Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TYPES OF INCOME AND INEQUALITY IN CHINA AT THE END OF THE 1980s

Using a nationwide household income survey, different types of income in the People's Republic of China at the end of the 1980s is analyzed. The results show that various income types play quite different roles in rural and urban areas. Subsistence income makes up about half of the total income in rural China. Money income makes up about two-thirds of total income in urban China and is the major contributor to inequality in the entire country. In kind income, of which highly subsidized housing is the single most important category, is highly concentrated in urban areas and contributes greatly to inequality. Copyright 1997 by The International Association for Research in Income and Wealth.
The Impact of Political Connections on Firms' Operation Performance and Financing Decisions

We investigate the impact that the political connections of publicly traded firms have on their performance and financing decisions. Using a long-term event study covering a sample of 234 politically connected firms headquartered in 12 developed and 11 developing countries over the period 1989 to 2003, we find that firms increase their performance and indebtedness after the establishment of a political connection. We also find that the political connection is more strongly associated with changes in leverage and operating performance for firms with closer ties to political power. Overall, our study confirms that politically connected firms gain easier access to credit and reap benefits in terms of performance from their ties with politicians.
Turkey and the Middle East: frontiers of the new geographic imagination

In this article, we will focus on the role of political transformation and reform in the emergence of a new foreign policy line in Turkey. We hold the idea that Turkey adopted a new course in foreign policy due to political transformation at home, which resulted in reconstruction of the previous policy attitudes in policy making circles. The analysis of the change in Turkey’s foreign policy rhetoric provides a useful framework for understanding foreign policy behaviour and we will discuss this premise in the context of Turkish policy toward the Middle East. Political transformation in Turkey, which is partly a result of the European Union membership process, has had two pillars: democratisation and consolidation of stability. This domestic reform process, especially in the fields of civil-military relations, national security, and economic liberalisation and stability, has significant implications for Turkey’s foreign policy. Changes in these realms led to a new awareness of the Middle East and a shift from a badneighbourhood to a zero-problem policy towards this region. The article discusses these ideas by focusing on changes in Turkish foreign policy towards the Palestinian question, Iran and Iraq. Although the article focuses on Turkey’s foreign policy toward the Middle East, the discussion built here is applicable to other regions to understand how reforming politics and improving welfare can contribute to regional security. The article is comprised of two parts. The first part describes the political transformation in Turkey and discusses how this has led to the emergence of a new regional rhetoric with respect to the Middle East. The second part analyses the development of the new regional policy by focusing on Turkey’s new and more proactive foreign policy line towards the Palestinian question, Iraq and Iran. Finally, the article concludes by pointing out the potential
Social Spending and Aggregate Welfare in Developing and Transition Economies

Notwithstanding the unprecedented attention devoted to reducing poverty and fostering human development via scaling up social sector spending, there is surprisingly little rigorous empirical work on the question of whether social spending is effective in achieving these goals. This paper examines the impact of government spending on the social sectors (health, education, and social protection) on two major indicators of aggregate welfare (the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index and child mortality), using a panel dataset comprising 55 developing and transition countries from 1990 to 2009. We find that government social spending has a significantly positive causal effect on the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, while government expenditure on health has a significant negative impact on child mortality rate. These results are fairly robust to the method of estimation, the use of alternative instruments to control for the endogeneity of social spending, the set of control variables included in the regressions, and the use of alternative samples.
Comparative study of the validity of three regions of the 18S‐rRNA gene for massively parallel sequencing‐based monitoring of the planktonic eukaryote community

The nuclear 18S‐rRNA gene has been used as a metabarcoding marker in massively parallel sequencing (MPS)‐based environmental surveys for plankton biodiversity research. However, different hypervariable regions have been used in different studies, and their utility has been debated among researchers. In this study, detailed investigations into 18S‐rRNA were carried out; we investigated the effective number of sequences deposited in international nucleotide sequence databases (INSDs), the amplification bias, and the amplicon sequence variability among the three variable regions, V1–3, V4–5 and V7–9, using in silico polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification based on INSDs. We also examined the primer universality and the taxonomic identification power, using MPS‐based environmental surveys in the Sea of Okhotsk, to determine which region is more useful for MPS‐based monitoring. The primer universality was not significantly different among the three regions, but the number of sequences deposited in INSDs was markedly larger for the V4–5 region than for the other two regions. The sequence variability was significantly different, with the highest variability in the V1–3 region, followed by the V7–9 region, and the lowest variability in the V4–5 region. The results of the MPS‐based environmental surveys showed significantly higher identification power in the V1–3 and V7–9 regions than in the V4–5 region, but no significant difference was detected between the V1–3 and V7–9 regions. We therefore conclude that the V1–3 region will be the most suitable for future MPS‐based monitoring of natural eukaryote communities, as the number of sequences deposited in INSDs increases.
Auto-Encoding Sequential Monte Carlo

