Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bureaucracy, economic regulation, and the incentive limits of the firm

This paper uses a transactions cost perspective to examine the development of organizational tendencies that plague the governance of unregulated subsidiaries by regulated parent companies. By focussing on what Williamson (1985) calls the 'incentive limits' of firms, conditions that should exacerbate the problems facing these firms as they diversify are identified. Empirical testing of hypotheses drawn from this discussion is conducted using a sample of nonutility, nonregulated subsidiaries of 54 electric utilities. The analysis, using both linear regression and event history methods, confirms the connection between the characteristics of the regulated parent company and subsidiary performance. The paper concludes with a discussion of how further research might extend the state of knowledge on the topic of the economic losses of bureaucracy. How does a bureaucratic legacy affect a firm's movements into new, more spirited, domains? What administrative attributes can be linked to the ability or inability to succeed in these new fields? This paper attempts to confront these questions by exploring the governance of unregulated subsidiaries situated within regulated parent companies. The research aims to contribute to our understanding of transaetion-c ost economics in an intraorganizational setting and to shed light on the ability of firms to reproduce the market's strong incentives. In addressing this question, I focus on the expansion of regulated firms into unregulated businesses, a fortuitous setting for several reasons. First, the analysis extends the literature on the interface between publie policy and strategy, a relatively neglected area. It is also timely because regulated firms, especially public utilities, have been pouring enormous resources into diversification in recent years. Pacific Gas and Electric
A Hybrid Method for Low Reynolds Number Flow Past anAsymmetric

Low Reynolds number uid ow past a cylindrical body of arbitrary shape in an unbounded, two-dimensional domain is a singular perturbation problem involving an innnite logarithmic expansion in the small parameter ", representing the Reynolds number. We apply a hybrid asymptotic-numerical method to compute the drag coeecient, C D , and lift coeecient, C L , to within all logarithmic terms. The hybrid method solution involves a matrix M, depending only on the shape of the body, which we compute using a boundary integral method. We illustrate the hybrid method results on an elliptic object and on a more complicated proole.
The Effect of Combining Different Semantic Relations on Arabic Text Classification

—A massive amount of documents are being posted online every minute. The task of document classification requires extensive background work on the content of documents, where keyword-based matching alone may not be sufficient. Much research has been carried out in several languages that has revealed significant results. However, Arabic documents still pose a great challenge due to the nature of Arabic language. Extracting roots or stems from the breakdown of multiple Arabic words and phrases are an important task that must be completed before applying text classification. The research at hand proposes an algorithm for classifying Arabic-Text documents using semantic relations between words based on an Arabic thesaurus, mainly synonyms, hyperonyms and hyponyms. The experiments conducted in this study evaluated the results using F1-Measure and compared them to results obtained via other existing methods, such as utilizing stemmers and part-of-speech taggers, where it indicated an increment of more than 12.6% for the novel method using semantic relation over other methods. Arabic-WordNet was utilized as a thesaurus for indicating possible relations to be examined. The obtained results indicate that the domain of the semantic web reveals a variety of options for enhancing text classifications, which are highly competitive with current methods. Future work will include identifying best relations to be utilized among the available 20 relations.
Balanced locally repairable codes

We introduce a family of balanced locally repairable codes (BLRCs) [n, k, d] for arbitrary values of n, k and d. Similar to other locally repairable codes (LRCs), the presented codes are suitable for applications that require a low repair locality. The novelty that we introduce in our construction is that we relax the strict requirement the repair locality to be a fixed small number l, and we allow the repair locality to be either l or l + 1. This gives us the flexibility to construct BLRCs for arbitrary values of n and k which partially solves the open problem of finding a general construction of LRCs. Additionally, the relaxed locality criteria gives us an opportunity to search for BLRCs that have a low repair locality even when double failures occur. We use metrics such as a storage overhead, an average repair bandwidth, a Mean Time To Data Loss (MTTDL) and an update complexity to compare the performance of BLRCs with existing LRCs.
POSTECH Question-Answering Experiments at NTCIR4-QAC

This paper describes our system and additional experimental results in NTCIR-4 QAC Task 1. The main components of our system are question classification, passage retrieval, and named entity extraction. Passage retrieval was performed by a density-based ranking method based on importance of query terms occurred in the passage. Question classification and Named entity extraction were designed by the rule-based approach that uses lexico-semantic patterns, in which the Kadokawa thesaurus is basic semantic resource. Our QA system consisting of these basic components showed a weak performance in NTCIR-4, but obtained high performance in pure answer extraction.
THE VALUATION OF INTERNET COMPANIES : THE REAL OPTIONS APPROACH

