Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Family Background, Education and Earnings in Kenya

This paper uses data collected in 2000 to first estimate OLS and ordered probit models to measure correlation between family background and workers’ education. Then, human capital earnings functions are estimated to examine to what extent family background accounts for observed correlation between workers’ education and earnings. Subsequently, it estimates returns to education with education treated as endogenous. Having well-educated parents is associated with greater educational attainment and earnings. Returns to education decline slightly when parents’ education controls are in the earnings function. Instrumental variable estimation or self-selection correction suggests that estimates of returns to education may be larger than conventional estimates suggest.
The TRIB3 Q84R polymorphism and risk of early-onset type 2 diabetes.

CONTEXT The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), particularly among young adults, has been rising steadily during the past 2 decades. T2D, especially in its early-onset subtype, is under genetic control. TRIB3 inhibits insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and subsequent insulin action. A TRIB3 gain-of-function polymorphism, Q84R (rs2295490), impairs insulin signaling. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to verify the association of TRIB3 Q84R with: 1) T2D, either subtyped or not according to age at diagnosis (early-onset, <45 yr, or >or= 45 yr); 2) insulin secretion and sensitivity in nondiabetic individuals; or 3) in vitro insulin secretion from isolated human islets. DESIGN Four different case-control samples comprising a total of 5,469 whites were examined. Insulinogenic and insulin sensitivity indexes and their interplay (disposition index) were assessed in 645 nondiabetic individuals at oral glucose tolerance test, glucose (16.7 mmol/liter)-induced in vitro insulin secretion was assessed in islets isolated from 54 nondiabetic donors. RESULTS In the whole sample, the R84 variant was nominally associated with T2D (odds ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.36, P = 0.04). When stratifying according to age of diabetes onset, R84 carriers had an increased risk of early-onset T2D (odds ratio 1.32, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.58, P = 0.002). Among 645 nondiabetic subjects, R84 carriers had higher glucose levels (P = 0.005) and lower insulinogenic (P = 0.03) and disposition index (P = 0.02) during the oral glucose tolerance test. R84 islets were more likely to display relatively low glucose-stimulated insulin release (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS The TRIB3 R84 variant is associated with early-onset T2D in whites. Alteration in the insulin secretion/insulin sensitivity interplay appears to underlie this association.
Earnings Quality Based on Corporate Investment Decisions

This paper examines a new approach of measuring earnings quality based on firms' capital and labor investment decisions. More specifically, I measure earnings quality as the contemporaneous association between the changes in the level of capital and labor investment and the change in reported earnings. The approach relies on the following intuition: (1) firms make investment decisions based on the net present value (NPV) of the investment projects; and (2) a reported earnings with higher quality (i.e., it is closer to the permanent earnings or the annuitized NPV) should be more associated with the real investment decisions. I find that the measures of earnings quality based on managerial labor and capital decisions are positively correlated with earnings persistence and have incremental explanatory power relative to the earnings quality measures used in the literature.
Postponement: a review and an integrated framework

The concept of postponement has a long history of academic literature and practical applications. The recent literature has also well documented that the need for postponement is driven by today's market and business environment. However, its applications are still not as widespread as expected. Therefore, we are interested in what factors enable or hinder the successful implementation of postponement. After a review on postponement, we propose an integrated framework that will help to develop a set of general ideas on which further work can be based. The practical difficulties associated with moving toward postponement are also included in this framework. The objective is also to understand better the challenges that exist in implementing postponement strategies.
Significantly Lower Estimates of Volatility Arise from the Use of Open-High-Low-Close Price Data

