Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Handling of information in forming expectations

This dissertation addresses two different kinds of agents, professional forecasters and manufacturing firms, and their means of dealing with information in forming expectations. The first two parts evaluate the macroeconomic forecasting performance of component-wise boosting, a variable selection device to deal with high-dimensional data. We find that boosting not only outperforms the autoregressive benchmark in most cases, but that it is also a serious competitor to other state-of-the-art methods such as forecast averaging and factor models. However, the forecasting accuracy of boosting depends on the method to determine its key regularisation parameter, the number of iterations, with resampling methods dominating information criteria. The third part discusses the role of news media in the expectation formation process of firms. We investigate empirically on a micro level whether the intensity of news coverage and its evaluative tone have an effect on the expectation updating of enterprises that exceeds the impact of actual economic developments. Our findings suggest that a firm’s propensity to update business expectations increases when media coverage becomes more intense. This volume effect is the stronger the more unusual the economic situation is, and becomes especially relevant in economic downturns. The overall tone of news reporting, however, does not play a role for a firm’s decision whether or not to update its business expectations. The final part of the dissertation analyses empirically on the macro level whether mass media as an important transmitter of aggregate news affect comovement of sectoral business expectations as well as of sectoral production. We do not find evidence for the hypothesis that the more intense media coverage of economy-wide news is, the more do business expectations or production comove across sectors because the latter share a greater common basis of information. However, our results suggest that sectoral business expectations become more synchronised in reaction to a negative news tone shock, which is also reflected in a delayed increase of sectoral output comovement.
Imports and the Supply of Winter Tomatoes: An Application of Rational Expectations

A model of the Florida tomato industry is formulated under the hypothesis that growers make production decisions as rational economic agents. This assumption implies that anticipated Mexican tomato imports as well as other economic variables are taken into account when the planting decision is made. Maximum likelihood estimation methods are used to solve the simultaneous equations model, and the implications of the model's reduced form are analyzed. The empirical findings are consistent with the rational expectations hypothesis that producers respond to market information in its entirety when making acreage decisions.
Product and process innovation in process industry: a new perspective on development

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to open up the research and development (R&D) organisation by separating product and process innovation and exploring these activities in terms of the structural variable of centralisation versus decentralisation.Design/methodology/approach – Case studies of three multinational firms, representing food and beverage, mining and minerals, and pulp and paper industry.Findings – Dual structures may exist within the R&D organisation, one for product innovation and one for process innovation. Consequently, it is suggested that the conventional notion of R&D organisational design, equating R&D more or less with product innovation, does not present a complete picture for many firms.Research limitations/implications – Opening up the R&D organisation will help further the understanding link between the organisational structuring of product and process innovation, and the efforts of organisations to develop resources and competitive advantages.Practical implications – The findi.
Risk factors for repetition of a deliberate self-harm episode within seven days in adolescents and young adults: A population-level record linkage study in Western Australia

Objective: The risk of repetition of deliberate self-harm peaks in the first 7 days after a deliberate self-harm episode. However, thus far no studies have examined the risk factors for repeating deliberate self-harm during this short-term period. We aimed to investigate the effects of socio-demographic factors, self-harm method and mental health factors in adolescents (10–19 years old) and young adults (20–29 years old). Methods: We used data linkage of population-wide administrative records from hospital inpatients and emergency departments to identify all the deliberate self-harm–related episodes that occurred in adolescents and young adults in Western Australia from 2000 to 2011. Logistic regression with generalised estimating equations was used for the analyses. Results: The incidence of repeating deliberate self-harm within the first 7 days after an index episode was 6% (403/6,768) in adolescents and 8% (842/10,198) in young adults. Socio-demographic risk factors included female gender and socioeconomic disadvantage. Compared with non-poisoning, self-poisoning predicted increased risk of having a repeated deliberate self-harm episode in males, but not in females. Borderline personality, impulse-control and substance use disorders diagnosed within one week before and one week after an index deliberate self-harm episode conferred the highest risk, followed by depressive and anxiety disorders. Having a preceding deliberate self-harm episode up to 7 days before an index episode was a strong predictor for the future repetition of a deliberate self-harm episode. Conclusion: Having a repeated deliberate self-harm episode within the first 7 days was related to a wide range of factors present at an index deliberate self-harm episode including socio-demographic characteristics, deliberate self-harm method and co-existing psychiatric conditions. These factors can inform risk assessments tailored to adolescents and young adults respectively to reduce the repetition of deliberate self-harm within a short but critical period, potentially contributing to reduce the repetition of deliberate self-harm in the long term.
A comparison of the performance of the FTSE South Africa Islamic Index to the conventional market (JSE) in South Africa

