Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Buyback Pricing of Durable Goods in Dual Distribution Channels

In the U.S. automobile industry, manufacturers distribute products to consumers through dealers and rental agencies. By selling slightly used rental cars to consumers, rental agencies can compete directly against dealers in the sales market. To mediate this conflict between the two intermediaries, manufacturers launched buyback programs to repurchase used rental cars from rental agencies and redistribute them through dealers. Manufacturers have the option to precommit a buyback price to rental agencies at the time of initial sales or postpone the pricing decision to the time of repurchase. Using a two-period model with and without manufacturer competition in the rental market, we seek to understand how to manage buyback pricing to maximize manufacturers' profits in such dual distribution channels. Under precommitted buyback pricing, we show that the monopolist manufacturer's pricing decisions have a submodular property -- when she increases the buyback price in the rental market, she would have to decrease the wholesale price in the sales market. This tradeoff is eliminated under postponed buyback pricing. We find that precommitted buyback pricing not only leads to zero buyback quantity in equilibrium due to a low buyback price but also yields a lower manufacturer profit than postponed buyback pricing. When manufacturers compete in the rental market, however, they may prefer precommitting their buyback prices in equilibrium if the competition is sufficiently intense. This is due to a strategic complementarity between manufacturers' buyback prices.
Are UK industries resilient in dealing with uncertainty? The case of Brexit

Given the European Union (EU)'s central role in regulating various sectors, the decision to leave poses profound questions for UK industries in upheaval. This paper adopts an event-study methodology to examine, at sectoral level, the dynamics of stock prices surrounding the announcement of the UK's EU membership referendum on 24 June 2016. We find that the adjustment of stock prices is inconsistent with the Uncertain Information Hypothesis assuming that policy changes are typically associated to a decrease of stock prices, but once the uncertainty-induced event is reduced, stock prices would increase again. Analyzing seven sectors of British stock index, we show that the Brexit had a significant impact on the valuation of UK companies. While all industries face increasing uncertainty, the referendum outcome had varying sectoral effects. Specifically, the responses of banks and financial services, defense and airlines, real estate and technology to the Brexit event were even more severe than the reactions of oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods. The lack of opportunity to benefit from the European passporting rules to establish businesses, to access to EU's Research and Development funds and to hire the skilled workers have been offered to explain the adverse effects of Brexit on UK industries.
Extended gene expression by medium exchange and repeated transient transfection for recombinant protein production enhancement

Production of recombinant products in mammalian cell cultures can be achieved by stable gene expression (SGE) or transient gene expression (TGE). The former is based on the integration of a plasmid DNA into the host cell genome allowing continuous gene expression. The latter is based on episomal plasmid DNA expression. Conventional TGE is limited to a short production period of usually about 96 h, therefore limiting productivity. A novel gene expression approach termed extended gene expression (EGE) is explored in this study. The aim of EGE is to prolong the production period by the combination of medium exchange and repeated transfection of cell cultures with plasmid DNA to improve overall protein production. The benefit of this methodology was evaluated for the production of three model recombinant products: intracellular GFP, secreted GFP, and a Gag‐GFP virus‐like particles (VLPs). Productions were carried out in HEK 293 cell suspension cultures grown in animal‐derived component free media using polyethylenimine (PEI) as transfection reagent. Transfections were repeated throughout the production process using different plasmid DNA concentrations, intervals of time, and culture feeding conditions in order to identify the best approach to achieve sustained high‐level gene expression. Using this novel EGE strategy, the production period was prolonged between 192 and 240 h with a 4–12‐fold increase in production levels, depending on the product type considered. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 934–946. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Implementation of an electronic hospital information system: first results of a longitudinal study

Introduction June 2011, a new comprehensive Electronic Hospital Information System (CS-EHIS) has been implemented at the University Medical Hospital of Utrecht. The use of this new system may lead to optimal integrated telehealth and telecare; to a new way of working for many employees and to many new challenges in care. Many users have been trained by colleagues (key users). Just before the implementation of CS-EHIS, a baseline measurement has been performed consisting of the completion of a large questionnaire by 100 key users and a small one by a group of about 1000 users. Six months after the baseline measurement a first follow-up questionnaire has been completed by these employees. Users and key users will be asked to complete a questionnaire each six months. Aims and objectives The aim of the evaluation of CS-EZIS is to localize and solve possible bottlenecks quickly and to learn from problems examined for future implementations. Main questions of the study are: 1) did the implementation strategy come up to the expectations of professionals, 2) will behavior of professionals and patients change as a consequence of the introduction of CS-EHIS, and 3) will the use of care of patients change as a consequence of the introduction of CS-EHIS. Results At the baseline measurement experiences with the old EHIS were examined. The most important complaint of employees was that the system was too slow but overall it was not considered very negatively. The methods of the study, the theoretical model used to study the implementation and preliminary results of the first follow-up measurement will be presented. Conclusions A comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of CS-EHIS may lead to a quick localization of bottlenecks.
An assessment of photoacoustic and photon counting multispectral x-ray imaging techniques for imaging gold nanorods in vivo as part of predicting dose enhancing effects

