Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Money, property and the demise of the CPSU

Previous studies of the disintegration of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), which was central to the Soviet collapse, have not paid sufficient attention to its financial aspect. However, the CPSU, in its final years, faced a financial crisis due mainly to the decline in its membership. Moreover, the elected soviets demanded the nationalization of party property. These forced the party to protect its property through engaging in commercial activity. This led in turn to unintended consequences of, first, transforming the CPSU into a commercial organization and, second, the dispersal of party property. The combined effect of these tendencies was to render the organization incapable of performing its traditional role of ruling party.
Constructing a Norwegian Academic Wordlist

We present the development of a Norwegian Academic Wordlist (AKA list) for the Norwegian Bokmal variety. To identify specific academic vocabulary we developed a 100-million-word academic corpus based on the University of Oslo archive of digital publications. Other corpora were used for testing and developing general word lists. We tried two different methods, those of Carlund et al. (2012) and Gardner & Davies (2013), and compared them. The resulting list is presented on a web site, where the words can be inspected in different ways, and freely downloaded.
Greater impairments in cerebral artery compared with skeletal muscle feed artery endothelial function in a mouse model of increased large artery stiffness

Increased large artery stiffness is a hallmark of arterial dysfunction with advancing age and is also present in other disease conditions such as diabetes. Increased large artery stiffness is correlated with resistance artery dysfunction in humans. Using a mouse model of altered arterial elastin content, this is the first study to examine the cause‐and‐effect relationship between large artery stiffness and peripheral resistance artery function. Our results indicate that mice with genetically greater large artery stiffness have impaired cerebral artery endothelial function, but generally preserved skeletal muscle feed artery endothelial function. The mechanisms for impaired cerebral artery endothelial function are reduced nitric oxide bioavailability and increased oxidative stress. These findings suggest that interventions that target large artery stiffness may be important to reduce disease risk associated with cerebral artery dysfunction in conditions such as advancing age.
An Efficient Advantage Distillation Scheme for Bidirectional Secret-Key Agreement

The classical secret-key agreement (SKA) scheme includes three phases: (a) advantage distillation (AD), (b) reconciliation, and (c) privacy amplification. Define the transmission rate as the ratio between the number of raw key bits obtained by the AD phase and the number of transmitted bits in the AD. The unidirectional SKA, whose transmission rate is 0 . 5, can be realized by using the original two-way wiretap channel as the AD phase. In this paper, we establish an efficient bidirectional SKA whose transmission rate is nearly 1 by modifying the two-way wiretap channel and using the modified two-way wiretap channel as the AD phase. The bidirectional SKA can be extended to multiple rounds of SKA with the same performance and transmission rate. For multiple rounds of bidirectional SKA, we have provided the bit error rate performance of the main channel and eavesdropper’s channel and the secret-key capacity. It is shown that the bit error rate (BER) of the main channel was lower than the eavesdropper’s channel and we prove that the transmission rate was nearly 1 when the number of rounds was large. Moreover, the secret-key capacity C s was from 0 . 04 to 0 . 1 as the error probability of channel was from 0 . 01 to 0 . 15 in binary symmetric channel (BSC). The secret-key capacity was close to 0 . 3 as the signal-to-noise ratio increased in the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel.
The impact of trend and cyclical behaviour of inventories and inflation on barter

This paper extends analyses of the determinants of the level of transactions among barter exchanges in the US economy by separating the trend elements of the explanatory variables from their cyclical elements. The results suggest that the level of barter is positively influenced by the expected inflation as well as by the rising unexpected business inventories.
A Public Choice Perspective on Regional Cluster and Network Promotion in Germany

Comparatively late by international standards, clusters and networks have now become established concepts in the development strategies of most German states and regions. However, there is a strong impression that policy and practice are running far ahead of our theoretical and empirical understanding of clusters. While conventional cluster theory fails to explain the spread and functions of such policies, this paper develops a Public Choice model that assumes different rationalities for consultants, politicians and practitioners, causing academic research and the practice of cluster development to drift apart. This is confronted with empirical evidence from two independent yet complementary surveys. The first covered 134 practitioners, consultants and observers of regional cluster policy case studies with semi-structured interviews, while the second relied on a postal questionnaire yielding responses from 123 cluster and network managers. Our findings illustrate the self-conception of practitioners and their specific rationality, which can be confronted with the state of scholarly knowledge on clusters and networks. It is found that in the practical action space, conceptual differences between clusters and networks, as well as emergence and growth, hardly matter. Rather than emerging and evolving organically, both are understood as organized phenomena, and there is a strong technocratic belief in the ability to govern their development. The paper aims to shed some light on why the policy tail appears to be wagging the analytical dog by neglecting research findings and proper empirical identification of clusters and networks and what scholarly research could do to regain political and practical relevance.
Shared knowledge in project-based companies' value chain

