Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Technology News and the US Economy: Time Variation and Structural Changes

type="main" xml:id="sjpe12073-abs-0001"> This article examines the time-varying impact of technology news shocks on the US economy during the Post-World War II period using a time-varying parameter vector autoregression. The identification restrictions on the sign of the contemporaneous responses of observable variables are derived from a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model and robust to parameter uncertainty. I find that the variance of news shocks has decreased over time, contributing to the Great Moderation in real activity and inflation. The importance of news shocks is, however, modest compared to technology surprise and non-technology shocks. Finally, I obtain evidence in favor of a substantial decline in wage rigidity, while the transmission to other variables has been stable.
Effects of sowing date, plant density and nitrogen fertilizer on yield, yield components and various traits of Calendula officinalis.

In order to investigate the effect of different levels of sowing dates, plant density and nitrogen fertilizer on different growth and productive variables of Calendula officinalis, an experiment was conducted using split plot factorial on the basis of randomized complete block design with three replications in Zaheden region during 2008-2009. Main plots were consisted of sowing date in 3 levels, 1 ,15 and 30 of April and sub th th th branches length, length and width of leaves, peduncle length, auxiliary stem diameter, main stem diameter, flower diameter, wet flower weight, dry flower weight, number of flower, number of petal, Leaflet length, leaf number, plant weight, stem and root weight and amount of essence. The result of main effects of compound variance analysis including of year, sowing date, plant density and nitrogen fertilizer showed that sowing date on April 1 , (12 ×50) plant density and 50 kg ha of nitrogen fertilizer, had the most effect in increasing the st 1 traits. Also, interaction effects of date × year, date × density, date × N fertilizer, date × density × fertilizer, date × density × N fertilizer × year, year × density, year × N fertilizer, density × N fertilizer × year, density × N fertilizer were significant at 5% probability level in all traits. In general, the result of study demonstrated that using of suitable sowing date together with density and amount of nitrogen fertilizer increase yield, yield components and essence of calendula.
Growth Rate Estimation in the presence of Unit Roots

This study addresses the issue of the presence of a unit root on the growth rate estimation by the least-squares approach. We argue that when the log of a variable contains a unit root, i.e., it is not stationary then the growth rate estimate from the log-linear trend model is not a valid representation of the actual growth of the series. In fact, under such a situation, we show that the growth of the series is the cumulative impact of a stochastic process. As such the growth estimate from such a model is just a spurious representation of the actual growth of the series, which we refer to as a “pseudo growth rate”. Hence such an estimate should be interpreted with caution. On the other hand, we highlight that the statistical representation of a series as containing a unit root is not easy to separate from an alternative description which represents the series as fundamentally deterministic (no unit root) but containing a structural break. In search of a way around this, our study presents a survey of both the theoretical and empirical literature on unit root tests that takes into account possible structural breaks. We show that when a series is trendstationary with breaks, it is possible to use the log-linear trend model to obtain well defined estimates of growth rates for sub-periods which are valid representations of the actual growth of the series. Finally, to highlight the above issues, we carry out an empirical application whereby we estimate meaningful growth rates of real wages per worker for 51 industries from the organised manufacturing sector in India for the period 1973-2003, which are not only unbiased but also asymptotically efficient. We use these growth rate estimates to highlight the evolving inter-industry wage structure in India.
The long-run relationship between outward FDI and total factor productivity: Evidence for developing countries

This paper examines the long-run relationship between outward foreign direct investment (FDI) and total factor productivity for a sample of 33 developing countries over the period 1980-2005. Using panel cointegration techniques, we find that: (i) outward FDI has, on average, a positive long-run effect on total factor productivity in developing countries, (ii) increased factor productivity is both consequence and a cause of increased outward FDI, and (iii) there are large differences in the long-run effects of outward FDI on total factor productivity across countries. Cross-sectional regressions indicate that these cross-country differences in the productivity effects of outward FDI are significantly negatively related to cross-country differences in labor market regulation, whereas there is no statistically significant association between the productivity effects of outward FDI and the level of human capital, the level of financial development, or the degree of trade openness in the home country.
Effect of sulfur and iron fertilizers on yield, yield components and nutrient uptake in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under water stress

