Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Essays in International Macroeconomics and Monetary Theory

Cette these comprend quatre essais en macroeconomie internationale et theorie monetaire. Elle est constituee de deux parties. Les deux premiers chapitres, coecrits avec Francois Geerolf, etudient les consequences macroeconomiques des cycles immobiliers sur les comptes courants (chapitre 1) et sur les dynamiques de l'emploi (chapitre 2). La seconde partie de cette these s'interesse aux consequences des recentes transformations intervenues dans les systemes bancaires sur les mecanismes de la creation monetaire. Ces transformations semblent en effet conduire a une privatisation de la monnaie. Le chapitre 3 etudie empiriquement la realite d'une telle privatisation. Je developpe dans le chapitre 4 un modele pour analyser les consequences de ces transformations sur la creation monetaire et sur les mecanismes de propagation du risque.
Education and agricultural inputs use by female farmers in Zimbabwe

abstract There is ample empirical evidence that suggests the existence of gender discrimination when it comes to access to and subsequent use of productivity-enhancing farm inputs, especially those provided via market institutions, such as chemical fertilisers and hired labour. This discrimination is often found to be in favour of male farmers or male-headed households. Against this background, this focus contributes to building an understanding of the role of female education as a possible intervention that could mitigate such gendered agricultural input use disparities. A bivariate probit model on chemical fertiliser and hired labour use by households is estimated, using data collected in 2007 in rural Zimbabwe. This estimation strategy allows for interdependency between the input use decisions. Our results suggest that education significantly raises the probability of female farmers' use of both chemical fertilisers and hired labour. Interestingly, this impact is found to be higher for female- headed households in communal areas as opposed to female-headed households in resettlement areas where beneficiaries of Zimbabwe's Fast-track Land Reform Programme reside. This finding confirms the need to promote the education of women, particularly rural women, as part of interventions aimed at empowering female farmers, in the process countering and ending gender-based discrimination in accessing farm inputs.
The changing therapeutic landscape for hepatitis C

The next decade will be a crucial period in the public health response to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The rapid development of direct‐acting antiviral therapy for HCV infection has brought considerable optimism to the HCV sector, with the realistic hope that therapeutic intervention will soon be more effective and offer shorter treatment duration. The initial phase of combination pegylated interferon, ribavirin and a protease inhibitor will be associated with increased toxicity and complexity of therapeutic management but, over the course of the decade, strategies including interferon‐free combination direct‐acting antiviral regimens with enhanced tolerability and simplified dosing schedules and monitoring protocols will emerge.
Managing competitive bidding in the Finnish healthcare sector

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the competences needed for managing competitive bidding in the Finnish healthcare and to understand the management of competitive bidding holistically, considering the challenges the management faces from being embedded in focal nets and the wider network.Design/methodology/approach – The phenomenon is examined from the perspective of networks. This focus acknowledges the fact that competitive bidding changes the dynamics of the network and therefore requires new competences from the actors. The study applies qualitative methods.Findings – Competitive bidding connects effects, interests, resources and actors together. It changes the dynamics of the net and the network. Thus, new competences are required. Three major competence areas were detected: relationship management competences, net management competences and purchasing competences.Originality/value – The conclusions shed light on the combination of competences needed in managing competitive bidding .
Genetic analysis of the virE operon of the Agrobacterium Ti plasmid pTiA6

The virE operon of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid pTiA6 encodes at least one trans-acting protein involved in the expression of virulence. Two open reading frames designated virE1 and virE2 code for polypeptides of 7 and 60 kilodaltons (kDa), respectively, that can be visualized after expression in Escherichia coli minicells. To determine which virE sequences are required for virulence, a strain deleted for the entire locus [strain KE1(pTiA6 delta E)] was constructed and tested for the ability to be complemented by subclones with and without site-directed mutations in the virE operon. One subclone containing only virE1 and virE2 as well as upstream promoter sequences was sufficient to restore full virulence on the host plant Kalanchoe daigremontiana. However, some other virulence locus representing a host range determinant appeared to be deleted from strain KE1(pTiA6 delta E), since virE1 and virE2 were not sufficient to fully restore virulence on wounded tomato plants. virE operon constructs with specific lesions in either virE1 or virE2 were impaired for complementation of pTiA6 delta E. Several mutations specific for the promoter-proximal virE1 locus appeared to have a polar effect on expression of the virE2-encoded 60-kDa protein. However, virE2::lacZ fusion constructs suggest that this effect is not at the level of transcription or translation. Collectively, these data indicate that both the 7- and the 60-kDa polypeptides are virulence determinants for the Ti plasmid pTiA6 and suggest that the 60-kDa protein may be less stable in the absence of the 7-kDa protein.
The Intertemporal Government Budget Constraint: An Application for the Netherlands

