Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc gelidum KCTC 3527, Isolated from Kimchi

ABSTRACT Leuconostoc gelidum KCTC 3527 is found mainly in vegetables and plays an important role in vegetable fermentation, including that of Korean traditional kimchi. Here we announce the draft genome sequence of Leuconostoc gelidum KCTC 3527, isolated from Korean traditional kimchi, and describe major findings from its annotation.
In vivo detection of GABA in human brain using a localized double‐quantum filter technique

A proton MR spectral editing technique employing a spatially localized, double‐quantum filter (DQF) was used to measure γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the human brain at 1.5 T. The double‐quantum method provided robust, single‐shot suppression of uncoupled resonances from choline, creatine, and NAA and allowed detection of the γCH2 GABA (3.0 ppm) resonance with 30% efficiency. Spatial localization of the GABA measurement was achieved by incorporating PRESS localization within the double‐quantum excitation and detection sequence. A calibration technique was developed to adjust the relative phases of the RF pulses to maximize the in vivo double‐quantum detection efficiency for an arbitrary voxel location. The sequence efficiency, degree of suppression of uncoupled resonances, and characterization of the in vivo DQF technique was examined in phantom experiments and in a study of the occipital lobe of 10 normal subjects. The ratio of the 3.0‐ppm GABA resonance to the 3.0‐ppm creatine resonance was found to be 0.20 ± 0.05 (SD).
Models of Capital Budgeting, E-V VS E-S

Markowitz's [2] portfolio selection model was originally concerned with financial investments, but the model's implications for capital budgeting are now well recognized. Markowitz's basic idea is that the optimal portfolio for an investor is not simply any collection of good securities, but a balanced whole, providing the investor with the best combination of “return” and “risk. ” Return and risk are to be measured by the expected value and variance of the probability distribution of portfolio return. Although financial writers have generally accepted Markowitz's measure of return, they have not been completely satisfied with his suggested measure of risk [1]. In fact, Markowitz himself had reservations about choosing variance as a measure of risk.1 Besides variance, he considered five other alternative measures of risk: (1) The expected value of loss; (2) The probability of loss; (3) The expected absolute deviation; (4) The maximum expected loss; and (5) The semivariance.
The Monetary Transmission Mechanism and the Evaluation of Monetary Policy Rules

This paper shows that different models of the monetary transmission mechanism lead to surprisingly similar choices about monetary policy rules. In particular, simple rules in which the interest rate reacts to inflation and real output seem to be robust to many different views about how monetary policy works. In models of small open economies—where the monetary transmission mechanism has a relatively strong exchange rate channel—the policy rule should also adjust to the exchange rate, but the gains from such exchange rate rules over rules that react only to inflation and output are small. The results suggest the need for more research on both the effect of exchange rate fluctuations and on policy rules that take account of exchange rates.
Hybrid genetic algorithms and case‐based reasoning systems for customer classification

Abstract: Because of its convenience and strength in complex problem solving, case‐based reasoning (CBR) has been widely used in various areas. One of these areas is customer classification, which classifies customers into either purchasing or non‐purchasing groups. Nonetheless, compared to other machine learning techniques, CBR has been criticized because of its low prediction accuracy. Generally, in order to obtain successful results from CBR, effective retrieval of useful prior cases for the given problem is essential. However, designing a good matching and retrieval mechanism for CBR systems is still a controversial research issue. Most previous studies have tried to optimize the weights of the features or the selection process of appropriate instances. But these approaches have been performed independently until now. Simultaneous optimization of these components may lead to better performance than naive models. In particular, there have been few attempts to simultaneously optimize the weights of the features and the selection of instances for CBR. Here we suggest a simultaneous optimization model of these components using a genetic algorithm. To validate the usefulness of our approach, we apply it to two real‐world cases for customer classification. Experimental results show that simultaneously optimized CBR may improve the classification accuracy and outperform various optimized models of CBR as well as other classification models including logistic regression, multiple discriminant analysis, artificial neural networks and support vector machines.
A detailed investigation of the disposition effect and individual trading behavior: a panel survival approach

This article uses a panel survival approach to analyze the trading behavior of foreign exchange traders. We concentrate on a detailed characterization of the shape of the disposition effect over the entire profit and loss regions. In doing so, we investigate the influence of a number of trading characteristics on the impact of the disposition effect. These trading characteristics include: special limit order strategies, trading success, size and the experience of our investors. Our main findings are that (i) the disposition effect has a nonlinear shape. For small profits and losses we find an inverted disposition effect, while for larger ones, the usual positive disposition effect emerges. (ii) The inverted disposition effect is driven to a great extend by patient and cautious investors closing their positions with special limit orders (take-profit and stop-loss). The normal positive disposition effect is found to be intensified for impatient investors closing their positions actively with market orders. (iii) We show that unsuccessful investors reveal a stronger inverse disposition effect. (iv) Evidence that bigger investors are less prone to the disposition effect than smaller investors is also found.
Customer Satisfaction with and Loyalty towards Online Travel Products: A Transaction Cost Economics Perspective