To evaluate the effects of sulfur and iron fertilizers on yield, yield components and nutrient uptake in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under water stress, a field experiment was conducted as split factorial design with three replication at Dezful, Khuzestan, Iran. Two irrigation regimes were used (well-watered and water-limited) as the main plots and subplot consisted of three levels of sulfur (B 1 = 0, B 2 = 100 and B 3 = 200 kg.ha -1 ) and three foliar application of iron (C 1 = 0, C 2 = 3 and C 3 = 6*1000 concentrations). The results showed that water stress significantly reduced biological yield (10.26%) and number of capsule per plant. Interaction between water stress and combination of iron and sulfur fertilizers had significant effect on grain yield. The highest grain yield was obtained by well water treatment and b 2 c 2 fertilizers treatment. Interaction between water stress and combination of iron and sulfur fertilizers had significant effect on nitrogen and iron content in the seeds. The highest iron content of seeds was obtained at water stress treatment and b 1 c 2 , and highest nitrogen content was at b 1 c 2 and b 1 c 3 fertilizers treatments. Key words: Sesame, water stress, sulfur, iron, yield, nutrients content.
Antioxidant and antibacterial activity of leaves and stem extracts of Bridelia cathartica Bertol

The Bridelia cathartica Bertol (Euphorbiaceae) species is used in Mozambican folk medicine for the treatment of various ailments including infectious and inflammatory diseases, but scientific investigations aiming to determine its therapeutic potential are scarce. In the present study, the total phenolics, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the crude hydroethanolic extracts and ethyl acetate fractions of the leaves and stem of B. cathartica were determined using standard procedures. The phenolics found did not show significant variations in the different analyzed samples (p < 0.05) and showed maximum values of 435.090 ± 15.507 and 436.970 ± 15.310 milligrams of gallic acid equivalents (mgGAE) per gram of the dry extract for the samples of stem and leaves respectively. The highest antioxidant activity was exhibited by the leaves sample in the DPPH method (EC50 = 3.63 ± 0.12 μg/mL) and phosphomolybdenum complex method (57.88 ± 0.57%). Most of the extracts and fractions from leaves and stem exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity with predominance of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values between 250 500 μg/mL. The results found in this study reveal high levels of phenolic compounds as well as a potent antioxidant effect and considerable antibacterial activity, which may justify the use of this plant in traditional medicine for the treatment of various infectious and inflammatory diseases.
Muonic Anti‐Hydrogen—Formation and Test of CPT Theorem

With a completion of high intensity hadron accelerator in the near future, there will be a realization of high intensity as well as high quality beam of secondary particles like positive muons, anti‐protons, etc. Here, it is suggested that a formation of Muonic Anti‐Hydrogen is not unrealistic at all. Once it is formed, a new type of testing of CPT theorem will be realized by comparing with Muonic Hydrogen; much powerful testing for a short‐range CPT violating interaction in contrast to the case of usual Hydrogen versus Anti‐Hydrogen comparison.
MetaGAN: An Adversarial Approach to Few-Shot Learning

In this paper, we propose a conceptually simple and general framework called MetaGAN for few-shot learning problems. Most state-of-the-art few-shot classification models can be integrated with MetaGAN in a principled and straightforward way. By introducing an adversarial generator conditioned on tasks, we augment vanilla few-shot classification models with the ability to discriminate between real and fake data. We argue that this GAN-based approach can help few-shot classifiers to learn sharper decision boundary, which could generalize better. We show that with our MetaGAN framework, we can extend supervised few-shot learning models to naturally cope with unlabeled data. Different from previous work in semi-supervised few-shot learning, our algorithms can deal with semi-supervision at both sample-level and task-level. We give theoretical justifications of the strength of MetaGAN, and validate the effectiveness of MetaGAN on challenging few-shot image classification benchmarks.
Do Firms Target Credit Ratings or Leverage Levels?

