Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiographic Testing of Anomalies in Thick Metal Components: Fitting the Standard Line-Integral Model

Radiography is an effective method for nondestructive inspection of thick metal components. However, complete diagnosis of internal defects is a difficult task that needs reliable computer assistance. In particular, fully 3-D reconstruction would be a very valuable tool for the expert, but it is not so clear whether digitized radiographs can be made suitable for reconstruction. We show that this is indeed the case by studying the radiographic image formation process in the context of primary loop piping inspection in pressurized water nuclear reactors. In a more general way, our findings apply to the testing of thick metal pecimens with simple, known geometry. Based on justified simplifications and approximations, we demonstrate that it is possible to process the raw data to closely fit the conventional line-integral projection model. More specifically, we provide a full processing procedure that includes (i) a criterion for subsampling the data without loss of pertinent information, (ii) a novel field-flattening algorithm, and (iii) a calibration method that requires minimal knowledge about the data acquisition parameters. The actual 3-D reconstruction issue is addressed in another paper whose results further validate the present work.
Cognitive reserve moderates relation between global cognition and functional status in older adults

The ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) is necessary for independent living. Research suggests that community-dwelling older adults are at risk for experiencing subtle decrements in the performance of IADLs. Neuropsychological tests have been used to account for differences in IADL status. Studies of the relationship between cognitive ability and functional status have produced variable results, however, and cognitive ability appears to be only a moderate predictor. Several studies of normal aging have revealed cognitive and functional benefits of higher cognitive reserve (CR) in healthy, nondemented older adults. The purposes of the present study were to: (a) examine the relationship between global cognitive ability and IADL performance among 53 community-dwelling older adults, and (b) determine whether formal education, as a proxy of CR, significantly moderates this relationship. Consistent with previous findings, global cognitive ability accounted for a considerable portion of variance in IADL performance [ΔR2 = . 54; ΔF(2, 53) = 67.96; p < . 001]. Additionally, CR modestly but significantly attenuated this relationship [ΔR2 = . 044; ΔF(4, 53) = 5.98; p = . 018; total R2 = . 65]. This finding suggests that community-dwelling older adults with lower levels of formal education may be at greater risk for functional decrements associated with age-related cognitive decline.
Success in Entrepreneurship: Doing the Math

This paper examines the association between entrepreneurial success and firm and owner characteristics, in the context of the small retail sector in Western Kenya. Earlier work finds very high rates of return to inventories. Inventories are positively associated with math skills. Since inventories and profits are positively correlated, math skills predict profits as well. Math skills are also robustly correlated with profits conditional on inventories.
The influence of substance P on the proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal individuals and birch pollen‐allergic patients

We have studied the influence of substance P (SP) on the proliferative response of concanavalin A (ConA)‐activated peripheral blood lymphocytes from 16 birch pollen‐allergic patients, sampled before and during the pollen season, and from 15 normal individuals. The median response to ConA 3μg/ml in the presence of SP 10‐11 ‐10‐6 M, was in most instances within ±10% of the control value for cells from both healthy and atopic individuals. However, the individual differences were considerable. Analysis of the proliferative responses to ConA of the cells from the allergic patients sampled before and during season, revealed higher responses in the presence of 10‐6 than of 10‐2 M SP. This was in contrast to the findings in the normal individuals: only half of their cells showed such increased responses. This difference in response frequency was statistically significant between allergic patients before season and normal individuals (P < 0.05) and between allergic patients during season and normal individuals (P < 0.01). The difference in proliferation rate in the SP concentration interval, 10‐6 to 10‐7 M, for the cells from allergic patients, sampled both before and during season, was significantly different from the cells from healthy individuals (P < 0.03 and P < 0.001 respectively). The cells sampled from four allergic subjects during the birch pollen season showed a more profoundly decreased response to ConA in the presence of SP 10‐8 M, compared with their cells sampled before season. Such responses were never seen with cells sampled before season and with cells from normal individuals. The results suggest an involvement of SP in the immunoregulation, particularly in patients exhibiting allergic reactions to birch pollen.
China's stockmarket : a guide to progress, players and prospects

China's stock market has reached a critical stage in its development. After 16 years since the first shares were traded in Shanghai, it is now recognised as the developing world's most important stock market. Already the third largest in Asia, its impact on international finance is rapidly gaining significance. All the large Western banks and investment firms have a strong presence in Shanghai. And with China's recent membership to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the growth of the Chinese stock market is being eagerly watched.This is an informative and accessible guide to China's stock market. It will explain the creation of the market and how it has developed since the 1980s. Key policies will be examined; major scandals recounted; and the different types of investors, institutional and individuals, analysed. Finally, the book will map out the likely development of China's stock market over the next 10 years, and examine the opportunities and risks involved for foreign investors.
The Impairment of Auditor Credibility: Stock Market Evidence from the Enron-Andersen Saga

Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Illinois (1998-2002). Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame (1994-1998). Instructor, University of Notre Dame (1992-1994). Teaching Assistant, The Pennsylvania State University (1988-92). Research Assistant, Harvard Business School (summers, 1986-88). Partner, Doogar and Sethia, Chartered Accountants (1982-1985). Management Trainee, Majestic Packaging Co., (1981-2) Articled Clerk, S. S. Kothari & Co., Chartered Accountants, Calcutta, India (1978-81).
Generalized Variance-Based Markovian Fitting for Self-Similar Traffic Modelling

Most of the proposed self-similar traffic models are asymptotic in nature. Hence, they are less effective in queueing-based performance evaluation when the buffer sizes are small. In this paper, we propose a short range dependent (SRD) process modelling by a generalized variance-based Markovian fitting to provide effective queueing-based performance measures when buffer sizes are small. The proposed method is to match the variance of the exact second-order self-similar processes. The fitting procedure determines the related parameters in an exact and straightforward way. The resultant traffic model essentially consists of a superposition of several two-state Markov-modulated Poisson processes (MMPPs) with distinct modulating parameters. We present how well the resultant MMPP could emulate the variance of original self-similar traffic in the range of the specified time scale, and could provide more accurate bounds for the queueing-based performance measures, namely tail probability, mean waiting time and loss probability. Numerical results show that both the second-order statistics and queueing-based performance measures when buffer capacity is small are more accurate than that of the variance-based fitting where the modulating parameters of each superposed two-state MMPP are equal. We then investigate the relationship between time scale and the number of superposed two-state MMPPs. We found that when the performance measures pertaining to larger time scales are not better than that of smaller ones, we need to increase the number of superposed two-state MMPPs to maintain the accurate and reliable queueing-based performance measures. We then conclude from the extensive numerical examples that an exact second-order self-similar traffic can be well represented by the proposed model.
Modal Scattering at an Impedance Transition in a Lined Flow Duct

An explicit Wiener-Hopf solution is derived to describe the scattering of duct modes at a hard-soft wall impedance transition in a circular duct with uniform mean flow. Specifically, we have a circular duct r = 1,-8 0 and a hard wall along x 0. A minimum edge condition at x = 0 requires a continuous wall streamline r = 1 + h(x, t ), no more singular than h = O(x1/2) for x ? 0. A mode, incident from x <0, scatters at x = 0 into a series of reflected modes and a series of transmitted modes. Of particular interest is the role of a possible instability along the lined wall in combination with the edge singularity. If one of the "upstream" running modes is to be interpreted as a downstream-running instability, we have an extra degree of freedom in the Wiener-Hopf analysis that can be resolved by application of some form of Kutta condition at x = 0, for example a more stringent edge condition where h = O(x3/2) at the downstream side. The question of the instability requires an investigation of the modes in the complex frequency plane and therefore depends on the chosen impedance model, since Z = Z(? ) is essentially frequency dependent. The usual causality condition by Briggs and Bers appears to be not applicable here because it requires a temporal growth rate bounded for all real axial wave numbers. The alternative Crighton-Leppington criterion, however, is applicable and confirms that the suspected mode is usually unstable. In general, the effect of this Kutta condition is significant, but it is particularly large for the plane wave at low frequencies and should therefore be easily measurable. For ? 0, the modulus tends to |R001| ? (1 + M)/(1 - M) without and to 1 with Kutta condition, while the end correction tends to8without and to a finite value with Kutta condition. This is exactly the same behaviour as found for reflection at a pipe exit with flow, irrespective if this is uniform or jet flow.
Does Audit Regulation Stifle Misreporting? The Case of the Hedge Fund Industry

Using the setting of hedge funds, I find that audit regulation stifles the misreporting of returns. Not only does the presence of this regulation mitigate misreporting, it also appears to narrow the gap in audit quality between Big 4 and non-Big 4 auditors. Specifically, there is a large difference in audit quality between Big 4 and non-Big 4 auditors when audits are voluntary. However, this difference is not detectable when audits are mandatory, which is consistent with this regulation inducing non-Big 4 auditors to provide higher quality audits. This finding is important in that it suggests that the mere presence of regulation requiring audited financial statements, even in the absence of stringent enforcement by regulatory bodies, has a pronounced effect on the quality of financial reporting. This finding has implications for researchers and regulators seeking to understand how regulation and enforcement influence the quality of financial reporting.
The Moderating Effect of Compartmentalization on Role Consensus and Work-Life Balance an Investigation on Managerial Level Employees in Domestic Commercial Banks in Sri Lanka