Abstract This research provides an indication of the possible reduction in insurance liability valuations arising from the reduced volatility estimate of the Yang-Zhang refinement of volatility, when the liabilities are based on historic prices estimates arising from end-of-day prices in a jump-diffusion model. The paper also demonstrates the usefulness of change points. This research compares the standard measure of volatility (standard deviation of the log of close prices) for the total return of the S&P 500 to a recently developed volatility measure by Yang and Zhang that capitalizes on open-high-low-close prices. The latter volatility was developed to be the measure providing the narrowest confidence interval of all estimates satisfying certain desirable features and as such is the most desirable measure from a decision theory standpoint. This research shows that the Yang-Zhang volatility generally provides significantly lower estimates of volatility. This lower volatility estimate should lead to lower valuation levels for insurance products with guarantees, and this paper provides indicative reductions in liability valuations. Both volatility measures assume constant volatility and drift over a period. To accommodate this assumption, change points are employed to divide historical data into regimes of constant drift and volatility. To this end, the theory of change points is briefly introduced. The research shows that standard measure of volatility generally overestimates volatility, and the error increases with the absolute value of the underlying drift. There are several potential technical reasons why the lower volatility could be invalid, but this paper considers and rejects each, to conclude that the lower volatility estimate of Yang-Zhang is in fact the better estimate, not a result of a technical degeneracy. One conclusion is that valuations employing regime-switching generators, especially insurance liability valuations, should use the Yang-Zhang measure of volatility, otherwise any analysis embedded (or free-standing) options could overvalue prices or volatility. The simplicity of the Yang-Zhang calculation and its potentially large impact on valuations should justify its adoption for most companies.
Multiproduct Nonlinear Pricing

Typically, work on mechanism design has assumed that all private information can be captured in a single scalar variable. This paper explores one way in which this assumption can be relaxed in the context of the multiproduct nonlinear pricing problem. It is shown that the firm will choose to exclude some low-value consumers from all markets. A class of cases that allow explicit solution is derived by making use of a multivariate form of 'integration by parts. ' In such cases the optimal tariff is cost-based. Copyright 1996 by The Econometric Society.
Fiscal Illusion, Intergovernmental Grants and Local Spending

ISLAM M. N. (1998) Fiscal illusion, intergovernmental grants and local spending, Reg. Studies 32 , 63-71. This paper provides some evidence of fiscal illusion of a reduced tax-price of public service, engendered by provincial grants to local governments. A model of fiscal response to grants, based on expected vote maximization approach, is tested on time series data as well as pooled time series and cross-section data for 39 upper-tier municipalities in Ontario over the period 1977-91. A generalized two-stage least square procedure is used to estimate the model, adjusting for autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity in errors and simultaneity between grants and expenditures. The results show that the fiscally-induced price effects of grants varies quite widely from one municipality to another and these variations can be attributed to differences in municipal characteristics and their institutional relations with the province. Additionally, the results show evidence of considerable tax exporting (and importing).
Building Competitive Advantage from Ubuntu: Management Lessons from South Africa

Executive Overview Much of management theory is based on the writings of early 20th-century Western scholars whose disciplinary orientations were heavily grounded in economics and classical sociology. These writings depict homo sapiens as an individualistic, utility-maximizing, transaction-oriented species. In contrast, recent scholarship has revealed the gender and racio-ethnic biases of these theories, and shown them to be invalid models of human nature. Humans are social and communal beings. Along with rationality, we are guided by emotions such as anxiety, hope, disappointment, fear, anger, excitement, pity, and remorse. By acknowledging the importance of emotions, world management discourse can evolve more holistic, inclusive, and emancipatory theories. South Africa offers a unique opportunity for understanding the African concept of ubuntu or humaneness. Ubuntu is rich with consideration for compassion and communality. This article discusses the characteristics of ubuntu, explores situations in whic.
In-Water Plasma Generation on a Liquid Wall Using a Compact Device and Dedicated Power Supply