Over the past four decades there has been a growing interest in the emerging field of Islamic finance and investment (IFI) in South Africa and more generally in other parts of the Western world. One of the distinguishing features of IFI is that investment in any form of business enterprise has to meet certain criteria that fulfil the requirements of Islamic Law (Shariah). In South Africa there has accordingly been a concerted effort to embrace the principles of IFI in the market. The aim of this study is to identify whether there has been any difference in the financial performance of shares on the stock exchange meeting the Islamic investing criteria compared to those that do not, within an emerging market context. The proxy for the Islamic market is the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) South Africa Islamic Index. The returns on this index are compared to three proxies for the conventional market from 1996 to 2007 using single and multiple regression models: (1) the All Share Index on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in a single-factor regression; (2) the Resources Index and Financial-Industrial Index in a two-factor model; (3) and a four-factor model developed by Carhart (1997) that accounts for size, growth and momentum in the market in addition to the All Share Index. Looking at all three measures, no significant differences were identified in the performance of the Islamic index compared to that of the conventional market.
The Politics of Postindustrial Social Policy

Recent welfare reforms across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have sought to make social policies more “employment friendly. ” Although “old” social policies of the Golden Age (namely, unemployment protection and old-age security, which were typically geared toward the male breadwinner model) were subject to comprehensive retrenchment, “new” social policies, especially family policies facilitating work–family reconciliation and female employment participation, experienced substantial expansion. Following the Swedish “pioneer,” strong male breadwinner countries have expanded employment-oriented family policies since the late 1990s. Against the case of early family policy expansion in Sweden (typically associated with social democracy and an organized women’s movement), they examine whether the drivers of employment-oriented family policy have changed since the end of the Golden Age. The authors highlight party competition as key political driver in policy expansion in “latecomer” countries, whereas postindustrialization (in particular the rise of the new social risk of work–family conflicts, as well as wider changes in the skills profile and needs of postindustrial economies) provides the functional underpinnings for these policies.
Axial-Flux Wound-Excitation Eddy-Current Brakes: Analytical Study and Parametric Modeling

Analytical approaches could be very useful in the design and analysis of electromagnetic devices. This paper is concerned with the design and analysis of an axial-flux wound-excitation eddy-current brake, for which a subdomain-based analytical approach is developed, whereby performance characteristics and design considerations of the device are evaluated. The practical constraints of the proposed structure are discussed and 3-D finite-element analysis (FEA) is employed in the analyses as well as validation of the implemented model. Moreover, a parametric analysis is performed, which provides valuable information regarding the design of the device. In addition, the extracted closed-form expressions for the brake characteristics can be used in the design of the associated control systems. Finally, a prototype has been manufactured whose results agree well with those discussions issued from FEA as well as the proposed model.
Aestuariivita boseongensis gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat sediment.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and coccoid, ovoid or rod-shaped bacterial strain, BS-B2(T), which was isolated from a tidal flat sediment at Boseong in South Korea, was characterized taxonomically. Strain BS-B2(T) grew optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0-8.0 and in the presence of 2.0 % (w/v) NaCl. The novel strain exhibited highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (97.4 %) to Marivita geojedonensis DPG-138(T). Neighbour-joining, maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain BS-B2(T) is closely related to Primorskyibacter sedentarius KMM 9018(T), showing 96.5 % sequence similarity. Strain BS-B2(T) contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C18 : 1ω7c as the predominant fatty acid. The polar lipid profile of strain BS-B2(T) comprised phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified lipid as major components, and differentiated it from the type strains of P. sedentarius and M. geojedonensis. The DNA G+C content of strain BS-B2(T) was 62.2 mol%. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic data, demonstrated that strain BS-B2(T) can be distinguished from phylogenetically related genera as well as P. sedentarius and M. geojedonensis. On the basis of the data presented, strain BS-B2(T) is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Aestuariivita boseongensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Aestuariivita boseongensis is BS-B2(T) ( = KCTC 42052(T) = CECT 8532(T)).
Attenuation of low dose methylmercury and glutamate induced‐cytotoxicity and tau phosphorylation by an N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate antagonist in human neuroblastoma (SHSY5Y) cells

