Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PENGARUH LEVERAGE, UKURAN LEGISLATIF, INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE DAN PENDAPATAN PAJAK DAERAH TERHADAP KINERJA KEUANGAN PEMERINTAH DAERAH

The purpose of this study are to get empirical evidence influence of leverage, legislative size, intergovernmental revenue and tax revenue toward local government’s financial performance.The result in this research showed simultaneously testing indicated independent variables, leverage, legislative, intergovernmental revenue, and regional tax revenue, jointly had an influence on regional financial performance based on the performance efficiency. Partially, leverage variable, legislative and intergovernmental revenue had no influence on regional financial performance based on the performance efficiency ratio. While variable of regional tax revenue had a negative influence on regional financial performance based on the performance efficiency ratio.
High Temperature Growth of the Dilute Nitride GaAsN using a Nitrogen ECR Plasma Source

The dilute nitride GaAsN has been grown by MBE using an ECR nitrogen plasma source. This has allowed growth at a substrate temperature of 600 C, which in combination with an ion trap, has produced higher quality as-grown material. Layer chemistry has been assessed by SIMS, XRD and optical quality measured using photoluminescence.
Deriving Consensus Ratings of the Big Three Rating Agencies

This paper introduces a model framework for dynamic credit rating processes. Our framework aggregates ordinal rating information stemming from a variety of rating sources. The dynamic of the consensus rating captures systematic as well as idiosyncratic changes. In addition, our framework allows to validate the different rating sources by analyzing the mean/variance structure of the rating errors. In an empirical study for the iTraxx Europe companies rated by the big three external rating agencies we use Bayesian techniques to estimate the consensus ratings for these companies. The advantages are illustrated by comparing our dynamic rating model to a benchmark model. (author´s abstract)
A Unified Approach to Testing for Serial Correlation in Stock Returns

This article provides a unified approach for testing serial correlation in stock returns. The authors describe a general class of statistics that are linear combinations of consistent estimators of autocorrelations. As special cases, they show that this class captures many of the statistics studied in the recent finance and macroeconomics literature. Using this result, the authors then provide a common perspective on the asymptotic distribution and power of these statistics. Copyright 1994 by University of Chicago Press.
Population Growth and the Decline of Common Property Resources in Rajasthan, India

The process of change described in this paper suggests that public programs although well intentioned can deprive a region of its comparative advantage in a key economic activity. Adjustments to the decline in common property resources in Rajasthan India suggest the directions that will characterize the future of livestock farming in the region. Further reductions in the size of livestock holdings and changes in their composition are likely to occur due to the continuing shrinkage and degradation of common property resources. The decline in the number of cattle and unproductive animals and the increase in the emphasis on sheep and buffalo raising suggest that this has already begun to happen. Another likely consequence is increased dependence on stall feeding of cattle and a greater incidence of seasonal outmigration of sheep. Another conclusion relates to the future of common property resources in general. A strong case is developed for protecting and developing common property resources since they promote the economic activity best suited to the natural resource base of a region sustain the rural poor and ensure the use of arid lands according to their capabilities. In order to reverse the trends illustrated in this paper a government strategy is needed. This strategy should consist of a strict ban on futher curtailment of common property resources through privatization; regulated use of common property resources achieved by introducing some element of private cost for the users; and designation of common property resources as a source of revenue for the Panchayats to induce them to conserve and systematically manage them as a productive resource.
Spectrum of CBS mutations in 16 homocystinuric patients from the Iberian Peninsula: High prevalence of T191M and absence of I278T or G307S

Homocystinuria due to cystathionine β‐synthase (CBS) deficiency has been extensively studied, but to date, no spectrum of CBS mutations of Spanish homocystinuric patients has been reported. Here we present a mutation analysis of thirteen Spanish and three Portuguese unrelated homocystinuric patients. Ten mutations were found to account for the thirty‐two mutant alleles and five of these (C275Y, L338P, S349N, R379Q, and L456P) are reported here for the first time. All five novel mutations were found to affect evolutionarily conserved residues suggesting that they may impair enzyme function. Interestingly, neither of the two common CBS mutations, I278T and G307S, was detected in this series, and no patient was found to respond to pyrodoxine. Enzyme activities in cultured fibroblasts from 10 of the patients were assayed, and they ranged from 0 to 13 % of controls analyzed in parallel. The T191M mutation (which has only ever been reported once before in a Spanish patient) accounted for 50% of the mutant alleles. Comparison of the clinical data of seven patients homozygous for T191M indicated that this genotype is a poor predictor of the phenotype. A common haplotype was identified in all the T191M chromosomes of Spanish origin, while a different one was present in the four T191M chromosomes from Portuguese patients. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An investigation on the attitudes of Chinese workers towards individually based performance-related reward systems

