Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating Monetary Policy Rules When Nominal Interest Rates Are Stuck at Zero

Did the Federal Reserve's response to economic fundamentals change with the onset of the Global Financial Crisis? Estimation of a monetary policy rule to answer this question faces a censoring problem since the interest rate target has been set at the zero lower bound since late 2008. Surveys by forecasters allow us to sidestep the problem and to use conventional regressions and break tests. We find that, in the opinion of forecasters, the Fed's inflation response has decreased and the unemployment response has increased, which suggests that the Federal Reserve's commitment to stable inflation has become weaker in the eyes of the professional forecasters.
Inflation Differentials in New EU Member States: Empirical Evidence

In this paper, the authors examine the determinants of inflation differentials in a panel of the new European Union member states vis-a-vis the euro area in 1997–2007. Their main results are as follows. Exchange rate appreciation and a higher price level in the new EU members is associated with a narrower inflation differential vis-a-vis the euro area, while a fiscal deficit and a positive output gap seem to contribute to a higher inflation differential. Nevertheless, the effect of price convergence on inflation differentials is found to be dominant in these countries, suggesting that a country with a price level 20 % below the euro area average is likely to exhibit inflation nearly one percentage point above that in the euro area. Overall, the authors´ results indicate that real convergence factors rather than cyclical variation are more important for inflation developments in the new EU members as compared to the euro area.
Electrodynamical Coupling of Earth's Atmosphere and Ionosphere: An Overview

Electrical processes occurring in the atmosphere couple the atmosphere and ionosphere, because both DC and AC effects operate at the speed of light. The electrostatic and electromagnetic field changes in global electric circuit arise from thunderstorm, lightning discharges, and optical emissions in the mesosphere. The precipitation of magnetospheric electrons affects higher latitudes. The radioactive elements emitted during the earthquakes affect electron density and conductivity in the lower atmosphere. In the present paper, we have briefly reviewed our present understanding of how these events play a key role in energy transfer from the lower atmosphere to the ionosphere, which ultimately results in the Earth's atmosphere-ionosphere coupling.
Spiritual leadership values and organisational behaviour inMalaysian private institutions of higher education

Malaysia wants to be a part of the bandwagon in the industry of higher education, thus, the number of private higher education institutions has grown drastically in the recent years. Moreover, the assimilation of cultures and values among the races in Malaysia has contributed distinctive organisational cultures that affect leadership values and organisational behaviour specifically in the private institutions of higher education sector. The purpose of this study is to identify spiritual leadership values embraced by the leaders in private institutions of higher education, as well as the relationship between spiritual leadership values and organisational behaviour (job satisfaction, organizational commitment and intention to quit). In total, 302 academics and administrative staff from 7 private institutions of higher education in Malaysia participated in the study. Questionnaire and non-probability sampling were used in the data collection for this study. The findings show that love, hope, and peace are associated with membership and meaning, meanwhile membership and meaning are associated with organisational behaviour. Hence, this study has contributed in leadership training that will affect the turnover rate and ultimately result a cost effective managerial policing in the Malaysian private institutions of higher education.
Serum Uric Acid Levels and Its Association with Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background: Although the issue of hyperuricemia as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been disputed, several studies have shown an association between hyperuricemia and several CVD risk factors. The aim of this study was to assess distribution of uric acid level in Yazd City, center of Iran, and its association with CVD risk factors. Methods: From autumn 2004 to summer 2005, 2000 urban population of Yazd City, aging 20-74 years via clustering random sampling were enrolled in this cross sectional study. Results: Serum uric acid level, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and waist/hip ratio were significantly higher in men than in women (P< 0.001),moreover, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and body mass index (BMI) were significantly higher in women (P< 0.001). The prevalence of hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome in men and women was (17.9%, 11.25% P= 0.001) and (11.87%, 19.32% P= 0.01), respectively. Hyperuricemia was more prevalent in metabolic syndrome and ischemic heart disease independent of age and sex. Conclusion: Significant correlations were found between serum uric acid and several components of the metabolic syndrome. Weight, waist circumstance, triglyceride level and DBP, were the major determinants of the variations in serum uric acid levels . This could be attributed to the insulin resistance status .
HYSTERESIS OF THE SOIL-WATER CHARACTERISTIC CURVE IN THE HIGH SUCTION RANGE

