Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Working Paper / Document de travail 2013-26 Uncertain Fiscal Consolidations

Bank of Canada working papers are theoretical or empirical works-in-progress on subjects in economics and finance. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors. No responsibility for them should be attributed to the Bank of Canada. ii Acknowledgements We are grateful to Alberto Alesina and Silvia Ardagna for providing us with their dataset. For many useful comments, we thank the editor, Wouter Den Haan, and an anonymous referee, as well as Abstract The paper explores the macroeconomic consequences of fiscal consolidations whose timing and composition—either tax-or spending-based—are uncertain. We find that the composition of the fiscal consolidation, its duration, the monetary policy stance, the level of government debt, and expectations over the likelihood and composition of fiscal consolidations all matter in determining the extent to which a given consolidation is expansionary or successful in stabilizing government debt. We argue that the conditions that could render fiscal consolidation efforts expansionary are unlikely to apply in the current economic environment. Résumé L'étude explore les conséquences macroéconomiques de programmes d'assainissement budgétaire dont on ne connaît avec certitude ni le calendrier, ni la composition (l'État haussera-t-il les impôts ou réduira-t-il ses dépenses? ). Les auteurs montrent que la composition d'un programme donné, sa durée, les anticipations relatives à la vraisemblance de sa mise en oeuvre et à sa composition, l'orientation de la politique monétaire et le niveau de la dette publique influent tous sur la mesure dans laquelle ce programme aura des effets expansionnistes ou réussira à stabiliser la dette publique. Ils jugent peu probable, dans le contexte économique actuel, que les conditions nécessaires pour que les efforts de redressement budgétaire stimulent l'activité économique soient réunies.
A Transformerless 2-Level Inverter Based Static Var Generator with Multiple Functions in Medium Voltage Application

This paper proposes a transformerless 2-level inverter based static var generator (SVG), which employs 20 series-connected IGBTs in each leg of the bridge for medium voltage blocking capability. The multifunctional SVG is used to compensate reactive power, negative sequence current, current harmonics and unbalanced utility voltages. Especially, a voltage controlled current source (VCCS) strategy is introduced and analyzed to mitigate grid voltage unbalance. Furthermore, the approaches to generating the reference signal for the SVG control circuit is presented according to different compensation objectives. Successful field installation and test results under 6kV voltage level showed satisfactory performance of the proposed SVG
Architecture of a discrete-event and agent-based crisis response simulation model

This paper presents an architecture of a discrete-event and agent-based crisis response simulation model. In multi-agent systems as a computational organisation, agents are modelled and implemented separately from the environmental model. We follow this perspective and propose an architecture in which the crisis environment is modelled using discrete events and entities, and the crisis response organisation is modelled as a multi-agent system. The combination of both models allows for independent modifications of the response organisation and the scenario, resulting in a testbed that allows experimenting with different coordination mechanisms to respond to the same scenario. In particular, we provide the results of an experimental design where an initial screening shows the impact that different coordination mechanisms have on the overall performance of the response.
Social-Web Archive Contextualization : Cultural Dynamics , Social-Media Responses to News and Context-aware Social Search February

In this document, we describe techniques and approaches concerned with social-web archive contextualization. In particular, we describe our work on cultural dynamics, which refers to gaining insights into cultural patterns in social media, context-aware social search, and social media mining. We examine the reaction of people in social media to news articles, by developing techniques that could help journalists and curators semi-automatically filter the most relevant content. We study social search and propose techniques to carry it out because it could be a crucial tool in finding relevant information for curators and journalists
Discretionary Behavior of Banks ' Earnings and Banks ' Dividend Guideline in Japan

This paper examines whether Japanese banks had managed earnings from fiscal year 1981 to 1991 in order to comply with dividend guideline by Japanese Ministry of Finance. The guideline, a core policy for capital adequacy of banks, limited the upper bound of dividend pay-out ratio within 40% of current net income and was effective until its suspension in August 1992. We construct accrualsbased models of banks: total accruals and total accruals with securities transaction gains and losses, and analyze the data by fixed effect method of panel data analysis. Our findings support the dividend guideline hypothesis: a bank with poor outlook on current performance chose income increasing discretion in compliance with the guideline. Meanwhile, a bank with prospective outlook chose income decreasing discretion. The result is also consistent with tax-saving hypothesis. Alternative tests to counter sample selection bias problem suggests that total accruals and securities transactions gains and losses combined work more appropriately as management instruments for earnings management of banks in Japan.
Human Science Research: A Matter of Quality