This study examines the usefulness of the theory of transaction cost economics (TCE) for the online travel market and investigates customer satisfaction and loyalty with the transaction cost over the Internet taken into account. Using structural equation modelling (SEM), the authors identify the relationships among the antecedents (uncertainty, personal security and buying frequency), the mediating variable (transaction costs) and endogenous constructs (customer satisfaction and loyalty). The findings suggest that the satisfaction and loyalty of customers purchasing travel products over the Internet are affected negatively by transaction costs, which are determined by uncertainty, personal security and buying frequency. Moreover, a significantly negative relationship is identified between buying frequency and customer satisfaction.
Terrain slope analyses between terrestrial laser scanner and airborne laser scanning

Landslide is a geohazard phenomenon of mass movement of terrain. In order to prevent landslide, understanding the behavior of the landslide is of importance. In such a case, many landslide monitoring rely on accurate digital terrain models (DTM). Typically, DTM can be generated by point based measurements such as GPS, leveling, total station and laser distancemeters. However, these methods will raise obvious measurement problems because of the discontinuous character since they only allow measuring discrete points, and therefore it can be difficult to ensure that problems are recorded and handled in a consistent manner. In recent years, the `Light Detection and Ranging - LiDAR' technology in the mode of Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) and Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) find rapidly growing interest in remote sensing and photogrammetry field as efficient tools for fast and reliable three-dimensional (3D) point cloud data acquisition. These laser techniques obtains the 3D reconstruction of objects; the measure of the distance from the platform (eg. ground-based for TLS, airplane or helicopter for ALS) derives generally from the time employed by the laser beam to go and to come back (time-of-flight principle). This paper describes the capabilities of TLS and ALS in slope mapping studies. The study has been conducted at two test sites, namely Tanah Rata and Habu, Cameron Highland, Malaysia. Several data acquisitions on selected cut slopes were performed using the TLS instrument: Topcon GLS1500. Ground control points were established using Real Time Kinematic GPS to provide a local coordinate system on laser scanning data. The ALS raw data was provided by a private mapping company. This study shows the ability of TLS and ALS to obtain reliable 3-D slope information over unstable area.
Productivity, Demand, and Regulated Price Effects Revisited: An Analysis of the Real Bilateral Exchange Rates of Four New EU Member States

This paper examines the behavior of internal price ratios and bilateral real exchange rates of a group of four new EU member states-Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia. We employ a dynamic ordinary least squares panel estimator to investigate the relative importance of demand and supply influences on the internal and external exchange rates of these countries. Our analysis shows that both supply- and demand-side effects are important, though supply-side effects dominate. The paper also examines the role that administrated or regulated prices and the productivity of the distribution sector play in real exchange rate dynamics. We show that administrated prices have been a powerful force behind price and real exchange developments for our group of accession countries.
Corneal Response to Short-Term Orthokeratology Lens Wear

Purpose. This study investigated short-term corneal changes induced by reverse-geometry lenses worn for orthokeratology. Methods. Nine young adult subjects wore reverse-geometry rigid gas-permeable lenses (BE; UltraVision Contact Lenses, Brisbane, Australia) in one eye only for 10, 30, and 60 min in the open eye and 8 h in the closed eye. The fellow eye acted as a non-lens-wearing control. Corneal topographic changes were monitored using the Medmont E-300 corneal topographer and keratometry. Changes in uncorrected logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (log MAR) visual acuity were also recorded. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and post hoc t-tests. Results. Significant central corneal flattening (−0.61 ± 0.35 D; p = 0.014) and the formation of a defined “treatment zone” (diameter, 3.86 ± 0.88 mm) were found after 10 min of open-eye lens wear, which progressed with increasing periods of lens wear. Significant improvement in unaided logMAR (−0.16 ± 0.18; p = 0.005) was also apparent after 10 min and showed further improvement with longer periods of lens wear. Corneal asphericity showed a trend toward corneal sphericalization, which reached statistical significance after 8 h of lens wear. There was no significant change in corneal toricity. Conclusions. The cornea responds rapidly to the application of reverse-geometry lenses for orthokeratology, with significant central corneal flattening and improvement in visual acuity after just 10 min of lens wear. This suggests that the corneal epithelium is able to be molded or redistributed very rapidly in response to the tear film forces generated behind reverse-geometry lenses.
Understanding Engagement within the Context of a Safety Critical Game

