Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Examination of the Conceptual Issues Involved in Developing Credit-Scoring Models

Multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) is frequently used to develop statistical credit-scoring models for loan evaluation purposes. Current legislative efforts to insure that credit is being granted in a nondiscriminatory manner have focused considerable attention on the reliability of such models. This article examines the theoretical requirements of the MDA model in the context of a realistic lending situation and illustrates the extent of bias when these theoretical assumptions are not fully met. The article concludes that failure to rigorously meet all the theoretical assumptions of the statistical model may not be as critical as insuring that credit managers fully understand the limitations of these types of decision tools. Furthermore, the evidence indicates that statistical models other than multiple discriminant analysis are possibly more relevant to the credit-granting decision.
Local-global mixed patch matching framework

Patch matching is the key step in patch-based methods, including local matching and global matching. The global matching achieves high accuracy, but the running time is relatively long; on the contrary, the local matching reduces the running time, but also decreases the accuracy. To reduce the running time and preserve the accuracy, a new local-global mixed patch matching framework is proposed. Within this framework, we first introduce an image pseudo-pyramid, where the down-sampled images are not really generated, but the pixel coordinates at all levels are mapped to the original image. Then, different patch matching methods are used at the different levels. Because the image at the highest level in the image pseudopyramid is smaller than the original image, it is appropriate to use any traditional patch matching methods at the highest level. We use PatchMatch (PM), one of the state-of-the-art global matching methods, to match patches at the highest level. Then, the candidate match-lists of each patch at the other levels are propagated from good matches at its higher level. We compare PM with and without the proposed framework, and experimental results demonstrate that using the proposed framework, we improve the matching efficiency greatly, and produce comparable results in terms of Root-Mean-Square (RMS) of patch distance.
Diabetes, myocardial infarction and stroke are distinct and duration-dependent predictors of subsequent cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in older men.

CONTEXT The impact of older age and duration of diabetes mellitus on macrovascular complications is unclear. OBJECTIVE We tested the hypothesis that in older men, diabetes duration predicts incident cardiovascular events and death, differently from prior myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This was a longitudinal cohort study of 11 728 community-dwelling men aged ≥ 65 years in Perth, Western Australia, recruited in 1996-1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We assessed all-cause mortality, and deaths or hospital admissions with MI or stroke between recruitment and December 2010, analyzing age-specific hazard and adjusting for smoking, education, alcohol, exercise, BMI, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. RESULTS Among 1433 (12.2%) men with diabetes, 208 (14.5%) reported age of onset of diabetes < 55 years, 451 (31.5%) 55-64 years, 679 (47.4%) 65-74 years with 95 (6.6%) > 74 years. Diabetes independently predicted increased all-cause mortality with hazard ratio (HR) of 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15-1.62) for a duration of 5-9 years, 1.35 (1.18-1.55) for 10-14 years, 1.42 (1.22-1.66) for 15-19 years, and 1.75 (1.45-2.11) for 20-24 years. Mortality from MI was increased for diabetes duration up to 25 years, while stroke-specific mortality increased progressively with diabetes duration. Prior MI or stroke predicted increased risk of subsequent events peaking after 10-20 years. CONCLUSIONS In older men, increasing duration of diabetes predicts stable increases in all-cause and MI-related mortality and a progressively higher risk of stroke deaths. Prior MI was associated with increased risk of subsequent MI, and prior stroke with subsequent stroke, particularly in the 10-20 years following the first event. Diabetes is a duration-dependent risk factor for cardiovascular events which influences outcomes differently from prior vascular disease.
Application of CAPM in the Indian Stock Market A Comprehensive Reassessment

There is conflicting evidence on the applicability of Capital Asset Pricing Model in the Indian stock market. Data for 158 stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange was analyzed using a number of tests from 1991–2002, the period which roughly coincides with the period after liberalization and initiation of capital market reforms. Taken in aggregate the various empirical tests show that CAPM is not valid for the Indian stock market for the period studied.
Proteomics, networks and connectivity indices

