Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An exploratory data analysis in scale-space for interval-valued data

ABSTRACT We propose an exploratory data analysis approach when data are observed as intervals in a nonparametric regression setting. The interval-valued data contain richer information than single-valued data in the sense that they provide both center and range information of the underlying structure. Conventionally, these two attributes have been studied separately as traditional tools can be readily used for single-valued data analysis. We propose a unified data analysis tool that attempts to capture the relationship between response and covariate by simultaneously accounting for variability present in the data. It utilizes a kernel smoothing approach, which is conducted in scale-space so that it considers a wide range of smoothing parameters rather than selecting an optimal value. It also visually summarizes the significance of trends in the data as a color map across multiple locations and scales. We demonstrate its effectiveness as an exploratory data analysis tool for interval-valued data using simulated and real examples.
Efficiency Despite Mutually Payoff-Relevant Private Information: The Finite Case

Individuals with finite private information independently choose acts and messages. Their utilities may depend on all acts and information, including the center's. Incentive payments are separable and fully transferable. Implementable incentives making specified behavior a Bayesian equilibrium are derived whenever the center's information depends stochastically, however slightly, on all relevant private information, and also whenever individuals' relative valuations of acts, however divergent, are not too dissimilarly affected by different states of nature. Feasibility is resolved whenever the desired strategies reveal the agents' beliefs about the center's information. Key concepts of agent similarity are developed for nonresponsive and budget-balancing cases. Copyright 1990 by The Econometric Society.
Education and wages of vocational training graduates

This paper attempts to explain individual variation in wages by estimating different wage equations. The study has two goals: first, to analyze the effect of years of schooling on the wages of vocational training graduates using a more precise measure for schooling than that commonly used in wage equations; and second, to analyze the effect on these wages of the match or mismatch between the knowledge and the skills acquired in the schooling and the needs of the job. The analysis shows that knowledge and skills acquired through vocational training (over-/under- education and over-/under- skilling), have a statistically significant influence on wages.
Intervenciones cambiarias y política monetaria en Colombia. Un análisis de var estructural

Se utiliza la metodologia VAR estructural para evaluar el impacto conjunto de las intervenciones cambiarias y de la politica monetaria convencional sobre la tasa de cambio, la tasa de interes y las demas variables del sistema. Se encuentra que las compras netas de divisas devaluan significativamente la tasa de cambio nominal durante un periodo cercano a 1 mes, en parte debido a que las compras no han sido esterilizadas en su totalidad, y a que han anunciado una politica monetaria expansiva en el futuro (el llamado canal de signaling). Ello plantea conflictos potenciales de politica en un regimen de inflacion objetivo. La tasa de cambio nominal aparece determinada con igual fuerza por variables nominales y reales. No se encuentra evidencia de la paridad no cubierta, quiza por la incapacidad de capturar adecuadamente variables como el riesgo y las expectativas de tasa de cambio y de precios.
Algorithms for fast calculation of scalar optical diffraction field on a pixelated display device

Fast and accurate calculation of the diffraction field is a challenging problem in computer-generated holography. In this work, we present the performances of three fast algorithms that can be used in accurate computation of the diffraction field from a point cloud object on a display device which has pixelated structure. Performances of the algorithms are evaluated according to computation speed and error on the reconstructed object. First algorithm is based on scaling of a pre-computed one-dimensional (1D) kernel, the second one utilizes a look-up-table (LUT) which is formed by 496 pre-computed 1D kernels, and third one is a hybrid algorithm which uses LUT of the second algorithm with the scaling function employed in the first algorithm. 1D kernels are used to keep the allocated memory space by the LUT in manageable sizes. Third algorithm yields the best error performance compared to other two, but its computation time performance is not as good as the others. Even if, the second algorithm excels the first and the third ones in computation time, it gives the worst error performance among the presented algorithms. The computation times of all three algorithms are improved by having parallel computing.
Industry wage premia and collective bargaining revisited: evidence from Spain

This study examines the general influence of collective bargaining on inter-industry wage differentials drawing on an unique data set on industry minimum wages for Spain. Our novel evidence confirms the untested hypothesis that inter-industry wage premia are driven by industry minimum wages in corporatist countries with centralized collective bargaining systems, but suggests that a compressed inter-industry wage structure needs not to be a feature of such systems.
Behavioural reactions of free-ranging porpoises and seals to the noise of a simulated 2 MW windpower generator