One of the most frequent arguments for deploying serious games is that they provide an engaging format for student learning. However, engagement is often equated with enjoyment, which may not be the most relevant conceptualization in safety-critical settings, such as law enforcement and healthcare. In these contexts, the term 'serious' does not only relate to the non-entertainment purpose of the game but also the environment simulated by the game. In addition, a lack of engagement in a safety-critical training setting can have serious ethical implications, leading to significant real-world impacts. However, evaluations of safety-critical games (SCGs) rarely provide an in-depth consideration of player experience. Thus, in relation to simulation game-based training, we are left without a clear understanding of what sort of experience players are having, what factors influence their engagement and how their engagement relates to learning. In order to address these issues, this paper reports on the mixed-method evaluation of a SCG that was developed to support police training. The findings indicate that engagement is supported by the experience situational relevance, due to the player's experience of real-world authenticity, targeted feedback mechanisms and learning challenges.
Metabolism of platelet‐activating factor in neutrophils isolated from Pichinde virus–infected guinea pigs

Metabolism of platelet‐activating factor (PAF) was studied in cultured polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) obtained from Pichinde virus–infected strain 13 guinea pigs. Neutrophils obtained from control and infected guinea pigs on postinoculation days 10 and 14 were incubated with [3H]lyso‐PAF, [3H]PAF, or [3H]acetate. After incubation for 1 h at 37°C, formation of [3H]acyl‐PAF from either [3H]lyso‐PAF or [3H]PAF increased significantly in PMNs from infected guinea pigs compared to control PMNs. Furthermore, total radioactivity from [3H]lyso‐PAF or [3H]PAF was higher in PMNs from infected animals than in those from controls. However, compared to PAF production by control PMNs, production of PAF by infected PMNs was unchanged. These results suggest that PMNs may not be the major source of increased blood PAF levels during Pichinde viral disease.
Investigating value and growth : what labels hide ?

Value and growth investment styles are a concept which has gained extreme popularity over the past two decades, probably due to its practical efficiency and relative simplicity. We study the mechanics of different factors' impact on excess returns in a multivariate setting. We use a panel of stock returns and accounting data from 1979 to 2007 for the companies listed on NYSE without survivor bias for clustering, regression analysis and constructing style based portfolios. Our findings suggest that value and growth labels often hide important heterogeneity of the underlying sources of risks. Many variables, conventionally used for style definitions, cannot be used jointly, because they affect returns in opposite directions. A simple truth that more variables does not necessarily mean better model nicely summaries our results. We advocate a more flexible approach to analyzing accounting-based factors of outperformance treating them separately before or instead of aggregating.
Willingness to Pay for Rural Landscape Improvements: Combining Mixed Logit and Random-Effects Models

This paper reports the findings from a discrete-choice experiment designed to estimate the economic benefits associated with rural landscape improvements in Ireland. Using a mixed logit model, the panel nature of the dataset is exploited to retrieve willingness-to-pay values for every individual in the sample. This departs from customary approaches in which the willingness-to-pay estimates are normally expressed as measures of central tendency of an a priori distribution. Random-effects models for panel data are subsequently used to identify the determinants of the individual-specific willingness-to-pay estimates. In comparison with the standard methods used to incorporate individual-specific variables into the analysis of discrete-choice experiments, the analytical approach outlined in this paper is shown to add considerable explanatory power to the welfare estimates. Copyright 2007 The Agricultural Economics Society.
Raising the Speed Limit

This paper examines the underpinnings of the successful performance of the US economy in the late 1990s. Relative to the early 1990s, output growth has accelerated by nearly two percentage points. We attribute this to rapid capital accumulation, a surge in hours worked, and faster growth of total factor productivity. The acceleration of productivity growth, driven by information technology, is the most remarkable feature of the US growth resurgence. We consider the implications of these developments for the future growth of the US economy .
The Governance Of Economic Resilience: 20 Years Of Urban Adaptation Projects In Brussels

This paper is an empirical investigation on how cities use urban renovation projects to adapt to structural economic change. We use methodological triangulation with case study evidence from Brussels to investigate causal links between the governance and the implementation of a large ongoing urban renovation programme that started in 1993. Having classified all investments in our database according to a list of urban adaptation tools, we are able to document how the governance of the programme influenced a) the allocation of funds to different adaptation tools; b) the content of intangible investments; c) the link between tangible and intangible investments. We conclude that urban renovation in Brussels is similar to policies in other cities in that it invested substantial resources both at the top and the bottom of adaptation governance, but that a disconnection between bottom-up and top-down strategies risks foregoing potential complementarities and synergies.
Stochastic Volatility Models: A Survey with Applications to Option Pricing and Value at Risk