An experimental research program has been carried out on Clay and Clayey Silt to investigate hysteresis of the SWCC in the high suction range. Total soil suction values were measured using a dew-point “Water PotentiaMeter”, WP4-T, and the results were compared with those obtained through equilibration of a small soil sample placed over saturated salt solutions. Measurements on the drying and wetting soil-water characteristic curves indicated some hysteretic effects for the Clay soil; while the observed hysteresis for the Clayey Silt was almost imperceptible. Higher suction values were measured when using the WP4-T apparatus for soil suctions less than 50,000kPa. Further measurements of equilibrium soil suctions using a Traceable Hygrometer showed that the higher suction values obtained from the WP4-T may be related to a slightly reduced relative humidity inside some of the chambers. RESUME Un programme de recherche experimental a ete effectue sur l'argile et la vase argileuse pour etudier l'hysteresis du SWCC dans les gammes elevees d'aspiration. Des valeurs totales d'aspiration de sol ont ete mesurees en utilisant un potentiometre a eau avec point de condensation, WP4-T, et les resultats ont ete compares a ceux obtenus par l'equilibration d’un petit echantillon de sol place au dessus de solutions de sels saturees. Les mesures sur les courbes caracteristiques sol-eau durant les cycles de sechage/mouillage ont indique quelques effets d’hysteresis pour le sol d'argile; tandis que l'hysteresis observee pour la vase argileuse etait presque imperceptible. Des valeurs plus elevees d'aspiration ont ete mesurees a l'aide de l'appareillage WP4-T pour des aspirations de sol moins que 50,000 kPa. D'autres mesures des aspirations de sol d'equilibre a l'aide d'un hygrometre decelable ont montre que les valeurs d'aspiration plus elevees obtenues a partir du WP4-T peuvent etre liees a une humidite relative legerement reduite a l’interieur de certaines cuves.
Semantic priming of familiar songs

We explored the functional organization of semantic memory for music by comparing priming across familiar songs both within modalities (Experiment 1, tune to tune; Experiment 3, category label to lyrics) and across modalities (Experiment 2, category label to tune; Experiment 4, tune to lyrics). Participants judged whether or not the target tune or lyrics were real (akin to lexical decision tasks). We found significant priming, analogous to linguistic associativepriming effects, in reaction times for related primes as compared to unrelated primes, but primarily for within-modality comparisons. Reaction times to tunes (e.g., “Silent Night”) were faster following related tunes (“Deck the Hall”) than following unrelated tunes (“God Bless America”). However, a category label (e.g., Christmas) did not prime tunes from within that category. Lyrics were primed by a related category label, but not by a related tune. These results support the conceptual organization of music in semantic memory, but with potentially weaker associations across modalities.
ICT Integration in Preschool Classes: Examples of Practices in Greece

This paper presents findings from a research project regarding Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integration and use in 17 kindergartens in Greece. The main parameters of the study were the natural classroom environment (without artificial intervention) and the voluntary participation of early childhood teachers. The data were collected by interviews with the teachers and class observations. The most frequently reported reasons for computer use were the acquisition/ development of language and fine motor skills, as well as its contribution as an incentive in children’s learning. Examples of practices in relation to these reasons are presented. The computer was mainly used during the hour of free activities. The role of early childhood teachers, in the whole process of ICT integration, is also discussed.
TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING THE FACTORS THAT AFFECTING THE ONLINE BIDDING IMPLEMENTATION: BASED ON GROUNDED THEORY METHOD

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the influential factors toward online bidding implementation in governmental bidding departments in Jordan. This paper has used the grounded theory method (GTM) to generate a theory of online bidding implementation in the context. The main tool of data collection was open ended and in-depth interviews. The theory that it is presented in this research is divided into one core category, which is online bidding implementation, and six sub-categories, which are (electronic trust, financial resources, information technology infrastructure, perceived risk, importance of the product, laws issues) and six hypotheses have been formed. According to the data which were collected and analyzed, many departments just start now to recognize the benefits of online bidding implementation. The respondents complain from the lake of electronic trust in terms of efficiency, privacy, security, and e-service quality. Moreover the results indicated that the utilization of online bidding will help to share the information, in real time, it is considered as the way of task efficiency,by reduce the cost. Finally, it was found that Perceived risk has a direct impact on decision maker’s attention to apply the online bidding system, and they are connecting the utilization with the importance of products.
Ranking of VaR and ES Models: Performance in Developed and Emerging Markets