In a complex, dynamic, fiercely competitive business environment and a society filled with conflicting responsibilities and commitments, work–life balance has become one of the predominant issues in today’s workplace. As the organizations are constantly concerned over employees’ well-being, creating an organizational environment in which a desirable level of work–life balance can be experienced by an employee has become a constant challenge and a contemporary people management issue for many organizations. Employees are required to achieve results in an effective and efficient manner, while performing multiple roles on the professional and personal front. The various work role demands they encounter place pressure on them to achieve success which in turn hinders their level of work–life balance. This study investigates the relationship between role consensus and work–life balance and the moderating effect of compartmentalization between the two constructs among the managerial level employees working in domestic commercial banks in Sri Lanka. A sample of 180 managerial level employees was selected from the twelve domestic commercial banks and surveyed using a questionnaire. Results suggest that role consensus has a significant negative influence on work–life balance and that compartmentalization moderates the impact. Findings also highlighted the importance of organizational consideration for various work role demands placed on managers. Keywords: Role Consensus, Work–Life Balance, Compartmentalization, Contemporary issues in HRM, Sri Lanka For full paper: fmscresearch@sjp.ac. lk
The Impact of Information Technology in Trade Facilitation on Small and Medium Enterprises in the Philippines

The paper is focusing on electronic lodgment through web-based applications of value-added service providers as the IT-based trade facilitation measure, the survey of Customs Brokers conducted in this study revealed that lodgment time in the Philippines dropped to one hour or less as a result, compared to previous lodgment times of one and a half to one day.
Role of viral replication, antiretroviral therapy, and immunodeficiency in HIV-associated atherosclerosis

Objective:HIV-seropositive patients are at higher risk for atherosclerosis than HIV-seronegative persons. This has been variably attributed to antiretroviral drug toxicity, immunodeficiency, and/or HIV-associated inflammation. To evaluate the contributions of these factors to HIV-associated atherosclerosis, we assessed carotid artery intima-media thickness in a diverse cohort of HIV-seronegative and seropositive adults, including a unique group of HIV-infected patients who were untreated, had undetectable viral loads, and had preserved CD4+ T-cell counts (HIV controllers). Methods and results:Carotid intima-media thickness was measured in 494 participants, including 33 HIV controllers and 93 HIV-seronegative controls. HIV controllers had higher intima-media thickness than seronegative controls even after adjustment for traditional risk factors (P = 0.003). Intima-media thickness in controllers was similar to antiretroviral-untreated patients with detectable viremia. Across all participants, intima-media thickness was strongly associated with the presence of HIV disease rather than viral load or CD4+ T-cell count. C-reactive protein was higher in HIV controllers than HIV-seronegative persons. Antiretroviral drug exposure was also associated with higher intima-media thickness. Conclusions:Increased atherosclerosis with HIV infection can occur in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, detectable viremia, or overt immunodeficiency. Chronic inflammation – which is higher in controllers than in HIV-uninfected persons – may account for early atherosclerosis in these patients.
Determining Gains Acquired from Word Embedding Quantitatively Using Discrete Distribution Clustering

Word embeddings have become widely-used in document analysis. While a large number of models for mapping words to vector spaces have been developed, it remains undetermined how much net gain can be achieved over traditional approaches based on bag-of-words. In this paper, we propose a new document clustering approach by combining any word embedding with a state-of-the-art algorithm for clustering empirical distributions. By using the Wasserstein distance between distributions, the word-to-word semantic relationship is taken into account in a principled way. The new clustering method is easy to use and consistently outperforms other methods on a variety of data sets. More importantly, the method provides an effective framework for determining when and how much word embeddings contribute to document analysis. Experimental results with multiple embedding models are reported.
Comprehensive proteomics of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 metabolism under single carbon and nonmethylotrophic conditions

In order to validate a gel free quantitative proteomics assay for the model methylotrophic bacterium Methylobacterium extorquens AM1, we examined the M. extorquens AM1 proteome under single carbon (methanol) and multicarbon (succinate) growth, conditions that have been studied for decades and for which extensive corroborative data have been compiled. In total, 4447 proteins from a database containing 7556 putative ORFs from M. extorquens AM1 could be identified with two or more peptide sequences, corresponding to a qualitative proteome coverage of 58%. Statistically significant nonzero (log2 scale) differential abundance ratios of methanol/succinate could be detected for 317 proteins using summed ion intensity measurements and 585 proteins using spectral counting, at a q‐value cut‐off of 0.01, a measure of false discovery rate. The results were compared to recent microarray studies performed under equivalent chemostat conditions. The M. extorquens AM1 studies demonstrated the feasibility of scaling up the multidimensional capillary HPLC MS/MS approach to a prokaryotic organism with a proteome more than three times the size of microbes we have investigated previously, while maintaining a high degree of proteome coverage and reliable quantitative abundance ratios.
Integrating financial markets in East Asia

