Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Real and Money Wages, Output and Inflation in the Semi-industrialized World

Recent structuralist ideas about real and money wage changes are reviewed, addressing six questions: (1) In an economy closed to trade, do real wage increases cause output to rise or fall? (2) If output is at an upper bound, what are the roles of real wage and wealth movements in macro adjustment? (3) Taking effective demand into account, do money wage cuts stimulate employment? (4) In an open economy, does money wage reduction or devaluation make output rise? (5) At an output bound, what are the respective roles of wage reduction and monetary restraint in slowing inflation? (6) If inflation is driven by cost with output below capacity, how do wage dynamics affect stabilization programmes based on de-indexation and price freezes? Institutional factors suggest that wage-cutting may be a counterproductive answer to all these policy questions in semi-industrialized economies.
Improved GOMOS/Envisat ozone retrievals in the upper troposphere and the lower stratosphere

Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS) on board Envisat has performed about 440 000 night-time occultations during 2002–2012. Self-calibrating measurement principle, good vertical resolution, excellent pointing accuracy and the wide vertical range from the troposphere up to the lower thermosphere make GOMOS profiles interesting for different analyses. The GOMOS ozone data are of high quality in the stratosphere and the mesosphere, but the current operational retrieval algorithm (IPF v.6) is not optimized for retrievals in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS). In particular, validation of GOMOS profiles against ozonesonde data has revealed a substantial positive bias (up to 100 %) in the UTLS region. The retrievals in the UTLS are challenging because of low signal-to-noise ratio and the presence of clouds. In this work, we discuss the reasons for the systematic uncertainties in the UTLS with the IPF v.6 algorithm or its modifications based on simultaneous retrievals of several constituents using the full visible wavelength range. The main reason is high sensitivity of the UTLS retrieval algorithms to an assumed aerosol extinction model. We have developed a new aerosol–insensitive ozone profile inversion algorithm for GOMOS data in the UTLS using a DOAS-type method at visible wavelengths. The method uses minimal assumptions about the atmospheric profiles. The ozone retrievals in the whole altitude range from the troposphere to the lower thermosphere are performed in two steps, as in the operational algorithm: spectral inversion followed by the vertical inversion. The horizontal column ozone densities retrieved in the spectral inversion follow V6 profiles in the middle atmosphere and follow the triplet ozone profiles in the UTLS. The vertical inversion is performed as in IPF v6 with the Tikhonov-type regularization according to the target resolution. The validation of new retrieved ozone profiles with ozonesondes show dramatic reduction of GOMOS ozone biases in the UTLS. The new GOMOS ozone profiles are also in a very good agreement with measurements by MIPAS, ACE-FTS and OSIRIS satellite instruments in the UTLS. It is also shown that the known geophysical phenomena in the UTLS ozone are well reproduced with the new GOMOS data.
NetPosse: A Tool for Connecting Users in Virtual Communities

We discuss the design of Netposse, a tool that matches people in online communities based on their intellectual and professional interests. We frame the motivation of this tool around current research on how learners can leverage social communities for maximum benefit. Given this literature, we present a design for Netposse that mines data from existing web assets and matches people according to their areas of expertise. In addition to matching individuals, such a system serves the purpose of query answering as well: it allows users to search and identify others in the community whose background qualifies them to provide advice on a user’s topic of interest.
Towards the Spatial Patterns of Sectoral Adjustments to Trade Liberalisation: The Case of NAFTA in Mexico