An inherent problem with comparing and ranking competing Value at Risk (VaR) and Expected shortfall (ES) models is that they measure only a single realization of the underlying data generation process. The question is whether there is any significant statistical difference in the performance of different models. Is it only a matter of chance that in a particular market and in particular time period a certain model performs better than some other? It all comes down to a question whether something that we subjectively perceive as different is actually statistically different. We introduce a new methodology for ranking and comparing the performance of VaR and ES models based on a nonparametric ANOVA test. The relative performance of VaR and ES models is analysed using daily returns for sixteen stock market indices (eight each from developed and emerging markets) prior to and during the global financial crisis. Results show that for a large number of different models there is no statistically significant difference in their performance. The top performers are conditional extreme value GARCH model, models based on volatility updating and nonparametric mirrored historical simulation. ES backtesting results are similar to VaR results with the models being even more closely matched. The same models that were the top performers in VaR comparison also perform significantly better in ES estimation.
Investors’ Power and the Dividend Cost Minimization Model: Which One Better Explains the Dividend Policy in Pakistan?

This paper posits that the relevance and indeed the assumptions of the dividends cost minimization model are restricted to those countries where shareholders rights are well protected. Alternatively, we propose an “investor power” hypothesis, which is closely akin to the La Porta et al. (2000) “outcome hypothesis”. Our hypothesis states that the determining factor of dividends payout in a weak legal system is not the minimization of agency costs, instead it is the presence of certain powerful outside investors who can force firms to pay dividends. Using two variants of the dividends cost minimization model and a modified version of the dividends partial adjustment model on a data set for 183 Pakistani listed firms, our results partially support the investor power hypothesis. Results of the mean-comparison tests as well as the regression models show that dividend-payout ratio decreases with the ownership percentage of individual shareholders and the incumbent managers. Our empirical results indicate that there is only weak evidence that institutional investors can force managers to pay dividends. Among the other variables, dividend payout ratio increases with the size of a firm and ownership percentage of associated companies, and decreases with financial leverage, coefficient of variation of net income, and growth opportunities.
Foreign language learning ability.

This report on 2 studies of factors involved in learning French is based on 23 tests administered to 208 students in college French, and on 22 tests administered to 202 additional students a year later. The factors extracted and rotated in each study included: Verbal, Reasoning, Speed of Articulation, Pitch Discrimination, Timbre Discrimination, Interest, and Biographic. Multiple correlation test selection analyses resulted in (a) R = . 65, using 6 tests to predict Cooperative French Test scores; (b) R = . 41, using 5 tests to predict aural comprehension; and (c) R = . 41, using 5 tests to predict speaking proficiency. Verbal IQ and Interest (motivation) appear to be the most important factors in college foreign language learning; Reasoning, Word Fluency, and Pitch Discrimination also contribute.
Comparing the influence of physical and virtual manipulatives in the context of the Physics by Inquiry curriculum: The case of undergraduate students’ conceptual understanding of heat and temperature

We compare the effect of experimenting with physical or virtual manipulatives on undergraduate students’ conceptual understanding of heat and temperature. A pre–post comparison study design was used to replicate all aspects of a guided inquiry classroom except the mode in which students performed their experiments. This study is the first on physical and virtual manipulative experimentation in physics in which the curriculum, method of instruction, and resource capabilities were explicitly controlled. The participants were 68 undergraduates in an introductory course and were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. Conceptual tests were administered to both groups to assess students’ understanding before, during, and after instruction. The result indicates that both modes of experimentation are equally effective in enhancing students’ conceptual understanding. This result is discussed in the context of an ongoing debate on the relative importance of virtual and real laboratory work in phys.
Report: Country-Specific Case Studies on Partnership Dynamics Among Immigrants and Their Descendants

This study investigates union formation and dissolution among immigrants and their descendants in the UK. Although there is a growing literature on the dynamics of immigrant fertility and mixed marriages, partnership trajectories among immigrants and ethnic minorities are little studied. We use data from the Understanding Society study and apply the techniques of event history analysis. We contrast partnership trajectories of various immigrant groups and compare these with those of the ‘native’ British population. The analysis shows significant differences in partnership formation and dissolution among immigrants and ethnic minorities. Women of Caribbean origin have the highest cohabitation and the lowest marriage rates, whereas cohabitation remains rare among immigrants from South Asia and their descendants, as most of them marry directly. Immigrants from the Caribbean region and their descendants also show higher divorce rates than ‘native’ British women, whereas women of South Asian origin have a low divorce risk.
Regulation as Country‐Specific (Dis‐)Advantage: Smoking Bans and the Location of Foreign Direct Investment in the Tobacco Industry

