Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are Private Banks More Efficient than Public Banks? Evidence from Russia

We study whether bank efficiency is related to bank ownership in Russia. We find that foreign banks are more efficient than domestic private banks and - surprisingly - that domes-tic private banks are not more efficient than domestic public banks. These results are not driven by the choice of production process, the bank's environment, management's risk preferences. the bank's activity mix or size, or the econometric approach. The evidence in fnicl suggests that domestic public banks arc more efficient than domestic private banks and that the efficiency gap between these two ownership types did not narrow after the introduction of deposit insurance in 2004. This may be due to increased switching costs or to the moral hazard effects of deposit insurance. The policy conclusion is that the efficiency of the Russian banking system may benefit more from increased levels of competition and greater access of foreign banks than from bank privatization. JEL classification: G21; P30; P34; P52 Keywords: Bank efficiency; state ownership; foreign ownership; Russia
OUTSOURCED CONTRACTS, BUYER-SUPPLIER TRUST, SUPPLIER OPPORTUNISTIC BEHAVIOR AND SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE IN UGANDAN PUBLIC PROCURING AND DISPOSING ENTITIES (PDEs)

This study sought to examine the extent to which outsourced contracts, buyer-supplier trust and supplier opportunistic behavior explain supplier performance in Ugandan Public Procuring and Disposing Entities (PDEs). This study was prompted by reports of long lead times, failure to match specifications, late deliveries, poor quality of services delivered, contract violations, and increased supplier cheating. Cross sectional data from 116 central government PDEs concerning outsourced contracts was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Hierarchical regression was used to indicate what happens to a model that was developed as part of this research as different predictor variables are introduced. The findings revealed that outsourced contracts, buyer-supplier trust, and supplier opportunistic behavior are significant predictors of supplier performance. The study has both managerial and policy implications which are discussed in this paper.
Print Advertising Context Effects

Abstract An expanded view of the advertisement credibility construct will offer a more complete representation of the factors that contribute to credibility and its outcomes. Based on recent proposed revisions to the advertising communication process model, a revised model of advertisement credibility is offered. A test of a portion of the model supports the inclusion of media credibility as a dimension of advertisement credibility and as an influence on attitude toward the ad, on attitude toward the brand, and on purchase intentions.
H∞ Observer-Based Control for Discrete-Time One-Sided Lipschitz Systems with Unknown Inputs

This paper investigates the problem of robust observer-based stabilization for a class of one-sided nonlinear discrete-time systems subjected to unknown inputs. We propose a simple simultaneous state and input estimator. A nonlinear controller is then proposed to compensate for the effects of unknown inputs and to ensure asymptotic stability in a closed loop. Several mathematical artifacts are used to deduce stability conditions expressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities. To show high performances of the proposed technique, a relevant example is provided with comparisons to recent results.
Using the WMS-III Faces Subtest to Detect Malingered Memory Impairment

The current study evaluated the utility of the WMS-III Faces I subtest (Faces) for the assessment of malingering. Thirty nonlitigating traumatic brain injury patients and 30 control participants were administered Faces under standard administration and instructed malingering conditions. Although the two groups obtained similar scores when taking the test under standard instructions, both groups produced significantly lower performances when instructed to malinger, indicating that Faces is sensitive to malingering, but less sensitive to traumatic brain injury. The total raw score provided stronger classification accuracy than an empirically weighted combination of the five easiest items (i.e., floor effect items). A raw score cutoff of 31 yielded the maximum classification accuracy with 93.3% sensitivity and 80.0% specificity.
Application of a system dynamics model to inform investment in smoking cessation services in New Zealand.

OBJECTIVES We estimated the long-term effects of smoking cessation interventions to inform government decision-making regarding investment in tobacco control. METHODS We extracted data from the 2006 New Zealand Tobacco Use Survey and other sources and developed a system dynamics model with the iThink computer simulation package. The model derived estimates of population cessation rates from smoking behaviors and applied these over a 50-year period, from 2001 to 2051, under business-as-usual and enhanced cessation intervention scenarios. RESULTS The model predicted larger effects by 2051 with the enhanced cessation than with the business-as-usual scenario, including: an 11% greater decline in adult current smoking prevalence (9 versus 10 per 100 people), 16% greater decline in per capita tobacco consumption (370 versus 440 cigarette equivalents per year), and 11% greater reduction in tobacco-attributable mortality (3000 versus 3300 deaths per year). CONCLUSIONS The model generated reliable estimates of the effects on health and on tobacco use of interventions designed to enhance smoking cessation. These results informed a decision announced in May 2007 to increase funding for smoking cessation by NZ $42 million over 4 years.
QUALITY IN A PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: A CASE IN RUSUNAMI KALIBATA CITY