Describing the connectivity of chemical and/or biological systems using networks is a straight gate for the introduction of mathematical tools in proteomics. Networks, in some cases even very large ones, are simple objects that are composed at least by nodes and edges. The nodes represent the parts of the system and the edges geometric and/or functional relationships between parts. In proteomics, amino acids, proteins, electrophoresis spots, polypeptidic fragments, or more complex objects can play the role of nodes. All of these networks can be numerically described using the so‐called Connectivity Indices (CIs). The transformation of graphs (a picture) into CIs (numbers) facilitates the manipulation of information and the search for structure‐function relationships in Proteomics. In this work, we review and comment on the challenges and new trends in the definition and applications of CIs in Proteomics. Emphasis is placed on 1‐D‐CIs for DNA and protein sequences, 2‐D‐CIs for RNA secondary structures, 3‐D‐topographic indices (TPGIs) for protein function annotation without alignment, 2‐D‐CIs and 3‐D‐TPGIs for the study of drug‐protein or drug‐RNA quantitative structure‐binding relationships, and pseudo 3‐D‐CIs for protein surface molecular recognition. We also focus on CIs to describe Protein Interaction Networks or RNA co‐expression networks. 2‐D‐CIs for patient blood proteome 2‐DE maps or mass spectra are also covered.
Macroeconomic Factors and Equity Prices: An Empirical Investigation by Using ARDL Approach

This study examines the relationship between equity prices and macroeconomic variables such as inflation, industrial production, oil prices, short term interest rate, exchange rates, foreign portfolio investment, and money supply for the period 6/98 to 6/2008 by employing bounds testing procedure proposed by Pesaran, et al. (2001). Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach has been applied as yields consistent estimates of the long-run coefficients that are asymptotically normal irrespective of whether the underlying regressors are I(0) or I(1). Data has been tested for econometric problems like serial correlation, functional form, normality, heteroscdisticity and unit root by using LM test, Ramsey Reset test, skewness and kurtosis test, white test and ADF Test, and Phillip Parren Test respectively but no problem has been observed. Results of the study reveal that industrial production, oil prices and inflation are not statistically significant in determining equity prices in long run while interest rates, exchange rates and money supply have significant long run effect on equity prices. The error correction model (ECM) based upon ARDL approach confirms that changes in industrial production, oil prices and inflation are not statistically significantly in short run while changes in interest rates, exchange rates, and money supply have significant short term effect. However, foreign portfolio investment has significant short term effect but no long term effect. The tests suggest that adjustment process is quite fast and model is structurally stable . This study facilitates the investors in taking effective investment decisions by estimating the future direction of equity prices using expected trends in exchange rates, money supply and interest rate. Similarly, study suggest to the architects of monetary policy to be careful in revision of interest rates as capital market responds negatively to such decisions. The study also suggest that macroeconomic policies should be designed keeping in view the response of the capital market because efficient market hypothesis indicates that capital markets respond to new information.
Virtual microscopy and digital pathology in training and education

Traditionally, education and training in pathology has been delivered using textbooks, glass slides and conventional microscopy. Over the last two decades, the number of web‐based pathology resources has expanded dramatically with centralized pathological resources being delivered to many students simultaneously. Recently, whole slide imaging technology allows glass slides to be scanned and viewed on a computer screen via dedicated software. This technology is referred to as virtual microscopy and has created enormous opportunities in pathological training and education. Students are able to learn key histopathological skills, e.g. to identify areas of diagnostic relevance from an entire slide, via a web‐based computer environment. Students no longer need to be in the same room as the slides. New human–computer interfaces are also being developed using more natural touch technology to enhance the manipulation of digitized slides. Several major initiatives are also underway introducing online competency and diagnostic decision analysis using virtual microscopy and have important future roles in accreditation and recertification. Finally, researchers are investigating how pathological decision‐making is achieved using virtual microscopy and modern eye‐tracking devices. Virtual microscopy and digital pathology will continue to improve how pathology training and education is delivered.
The Florey Lecture, 1983 - Biological control, as exemplified by smallpox eradication and myxomatosis

