Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wide but not impermeable: Testing the riverine barrier hypothesis for an Amazonian plant species

Wallace's riverine barrier hypothesis postulates that large rivers, such as the Amazon and its tributaries, reduce or prevent gene flow between populations on opposite banks, leading to allopatry and areas of species endemism occupying interfluvial regions. Several studies have shown that two major tributaries, Rio Branco and Rio Negro, are important barriers to gene flow for birds, amphibians and primates. No botanical studies have considered the potential role of the Rio Branco as a barrier, while a single botanical study has evaluated the Rio Negro as a barrier. We studied an Amazon shrub, Amphirrhox longifolia (A. St.‐Hil.) Spreng (Violaceae), as a model to test the riverine barrier hypothesis. Twenty‐six populations of A. longifolia were sampled on both banks of the Rio Branco and Rio Negro in the core Amazon Basin. Double‐digest RADseq was used to identify 8,010 unlinked SNP markers from the nuclear genome of 156 individuals. Data relating to population structure support the hypothesis that the Rio Negro acted as a significant genetic barrier for A. longifolia. On the other hand, no genetic differentiation was detected among populations spanning the narrower Rio Branco, which is a tributary of the Rio Negro. This study shows that the strength of riverine barriers for Amazon plants is dependent on the width of the river separating populations and species‐specific dispersal traits. Future studies of plants with contrasting life history traits will further improve our understanding of the landscape genetics and allopatric speciation history of Amazon plant diversity.
Do Long-Term Swings in the Dollar Affect Estimates of the Risk Premia?

Foreign exchange returns exhibit behavior difficult to reconcile with standard theoretical models. This article asks whether the recent findings of long swings in exchange rates between appreciating and depreciating periods affect estimates of the foreign exchange risk premium. We demonstrate how the "peso problem" introduced by expected shifts in exchange rate regimes can affect inferences about the risk premium in at least two ways: (1) it can make the foreign exchange risk premium appear to contain a permanent disturbance when it does not, and (2) it can induce bias in the foreign exchange return regressions such as in Fama (1984). Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
Cops for hire? The political economy of police employment in the German states

Abstract In times of an alleged waning of political business cycles and partisan policy-making, vote-seeking policy-makers can be expected to shift the use of political manipulation mechanisms towards other policy domains in which the macro-institutional environment allows them greater leverage. Public employment generally, and police employment specifically, are a promising domain for such tactics. Timing the hiring of police officers during election periods may increase votes, as these are “street-visible” jobs dealing with politically salient issues. Law-and-order competence signalling makes police hiring especially attractive for conservative parties. Testing these electioneering and partisanship hypotheses in the German states between 1992 and 2010, we find that socio-economic variables such as population density strongly determine police employment. But incumbents also hire more police officers before elections, while conservative party power increases police numbers. Subjectively “immediate” forms of crime (issue salience) and perceived causes of crime such as immigration are also positively associated with police numbers.
A maternally localised Wnt ligand required for axial patterning in the cnidarian Clytia hemisphaerica

Regionalised activation of canonical Wnt signalling via β-catenin stabilisation is a key early step in embryonic patterning in many metazoans, including the basally diverging cnidarians, but the upstream maternal cues appear surprisingly variable. In Clytia, regionalised β-catenin stabilisation defining a presumptive `oral' territory is determined by two maternally coded Frizzled family Wnt receptors of opposite localisation and function. We have identified a maternally coded ligand, CheWnt3, the RNA of which is localised to the animal cortex (future oral side) of the egg. Antisense morpholino oligonucleotide experiments showed that CheWnt3 is required maternally for regionalised oral β-catenin stabilisation in the early embryo, being only the second clear example of a maternally required Wnt ligand after Xenopus Xwnt11. In line with the determinant role of the maternally localised Frizzleds, CheWnt3 overexpression by RNA injection initially had little effect on establishing the oral domain. Subsequently, however, overexpression had dramatic consequences for axis development, causing progressive expansion of β-catenin stabilisation to yield spherical `oralised' larvae. Upregulation of both CheFz1 and CheFz3 RNAs in CheWnt3 morpholino embryos indicated that CheWnt3 participates in an active axial patterning system involving reciprocal downregulation of the receptors to maintain oral and aboral territories. Localised introduction of CheWnt3 RNA induced ectopic oral poles in CheWnt3 morpholino embryos, demonstrating its importance in directing oral fate. These findings suggest that the complete ligand-dependent Wnt signalling cascade is involved in axial patterning in ancestral eumetazoans. In Clytia, two variant Frizzled receptors and one Wnt ligand produced from localised RNAs cooperate to initiate regionalised Wnt pathway activation.
The Effect of Medicaid On Cash Assistance To the Aged and Disabled Poor