Operational underwater noise emitted at 8 m s -1 by a 550 kW WindWorld wind-turbine was recorded from the sea and modified to simulate a 2 MW wind-turbine. The sound was replayed from an audio CD through a car CD-player and a J-13 transducer. The maximum sound energy was emitted between 30 and 800 Hz with peak source levels of 128 dB (re 1 µPa 2 Hz -1 at 1 m) at 80 and 160 Hz (1/3-octave centre frequencies). This simulated 2 MW wind-turbine noise was played back on calm days (<1 Beaufort) to free-ranging harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena and harbour seals Phoca vitulina in Fortune Channel, Vancouver Island, Canada. Swimming tracks of porpoises and surfacings of seals were recorded with an electronic theodolite situated on a clifftop 14 m above sea level. Echolocation activity of harbour porpoises close to the sound source was recorded simultane- ously via an electronic click detector placed below the transducer. In total we tracked 375 porpoise groups and 157 seals during play-back experiments, and 380 porpoise groups and 141 surfacing seals during controls. Both species showed a distinct reaction to wind-turbine noise. Surfacings in harbour seals were recorded at larger distances from the sound source (median = 284 vs 239 m during con- trols; p = 0.008, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test) and closest approaches increased from a median of 120 to 182 m (p < 0.001) in harbour porpoises. Furthermore, the number of time intervals during which por- poise echolocation clicks were detected increased by a factor of 2 when the sound source was active (19.6% of all 1 min intervals as opposed to 8.4% of all intervals during controls; p < 0.001). These re- sults show that harbour porpoises and harbour seals are able to detect the low-frequency sound gen- erated by offshore wind-turbines. Controlled exposure experiments such as the one described here are a first step to assess the impact on marine mammals of the new offshore wind-turbine industry.
Miro1-mediated mitochondrial positioning shapes intracellular energy gradients required for cell migration

The ratio of ATP:ADP is highest at perinuclear sites, where mitochondria are dense, and dissipates toward the periphery. Miro1 positions mitochondria toward the cortical cytoskeleton. Deletion of Miro1 results in perinuclear clustering of mitochondria, altering intracellular ATP:ADP gradients, and impairs energy-expensive cell migratory processes.
The Depressing Effect of Agricultural Institutions on the Prewar Japanese Economy

Why didn’t the Japanese miracle take place before World War II? The culprit we identify is a barrier that kept prewar agricultural employment constant. Using a standard neoclassical two‐sector growth model, we show that the barrier‐induced sectoral distortion and an ensuring lack of capital accumulation account well for the depressed output level. Without the barrier, Japan’s prewar GNP per worker would have been at least about a half of that of the United States, not about a third as in the data. The labor barrier existed because, we argue, the prewar patriarchy forced the son designated as heir to stay in agriculture.
GNP Growth and Foreign Indebtedness in Middle-Income Developing Countries

In this paper Granger causality between GNP growth and foreign indebtedness is examined in middle-income developing countries over the period 1971–1988. The evidence for a foreign debt overhang is found to be stronger in two out of four cases when debt service and interest service ratios are used as indicators of indebtedness. The results would have been statistically stronger if several countries had not rescheduled their debts. Based on these results, which indirectly point to an overall mismanagement of foreign resources by borrowing countries, a valid argument can be made for country-specific writedowns of debt. [F 34]
Bephenium, a new drug active against human hookworm.

Hookworm (Necator americanus) infections in mental patients constitute a severe problem in many areas because of their severity and the difficulty of effective treatment. The drugs in common use against hookworms ordinarily give poor results with such patients. For a number of years, a search for better drugs has been carried on at this hospital. Recently a preliminary report indicated that bephenium, the generic name of a new series of compounds, i.e., the 2-phenoxyethylammonium salts, was active against certain nematodes, especially the mucosa-dwelling species, parasitic in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals (Copp, Standen, et al, 1958). Burrows (1958) obtained 99.4% clearance of Ancylostoma caninum in dogs and cats using 2-phenoxyethylammonium salts in single doses greater than 20 mgm/kg. Single doses of 20 mgm/kg or less produced results almost as good. The chemical name of the drug used in the current experiments is N-benzyl-N, N-dimethyl-N-2-phenoxyethylammonium chloride. It was furnished to us by Burroughs-Wellcome as B.W. 300C55 with the following pharmacological information: The drug apparently is not well absorbed from the intestine since in mice the LD-50 for the chloride, intraperitoneal, is 72 mgm/kg but about 1,000 mgm/kg when the drug is given orally. Rats dosed orally with 500 mgm/kg of the embonate for 9 weeks showed no hematological changes or histological evidence of toxicity. Monkeys given 317 mgm/kg of the chloride and 500 mgm/kg of the hydroxynaphthoate and embonate 5 days a week for 5 weeks showed no significant abnormality in the tissues. When given intravenously the effects of the drug are markedly increased. It produces brief falls in the blood pressure of cats or dogs. Small doses, 0.25 mgm/kg, prolong the action of epinephrine; large doses block the pressor effect. The drug produces some ganglionic blockade and causes a bradycardia. Intense mydriasis was observed in cats, and dogs exhibited salivation and diarrhea. Possible central action is indicated by emetic effects in dogs and respiratory failure. In lethal ranges this appears to be the cause of death. In view of the various studies it appeared justified to test the chloride salt against human hookworm at doses of 20 mgm/kg given orally. The patients were white female inmates of a mental hospital who were selected because they were known to have moderate to heavy hookworm infections. The density of the worm eggs in the feces was determined by the Stoll method, 2 deter-
Is Duverger's Law Working in South Korea? An Analysis of District-Level Elections 1988–2012

