Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Managerial Autonomy, Contractual Incentives and Productivity in a Transition Economy: Some Evidence from China's Town and Village Enterprises

In advanced industrial economies it is accepted that efficiency requires aligning managerial autonomy in decision-making with managerial incentives. Should this hold for economies like that of rural China where (at least until very recently) managers might abuse autonomy and government owners may have objectives other than profit maximization? This paper tests for the effects of managerial autonomy on efficiency with and without alignment with incentives in a panel of Chinese town and village enterprises (TVEs). The results show that managerial autonomy has had a positive and significant effect on productivity only when aligned with incentives.
The Effect of Bioterrorism Messages on Anxiety Levels

Public health messages sometimes use graphic language to discourage health-adverse behaviors. However, such messages could provoke adverse stress and anxiety reactions. To assess whether public health messages on bioterrorism might measurably increase stress and anxiety, we conducted a randomized controlled trial in which potent and neutral messages were randomly allocated to 116 graduate students. Pre- and post-message anxiety scores of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), a validated instrument, were recorded, and within- and between-group score changes compared. Reading the potent message significantly (p = .003) elevated STAI anxiety scores, while reading the neutral messages decreased scores (p < .001). The between-group difference was also statistically significant (p = .001). Potent smoking and drunk-driving cessation messages have clear benefits, but messages about bioterrorism do not. Our findings provide evidence that such messages have at least the potential of harm, so that weighing benefits and risks of such messages is warranted.
Growth in the dispersion of earnings: 1984ñ97 1

Changes in the distribution of earnings in New Zealand between 1984 and 1997 are examined in this paper. There is evidence of growth in the inequality of both weekly and hourly earnings. Decomposition of the changes indicates that the largest component of the rise in the dispersion of earnings came from increased inequality within groups of workers with similar observed levels of education, age and potential work experience.
Validation of MODIS global LAI products in forested terrain

The leaf area index is one of key parameters for ecosystem monitoring, global carbon circulation and climate change. At present leaf area index is routinely available from Earth Observation (EO) instruments such as MODIS. However MODIS-derived estimates of LAI require validation before they are utilised by the ecosystem modelling community. The paper presents a validation of the MODIS LAI collection 5 product over forested terrain in Xishuangbanna, southwest China, based on field measurements which are upscaled using high resolution HJ image. Results suggest that the MODIS LAI product has an accuracy with R2 of 0.35 and RMSE of 0.61 m2/m2, and overestimates values in the high LAI broadleaf forest (where LAI>3.5 m2/m2). Further validation efforts must be carried out over the study area for an assessment of the MODIS LAI in order to improve its accuracy.
A novel offset cancellation technique for dynamic comparator latch

This paper presents a novel architecture of ultra-low offset comparator latch using on-chip calibration to compensate the process variation. The proposed technique compensates the variation in process parameters such as W/L, μCOX and threshold voltage independently by considering the intrinsic behavior of the MOS transistors without using power-hungry complicated circuits on measuring the transistor characteristics. Monte Carlo post-layout HSPICE simulations were carried out with 100 runs to evaluate the performance of the comparator latch. Experimental results show that when comparing with state-of-the-art pre-amplifier-less architectures, the standard deviation of the input voltage offset is reduced by more than 75% over a range of 400mV difference of the common mode input voltage.
Suicidal Ideation and Alexithymia in Patients with Alcoholism: A Pilot Study

Objective: Suicidal incidences are known to be high in patients manifesting alcoholism. We attempted to characterize suicidal ideation in Japanese patients with alcoholism in relation to alexithymia. Methods: Eighty-five male alcoholic patients, hospitalized in the alcoholics ward of a mental hospital and aged between 40 to 69 (52.9 ± 8.3 years), and 79 nonalcoholic males in the same age range (54.9 ± 7.1 years) recruited from a municipal garbage disposal plant were included in the study. The patients were evaluated using the Scale of Suicidal Ideation (SSI) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) during 2002. Results: Of the alcoholic patients,76.6% belonged to the high-risk group of suicidal ideation (SSI > 2), and 66.6% of the high-risk patients were alexithymic. In contrast, 86.1% of the nonalcoholic controls showed no suicidal ideation and only 17.7% of those without suicidal ideation were alexithymic. When the alcoholic patients with intensive suicidal ideation were compared with nonalcoholic patients without suicidal ideation, the scores of factor 1 and factor 2 were significantly higher in the former group (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Alcoholic patients with intensive suicidal ideation accompanied with alexithymia are characterized by the inability to communicate feelings. Therefore, the possibility of a suicidal attempt in those patients should always be kept in mind even though no suicide message is expressed.
Identification of a material with a photon counting x-ray CT system