Plasmas that are generated on and in liquids are generally the subject of pure research at universities; however, they have considerable practical potential for use in material processing, water purification, and sterilization. Their chief drawback is that they require a large device to generate in-water plasmas and a bulky power supply. If the device size and the volume of the power supply could be reduced, it might be possible to realize water sterilization in home electric appliances, such as washing machines. We have developed a compact device with a unique structure and a dedicated power supply that provides high voltage at high frequencies for generating in-water plasmas. Our dedicated power supply occupies one-sixth of the volume of comparable types. The device can generate in-water plasmas in an air stream using ambient air introduced from outside using a pump. Hydroxyl (OH) radicals in in-water plasmas were detected by optical emission spectroscopy, and their spatial distribution was observed in the air steam using an intensified charge-coupled device camera and a bandpass filter of 309 nm. Hydroxyl radicals in water were detected as 5, 5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO)-OH signals using electron spin resonance spin trapping, both before adding DMPO to water and after doping the plasma-treated water with DMPO. It was found that OH radicals were generated in in-water plasmas and persisted in plasma-treated water. Using the detection of DMPO-OH signals employing the postdoped method, OH radicals were measured at 0.86 nmol/cc; they remained in the water for a long time after turning OFF the power supply. Finally, we demonstrated the decomposition rate of indigo carmine using our device and power supply to be about 13-fold that of the comparable device, despite its consuming about one-seventh of the input power. Hydroxyl radicals have high oxidation potential, so in-water plasmas as a source of radicals may be applicable to water sterilization in home electric appliances.
Gamma Interferon Augments the Intracellular Pathway for Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Recognition in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells through Coordinated Up-Regulation of LPS Uptake and Expression of the Intracellular Toll-Like Receptor 4-MD-2 Complex

ABSTRACT Although some intestinal epithelial cell lines are known to respond to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), understanding of the relationship between LPS responsiveness and the expression of LPS receptors or factors regulating LPS responsiveness of intestinal epithelial cell lines is incomplete. In this study, we demonstrate that commonly studied human intestinal epithelial cell lines can be classified into at least three different types on the basis of LPS responsiveness, Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) expression, and the effects of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) on LPS responsiveness. The first phenotype, which includes the HCT-116 and Caco-2 cell lines, is characterized by relative hyporesponsiveness to LPS and diminished expression of TLR4 protein. In these cells, IFN-γ does not induce LPS responsiveness. The second phenotype, which includes cell line SW480, exhibits a highly LPS-responsive phenotype and surface expression of TLR4 protein even in unprimed conditions. These lines are functionally similar to cells of monocytic lineage. In the third phenotype, which includes the HT-29 and Colo205 cell lines, TLR4 protein is largely present in the cytoplasmic fraction and the cells are hyporesponsive to LPS in an unprimed condition. However, priming of these cells with IFN-γ can induce LPS responsiveness through augmentation of LPS uptake and expression of MD-2 mRNA and intracellular TLR4 proteins. Finally, these findings suggest that the Th1 cytokine IFN-γ modulates LPS responsiveness through several mechanisms in intestinal epithelial cells and that these cells may comprise different subpopulations with distinct roles in innate immune responses.
Relative Expression of PBMC MicroRNA-133a Analysis in Patients Receiving Warfarin After Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in various biological processes including anticoagulation. However, the modulation of miRNA by pharmacological intervention such as warfarin treatment in patients receiving warfarin has not been disclosed yet. The aim of this study work was to assess the effect of warfarin drug on expression level of mir-133a-3p in patients with mechanical heart valve replacement. Methods: In this research, the expression level of miRNA-133a-3p was analyzed in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) from mechanical valve replacement patients who had received warfarin for at least 3 months continuously. Quantitative RT-PCR method was used for this assay. Results: Our findings indicated a significant diffrence between the rate of miR-133a-3p expression in individuals receiving warfarin and the control group (p<0.01). There was also a statistically significant difference in miR-133a-3p expression in patients with different ages (p<0.05) suggesting that the rate of miR-133a-3p expression in persons receiving warfarin is related to age. However, other variables like warfarin dose, International Normalized Ratio (INR), gender, and Body Mass Index (BMI) were not significantly effective on the miR-133a-3p experssion rate in individuals receving warfarin. Conclusion: Based on our results, it can be concluded that miR-133a-3p is involved in the coagulation pathway. The recent result indicates that warfarin affects the expression of miR-133a. This expression may be potentially important for treatment by anticoagulants. Awareness of the time course of miRNA expression profile can improve efficiency of response to warfarin.
The Role of Independent Fiscal Policy Institutions