In this paper it is examined whether fiscal policy in the Netherlands is in accordance with the intertemporal budget constraint. After a careful review of previous studies, it is decided to use the test as proposed by Trehan and Walsh [1989, 1991], which consists of examining the stationarity of the deficit inclusive interest payments. The outcomes of the Phillips-Perron tests are in accordance with intertemporal budget balance. So despite the occurrence of government deficits as conventionally measured, fiscal policy in the Netherlands is in accordance with intertemporal government budget balance. It is also shown that an increase in government spending is eventually followed by higher taxes. A unit increase in taxes is followed by a reduction of about 75% of the impulse, and an increase of government spending.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Cost of Capital: An Empirical Study of the Taiwan Stock Market

We investigate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the cost of capital. In general, our results suggest that firms with CSR awards have lower cost of capital. In terms of firms' common risk factors, both book-to-market ratio and leverage are positively related to the cost of capital. In addition, family firms with CSR have lower cost of capital than do nonfamily firms with CSR. High earnings quality firms with CSR have significantly lower cost of capital than low earnings quality firms with CSR. Finally, firms with CSR and independent boards have lower cost of capital than firms with CSR but no independent boards.
Evaluation of normalization methods for RNA-Seq gene expression estimation

Statistical inferences on RNA-Seq data, e.g., detecting differential gene expression, are meaningful only after proper normalization. However, there is no consensus for choosing a normalization procedure from among the many existing procedures. We evaluated several RNA-Seq normalization procedures by (1) correlating estimated RNA-Seq expression values to those of microarrays, (2) examining the concordance of stable and differential gene detection between the platforms, and (3) applying the procedures to simulated RNA-Seq data. Results suggested that RNA-Seq normalization procedures have little effect on both inter-platform gene expression correlation as well as inter-platform concordance of genes detected as stably or differentially expressed. However, the results of simulated analysis suggested that some normalization procedures are more robust to changes in distribution of differentially expressed genes. These results may provide guidance for selecting RNA-Seq normalization procedures.
Nanophotonic biosensors within lab on chip optical systems

For ring resonator based sensors, volumetric limits of detection (LoD) of 5×10<sup>−6</sup> RIU and 8.3×10<sup>−6</sup> RIU (refractive index units) for sensitivities of 246nm/RIU and 2169nm/RIU were reported from FP6 SABIO (at 1.31µm) and FP7 InTopSens (at 1.55µm) respectively. These compare well to the state of art of 7.6×10<sup>−7</sup> RIU for a sensitivity of 163 nm/RIU, as does the porous alumina based membrane sensors in FP7 Positive with their LoD of 5×10<sup>−6</sup> RIU. More interestingly for the membrane sensors, the standard deviation of their measured values was below 5% and their flow through design with lateral distances to the sensor surface less than a diffusion length permit fast response times, short assay times and the use of small sample volumes (< 100 µl). For protein binding recognition, within SABIO a surface LoD of 0.9 pg/mm<sup>2</sup> for anti-BSA on a gluteraldehyde-covered surface was recorded, corresponding to a 125ng/ml anti-BSA solution, whilst in InTopSens 5pg/mm<sup>2</sup> and 10ng/ml for biotin on a streptavidin coated surface was seen. For an assay of β-lactoglobulin - anti-β-lactoglobulin - anti-rabbit-IgG - streptavidin conjugated CdSe quantum dots the Positive sensors demonstrated a noise floor for individual measurements of 3.7ng/ml (25pM) for total assay times of under one hour.
Dynamic Panel Data Approaches for Estimating Oil Demand Elasticity

This study examines the general relationships between crude oil consumption, real oil price and real GDP using a quarterly time series from 1993 to 2012. Specifically, the long-term and short-term GDP and price elasticities of oil consumption per capita were estimated using dynamic panel and pooled data regressions based on Nerlove's oil demand model for 25 countries that represent 75 per cent of global oil demand. Price elasticities were found for most OECD countries. These estimates were low and consistent with previous estimates. According to the study results, the short-run price elasticity ranged between −0.05 and −0.20 and the long-run between −0.11 and −0.36. Price elasticities for most non-OECD countries were either positive or insignificant. Estimates of GDP elasticities varied. The short-run GDP elasticity was between 0.15 and 1.09, while the long-run was between 0.21 and 1.54. On average, income elasticity for OECD countries was found to be slightly higher than for non-OECD countries. Contrary to expectations, we found China's income elasticity to be 0.34 in the short run, but it was 0.76 in the long run.
Weighting Nonrandom Samples in Voluntary Energy Conservation Program Evaluation*