How do electoral rules shape competition? District level data from South Korea's seven legislative elections since democratization (1988-2012) provides a means to test one of the oldest findings in political science: Duverger's Law. South Korea provides a unique opportunity to analyze variation in mixed election rules, where seats are allocated in both single member districts (SMDs) and by a nationwide party list by proportional representation (PR), as the country has used three different electoral formulas over the time period. Through quantitative analysis, evidence of a gradual reduction in the number of candidates is evident as is a more nuanced influence of regionalism on vote concentration.
Anticipating employers’ skills needs: the case for intervention

This paper demonstrates the need to anticipate employers’ future skills requirements, and shows how London Skills Forecasting Unit is addressing this problem. The paper first suggests that employers require advice and labour market intelligence in order to determine their skill requirements effectively, and to ensure their future competitiveness. It then shows that educational and training institutions also need to anticipate employers’ requirements, and so supply side institutions also need to anticipate employers’ skills demand. Finally, some theoretical evidence for skills forecasting is presented together with some practical developments of forecasting techniques undertaken by the Unit.
Position Control Experiments Using Vision

This article presents results of experiments carried out to test the vision-based method of camera-space manipulation using a fully three-dimensional rigid-body mating task. In this work, the performance of the method under various operating conditions is studied experimentally using a large six-axis manipulator. Further, an analytical study is carried out to understand the influence of relative orientation of cameras and their number on the terminal positioning precision expected with the method.
Attitudes in Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Toward Prenatal Diagnosis and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.

AIMS No recommendations currently exist regarding implementation of both prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). This study evaluated attitudes in ADPKD patients with either chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages I-IV or end-stage renal failure (ESRF) toward prenatal diagnosis and PGD. METHODS Ninety-six ADPKD patients were recruited from an outpatient clinic, wards, and dialysis units. Thirty-eight patients had ESRF and 58 had CKD stages I-IV. Participants were given an information sheet on prenatal diagnosis and PGD and subsequently completed a questionnaire. RESULTS The median age of participants was 51.5 years. Seventeen percent of ADPKD patients with CKD and 18% of ADPKD patients with ESRF would consider prenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy for ADPKD. Fifty percent with CKD would have opted for PGD (or might consider it in the future) were it available and funded by the UK National Health Service, compared to 63% in the ESRF group (p = 0.33). Sixty-nine percent in the CKD group and 68% in the ESRF group believed that PGD should be offered to other patients. DISCUSSION There was a spectrum of attitudes among this cohort. A proportion of patients believe that PGD should be made available to prospective parents with this disease. The discrepancy between the low proportion (17% CKD, 18% ESRF) who would consider prenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy and the higher number who hypothetically express an intention or wish to access PGD (50% CKD and 63% ESRF) indicates far greater acceptability for diagnostic methods that occur before embryo implantation. It is not known how the development of methods to identify patients whose renal function is likely to decline rapidly and treatments altering the natural history of ADPKD will affect these attitudes.
The Endoplasmic Reticulum Is the Main Membrane Source for Biogenesis of the Lytic Vacuole in Arabidopsis[W]

This work uses genetic and pharmacological interference in combination with live-cell imaging, three-dimensional reconstruction, and electron microscopy to monitor trafficking to the tonoplast of the two proton pumps, V-ATPase and V-PPase. The results provide strong evidence for a Golgi-independent route of vacuolar biogenesis in plant cells. Vacuoles are multifunctional organelles essential for the sessile lifestyle of plants. Despite their central functions in cell growth, storage, and detoxification, knowledge about mechanisms underlying their biogenesis and associated protein trafficking pathways remains limited. Here, we show that in meristematic cells of the Arabidopsis thaliana root, biogenesis of vacuoles as well as the trafficking of sterols and of two major tonoplast proteins, the vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase and the vacuolar H+-adenosinetriphosphatase, occurs independently of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–Golgi and post-Golgi trafficking. Instead, both pumps are found in provacuoles that structurally resemble autophagosomes but are not formed by the core autophagy machinery. Taken together, our results suggest that vacuole biogenesis and trafficking of tonoplast proteins and lipids can occur directly from the ER independent of Golgi function.
Discrete-Time Tool for Stability Analysis of DC Power Electronics-Based Cascaded Systems

