Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Revisiting purchasing power parity for G-7 countries using nonparametric rank test for cointegration

This study applies the nonparametric rank test for cointegration, proposed by Breitung (2001), to test the validity of long-run Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) for G-7 countries over the period of January 1980 to January 2009. The empirical results indicate that PPP holds true for all G-7 countries studied and that the nominal exchange rate and the domestic and US Consumer Price Index (CPI) are nonlinearly interrelated with the exception of France and Germany cases. Our results have important policy implications for the G-7 countries under study.
Causal interaction among electricity consumption, financial development, exports and economic growth in Jordan: Dynamic simultaneous equation models

The goal of this paper is to examine the empirical dynamic relationship among the electrical consumption (ELC) and economic growth (proxies by gross domestic product [GDP] per capita), export, and financial development (domestic credit to the private sector as a percentage of GDP) in Jordan over the 1976-2011 period. Annual time series data and the autoregressive distributed lag model are used. The augmented Dickey–Fuller, F-bound testing, Granger causality, GIRF, and cumulative sum of recursive residuals, cumulative sum of squares tests were applied to test the stationary, cointegration, causality and stability, respectively, among the variables. There is evidence of a long-term equilibrium relationship between electricity consumption and the economic growth, and a unidirectional relationship runs from real GDP to ELC. This is indicating that per capita increase in economic growth may cause a perpetual rise in the ELC in Jordan.
Stylized facts of money and credit over the business cycles

This article investigates the stylized facts of money and credit over the business cycles in nine Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries using quarterly data from 1960 to 2006, through the application of two main detrending methods. Our findings confirm the existence of substantive cyclical regularities across countries. In particular, money supply is procyclical and tends to move in advance of real output; velocity of money is procyclical; domestic credit and credit are procyclical and lag the cycle; deposits are procyclical and tend to lead the cycle; nominal interest rates are procyclical and short-term interest rates lag the cycle, while long-term interest rates lead the cycles, in the majority of countries; term spread is countercyclical and lags the cycle; prices are countercyclical; inflation is procyclical and lags the cycle and liquidity effect is confirmed in all countries.
Essays in Development and Labor Economics

This thesis consists of three essays in development and labor economics. The first essay analyzes the medium-term effects of children’s exposure during early-life stages of development to ENSO-related extreme rain events. Exposure to negative weather conditions is exogenously identified using geographical variation of rainfall deviations from historical averages. The main findings show that four to five years after the shock occurrence, affected children exhibit lower performance in cognitive tests and are impaired in terms of physical development with respect to same-aged children not affected by the shock. Negative effects of weather shocks on income, food consumption, and diet composition during early childhood appear to be key mechanisms behind the impacts on children’s outcomes. No mitigation effects from the provision of Progresa, a Mexican conditional cash transfer program (CCT), are found. The second essay follows up by analyzing the direct effect of Progresa on early child development. Disadvantaged early life conditions might jeopardize the later benefits that CCTs usually promote on children, mainly human capital investments. Three empirical exercises estimate the effect of Progresa on early life development. No effects are found on cognitive, physical, motor skill and behavioral development of children aged 2-6 that were benefited by the program during critical stages of development. Given the considerable lag of these children’s initial development, the result raises concerns about Progresa’s long-term effectiveness on poverty and inequality reductions. Finally, the third essay empirically examines the educational selectivity of U.S. immigrants and of those that return to their source country. Ten countries are selected based on their historical importance on U.S. migration. To determine selectivity of recently arrived immigrants, their
Information Uncertainty and Post-Earnings-Announcement-Drift