Firms reduce leverage following credit rating downgrades. In the year following a downgrade, downgraded firms issue approximately 1.5%â€“2.0% less net debt relative to net equity as a percentage of assets compared to other firms. This relationship persists within an empirical model of target leverage behavior. The effect of a downgrade is larger at downgrades to a speculative grade rating and if commercial paper access is affected. In particular, firms downgraded to speculative are about twice as likely to reduce debt as other firms. Rating upgrades do not affect subsequent capital structure activity, suggesting that firms target minimum rating levels.
Performance and Persistence Tests of Islamic Market Indices

In a depressed global Economy and characterized by a severe crisis in the global financial system, Islamic Finance was distinguished by its resilience to the crisis. The performance of Islamic Finance tools, such as stock indices, has been the subject of several academic researches. However, the results have been conducted so far are divergent on the outperformance or underperformance of this category of indices, hence the importance of this first analysis in this area. The article presents the analytical approach leading to different performance tests before presenting the Islamic market indices that constitute our scope. Our first results help us to demonstrate that Islamic indices are not less efficient than conventional indices.
Interorganizational management in the service sector: A case study of how freight organizations manage interorganizational relationships

This study seeks to investigate how the service sector functions in the context of interorganizational management. Researchers in the field of interorganizational management and supply management argue that there is a gap in the literature concerning how organizations manage services regarding methods and techniques in an interorganizational setting. There have also been shown that the service industry lacks in many regards concerning performance relative to the manufacturing sector due to the absence of established best practice methods and techniques. Hence, it is argued there is a need to fill this gap. In the manufacturing sector, there have been a considerable amount of research concerning interorganizational cost management (IOCM) techniques, which have shown to be efficient to reduce costs and improve quality. It has also been suggested that interorganizational cost management techniques are heavily dictated by three characteristics – relationship, component, and transactional characteristics. Though there is no evidence of this in the service sector and it is unknown whether these techniques even are suitable in the service sector and what dictates the usage of them. Furthermore, a suitable arena to study IOCM in the service sector is the freight industry. In this particular industry, third party logistics providers (3PL) are recognized to procure external services to carry out freights. Thus, the study aims to answer in what way does the IOCM characteristics dictate the way how 3PL organizations manage their outsourced services and what role has IOCM in these relationships? To answer the research question, three 3PL organizations have been investigated by interviews and analysed through the notions of IOCM characteristics and transactional cost economics. Ultimately the findings suggest that the characteristic that dictates whether IOCM can be utilized in the manufacturing sector is usually recognized to carry the same effect in the service sector. However, there are exceptions. Interestingly we found that non-complex services sometimes are carried out as if they were complex. This is sometimes the case when an outsourcer manages a service for an important customer. Hence, the use of IOCM can be more flexible in the service sector, and one should consider that these types of services are managed in a triadic setting (i.e. where one also has to put emphasis on the outsourcers customers).
Perspectives on transfer of learning by nursing students in primary healthcare facilities

Supportive work environments promote professional socialisation and integration of theory in practice. Qualitative data generated through four nominal groups were deductively analysed using the components of the systemic model of training transfer. This article reports on the perspectives of nurse clinicians, clinical facilitators, and students from the training institution regarding aspects of student characteristics, educational design, transfer climate and work environment that influence nursing students’ transfer of learning in primary healthcare (PHC) facilities. A perception exists that students lack the desire to use knowledge and skills mastered in the training programme in clinical practice. Although the educational design strives to promote transfer of classroom learning, students may not be motivated to transfer classroom learning. The learning climate hampers transfer of learning because the students’ perceptions are that they are unwelcome, not taken into consideration and not respected. The lack of essential equipment demotivates students. This study confirms the interrelatedness of the systemic transfer of training model and emphasises the importance of considering all elements that influence learning transfer when planning clinical placements of students.
Magnetic particle induction and its importance in biofilm research