Modern x-ray CT systems measure the total energy of all photons incident to detectors, and thus it is very difficult to identify a medium with an x-ray CT image. We proposed a new method to identify a medium with an x-ray CT system, in which we used a detector that could measure photons with several energy windows. Our method identifies an object with a set of linear attenuation coefficients of the object reconstructed as an image for each energy window. As for the reference data in this identification, we calculated a set of linear attenuation coefficients for an individual medium beforehand, and compared this reference dataset with that measured with the photon counting x-ray CT. To evaluate the validity of our proposed method, we conducted some simulations and experiments with several typical materials. It was found to be possible to identify the materials with this kind of photon counting x-ray CT system.
The objects of visuospatial short-term memory: Perceptual organization and change detection

We used a colour change-detection paradigm where participants were required to remember colours of six equally spaced circles. Items were superimposed on a background so as to perceptually group them within (a) an intact ring-shaped object, (b) a physically segmented but perceptually completed ring-shaped object, or (c) a corresponding background segmented into three arc-shaped objects. A nonpredictive cue at the location of one of the circles was followed by the memory items, which in turn were followed by a test display containing a probe indicating the circle to be judged same/different. Reaction times for correct responses revealed a same-object advantage; correct responses were faster to probes on the same object as the cue than to equidistant probes on a segmented object. This same-object advantage was identical for physically and perceptually completed objects, but was only evident in reaction times, and not in accuracy measures. Not only, therefore, is it important to consider object-level perceptual organization of stimulus elements when assessing the influence of a range of factors (e.g., number and complexity of elements) in visuospatial short-term memory, but a more detailed picture of the structure of information in memory may be revealed by measuring speed as well as accuracy.
Microsatellite markers for the yam bean Pachyrhizus (Fabaceae)1

Premise of the study: Microsatellite loci were developed for the understudied root crop yam bean (Pachyrhizus spp.) to investigate intraspecific diversity and interspecific relationships within the genus Pachyrhizus. Methods and Results: Seventeen nuclear simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers with perfect di- and trinucleotide repeats were developed from 454 pyrosequencing of SSR-enriched genomic libraries. Loci were characterized in P. ahipa and wild and cultivated populations of four closely related species. All loci successfully cross-amplified and showed high levels of polymorphism, with number of alleles ranging from three to 12 and expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.095 to 0.831 across the genus. Conclusions: By enabling rapid assessment of genetic diversity in three native neotropical crops, P. ahipa, P. erosus, and P. tuberosus, and two wild relatives, P. ferrugineus and P. panamensis, these markers will allow exploration of the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of the genus Pachyrhizus.
ecommendations of the French Society for Rheumatology for anaging rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction: This article reports the latest recommendations of the French Society for Rheumatology (SFR) regarding the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: New recommendations were developed by hospitaland community-based rheumatologists having extensive experience with RA and a patient self-help organization representative. They rest on the recently issued EULAR recommendations and a literature review. Results: Points emphasized in the 15 recommendations include the need to share treatment decisions between the rheumatologist and the patient, the acquisition by patients of self-management skills, remission or minimal disease activity as the treatment target, the need for initiating disease-modifying drugs as early as possible, and the usefulness of regular disease activity assessments to allow rapid treatment adjustments if needed (i.e., tight disease control). First-line methotrexate monotherapy is recommended, with concomitant short-term glucocorticoid therapy if indicated by the risk/benefit ratio. Patients who fail this approach (no response after 3 months or target not achieved after 6 months) can be considered for another synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD: leflunomide or sulfasalazine), combined synthetic DMARD therapy, or methotrexate plus a biologic, depending on the prognostic factors and patient characteristics. If the first biologic fails, switching to a second biologic is recommended. In the event of a sustained remission, cautious dosage reduction of the biological and/after synthetic DMARDs is in order. Conclusion: These recommendations are designed to improve the management of patients with RA. nç ais © 2014 Société fra
The Drives of E-Marketplace Adoption in China: The Mediation Effect of Trust

Many businesses now have been launched e-business directly within the Internet era and thus have a born-in global reach, however In China, there are many bottlenecks in the infrastructure or hardware of global e-commerce, or e-trade, whereas some e-marketplaces, such as Alibaba.com, have thrived. E-MP plays as Intermediary are a primary subject in the field of global e-business management. The principal objective of this study was to test empirically the driving factors of adoption of e-marketplace in China, based on the structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that the trust variable holds the full meditation effect between support policy and e-MP use. Support policy will affect the use of e-mp only via the meditation effect of trust. The trust variable also shows the partial meditation effect between web capacity and e-MP use. We can find that there are some missing link between the supporting policy and the real adoption of e-MP. Some policy implications are also proposed. Roles of intermediary are suggested that is facilitator, collaborator, and web-service provider.
On-chip surface modified nanostructured ZnO as functional pH sensors