The valuation of a company is difficult, even for companies which evolve in a well-known, mature industry. The problem is far more comple , when the firm is a new born start-up company, where the traditional methods based on future free cash flows are difficult to apply, given the difficulties of estimating the future cash flows. In addition, with the start up companies, we are confronted with a total lack of appropriate benchmarks. This is true for the internet companies where there is no universally acceptable method in financial theory. The problem is the valuation of uncertainty associated with the level of economic activity. Several approaches are used, including the concept of EVA (Economic Value Added) or Economic Profit, where certain modifications could be made in the evaluation of EVA. We propose in this paper the approach based on real options which are particularly suitable for valuation of uncertainty. The paper takes the case of a real internet company to illustrate the approach, and highlights the difficulties which are encountered. The paper is divided in six sections, the second section after the initial introduction discusses the traditional methods of valuation of companies. The methods discussed include: approaches based on benchmarking, the present value of Economic Value Added (EVA), the discounted value of the future Free cash Flows. The limits of these methods have also been discussed. The second chapter describes briefly the theory of Real options, and how it can be used to value companies. The stress is on the problems related to valuing uncertainty. The key issue in the valuing of internet or new economy companies is the uncertainty of the future cash flows that these companies are likely to generate , as the economic and technological environment in which these firms operate are subject to rapid changes which are difficult to predict. The third section highlights the issues related to the identification of the embedded real options in the firm’s business plan. We underline the importance for the analyst to understand the sector in which the firm operates and also the likely changes that could take place in the technological options of the firm. In the fourth section the real options approach is used to value two internet companies. The different parameters that need to be estimated for using the real options method, are indicated. We also discussed how we identify the embedded options. In the last section we discuss the difficulties that are likely to be encountered and also the limits from a theoretical point of view of the real options method.
Single input fuzzy controller (SFLC) based maximum power point tracking

This paper presents a single input fuzzy controller (SFLC) for adjusting the duty cycle of a photovoltaic (PV) charger to extract the maximum power out of a PV panel. The algorithm is based on maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and is compared with two conventional MPPT techniques, namely the Hill climbing method and the two input fuzzy controller method. The PV system design and modeling is described for a 150 watt standalone PV system with a buck converter charger. The performance of the proposed system is analyzed through numerical simulation and compared to the conventional methods.
The Evolution of the Meningitis Vaccine Project

Background. In 2001, the Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) was tasked to develop, test, license, and introduce a group A meningococcal (MenA) conjugate vaccine for sub-Saharan Africa. African public health officials emphasized that a vaccine price of less than US$0.50 per dose was necessary to ensure introduction and sustained use of this new vaccine. Methods. Initially, MVP envisioned partnering with a multinational vaccine manufacturer, but the target price and opportunity costs were problematic and formal negotiations ended in 2002. MVP chose to become a “virtual vaccine company,” and over the next decade managed a network of public–private and public–public partnerships for pharmaceutical development, clinical development, and regulatory submission. MVP supported the transfer of key know-how for the production of group A polysaccharide and a new conjugation method to the Serum Institute of India, Ltd, based in Pune, India. A robust staff structure supported by technical consultants and overseen by advisory groups in Europe and Africa ensured that the MenA conjugate vaccine would meet all international standards. Results. A robust project structure including a team of technical consultants and 3 advisory groups in Europe and Africa ensured that the MenA conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT, MenAfriVac) was licensed by the Drug Controller General of India and prequalified by the World Health Organization in June 2010. The vaccine was introduced in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in December 2010. Conclusions. The development, through a public–private partnership, of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine for sub-Saharan Africa, PsA-TT, offers a new paradigm for the development of vaccines specifically targeting populations in resource-poor countries.
Can novice drivers be trained to scan for information that will reduce their likelihood of a crash?

Sixteen year old drivers are involved in 10.3 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles, a rate almost double that of 18 year olds and almost eight times that of 45–64 year olds, who are the safest group of drivers. Crash rates are particularly higher during the first month of licensure and decline rapidly for about six months and 1000 miles and then much more slowly for at least two years, consistent with a typical learning curve. Research indicates that drivers who have their learner’s permit or are just newly licensed have particular difficulties identifying areas of a scenario from which hidden risks could emerge. Standard driver education programs do not appear to address these difficulties adequately. This suggests that some alternative form of driver training could reduce the crashes, either in the classroom or on the road. A PC based program designed to teach drivers to recognize risks early on is shown to improve their awareness of hazards, both on an advanced driving simulator and on the road.
The developmental roles of inhibition and working memory across childhood on preadolescent ADHD behaviors