Biological control is an important method of dealing with plant and insect pests. The control of rabbits by myxomatosis and the eradication of smallpox by vaccination are unusual examples of biological control, in that they involve a vertebrate and a viral pest respectively. Myxomatosis is a benign disease in Sylvilagus rabbits in South America which is transmitted mechanically by mosquitoes. In the European rabbit, Oryctolagus, which is a pest in Australia and England, the virus from Sylvilagus produces a generalized disease that is almost always lethal. Myxomatosis was deliberately introduced into Australia in 1950 and into Europe in 1952. It was at first spectacularly successful in controlling the rabbit pest, but biological adjustments occurred in the virulence of the virus and the genetic resistances of rabbits. After 30 years of interaction, natural selection has resulted in a balance at a fairly high level of viral virulence. Smallpox has been a major scourge of mankind for over 1500 years. It spread from Asia to Europe in the Middle ages and from Europe to Africa and the Americas in the 15th and 16th centuries. Jenner’s cowpox vaccine provided a method of control that reduced the severity of the disease during the 19th century but failed to eliminate the disease from many countries before the 1930s. Thereafter it was eradicated from Europe and North America, but remained endemic in South America, Africa and Asia. In 1967 it was still endemic in 33 countries and W. H. O. established a programme for global eradication within 10 years. The goal was achieved in 1977. Problems of the eradication programme and reasons for its success will be described.
Stock Market in Pakistan

This article provides an overview of the main indicators of Pakistan’s stock market development and their possible relevance for real economic activity focusing on the post-liberalisation period. The aspects of the market investigated include liberalisation of the market, integration of the market with the global markets, microstructure issues of trading and settlement mechanism and corporate governance issues. A comparison with a selected set of emerging and developed markets reveals that the Pakistani stock market is small in size and a relatively insignificant source of capital mobilisation. These factors limit the role of the stock market in boosting economic activity. Also, the market seems to be excessively volatile owing to noise traders and speculators. On a positive note, the market seems to yield enormous gains to investors which compensate for higher market volatility. Also, the relative segmentation of the market makes it a potential venue for international diversification. JEL Classification: G10, G15
A new method for absolute quantitation MRS metabolites

A new method for absolute of MRS spectra is presented. This method is not based on a reference peak, derived from a real NMR signal, but rather on a synthesized NMR reference produced by an electronic device, transmitted by a broad‐band antenna to avoid quality factor variations. This signal is therefore received at the same time as the sample signal. The reference line produced is stable in time (maximum variation lower than 2%) and allows precise and accurate measurement of absolute concentrations (mean error lower than 3%) in vitro and in vivo.
Enacting the Independent Public Schools program in Western Australia

The Independent Public Schools (IPS) program began to be implemented in some Western Australian schools in 2010. The IPS program devolves a number of responsibilities to principals and is part of the political objective of removing the constraints of the education bureaucracy by fostering school level decision-making, problem-solving and innovation. This paper argues that IPS can be understood as an instance of 'advanced liberal government'. It then explores the enactment of IPS in a Western Australian high school. This paper suggests that while IPS was designed to empower principals from the constraints of the Department of Education, and principals are taking up the flexibilities offered by the program, some principals may be experiencing a lack of support and resources that imposes constraints in their capacity to innovate and problem-solve.
Does it Work? The Effect of Continuing Training on Labour Market Outcomes: A Comparative Study of Germany, Denmark, and the United Kingdom

This article investigates the impact of continuing education and training for adults on labour market performance in Germany, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. The central hypothesis is that training outcomes differ across countries, and that this heterogeneity in outcomes is due to institutional differences, which may affect the quality of the training provided. Drawing on data from the European Community Household Panel the article analyses (i) how far continuing training reduces the risk of future unemployment spells, (ii) if training increases the odds of re-entering the labour market given unemployment, and (iii) whether training fosters upward occupational mobility. The results suggest that the impact of training varies across the three countries.
How relevant is corporate governance and corporate social responsibility in emerging markets

Purpose – The principal aim of this research is to provide an in‐depth analysis of existing practices of corporate governance in mature markets and to compare and contrast these approaches with CG and CSR practices in emerging markets, given the growing influence of EMs on the global economy.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology employed in the study is to survey the main theoretical approaches for understanding and CG in relation to mature markets and EMs.Findings – The paper makes a small but important contribution to theory building by modifying and expanding the conceptual framework put forward by Weimer, Pape, Gedjlovic, and Shapiro to make a distinction between systems of corporate governance and particularly the “taxonomy of systems of corporate governance”. This is achieved by identifying an additional set of key variables specifically relevant to EMs as a group of countries. The main finding of the paper is that there is no comprehensive, “one size fits all” global corporate governance or.
How Firms Construct Price Changes: Evidence from Restaurant Responses to Increased Minimum Wages