ARTICLE PUBLIC F NANCE REVIEW larke / HE EFFECT OF MEDICAID ON CASH ASSISTANCE The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program is a means-tested entitlement program that pays cash benefits to needy aged, disabled, and blind persons in the United States. Since implementation in 1974, the real value of benefits has declined precipitously. This article assesses the extent to which the increased cost of Medicaid and changes in recipiency rates and voter income explain the decline. The theoretical model is a “charity” mode in which voters have altruistic preferences. The empirical results indicate that Medicaid expenditures on the aged and disabled poor are only a weak substitute for cash benefits—the hypothesis that a one-dollar increase in Medicaid benefits causes a onedollar decrease in cash payments is strongly rejected. The small negative own-price and small positive income elasticities found for the SSI program are consistent with results from studies that have looked at the Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) program.
Growth of CsCe2Cl7 and Cs3CeCl6 utilizing the Bridgman method

We present progress on the growth of single crystals of Cs3CeCl6 and CsCe2Cl7, two materials recently discovered to have good scintillation properties with light yields of 21,000 and 26,000 ph/MeV respectively. While still early in their development for potential use as X-ray and gamma-ray detectors, their growth as single crystals has been studied little, and in this work, we present growth of these materials using the vertical Bridgman method which has produced improved crystal size and quality over previous efforts from investigators in recent years.
Full-Duplex Device-to-Device-Aided Cooperative Nonorthogonal Multiple Access

This paper presents a full-duplex device-to-device (D2D)-aided cooperative nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) scheme to improve the outage performance of the NOMA-weak user in a NOMA user pair, where the NOMA-weak user is helped by the NOMA-strong user with the capability of full-duplex D2D communications. The expressions for the outage probability are derived to characterize the performance of the proposed scheme. The results show that the proposed cooperative NOMA scheme can achieve superior outage performance compared to the conventional NOMA and orthogonal multiple access (OMA). In order to further improve the outage performance, an adaptive multiple access (AMA) scheme is also studied, which dynamically switches between the proposed cooperative NOMA, conventional NOMA, and OMA schemes, according to the level of residual self-interference and the quality of links. The results show that the AMA scheme outperforms the above multiple access schemes in terms of outage performance.
Exploring the antecedents that influence middle management employees' knowledge-sharing intentions in the context of total quality management implementations

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the motivations that affect middle management employees' knowledge-sharing intentions in the context of total quality management (TQM) implementations of Taiwan's information technology (IT) industry. A research model was developed based on TQM implementations and the theory of reasoned action. Survey samples were collected from 395 middle management employees in 50 Taiwanese ISO 9001:2000-certified firms in the IT industry, providing support for the proposed model. LISREL was applied to analyse the measurement and structural models. The analytical results showed that anticipated reciprocal relationships, perceived ethics and self-efficacy have significant direct effects on attitudes towards knowledge sharing and that subjective norms are significantly associated with knowledge-sharing intentions in the context of TQM implementations. However, subjective norms alone do not significantly influence attitudes towards knowledge sharing. Because this study only considered knowledge-sharing intention with regard to TQM implementation, whether these analytical results can be generalised to other research fields is unclear. We expect that future research can replicate this model. The contribution of the present study is the establishment of a model capable of lending an understanding to knowledge-sharing intention relationships for TQM implementation in the Taiwanese IT industry. This study also presents valuable recommendations for TQM literature and practice.
Evolving Recurrent Neural Network using Cartesian Genetic Programming to Predict The Trend in Foreign Currency Exchange Rates

Forecasting the foreign exchange rate is an uphill task. Numerous methods have been used over the years to develop an efficient and reliable network for forecasting the foreign exchange rate. This study utilizes recurrent neural networks (RNNs) for forecasting the foreign currency exchange rates. Cartesian genetic programming (CGP) is used for evolving the artificial neural network (ANN) to produce the prediction model. RNNs that are evolved through CGP have shown great promise in time series forecasting. The proposed approach utilizes the trends present in the historical data for its training purpose. Thirteen different currencies along with the trade-weighted index (TWI) and special drawing rights (SDR) is used for the performance analysis of recurrent Cartesian genetic programming-based artificial neural networks (RCGPANN) in comparison with various other prediction models proposed to date. The experimental results show that RCGPANN is not only capable of obtaining an accurate but also a computationally efficient prediction model for the foreign currency exchange rates. The results demonstrated a prediction accuracy of 98.872 percent (using 6 neurons only) for a single-day prediction in advance and, on average, 92% for predicting a 1000 days’ exchange rate in advance based on ten days of data history. The results prove RCGPANN to be the ultimate choice for any time series data prediction, and its capabilities can be explored in a range of other fields.
Driving Growth: Economic Value Added Versus Intellectual Capital