The ADHD literature suggests that impaired executive functions (EF) of response inhibition and working memory (WM), support behaviors of impulsivity, distractibility, and the inability to suppress behavioral hyperactivity. However, methodological approaches commonly used in ADHD research do not examine causal effects of impaired EFs on ADHD behaviors. Moreover, most studies fail to use a developmental approach in attempting to understand how EFs account for ADHD behaviors. To knowledge, no studies have conducted longitudinal, mediational, and moderational tests on key EF’s of inhibition and WM to outcomes of ADHD. The current study examined two longitudinal path analysis models assessing whether 5-year inhibition and 10-year WM predict to symptom expressions of ADHD. Specifically, one model tested if ADHD behavioral expressions were moderated by the interaction term of inhibition and WM. The other model assessed if WM mediated the relation between 5-year inhibition to 10-year ADHD behaviors. The model examining the mediational role of WM best fit the data whereas the moderation model did not. Support was found for the mediational role of WM but only for behaviors of inattention. Further, lower 5-year inhibition did not directly predict to greater 10-year ADHD behaviors. Although results of the study supported the hypotheses of the longitudinal contributory effects of earlier EFs on ADHD behaviors, future studies should focus on cross-lagged longitudinal designs to more precisely understand the complex effects of developing EFs on ADHD behavioral expressions.
Public Housing Transformation and Crime: Making the Case for Responsible Relocation Cityscape Public Housing Transformation and Crime: Making the Case for Responsible Relocation Residential Mobility: Implications for Families and Communities

The research in this article examines the effect on crime rates of public housing transformation in Atlanta and Chicago, focusing on the neighborhoods receiving households relocated with housing vouchers. Modeling the complex relationship between voucher holder locations and crime, using quarterly data, our analysis found that crime rates fell substantially in neighborhoods with public housing demolition, whereas destination neighborhoods experienced a much lesser effect than popular accounts imply. Nevertheless, on average, negative effects emerge for some neighborhoods with modest or high densities of relocated households compared with conditions in areas without relocated households. Overall, we estimate small net decreases citywide in violent crime over study periods during which crime declined significantly. These findings suggest a need for thoughtful relocation strategies that support both assisted residents and receiving communities.
Transient animals in a resident population of snow geese: Local emigration or heterogeneity?

The estimation of survival rates from analysis of recapture of individually marked animals assumes that all individuals are equally likely to be re-encountered. This assumption is frequently violated in natural populations due to movements to and from the sampling area. We evaluated potential sources of heterogeneity using data from recaptures of 36000 individually marked female lesser snow geese, Anser c. caerulescens , from an expanding population in northern Manitoba, Canada. By stratifying individuals according to marking age and origin (hatched at the colony or not), we assessed the degree to which variation in apparent survival reflected permanent or temporary differences in emigration and effects of handling. In general, for birds ringed as adults, estimated apparent survival rates were significantly lower during the first year after ringing than in subsequent years. By comparing birds ringed as adults (classified by origin) with those ringed as goslings, we were able to demonstrate that these diff.
Verifiably Encrypted Signature Scheme with Threshold Adjudication

Verifiably encrypted signature is useful in handling the fair exchange problem especially, online contract signing. In this paper, we propose a verifiably encrypted signature scheme using bilinear pairings. Our scheme facilitates the adjudication to be done in a threshold manner to achieve robustness. We show that the distribution of adjudication capability is robust and unforgeable. Our scheme is secure against extraction and existential forgery in the random oracle model.
The Quantum Tetrahedron in 3 and 4 Dimensions

Recent work on state sum models of quantum gravity in 3 and 4 dimensions has led to interest in the `quantum tetrahedron'. Starting with a classical phase space whose points correspond to geometries of the tetrahedron in R^3, we use geometric quantization to obtain a Hilbert space of states. This Hilbert space has a basis of states labeled by the areas of the faces of the tetrahedron together with one more quantum number, e.g. the area of one of the parallelograms formed by midpoints of the tetrahedron's edges. Repeating the procedure for the tetrahedron in R^4, we obtain a Hilbert space with a basis labelled solely by the areas of the tetrahedron's faces. An analysis of this result yields a geometrical explanation of the otherwise puzzling fact that the quantum tetrahedron has more degrees of freedom in 3 dimensions than in 4 dimensions.
Low-Shear Modeled Microgravity Enhances Salmonella Enterica Resistance to Hydrogen Peroxide Through a Mechanism Involving KatG and KatN

