Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Engineering change request management in a new product development process

Purpose – The objective of this research was to compare the behavior of two methods of managing an engineering change request (ECR) process, namely, perform changes as they occur or in a batch.Design/methodology/approach – This comparison was accomplished by creating a computer model of a new product development (NPD) process and simulating ECR management. The model connects process design and process characteristics (teamwork, parallel activities) to process outcomes (development time, effort). The first method executes the ECR promptly and the rework is done as soon as the ECR is initiated. In the second method, ECRs are batched; in other words, a number of them are accumulated, and processing of the ECRs takes place when a batch of a certain size has accumulated. Thus, the change requests are grouped into a batch, and then, the section(s) of the process to effect the change(s) is (are) reworked.Findings – Batching ECRs was found to be superior to doing them one at a time.Research limitations/implicatio.
Neoplastic transformation of normal and carcinogen-induced preneoplastic Syrian hamster embryo cells by the v-src oncogene

The ability of cloned Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) DNA encoding the v-src oncogene to neoplastically transform normal, diploid Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells was examined. Transfection of RSV DNA into early passage SHE cells resulted in a low but significant number of tumors when treated cells were injected into nude mice. Tumors formed with a low frequency (two tumors out of ten sites injected) and only after a long latency period (14 weeks). In contrast to the normal SHE cells, several different carcinogen-induced preneoplastic immortal SHE cell lines were highly susceptible to transformation by the v-src oncogene to the neoplastic phenotype. Tumors formed with high efficiency and a short latency period (less than 3 weeks). Further studies were performed to determine the basis for the inefficient transformation of the normal SHE cells. NeoR clones isolated after cotransfection of SHE cells with pSV2-neo and RSV DNAs were neither morphologically altered nor immortal and did not contain detectable levels of the v-src gene product. These results suggest that neoplastic transformation by v-src DNA in the normal cells is initially suppressed. However, cells from a v-src-induced tumor expressed v-src RNA, and antibody to v-src protein precipitated from the tumor cells a 60,000-molecular-weight protein which displayed protein kinase activity. Karyotypic analyses confirmed that the tumor was derived from Syrian hamster cells and suggested that it was clonal in nature. These results indicate that the v-src oncogene was primarily responsible for neoplastic transformation of SHE cells. In contrast to the results with the v-src oncogene, our previous studies showed that v-Ha-ras oncogene alone is unable to induce neoplastic transformation of SHE cells. Furthermore, the v-myc oncogene was able to compliment v-Ha-ras to neoplastically transform SHE cells, while cotransfection with v-src plus v-myc did not increase the incidence of tumors.
Professional roles for policy analysts: A critical assessment

Analysts who act as employees or advisors in agencies that make public policy may find themselves operating in any of several different roles. They may see themselves as objective technicians, above the political fray, or as advocates of causes of their own choosing, or as unquestioning proponents of the positions adopted by their employers. Their choice of roles will differ, according to some systematic characteristics found in the environment. Any serious effort to develop a code for the behavior of policy analysts must take these differences into account.
Poverty and Adequacy of Social Security in Europe: a Comparative Analysis

The aims of this collective research project in seven countries and regions in the EC, as regards content, were to establish in a comparative way the number of poor households in each country, to identity social groups at high risk of poverty, to assess the adequacy of social security in guaranteeing a minimum income (thus focusing on results, instead of on the means involved), and to distinguish between temporary and longer- term poverty by means of the panel method. The number of poor households varies from 10-40 per cent (more generous standard) or from 6-20 per cent (strictest standard). The number of long-term poor is much lower. Very few households are in absolute poverty. Important factors determining poverty are: unemployment, social status, age, whether single or not, and whether having only one income in the household (in Ireland and Greece also labour incomes that are too low). The impact of social security transfers on poverty is the strongest in the Benelux countries, least and in fact rather low in Catalonia and in Greece. This inadequacy can be explained by two factors: in many cases the amounts of benefits going to the poor are too low; and the redistributive effect of social security is horizontal rather than vertical, i.e. a large part of the benefits is not going to the bottom groups. From a methodological point of view, several poverty lines were tested. The so- called subjective standard is more realistic (also with regards to the equivalence scales) because it is based on the evaluation of a minimum income made by the population itself; but fluctuations complicate comparative analysis of countries over time. The so-called relative or statistical EC-standard is more appropriate for comparative purposes, but the level of the standard is arbitrarily defined (which is also true for the equivalence scale) and this method measures income-inequality rather than poverty. It is advisable to use the statistical method for the future comparative studies. Poverty-lines will always be based on a reasonable convention. grounded in a generous or restrictive notion of poverty.
Curator: a design environment for curating tabletop museum experiences