This paper seeks to examine the relationship between smoking bans and the propensity of tobacco firms to engage in foreign direct investment (FDI). Using international business theory based on the firm-specific advantage/country-specific advantage (FSA/CSA) matrix, the authors show that, contrary to what one may expect, smoking bans at home are an important institutional intervention, reducing the propensity for firms to engage in FDI, even to countries without a ban themselves.
Efficient modal analysis of arbitrarily shaped waveguides composed of linear, circular, and elliptical arcs using the BI-RME method

This paper deals with the accurate and efficient modal analysis of arbitrarily shaped waveguides whose cross section is defined by a combination of straight, circular, and/or elliptical arcs. A novel technique for considering the presence of circular and/or elliptical segments within the frame of the well-known boundary integral-resonant mode expansion (BI-RME) method is proposed. This new extended BI-RME method will allow a more accurate solution of a wider number of hollow conducting waveguides with arbitrary profiles, which are usually present in most modern passive waveguide components. To show the advantages of this new extended technique, the modal chart of canonical (circular and elliptical) waveguides, as well as of irises with great practical interest (i.e., cross-shaped irises with rounded corners) has been first successfully solved. Next, a computer-aided-design software package based on such a novel modal analysis tool has first been validated with the accurate analysis of a referenced complex dual-mode filter, and then applied to the complete design of a novel twist component for K-band application based on circular and elliptical waveguides. A prototype of this novel device has been manufactured and measured for verification purposes.
UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ School of Business and Economics MOTIVATIONAL DRIVERS OF BEHAVIORAL ONLINE BRAND ENGAGEMENT IN CONTENT CONSUMPTION CONTEXT: EXAMINING BRAND COMMITMENT AND TRUST IN ONLINE CONTENT AS MODERATORS

The significance of social media has increased greatly in the past few years, leading companies to increase their social media activity and also increase their interest in knowing whether it is genuinely worth being active on social media, including knowing the potential advantages. This study aims to examine the relationship between social media activity and three variables: reputation, firm size and firm performance. The study analyzes the relationships between the constructs but does not propose or discuss the direction, that is, the causal linkages, between the variables. The type of research conducted for this study is quantitative research; it is based on data that are collected from companies’ social media channels. The selected channels for this research are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. The data on corporate reputation are collected from secondary sources and are based on a survey of Finnish companies’ reputations and responsibilities, implemented by a company called TNS Gallup. The data for firm performance and firm size are collected from companies’ annual reports. The dependencies between different variables are examined by using the correlation analysis in IBM SPSS version 22. The results of this study suggest that there is no relationship between social media activity and corporate reputation. Therefore, it cannot be demonstrated that companies that are active on social media have better or worse reputations than those of companies that are not. However, a partial relationship is found between social media activity and firm performance. This research gives a good argument for the case that merely being active in different social media channels is not sufficient to enhance corporate reputation or financial performance. Even companies that are active on social media do not necessarily inherently experience positive reputations or healthy financial performance.
Cognitive Impairment, Depressive Symptoms and the Efficacy of Physiotherapy in Elderly People Undergoing Rehabilitation in a Nursing Home Facility Zaburzenia poznawcze i objawy depresyjne a skuteczność fizjoterapii osób starszych usprawnianych w warunkach długoterminowej hospitalizacji zakładu opiek

Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess factors affecting the efficacy of three months of physiotherapy carried out in nursing home (NH) conditions. Material and Methods. The study involved 71 patients undergoing rehabilitation in a NH. The mean age was 77.4 (± 7.3) years; 81.7% were women; 25.4% had had orthopedic injuries; 56.3% had had a stroke; and 18.3% were patients with chronic diseases. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to test the patients’ state of cognitive function. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to determine their mood, and the Barthel Index (BI) was used to assess their functional status. The efficacy of physiotherapy (EP) was specified after each month of physiotherapy (EP1, EP2, EP3). Results. Cognitive impairments (MMSE 5) in 65% of the patients. The average BI score upon admission to the facility was 38.6 (± 20.2), and after three months it was 59.2 (± 24.5) (p 10). The strongest rehabilitation progress in the NH was observed among patients undergoing rehabilitation due to orthopedic injuries. The best and the most precise prognostic factor for the outcome of physiotherapy after a three-month NH stay is the effectiveness of physiotherapy after one month of hospitalization. A lack of an improvement in functional status after the first month of rehabilitation could indicate a need for the standard model of rehabilitation to be modified, or for the patient to be transferred to a specialized rehabilitation unit (Adv Clin Exp Med 2010, 19, 6, 755–764).