In this paper we examine the endogenous stratification problem in the evaluation of DSM programs and determine the appropriate weighting necessary for consistent estimation. Both the complexity and number of alternative DSM programs create the need for a cartful statement of the problems and solutions. We examine two commonly occurring evaluation situations: pure participation models and models of net conservation. A hypothetical numerical example is presented to help elucidate the concepts, and data from a DSM program sponsored by a large U.S. utility is used to examine the effect of weighting. In both hypothetical and actual DSM programs, severe biases resulted when unweighted data was used.
Stepping-stone Jobs: Theory and Evidence

This paper explores the wage and job dynamics of less-skilled workers by estimating a structural model in which agents choose among jobs that differ in initial wage and wage growth. The model also formalizes the intuitive notion that some of these jobs offer "stepping stones" to better jobs. The estimated model assumes that job offers consist of three attributes: an initial wage, an expected wage growth, and an indicator of the distribution from which future offers will come. We derive the conditions under which agents accept these offers and the effect of involuntary terminations on the acceptance decision. This model shows that the probability of leaving an employer depends both on the slope and intercept of the current and offered jobs and the probability of gaining access to the dominant wage offer distribution. We use the SIPP to estimate this model, which allows us to recover parameters of the wage offer distributions and the probability that a job is a stepping stone job. Our empirical work indicates that wage offer distributions vary systematically with the slope and intercept of wages in the current job and that there is a non-zero probability of being offered a stepping stone job.
Evaluation of Lipoprotein(a) Electrophoretic and Immunoassay Methods in Discriminating Risk of Calcific Aortic Valve Disease and Incident Coronary Heart Disease: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND A number of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] analytical techniques are available that quantify distinct particle components, yet their clinical efficacy has not been comprehensively evaluated. This study determined whether Lp(a) mass [Lp(a)-M], Lp(a) cholesterol content [Lp(a)-C], and particle concentration [Lp(a)-P] differentially discriminated risk of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) or incident coronary heart disease (CHD) among 4679 participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). METHODS Lp(a)-M, Lp(a)-C, and Lp(a)-P were measured in individuals without clinical evidence of CHD at baseline. Relative risk regression and Cox proportional analysis determined associations between Lp(a) and the presence of CAVD or 12-year risk of CHD, respectively. To control for the relatively high lower limits of quantification for Lp(a)-C and Lp(a)-P assays, the upper 25th and 15th percentiles were selected as analytical cutoff points. RESULTS Regardless of method or analytical cutoff, high Lp(a) concentrations were significantly associated with CAVD and CHD in MESA participants following adjustment for typical cardiovascular risk factors. Stratifying by race/ethnicity rendered most associations nonsignificant after correction for multiple comparisons, but Lp(a) remained associated with CAVD in whites irrespective of method (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Associations of Lp(a)-C, Lp(a)-P, and Lp(a)-M with CAVD or incident CHD were similar in this entire MESA sample using a dichotomized statistical approach. However, the high lower limits of quantification and imprecision of the Lp(a)-C and Lp(a)-P assays limited their usefulness in our analyses and would likely do so in research and clinical settings.
Notional Defined Contribution Pensions with Public Reserve Funds in Ageing Economies: An Application to Japan

Several developed and developing countries have recently adopted a notional defined contribution (NDC) approach to old-age pension reform. The NDC is essentially a non-pre-funded defined contribution retirement system, in which contributions are credited with a rate of return related to aggregate payroll growth, and individual account accruals are maintained in a book-keeping system. Payouts are annuitized based on the expected mortality of each succeeding retiring cohort. NDC plans may be identified with appropriately calibrated Pay-As-You-Go plans in demographic equilibrium, but the two paradigms diverge when demographic shift is introduced. This paper investigates the key actuarial and economic implications of alternative NDC rules, with a particular focus on Japan, the world's most rapidly ageing economy. We examine the potential role for pension reserves in transitioning to an NDC system, and we show these can be used to smooth the impact of demographic transition to an older society. Finally, we show that countries such as Japan could elect to use pension reserves accumulated in the past to facilitate the transition to an NDC system.
Identification and characterization of P31m, a novel sperm protein in Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

We have previously described a hamster sperm glycoprotein, P26h, which is implicated in the cascade of events occurring during the interaction between mature spermatozoa and the oocyte's zona pellucida. The P26h is acquired on the acrosomal cap of the spermatozoon during its maturation arising within the epididymis. Lately, using a polyclonal antiserum raised against P26h, a 34 kDa protein, P34H, has been identified on the acrosomal cap of the human spermatozoon. The cloning and sequencing of the cDNA encoding P34H has revealed a 65% similarity between the P34H and P26h amino acid sequences. Considering that P26h shows total immunocontraceptive properties in the hamster, it is of relevant importance to have an animal model phylogenetically closer to the human. Using the Cynomolgus monkey, we searched for a protein autologous to the human P34H. A 31 kDa protein, the P31m, localized on the acrosomal cap of the monkey spermatozoon has been identified by a Western blot analysis and by immunohistochemical techniques using an anti‐hamster P26h antiserum. Northern blot analysis showed increasing high levels of the P31m mRNA through the epididymis and at lower levels in the testis. In situ hybridization showed the presence of the P31m mRNA in the principal cells of the epididymis. The cloning and sequencing of the cDNA encoding the P31m showed a high homology of 97% identity between the P31m and P34H nucleotidic sequences. This study clearly demonstrates that the monkey P31m is the homologous protein of the hamster P26h and of the human P34H. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 59: 431–441, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Whole-Genome Sequence of a Freshwater Aerobic Anoxygenic Phototroph, Porphyrobacter sp. Strain AAP82, Isolated from the Huguangyan Maar Lake in Southern China