Radiotherapy, whilst useful in the treatment of many cancers, suffers from the drawback of unavoidably delivering radiation doses to healthy tissue. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have been the subject of much interest as they are able to generate a local dose enhancing effect (DEE), allowing lower intensity beams to achieve a given effect, sparing healthy tissue. It is important that GNP distributions can be ascertained before radiotherapy begins so that accurate treatment plans can be made. Two imaging modalities that show great promise in being able to identify these GNPs in vivo without delivering excessive DEEs are photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and photon counting multi-spectral x-ray imaging (x-CSI). This work forms part of a larger project to assess the feasibility of using x-CSI and PAI to predict DEEs during radiotherapy planning. This work assessed the degradation of gold nanorods (GNRs) in a photoacoustic system sold by iThera, specifically comparing the protective effects against degradation afforded by a silica coating as opposed to GNR PEGylation. This coating is also hoped to prevent spectral broadening when the GNRs are endocytosed, allowing PAI to confirm uptake of GNRs by cells. With regards x-CSI, this work uses a combination of Monte Carlo and Finite Element modelling techniques to realistically model cylindrical phantoms of high-Z materials in order to demonstrate the potential improvements in imaging contrast that x-CSI can produce over traditional energy integrated x-ray imaging techniques. Results on the assessment of both techniques are discussed.
The relationship of symptoms and level of functioning in schizophrenia to general wellbeing and the Quality of Life Scale

Objective: Reports suggesting that quality of life in schizophrenia is more highly related to negative rather than positive symptoms are largely based on use of the Quality of Life Scale which was devised to assess deficit symptoms and does not include an assessment of subjective general wellbeing. In the current paper we examined symptoms, level of community functioning as well as living circumstances as correlates of Quality of Life Scale scores and scores on the General Well‐Being Scale.
Designing Adaptive Conditioning Electronics for Smart Sensing

This paper presents a robust digitally programmable CMOS analogue processor designed for sensor output conditioning in embedded applications. In addition, system adaptability allows for correction of the deviations in circuit operation due to ageing, mismatch or environmental effects, lending a smart nature to the devices. In order to tune the free parameters of the system, two training strategies based on perturbative algorithms are compared. The processor performance is validated by adjusting the response of an angular position sensor and the insensitivity to parameter mismatch is demonstrated through high-level simulations based on Monte Carlo electrical simulation data.
Pharmacogenetics of Thiopurine S-Methyltransferase and Thiopurine Therapy

Abstract: Most medications exhibit wide interpatient variability in their efficacy and toxicity. For many medications, these interindividual differences result in part from polymorphisms in genes encoding drug-metabolizing enzymes, drug transporters, and/or drug targets (eg, receptors, enzymes). Pharmacogenomics is a burgeoning field aimed at elucidating the genetic basis of differences in drug efficacy and toxicity, using genome-wide approaches to identify the network of genes that govern an individual’s response to drug therapy. For some genetic polymorphisms, such as thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT), monogenic traits have a marked effect on the pharmacokinetics of medications, such that individuals who inherit an enzyme deficiency must be treated with markedly different doses of the affected medications (eg, 5–10% of the standard thiopurine dose). This review uses the TPMT polymorphism and thiopurine therapy (eg, azathioprine, mercaptopurine) to illustrate the potential of pharmacogenomics to elucidate genetic determinants of drug response, and optimize the selection of drug therapy for individual patients.
Black holes, stability and geodesics in modified gravity theories