Interactive tabletops show great potential to be used in learning contexts, particularly in museums, as a way for people to collaboratively learn and explore rich sets of digital information. However, it is a real challenge for exhibition designers, or Curators, to create exhibitions for tabletop displays, as it is tedious to create these data-sets manually. Curator is a cross-platform tool that can be used by non-technical designers and museum staff to construct rich information collections for exploration on our interactive tabletop. After the data-set has been constructed using Curator on a desktop computer, this information can be tested and displayed on the tabletop immediately, providing an engaging, collaborative experience for exploration and learning.
Physiological Effects of Ac4ManNAz and Optimization of Metabolic Labeling for Cell Tracking

Metabolic labeling techniques are powerful tools for cell labeling, tracking and proteomic analysis. However, at present, the effects of the metabolic labeling agents on cell metabolism and physiology are not known. To address this question, in this study, we analyzed the effects of cells treated with Ac4ManNAz through microarray analysis and analyses of membrane channel activity, individual bio-physiological properties, and glycolytic flux. According to the results, treatment with 50 μM Ac4ManNAz led to the reduction of major cellular functions, including energy generation capacity, cellular infiltration ability and channel activity. Interestingly, 10 μM Ac4ManNAz showed the least effect on cellular systems and had a sufficient labeling efficiency for cell labeling, tracking and proteomic analysis. Based on our results, we suggest 10 μM as the optimum concentration of Ac4ManNAz for in vivo cell labeling and tracking. Additionally, we expect that our approach could be used for cell-based therapy for monitoring the efficacy of molecule delivery and the fate of recipient cells.
Determination of the Recommended Hedging Ratio

The traditional literature on commodity futures markets defined a hedge as a futures market position which is equal but opposite to the individual's cash market position. More recent studies have recognized that the futures market position need not equal the cash market position to constitute a hedge. Many researchers have theoretically solved for the optimal futures and cash market positions. For example, Heifner, Johnson, Ward and Fletcher, and Telser determined the optimal futures and cash market positions simultaneously. Peck determined the optimal futures market position, assuming that the cash market position was given. The formulas for the optimal futures and cash holdings differ from study to study because of the different underlying assumptions. However, general implications can be deduced from these studies concerning the size of the optimal hedging ratio (i.e., the ratio of the optimal futures position to the optimal cash position). In this paper, it is argued that the optimal hedging ratios consistent with the results obtained by Johnson, Ward and Fletcher, and Telser are identical to the optimal hedging ratio derived byHeifner (1972, 1973). The exercise provides a major implication for hedging strategy which is consistent with all of these studies-that the optimal hedging ratio is independent of the individual's risk aversion, even though the optimal positions are themselves not independent of the risk parameter. This implication is also valid for the minimum-risk hedging ratio, derived by Johnson, Ederington, and McKinnon. Finally, the optimal hedging ratio in Peck remains dependent on the risk parameter because the cash market position is assumed to be given.
Parental Priorities and Economic Inequality

What determines whether children grow up to be rich or poor? Arguing that parental actions are some of the most important sources of wealth inequality, Casey B. Mulligan investigates the transmission of economic status from one generation to the next by constructing an economic model of parental preferences. In Mulligan's model, parents determine the degree of their altruistic concern for their children and spend time with and resources on them accordingly—just as they might make choices about how they spend money. Mulligan tests his model against both old and new evidence on the intergenerational transmission of consumption, earnings, and wealth, including models that emphasize "financial constraints. " One major prediction of Mulligan's model confirmed by the evidence is that children of wealthy parents typically spend more than they earn. Mulligan's innovative approach can also help explain other important behavior, such as charitable giving and "corporate loyalty," and will appeal to a wide range of quantitatively oriented social scientists and sociobiologists.
Influence of design parameters on magnetic gear's torque capability

Magnetic gear design parameters have been previously investigated individually. This paper presents a comprehensive study of the influence of individual and combined design parameters on the optimal torque capacity and performance of the magnetic gear. Parameters considered include the combination of pole pair numbers of inner and outer permanent magnets and ferromagnetic pieces, ferromagnetic geometry, and permanent magnet thicknesses. Finite element analysis has shown that there is a compromise between gear ratio and torque capacity and a maximum capacity of torque exists that can be coupled in a gear with fixed outer diameter. It reveals that increasing the volume of PM material the minimum inner and outer PM thickness ratio should be increased in order to avoid partial demagnetisation, which will inhibit the selection of PM thickness ratio for optimal torque coupling capacity.
The use of GARCH models for the calculation of minimum capital risk requirements: International evidence

