Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Efficient Minimum Distance Estimator for DSGE Models

Recent studies illustrate that under some conditions dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models can be expressed as structural vector autoregressive models of infinite order. Based on this mapping and the theoretical results about vector autoregressive models of infinite order this paper proposes a minimum distance estimator that: a) matches the k-period responses of the whole vector of the observable variables described by the structural model – caused after a small perturbation to the entire vector of the structural errors – with those observed in the historical data, which have been recovered through the use of a structurally identified vector autoregressive model, and b) minimises the distance between the reduced-form error covariance matrix implied by the structural model and the one estimated in the data. This estimator encompasses those in the literature, is asymptotically consistent, normally distributed and efficient. The J-type overidentifying restrictions statistic that results from this methodology can be used for the evaluation of the structural model. Finally, this study also develops the theory of the bootstrapped version of the estimator and the statistic introduced here. Monte Carlo simulation evidences based on a medium-scale DSGE model reveal very encouraging results for the proposed estimator when it is compared against modern – Bayesian maximum likelihood – and less modern – maximum likelihood and non-efficient IR matching – DSGE estimators.
Impulse control systems for servomechanisms with nonlinear friction

At low velocities, friction is highly non linear and difficult to control. In practical mechanisms, friction may also be position dependent and highly variable. This can lead to tracking errors, limit cycles, and a phenomenon referred to as ‘stick-slip’, when a periodic cycle of alternating motion and rest, limits the mechanism’s velocity and position accuracy. Impulse control is a friction compensator that does not require an accurate friction model. It achieves precise motion of a servomechanism by applying small impacts which overcome static friction with a controlled breakaway. The size of the impact and its duration determine how much the mechanism moves. By controlling the pulse, the positional accuracy of the mechanism can be improved. The work presented in this thesis results in new impulse controllers which: 1) improve the precision of a servomechanism without mechanical modification for the tasks of position pointing and low speed position tracking; 2) eliminate phenomena such as stick-slip, quadrant glitch, and limit cycling; 3) minimise system vibration and low speed position tracking ripple. The new controllers are tested by simulations, and experimentally verified on two different mechanical systems. One of these is a test bed built specifically for friction control experiments, and the other is a SCARA robot manipulator.
Development of running is not related to time since onset of independent walking, a longitudinal case study

Introduction Children start to run after they master walking. How running develops, however, is largely unknown. Methods We assessed the maturity of running pattern in two very young, typically developing children in a longitudinal design spanning about three years. Leg and trunk 3D kinematics and electromyography collected in six recording sessions, with more than a hundred strides each, entered our analysis. We recorded walking during the first session (the session of the first independent steps of the two toddlers at the age of 11.9 and 10.6 months) and fast walking or running for the subsequent sessions. More than 100 kinematic and neuromuscular parameters were determined for each session and stride. The equivalent data of five young adults served to define mature running. After dimensionality reduction using principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis based on the average pairwise correlation distance to the adult running cluster served as a measure for maturity of the running pattern. Results Both children developed running. Yet, in one of them the running pattern did not reach maturity whereas in the other it did. As expected, mature running appeared in later sessions (>13 months after the onset of independent walking). Interestingly, mature running alternated with episodes of immature running within sessions. Our clustering approach separated them. Discussion An additional analysis of the accompanying muscle synergies revealed that the participant who did not reach mature running had more differences in muscle contraction when compared to adults than the other. One may speculate that this difference in muscle activity may have caused the difference in running pattern.
Structural, electrical and magnetic properties of Co/sub x/C/sub 1-x/ granular films

We report on the structural, electrical and magnetic properties of thin Co/sub x/C/sub 1-x/ granular films with metal volume fraction x=0.27 close to the percolation threshold x/sub p//spl ap/0.3. The granular films are prepared by simultaneous UHV electron beam evaporation of high purity Co and C at room temperature. The structural properties are determined from transmission electron microscopy revealing small Co clusters with mean diameters of about 3 nm randomly dispersed in an electrically insulating C matrix. As-prepared films show insulating resistance behavior. Upon annealing to T/sub a/=600/spl deg/C in-situ measurements within the electron microscope show coalescence of the Co clusters forming continuous cluster-networks. Resistance versus temperature and magnetoresistance measurements on annealed films show a gradual change from insulating to metallic behavior. Room temperature measurements of the magnetic properties show the evolution of ferromagnetic behavior from superparamagnetic behavior upon annealing with a formation of an unusual perpendicular anisotropy.
Multivariate Statistical Process Monitoring Using Kernel Density Estimation