Since the mid-twentieth century scientists have been aware that aquatic bacteria are more abundant as biofilms on solid surfaces than as suspended free cells (ZoBell, 1943). The last few decades have seen significant advancement in our understanding of the development of biofilms and the processes occurring within these colonies of adhered microorganisms (Coenye & Nelis, 2010; Hall-Stoodley et al., 2004). Two features in particular distinguish microorganisms in biofilms from their free-living counterparts. The first is their ability to produce a coherent extracellular polymeric matrix (containing polysaccharides, proteins and DNA) which results in firmer attachment to the surface (Costerton et al., 1987; Donlan & Costerton, 2002). The other is the coordinated behaviour of the cells embedded in this matrix due to communication by a process known as quorum sensing. Quorum sensing is the secretion and detection of inducer molecules that accumulate as a function of cell density. At a threshold population density the accumulated autoinducers bind to cellular receptors activating transcription of certain genes (Costerton & Lapin-Scott, 1995; Hall-Stoodley et al., 2004; Nadell et al., 2008; Sauer, 2003). While the existence of a biofilm is beneficial in many settings, for example in waste water treatment plants where they play an essential role in flocculation and nutrient removal (Nicolella et al., 2000; Wagner & Loy, 2002), their presence can also be extremely harmful or costly. Biofilms are implicated in numerous diseases, including cystic fibrosis and tuberculosis (Lam et al., 1980; Singh et al., 2000); they also contaminate food, its packaging and the water distribution network thereby posing a serious threat to human health (Flemming, 2002; Kumar & Anand, 1998; LeChavalier et al., 1987). Microorganism colonization and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) secretion on man-made structures such as heat exchangers and the hulls of ships can result in decreased performance and increased operating costs (Meesters et al., 2003; Schultz et al., 2011). As such, biofilms have become a priority subject in many research areas in recent years. Publications in the fields of biomedicine (Guo et al., 2008; Morton et al., 1998), waste water treatment (Liu & Fang, 2003; Pollard, 2010), ecology (Lubarsky et al., 2010; Yallop et al., 2000), food science (Carpentier &
Structural Water in Volcanic Glass

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy has revealed spherical and hemispherical structures on the surface of partly hydrated volcanic and synthetic glasses. These structures contrast with the bulk of the glass in showing lattice-fringe images indicative of the early stages of crystallization. Heavy-ion Rutherford scattering analysis of the noncrystalline volcanic glass indicates a structural water with hydrogen and deuterium. Depth profiles show that the glass grains contain structural water without adsorbed water on the surface. The presence of structural water in volcanic glass must be of interest to the formation of primitive clays. The spherical and hemispherical structures favor production of clay precursors in the presence of water.
The Genetic Causes of Male Infertility in Iranian Population; A systematic Review