We examine whether rational investor responses to information uncertainty (IU) explain properties of and returns to the post-earnings-announcement-drift (PEAD) trading anomaly. Consistent with a rational learning explanation, we find that: (1) unexpected earnings (UE) signals that are characterized as having greater IU have more muted initial market reactions; (2) extreme UE portfolios are characterized by securities with higher IU than non-extreme UE portfolios; and (3) within the extreme UE portfolios, high IU securities are more prevalent and earn larger abnormal returns than low IU securities. Further tests show that prior evidence of greater PEAD profitability for higher idiosyncratic volatility securities is explained by the greater information uncertainty associated with these securities.
Association Analysis of the IL2RA Gene with Alopecia Areata in a Chinese Population

Background: Interleukin-2 receptor subunit alpha (IL2RA) is highly expressed on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and is important for immune homeostasis and the suppression of autoimmune responses. It has been suggested that the single nucleotide polymorphism in IL2RA may affect the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA). Objective: Our aim was to investigate the link between IL2RA polymorphism and AA in a Chinese population. Methods: We examined 427 patients and 430 controls in this study. The rs3118470 polymorphism was evaluated using high-resolution melting analysis and direct sequencing. Results: The prevalence of the C/C, T/C and T/T genotypes was 16.2, 48.2 and 35.6%, respectively. The genotype distribution and allele frequencies were significantly different between AA and control subjects (p < 0.0001). The C allele frequency was significantly higher in the AA group (p < 0.0001), and the frequencies of C allele and C/C genotype were higher in the patients with family history (p = 0.034; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The rs3118470 single nucleotide polymorphism of IL2RA may be a genetic marker to assess the risk of AA in a Chinese population.
The usefulness of earnings and book value for equity valuation in emerging capital markets : evidence from listed companies in the people's republic of China

This paper examines the relative value relevance in equity valuation of two sets of accounting information of listed Chinese companies which issued the so-called B shares to foreign investors on the Chinese stock exchanges. These firms are required to prepare two sets of financial statements: one based on China's accounting regulations (domestic GAAPs) and the other based on International Accounting Standards (IASs). The study adopted the Ohlson (1995) model and used the Davidson-MacKinnon J-test to assess which one of these two competing sets of accounting information is more closely associated with the share prices. The results showed that earnings and book value reported based on IASs have greater information content than those based on domestic GAAPs. The results of yearly regression analysis generally suggested that the explanatory power of these earnings and book values for share prices increased over time.
Disturbed spermatogenesis associated with thickened lamina propria of seminiferous tubules is not caused by dedifferentiation of myofibroblasts.

BACKGROUND In the human testis, myofibroblasts are the main cellular components of the lamina propria (LP) of seminiferous tubules. Thickened ('fibrotic') LP and dilated tubules are found in a large number of infertile patients, and myofibroblast dedifferentiation has been described in elderly men. It is not known, however, whether dedifferentiation of myofibroblasts is responsible for disturbed spermatogenesis associated with LP alterations. METHODS The LP of testicular tissue from infertile men (n = 35) was investigated by new histological and morphometric approaches, RT-PCR after laser microdissection and western blotting. RESULTS Myofibroblasts were found in the LP of all seminiferous tubules. On the basis of LP morphology, each tubule could be assigned to one of the four groups, which showed increasing pathology: intact LP (Group 1), increased extracellular matrix (ECM) in-between the network of myofibroblasts (Group 2), two layers of myofibroblasts engulfing thickened ECM (Group 3) and LP additionally lacking an inner myofibroblast layer (Group 4). All myofibroblasts of all groups and of dilated tubules were fully differentiated, as could be shown by the expression of α-smooth muscle actin, myosin heavy chain, calponin 1 as well as relaxation-mediating cGMP-dependent protein kinase I and phosphodiesterase 5. Independently of the clinical background, the same patterns of thickened LP were detectable. There was a gradual decrease in intact spermatogenesis and in diameter/LP ratio from Groups 1 to 4, indicating that patterns of LP alterations reflect the quality of spermatogenesis. The thickness of myofibroblast layers increased towards Group 4 without cell proliferation, but CD34(+) cells, marking cells of haematopoetic lineage and progenitor cells (in lung fibrosis), were found in close proximity to tubules. CONCLUSIONS Data indicate that dedifferentiation of myofibroblasts is not responsible for disturbed spermatogenesis associated with LP alterations. Thus, myofibroblasts, presumably newly developed in part, might contribute to disturbed spermatogenesis as key players during development of fibrotic LP alterations but not by contractile dysfunction.
Principles and Prospects of the Life Course Paradigm