In this paper, a general kernel density estimator has been introduced and discussed for multivariate processes in order to provide enhanced real-time performance monitoring. The proposed approach is based upon the concept of kernel density function, which is more appropriate to the underlying probability distribution of industrial process data in the development of a real-time monitoring scheme, to overcome the limitations of the conventional approach of defining the normal operating region based upon the assumption of normality. An optimal bandwidth selection rule is given based on the so-called mean integrated squared error index, and that is the normal operating region of process calculated using the optimal kernel density estimator before new process data are projected onto the normal operating region. The results of a case study of an industrial reheating furnace clearly demonstrates the power and advantages (e.g. decreasing the number of false alarms, identifying abnormal behaviour earlier, and reducing data sparsity) of the kernel density estimator-based approach over the conventional approach under the assumption of normality, which is still widely used.
An experimental method for identifying nonlinear phenomena intervening in a FWM process developed in a semiconductor optical amplifier

The new experimental research on the four-wave mixing (FWM) phenomena described here consists in launching three optical waves (pump, probe, and test) into a semiconductor optical amplifier and measuring the test beam transmission and the conversion efficiency of the new wave generated to one side of the test beam. It allows for an excellent identification of the nonlinear phenomena involved in the FWM process. The analysis principle is based on the modulation of the gain curve for each of the three effects considered: spectral hole burning, carrier heating, and carrier density pulsation. Experimental and theoretical results are presented.
An Asymptotic Expansion of Forward-Backward SDEs with a Perturbed Driver

a€€a€€ This paper presents a mathematical validity for an asymptotic expansion scheme of the solutions to the forwardbackward stochastic differential equations (FBSDEs) in terms of a perturbed driver in the BSDE and a small diffusion in the FSDE. This computational scheme was proposed by Fujii and Takahashi (2012a), which has been successfully employed to solve the derivatives and optimal portfolio problems in Fujii and Takahashi (2012b,c) and Fujii et al. (2012). In particular, we represent the coefficients up to an arbitrary order expansion of the BSDE by the solution to a system of the associated BSDEs with the FSDE, and obtain the error estimate of the expansion with respect to the driver perturbation. Accordingly, we show a concrete representation for each expansion coefficient of the volatility component, that is the martingale integrand in the BSDE. Then, we apply our proposed FSDE expansion formula with its precise error estimate to the BSDE expansion coefficients to finally obtain the total residual estimate.
Digitalisation Medical Records: Improving Efficiency and Reducing Burnout in Healthcare

(1) Background: electronic medical record (EMR) systems remain a significant priority for the improvement of healthcare services. However, their implementation may have resulted in a burden on healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout symptoms among HCWs who use EMRs at their workplace, as well as burnout-associated factors. (2) Methods: an analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at six public health clinics equipped with an electronic medical record system. The respondents were from a heterogeneity of job descriptions. Consent was obtained before enrolment into the study. A questionnaire was distributed through an online platform. Ethical approval was secured. (3) Results: a total of 161 respondents were included in the final analysis, accounting for a 90.0% response rate. The prevalence of burnout symptoms was 10.7% (n = 17). Three significant predictors were obtained in the final model: experiencing ineffective screen layouts and navigation systems, experiencing physical or verbal abuse by patients, and having a poor relationship with colleagues. (4) Conclusions: the prevalence of burnout symptoms among healthcare workers working with electronic medical record systems was low. Despite several limitations and barriers to implementation, a paradigm shift is needed to equip all health sectors with electronic medical record systems to improve healthcare service delivery. Continuous technical support and financial resources are important to ensure a smooth transition and integration.
Effects of lifestyle intervention on adults with metabolic associated fatty liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the overall effects of lifestyle interventions upon hepatic fat content and metabolism-related indicators among adults with metabolic associated fatty liver disease. Methods It was registered under PROSPERO (CRD42021251527). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane, CINAHL, Scopus, CNKI, Wan-fang, VIP, and CBM from the inception of each database to May 2021 for RCT studies of lifestyle interventions on hepatic fat content and metabolism-related indicators. We used Review Manager 5.3 for meta-analysis and used text and detailed tabular summaries when heterogeneity existed. Results Thirty-four RCT studies with 2652 participants were included. All participants were obesity, 8% of whom also had diabetes, and none was lean or normal weight. Through subgroup analysis, we found low carbohydrate diet, aerobic training and resistance training significantly improved the level of HFC, TG, HDL, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR. Moreover, low carbohydrate diet is more effective in improving HFC than low fat diet and resistance training is better than aerobic training in reduction in HFC and TG (SMD, -0.25, 95% CI, -0.45 to -0.06; SMD, 0.24, 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.44, respectively). Discussion Overall, this is the first review that systematically synthesizes studies focused on the effects of various lifestyle on adults with MAFLD. The data generated in this systematic review were more applicable to obesity MAFLD rather than lean or normal weight MAFLD. Systematic Review Registration https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/prospero/, identifier (CRD42021251527).
On the viscous motion of a small particle in a rotating cylinder