A recent string of "new economic geography" (NEG) models has set focus on the impacts of trade liberalisation on the intra-national distribution of economic activity. What the existing contributions have in common is a basic two-sector assumption (agriculture/manufacturing) and a resulting focus on the question of whether liberalisation leads to a greater concentration of aggregate manufacturing activity. Reconsidering these models from a multi-sectoral perspective, the aim is to allow for sectoral differences in the spatial adjustments to liberalisation. This introduces a conceptual nexus between comparative advantage (CA)-type sectoral recomposition effects of trade and NEG-type spatial adjustments. In the analysis of Mexican manufacturing location 1993-2003, incipient empirical evidence is found in favour of the hypothesis that sectors characterised by a revealed comparative advantage and/or cross-border intermediate supplies grow faster in regions with good foreign market access, whereas import competing ones gain in relative terms in regions with higher "natural protection" from poor market access. The relevancy of the proposed NEG/CA framework concerns both efficiency and equity objectives of trade adjustment policies, and opens a new perspective on the long-run effects of trade on spatial inequality.
Impact of different definitions of clear-sky flux on the determination of longwave cloud radiative forcing: NICAM simulation results

Abstract. Using one month of the cloud-resolving Nonhydrostatic Icosahedral Atmospheric Model (NICAM) simulations, we examined the impact of different definitions of clear-sky flux on the determination of longwave cloud radiative forcing (CRF). Because the satellite-like cloud-free composite preferentially samples drier conditions relative to the all-sky mean state, the conventional clear-sky flux calculation using the all-sky mean state in the model may represent a more humid atmospheric state in comparison to the cloud-free state. The drier bias is evident for the cloud-free composite in the NICAM simulations, causing an overestimation of the longwave CRF by about 10% compared to the NICAM simulated longwave CRF. Overall, water vapor contributions of up to 10% of the total longwave CRF should be taken account for making model-generated cloud forcing comparable to the satellite measurements.
Auditory Plasticity in a Basal Ganglia–Forebrain Pathway during Decrystallization of Adult Birdsong

Adult male zebra finches maintain highly stable songs via auditory feedback. Prolonged exposure to distorted feedback may cause this stable (i.e., “crystallized”) song to change its pattern, a process known as decrystallization. In the songbird, the telencephalic nucleus LMAN (lateral magnocellular nucleus of anterior nidopallium) is necessary for feedback-dependent song decrystallization, although whether and how electrophysiological properties of LMAN neurons change during decrystallization is unknown. In normal adult zebra finches, LMAN neurons exhibit highly selective responses to auditory presentation of the bird's own song (BOS), possibly providing a permanent referent for song maintenance. If so, LMAN neurons should maintain selectivity for the originally crystallized BOS after exposure to distorted feedback and during decrystallization. Alternatively, LMAN auditory selectivity in the adult may change during decrystallization. To distinguish between these possibilities, we sectioned the vocal nerve in adult male zebra finches, which spectrally distorted the birds' songs. Over the course of several weeks, experience of distorted feedback caused the song to decrystallize in a subset of birds. At various times after nerve section, electrophysiological recordings made under anesthesia revealed that auditory selectivity in LMAN could shift to the spectrally distorted song. Such auditory plasticity could be detected during the second week after nerve section, before the time birds typically decrystallized their songs. Moreover, all birds that underwent decrystallization at later times always manifested auditory plasticity in LMAN. To our knowledge, the present findings afford the first example of an electrophysiological correlate of song decrystallization.
Logistical and ergonomic transportation capacity for refuse collection workers: a work physiology field study.