We build on auto-encoding sequential Monte Carlo (AESMC): a method for model and proposal learning based on maximizing the lower bound to the log marginal likelihood in a broad family of structured probabilistic models. Our approach relies on the efficiency of sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) for performing inference in structured probabilistic models and the flexibility of deep neural networks to model complex conditional probability distributions. We develop additional theoretical insights and introduce a new training procedure which improves both model and proposal learning. We demonstrate that our approach provides a fast, easy-to-implement and scalable means for simultaneous model learning and proposal adaptation in deep generative models.
Adoption of climbing beans in the central highlands of Kenya: An empirical analysis of farmers' adoption decisions

Common bean represents the second staple crop in the Kenyan highlands. Decreasing yields and overpopulation in this area demand an intensification of food production. The Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI Embu) has been promoting improved climbing bean varieties in order to boost yields. To quantify the impact of this work, a survey was done in order to (i) assess awareness, trial and adoption rates of climbing beans by local farmers and (ii) acquire insight in this adoption process. This more detailed analysis of the various adoption stages is the paper’s unique contribution to the adoption literature. At the time of the survey, 90% of the farmers were aware of climbing beans, about 40% had grown climbing beans on their farms at least for one season (test/trial) and only about 11% had maintained its production (adoption). Climbing beans seem to be more popular at higher altitudes where they are grown on small areas. Increasing age of the household head, contact with extension services and farmer-to-farmer transmission are important for awareness and testing climbing beans. A serious limitation for both trial and adoption is the poor availability of seed. From this study, recommendations were made on how to improve climbing bean awareness, trial and adoption. Key words: Climbing bean, technology diffusion, technology adoption, farm-household survey, Heckman two-stage procedure, Kenyan highlands.
A systematic review of outcomes associated with participation in Housing First programs

Abstract Housing First (HF) models have gained popularity among many politicians, policy-makers, and social service providers. Proponents of this model argue for its strength by drawing on research evidence. In other words, the use of HF is deemed an ‘evidence-based practice. ’ Despite this, a strong synthesis of the evidence used to champion these models is lacking. This article seeks to address this gap, with a review focused on outcomes associated with participation in HF programs. Specifically, we investigate the details of program design coupled with specific outcomes, so as to better inform future action and research. We conclude that the research forming the evidence base for HF is methodologically strong. However, additional research is needed to determine the benefits of HF for diverse populations. Additional research is also required to conclusively determine the impact of HF on substance use and psychiatric treatment. We recommend that policy-makers consider the needs of local populations when developing and implementing HF programing.
THE WORLD PRICE OF COVARIANCE RISK WITH RESPECT TO EMERGING MARKETS

This paper tests whether conditional versions of the CAPM are consistent with the behaviour of returns in 20 emerging markets and four developed ones. A country's risk is d efined as the conditional sensitivity or covariance of its market return with a world stock return. This risk is pe rmitted to vary through time. The conditional covariances calculated for each emerging market should explain the differences in national stock index performance. The results are varied: those markets with high capitalizations and high correlations with world ma rkets appear to be priced more in terms of world factors whilst others are much more influenced by local factors.
The effects of temporally secondary co-morbid mental disorders on the associations of DSM-IV ADHD with adverse outcomes in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A)

Background Although DSM-IV attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is known to be associated with numerous adverse outcomes, uncertainties exist about how much these associations are mediated temporally by secondary co-morbid disorders. Method The US National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a national survey of adolescents aged 13–17 years (n = 6483 adolescent–parent pairs), assessed DSM-IV disorders with the World Health Organization (WHO) Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Statistical decomposition was used to compare direct effects of ADHD with indirect effects of ADHD through temporally secondary mental disorders (anxiety, mood, disruptive behavior, substance disorders) in predicting poor educational performance (suspension, repeating a grade, below-average grades), suicidality (ideation, plans, attempts) and parent perceptions of adolescent functioning (physical and mental health, interference with role functioning and distress due to emotional problems). Results ADHD had significant gross associations with all outcomes. Direct effects of ADHD explained most (51.9–67.6%) of these associations with repeating a grade in school, perceived physical and mental health (only girls), interference with role functioning and distress, and significant components (34.5–44.6%) of the associations with school suspension and perceived mental health (only boys). Indirect effects of ADHD on educational outcomes were predominantly through disruptive behavior disorders (26.9–52.5%) whereas indirect effects on suicidality were predominantly through mood disorders (42.8–59.1%). Indirect effects on most other outcomes were through both mood (19.8–31.2%) and disruptive behavior (20.1–24.5%) disorders, with anxiety and substance disorders less consistently important. Most associations were comparable for girls and boys. Conclusions Interventions aimed at reducing the adverse effects of ADHD might profitably target prevention or treatment of temporally secondary co-morbid disorders.
Light‐Emitting Agents for Noninvasive Assessment of Kidney Function