Studies carried out in recent years have established that growth under conditions of reduced gravity enhances Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium virulence. To analyze the possibility that this microgravity-induced increase in pathogenicity could involve alterations in the ability of Salmonella to withstand oxidative stress, we have compared the resistance to hydrogen peroxide of various Salmonella enterica strains grown under conditions of low shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG) or normal gravity (NG). We have found that growth in LSMMG significantly enhances hydrogen peroxide resistance of all the strains analyzed. This effect is abolished by deletion of the genes encoding for the catalases KatG and KatN, whose activity is markedly modulated by growth in LSMMG. In addition, we have observed that Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains lacking Hfq, RpoE, RpoS or OxyR are still more resistant to oxidative stress when grown in LSMMG than in NG conditions, indicating that these global gene regulators are not responsible for the microgravity-induced changes in KatG and KatN activity. As Salmonella likely encounters low shear conditions in the intestinal tract, our observations suggest that alterations in the relative activity of KatG and KatN could enhance Salmonella resistance to the reactive oxygen species produced also during natural infections.
Benefits of listening to a recording of euphoric joint music making in polydrug abusers

Background and Aims: Listening to music can have powerful physiological and therapeutic effects. Some essential features of the mental mechanism underlying beneficial effects of music are probably strong physiological and emotional associations with music created during the act of music making. Here we tested this hypothesis in a clinical population of polydrug abusers in rehabilitation listening to a previously performed act of physiologically and emotionally intense music making. Methods: Psychological effects of listening to self-made music that was created in a previous musical feedback intervention were assessed. In this procedure, participants produced music with exercise machines (Jymmin) which modulate musical sounds. Results: The data showed a positive effect of listening to the recording of joint music making on self-efficacy, mood, and a readiness to engage socially. Furthermore, the data showed the powerful influence of context on how the recording evoked psychological benefits. The effects of listening to the self-made music were only observable when participants listened to their own performance first; listening to a control music piece first caused effects to deteriorate. We observed a positive correlation between participants’ mood and their desire to engage in social activities with their former training partners after listening to the self-made music. This shows that the observed effects of listening to the recording of the single musical feedback intervention are influenced by participants recapitulating intense pleasant social interactions during the Jymmin intervention. Conclusions: Listening to music that was the outcome of a previous musical feedback (Jymmin) intervention has beneficial psychological and probably social effects in patients that had suffered from polydrug addiction, increasing self-efficacy, mood, and a readiness to engage socially. These intervention effects, however, depend on the context in which the music recordings are presented.
Statistical analysis of wind speed fluctuation and increments of non-stationary atmospheric boundary layer turbulence

We study the statistics of the horizontal component of atmospheric boundary layer wind speed. Motivated by its non-stationarity, we investigate which parameters remain constant or can be regarded as being piece-wise constant and explain how to estimate them. We will verify the picture of natural atmospheric boundary layer turbulence to be composed of successively occurring close to ideal turbulence with different parameters. The first focus is put on the fluctuation of wind speed around its mean behaviour. We describe a method estimating the proportionality factor between the standard deviation of the fluctuation and the mean wind speed and analyse its time dependence. The second focus is put on the wind speed increments. We investigate the increment distribution and use an algorithm based on superstatistics to quantify the time dependence of the parameters describing the distribution. Applying the introduced tools yields a comprehensive description of the wind speed in the atmospheric boundary layer.
Benthic respiration measured by total carbonate production

The suitability of total carbonate production instead of oxygen consumption as a measure of benthic respiration has been investigated. In situ fluxes of total carbonate, oxygen, calcium, total alkalinity, nutrients, and sulfide across the sediment-water interface were measured in diver-operated benthic flux chambers. Two chambers were run in parallel to test the influence of oxygen and pH levels on total carbonate production. In one, oxygen and pH were kept constant near ambient levels; in the other, benthic respiration was allowed to deplete oxygen and lower the pH. We found that the flux of total carbonate, corrected for CaCO3 precipitation/dissolution, is a suitable measure of benthic mineralization in sediments where methane production can be neglected. The production rate of total carbonate was not seriously affected as long as the oxygen concentration remained > 100 µM.
Review of Victoria Police Crime Statistics

The Australian Institute of Criminology was asked to conduct a review of Victoria Police crime statistics. The review was to assess the processes by which Victoria Police crime counting rules and classifications are applied to crime allegations; the dataquality and monitoring mechanisms for crime statistics and clearing data; the methods and practices in relation to the recording and inclusion of crime data onto the Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) database; the reliability and veracity of thecompilation of Victoria Police statistics; and the analytical programs and tools used to generate crime data. This report details the findings of the review relating to these issues, including findings from an analysis of a sample of LEAP records from June 2001 and from a scenario based survey of police officers' decision making processes. The report also makes recommendations to improve the recording of crimes, and their further processing and conversion into published crime statistics.