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are promising candidates as electronic components for biological and chemical applications. In this study, ZnO ultra-fine nanowire (NW) and nanoflake (NF) hybrid structures have been prepared by Au-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) under ambient pressure. Their surface morphology, lattice structures, and crystal orientation were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two types of ZnO nanostructures were successfully integrated as gate electrodes in extended-gate field-effect transistors (EGFETs). Due to the amphoteric properties of ZnO, such devices function as pH sensors. We found that the ultra-fine NWs, which were more than 50 μm in length and less than 100 nm in diameter, performed better in the pH sensing process than NW–NF hybrid structures because of their higher surface-to-volume ratio, considering the Nernst equation and the Gouy–Chapman–Stern model. Furthermore, the surface coating of (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) protects ZnO nanostructures in both acidic and alkaline environments, thus enhancing the device stability and extending its pH sensing dynamic range.
Thapsigargin‐induced Ca2+ increase inhibits TGFβ1‐mediated Smad2 transcriptional responses via Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II

Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signalling plays important roles in a variety of tissues and cell types. Impaired TGFβ signalling contributes to several pathologies, including cancer, fibrosis as well as neurodegenerative diseases. TGFβ receptor type I‐mediated phosphorylation of Smad2, the formation of the Smad2–Smad4 complex and translocation to the nucleus are critical steps of the TGFβ signalling pathway. Here, we demonstrate that thapsigargin‐mediated increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentrations inhibited TGFβ1‐induced Smad2 transcriptional activity in the oligodendroglial cell line OLI‐neu. We provide evidence that thapsigargin treatment dramatically reduced the nuclear translocation of Smad2 after TGFβ1 treatment but had no effect on its phosphorylation at Ser465/467. Moreover, using Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) inhibitors and a constitutively active CaMKII mutant, we provide evidence that the observed inhibition of TGFβ signalling in OLI‐neu cells was strongly dependent on Ca2+‐mediated CaMKII activation. In summary, this study clearly shows that the TGFβ1‐induced Smad2 nuclear translocation is negatively regulated by intracellular Ca2+ in OLI‐neu cells and that increased intracellular Ca2+ concentrations block Smad2‐mediated transcription of TGFβ target genes. These results underline the importance of intracellular Ca2+ for the regulation of TGFβ signalling. J. Cell. Biochem. 111: 1222–1230, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Urban Consolidation, Household Greenhouse Emissions and the Role of Planning

Urban consolidation has transformed Australian cities. This transformation seems likely to continue, with consolidation embedded in current metropolitan plans. One justification of consolidation is that it eases unsustainable levels of household greenhouse emissions. Here, we review this claim, and find warning signs that ‘actually existing’ consolidation does not achieve this outcome. While there is a clear need for further research, action on unsustainable household consumption cannot wait for a definitive study. We outline an immediate policy response, focusing on the role of land-use planning.
Characterization of Cfa1, a Monofunctional Acyl Carrier Protein Involved in the Biosynthesis of the Phytotoxin Coronatine

ABSTRACT Cfa1 was overproduced in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas syringae, and the degree of 4′-phosphopantetheinylation was determined. The malonyl-coenzyme A:acyl carrier protein transacylase (FabD) of P. syringae was overproduced and shown to catalyze malonylation of Cfa1, suggesting that FabD plays a role in coronatine biosynthesis. Highly purified Cfa1 did not exhibit self-malonylation activity.
Monopolies and Mergers Commission, merger reports and the public interest: a probit analysis

The extent to which specific elements of the public interest appear to influence the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in its dealings with referred merger bids is examined. Using 77 merger reports covering the period 1974–1990 it was found that relatively few public interest issues had a significant impact on the Commission's decisions. These included competition, price and balance of payments effects. The results also show that, apart from sucessfully arguing that competition will increase, raider firms do not further their ambitions by concentrating on the positive aspects of proposed mergers.
The Fate of Sustainable Development Under Neo-Liberal Regimes in Developing Countries

Due to an enhanced global environmental awareness reinforced by dramatic environmental events, international conferences on the environment and development, as well as academic research and publications, have increasingly shifted the developmental discourse toward the concept of “sustainable development. ” In developing countries, however, the realization of the notion of sustainable development has come under challenge due to the emergence of neo-liberal regimes and their pro-market policies. The current article addresses the following issues in this context: the origin, meaning, and problems of sustainable development; the major features and policy orientations of neo-liberal regimes in developing countries; and the critical implications of neo-liberal policies for the environment and development. The article also offers some recommendations with a view to overcoming the contemporary challenges to sustainability and ensuring a more genuine and effective mode of sustainable development.
The Stop-Loss Start-Gain Paradox and Option Valuation: A New Decomposition into Intrinsic and Time Value