Resume La demographie historique semble avoir pris un tournant « micro » en se concentrant de plus en plus sur l’analyse des parcours de vie. Si l’on suit ses avocats, il ne s’agit de rien moins que d’un nouveau paradigme de la demographie (historique). Cet article propose une vue critique de cette affirmation, en examinant les succes en termes de recherche et en discutant les obstacles potentiels a la reussite des promesses de cette nouvelle approche.L’adoption de l’analyse des parcours de vie a deja fourni des contributions tres neuves par rapport aux sujets ignores de la demographie historique traditionnelle (les orphelins, le service domestique dans le cycle de vie, les etudes comparees sur les dynamiques familiales). Des sujets comme le vieillissement, les migrations et la fecondite ont egalement beneficie de la collecte et de l’analyse des donnees du parcours de vie.En depit de ces avancees, le developpement de cette approche peut etre compromis par plusieurs facteurs : le concept lui-meme, les methodes statistiques utilisees et les pratiques de recherches dominantes ainsi que l’attraction de notre champ. Tout d’abord l’affirmation de la capacite d’organiser sa propre vie est d’application difficile dans les recherches historiques. Neanmoins, l’ignorance des motifs et des buts des individus ne devrait pas dissuader d’identifier quels etaient les plus probables dans certains lieux et certaines periodes. Ensuite, la methode de l’« event history analysis » ne permet pas de clarifier les parcours de vie en tant que processus. Des modeles plus elabores devraient permettre de preciser l’impact des experiences passees, des conduites alternatives, des interactions entre les processus et les contextes. Enfin, le cout d’apprentissage de la demographie historique risque de devenir trop eleve, en particulier si des techniques encore plus poussees doivent etre utilisees. Des equipes interdisciplinaires pourraient resoudre cette difficulte. Par ailleurs, l’approche du parcours de la vie suppose des bases de donnees compliquees et tres riches. Tout cela ne peut etre accompli par les equipes universitaires traditionnelles et les chercheurs solitaires. Dans ce domaine, les pratiques de recherche (et d’apprentissage) doivent s’orienter vers le partage de donnees, la collaboration et l’exploitation de banques de donnees publiques. Finalement, afin d’attirer les chercheurs d’autres domaines, la recherche doit privilegier des questions a fort enjeu politique aujourd’hui comme le niveau de la fecondite (enjeu du remplacement), les migrations et l’integration des populations etrangeres.
Are Corporate Governance Attributes Associated with Accounting Conservatism?

This article investigates the association between the board of directors, the audit committee and the external auditor (as well as an aggregate governance index) and the extent of conservatism evident in Australian firms’ financial reporting. Overall, the results provide only weak evidence that firms with certain governance characteristics report more conservatively. Evidence of any such link is restricted to measures of board composition and leadership, and even then the results are sensitive to the method used to measure the extent of conservatism in financial reporting.
REDSHIFT DETERMINATION AND CO LINE EXCITATION MODELING FOR THE MULTIPLY LENSED GALAXY HLSW-01