We use price data underlying the Consumer Price Index to assess how restaurants, whose prices are generally quite sticky, respond to minimum wage increases. Aggregate prices rise, quickly, by amounts reflecting the increase in costs, and they rise more among fast food outlets and in low-wage locations. But restaurants do not construct price increases by raising all their prices by amounts reflecting the increase in wages. Instead, they raise only some prices, but by larger amounts. Prices at cluster points are less likely to be changed, and prices that were recently increased (decreased) are less (more) likely to be raised.
The Pushback Against Democracy

Freedom appeared in a state of stagnation during 2006, according to Freedom House's annual Freedom in the World survey. The most significant development was the decline in freedom in Asia and continued poor performance in Russia and the former Soviet Union. Globally, many countries showed evidence of problems with press freedom, rule of law, and corruption. Freedom House also pointed to a growing "pushback" against democracy in such countries as Russia, Venezuela, Iran, China, Belarus, and Zimbabwe. Regimes used legalistic methods to smother independent media and marginalize nongovernmental organizations in a broad effort to eliminate sources of potential democratic ferment.
Optimal Control of a Service Facility with Variable Exponential Service Times and Constant Arrival Rate

This paper derives the form of a minimal cost rate stationary operating policy for an M/M/I queueing system with K possible service rates. The two costs of the system are a general cost rate dependent on the state of the system and a cost rate associated with each of the possible service rates. The optimal policy is completely characterized by if K - 1 numbers. The optimal service rate is shown to be nondecreasing in the state of the system.
NAFTA and sources of real exchange rate fluctuations in North America

Exchange rate shocks are among those that can threaten economic growth sustainability especially in countries where exports constitute a considerable portion of its GDP. Theoretical literature conveys that exchange rate is assumed to be subject to two types of disturbances: real shocks (e.g., supply and demand shocks) and nominal shocks (e.g., monetary shocks). It is expected that these shocks cause fluctuations in the real exchange rate. It is also expected that exchange rate behaves differently if the country is more engaged in free trade. Hence, this paper seeks to empirically investigate the influence of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on the sources of real exchange rate fluctuations in the USA and Canada. The paper employs a structural vector autoregression (SVAR) model, which characterises this joint behaviour of the exchange rate and assumes long-run neutrality of nominal shocks. The results suggest that the sources of the real exchange rate volatility in the USA and Canada have been changed because of the increase of the bilateral trade and investment between both countries.
Decision tree induction: Priority classification

Scalability and efficiency is the major problem for classification algorithms in data mining, for large databases. We have suggested improvements to an existing C4.5 decision tree Algorithm. Particularly, when decision tree induction, used to construct the decision tree. In this paper Attribute oriented induction (AOI) and relevance analysis incorporated with concept hierarchy's knowledge and height-balancing tree (AVL tree) for construction of decision tree. MDL cost can be accurately calculated for decision tree considering nodes, at different levels. The other two aspects discussed in this paper is without and with priority given for attributes, at different levels of abstraction for building decision tree using DMQL, along with multilevel mining applied and the results obtained, are compared with J48/C4.5 classifier.
Effect of increasing the forecast horizon on correlation between forecasted returns and actual returns: an empirical analysis

This study investigates the influence of increasing the forecast horizon on correlation between the forecast returns and the actual returns. ARMA and EGARCH models are used in this paper to capture univariate asset returns. ARMA model is conditional mean model and EGARCH model is conditional variance model and both of them are used for forecasting, parameter estimation and simulation of time series. The persistence in the volatility of the time series is usually exemplified by a highly persistent fitted EGARCH model. Traditional stationary ARMA processes are often used to capture high degree of persistence in financial time series. In this paper, a hybrid of EGARCH and ARMA model is used to forecast stock returns based on their actual returns then we have analysed the correlation trend between actual and forecasted returns by varying the forecast horizon. Results shown in this paper are depicting that correlation between actual and forecast returns undergoes a decaying pattern on increasing forecast horizon. Stock prices of three companies CIPLA, GAIL and LIC have been taken on daily basis from April 1997 to April 2010 and prediction has been done for next 150 days.