The downside risk in a leveraged stock position can be eliminated by using stop-loss orders. The upside potential of such a position can be captured using contingent buy orders. The terminal payoff to this stop-loss start-gain strategy is identical to that of a call option, but the strategy costs less initially. This article resolves this paradox by showing that the strategy is not self-financing for continuous stock- price processes of unbounded variation. The resolution of the paradox leads to a new decomposition of an option's price into its intrinsic and time value. When stock price follows geometric Brownian motion, this decomposition is proven to be mathematically equivalent to the Black-Scholes (1973) formula. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
Exact MAP inference in general higher-order graphical models using linear programming

This paper is concerned with the problem of exact MAP inference in general higher-order graphical models by means of a traditional linear programming relaxation approach. In fact, the proof that we have developed in this paper is a rather simple algebraic proof being made straightforward, above all, by the introduction of two novel algebraic tools. Indeed, on the one hand, we introduce the notion of delta-distribution which merely stands for the difference of two arbitrary probability distributions, and which mainly serves to alleviate the sign constraint inherent to a traditional probability distribution. On the other hand, we develop an approximation framework of general discrete functions by means of an orthogonal projection expressing in terms of linear combinations of function margins with respect to a given collection of point subsets, though, we rather exploit the latter approach for the purpose of modeling locally consistent sets of discrete functions from a global perspective. After that, as a first step, we develop from scratch the expectation optimization framework which is nothing else than a reformulation, on stochastic grounds, of the convex-hull approach, as a second step, we develop the traditional LP relaxation of such an expectation optimization approach, and we show that it enables to solve the MAP inference problem in graphical models under rather general assumptions. Last but not least, we describe an algorithm which allows to compute an exact MAP solution from a perhaps fractional optimal (probability) solution of the proposed LP relaxation.
An empirical relationship between price elasticity and price levels

This study examines price competition between Duty-Free Stores (DFSs). The primary research question is the relationship between the own- and cross-store price elasticities, on the one hand, and the average price levels of DFS products, on the other hand. Using a unique data set of DFS sales in Korea combined with a hierarchical Bayesian model, we show that the own- and cross-store price elasticities increase significantly with the average price level.
The impulses produced by sensory nerve-endings: Part II. The response of a Single End-Organ.

IN Part I of the present series (1) one of us described an instrument consisting of a capillary electrometer with a 3-valve amplifier, capable of recording the action currents set up in sensory nerve fibres by appropriate stimulation of their end-organs. A preliminary analysis of the results was given, but it was pointed out that an essential step was missing. All the records were made from nerve trunks containing many afferent fibres and it was impossible to tell with certainty what was happening in each fibre, what was the frequency of the response, how it varied with the stimulus, etc. The present paper remedies this defect, for it is concerned with the impulses set up by a single end-organ and travelling in a single afferent nerve fibre. Only one type of end-organ has been investigated, but the results seem to be of such general application that it will be surprising if other types are found to behave very differently. Preparation employed. The recording instrument has already been described in detail and the only modification introduced has been the provision of a variable shunt to reduce the excursions of the electrometer, should this be necessary. The preparation employed was suggested to us by the papers of Keith Lucas on the all-or-none response of muscle fibre. In these experiments Lucas used the m. cutaneus dorsi of the frog. He found that the nerve supplying this muscle had ten fibres only, of which one or two might be sensory. We have investigated this muscle, but so far we have been unable to detect any action currents in the nerve roots when the muscle is stretched, and we are inclined to think that all the fibres are motor. But in a footnote -Lucas mentions another muscle -the sterno-cutaneus-in which there is no doubt of the existence of sensory end-organs. The number of fibres in the nerve supplying the muscle varies from 12 to 25. There is certainly one muscle-spindle inthe muscle (it is figured in Cajal's book, Textura del Sistema Nervioso, Madrid, 1899, p. 404), and as our results show there are usually three or
Electricity-related GHG emissions at off-grid, outdoor events

Background: The results of a study of potential electricity-related GHG emissions reductions at UK off-grid, outdoor events are presented. Electricity consumption data were gathered for over 70 power systems at 18 events between 2009 and 2012. These systems included stages, traders, bars, performers’ tour buses and campsite lighting. Results: Electricity-related GHG emissions can be reduced, whilst maintaining energy security, through: specifying more energy-efficient equipment; switching electrical equipment off when not in use; more accurately sizing generators; and fuel switching, either using biofuels or solar photovoltaic electricity. Conclusion: There is potential for electricity-related GHG emissions at temporary off-grid, outdoor events to be reduced by up to 50%.