In a work physiology field study, the work flow and the electrocardiogram were recorded throughout whole shifts for six male refuse (garbage) collection workers who transported and emptied 1.1 m3 refuse containers. The work rate (WR), indicated by the number of 1.1 m3 containers emptied per unit of time, and the work pulse rate (WPR) were determined in the data evaluation. The work pulse rate increases with the work rate. The functional relationship can be approximated by a linear regression function (WPR = 20.9 + 35.8.WR). The work pulse rate reaches such high values that it must be assumed that the work cannot be performed continuously throughout the whole working day. Consequently, regular breaks should be provided. When determining the necessary duration of the breaks, it was assumed that an equilibrium between fatigue and recovery should be maintained during the working day. The recovery breaks should be at least long enough for the heart rate to return to the resting level. The necessary duration of the breaks was determined on the basis of the present field study and the laboratory investigations described in the literature. A minimum duration of 10 min per working hour results from the calculations. The breaks should be taken regularly at about hourly intervals. A transportation-capacity model is provided for the planning of the deployment of refuse workers. It permits calculation of the number of 1.1 m3 containers a three-man crew, comprising the refuse collection truck driver and two loaders, can empty during one shift. Both the logistical and ergonomic transportation capacities can be determined using the model. The logistical transportation capacity (TCL) indicates the number of containers which can be emptied per shift by a crew when only criteria such as the optimal utilization of the working time are considered. The ergonomic transportation capacity (TCE) is understood as the number of containers which can be emptied per shift taking into consideration the workers' strain and the recovery breaks they require. TCE amounts to between about 140 and 160 containers per shift depending on the type of city district. TCL is higher by between 20 and 30 containers per shift. In order to meet the demand of protecting workers' health, the number of containers to be emptied per shift by a three-man crew should not exceed the ergonomic transportation capacity.
Prospective remembering in younger and older adults: Role of the prospective cue

In these studies, adult age differences in event-based prospective memory were examined using an adapted version of G.O. Einstein and M.A. McDaniel's (1990) task. In Experiments 13, we varied prospective cue specificity by assigning a specific target word or an unspecified word drawn from a given taxonomic category. In Experiment 3, we manipulated cue typicality by presenting low or high typicality target words. Results yielded positive effects of cue specificity on prospective performance. Age effects occurred when high typicality target words served as prospective cues (Exps. 1 and 3), but younger and older adults performed comparably with moderate and low typicality words (Exps. 2 and 3). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that age accounted for a small but significant amount of variance in prospective memory, although the contribution of age was substantially reduced after statistically controlling for recognition memory. Implications of these data for current views on prospective remembering are discussed.
Analysis of Tautomeric Equilibrium of the Analogue d(dinitro-tC(O))TP During Incorporation by the Klenow Fragment of DNA Polymerase I

Acknowledgements My most heartfelt thanks goes to my advisor, mentor and friend Dr. Rob Kuchta, for his unending patience and willingness to share his knowledge with me, as well as his continued support for my pursuit of science. I would like to thank my friends in the Kuchta lab, and to some colleagues in particular. Thank you to Dr. Andrew Olsen and Dr. Gudrun Stengel for being the very first overseers of my work, and for not scaring me off. Hougen and Taylor Minckley for the many laughs we've shared benchside, and for answering even the most insignificant of questions. Thank you to my committee members, Dr. Jennifer Martin and Dr. Rob Knight, for their assistance in navigating my thesis work. My work would not have been possible without generous funding from the National Institutes of Health. Thank you to my dear friend Makenna Morck for always being available to discuss biochemistry with me in the wee hours of the morning. I want to extend my profound thanks to my family: my parents, Jean and Michael, for being my first teachers, sparking a passion in me for learning; and my sisters, Sarah and Katelyn, for their unwavering support, and for pretending to be interested when I talk science. Analysis of Tautomeric Equilibrium of the Analogue d(dinitro-tC The studies outlined in this thesis examines the kinetic parameters of incorporation of the novel nucleotide analogue d(dinitro-tC (O))TP by the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I, accomplished through a series of polymerization assays. d(dinitro-tC (O))TP contains an additional pair of nitro groups at the top of the cyclic structure, expanding on the structures of previously studied synthetic nucleotides tC and tC (O) (Stengel et al. 2009). Nitro groups have a large electron withdrawing effect due to the highly electron-withdrawing oxygens, resulting in the compound being recognized more as T than as C when compared to the parent tC and tC (O). KF incorporates d(dinitro-tC (O))TP as efficiently as dTTP opposite a templating adenosine base, and about twice as efficiently as dCTP opposite guanosine. My studies on d(dinitro-tC (O))TP support the existing hypothesis that selection for the correct nucleotide based on size is only true for analogues closely related to the canonical bases. KF appears to use both the size and hydrogen bonding patterns of incoming nucleotides to distinguish their correctness. The ability of d(dinitro-tC (O))TP to hydrogen bond in a manner similar to …
Inferring Waypoints in the Absence of Knowledge of Driving Style