DC distribution power systems are vulnerable to instability because of the destabilizing effect of converter-controlled constant power loads (CPLs) and input filters. Standard stability analysis tools based on averaging linearization techniques can be used only when the switching frequency of the converter is significantly higher than the cutoff frequency of the filter. However, dc distribution systems with a reduced size filter, and consequently a high cutoff frequency, are common in transportation applications. Conventional methods fail to detect instabilities in the system because they do not take into account the switching effect. To overcome this drawback, this paper proposes a discrete-time method to analyze the stability of dc distribution systems. This model is applied here to a dc power system with a CPL. The switching effects and the nonlinearities of the system model are taken into account with a simple discretization approach. The proposed method is able to predict the dynamic properties of the system, such as slow-scale and fast-scale instabilities. An active stabilizer is also included in the system model in order to extend the stability margin of the system. Finally, these observations are validated experimentally on a laboratory test bench.
Statistical Learning of Service-Dependent Demand in a Multiperiod Newsvendor Setting

We study an inventory system wherein a customer may leave the seller's market after experiencing an inventory stockout. Traditionally, researchers and practitioners assume a single penalty cost to model this customer behavior of stockout aversion. Recently, a stream of researchers explicitly model this customer behavior and support the traditional penalty cost approach. We enrich this literature by studying the statistical learning of service-dependent demand. We build and solve four models: a baseline model, where the seller can observe the demand distribution; a second model, where the seller cannot observe the demand distribution but statistically learns the demand distribution; a third model, where the seller can learn or pay to obtain the exact information of the demand distribution; and a fourth model, where demand in excess of available inventory is lost and unobserved. Interestingly, we find that all four models support the traditional penalty cost approach. This result confirms the use of a state-independent stockout penalty cost in the presence of demand learning. More strikingly, the first three models imply the same stockout penalty cost, which is larger than the stockout penalty cost implied by the last model.
A multi‐year risk capital concept for internal models and enterprise risk management

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how risk capital can be calculated and allocated in a multi-year context. This is an important issue, since strategic management and decision making within insurance companies require a multi-year time horizon (instead of a one-year time horizon, as set out in solvency models). Design/methodology/approach - After defining risk capital in a multi-year context, the paper discusses the different properties of the multi-year risk capital concept. The paper also presents an allocation rule of how to allocate the multi-year risk capital to individual years as well as to individual segments. The paper applies the author's model framework in an application study to illustrate the different effects. Findings - The paper shows how multi-year risk capital can be used as a basis for analyzing different management strategies within risk and return indicators in the context of value-based management. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates the effect of allocating risk capital in a multi-year context. Originality/value - The analysis provides new and relevant information to insurance companies' management. Whereas usually solvency rules set out a time horizon of one year, in the context of internal risk models a multi-year planning horizon is taken into account. Management needs to get an idea of how much risk capital is necessary in order to survive the next five years without external capital supply. The paper presents an answer to these questions.
Minimized blurring in stencil lithography using a compliant membrane

This work reports on advanced stencil lithography using compliant membranes. Compliant membranes are mechanically decoupled from a rigid silicon frame by means of four non planar cantilevers. Compliant membranes are protruding parts which adapt to the surface independently in order to reduce the gap between a membrane and its substrate. FEM simulations show that compliant membranes can vertically deflect 40 μm which is a typical maximal gap. Microapertures were defined using UV lithography and nanoapertures, down to 200 nm in diameter, using FIB. A 100 nm thick aluminum layer was evaporated through compliant and non compliant membranes on a silicon wafer. Subsequent SEM characterizations have shown a smaller halo diameter around the structures patterned by compliant membranes.
Leveraging the national cyberinfrastructure for biomedical research

In the USA, the national cyberinfrastructure refers to a system of research supercomputer and other IT facilities and the high speed networks that connect them. These resources have been heavily leveraged by scientists in disciplines such as high energy physics, astronomy, and climatology, but until recently they have been little used by biomedical researchers. We suggest that many of the ‘Big Data’ challenges facing the medical informatics community can be efficiently handled using national-scale cyberinfrastructure. Resources such as the Extreme Science and Discovery Environment, the Open Science Grid, and Internet2 provide economical and proven infrastructures for Big Data challenges, but these resources can be difficult to approach. Specialized web portals, support centers, and virtual organizations can be constructed on these resources to meet defined computational challenges, specifically for genomics. We provide examples of how this has been done in basic biology as an illustration for the biomedical informatics community.