabulum and the proximal part of the femur. METHODS Twenty-five patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty and thirty-eight patients who had a unilateral total hip arthroplasty for treatment of symptomatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head were included in the study. There were fifty-five men and eight women. The etiology of the osteonecrosis was idiopathic in forty patients (fifty-six hips, 64%), associated with ethanol abuse in eighteen patients (twenty-five hips, 28%), and associated with steroid use in five patients (seven hips, 8%). The mean age of the patients at the time of arthroplasty was 47.1 years. We performed cancellous bone biopsies in the acetabulum, the proximal part of the femur, and the femoral head intraoperatively and then examined the specimens histologically. RESULTS Of the eighty-one hips with idiopathic or ethanol-associated osteonecrosis, seventy-six (94%) had normal or stage-1 bone in the acetabulum and the proximal part of the femur according to the system of Arlet and Ficat, and seventy-eight (97%) of the eighty-one had a grade of 0 or 1 according to the system of Humphreys et al. Of the seven hips with steroid-associated osteonecrosis, four had normal or stage-1 bone and a grade of 0 or 1 and three had stage-2 or 3 disease and a grade of 2 or 3. Therefore, the vast majority of hips with idiopathic or ethanol-associated osteonecrosis had normal or nearly normal bone in the acetabulum and the proximal part of the femur. Three of the seven hips with steroid-associated osteonecrosis had abnormal bone in the proximal part of the femur only. CONCLUSIONS One can expect to find normal or nearly normal cancellous bone in the acetabulum and the proximal part of the femur of patients with either idiopathic or ethanol-associated osteonecrosis of the hip. More extensive osteonecrosis may accompany steroid-associated osteonecrosis of the hip.
A comparison between two different styles of educational management

Journal club’s program has crucial role in medical teaching. Purpose of the present study was to compare the impact of different controlling method of journal club on perspectives of two distinct groups of psychiatric residents. forty two psychiatric residents from two community psychiatric training centers have been asked in this regard. Conferences of journal club in the first group (n=24) were usually presented under the observation of chief residents, while the second group (n=18) was being managed mainly by a qualified member of the linked faculty. After at least one year of attending in correlated sessions of journal club, all of the aforesaid residents were asked to reply incognito to a Survey Questionnaire, including 23 queries, in the company of a series of replies, in the frame of different Coding Categories. All of the residents accomplished the questionnaires. Significant variance was palpable among these two groups of contributors regarding their response to at least twelve questions. Judgment of residents were generally and remarkably divergent as regards : ‘goals’ , ‘format’ ,’necessity of attendance’ ,’quality of participation of faculty’ , ‘educational value of core curriculum of journal club’, ‘its critical role with regard to research and appraisal of topics ‘, and finally ‘as a resource for continuous education’. Systematic management of journal club by proficient and enthusiastic faculty associate possibly will generate more useful intuition with respect to such significant scholastic program, and instructive gratification may be greater in clubs moderated by the faculty.
A novel block-matching motion estimation algorithm based on multilayer concept

Most of the fast search motion estimation algorithms reduce the computational cost of motion estimation greatly by checking only a few search points inside the search area by using full distortion measure. This paper proposes a multi-layer motion estimation which employs partial distortion as its distortion measure to reduce the number of computations involved in each search point instead of reducing the number of search points. A layer is an image which is derived from the reference frame such that the sum of a block of pixels in the reference frame determines the point of a layer. It has been noticed on different video sequences that many motion vectors on the layers are the same as those searched on the reference frame. Experimental results on a wide variety of video sequences show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the other popular conventional fast search motion estimation algorithms computationally while maintaining the motion prediction quality very close to the full-search algorithm.
Cow-Calf Producer Interest in Retained Ownership

The beef industry’s share of domestic meat demand continues to decline, as increasing vertical coordination in pork and poultry contribute to these industries’ ability to offer convenient, consistent, and less expensive products. For such vertical coordination to be effective, incentives must be properly aligned so that those responsible for making the most important investments for system profitability are appropriately compensated. This study demonstrates that cow-calf producers who invest in quality registered cattle and those who are interested in incorporating feedlot and carcass data into herd management decisions are also more interested in retained ownership.
Touchomatic: Interpersonal Touch Gaming In The Wild

Direct touch between people is a key element of social behaviour. Recently a number of researchers have explored games which sense aspects of such interpersonal touch to control interaction with a multiplayer computer game. In this paper, we describe a long term, in-the-wild study of a two-player arcade game which is controlled by gentle touching between the body parts of two players. We ran the game in a public videogame arcade for a year, and present a thematic analysis of 27 hours of gameplay session videos, organized under three top level themes: control of the system, interpersonal interaction within the game, and social interaction around the game. In addition, we provide a quantitative analysis of observed demographic differences in interpersonal touch behaviour. Finally, we use these results to present four design recommendations for use of interpersonal touch in games.
Why Do Shareholders Tender? Shareholder Reactions to Tender Offers: Evidence from Germany