This article encourages debate about the most appropriate use of what is often termed “qualitative” research as distinct from “quantitative” research. Qualitative research refers to the constructivist paradigm of theory generation within the context of human inquiry. In this article, “constructivist” refers to gaining an in-depth understanding of how people construe their world and how they make sense of their experiences. Moustakas (1994) writes of “human science” research to describe those methodologies that have certain fundamental principles in common when studying the psychology of the self and psychosocial aspects of the human condition, its development, and relationships. Some of these fundamental principles will be discussed in this article. Quantitative research supports a positivistic stance, which in its most extreme form means that what we cannot see or experience with our five senses does not exist. Attached to this is the belief that there is a “truth” out there waiting to be found, and only empirical data is of scientific value for discovering this “truth. ” The author's assertion is that while the positivistic approach has value within the science of nature, it has little to offer in human science research. This article will address broad issues related to research rather than the details of specific methodologies.
Closed-loop laser stabilization system

European XFEL is a free electron laser capable of generating light pulses with wavelength as small as 0.05 nm, which will enable observation of objects at the atomic scale. Laser diode driver (LDD) is a significant element in the beam monitoring system, which will be used in the European XFEL laser. Its role is to provide constant current source, linear, noiseless, and accurate, that delivers exactly the current to the laser diode that it needs to operate for a particular application. To ensure the stable power output to the laser diode, PI controller was implemented. The basic goal of locking the laser frequency is to reduce the frequency fluctuations between the laser and cavity. When the feedback bandwidth is wider than the dominant noise spectrum of the laser, reduction of the fluctuations the laser is tightly locked to the cavity. The code of the PI routine was optimized to enable higher frequency of its execution, which should improve the regulation parameters. This paper presents the microprocessor-based laser diode driver that can be used for a field electron laser system. It focuses on the firmware based on a real-time operating system (RTOS) developed to provide good stability of PI regulation combined with high flexibility in terms of system control.
Detection of mRNA by Reverse Transcription-PCR as an Indicator of Viability in Escherichia coliCells

ABSTRACT The relationship between the detection of mRNA and cellular viability in Escherichia coli was investigated in cells killed by heat or ethanol. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) methods were developed for detecting mRNA from rpoH,groEL, and tufA genes. mRNA from all three genes was detected immediately after the cells had been killed by heat or ethanol but gradually disappeared with time when dead cells were held at room temperature. In heat-killed cells, some mRNA targets became undetectable after 2 to 16 h, whereas after ethanol treatment, mRNA was still detected after 16 h. In contrast, 16S rRNA was detected by RT-PCR in all samples containing dead cells and did not disappear during a subsequent incubation of 16 h at room temperature. Of the different types of nucleic acid, mRNA is the most promising candidate for an indicator of viability in bacteria, but its persistence in dead cells depends on the inactivating treatment and subsequent holding conditions.
Integrated Management of European Cherry Fruit Fly Rhagoletis cerasi (L.): Situation in Switzerland and Europe

The European cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi (L.) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a highly destructive pest. The low tolerance for damaged fruit requires preventive insecticide treatments for a marketable crop. The phase-out of old insecticides threatens cherry production throughout the European Union (EU). Consequently, new management techniques and tools are needed. With the increasing number of dwarf tree orchards covered against rain to avoid fruit splitting, crop netting has become a viable, cost-effective method of cherry fruit fly control. Recently, a biocontrol method using the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana has been developed for organic agriculture. However, for most situations, there is still a lack of efficient and environmentally sound insecticides to control this pest. This review summarizes the literature from over one hundred years of research on R. cerasi with focus on the biology and history of cherry fruit fly control as well as on antagonists and potential biocontrol organisms. We will present the situation of cherry fruit fly regulation in different European countries, give recommendations for cherry fruit fly control, show gaps in knowledge and identify future research opportunities.
DIGITAL TERRAIN ANALYSIS : DATA SOURCE , RESOLUTION AND APPLICATIONS FOR MODELING PHYSICAL PROCESSES IN AGROECOSYSTEMS

Terrain analysis is the quantitative analysis of topographic surfaces. Most attempts at modeling landscapes have been unsuccessful because the landscape was either looked at in little details or the landscape was considered in two dimensions. The purpose of a digital terrain system is the digital representation of terrain so that environmental problem like soil erosion may be approached accurately and efficiently through automated means. This paper describes data requirements, methods for storing surface data, advantages, limitations and applications of digital terrain analysis for agriculture and environmental processes modeling. A practical application of the digital terrain model SALUS-TERRAE is presented as case study to simulate spatial variability of soil water content in an agricultural landscape.
Subspace Information Criterion Determining Parameters in Linear Filters for Optimal Restoration