The issue of communication inside the project company's value chain – whether it is sufficient enough to fulfil customer requirements – was investigated, discussing particularly the concepts of value chain, knowledge sharing arena and organisational learning. The special focus was on the double-loop learning and expansive learning in the project context. In practice, we often hear allegation that in the production organisation, sales and marketing department promotes sales without ensuring the common understanding between the planning and executing organisation. The question remains whether the statement 'salesmen are selling and the rest of the organisation is struggling in order to serve the customer' is true in project-based knowledge-intensive organisation. An extensive multiple-case study was conducted to find out the qualitative factors affecting project-based organisations' management. The opinions of 54 project managers and project team members about knowledge sharing in the value chain from ten project-based organisations were introduced. The study focused on communication between marketing, planning, research and development departments and the customer. Surprisingly, based on empirical evidence, the above-mentioned allegation is not strongly supported in the knowledge-intensive project environment.
[Myocardial performance index: prediction and monitoring of remodeling and functioning of the left ventricle after first myocardial infarction].

INTRODUCTION Dynamic changing of left ventricular geometry and contractile state after acute myocardial infarction is responsible for various aspects of left ventricular remodeling and dysfunction. A number of studies have shown that myocardial performance index allows prediction of acute myocardial infarction complications. The objective of our study was to determine the power of myocardial performance index to predict and assess the severity of left ventricular remodeling, systolic and diastolic dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction over the long term. MATERIAL AND METHODS Echocardiography was performed within the first week of hospitalization, after one, three and six months in 77 patients with first acute myocardial infarction. At the end of the study the patients were divided into group A and B with mild and severe left ventricular remodeling, respectively. RESULTS Myocardial performance index was significantly lower in group A compared to B, at the beginning (0.62 vs. 0.75; p = 0.002), and at the end of study (0, 60 vs. 0, 69; p = 0.004). After six months, 31% of study patients developed LV systolic dysfunction with prevalence in group B (56% vs. 19%, p = 0.002). Myocardial performance index > or = 0.70 at first week after acute myocardial infarction is a strong predictive parameter for extensive early and late left ventricular remodeling and systolic dysfunction (p < 0.05), but it is not a valuable predictor of diastolic failure. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS MPI obtained at first week of acute myocardial infarction was predictive for early and long term left ventricular remodeling and systolic dysfunction. Myocardial performance index had doubtful clinical use in assessing dynamics of remodeling and it was without clinical value in predicting diastolic function deterioration.
Search-Based Local Black-Box Deobfuscation: Understand, Improve and Mitigate

Code obfuscation aims at protecting Intellectual Property and other secrets embedded into software from being retrieved. Recent works leverage advances in artificial intelligence (AI) with the hope of getting blackbox deobfuscators completely immune to standard (whitebox) protection mechanisms. While promising, this new field of AI-based, and more specifically search-based blackbox deobfuscation, is still in its infancy. In this article we deepen the state of search-based blackbox deobfuscation in three key directions: understand the current state-of-the-art, improve over it and design dedicated protection mechanisms. In particular, we define a novel generic framework for search-based blackbox deobfuscation encompassing prior work and highlighting key components; we are the first to point out that the search space underlying code deobfuscation is too unstable for simulation-based methods (e.g., Monte Carlo Tree Search used in prior work) and advocate the use of robust methods such as S-metaheuristics; we propose the new optimized search-based blackbox deobfuscator Xyntia which significantly outperforms prior work in terms of success rate (especially with small time budget) while being completely immune to the most recent anti-analysis code obfuscation methods; and finally we propose two novel protections against search-based blackbox deobfuscation, allowing to counter Xyntia powerful attacks.
Long Chain Fatty Acid Acylated Derivatives of Quercetin-3-O-Glucoside as Antioxidants to Prevent Lipid Oxidation