For a hundred years Einstein’s general relativity (GR) has persisted as the standard model of gravity. To date, no observations conflict it. Moreover, GR has predicted effects that have been later confirmed, such as the deflection of light, the redshift of light in gravitational field, and gravitational waves. Modifications to GR have been studied since the early days of relativistic gravity. In this thesis, we present three projects on different modified gravity models. These include Palatini f(R), bimetric variational principle, and scalar-tensor theories. In Palatini f(R) theories, a function of the Ricci scalar, f(R), acts as the gravitational Lagrangian. The connection is independent of the metric. In GR, the function f(R) = R, and the Einstein equations follow regardless of whether or not the connection is independent. We show that for a system of compact objects, the difference between Palatini f(R) and GR is the scaling of masses. However, without complementary measurement of masses, such systems are observationally indistinguishable. In bimetric variational principle, the independent spacetime connection is constructed of a tensor apart from the physical metric. The physical metric and this new tensor then give the field equations. We study Einstein-Hilbert and f(R) actions of the Ricci scalar of the connection. We use ADM formalism to show that without further constraints the resulting Hamiltonian contains a dynamical variable without a lower bound. This leads to decaying to lower energy states by radiating energy ad infinitum. Hence, these theories are physically unviable. We also study scalar-tensor theories with disformally coupled matter. In these theories matter couples to the scalar field and its derivatives. We focus on a system of disformally coupled matter surrounding a black hole. In Brans-Dicketype theories such systems suffer from the so called spontaneous scalarisation. In it, the scalar field develops stable scalar hair around the black hole. This conflicts the no-hair theorem according to which the only observable properties of a black hole are its mass, angular momentum, and electric charge. We show that disformal coupling can further destabilise the system. We find a range of disformal coupling strengths where the coupling enhances the scalarisation. Outside this range, the effect of the disformal coupling is stabilising.
SMT of Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian Languages: a Comparative Study

This paper is an attempt to discover the main challenges in working with Baltic and Estonian languages, and to identify the most significant sources of errors generated by a SMT system trained on large-vocabulary parallel corpora from legislative domain. An immense distinction between Latvian/Lithuanian and Estonian languages causes a set of non-equivalent difficulties which we classify and compare. In the analysis step, we move beyond automatic scores and contribute presenting a human error analysis of MT systems output that helps to determine the most prominent source of errors typical for SMT systems under consideration.
Impulsivity and Approach Tendencies Towards Cigarette Stimuli: Implications for Cigarette Smoking and Cessation Behaviors Among Youth

Impulsivity is associated with smoking, difficulties quitting smoking, and approach tendencies toward cigarette stimuli among adolescents. We examined the effects of impulsivity on (a) the association between approach tendencies and adolescents’ smoking status and (b) the effectiveness of Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM), a smoking cessation intervention focused on changing approach tendencies, among adolescent smokers. We conducted a secondary analysis of evidence from 2 previous published studies: Study 1: a cross-sectional study comparing impulsivity and approach tendencies between adolescent smokers (n = 67) and nonsmokers (n = 58); Study 2: a treatment study that randomized 60 adolescent smokers to receive either CBM or sham training. Impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and the Experiential Discounting Task (EDT). We found higher impulsivity, as determined by the BIS but not the EDT, increased adolescents’ odds of being smokers. We observed that the interaction between EDT and approach tendencies also significantly predicted smoking status, however post hoc comparisons were not significant. Adolescents with higher BIS scores receiving CBM had increased odds of being abstinent at the end of treatment, but we found no association between EDT and treatment outcome. Our findings suggest that approach-bias modification (a form of CBM) may be more effective in impulsive adolescent smokers. Differences in findings for BIS and EDT highlight the complexity of the construct of impulsivity. Future studies with larger samples are needed to further disentangle the effects of different aspects of impulsivity on smoking behaviors and cessation outcomes among youth.
Reducing Delay with Mobile Sink in Low-Duty-Cycle Sensor Networks

Delivery delay, instead of energy efficiency is the most significant objective for low-duty-cycle sensor networks due to the introduction of sleep latency. In this work, we study the mobility scheduling problem of sink in low-duty-cycle sensor networks. In order to reduce the delivery delay, the sink mobility and the inherent duty-cycled operation of nodes are jointly considered. We propose E fficient M obility S cheduling scheme, which decomposes mobility schedule problem into three sub-optimal problems, the delay-bounded hierarchy, path planning for mobile sink and dynamic data forwarding. The main idea behind is to balance the moving time by reducing the number of rendezvous nodes and waiting time by switching the forwarding path dynamically. The proposed scheme is evaluated through extensive simulations and compared with the state of the art, which shows our design is more efficient on delivery delay and energy conservation.
Adjustment disorder as an admission diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE The authors' goal was to study subtyping, demographic variables, suicidality, diagnostic stability, and 2-year rehospitalization outcome for inpatients given the admission diagnosis of adjustment disorder at their institution. METHOD They reviewed the charts of 54 adolescent and 102 adult inpatients given the diagnosis of adjustment disorder at admission and compared them with the charts of 156 matched comparison subjects given other admission diagnoses. RESULTS Adolescents and adults with adjustment disorder had significantly shorter index hospitalizations and more presenting suicidality than the comparison subjects. Adults but not adolescents with adjustment disorder had significantly fewer psychiatric readmissions and fewer rehospitalization days 2 years after discharge than comparison subjects, and more adults with adjustment disorder had diagnoses of comorbid substance use disorder. Forty percent of the patients admitted with the diagnosis of adjustment disorder were discharged with different diagnoses. Only 18% of the inpatients with adjustment disorder who were rehospitalized were given that diagnosis at readmission. CONCLUSIONS Adjustment disorder diagnoses were associated with suicidality, shorter lengths of stay, and, in adults, more substance use disorders and fewer rehospitalizations.
Anaphora Resolution of Demonstrative Noun Phrases in Medline Abstracts