This chapter presents an introduction to the current literature on stochastic volatility models. For these models the volatility depends on some unobserved components or a latent structure. Given the time-varying volatility exhibited by most financial data, in the last two decades there has been a growing interest in time series models of changing variance and the literature on stochastic volatility models has expanded greatly. Clearly, this chapter cannot be exhaustive, however we discuss some of the most important ideas, focusing on the simplest forms of the techniques and models used in the literature. The chapter is organised as follows. Section 1 considers some motivations for stochastic volatility models: empirical stylised facts, pricing of contingent assets and risk evaluation. While section 2 presents models of changing volatility, section 3 focuses on stochastic volatility models and distinguishes between models with continuous and discrete volatility, the latter depending on a hidden Markov chain. Section 4 is devoted to the estimation problem which is still an open question, then a wide range of possibility is given. Sections 5 and 6 introduce some extensions and multivariate models. Finally, in section 7 an estimation program is presented and some possible applications to option pricing and risk evaluation are discussed. Readers interested in the practical utilisation of stochastic volatility models and in the applications can skip section 4.3 without hindering comprehension.
Dusting off the epidemiological triad: could it work with obesity?

The search for effective ways of dealing with obesity has centred on biological research and clinical management. However, obesity needs to be conceptualized more broadly if the modern pandemic is to be arrested. The epidemiological triad (hosts, agent/vectors and environments) has served us well in dealing with epidemics in the past, and may be worth re‐evaluating to this end. Education, behaviour change and clinical practices deal predominantly with the host, although multidisciplinary practices such as shared‐care might also be expected to impact on other corners of the triad. Technology deals best with the agent of obesity (energy imbalance) and it's vectors (excessive energy intake and/or inadequate energy expenditure), and policy and social change are needed to cope with the environment. The value of a broad model like this, rather than specific isolated approaches, is that the key players such as legislators, health professionals, governments and industry can see their roles in attenuating and eventually reversing the epidemic. It also highlights the need to intervene at all levels in obesity control and reduces the relevance of arguments about nature vs. nurture.
The Effects of Domestic Environmental Policies on Patterns of World Trade: An Empirical Test

The premise that trade suffers from the imposition of environmental policy has a strong element of a priori plausibility, but, surprisingly, has little empirical support. The present paper provides an empirical test of the hypothesis that stringent environmental policy has caused trade patterns to deviate in commodities produced by the world's "dirty" industries. The empirical tests are conducted using the cross-section Hechscher-Ohlin-Vanek model of international trade. It is not that the introduction of stringent environmental control measures has caused trade patterns to deviate from the Hechscher-Ohlin-Vanek predictions. Copyright 1990 by WWZ and Helbing & Lichtenhahn Verlag AG
A Simulation Study of Injection Locked Clocking with Ring Oscillators

In the recent years, injection locked clocking (ILC) has been proposed as a solution to the power and skew problems of high-speed clocking in mixed-signal VLSI systems and microprocessors. A number of ILC schemes have been proposed that use local oscillators based on LC-tanks, MDLLs, and ring oscillators. To date, none of these ILC schemes has achieved sufficient balance between area and phase noise/power supply rejection to be feasible in large digital systems. Here we propose investigating injection locking with ring oscillators (ILROs) due to their relatively small area. Specifically, our main goals are to 1) develop an improved ring oscillator architecture that has improved noise performance and power supply rejection and 2) to compare the performance of this ILRO to existing ILC schemes. Our metrics for comparison will be power consumption, jitter/phase noise performance, power supply rejection, and estimated on-chip area.
Some Statistical Models for Limited Dependent Variables with Application to the Demand for Durable Goods

THIS PAPER DEVELOPS some models for limited dependent variables.2 The distinguishing feature of these variables is that the range of values which they may assume has a lower bound and that this lowest value occurs in a fair number of observations. This feature should be taken into account in the statistical analysis of observations on such variables. In particular, it renders invalid use of the usual regression model. The second section of this paper develops several models for such variables. Like Tobin's [10] model, they are extensions of the multiple probit analysis model.3 They differ from that model by allowing the determination of the size of the variable when it is not zero to depend on different parameters or variables from those determining the probability of its being zero. Estimation and discrimination in the models are considered in Section 3. The models, like their prototypes, seem particularly intractable to exact analysis and large sample approximations have to be used. The adequacy of inferences based on these procedures is explored in Section 4 through a small sampling experiment. Limited dependent variables arise naturally in the study of consumer purchases, particularly purchases of durable goods. When a durable good is to be purchased, the amount spent may vary in fine gradations, but for many durables it is probably the case that most consumers in a particular period make no purchase at all. In Section 5 we apply the models to the demand for durable goods to provide an application of the techniques.