The dynamics of a non-neutrally buoyant particle moving in a rotating cylinder filled with a Newtonian fluid is examined analytically. The particle is set in motion from the centre of the cylinder due to the acceleration caused by the presence of a gravitational field. The problem is formulated in Cartesian coordinates and a relevant fractional Lagrangian equation is proposed. This equation is solved exactly by recognizing that the eigenfunctions of the problem are Mittag–Leffler functions. Virtual mass, gravity, pressure, and steady and history drag effects at low particle Reynolds numbers are considered and the balance of forces acting on the particle is studied for realistic cases. The presence of lift forces, both steady and unsteady, is taken into account. Results are compared to the exact solution of the Maxey–Riley equation for the same conditions. Substantial differences are found by including lift in the formulation when departing from the infinitesimal particle Reynolds number limit. For particles lighter than the fluid, an asymptotically stable equilibrium position is found to be at a distance from the origin characterized by X ≈ −Vτ/Ω and Y/X ≈ (CS/3π√2) Res1/2, where Vτ is the terminal velocity of the particle, Ω is the positive angular velocity of the cylinder, Res is the shear Reynolds number a2Ω/v, and CS is a constant lift coefficient. To the knowledge of the authors this work is the first to solve the particle Lagrangian equation of motion in its complete form, with or without lift, for a non-uniform flow using an exact method.
Thermal and magnetic constraints on the cooling of the Earth

Summary. The thermodynamic requirements of a dynamo in the Earth's core can be expressed in terms of the heat flux from core to mantle. That heat flux is estimated from a simple layered model of the Earth, using parameterized convection theory to calculate the heat transport through the mantle. The model conforms to two thermal constraints: that the radius of the inner core and the heat flux to the surface at the present time should be equal to those observed on Earth. Resulting values for the heat flux from core to mantle are compared with the dynamo requirements and it is shown that, even in the absence of a ‘gravitational drive', the heat flux can be sufficient to power the dynamo both before and after the formation of the inner core, for a wide range of currently accepted values of the Earth's parameters.
Effect of Aerosol on Circulations and Precipitation in Deep Convective Clouds

AbstractThis study examines the effect of a mesoscale perturbation of aerosol on a larger-scale cloud system driven by deep convective clouds. An aerosol-perturbed domain of size 120 km is prescribed in the middle of the larger-scale domain of size 1100 km. Aerosol perturbations in the mesoscale domain result in an intensification of convection in a mesoscale convective system (MCS). This leads to an intensification of the larger-scale circulations, which in turn leads to an intensification of the larger-scale subsidence. While the invigorated convection enhances precipitation in the MCS, the intensified larger-scale subsidence acts to increase the larger-scale stability and thus to suppress convection and precipitation in the larger-scale domain. The suppression of precipitation in the larger-scale domain outweighs the enhancement of precipitation in the mesoscale domain, leading to suppressed precipitation over the entire domain. The ramifications of aerosol perturbations therefore need to be considered.
Nonlinearity of the Aerodynamic Characteristics of NACA0012 Aerofoil at Low Reynolds Numbers

Aerodynamic characteristics of NACA0012 airfoil at low Reynolds numbers (Re=1.0×104∼1.0×105) are measured systematically to clarify nonlinearity of the aerofoil characteristics. The variation of the lift curve with the angle of attack is divided into 5 sub-regions; the gradient of the lift curve much depends on the incident angle. Negative values of the gradient of lift coefficient are observed at lower angles of attack in a Reynolds numbers range. The sub-regions are summarized in a diagram of angle of attack and Reynolds numbers. The coefficients of drag and moment around 0.25 chord length have also unique characteristics.
Fuzzy neighbourhood neural network for high-resolution remote sensing image segmentation

ABSTRACT Remote sensing image segmentation plays an important role in many industrial-grade image processing applications. However, the problem of uncertainty caused by intraclass heterogeneity and interclass blurring is prevalent in high-resolution remote sensing images. Moreover, the complexity of information in high-resolution remote sensing images leads to a large amount of background information around objects. To solve this problem, a new fuzzy convolutional neural network is proposed in this paper. This network resolves the ambiguity and uncertainty of feature information by introducing a fuzzy neighbourhood module in the deep learning network structure. In addition, it adds a multi-attention gating module to highlight small object features and separate them from the complex background information to achieve fine segmentation of high-resolution remote sensing images. Experimental results on three different segmentation datasets suggest that the proposed method has higher segmentation accuracy and better performance than other deep learning networks, especially for complicated shadow information. Code will be provided in (https://github.com/tingtingqu/code).
The Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Fossil-Fuel Use in North America