Introduction: Infertility affects an estimated 15% of couples globally and in Iran, a quarter of couples experiences primary infertility. Males are found to be individually responsible for 20-30% of infertility cases and contribute to 50% of cases totally. When assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are used to acquire pregnancy, a sufficient (epi) genetic diagnosis of male infertility (MI) is of main matter to consider if a genetic abnormality will be transmit-ted to offspring. Infertility centers together with Infertility research centers had been founded since 1994 in Iran and many articles from research projects have been published.Materials and Methods: This literature investigated the possible genetic causes mechanisms underlying Iranian male infertility by extensive article searches. First, we reviewed available data from the Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, IranMedex, MEDLIB, IranDoc and Scientific Information Database were searched for articles published until 2018, using the MeSH terms for a variety of chromosome abnormalities, Y-chromosome microdeletions, gene mutations, expression and polymorphisms, Male infertility and/or Iranian, regional and international population, to provides the evidence- based and a comprehensive, up-to- date evaluation of the multifactorial factors involved in Iranian infertile men. Results: According to the strategy adopted initially, 274 manuscripts were found. After reviewing the titles, abstracts and manuscripts entirely cited, the total of 139 articles were obtained and selected according to the eligibility criteria. The 139 studies were divided into four predetermined categories that mentioned above. Studies have good methodological validity. The sample is quite heterogeneous, given the very different design of the studies.Conclusion: MI is a complex, multi-factorial disease and the underlying reasons frequently remain unknown. It seems that the first line of genetic diagnosis in Iranian male infertility is similar to Global One. In all investigations conducted in Iran, there are vacancies in studies such as epigenetic modification studies, RNA (lncRNA, miRNA and piRNA) abnormalities, mutation detection and polymorphism studies in other genes involved in the spermatogenesis process. At present, we have a little information for some polymorphisms (MTHFR, GST, ER, and DAZL) and mutations (mtDNA, CATSPER) which require more extensive studies. Such articles help to find a better insight into the causes of infertility in the Iranian men's community and will provide valuable visions into the development of targeted personalized treatments for patients and the ascertainment of the reasons of idiopathic infertility.
Equivalence of quantum field theories related by the θ -exact Seiberg-Witten map

The equivalence of the noncommutative U(N) quantum field theories related by the θ-exact Seiberg-Witten maps is, in this paper, proven to all orders in the perturbation theory with respect to the coupling constant. We show that this holds for super Yang-Mills theories with N=0, 1, 2, 4 supersymmetry. A direct check of this equivalence relation is performed by computing the one-loop quantum corrections to the quadratic part of the effective action in the noncommutative U(1) gauge theory with N=0, 1, 2, 4 supersymmetry.
Integral formulas and hyperspheres in a simply connected space form

Let Mn denote a connected compact hypersurface without boundary contained in Euclidean or hyperbolic n + I space or in an open hemisphere of S'+ . We show that if two consecutive mean curvatures of M are constant then M is in fact a geodesic sphere. The proof uses the generalized Minkowski integral formulas for a hypersurface of a complete simply connected space form. These Minkowski formulas are derived from an integral formula for submanifolds in which the ambient Riemannian manifold M possesses a generalized position vector field; that is a vector field Y whose covariant derivative is at each point a multiple of the identity. In addition we prove that if M is complete and connected with the covariant derivative of Y exactly the identity at each point then M is isometric to Euclidean space. Let (M, g) denote a connected compact oriented n dimensional Riemannian manifold without boundary with h: M M an isometric immersion of M into an oriented n + p dimensional Riemannian manifold (M, -). If p = 1 we let ak denote the kth mean curvature of M. That is ak is equal to the kth elementary symmetric function of the principal curvatures of M divided by (n). THEOREM 1. Suppose p= 1 and assume ak' Ik+ 1 are constant for some k= 1,2,. ,n -1. (a) If M =Rn+ l with the standard metric then h embeds M as an n-sphere in R+ . (b) If M = H n+ (hyperbolic n + 1 space) then h embeds M as a geodesic n-sphere in Hn+l. (c) If M Sn+1 with the standard metric and h(M) is contained in an open hemisphere then h embeds M as an n-sphere in Sn + . The additional hypothesis of (c) cannot be omitted since there exist nonspherical compact minimal (a1 = 0) hypersurfaces of Sn`1 with constant scalar curvature (which implies a2 is constant). Part (a) of Theorem 1 was proved by Robert Gardner [2] using the generalized Minkowski integral formulas of Hsiung [4]. Gardner's argument may be applied to prove (b) and (c) once we have the Minkowski formulas for hypersurfaces of Hn+ I and Sn+1 respectively. To describe these integral formulas we need the notion of a Received by the editors June 28, 1982. 1980 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 53C21, 53C25, 53C40; Secondary 53C42.