The study investigated the attitudes of Chinese workers towards individually based performance-related reward systems (IBPRRS). Participants were 106 white-collar workers employed in a Chinese new state-owned enterprise. In line with hypotheses, attitudes towards equality and equity-based rewarding were negatively and positively related, respectively, with attitudes towards IBPRRS. Also in line with expectations, both concern for loosing face (‘Mianzi’) and the belief that performance evaluations are affected by interpersonal relationships (‘Guanxi’) were negatively related to the attitude towards IBPRRS. However, in contrast to hypotheses, participants reported a more positive attitude towards equity than towards equality-based rewarding. Furthermore, in sharp contrast to the relevant hypothesis, the attitude of participants towards IBPRRS was positive. Ad hoc interviews with middle managers corroborated these findings and, furthermore, suggested that Guanxi and Mianzi were indeed impacting evaluations of performance, especially where there was an absence of objective performance criteria. The implication of the study is that although the views of Chinese employees towards IBPRRS are in principle positive, the cultural characteristics of China, and in particular Guanxi and Mianzi, must be taken into account for the successful design and functioning of such systems in the Chinese organizational context.
Wrapper Methods to Correct Mislabelled Training Data

Machine learning has obvious applications to the diagnosis of disease, and for many neurological conditions features extracted from brain images allow classifiers based on neuroimaging biomarkers to provide a useful complement to more traditional diagnostic methods based on symptoms and psychological testing. However the labels used in the training of such systems frequently depend on standard clinical diagnostic methods, meaning they are not completely reliable in many cases. This uncertainty makes the problems this causes hard to study, as it is difficult to measure both the extent of mislabelling and its effect on results. To avoid this problem, we perform classification of gender based on imaging, as this is definitely known for each subject. We then deliberately make known proportions of the training labels incorrect. This allows us to assess the effect of the level of label noise on classification accuracy, and evaluate methods that allow for the mislabelled data. The methods are wrappers using existing well known classifier algorithms. The results indicate that the methods can be significantly effective at realistic levels of noise in the training labels, but care must be taken in choosing which method to apply depending on the level of label noise.
Cutaneous epithelioid angiomatous nodule of the external ear.

Cutaneous epithelioid angiomatous nodule (CEAN) is a recently described vascular lesion, with an apparently benign behavior. In the only series reported so far, it has shown predilection for the trunk and extremities, with a welldefined morphologic and immunohistochemical pattern. We report the first case of CEAN that appeared on the external ear, and is also the third case on the head (although other cases may have been reported as angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia or as epithelioid hemangioma). It was observed in a 30-year-old immunocompetent woman, who came to the consultancy of Dermatology, because of a painful lesion in the postauricular crease of the external right ear. There was no history of traumatism. The patient had no other diseases, nor allergies, and was not taking any drugs. She had not had any previous lesions on the area. The external examination showed a single bluish nodule, 1.4 cm in diameter. The lesion was completely excised. The microscopical examination showed a solid dermal proliferation, abutting the epidermis. The latter appeared hyperkeratotic. The lesion was made up of epithelioid cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, and nuclei with prominent nucleoli (Fig. 1). Intralesional vascular channels, containing erythrocytes, were numerous and so were intracytoplasmic vacuoles. Mitoses were scanty (less than 1 mitosis/H.P.F. 4003), and none of them were atypical. Hemosiderin deposition was mild, and was found in the nodule, as well as in the adjacent dermis. Dilated vascular spaces and mild fibrosis were obvious in those paralesional areas. Mild chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate was found in the periphery of the nodule, as well as in the form of scattered lymphocytes, plasma cells, and eosinophils throughout the lesion. The immunohistochemical study showed how the epithelioid cells, as well as the vascular endothelial cells, expressed CD31 (Fig. 2) and CD34; they were negative for Factor-VIII, keratins (AE1-AE3), S-100 protein, and Actin. The proliferation rate of the nodule was 2 to 4% with MIB-1. In this location, a lesion like the one that we described should be differentiated from other vascular conditions; among which, one can name epithelioid angiosarcoma, epithelioid hemangioma (EH), bacillary angiomatosis, and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Epithelioid angiosarcomas also appear on the face and head. The diagnostic clue to that diagnosis is the cellular atypia of the endothelial cells, with eccentric round hyperchromatic nuclei. Necrosis can also be present. FIGURE 1. Cutaneous epithelioid angiomatous nodule where cytologic characters are obvious.
Whose Votes Count?