Rusunami of Kalibata Residence is one of 3 (three) residences group at Kalibata City Super Block area at Kalibata, South of Jakarta that is developed by AgungPodomoro Group as a respond to government program of 1000 tower Rusunami/Rusunawa in Indonesia. Consist of 7 towers that now already complete its construction, it has been lived in by tenants and now at operation management step. Rusunami as the name “ RumahSusunSederhanaHakMilik “ is property business as like apartment that have unique characteristic of business, because combination of product delivered and service quality with no direct repeat order activity. There are three main business, project management at development step, marketing at promotion and transaction step and property operation management as after sales service at normal operation. At the operation management step, the main objective of business is to ensure customer that staying at Kalibata Residence is satisfy for all of product and service delivered. It should cover all customer main needs and the promised thing at marketing promotion step. The main business issue also related to the main objective, it is unsatisfied respond from customer of product and service quality delivered. The cost of unsatisfied impact will be more expensive that cost of best service quality. Based on observation and research at the field, the source of unsatisfied customer come from quality of product and service accepted compare their expectation. There are some expectation the people to by and stay at Kalibata Residence as his need and concept of live, it is also be stronger by marketing promised from developer. Developer already delivered the room unit tenant /customer and make service quality program of daily operation management to comply the customer expectation and developer promised. So the main source can come from high expectation of customer and there are some quality problem the product and service delivered. As property operation management should respond this issue to achieve the business objective, increase customer satisfaction.The recommended solution is quality service improvement at all dimensions of service quality (tangible, responsiveness, reliability, performance and empathy) with priority based on the breakdown of unsatisfied customer respond and timing schedule.
Real Time PCR and Importance of Housekeepings Genes for Normalization and Quantification of mRNA Expression in Different Tissues

ABSTRACT The aim of this review was to evaluate the importance of the real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) as a technique for mRNA expression analysis in different tissues. Real-time PCR is widely used for quantification of mRNA levels and is a fundamental tool for basic research, molecular medicine and biotechnology. Genes of references are expressed in a wide variety of tissues and cells with minimal variations in their expression levels, and thus are used to normalize data of mRNA quantification. Software programs, such as geNorm, BestKeeper and NormFinder, have been developed to perform the normalization of data, which help to choose the most stable reference gene. Several genes, such as GAPDH, β -actin, β -tubulin, PGK, UBQ, RPL-19 and 18S rRNA have been suggested as standards in PCR studies, but these genes can have variation in their expression in different tissues, reinforcing the idea that there is no ideal reference gene. Key words: PCR, normalization, reference genes, gene expression, mRNA
Bayesian Statistics in Marketing

Bayesian statistics points the way to an articulation of business judgment and statistical research in approaching marketing problems. We have always known that neither executive nor statistician is sufficient in himself, but now for the first time we have formal tools that show that the two can be brought closer together. This article shows how this may be accomplished. Also, see the succeeding article, “Bayesian Decision Theory in Pricing Strategy,” by Paul E. Green, pp. 5–14.
A novel SVPWM technique for capacitor voltage balancing in modular multilevel converters(MMCs)

This paper proposes a novel space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique to address the capacitor voltage balancing issue in MMCs. The MMC topology consists of cascade connected identical and individual controllable submodules (SMs) to generate higher level output voltages. The characteristic of DC floating capacitor of SM complicates the modulation technique for MMC. This work presents a study of different carrier based modulation techniques for MMC. In this paper, a novel SVPWM technique and analogue sorting algorithm are implemented to control the SM capacitor voltages. The proposed SVPWM technique and existing carrier based modulation techniques for a five level MMC are implemented in MATLAB/Simulink environment. The simulation results of the proposed modulation technique is presented and compared with the existing carrier based modulation techniques.
Balance training and center-of-pressure location in participants with chronic ankle instability.