Abstract The noninvasive assessment of kidney function and diagnosis of kidney disease have long been challenges. Traditional methods are not routinely available, because the existing protocols are cumbersome, time consuming, and invasive. In the past few years, significant progress in the area of diagnosing kidney function and disease on the basis of light‐emitting agents has been made. Herein, we briefly review light‐emitting agents, including organic fluorescent agents and inorganic renal clearable luminescent nanoparticles for the noninvasive and real‐time monitoring of kidney function and disease. Moreover, some significant requirements and strategies regarding the design of ideal glomerular filtration rate agents and renal clearable nanoparticles are discussed. Finally, we discuss future challenges in expediting clinical translation of these developed light‐emitting agents, along with considerations of the efforts that need to be made to develop new agents and diagnosing kidney disease.
Liability for Harm versus Regulation of Safety

Liability in tort and the regulation of safety are considered as means of controlling accident risks using the instrumentalist, economic method of analysis.Four general determinants of the relative social desirability of liability and regulation are first identified--differences in knowledge about risky activities as between a social authority and private parties; the possibility that parties would not be able to pay fully for harm done; the chance that they would not face suit for harm done; and administrative costs. On the basis of analysis of these determinants, it is suggested that the choices observed to be made between liability and regulation are, when broadly viewed, socially rational: Notably, activities that create the risk of the typical tort and that are little regulated characteristically display features leading us to say that they ought to be controlled mainly by liability. And activities that are much regulated -- especially ones involving significant hazards to health or to the environment -- ought to be directly constrained in important ways, taking into account their usual features.
Examination of the requirement for metabolism of parathyroid hormone in skeletal tissue before biological action.

Previous studies have suggested that parathyroid hormone (1–84), the predominent glandular and secreted form of parathyroid hormone (PTH), might be cleaved to an active fragment before exerting its hormonal effect in target tissues. It was subsequently established that this form of the hormone is active without the requirement for proteolysis in stimulating adenylate cyclase in renal tissue. The present studies were undertaken to examine the necessity for cleavage of PTH (1–84) in the other major target tissue (bone) and thereby to determine if a tissue-specific enzyme might confer target organ specificity upon the PTH molecule. Unlabeled or 125I-labeled bovine PTH (1–84) was incubated for 10 min at 22 C or 37 C with fetal rabbit calvarial tissue, and the incubation mixtures were analyzed by gel filtration and gel electrophoresis. RIA, using antisera directed against the NH2- and COOHtermini, were employed for the detection of unlabeled hormone. Analysis of the metabolic fate of the hormone was correlated.
Objective Perceptual Video Quality Measurement using a Foveation-Based Reduced Reference Algorithm

The properties and limitations of human visual system (HVS) are usually incorporated into objective video quality techniques for better correlation with subjective methods. In this paper, we propose a new objective assessment algorithm based on reduced reference video quality metrics (RR-VQM). The key point of our method is to design multilayer Spatial-Temporal (ST) regions based on human's fovea region, which can utilize the nonuniform resolution properties of HVS for high definition (HD) videos. Quality features are then extracted from ST regions for computing the video quality. Experimental results shows that this kind of multi-layer ST regions can improve the performance of objective methods, not only the results of evaluation, but can also accelerate the evaluation speed and reduce the amount of quality parameters to a large extent.
Anomaly-sensitive dictionary learning for structural diagnostics from ultrasonic wavefields

This paper proposes a strategy for the detection and triangulation of localized anomalies, such as defects, inclusions, or damage zones, in solid and structural media. The method revolves around the construction of sparse representations of the structure's ultrasonic wavefield response, which are obtained by learning instructive dictionaries that form a suitable basis for the response data. The resulting sparse coding problem is cast as a modified dictionary learning task with additional spatial sparsity constraints enforced on the atoms of the learned dictionaries, which provide them with the ability to unveil anomalous regions in the physical domain. The proposed methodology is model-agnostic, i.e., it forsakes the need for a physical model and requires virtually no a priori knowledge of the material properties. This characteristic makes the approach especially powerful for anomaly identification in systems with unknown or highly heterogeneous property distribution, for which a material model is unsuitable or unreliable. The method is tested against synthetically generated data as well as experimental data acquired using a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer.
The management of social protection in Sri Lanka