The paper analyses how independent fiscal watchdogs (fiscal policy councils) can strengthen the incentives for fiscal discipline. By increasing fiscal transparency they can raise the awareness of the long-run costs of current deficits and increase the reputational costs for governments of violating their fiscal rules. Councils that make also normative judgements, where fiscal policy is evaluated against the government’s own pre-set objectives, are likely to be more influential than councils that do only positive analysis. To fulfil their role adequately, fiscal watchdogs should be granted independence in much the same way as central banks.
Tagging SNP association study of the IL‐1β gene (IL1B) and childhood‐onset mood disorders

Given substantial evidence for IL‐1β involvement in the etiology of depression, the IL1B gene is a strong candidate for involvement in susceptibility to depressive disorders. However, association studies investigating this, to date, have been limited to just two polymorphisms (rs1143627[−31T/C] and rs16944[−511C/T]) that constitute only a fraction of the genetic variation that is actually present across this gene in the population. Here, in a family‐based association study of childhood‐onset mood disorders (COMD), characterized by onset of depression before the age of 15, we have used a gene‐wide approach, employing a panel of five tagging SNPs spanning the entire gene. Based on TDT analyses of both individual alleles and haplotypes, in a study sample of 646 families (with 782 affected children), none of the SNPs, including those implicated in transcriptional regulation of the gene, showed evidence for association with COMD. This is the largest and most comprehensive study of IL1B in relation to mood disorders that has been carried out, to date. The results do not support the involvement of IL1B as a major factor in genetic risk for early‐onset mood disorders. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Escherichia coli hemolysin is released extracellularly without cleavage of a signal peptide

A 110-kilodalton polypeptide isolated from cell-free culture supernatants of hemolytic Escherichia coli was shown to be associated with hemolytic activity. The relative amount of the extracellular 110-kilodalton species detected directly reflects the extracellular hemolysin activity associated with Escherichia coli strains harboring different hemolysin recombinant plasmids. The predicted molecular mass of the hemolysin structural gene (hlyA) based on DNA sequence analysis was 109,858 daltons. Amino-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the 110-kilodalton polypeptide provided direct evidence that it was encoded by hlyA. Based on this information, it was also demonstrated that the HlyA polypeptide was released extracellularly without signal peptidase-like cleavage. An examination of hemolysin-specific polypeptides detected by use of recombinant plasmids in a minicell-producing strain of Escherichia coli was performed. These studies demonstrated how hemolysin-associated 110- and 58-kilodalton polypeptides detected in the minicell background could be misinterpreted as a precursor-product relationship.
Rice 7-Hydroxymethyl Chlorophyll a Reductase Is Involved in the Promotion of Chlorophyll Degradation and Modulates Cell Death Signaling

The loss of green coloration via chlorophyll (Chl) degradation typically occurs during leaf senescence. To date, many Chl catabolic enzymes have been identified and shown to interact with light harvesting complex II to form a Chl degradation complex in senescing chloroplasts; this complex might metabolically channel phototoxic Chl catabolic intermediates to prevent oxidative damage to cells. The Chl catabolic enzyme 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a reductase (HCAR) converts 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a (7-HMC a) to Chl a. The rice (Oryza sativa) genome contains a single HCAR homolog (OsHCAR), but its exact role remains unknown. Here, we show that an oshcar knockout mutant exhibits persistent green leaves during both dark-induced and natural senescence, and accumulates 7-HMC a and pheophorbide a (Pheo a) in green leaf blades. Interestingly, both rice and Arabidopsis hcar mutants exhibit severe cell death at the vegetative stage; this cell death largely occurs in a light intensity-dependent manner. In addition, 7-HMC a treatment led to the generation of singlet oxygen (1O2) in Arabidopsis and rice protoplasts in the light. Under herbicide-induced oxidative stress conditions, leaf necrosis was more severe in hcar plants than in wild type, and HCAR-overexpressing plants were more tolerant to reactive oxygen species than wild type. Therefore, in addition to functioning in the conversion of 7-HMC a to Chl a in senescent leaves, HCAR may play a critical role in protecting plants from high light-induced damage by preventing the accumulation of 7-HMC a and Pheo a in developing and mature leaves at the vegetative stage.
Transient dynamic analysis of distributed energy storage electromagnetic launcher using finite element method