We report on the redshift measurement and CO line excitation of HERMES J105751.1+573027 (HLSW-01), a strongly lensed submillimeter galaxy discovered in Herschel/SPIRE observations as part of the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES). HLSW-01 is an ultra-luminous galaxy with an intrinsic far-infrared luminosity of LFIR = 1.4 × 1013 L☉, and is lensed by a massive group of galaxies into at least four images with a total magnification of μ = 10.9 ± 0.7. With the 100 GHz instantaneous bandwidth of the Z-Spec instrument on the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, we robustly identify a redshift of z = 2.958 ± 0.007 for this source, using the simultaneous detection of four CO emission lines (J = 7 → 6, J = 8 → 7, J = 9 → 8, and J = 10 → 9). Combining the measured line fluxes for these high-J transitions with the J = 1 → 0, J = 3 → 2, and J = 5 → 4 line fluxes measured with the Green Bank Telescope, the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter Astronomy, and the Plateau de Bure Interferometer, respectively, we model the physical properties of the molecular gas in this galaxy. We find that the full CO spectral line energy distribution is described well by warm, moderate-density gas with Tkin = 86–235 K and cm−3. However, it is possible that the highest-J transitions are tracing a small fraction of very dense gas in molecular cloud cores, and two-component models that include a warm/dense molecular gas phase with Tkin ∼ 200 K, cm−3 are also consistent with these data. Higher signal-to-noise measurements of the Jup ⩾ 7 transitions with high spectral resolution, combined with high spatial resolution CO maps, are needed to improve our understanding of the gas excitation, morphology, and dynamics of this interesting high-redshift galaxy.
Cumulative contextual risk, maternal responsivity, and social cognition at 18 months

Abstract By 18 months children demonstrate a range of social–cognitive skills that can be considered important precursors to more advanced forms of social understanding such as theory of mind. Although individual differences in social cognition have been linked to neurocognitive maturation, sociocultural models of development suggest that environmental influences operate in the development of children's social–cognitive outcomes. In the current study of 501 children and their mothers, we tested and found support for a model in which distal environmental risk, assessed when children were newborns, was indirectly associated with children's social–cognitive competency at 18 months through mothers' responsivity at 18 months. Part of this effect also operated through children's concomitant language skills, suggesting both a language-mediated and a language-independent mechanism of social–cognitive development. These findings are discussed with respect to the Vygotskian themes of internalization and semiotic mediation.
A role for frequenin, a Ca2+-binding protein, as a regulator of Kv4 K+-currents

Frequenin, a Ca2+-binding protein, has previously been implicated in the regulation of neurotransmission, possibly by affecting ion channel function. Here, we provide direct evidence that frequenin is a potent and specific modulator of Kv4 channels, the principal molecular components of subthreshold activating A-type K+ currents. Frequenin increases Kv4.2 current amplitudes (partly by enhancing surface expression of Kv4.2 proteins) and it slows the inactivation time course in a Ca2+-dependent manner. It also accelerates recovery from inactivation. Closely related Ca2+-binding proteins, such as neurocalcin and visinin-like protein (VILIP)-1 have no such effects. Specificity for Kv4 currents is suggested because frequenin does not modulate Kv1.4 or Kv3.4 currents. Frequenin has negligible effects on Kv4.1 current inactivation time course. By using chimeras made from Kv4.2 and Kv4.1 subunits, we determined that the differential effects of frequenin are mediated by means of the Kv4 N terminus. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrates that frequenin and Kv4.2 channel proteins are coexpressed in similar neuronal populations and have overlapping subcellular localizations in brain. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate that a physical interaction occurs between these two proteins in brain membranes. Together, our data provide strong support for the concept that frequenin may be an important Ca2+-sensitive regulatory component of native A-type K+ currents.
Agricultural Land Use Responses to the Rising Labor Opportunity Cost in Sui County, China

Abstract Rising labor opportunity cost is one of the most important characteristics of farmers’ economic environment in present China, and brings great agricultural land use changes correspondingly. Based on the stratified random sample of rural households in Sui County, this paper estimates the opportunity cost of farm labors, and then analyzes its effect on farmers’ agricultural land use decisions. The findings show that the households with higher labor opportunity cost are more likely to reduce labor intensity and increase labor-saving input in their land use decisions. From the descriptive analysis, we also find these households always prefer grain crop planting, reduce yield-raising input or even rent out their cultivated land. As labor and yield-raising input are two essential positive factors for grain production, continuous declining of labor input and yield-raising input caused by rising labor opportunity cost may influence the grain yield per unit area in the future.
ChSeq: A database of chameleon sequences