Methylmercury (MeHg), a known neurotoxin, has been reported to alter glutamate homeostasis in the neuronal environment resulting in excitotoxicity. This study was conducted to investigate whether, and if so, under what conditions, that low dose MeHg would enhance the toxicity of glutamate and to what extent that blockade of NMDA receptors would alter MeHg and glutamate's toxicity in cultured neuroblastoma cells. Neuroblastoma cells (SH‐SY5Y) were used in a cell culture model to study effects of MeHg, glutamate (glu), a calcium chelator (BAPTA‐AM), and a noncompetitive NMDA antagonist, MK‐801 on cell growth, cell survival, and phosphorylation of tau protein, as a measure of cellular events associated with tauopathies. Exposure of cells to a combination of MeHg (50 nM) and glutamate (1 mM) resulted in both a greater decrease in cell viability as well as a greater induction in tau phosphorylation, as compared to exposures with MeHg and glutamate alone. MK‐801, an NMDA receptor antagonist, and the intracellular calcium chelator, BAPTA‐AM, both significantly inhibited tau hyperphosphorylation and protected cells from the effects of combination exposures to glutamate and MeHg. These results may indicate that exposure to even nontoxic levels of MeHg may prime neuronal cells to be more susceptible to neuronal injury from excitotoxicants such as glutamate and thus may increase the likelihood of neurological disease states. In conclusion, low‐dose MeHg‐induced toxicity may be related to an increase in the cellular response to glutamate and that NMDA receptor antagonists may provide a potential treatment for MeHg‐associated neurological diseases. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 28: 700–706, 2013.
Visceral analgesia induced by acute and repeated water avoidance stress in rats: sex difference in opioid involvement

Background Chronic psychological stress‐induced alterations in visceral sensitivity have been predominantly assessed in male rodents. We investigated the effect of acute and repeated water avoidance stress (WAS) on the visceromotor response (VMR) to colorectal distension (CRD) and the role of opioids in male and cycling female Wistar rats using a novel non‐invasive manometric technique.
Social Networking Systems and Campus Life

Social networking sites such as Facebook foster a sense of community in campus life. This technology has the potential to increase social capital and connectivity among students if properly managed. It also may raise the self-esteem and sociability of individual students, which increases the rate of social interaction amongst the entire student body. In order to investigate these beliefs in the context of student life, a multidimensional questionnaire was distributed to both residential and non-residential undergraduate students of a public liberal arts university in the Northeast. The survey instrument is based on a questionnaire used by Ellison, Steinfield and Lampe in a 2007 paper which was adapted however to the needs of this study. The instrument measures several constructs including bridging and bonding social capital, referring to the resources accumulated through the relationships between people. By limiting the administration of the questionnaire to juniors and seniors, we wanted to involve students who have had sufficient experience with campus life. The practical contribution of the research reveals aspects of social networks usage in a particular university environment as that has a value for improvement of the utilization of social networking sites in campus life. The theoretical value of the partial replication of a previous research on a similar topic is in providing validation for its model of variables and in demonstrating how the pace of changes in social networking sites over the last four years affects student perceptions about their impact.
Executive development in China: is there any in a Western sense?

A recurring theme in the literature on Chinese management has been the impact of culture and, in particular, the influence of values derived from Confucianism on Chinese management practices. The reforms that led to foreign direct investment (FDI), the problems of State-owned enterprises (SOEs), the social, political and economic changes and analyses of Chinese managerial styles and performance have been the major concerns. There has been less attention specifically paid to Chinese managers' characteristics and to managerial career patterns, which may be shaped by national culture and values. In contrast, in the West, there is a vast body of literature covering career theories and managerial growth, dealing variously with personal values and other factors, such as family upbringing, education, social background and employment structure, that have major impacts on managers' career pathways. This paper explores how far executive career development in modern China (PRC) corresponds to Western notions, and also tries to determine whether there are specific factors relating to Chinese executives' personal biographies and career paths. A pilot study was carried out to identify the variables that might shed light on career patterns and, if possible, to profile the Chinese manager. A number of emergent themes are described. They derive from the experience of individual interviewees who took part in the pilot research, which was conducted in Beijing and Shanghai and in which forty-nine managers in forty-two companies were interviewed. These pilot interviews revealed a complex interplay of biographical data and career themes. Of clear importance was the guanxi mechanism (direct or indirect personal relationship to solicit favours) which has no exact comparison in the West and which does not figure in Western career theories. A preliminary tentative Chinese executive career model has been developed.
ECONOMIES OF SCALE IN THE CEMENT INDUSTRY