Abstract Refinements in the spatial and temporal resolution of North American fossil-fuel carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions provide additional information about anthropogenic aspects of the carbon cycle. In North America, the seasonal and spatial patterns are a distinctive component to characterizing anthropogenic carbon emissions. The pattern of fossil-fuel-based CO2 emissions on a monthly scale has greater temporal and spatial variability than the flux aggregated to the national annual level. For some areas, monthly emissions can vary by as much as 85% for some fuels when compared with monthly estimates based on a uniform temporal and spatial distribution. The United States accounts for the majority of North American fossil carbon emissions, and the amplitude of the seasonal flux in emissions in the United States is greater than the total mean monthly emissions in both Canada and Mexico. Nevertheless, Canada and Mexico have distinctive seasonal patterns as well. For the continent, emissions were aggregated.
Benzyl isothiocyanate improves the prognosis of Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis by reducing fungal load and inhibiting Mincle signal pathway

Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis is a potential blinding disease associated with A. fumigatus invasion and excessive inflammatory response. Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) is a secondary metabolite with broad antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity extracted from cruciferous species. However, the role of BITC in A. fumigatus keratitis has not been discovered yet. This study aims to explore the antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of BITC in A. fumigatus keratitis. Our results provided evidences that BITC exerted antifungal effects against A. fumigatus by damaging cell membranes, mitochondria, adhesion, and biofilms in a concentration-dependent manner. In vivo, fungal load and inflammatory response including inflammatory cell infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression were reduced in BITC-treated A. fumigatus keratitis. Additionally, BITC significantly decreased Mincle, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 expression in RAW264.7 cells that stimulated by A. fumigatus or Mincle ligand trehalose-6,6-dibehenate. In summary, BITC possessed fungicidal activities and could improve the prognosis of A. fumigatus keratitis by reducing fungal load and inhibiting the inflammatory response mediated by Mincle.
Fundamentals of the Plasma Sail Concept: Magnetohydrodynamic and Kinetic Studies

The Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion system (M2P2) was proposed by Winglee et al. to harness the kinetic energy of the solar wind by creating a large magnetic bubble around the spacecraft. This bubble would be supported by plasma injection into a strong magnetic field produced by an electromagnet onboard the spacecraft. In the case of M2P2, the size of the magnetic bubble is actually less than, or comparable to, the scale of these characteristic parameters. Therefore, a kinetic approach, which addresses the small-scale physical mechanisms, must be used. A two-component approach is adopted to determining a preliminary estimate of the momentum transfer to the plasma sail. The first component is a self-consistent MHD simulation of the plasma flow near the spacecraft. It is shown that the fluid treatment is valid to roughly 5 km from the source. The MHD solution is used at this boundary as initial conditions for the hybrid simulation. The hybrid simulations showed that the forces delivered to the innermost regions of the plasma sail are considerably smaller (∼10) than their MHD counterparts. Furthermore, these forces are roughly perpendicular to the solar wind flow, in contrast to the MHD forces that are essentially aligned with the solar wind direction.
Stability, complexity and the maximum dissipation conjecture

The formalism of irreversible thermodynamics is extended to include the effect of random perturbations and applied to representative systems giving rise to instabilities and to complex nonlinear behaviours. The extent to which dissipation as measured by the entropy production exhibits variational properties that can be linked to key indicators of the dynamical behaviour is explored with emphasis on the conjecture of the climate system as a system of maximum dissipation. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
Validation: What Big Data Reveal About Survey Misreporting and the Real Electorate

Social scientists rely on surveys to explain political behavior. From consistent overreporting of voter turnout, it is evident that responses on survey items may be unreliable and lead scholars to incorrectly estimate the correlates of participation. Leveraging developments in technology and improvements in public records, we conduct the first-ever fifty-state vote validation. We parse overreporting due to response bias from overreporting due to inaccurate respondents. We find that nonvoters who are politically engaged and equipped with politically relevant resources consistently misreport that they voted. This finding cannot be explained by faulty registration records, which we measure with new indicators of election administration quality. Respondents are found to misreport only on survey items associated with socially desirable outcomes, which we find by validating items beyond voting, like race and party. We show that studies of representation and participation based on survey reports dramatically misestimate the differences between voters and nonvoters.