Many characteristics of tender offers have been discussed and analyzed in the literature as having significant effects on the tendering behavior of shareholders. In this analysis we focus on information easily accessible to outstanding shareholders, either given in the offer document or in stock prices. We test the effects of these factors on a dataset comprising 105 tender offers in Germany realized between 2002 and 2005, regulated by the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (WpUG). Our main results can be summarized as follows. We find a significant positive relation between a high tendering rate and target managements' recommendations to tender. Furthermore, we find significant differences in the tendering behavior for the different offer types. Finally, our findings show a significant positive relation between the relative compensation (i.e. the compensation relative to the difference between the 52 week high and 52 week low) and the tendering behavior. The analysis shows that both offer characteristics, as well as behavioral characteristics, influence the tendering behavior of shareholders.
On cutting torque measurements during implant placement: a 3-year clinical prospective study.

BACKGROUND Evaluation of jaw bone quality at implant placement is mainly based on preoperative radiographic assessments and subjective hand registrations during implant site preparation. An objective technique with cutting torque measurements has been introduced, presenting an objective bone quality or bone hardness value of individual implant sites. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate cutting torque measurements during implant placement and to compare these values in different regions in mandibles and maxillae. The objective was to identify implants at risk for failing at implant placement. MATERIAL AND METHODS Cutting torque measurements were performed during placement of Mk II self-tapping implants (Brånemark System) in 105 patients, comprising 72 edentulous (40 maxillae) and 34 partially edentulous (22 maxillae) jaws. A total of 523 implants were inserted, of which 420 were of the Mk II design and of which 412 were subjected to cutting torque measurements. Statistical analyses were performed by comparing cutting torque values of maxillae and mandibles and of different jaw regions. Cutting torque values were also correlated with radiographically and clinically assessed bone quality scores. Patients were followed clinically for a minimum of 3 years. RESULTS A statistically significant difference in cutting torque values of maxillae and mandibles was seen, although not when comparing anterior and posterior regions within the same jaws or of different jaws. Significant correlations were found between values of cutting torque and bone quality. The majority of failures were seen in bone of medium to high density, whereas implants inserted in bone of poor density presented a better outcome, perhaps due to an adapted surgical protocol and an extended healing period. The overall implant survival rate at 3 years was 95%, and when analyzing different jaw categories, survival rates of 92.0% and 99.4% were seen for edentulous maxillae and mandibles, respectively. The corresponding figures for partially edentulous jaws were 95.4% and 97.6%. CONCLUSION It was not possible to identify sites at risk for future implant losses or to determine a lower limit value of cutting torque in order to achieve successful implant integration.
Regulation of murine interleukin-10 production by dehydroepiandrosterone.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), one of the predominant androgens secreted by the adrenal cortex, is a potential immunologic regulator. In this report, the effect of DHEA on interleukin-10 (IL-10) production was studied in vivo. Mice were injected s.c. with DHEA or DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS) ranging from 50 microg to 500 microg/g body weight. The serum was collected, and the spleen cells were isolated 48 h after treatment. Results indicate that treatment with DHEA or DHEAS significantly increases the serum level of IL-10. The spleen cells isolated from the DHEA-treated or DHEAS-treated mice also showed an increase in IL-10 secretion and mRNA expression after the cells were activated by concanavalin A (ConA). The maximal dose of DHEA for inducing IL-10 production was 250 microg/g body weight. As IL-10 is a potent differentiation factor of B lymphocytes, the possible role of DHEA in regulation of immunoglobulin (Ig) production was studied in vivo. Results indicated a significant increase in both serum level of Ig (IgG, IgM, IgA) and Ig secretion by spleen cells after the mice were treated with DHEA or DHEAS. Mice injected with both DHEA (250 microg/g body weight) and anti-IL-10 antibody (0.5 mg/g body weight) showed a significantly reduced DHEA-mediated increase in Ig production. Thus, DHEA might affect the function of B lymphocytes via stimulating IL-10 production.
Product differentiation in aviation passenger markets: The impact of demand heterogeneity on competition

important role in the aviation industry. Airlines offer consumers a menu of fare types ranging from the lowest available fare to a fully flexible business fare. Nonetheless, consumers may also choose travelling with a different airline or, if available, with high-speed rail. This dissertation studies the interaction of heterogeneity in consumers’ preferences, product differentiation, and oligopolistic competition in transport markets. The theoretical analysis focuses on the questions under which conditions strategic interaction between firms results in product differentiation, and how this may affect welfare and price dispersion under demand uncertainty. The empirical analysis focuses on the impact of loyalty programs on consumer behaviour in the aviation industry and the degree and conditions under which highspeed rail is a viable substitute for airline travel.