SECTION A A.i: Introduction THE existence, nature and measurement of economies of scale have been the subjects of debate at least since the times of Adam Smith. The existence debate has long been resolved, but there remains an ongoing discussion regarding the nature of economies of scale and how they are best measured. Any empirical or theoretical contribution to this discussion must first pose the question: what is meant by the phrase 'economies of scale'? The important points of definition raised by this question are taken up in the remainder of section A. In the light of this discussion we present in sections B and C a brief outline of the cement production process and estimates of the extent to which economies of scale are available to this process. The estimates relate generally to the period 1970-71. In section D we compare our estimates with those of other researchers.
Time-varying conditional dependence in Chinese stock markets

This article explores the dynamics of the dependence between ‘A’ and ‘B’ share indices on the Shanghai and Shenzhen securities exchanges. While the marginal behaviour of each stock index is modelled by an asymmetric Student-t distribution, the nature of the dependence is captured through a copula representation. Our results confirm the already documented time-varying pattern of the dependence structure. Moreover, we show that regional and world shocks as represented by the Hang Seng Asia and the S&P 500 indices affect the marginal distributions of Chinese ‘A’ and ‘B’ stock indices, but do not influence the dynamics of their dependence.
Dynamic responses to changing demand: a model of the reallocation process in small and large municipalities in Norway

Local government priorities between local services are analysed in a community preference model emphasizing income effects and demographic factors. The model is built into a partia adjustment framework with endogenous speed of adjustment to study the dynamic responses of local governments to shifting demand. The empirical analysis of the reallocation process separates between small and large municipalities in terms of population size. Serious sluggishness of the adjustment is documented, with large municipalities experiencing stronger inertia than the small. The small authorities have been able to respond more effectively to the restructuring pressure from demographic shift.
Predicting the Adsorption Capacity and Isotherm Curvature of Organic Compounds onto Activated Carbons In Natural Waters

A simple approach to predict the adsorption capacity and isotherm curvature of organic compounds onto activated carbon in natural water was investigated. A combination of the well-known equivalent background compound (EBC), and the simplified competitive adsorption model (SCAM) was employed to delineate the equilibrium capacity. This SCAM-EBC approach may reduce the numerical and experimental effort to obtain the parameters required to predict the adsorption capacity for a specific adsorption system. Several sets of experimental data, including weakly adsorbing (MTBE), strongly adsorbing compounds (TCP, atrazine, and chloroform), and two taste and odor causing compounds (MIB and geosmin) onto different activated carbons in three natural waters and a synthetic groundwater, were tested to verify the SCAM-EBC approach. Based on the approach, a parameter, called relative adsorptivity, describing the adsorption preference of the adsorbent between EBC and the target compound was employed to simulate the isotherm curvature in natural water. The relative adsorptivity of the SCAM-EBC approach is constant and can be directly obtained from the SCAM-EBC parameters in a specific adsorption system. The potential and extent of isotherm curvature can be simulated by only changing the parameter of relative adsorptivity. The marked isotherm curvature was found while the relative adsorptivity is larger than 2.0 to 4.0 for all the systems tested.
On Labour Market Dualism in the Lewis Model: A Comment

In a special issue of this journal commemorating the 50th anniversary of W. Arthur Lewis's (The Manchester School, Vol. 28 (1954), No. 2, pp. 139-191) seminal paper, the Lewis model is treated as a model of labour market dualism (Fields, The Manchester School, Vol. 72 (2004), No. 6, pp. 724-735). This interpretation is flawed for a number of reasons. First, it overemphasizes the role ascribed by Lewis to intersectoral earnings differentials in his original model. Second, it fails to acknowledge that a major shortcoming of the model was its inability to account for the widening intersectoral earnings differential observed across a wide range of developing economies. For Lewis himself this was one of the 'major theoretical puzzles of the period' (1979, p. 150). Third, it ignores Lewis's subsequent revision of the model (Lewis, The Manchester School, Vol. 47 (1979), No. 3, pp. 211-229) that, ironically, incorporates a dual labour market to resolve this puzzle. However, for Lewis the critical issue was dualism within the modern sector, not, as Fields understands it, labour market dualism between the modern and traditional sectors. Fields's appreciation of the contribution of the Lewis model to understanding the process of wage determination in developing economies is therefore misplaced. Copyright © 2006 The Author; Journal compilation © Blackwell Publishing Ltd and The University of Manchester 2006.