Chameleon sequences (ChSeqs) refer to sequence strings of identical amino acids that can adopt different conformations in protein structures. Researchers have detected and studied ChSeqs to understand the interplay between local and global interactions in protein structure formation. The different secondary structures adopted by one ChSeq challenge sequence‐based secondary structure predictors. With increasing numbers of available Protein Data Bank structures, we here identify a large set of ChSeqs ranging from 6 to 10 residues in length. The homologous ChSeqs discovered highlight the structural plasticity involved in biological function. When compared with previous studies, the set of unrelated ChSeqs found represents an about 20‐fold increase in the number of detected sequences, as well as an increase in the longest ChSeq length from 8 to 10 residues. We applied secondary structure predictors on our ChSeqs and found that methods based on a sequence profile outperformed methods based on a single sequence. For the unrelated ChSeqs, the evolutionary information provided by the sequence profile typically allows successful prediction of the prevailing secondary structure adopted in each protein family. Our dataset will facilitate future studies of ChSeqs, as well as interpretations of the interplay between local and nonlocal interactions. A user‐friendly web interface for this ChSeq database is available at prodata.swmed. edu/chseq.
Associations between trajectories of perceived racial discrimination and psychological symptoms among African American adolescents

Abstract Many African American adolescents experience racial discrimination, with adverse consequences; however, stability and change in these experiences over time have not been examined. We examined longitudinal patterns of perceived racial discrimination assessed in Grades 7–10 and how these discrimination trajectories related to patterns of change in depressive and anxious symptoms and aggressive behaviors assessed over the same 4-year period. Growth mixture modeling performed on a community epidemiologically defined sample of urban African American adolescents (n = 504) revealed three trajectories of discrimination: increasing, decreasing, and stable low. As predicted, African American boys were more frequent targets for racial discrimination as they aged, and they were more likely to be in the increasing group. The results of parallel process growth mixture modeling revealed that youth in the increasing racial discrimination group were four times more likely to be in an increasing depression trajectory than were youth in the low stable discrimination trajectory. Though youth in the increasing racial discrimination group were nearly twice as likely to be in the high aggression trajectory, results were not statistically significant. These results indicate an association between variation in the growth of perceived racial discrimination and youth behavior and psychological well-being over the adolescent years.
Changes in Confidence and Asset Returns

I show that asset price movements are driven by changes in confidence (size of ambiguity), whereas changes in confidence are driven by past aggregate consumption growth and unusual events like major economic and political shocks. The calibrated model matches well two facts that fail classic asset pricing models: the weak correlation of price-dividend ratios with lagged consumption growth, and the weak correlation between equity returns and consumption growth. It also explains the pro-cyclical variation of price-dividend ratios, the predictability of excess returns, among others. Investors fear stocks because they do poorly in “bad times,” or states of low confidence.
Regional Variations in New Firm Formation in France

GUESNIER B. (1994) Regional variations in new firm formation in France, Reg. Studies 28, 347–358. Until the late 1970s, all the major groups in France—analysts, those responsible for policy and those participating in the economy—agreed that the Fordist productive model was optional for France. This model assumes that large vertically integrated firms will form the core of the national economy and that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will have a secondary role. There have been drastic changes in economic organizations in France, with increases in the birth and death of firms, changes in the population of firms, a reduction in the average size of French firms, a shift in sectoral emphasis away from manufacturing and a shift in the spatial distribution, with more firms and jobs in Ile-de-France and the southern regions. Since 1980, SMEs have been the major source of economic growth across all of France. Careful attention to regional characteristics associated with subsequent firm births indicates that re.