Distributed energy storage (DES) electromagnetic launcher (EML) is proved to have better efficiency in comparison with a breech-fed one since it can reduce electric and magnetic loses and avoid the secondary arc in hypervelocity electromagnetic launch. In this paper, we proposed the rail's dynamic governing equations of the DES system. A finite element code was also used to help us model the launching progress of a simplified DES EML system. The transient dynamics of both the rail and the armature were explored based on the Bernoulli-Euler beam model. Comparisons of the contact force and the contact area influenced by the armature velocity were conducted between the DES EML and the breech-fed one. We illustrated the dynamic response of the rail of the DES system under discontinuous electromagnetic force in details. The relationships between the critical velocities of the armatures and the elastic wave propagations along the rails were also explored in these two EML systems. With the finite element method, the advantages of the DES EML are more clearly presented.
Perineural Clonidine Does Not Prolong Levobupivacaine 0.5% After Sciatic Nerve Block Using the Labat Approach in Foot and Ankle Surgery

Background There is controversy about the effectiveness of perineural clonidine used as an adjuvant to local anesthetics. This study investigated whether the addition of 150 &mgr;g clonidine to 0.5% levobupivacaine used for posterior sciatic nerve block would prolong the duration of analgesia. Methods This double-blind, prospective trial compared the analgesic characteristics of 20 mL plain levobupivacaine versus 20 mL levobupivacaine 0.5% plus 150 &mgr;g clonidine in a posterior sciatic nerve block (Labat approach) for foot and ankle surgery. Sixty patients were randomized and allocated to receive either levobupivacaine alone or levobupivacaine plus clonidine, to find a 30% prolongation of analgesia with the adjuvant, using the same SD. The onset and duration of the block (time from completion of block administration to first morphine request), the hemodynamic changes during surgery, the need for rescue analgesia, and technical or neurologic complications were assessed over a 24-hour period. Results The onset of sensory block (in minutes) was similar in the levobupivacaine and levobupivacaine plus clonidine groups (10 [5–20] vs 10 [5–23] minutes, median [interquartile range], respectively), as was the time to first request of pain medication (1215 [920–1530] vs 1275 [1067–1360] minutes, respectively). However, during surgery, statistically significantly more subjects in the levobupivacaine plus clonidine group than the levobupivacaine group experienced a decrease of more than 20% in systolic arterial pressure (50% vs 28% of patients, respectively; P < 0.028). No complications were noted in either group over 24 hours. Conclusions Addition of 150 &mgr;g clonidine to 20 mL of levobupivacaine 0.5% in posterior gluteal (Labat) sciatic nerve block did not prolong the duration of analgesia but had a slight effect on systolic arterial pressure.
The Relevance of the Distributional Form of Common Stock Returns to the Construction of Optimal Portfolios

Abstract In this paper, we compare the robustness in application of the Gaussian assumption of security return distributions to the robustness of the general stable assumption. Using actual stock return data to simulate the “real world,” a stock market is constructed in which stock returns conform to a Gaussian distribution as well as to a stable Pareto-Levy distribution. Using these two sets of stock returns, efficient frontiers are generated under both assumptions of parametric environments. It is shown that the Gaussian assumption, and its incumbent statistical techniques, is preferable to the general stable assumption.