This paper compares and contrasts Economic Value Added (EVATM) and Intellectual Capital (IC) as two technologies of managing oriented towards encouraging growth. The analysis suggests that EVATMand IC contrasts greatly. EVATMis a financial management system based on radical delegation and ‘empowerment’ and which therefore directs attention to the results created by managers. Based on financial micro-theory, EVATMis a performance measure that attempts to account more properly for the cost of capital, but more than that, it is also a management control system which seeks to create radically independent business units and minimize corporate staff. IC is a different control system concerned to encourage endogenous growth implemented via loosely coupled sets of non-financial measurements that become strong via stories and metaphors about the post-modern firm in the post-modern world. Here, based on theories of organizational knowledge and competence development, emphasis is put on mobilizing white collar productivity and creativity based on some form of evolutionary economics or resource-based theory. While EVATMlooks to managers as the movers of change, IC seems more systematically to promote the creativity possessed by employees.
IMPROVED DETECTION OF RARE-EVENT RISK OF A PORTFOLIO WITH U.S. REITs

In measuring the market risks of a portfolio, value-at-risk (VaR) is one of the most commonly used tools. In this paper, the copula-generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) method is used to determine whether it is a better alternative for estimating the VaR of portfolios containing U.S. real estate investment trusts (REITs). The FTSE NAREIT US Real Estate Index, all REITs and the S&P 500 index are used to construct a portfolio. In total, 2800 daily data covering the period of the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007–2009 are used in this paper. We used six constant and two time-varying copula models combined with two GARCH models to form sixteen copula-GARCH models to depict the joint distribution of the two assets in the portfolio. We then computed corresponding one-day VaRs. Compared with the traditional VaR models, our results showed that the time-varying symmetrized Joe–Clayton (SJC) copula model combined with the GARCH Student-t innovation (tvSJC-copula–GARCHt) performed the best, regardless of the market situation. Hence, it could be served as a better way of detecting rare-event risk.
Inkjet printing Schwann cells and neuronal analogue NG108-15 cells

Porcine Schwann cells and neuronal analogue NG108-15 cells were printed using a piezoelectric-inkjet-printer with a nozzle diameter of 60 μm, within the range of 70–230 V, with analysis of viability and quality after printing. Neuronal and glial cell viabilities of >86% and >90% were detected immediately after printing and no correlation between voltage applied and cell viability could be seen. Printed neuronal cells were shown to produce neurites earlier compared to controls, and over several days, produced longer neurites which become most evident by day 7. The number of neurites becomes similar by day 7 also, and cells proliferate with a similar viability to that of non-printed cells (controls). This method of inkjet printing cells provides a technical platform for investigating neuron–glial cell interactions with no significant difference to cell viability than standard cell seeding. Such techniques can be utilized for lab-on-a-chip technologies and to create printed neural networks for neuroscience applications.
Thermal placement optimization for embedded resistances based on orthogonal design and fuzzy genetic algorithm

Sheet resistance, resistor surface area, distance between the stack embedded resistor layers, distances between the surface of PCB and first layer of embedded resistor layers, distance between the stack embedded resistors in the same layer and current magnitude are selected as six key factors, which affect the temperature distribution. By using orthogonal array, the embedded resistor finite element analysis models which have different configuration parameters' levels combinations are designed. Simulation analysis of temperature field are carried out by using these models. The data of temperatures of stacked embedded resistors are analyzed variance analysis. With 90% of confidence, sheet resistance has the most significant effect on the temperature. Therefore, the research object is sheet resistance layout of resistance element in embedded substrate, which is optimizated by Fuzzy Genetic Algorithm The optimization result has more equal distribution of temperature, both of the highest temperature and the maximum temperature difference have a significant decrease. The effectiveness of the algorithm is verified by testing the temperature distribution of experimental samples through the infrared thermometer.
Characterizing the Brazilian Term Structure of Interest Rates

This paper studies the Brazilian term structure of interest rates and characterizes how the term premia has changed over time. We employ a Kalman filter approach, which is extended to take into account regime switches and overlapping forecasts errors. Empirical evidence suggests that term premia depends on international global liquidity and domestic factors such as the composition of public debt and inflation volatility. These results provide guidance for the formulation of fiscal and monetary policies.
The Binding Site of Neuropeptide Vasopressin V1a Receptor