Purpose - The paper seeks to explain volatility and risk (VaR) modelling using data from international financial markets, and particularly to evaluate the performance of minimum capital risk requirements (MCRR) estimates in an out-of-sample period using the bootstrapping approach. Design/methodology/approach - This paper captures financial time series characteristics by employing the GARCH( Findings - The results show that higher capital requirements are necessary for a short position since a loss is more likely than for a long position. Research limitations/implications - Future research should examine the performance of multivariate time series models when using daily and monthly returns of international mature and emerging markets. Consequently, it is of interest to consider multivariate models to describe the volatility and market risk of several time series jointly, to exploit possible linkages that exist. Practical implications - The findings are strongly recommended to risk managers and modellers dealing with US and European financial markets. Originality/value - The contribution of this paper is to provide new evidence from international equity markets to the modelling of financial time series by explaining volatility and VaR (MCRR) estimates in the US and European markets. This paper explains the functioning of financial markets and the process by which financing decisions are reached through risk modelling.
Skew Angle Detection of Digitized Indian Script Documents

Skew angle detection of scanned documents containing most popular Indian scripts (Devnagari and Bangla) is considered. Most characters in these scripts have horizontal lines at the top, called head lines. The character head lines mostly join one another in a word and the word appears as a single component. In the proposed method the components are at first labeled. The upper envelope of a component is found by columnwise scanning from an imaginary line above the component. Portions of upper envelope satisfying the properties of digital straight line are detected. They are clustered as belonging to single text lines. Estimates from individual clusters are combined to get the skew angle. Apart from accuracy and efficiency, an advantage of the method is that character segmentation and zone detection can be readily done from head line information, which is useful in optical character recognition approaches of these scripts.
Reduced type I collagen gene expression by skin fibroblasts of patients with systemic sclerosis after one treatment course with rituximab.

OBJECTIVES There is evidence that B lymphocytes play a role in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (scleroderma). Stimulatory autoantibodies targeting and activating normal human fibroblasts in vitro have been demonstrated in sera from scleroderma patients. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody which selectively targets and depletes CD20+ B lymphocytes. We investigated the biological effects of rituximab in six patients affected by scleroderma with severe skin involvement. METHODS Six patients with severe skin fibrosis, unresponsive to immunosuppressive treatment, were treated with 375 mg/m2 per week of intravenous rituximab for a total of four doses. Serum stimulatory autoantibodies to the PDGF receptor were detected. Fibroblast activation was evaluated in fibroblasts grown from skin biopsies performed at baseline and at months 3 and 6 post-treatment. The modified Rodnan's skin score, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) and visual analogic scale (VAS) for global wellness and B lymphocyte count were performed monthly. RESULTS A significant reduction of anti-PDGF receptor autoantibodies was observed in the serum of all patients 3 months after treatment. Fibroblasts showed a significant downregulation of type I collagen gene expression and of the intracellular signalling triggered by anti-PDGFR autoantibodies. A decrease of the skin score and an improvement of disability indexes matched with the in vitro results. A single course of rituximab reduced scleroderma fibroblast activation in vitro and the serum levels of anti-PDGFR stimulatory autoantibodies. CONCLUSIONS These data provide further evidence of B-cell involvement in the pathogenesis of scleroderma. Targeting B cells may be a promising treatment for scleroderma patients, and controlled clinical trials are warranted.
Interaction of judgemental and statistical forecasting methods: issues &

This paper reviews several of the current controversies in the relative value of judgemental and statistical forecasting methods. Where expert, informed judgemental forecasts are being used, a critical analysis of the evidence suggests that their quality is higher than many researchers have previously asserted, and circumstances favourable to this are identified. The issue of the interaction of judgemental and statistical methods is, however, identified as a more worthwhile line of inquiry, and research in this area is reviewed, differentiating approaches aimed at synthesising both of these inputs.
Illiquidity and asset pricing in the Chinese stock market

Purpose - Since illiquidity risk is one of the most important pricing factors of assets, the aim of this paper is to evaluate the suitability of proxies of illiquidity prevalent in the asset pricing literature and their explanatory power in asset pricing tests. Design/methodology/approach - Using the available high-frequency intra-day data, the paper constructs some proxies of illiquidity as benchmarks and then evaluates proxies of illiquidity based on inter-day data. Findings - The empirical results provide convincing evidence that turnover is the most suitable proxy of illiquidity in the Chinese stock market. It is not only hghly related to intra-day data-based proxies of illiquidity but also completely superior to other measures of illiquidity in asset pricing tests. Originality/value - First, the paper applies illiquidity measurements from microstructure theory and the available high-frequency data, and examines the suitability of illiquidity proxies in asset pricing literature in the Chinese stock market. Rational basics are provided to test the applicability of illiquidity measures in the Chinese stock market. Second, the paper introduces illiquidity proxies into asset pricing models to extend their explanatory power. The paper's results may help researchers to select illiquidity proxies more cautiously.
Linkages between Thai stock and foreign exchange markets under the floating regime