We present an algorithm for predicting intervals which contain waypoints from a GPS trace of a multi-part trip without having access to historical data about the driver or any other aggregated data sets. We assume the driver’s driving style is not known, but that it can be approximated by one of a set of cost preferences. The method uses a set of repeated forward and backward searches along the trace, where each of the searches represents one of the driving costs. We evaluate the algorithm empirically on multi-part trips on real route maps. The algorithm selects the results of the search with the fewest number of intervals and we achieve over 95% recall on estimating waypoints while the intervals cover less than 9% of the trace.
Attack Potential Evaluation in Desktop and Smartphone Fingerprint Sensors: Can They Be Attacked by Anyone?

The use of biometrics keeps growing. Every day, we use biometric recognition to unlock our phones or to have access to places such as the gym or the office, so we rely on the security manufacturers offer when protecting our privileges and private life. It is well known that it is possible to hack into a fingerprint sensor using fake fingers made of Play-Doh and other easy-to-obtain materials but to what extent? Is this true for all users or only for specialists with a deep knowledge on biometrics? Are smartphone fingerprint sensors as reliable as desktop sensors? To answer these questions, we performed 3 separate evaluations. First, we evaluated 4 desktop fingerprint sensors of different technologies by attacking them with 7 different fake finger materials. All of them were successfully attacked by an experienced attacker. Secondly, we carried out a similar test on 5 smartphones with embedded sensors using the most successful materials, which also hacked the 5 sensors. Lastly, we gathered 15 simulated attackers with no background in biometrics to create fake fingers of several materials, and they had one week to attack the fingerprint sensors of the same 5 smartphones, with the starting point of a short video with the techniques to create them. All 5 smartphones were successfully attacked by an inexperienced attacker. This paper will provide the results achieved, as well as an analysis on the attack potential of every case. All results are given following the metrics of the standard ISO/IEC 30107-3.
Variational Probability Flow for Biologically Plausible Training of Deep Neural Networks

The quest for biologically plausible deep learning is driven, not just by the desire to explain experimentally-observed properties of biological neural networks, but also by the hope of discovering more efficient methods for training artificial networks. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm named Variational Probably Flow (VPF), an extension of minimum probability flow for training binary Deep Boltzmann Machines (DBMs). We show that weight updates in VPF are local, depending only on the states and firing rates of the adjacent neurons. Unlike contrastive divergence, there is no need for Gibbs confabulations; and unlike backpropagation, alternating feedforward and feedback phases are not required. Moreover, the learning algorithm is effective for training DBMs with intra-layer connections between the hidden nodes. Experiments with MNIST and Fashion MNIST demonstrate that VPF learns reasonable features quickly, reconstructs corrupted images more accurately, and generates samples with a high estimated log-likelihood. Lastly, we note that, interestingly, if an asymmetric version of VPF exists, the weight updates directly explain experimental results in Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP).
Potential pathogens in feces from unweaned llamas and alpacas with diarrhea.