Flavonoids have shown promise as natural plant-based antioxidants for protecting lipids from oxidation. It was hypothesized that their applications in lipophilic food systems can be further enhanced by esterification of flavonoids with fatty acids. Quercetin-3-O-glucoside (Q3G) was esterified individually with six selected long chain fatty acids: stearic acid (STA), oleic acid (OLA), linoleic acid (LNA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and decosahexaenoic acid (DHA), using Candida antarctica B lipase as the biocatalyst. The antioxidant activity of esterified flavonoids was evaluated using lipid oxidation model systems of poly-unsaturated fatty acids-rich fish oil and human low density lipoprotein (LDL), in vitro. In the oil-in-water emulsion, Q3G esters exhibited 50% to 100% inhibition in primary oxidation and 30% to 75% inhibition in secondary oxidation. In bulk oil, Q3G esters did not provide considerable protection from lipid oxidation; however, Q3G demonstrated more than 50% inhibition in primary oxidation. EPA, DHA and ALA esters of Q3G showed significantly higher inhibition in Cu2+- and peroxyl radical-induced LDL oxidation in comparison to Q3G.
Stock Return Predictability and the Adaptive Markets Hypothesis: Evidence from Century Long U.S. Data

This paper provides strong evidence of time-varying return predictability of the Dow Jones Industrial Average index from 1900 to 2009. Return predictability is found to be driven by changing market conditions, consistent with the implication of the adaptive markets hypothesis. During market crashes, no statistically significant return predictability is observed, but return predictability is associated with a high degree of uncertainty. In times of economic or political crises, stock returns have been highly predictable with a moderate degree of uncertainty in predictability. We find that return predictability has been smaller during economic bubbles than in normal times. We also find evidence that return predictability is associated with stock market volatility and economic fundamentals.
Gaussian Process Neurons Learn Stochastic Activation Functions

We propose stochastic, non-parametric activation functions that are fully learnable and individual to each neuron. Complexity and the risk of overfitting are controlled by placing a Gaussian process prior over these functions. The result is the Gaussian process neuron, a probabilistic unit that can be used as the basic building block for probabilistic graphical models that resemble the structure of neural networks. The proposed model can intrinsically handle uncertainties in its inputs and self-estimate the confidence of its predictions. Using variational Bayesian inference and the central limit theorem, a fully deterministic loss function is derived, allowing it to be trained as efficiently as a conventional neural network using mini-batch gradient descent. The posterior distribution of activation functions is inferred from the training data alongside the weights of the network. The proposed model favorably compares to deep Gaussian processes, both in model complexity and efficiency of inference. It can be directly applied to recurrent or convolutional network structures, allowing its use in audio and image processing tasks. As an preliminary empirical evaluation we present experiments on regression and classification tasks, in which our model achieves performance comparable to or better than a Dropout regularized neural network with a fixed activation function. Experiments are ongoing and results will be added as they become available.
Principals’ Perceptions of Autonomy to Implement Change for English Language Learners

For almost three decades a spotlight has been placed on the problems of the American educational system. Reform efforts put into place were intended to improve our schools by ensuring that all students' needs were met and to close the achievement gap however, the number of schools and districts labeled as failing is growing and the achievement gap grows larger. In California, one particular significant subgroup, English language learners, is a group whose population continues to grow in number and yet the number of students in this subgroup who are not meeting state targets grows (California Department of Education, 2009). As this crisis evolves, and a myriad of reform efforts are exhausted, the role of the instructional leader evolves as well. The latest federal legislation, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has created a high stakes accountability climate by setting federal mandates for increasing levels of student achievement of significant subgroups. Schools and their districts who fail to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) guidelines for all subgroups are subject to progressive degrees of corrective action. This might include restructuring the school by removing or replacing the school site's instructional leader. As a result, the role of principal takes on even greater importance as educational researchers and policymakers seek reforms to meet these new demands. These reforms or demands for immediate changes, designed to support student achievement may actually constrain the role of the principal as the instructional leader. The primary purpose of this study was to examine how reform efforts support or constrain principal autonomy in meeting the needs of English language learners. Utilizing the theoretical frameworks of School Reform and Social Network Theory, this study compared the level of principal autonomy in two distinct districts, one centralized and the other decentralized, that is, how information and resources are transmitted. This mixed methods study compared student data, survey results of district and site leaders, principal interviews and a review of documents
Measuring Monetary Policy in Germany: A Structural Vector Error Correction Approach

Abstract A structural vector error correction (SVEC) model is used to investigate several monetary policy issues. While being data-oriented the SVEC framework allows structural modeling of the short-run and long-run properties of the data. The statistical model is estimated with monthly German data for 1975-98 where a structural break is detected in 1984. After splitting the sample, three stable long-run relations are found in each subsample which can be interpreted in terms of a moneydemand equation, a policy rule and a relation for real output, respectively. Since the cointegration restrictions imply a particular shape of the long-run covariance matrix this information can be used to distinguish between permanent and transitory innovations in the estimated system. Additional restrictions are introduced to identify a monetary policy shock.
International Peace Snpport Operations and CIVPOL: Should there be a Permanent Global Gendarmerie?