CONTEXT Chronic ankle instability (CAI) occurs in some people after a lateral ankle sprain and often results in residual feelings of instability and episodes of the ankle's giving way. Compared with healthy people, patients with CAI demonstrated poor postural control and used a more anteriorly and laterally positioned center of pressure (COP) during a single-limb static-balance task on a force plate. Balance training is an effective means of altering traditional COP measures; however, whether the overall location of the COP distribution under the foot also changes is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine if the spatial locations of COP data points in participants with CAI change after a 4-week balance-training program. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Thirty-one persons with self-reported CAI. INTERVENTION(S) Participants were randomly assigned to a 4-week balance-training program or no balance training. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) We collected a total of 500 COP data points while participants balanced using a single limb on a force plate during a 10-second trial. The location of each COP data point relative to the geometric center of the foot was determined, and the frequency count in 4 sections (anteromedial, anterolateral, posteromedial, posterolateral) was analyzed for differences between groups. RESULTS Overall, COP position in the balance-training group shifted from being more anterior to less anterior in both eyes-open trials (before trial = 319.1 ± 165.4, after trial = 160.5 ± 149.5; P = .006) and eyes-closed trials (before trial = 387.9 ± 123.8, after trial = 189.4 ± 102.9; P < .001). The COP for the group that did not perform balance training remained the same in the eyes-open trials (before trial = 214.1 ± 193.3, after trial = 230.0 ± 176.3; P = .54) and eyes-closed trials (before trial = 326.9 ± 134.3, after trial = 338.2 ± 126.1; P = .69). CONCLUSIONS In participants with CAI, the balance-training program shifted the COP location from anterolateral to posterolateral. The program may have repaired some of the damaged sensorimotor system pathways, resulting in a more optimally functioning and less constrained system.
Enhance the nonlinearity of optimizing Boolean function via permutation

There are many heuristic search algorithms for finding optimal Boolean functions with good cryptographic characteristics. In this paper we deploy simulated annealing (motivated by the cooling processes of molten metals) for finding an optimizing Boolean function which is cryptographically relevant and then find all the characteristics. Here, the nonlinearity of optimizing Balanced boolean function modified via shift the position of 0s and 1s in truth table with the help of random permutations.
Selective fermentation of carbohydrate and protein fractions of Scenedesmus, and biohydrogenation of its lipid fraction for enhanced recovery of saturated fatty acids

Biofuels derived from microalgae have promise as carbon‐neutral replacements for petroleum. However, difficulty extracting microalgae‐derived lipids and the co‐extraction of non‐lipid components add major costs that detract from the benefits of microalgae‐based biofuel. Selective fermentation could alleviate these problems by managing microbial degradation so that carbohydrates and proteins are hydrolyzed and fermented, but lipids remain intact. We evaluated selective fermentation of Scenedesmus biomass in batch experiments buffered at pH 5.5, 7, or 9. Carbohydrates were fermented up to 45% within the first 6 days, protein fermentation followed after about 20 days, and lipids (measured as fatty acid methyl esters, FAME) were conserved. Fermentation of the non‐lipid components generated volatile fatty acids, with acetate, butyrate, and propionate being the dominant products. Selective fermentation of Scenedesmus biomass increased the amount of extractable FAME and the ratio of FAME to crude lipids. It also led to biohydrogenation of unsaturated FAME to more desirable saturated FAME (especially to C16:0 and C18:0), and the degree of saturation was inversely related to the accumulation of hydrogen gas after fermentation. Moreover, the microbial communities after selective fermentation were enriched in bacteria from families known to perform biohydrogenation, i.e., Porphyromonadaceae and Ruminococcaceae. Thus, this study provides proof‐of‐concept that selective fermentation can improve the quantity and quality of lipids that can be extracted from Scenedesmus. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 320–329. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Power system studies of electrical drive test field using EMTP-ATP software

The aim of this paper is to present the power system studies - the approach, main results and design recommendations carried out as a design verification of the electrical drive test field. The drive test field is a specific problem, as unlike of standard industrial installation the exact types of connected loads differ and thus, the particular input data of connected loads are not known. The possible way of data mining and assumptions taken into account, as well as simulation inaccuracies, are presented here. All studies were performed in the EMTP-ATP software, and, if applicable, the approach and assessment of results was in accordance with EN standards or Czech PNE standards. The work also presents some useful points which should be a part of the executive summary of particular power system studies.
Analysis of Grain Supply Chain Performance Based on Relative Impact of Channel Coordinator's Objectives on Firm Level Objectives