OBJECTIVE To identify potential pathogens in feces from llama and alpaca crias with diarrhea. DESIGN Prospective observational study. ANIMALS 45 unweaned crias with diarrhea. PROCEDURE Fecal samples were evaluated for Eimeria spp, Giardia spp, Cryptosporidium spp, enteric viruses, and Salmonella spp. A questionnaire yielded information concerning herd management and presence of other affected camelids. RESULTS 28 crias were < or = 31 days old, 11 were 32 to 62 days old, and 6 were 63 to 210 days old. Potential pathogens were isolated from feces from 32 of the 45 crias. A total of 39 potential pathogens were obtained, including coronavirus (n = 19 crias; 42%), Giardia spp (8; 18%), Eimeria spp (6; 13%), Cryptosporidium spp (4; 9%), rotavirus (1; 2%), and nematode ova (1; 2%). Salmonella spp were not isolated. Most crias from which potential pathogens were isolated were identified during outbreaks of diarrhea involving other camelids, although only coronavirus was isolated from crias identified during outbreaks involving adult camelids. Coronavirus was detected throughout the year, whereas protozoa were most commonly isolated during the fall and winter. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggest that a variety of potential pathogens may be isolated from young crias with diarrhea. Many crias shed coronavirus, which may also have been affecting older camelids. Protozoa were isolated most often during wetter months, suggesting that crias born during these months may have greater exposure to protozoal pathogens.
Physicians' working practices : target income, altruistic objectives or a maximization problem ?

In traditional literature, a number of authors posit that physicians, like a consumer or a firm, adopt maximization behavior, while others claim that they are motivated by the attainment of a target income. These three approaches may seem contradictory, yet the present study aims to show that they are in fact complementary. This paper aims to highlight the overlapping of these approaches by using a theoretical model - the agent model. From this model, we deduce the income effect, the individualistic substitution effect, the monopolistic effect and their respective elasticities to detect target income behavior. We develop also two theoretical models of leisure and income renouncement to determine the priority which the physician gives to consumption and leisure. Unlike other models, our results show that about 20% of physicians prefer to reach an altruistic objective rather than a leisure or an target income. These last result implies a ranking of target priorities. Moreover, we observe that the Slutsky relation cannot be used to determine individualistic substitution, monopolistic substitution and income effects exactly when leisure is an inferior good. Nor can we confirm the adoption of a target income behavior when income and monopolistic elasticities are negative. Renouncement models indicate that between 60% and 67% of GPs have a clear consumption priority and that they accept a renouncement of their leisure in order to maintain their current level of income. Our results demonstrate that it would be necessary to introduce monopolistic power of physicians and their altruistic priority to test inducement demand.
Entrepreneurial characteristics: insights from undergraduate students in Iran

The contributions of entrepreneurial characteristics have been studied by many scholars, each of which in turn would lead to the success of individuals in their entrepreneurial career. In this study, on a random sample of undergraduate students of three universities (n = 422) - majoring in six fields of study were surveyed to measure and compare their selected entrepreneurial characteristics. In this study, eight traits, namely: 1) open mindedness; 2) need for achievement; 3) pragmatism; 4) tolerance of ambiguity; 5) visionary; 6) challenge taking; 7) risk taking; 8) internal locus of control, are used to define the entrepreneurial profile of students. Main focus of the research is on elaborating the relationship between these characteristics and the fields of study of the participant students. Results show the extent to which these two are correlated; and explores the entrepreneurship profile of university students. In sum, the difference between entrepreneurial characteristics and fields of study are suggestive.
Cumulative logit modelling for ordinal response variables: applications to biomedical research

Incorrect statistical methods are often used for the analysis of ordinal response data. Such data are frequently summarized into mean scores for comparisons, a fallacious practice because ordinal data are inherently not equidistant. The ubiquitous Pearson chi-square test is invalid because it ignores the ranking of ordinal data. Although some of the non-parametric statistical methods take into account the ordering of ordinal data, these methods do not accommodate statistical adjustment of confounding or assessment of effect modification, two overriding analytic goals in virtually all etiologic inference in biology and medicine. The cumulative logit model is eminently suitable for the analysis of ordinal response data. This multivariate method not only considers the ranked order inherent in ordinal response data, but it also allows adjustment of confounding and assessment of effect modification based on modest sample size. A non-technical account of the cumulative logit model is given and its applications are illustrated by two research examples. The SAS programs for the data analysis of the research examples are available from the author.