We examine the first 3 years of San Francisco's instant-runoff voting (IRV) elections to determine whether some voters adapt more easily than others to the more complex ballot and decision task. We draw on studies of uncounted votes to develop hypotheses about tendencies to undervote, overvote, and rank candidates in IRV elections. Individual ballot records and precinct-level census data are used to estimate the relative influences of demographic and election-specific factors. A natural experiment tests whether or not prior experience with IRV makes a difference. The change to IRV appears to have increased the rate of overvotes and decreased tendencies to undervote. Both behaviors are explained by demographics and aspects of the electoral environment. Meanwhile, tendencies to rank candidates were shaped less by demographics and more by contextual factors and prior exposure to IRV. The findings extend the literature on uncounted votes, inform issues of equality in elections, and provide practical insights on this type of electoral reform.
High-value supply chains, food standards and poor farmers in developing countries: the case of vegetable exports from Senegal

This paper studies the welfare effects of high-value FFV exports from Senegal to the EU. We analyze how the structure of the export supply chain has changed in response to tightening food standards and investigate the impact for the local population. The study yields four important findings. First, we find that public and private food standards in the EU have lead to increased consolidation and increased vertical coordination in the FFV supply chain with a shift away from smallholder contract-based production to integrated estate production. Second, these structural changes have increased the participation of rural households, and especially poorer households, in the supply chains through wage employment on FFV estates. Third, we find that household participation in FFV export production, whether through contract-farming or through estate wage employment, generates significant income gains. Fourth, high-value FFV trade has a major impact on rural poverty-reduction and the increasing prevalence of food standards is even enhancing this impact.
Comparative analysis of predictive current control techniques applied to single-phase grid-connected inverters

This paper presents a comparative analysis of predictive current control techniques applied to single-phase grid-connected inverters. Two of the most used predictive control techniques are analyzed: deadbeat control (DBC) and model predictive control (MPC). Both techniques are applied to a single-phase full-bridge inverter connected to the grid through a first-order inductive filter. The comparative analysis is carried out and considers a set of filter inductance and sampling frequency values. Several performance indexes are evaluated for each control technique. Moreover, the impact of the grid impedance uncertainty is also analyzed. Simulation results are presented to verify the comparison methodology.
Autoregressive Modeling with Exogenous Input of Middle-Latency Auditory-Evoked Potentials to Measure Rapid Changes in Depth of Anesthesia

Abstract: Obtaining an adequate depth of anesthesia is a continuous challenge to the anesthetist. With the introduction of muscle-relaxing agents the traditional signs of awareness are often obscured, or difficult to interpret. These signs include blood pressure, heart rate, pupil size, etc. However, these factors do not describe the depth of anesthesia (DA) in a cerebral activity sense. Hence, a better measure of the DA is required. It has been suggested that Auditory-Evoked Potentials (AEP) can provide additional information about the DA. The general method of extracting AEP is by use of a Moving Time Average (MTA). However, the MTA is time consuming because a large number of repetitions is needed to produce an estimate of the AEP. Hence, changes occurring over a small number of sweeps will not be detected by the MTA average. We describe a system-identification method, an autoregressive model with exogeneous input (ARX) model, to produce a sweep-by-sweep estimate of the AEP. The method was clinically evaluated in 10 patients anesthetized with alfentanil and propofol. The time interval between propofol induction and the time when the Na-Pa amplitude was decreased to 25% of the initial amplitude was measured. These measurements showed that ARX-estimated compared to MTA-estimated AEP was significantly faster in tracing transition from consciousness to unconsciousness during propofol induction (p <0.05).
Parallel decoding of LDPC convolutional codes using OpenMP and GPU

Recently, there have been different applications, namely 10GBase-T Ethernet, video broadcasting and satellite communication, utilizing low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes as the forward-error-correction codes. The main reason is that the error performance of LDPC codes can be very close to the Shannon limit. LDPC codes can be further categorized into LDPC block codes (LDPC-BCs) and LDPC convolutional codes (LDPC-CCs). It has also been discovered that LDPC-CCs usually outperform LDPC-BCs. Simulation of LDPC-BCs and LDPC-CCs can take a lot of time because the decoding algorithms are relatively complex. Fortunately, the decoding steps can be performed in parallel. In this paper, we create three different platforms for simulating the error performance of LDPC-CCs. The first two platforms are run on a Central Processing Unit (CPU) while the third one involves the use of a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). We show that using GPU can improve the simulation speed substantially.
Effect of switching gas inlet position on the performance of a polyurethane biofilter under transient loading for the removal of benzene, toluene and xylene mixtures