Purpose - The purpose of the present study is to directly examine the relationship between bilateral exchange rate and stock market index in a bivariate framework during the period of the floating exchange rate regime in Thailand. Design/methodology/approach - The monthly data used in this study are the stock market index or stock prices from the Stock Exchange of Thailand, and the nominal bilateral exchange rate in terms of baht per US dollar from the Bank of Thailand. The period covers July 1997 to June 2010 with 156 observations. This is the period that the country switched from fixed to floating exchange rate regime. The stock market return is calculated by the percentage change of stock market index (or stock prices) while the exchange rate return is the percentage change of the nominal bilateral exchange rate. Three estimation methods are used to capture the interaction between stock and foreign exchange markets: bounds testing for cointegration, non-causality test, and the two-step approach with a bivariate GARCH model and Granger causality test. Findings - The results of the present study show that bounds testing for cointegration does not detect the long-run relationship between stock prices and exchange rate. In addition, the non-causality test fails the diagnostic test for multivariate normality in the residuals of the estimated VAR model. However, the two-step approach adequately detects the linkages between the stock and foreign exchange markets. It is found that there exists positive unidirectional causality running from stock market return to exchange rate return. The exchange rate risk causes stock return to fall as expected. Moreover, there are bidirectional causal relations between stock market risk and exchange rate risk, but in different directions. Research limitations/implications - Since a rising trend in the risk in the foreign exchange market causes stock return to fall, both domestic and foreign investors should be aware of the risk or uncertainty in the foreign exchange market because it can cause their portfolio return to fall. For policymakers, reducing exchange rate risk cannot be done without the associated costs from a rising risk in the stock market. Originality/value - This study provides an evidence of volatility (or risk) spillovers in stock and foreign exchange markets. In addition, the risk in foreign exchange market that adversely affects return in the stock market is an expected phenomenon under the floating exchange rate regime.
Toward an Information Tool for Integrated Product Policy: Requirements for Data and Computation

Integrated product policy, according to the European Union, requires reliable data on the impact of consumer products along their life cycles. We argue that this necessarily requires the development of an information tool for hybrid analysis, combining aspects of life‐cycle assessment and input‐output analysis. A number of requirements in the development of such a hybrid information tool are identified, mainly concerning data and computational structure. For the former, some important points of attention are discussed, whereas for the latter, operational formulas are developed.
Foreign direct investment and productivity spillovers in Irish manufacturing industry: evidence from plant level panel data

It is often argued that foreign firms may enhance the productivity of indigenous firms in an economy, through forward or backward linkages. Such externality effects typically are called “productivity spillovers”. In terms of foreign direct investment (FDI), Ireland is one of the most globalized economies in the world, having pursued a strategy of promoting investment by foreign companies for over 40 years. This article examines possible productivity spillovers from foreign‐owned firms to indigenous firms in the Irish manufacturing sector, using plant‐level data on all manufacturing firms for the period 1991–1998. Despite Irish policy commitment to building linkages between foreign and domestic firms, we find only weak evidence of spillovers and this evidence is sensitive to the definition and measurement of foreign presence.
School-Level Curriculum: Learning from a Rural School in Indonesia

WINARTI, ENY. , Ph.D., June 2012, Curriculum and Instruction School-Level Curriculum: Learning from a Rural School in Indonesia Director of Dissertation: Ginger Weade In relatively poor schools, in which school facilities and human resources are limited, people rarely expect to find high National Examination (UASBN in Indonesia) test scores. Rimpang Elementary School was an exception. This study focused on studying this anomaly. A main research question: “What factors explain the unusual UASBN performance of a relatively poor elementary school? ” and four sub-research questions related to the School-Level Curriculum (KTSP) and the National Examination (UASBN) were generated in order to holistically explain this phenomenon. In order to respond to those questions, the research method used Grounded Theory. The data collected from documents, interviews, reflective journal and field notes, and classroom observation were processed through initial coding, focused coding, theoretical coding, and memo writing. The study indicated that in Rimpang Elementary School, the teaching performances of classroom teachers played an important role in enabling the students to obtain relatively high scores in the UASBN. However, instead of validating the unusual UASBN performance of a relatively poor elementary school, the study of the curriculum transfer process uncovered inconsistency between the KTSP and the UASBN. The study showed that during the curriculum transfer process, a number of significant ideas were