To identify receptor functional domains underlying binding of the neurohypophysial hormones vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT), we have constructed a three-dimensional (3D) model of the V1a vasopressin receptor subtype and docked the endogenous ligand AVP. To verify and to refine the 3D model, residues likely to be involved in agonist binding were selected for site-directed mutagenesis. Our experimental results suggest that AVP, which is characterized by a cyclic structure, could be completely buried into a 15-20-Å deep cleft defined by the transmembrane helices of the receptor and interact with amino acids located within this region. Moreover, the AVP-binding site is situated in a position equivalent to that described for the cationic neurotransmitters. Since all mutated residues are highly conserved in AVP and OT receptors, we propose that the same agonist-binding site is shared by all members of this receptor family. In contrast, the affinity for the antagonists tested, including those with a structure closely related to AVP, is not affected by mutations. This indicates a different binding mode for agonists and antagonists in the vasopressin receptor.
Market Orientation, Learning Orientation and Innovation Capabilities in SMEs: An extended Model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the nomological relations among market‐orientation, learning‐orientation and innovativeness in medium‐sized business (SMEs) of developing countries.Design/methodology/approach – The study involves a questionnaire‐based survey of managers from small‐sized‐firms operating in Turkey. A total of 157 usable questionnaires were received from managers. These were subjected to a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis.Findings – The results show that firm innovativeness positively affects firm performance; firm learning‐orientation positively influences firm innovativeness; firm market‐orientation positively impacts firm learning orientation; firm learning‐orientation mediates the relationship between firm market‐orientation and firm innovativeness; and firm market‐orientation indirectly impacts firm performance via firm innovativeness and learning.Practical implications – This study has implications for SEMs aiming at increasing their performance and innovati.
Building geo-aware tag features for image classification

Given the proliferation of geo-tagged images, geo-aware image classification is an emerging topic. To derive a better image representation, tag features which represents an image as a histogram of tags are recently introduced. However, it is unclear whether geo tags can improve the tag features. To resolve the uncertainty, this paper studies geo-aware tag features. Our work is based on previous work which builds tag features by propagating tags from visual neighbors retrieved from many user-tagged images. What is different is that we build tag features by tag propagation from the union of visual and geo neighbors. This simple modification makes the new tag feature both content-aware and geo-aware. Using 1M Flickr images as a source set to construct the tag feature, experiments on the public NUS-WIDE set justify our proposal. The geo-aware tag feature outperforms the previous tag feature and a standard bag of visual words feature. Our geo-aware image classification system beats a recent alternative. For its simplicity and effectiveness, we consider the proposed tag feature promising for geo-aware image classification.
Biomimetic macroporous hydrogel scaffolds in a high‐throughput screening format for cell‐based assays

Macroporous hydrogels (MHs) hold great promise as scaffolds in tissue engineering and cell‐based assays. In this study, the possibility of combination of three‐dimensional (3D) cell culture with a miniaturized screening format was demonstrated on human colon cancer HCT116, human acute myeloid leukemia KG‐1 cells, and embryonic fibroblasts cultured on MHs (12.5 mm × 7.1 mm I.D.) in a 96‐minicolumn plate format. MHs were prepared by cryogelation technique and functionalized by coating with type I collagen and by copolymerization with agmatine‐based mimetic of cell adhesive peptide RGD (abRGDm). Cancer cells formed multicellular aggregates while fibroblasts formed adhesions on abRGDm‐containing and collagen‐MHs but not on plain MHs, as was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy. HCT116 and KG‐1 cells grown as aggregates were more resistant to the treatment with cis‐diaminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin) and cytosine 1‐β‐D‐arabinofuranoside (Ara‐C), respectively, during the first 18–24 h of incubation, than single cells grown on unmodified MH. HCT116 cells grown as 2D cultures in conventional 96‐well tissue culture plates were 1.5‐ to 3.5‐fold more sensitive to the treatment with 70 μM cisplatin than cells in 3D cultures in functionalized MHs. Further development of the described experimental system including matching of a specific cell type with appropriate extracellular matrix (ECM) components and 3D cocultures on ECM‐modified MHs may provide a realistic in vitro experimental model for high‐throughput toxicity tests.
Monitoring cellular movement in vivo with photoconvertible fluorescence protein “Kaede” transgenic mice

Kaede is a photoconvertible fluorescence protein that changes from green to red upon exposure to violet light. The photoconversion of intracellular Kaede has no effect on cellular function. Using transgenic mice expressing the Kaede protein, we demonstrated that movement of cells with the photoconverted Kaede protein could be monitored from lymphoid organs to other tissues as well as from skin to the draining lymph node. Analysis of the kinetics of cellular movement revealed that each subset of cells in the lymph node, such as CD4+ T, CD8+ T, B, and dendritic cells, has a distinct migration pattern in vivo. Thus, the Kaede transgenic mouse system would be an ideal tool to monitor precise cellular movement in vivo at different stages of immune response to pathogens as well as in autoimmune diseases.