Current peace support operations present problems which are too ambitious for a UN civilian police mission (referred to here as CIVPOL), such as IPTF in Bosnia, to tackle but which are not appropriate for the military. However, CIVPOL appears to fulfil a need in spite of its weaknesses. Recently an attempt to further discussion on how CIVPOL might be strengthened was made by the Secretary‐General of NATO who called for a permanent global gendarmerie to solve the existing policy and practical inadequacies of such operations. It is unlikely that this would be achieved because strengthening CIVPOL through the establishment of a gendarmerie will not solve any policing problems, and would raise two fundamental issues. First, it is difficult to see the present organization remodelling itself into a capable monitoring or training organization for creating state policing on liberal democratic lines. Second, it is most unlikely that a gendarmerie could solve the problems or fulfil the requirements of existing CIVP.
The Effects of Pension Reform on Retirement and Human Capital Formation

The demographic transition in industrialized countries poses challenges to the pension system which is essentially organized according to the pay-as-you-go principle in most countries. This paper aims at analyzing two proposals for pension reform in a theoretical model that endogenously explains the retirement and training decision of workers who are heterogeneous in ability. Because the economic benefits of motivating late retirement strongly depend on the employment prospects of workers near retirement age, the model includes the firms' employment decision at the extensive margin. The first reform proposal, the implementation of individual retirement accounts, increases the workers' incentives to acquire skills and to postpone retirement. However, if the capital funded pillar of the pension system becomes strong, low-ability workers may not attain their optimal retirement age because firms refuse to employ them any longer. In a similar manner, the second reform proposal to increase the minimum retirement age may not work for lowability workers if their separation date is determined by the firms before the minimum retirement age is achieved.
The Caenorhabditis elegans Ror RTK CAM-1 Inhibits EGL-20/Wnt Signaling in Cell Migration

During Caenorhabditis elegans development, the HSN neurons and the right Q neuroblast and its descendants undergo long-range anteriorly directed migrations. Both of these migrations require EGL-20, a C. elegans Wnt homolog. Through a canonical Wnt signaling pathway, EGL-20/Wnt transcriptionally activates the Hox gene mab-5 in the left Q neuroblast and its descendants, causing the cells to migrate posteriorly. In this report, we show that CAM-1, a Ror receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family member, inhibits EGL-20 signaling. Excess EGL-20, like loss of cam-1, caused the HSNs to migrate too far anteriorly. Excess CAM-1, like loss of egl-20, shifted the final positions of the HSNs posteriorly and caused the left Q neuroblast descendants to migrate anteriorly. The reversal in the migration of the left Q neuroblast and its descendants resulted from a failure to express mab-5, an egl-20 mutant phenotype. Our data suggest that CAM-1 negatively regulates EGL-20.
Costly Financing, Optimal Payout Policies and the Valuation of Corporate Debt

We present a cash-flow based model of corporate debt valuation that incorporates two novel features. First, we allow for the separation and optimal determination of the firm's debt-service and dividend policies; in particular, the firm is allowed to maintain cash reserves to meet future debt obligations. Second, our model admits the possibility that raising resources through issuance of new equity could be a costly procedure. In contrast, much of the previous literature has considered only dividend polices that are the "residual" consequences of debt-service policy, and has assumed new equity issuance costs are either zero or infinite.
Energy use and the Optimal Control of Climate Change Damage.

A growing literature uses the Hotelling textbook model to determine the optimal path of extraction of a carbon-emitting exhaustible resource and the optimal abatement of emissions. Assuming that marginal damage are continuously increasing with the carbon stock, we determine the optimal use of solar energy and carbon capture (CCS). We find analytically that CCS can be optimally fully used (at the beginning) if the initial carbon stock is over a very specific value used in order to temporarily stabilize the carbon stock to this value otherwise. This technology largely modifies the optimal carbon tax dynamics and the evolution of the carbon stock compared to the benchmark model without CCS, and in a very dierent way that a clean backstop technology, like solar energy for instance, does. For some particular demand and damage functions, we do not exclude the possibility that both CCS and Solar energy can be used along the optimal path for the same purpose of mitigating emissions before the fossil fuel gets exhausted.
The Validity of the Hinkin and Schriesheim Power Scales and Superior-Subordinate Power Relationships Within Hospitality

The authors report the results of a test of the construct validity of the Hinkin and Schriesheim (1989) scales based on the French and Raven (19569) power scales using a hospitality industry sample. In addtition, scales for subordinate self-percep tion of power were suggested and tested. The internal and external consistency of all scales was satisfactory and nomological expecations were met. Unanticipated relationships are discussed and explanations proffered.