Abstract Examining how, why and when employers will support the extension and deepening of social welfare, Mares recently argued employers wish both to diffuse social risk and maximise control of employee benefits and insisted that these alternatives require trade-offs. Mares also argued the nature of these trade-offs will be influenced by firm-specific characteristics and incidence of labour market risk. This article tests her model with enterprise data from a developing country (Sri Lanka). We argue firm characteristics and market risk do influence the risk dispersion-control choices made by capitalists and that the manufacturing employers examined have a clear preference for control over risk dispersion and hence oppose the retention of a welfare regime based on a “unitary pool of risks. ”
'Not a cigarette paper between us' : integrated inspection of children's services in England.

Children's services in England are undergoing their most radical transformation since 1948 following the passage of the Children Act 2004. A key part of these changes is the legal requirement to have an Integrated Inspection Framework to assess the extent to which the new Children's Services Authorities have succeeded in meeting five key outcomes—being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic well-being. To this end, up to ten national inspectorates have to coordinate their activities to a hitherto unparalleled extent. This article describes the nature and scale of the new remit and identifies a number of unresolved issues that could impede progress. It is argued that the policy has the hallmarks and accompanying limitations of a top–down exercise in policy formulation and implementation.
Hyper spectral face image based biometric recognition

Day to day life is more unsecure as per the hacking is concerned. Our data is not secure because it can be stolen, hacked, destroy, manipulate, password may forget, guess, Card, token, etc. To overcome this problem biometrics is used as a strong authentication system. The person should be present at the time of the instance. Biometric security is challenging task in day to day life because it is difficult to avoid the fraud. In this research paper emerging biometric trait, i.e. Hyper Spectral Face is considered for human authentication system. There are various visible spectrum of electromagnetic spectral bands are considered for face recognition instead of only three RGB bands. Hyper Spectral gives band wise more finite detail information on face. It is very novel and more accurate than ordinary face recognition system. Hong Kong PolyU Hyper Spectral Face Database used for Face recognition. Kernel Principle Component Analysis (KPCA) algorithm gives prominent features of the Hyperspectral Face Dataset. Extracted features are classified by Mahalinobis Cosine (Mahcos) similarity measurement technique. The Recognition rate calculated on the basis of One Rank Level it furnishes 69.20%.
Preparation and in vitro evaluation of polystyrene-coated diltiazem-resin complex by oil-in-water emulsion solvent evaporation method

The purpose of this study was to examine the suitability of polystyrene-coated (PS-coated) microcapsules of drug-resin complex for achieving prolonged release of diltiazem-HCl, a highly water-soluble drug, in simulated gastric and intestinal fluid. The drug was bound to Indion 254, a cation-exchange resin, and the resulting resinate was microencapsulated with PS using an oil-in-water emulsion-solvent evaporation method. The effect of various formulation parameters on the characteristics of the microcapsules was studied. Mean diameter and encapsulation efficiency of the microcapsules rose with an increase in the concentration of emulsion stabilizer and the coat/core ratio, while the same characteristics tended to decrease with an increase in the volume of the organic disperse phase. The desorption of drug from the uncoated resinate was quite rapid and independent of the pH of the dissolution media. On the other hand, the drug release from the microcapsules was prolonged for different periods of time depending on the formulation parameters and was also found to be independent of the pH of the dissolution media. Both the encapsulation efficiency and the retardation of drug release were found to be dependent on the uniformity of coating, which in turn was influenced by the formulation parameters. Kinetic studies revealed that the desorption of drug from the resinate obeyed the typical particle diffusion process, whereas the drug release from the microencapsulated resinate followed the diffusion-controlled model in accordance with the Higuchi equation. PS appeared to be a suitable polymer to provide prolonged release of diltiazem independent of the pH of the dissolution media.
Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Genetically Modified Foods in Kenya

A survey of 600 consumers was conducted in Nairobi to determine attitudes and willingness to pay (WTP) for GM maize meal. WTP was estimated using the double-bounded logit model. Overall, 38% are aware of GM crops. Most consumers believe in the technology's positive impacts, but are concerned about environmental and health risks. Majority (68%) would buy GM maize meal at the price of their favourite maize meal brand. The mean WTP for GM maize meal is KShs 58 for a 2kg packet, a premium of 13.7 % over mean average price of favourite brands. WTP is influenced more by subjective than socioeconomic characteristics.