The performance of a polyurethane (PU) biofilter was evaluated using different operating modes (unidirectional flow (UF) and flow-directional switching (FDS) operations) under transient loading conditions (intermittent and shutdown). Gas mixtures containing benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) were employed as model gases. Quantitative real-time PCR methods were used for targeting the tmoA gene responsible for BTX degradation and estimating density of the BTX-degraders in the PU filter bed. Although the overall BTX Removal efficiencies at the outlet (50 h−1 of space velocity) were similar between the UF and FDS biofilters, the removability of BTX in the FDS biofilter was higher than that in the UF biofilter until the 3rd sampling position (68 h−1 of space velocity). The BTX removal potentials and tmoA gene copy numbers of the FDS biofilter remained constant, irrespective of the distances from the inlet, but those of the UF biofilter increased with increasing distance from the inlet position. These results indicate that an even distribution of BTX degraders in the FDS filter bed contributed to better BTX removal performance. After a 10 day-shutdown, the performances of the UF and SDF biofilters were rapidly restored within 1 day.
Promoter analysis of the PDA1 gene encoding the E1α subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The location and sequence of the PDA1 gene, encoding the E1α subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, were determined. The PDA1 gene was located on a 6·2 kb fragment of chromosome V, approximately 18 kb centromere distal to RAD3. Consistent with this, the PDA1 gene was genetically mapped at 4 cM from RAD3. A part of the 6·2 kb fragment of chromosome V was sequenced. The nucleotide sequence contained the PDA1 open reading frame and the entire putative promoter. Computer analysis revealed a putative GCN4 binding motif in the PDA1 promoter. The presence of transcriptional elements was experimentally determined by deletion analysis. To this end, ExoIII deletions were constructed in the 5′ to 3′ direction of the PDA1 promoter and effects on transcription were determined by Northern analysis. Transcription was unaffected upon deletion to position − 190 relative to the ATG start codon. Deletions from position − 148 and beyond, however, reduced promoter activity at least 40‐fold. Apparently the 42 bp between nucleotides − 190 and − 148 contain an element essential for transcription. Inactivation of the PDA1 promoter could not be attributed to deletions of a recognizable TATA element or any known yeast regulatory motifs. The possible role of the CCCTT sequence present in the 42 bp region and also in the promoters of the other genes encoding subunits of the PDH complex is discussed.
Testing for unit roots on heterogeneous panels: A sequential approach

The is a growing trend of criticism against the use of panel data unit root test for assessing hypotheses such as the purchasing power parity. The usual argument of a gain in power with respect to univariate unit root tests is not relevant as different nulls are involved when testing on panel data. In the context of a comparative, multi-country, study, inference based on individual unit root tests suffers mainly from a huge size distortion, even more than from low power. When the null hypothesis is -as usually in comparative research- a number of countries for which the variable of interest follows a unit root process, we propose to adopt a sequential strategy, as a way to combine a rigourous control over the size with the search for satisfactory power. We show how usual statistics have to be adapted, and we illustrate the implementation of this strategy both through simulation and through an empirical application to the PPP hypothesis within the OECD countries.
Genetic evidence supports secondary metabolic diversity in Prochloron spp., the cyanobacterial symbiont of a tropical ascidian.

Didemnid family ascidians commonly harbor obligate cyanobacterial symbionts, Prochloron spp. , which have been proposed to biosynthesize cyclic peptides. Here, it is shown that Prochloron spp. do indeed contain genes for nonribosomal peptide biosynthesis, although genes for cyclic peptide biosynthesis have not yet been characterized. A peptide synthetase-containing open reading frame of unknown function was cloned from the Prochloron symbionts of some didemnid ascidians, but not from others. These data indicate that Prochloron spp. have variable secondary metabolic potential.
The Identification and Characterization of Open Innovation Profiles in Italian Small and Medium‐sized Enterprises

Open innovation () denotes a company's ability to draw on a range of external sources to meet their needs for innovation. Very few empirical analyses have been conducted on the extent to which this new paradigm is embedded in small and medium‐sized enterprises (). Thus, the present study's objective is to identify and characterize different profiles of in , considering the openness of the innovation process phases, variety and breadth of collaborations, determinants, barriers, and motivations. A survey was carried out among Italian manufacturing firms, and a database of 105 companies was obtained. With regard to data elaboration, a factorial and cluster analysis was conducted, and three different profiles emerged: selective low open, unselective open upstream, and mid‐partners integrated open. The different behaviors of the three clusters in terms of determinants, performance, contextual factors, barriers, and motivations were analyzed and discussed.