ABSTRACT The Porphyrobacter genus (of the class Alphaproteobacteria) contains aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic species. Here we report a draft genome sequence of a freshwater bacterium, Porphyrobacter sp. strain AAP82. It contains a 38-kb-long photosynthesis gene cluster, but carbon-fixation genes are absent. The presence of respiratory enzymes, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the Entner-Doudoroff pathway demonstrates its aerobic photoorganotrophic character.
A Study to Compare Relative Importance of Criteria for Supplier Evaluation in e-Procurement

Purchasing is the primary point of contact with most supply-chain partners and thus extremely crucial for the performance of the supply chain specifically and in overall for the firm. Understanding how the various criteria for evaluating suppliers play a role is crucial for a better understanding of the dynamics of the supply chain. This study attempts to find out the relative importance of the various criteria in the decision making process for supplier selection in e-procurement using a multi-response fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. The objective of the study was to capture the dynamics of these criteria in the Indian manufacturing industries.
Symbolic Side-Channel Analysis for Probabilistic Programs

In this paper we describe symbolic side-channel analysis techniques for detecting and quantifying information leakage, given in terms of Shannon and min-entropy. Measuring the precise leakage is challenging due to the randomness and noise often present in program executions and side-channel observations. We account for this noise by introducing additional (symbolic) program inputs which are interpreted probabilistically, using symbolic execution with parametrized model counting. We also explore a sampling approach for increased scalability. In contrast to typical Monte Carlo techniques, our approach works by sampling symbolic paths, representing multiple concrete paths, and uses pruning to accelerate computation and guarantee convergence to the optimal results. A key novelty of our approach is to provide bounds on the leakage that are provably under- and over-approximating the exact leakage. We implemented the techniques in the Symbolic PathFinder tool and demonstrate them on Java programs.
Modèles et algorithmes pour la reconfiguration de systèmes répartis utilisés en téléphonie cellulaire. (Models and algorithms for the reconfiguration of wireless switching systems)

Ce travail de these de doctorat traite de l'etude d'un probleme d'ordonnancement NP-difficile au sens fort a contraintes de ressource : le probleme de la programmation des deplacements de processus. Ce probleme, issu de l'industrie des telecommunications, est lie a l'operabilite de certains systemes temps reel repartis a haute disponibilite tels le BSCe3, un autocommutateur pour la telephonie cellulaire commercialise par Nortel. En quelques mots, ce probleme consiste, etant donnee une repartition arbitraire admissible de processus sur les processeurs d'un systeme reparti, a trouver une sequence d'operations (migrations de processus sans effet sur le service ou arrets temporaires) de moindre impact par le biais de laquelle une autre repartition arbitraire, et fixee a l'avance, peut etre obtenue. La principale contrainte reside dans le fait que la capacite des processeurs du systeme ne doit pas etre depassee durant la reconfiguration. Nous avons aborde ce probleme d'ordonnancement sous differents angles. Tout d'abord, nous avons etabli son caractere NP-difficile au sens fort et exhibe quelques cas particuliers polynomiaux. Puis, sur le plan de la resolution exacte dans le cas general, nous avons concu deux algorithmes de recherche arborescente : le premier trouve ses fondements dans l'etude de la structure combinatoire du probleme, le second dans des considerations polyedrales. De nombreux resultats experimentaux illustrent la pertinence pratique de ces deux algorithmes. Enfin, en raison des contraintes imposees par le caractere temps reel de notre application industrielle, nous avons mis au point un algorithme efficace de resolution approchee base sur la metaheuristique du recuit simule et, en capitalisant sur nos travaux en resolution exacte, empiriquement verifie sa capacite pratique a produire des solutions acceptables, en un sens bien defini.
Combatting Poverty through Adult Education

Originally published in 1985 this book addresses important questions about the nature and meaning of development as these concern adult education in the developing world. It contributes to the development debate as well as discussiong what part adult education can play in reducing poverty and inequality. It consists of 7 case studies by adult educators and researchers involved in adult education programmes in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The introductory, linking and concluding sections draw out and highlight common issues and themes leading to conclusions about the potential of large-scale, mainly governmental, adult education programmes to effect social change.