Financial markets in east Asia have experienced substantial transformation and turmoil in recent years which has had an effect on the pattern of integration in the region. The paper assesses patterns of common variability in daily changes in interest rates, stock prices and exchange rates in the region using principal component and common factor analysis. It concludes that common variability is greatest in stock prices and exchange rates, that particular patterns of common variability have occurred in both crisis and non-crisis periods at various levels of regional aggregation, and that there is little evidence of a “yen bloc”. JEL Classification Numbers: F36, G15, N25 INTEGRATING FINANCIAL MARKETS IN EAST ASIA
Bone Sialoprotein, Matrix Metalloproteinases and Type I Collagen Expression after Sealing Infected Caries Dentin in Primary Teeth

The objective of this in vivo study was to compare the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-8, MMP-9), type I collagen and bone sialoprotein (BSP) in infected dentin of primary teeth at baseline and after cavity sealing with glass ionomer cement. Dentin samples from 45 primary molars with deep and active carious lesions were collected before (baseline sample) and after cavity sealing (60-day sample). The samples were fixed, demineralized and processed for immunohistochemistry assays. Monoclonal antibodies were used for the localization of the cited antigens with an avidin-biotin method. Digital images of the sections were captured and analyzed with ImageJ software. The mean intensity of RGB channels in the images was obtained and compared using Student's t test (α = 0.05). The expression of the MMPs, type I collagen and BSP increased after sealing, but statistical differences were observed only for MMP-8, type I collagen and BSP. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were more concentrated around dentin tubules; MMP-8 and collagen showed strong expression throughout the organic matrix; BSP exhibited strong expression both in the matrix and around dentin tubules. The increased expression of the enzymes investigated 60 days after cavity sealing suggests that they are not related with disease progression but with the healing process of dentin.
Liver Transplantation in Children with Cystic Fibrosis: Experience in our Centre and Preliminary Results with a Combined En Bloc Liver-Pancreas Graft

Abstract Aim of the study Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multisystemic disease, with some patients developing end-stage liver disease (ESLD), requiring liver transplantation (LT). These children usually present with severe mutations of the CFTR gene. Almost 100% of patients with severe mutations develop exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, leading later to endocrine insufficiency. Immunosuppression accelerates the development of insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD) in transplanted children with CF. Our aims were: 1) to analyze our experience with CF-related ESLD children who received LT, and the relationship to the development of IDD; 2) to report our preliminary results with en bloc liver-pancreas transplantation (CLPT). Methods 9 children (6M/3F) with CF and ESLD underwent LT between 1993 and 2010; median age and weight were 12.3 years (range: 5.4–17.0) and 36.7 kg (range: 14.2–58.5), respectively. 4 patients received a whole graft, 4 had reduced grafts (1 split) and 1 underwent CLPT. Immunosuppression followed the protocols at the time of transplantation. Results Liver function was restored in all patients and none of them needed re-transplantation. Median follow-up was 105 months (range: 4–206). 1 child died of respiratory failure at 23 months after transplantation while awaiting pulmonary transplantation. Survival (Kaplan-Meier) at 105 months was 87.5%. 4 children already had IDD before transplantation and 3 developed diabetes immediately after transplantation. 2 had not developed IDD at the end of the study: the youngest at the time of LT (5.4 years, follow-up 7.1 years) and the girl who had had CLPT and who recovered normal exocrine and endocrine pancreatic function after transplantation. Conclusions LT is a realistic option to treat CF-related ESLD children. IDD is common in these patients. En bloc liver-pancreas transplantation is an appealing option, since it simultaneously restores exocrine function and prevents IDD. This procedure has clear technical advantages over simultaneous isolated liver and pancreas transplantation.
A Queuing Model for a Continuous Double-Auction Trading System

We implemented a newly adapted queuing model to analyze a continuous double-auction trading system. In the trading system, traders have to decide if they want to get a good price or if they want a quick transaction. If we can calculate the execution probability, it will help with this decision. The execution probability depends on the temporal market situation as a whole, and the liquidity of stock names. Given the complexity of the system, we had to make assumptions in order to simplify the system so that we could analyze it in a mathematical and comprehensible manner. By applying the queuing theory, we could calculate execution probabilities as a function of average order arrival rates and the initial number of bids (or asks) in the waiting queue.