We discuss the problem of image restoration from observed images. Most of the image restoration filters proposed so far include parameters that control the restoration properties. For bringing out the optimal restoration performance of the filters, the parameter values should be determined so as to minimize a certain error measure such as the mean squared error (MSE) between the restored image and original image. However, this is not generally possible since the unknown original image itself is required to evaluate MSE. In this paper, we derive an estimator of MSE called the subspace information criterion (SIC), and propose determining the parameter values so that SIC is minimized. It is theoretically shown that, for any linear filter, SIC gives an unbiased estimate of the expected MSE over the noise. Computer simulations with the regularization filter show that SIC tends to outperform existing methods.
Distinct Roles of Bulbar Muscarinic and Nicotinic Receptors in Olfactory Discrimination Learning

The olfactory bulb (OB) and piriform cortex receive dense cholinergic projections from the basal forebrain. Cholinergic modulation within the piriform cortex has long been proposed to serve important functions in olfactory learning and memory. We here investigate how olfactory discrimination learning is regulated by cholinergic modulation of the OB inputs to the piriform cortex. We examined rats' performance on a two-alternative choice odor discrimination task following local, bilateral blockade of cholinergic nicotinic and/or muscarinic receptors in the OB. Results demonstrate that acquisition, but not recall, of novel discrimination problems is impaired following blockade of OB cholinergic receptors, although the relative contribution of muscarinic and nicotinic receptors depends on task difficulty. Blocking muscarinic receptors impairs learning for nearly all odor sets, whereas blocking nicotinic receptors only affects performance for perceptually similar odors. This pattern of behavioral effects is consistent with predictions from a model of cholinergic modulation in the OB and piriform cortex (de Almeida et al., 2013). Model simulations suggest that muscarinic and nicotinic receptors may serve complementary roles in regulating coherence and sparseness of the OB network output, which in turn differentially regulate the strength and overlap in cortical odor representations. Overall, our results suggest that muscarinic receptor blockade results in a bona fide learning impairment that may arise because cortical neurons are activated less often. Behavioral impairment following nicotinic receptor blockade may not be due to the inability of the cortex to learn, but rather arises because the cortex is unable to resolve highly overlapping input patterns.
Simplified transmit covariance optimization and user ordering algorithm for successive zero-forcing precoding

In this paper we consider transmit covariance matrix optimization and user ordering problem for successive zero-forcing (SZF) precoding for multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) downlink, where base station as well as the mobile receivers are equipped with multiple antennas. With SZF, an optimization of sum rate maximizing transmit covariance matrices is necessary. A dirty paper coding (DPC) based transmit covariance matrix optimization algorithm has been recently proposed in [1]. The algorithm involves three steps: the dual multiple access channel (MAC) covariance optimization using sum power iterative water-filling [2], the MAC to broadcast channel (BC) covariance transformation [3] for DPC, and transformation of the DPC downlink covariance matrices to SZF matrices. Hence, that algorithm is computationally very complex, and may not be realizable in practice. In this paper, we propose a suboptimal but much simplified algorithm, which employs an iterative procedure similar to the MAC covariance optimization technique of [2], but does not involve multiple levels of covariance matrix transformations. Additionally, the optimized algorithm requires the optimization to be applied to all possible user orders. Hence, we propose a heuristic user ordering algorithm based on previously proposed user selection algorithms, so that the exhaustive search through all possible user orders is avoided without significant performance penalty. Simulation results show that proposed algorithm performs very close to the algorithm of [1] in low SNR regime.
KL-Divergence Guided Two-Beam Viterbi Algorithm on Factorial HMMs

This thesis addresses the problem of the high computation complexity issue that arises when decoding hidden Markov models (HMMs) with a large number of states. A novel approach, the two-beam Viterbi, with an extra forward beam, for decoding HMMs is implemented on a system that uses factorial HMM to simultaneously recognize a pair of isolated digits on one audio channel. The two-beam Viterbi algorithm uses KL-divergence and hierarchical clustering to reduce the overall decoding complexity. This novel approach achieves 60% less computation compared to the baseline algorithm, the Viterbi beam search, while maintaining 82.5% recognition accuracy.
CHROMAGRAM: A Real-time Chroma Key Application for Mobile Devices

Chroma Key is a special-effects technique widely used by television and motion picture industries for image composition. This technique allows users to replace sections identiﬁed by a chosen colour in a multimedia stream (like a video or a photo) with another image or video stream. In this paper, we describe an easy-to-implement technique for the creation of an Android based application for mobile devices (like smartphones and tablets) that applies Chroma Key-based effects to the video stream coming from the device camera. We discuss the algorithm used to achieve the Chroma Key effect focusing on the computational performance and on the quality of its ﬁnal result. Using a picture selected from the device gallery, this application makes possible the replacement of video stream background areas characterized by a chroma value with the chosen picture.
Approximations to the Log-Likelihood Function in the Nonlinear Mixed-Effects Model