A fuzzy multi-objective programming model is used to analyze the optimal decisions in a multi-objective grain supply chain in which the firm-level firm goals are conflicting with the channel coordinator's goals. The relative impact of the channel coordinator's goals on performance of the supply chain is determined through a linear weighting method. The study finds that prioritizing the channel coordinator's goals enhances the overall performance of the system.
Practical adaptation of configuration management Three case studies

This research studies the adaptation of configuration management. Configuration management (CM) is a support process for product development and it operates in the context of the development project. Several factors, such as the size of the project, distribution, development disciplines, etc. affect the projects CM solution. Nowadays, CM practices inside a project have become an industrial defacto standard, but the complexity emerges from the modern operational environment of product development. Globalisation, outsourcing, product variation and the amount of SW in modern products have characterized the modern product development. This trend has also affected the CM practices, which need to face these new challenges. This study defines the initial framework of factors that affect the CM solution. These factors represent the project characteristics that the CM adaptation needs to solve when planning the CM solution for a project. Even though separate factors can be identified, they coexist and therefore the planning of CM has to take these factors into account singly and together. The framework of factors has been used to characterise three CM adaptation case studies. The case studies represent the two ends of the project types. Case 1 represents a large multisite development project, while cases 2 and 3 represent small SW development projects. The CM practices are considered based on factors in each case and the results are discussed. Furthermore, a cross-case analysis has been carried out to detect and discuss similarities and differences between the cases. The results indicate that the plan-based CM worked well and provided mechanisms for identifying CM solutions that suited the project context despite
Biophysical drought metrics extraction by time series analysis of SPOT Vegetation data

The repeated occurrence of severe wildfires has highlighted the need for development of effective vegetation moisture monitoring tools. The normalized difference infrared index (NDII) derived from SPOT Vegetation satellite data and the Keetch-Byram drought index derived from temperature and rainfall data are both related to vegetation moisture dynamics. Autocorrelation of time series is a major issue when time series derived from remote sensing and meteorological variables are analyzed. Autocorrelation affects cross-correlation between variables measured in time, and violates the basic regression assumption of independence. Therefore, this study focuses on the extraction of independent drought metrics from seasonal time series to define quantitive relationships between remote sensing and meteorological time series. First, the correlation between time series of satellite- and climate-data based indices is investigated by cross-correlation analysis. Secondly, a novel method for extraction of drought metrics is optimized for satellite- and in-situ derived time series. The method is based on a nonlinear least squares fit of asymmetric Gaussian model functions. The smooth model functions are then used for defining key seasonality parameters. The hypothesis is that the `seasonal shapes' of satellite- and in-situ derived time series are correlated. Based on this hypothesis, the performance for parameter extraction from time series is explored
Subjective Complaints as the Main Reason for Biosimilar Discontinuation After Open‐Label Transition From Reference Infliximab to Biosimilar Infliximab

To evaluate drug survival, effectiveness, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and safety in daily practice after transitioning treatment from original reference infliximab (Remicade [REM]) to a biosimilar infliximab (CT‐P13 [Remsima; Inflectra]) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis.
Inertial sensor signals denoising with directed transfer function

In order to achieve precise navigation information on the displacement of a vehicle in terms of position, speed, acceleration and direction we are suggesting the use of a new software procedure for processing data received from miniaturized inertial navigation systems. A new method for establishing the optimum decomposition level of the Wavelet transform is proposed. This method was used for filtering variable acceleration signals received from an accelerometer. In our next investigations we intend to implement this algorithm for the pre-calibration of two or tri-dimensional navigation systems containing miniaturized accelerometers and gyros.
Aptasensor for Staphylococcus Enterotoxin B Detection Using High SNR Piezoresistive Microcantilevers

This paper proposes and demonstrates aptasensors for the detections of staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) both in buffer and skim milk by using thiol-modified piezoresistive microcantilever. With attempts to optimize the design and fabrication processes of the microcantilever, the signal-to-noise rate of the aptasensor was greatly improved and an output voltage shift smaller than 1 \(\mu \) V was successfully obtained. By immobilizing thiol-modified target aptamers onto the nanogold-coated surface of the sensing cantilevers, different concentrations of SEB were detected with a wide detection range of 6-300 ng/mL in buffer, as well as in skim milk. All the experimental results indicate that the piezoresistive cantilever-based aptasensor has sufficient sensitivity to detect food contaminants and might provide an economical platform for on-site detections of different toxicants with the advantages of portability, high sensitivity, and rapid response.