This paper reports our investigation of machine learning methods applied to anaphora resolution for Biology texts. Our primary concern is the investigation of features and their combinations for effective anaphora resolution. In this paper, we focus on the resolution of demonstrative anaphoric noun phrases. We propose several novel features that we call highlighting features and consider their utility particularly for processing of abstracts. The system using the highlighting features achieved 78% accuracy on our test corpus for demonstrative anaphora. Use of the highlighting features reduces errors by 10% compared to the system without using those features.
Regulatory interplay of Cockayne syndrome B ATPase and stress-response gene ATF3 following genotoxic stress

Significance Genotoxic attack results in temporary arrest of RNA synthesis. Mutations in the DNA repair factor Cockayne syndrome B gene product (CSB) that are responsible for the Cockayne syndrome phenotype lead to clinical features such as developmental and neurodegenerative defects and photosensitivity. In UV-irradiated CSB-deficient CS1AN cells, certain genes remain permanently repressed by the activating transcription factor 3, the product of a stress-response gene, which cannot be removed from promoter by the transcription machinery. We suggest that transcriptional defects observed in UV-irradiated CSB-deficient cells result from the permanent transcriptional repression of certain genes as well as from defects in DNA repair. Cockayne syndrome type B ATPase (CSB) belongs to the SwItch/Sucrose nonfermentable family. Its mutations are linked to Cockayne syndrome phenotypes and classically are thought to be caused by defects in transcription-coupled repair, a subtype of DNA repair. Here we show that after UV-C irradiation, immediate early genes such as activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) are overexpressed. Although the ATF3 target genes, including dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), were unable to recover RNA synthesis in CSB-deficient cells, transcription was restored rapidly in normal cells. There the synthesis of DHFR mRNA restarts on the arrival of RNA polymerase II and CSB and the subsequent release of ATF3 from its cAMP response element/ATF target site. In CSB-deficient cells ATF3 remains bound to the promoter, thereby preventing the arrival of polymerase II and the restart of transcription. Silencing of ATF3, as well as stable introduction of wild-type CSB, restores RNA synthesis in UV-irradiated CSB cells, suggesting that, in addition to its role in DNA repair, CSB activity likely is involved in the reversal of inhibitory properties on a gene-promoter region. We present strong experimental data supporting our view that the transcriptional defects observed in UV-irradiated CSB cells are largely the result of a permanent transcriptional repression of a certain set of genes in addition to some defect in DNA repair.
The Dynamic Effects of Intellectual Property Practices

This paper analyses various intellectual property practices in a dynamic context. Building on a model of Segal and Whinston (2004), the paper considers the rate of innovation when IP licensing is expected versus when it is not. In each case, innovation returns trade off the immediate value from innovation versus the long-term advantages of incumbency. Licensing enhances the former but reduces the latter relative to no licensing but overall licensing has a positive impact on innovation rates. The paper then turns to consider the impact of other IP practices such as patent breadth, disclosure requirements, experimental use exemptions and protection from expropriation. By utilising a model that considers immediate and future benefits from innovation, it is able to substantially clarify and, in some cases, resolve debates regarding the impact of these practices. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Number: O34.
Impact of Third Party Audits on Compliance and Corruption: Evidence Using a Policy Experiment

Using a policy experiment in India, we examine the impact of a third party audit on tax compliance. Employing the generalized difference-in-difference methodology, we find that growth in tax payment is 58 percentage points higher under a regime with no third party audit. The fact that the differential growth in tax is negatively associated with differential growth in discretionary expenses and also absence of any real growth of treated firms, suggestively indicate collusion and corruption. Our results hold up-to a battery of placebo tests, absorption of time varying and time invariant unobservable factors and, display heterogeneity based on expected lines.