Abstract Nonlinear mixed-effects models have received a great deal of attention in the statistical literature in recent years because of the flexibility they offer in handling the unbalanced repeated-measures data that arise in different areas of investigation, such as pharmacokinetics and economics. Several different methods for estimating the parameters in nonlinear mixed-effects model have been proposed. We concentrate here on two of them—maximum likelihood and restricted maximum likelihood. A rather complex numerical issue for (restricted) maximum likelihood estimation in nonlinear mixed-effects models is the evaluation of the log-likelihood function of the data, because it involves the evaluation of a multiple integral that, in most cases, does not have a closed-form expression. We consider here four different approximations to the log-likelihood, comparing their computational and statistical properties. We conclude that the linear mixed-effects (LME) approximation suggested by Lindstrom and Bates, t.
Flexible EMI shielding materials derived by melt blending PVDF and ionic liquid modified MWNTs

Nano composites of PVDF with ionic liquid [EMIM][TF2N] (IL) modified MWNTs were prepared by melt blending to design materials for EMI shielding applications. MWNTs and IL were mixed in two different ratios (1:1 and 1:5) to facilitate better dispersion of MWNTs in PVDF. It was observed that non-covalent interactions between IL and PVDF resulted in a better dispersion of CNTs and was consistent with increasing concentration of IL. Interestingly, IL modified MWNTs induced the formation of γ-phase crystals in PVDF, which was further confirmed by XRD, FTIR and DSC. Melt rheological measurements and DSC analysis revealed the plasticization effect of IL in PVDF composites further manifesting in a decrease in the storage modulus and the glass transition temperature. This phenomenal effect presumably led to better dispersion of IL modified MWNTs in PVDF further resulting in a significant improvement in electrical conductivity and structural properties. More interestingly, the elongational properties in the composites improved with IL modified MWNTs in striking contrast to MWNT filled PVDF composites. The ac conductivity of the composites reached about 10−3 S cm−1 with the addition of 2 wt% IL modified MWNTs (1:1). This further led to a high electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of about 20 dB at 2 wt% IL modified MWNTs. Such materials can further be explored for flexible, lightweight EMI shielding materials for a wide range of operating frequency.
An energy-efficient framework for data aggregation in wireless sensor networks based on distributed source coding

This paper presents a data aggregation and forwarding framework in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) that will help in reducing energy consumption and hence prolong network lifetime. This approach is based on the fact that WSNs usually contain a large number of sensor nodes typically with highly correlated data readings. The proposal is to deploy distributed source coding (DSC) in compressing data messages to reduce transmission energy requirements along with avoiding data redundancy. Specifically, a DSC construction is proposed to determine the number of bits needed to encode a data message by a sensor node relative to its correlated neighbors without exchanging excessive communication messages among them.
Cloud and Aerosol Research Capabilities at FARS: The Facility for Atmospheric Remote Sensing.

Abstract Since October 1987, the University of Utah Facility for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (FARS) has been applied to the probing of the atmosphere, concentrating on the study of high–level clouds. Regular FARS measurements, which currently total ~3000 h of ruby lidar polarization data, have been directed toward basic cloud research, remote sensing techniques development, and to improving satellite cloud property retrieval methods and GCM predictions by providing climatologically representative cloud datasets and parameterizations. Although the initial studies involved mainly the ruby lidar, the facility has steadily evolved to include a range of visible, infrared, and microwave passive remote sensors, and state–of–the–art, high–resolution dual–wavelength scanning lidar and W–band Doppler radar systems. All three active systems display polarization diversity. In this paper are reviewed the specifications of FARS instrumentation and the research programs to which they have been applied. Four multiple remo.
Measles Virus Matrix Protein Inhibits Host Cell Transcription

Measles virus (MeV) is a highly contagious virus that still causes annual epidemics in developing countries despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. Additionally, importation from endemic countries causes frequent outbreaks in countries where it has been eliminated. The M protein of MeV plays a key role in virus assembly and cytopathogenesis; interestingly, M is localised in nucleus, cytoplasm and membranes of infected cells. We have used transient expression of M in transfected cells and in-cell transcription assays to show that only some MeV M localizes to the nucleus, in addition to cell membranes and the cytoplasm as previously described, and can inhibit cellular transcription via binding to nuclear factors. Additionally, MeV M was able to inhibit in vitro transcription in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, a proportion of M is also localized to nucleus of MeV infected cells at early times in infection, correlating with inhibition of cellular transcription. Our data show, for the first time, that MeV M may play a role early in infection by inhibiting host cell transcription.