Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Keynes, Lucas, and Scientific Progress

In one of those marvelous coincidences of intellectual history, Robert Lucas was born the year after the publication of Keynes' General Theory. For the first thirty-five years of their mutual lives, the two apparently coexisted in harmony. But their relationship has been tumultuous ever since. Lucas has frequently criticized Keynesian economics as poor science; and it is precisely in that spirit that I want to address the debate today. We all know the old joke about the professor who uses the same exam questions year after year, but changes the answers. That joke encapsulates all too well what has happened to macroeconomics these last fifteen years and seems to reflect poorly on economics as a science. Or does it? On second thought, the best answers to scientific questions do change as new observations are made, as new experiments are run, and as better theories are developed. The issue is whether the answers to important questions in macroeconomics have changed for good scientific reasons or for other reasons. The joke provides the framework for my talk. I will pose eight exam questions; and for each one I will summarize the answers given by Keynes, by Lucas and his followers, and by modern Keynesians. I pick only questions that are answered differently by Keynesians and Lucasians and that are central to contemporary macroeconomic debates. The focus is on whether the Keynesian or new classical answers have greater claim to being "scientific. " Each student must answer every question. I. Are Expectations Rational?
What's Wrong with Modern Macroeconomics? Why its Critics have Missed the Point

The blame for the recent financial crisis has been attributed to modern macroeconomic theory rather than banking and finance. This article defends modern macroeconomics against its critics arguing that the critics have missed the point of why macroeconomics is carried out in the way it is. It also defends finance from some criticisms, especially of the efficient markets hypothesis. It is claimed that, far from being in a state of crisis as a result of recent events, modern macroeconomics has received a huge stimulus, and that the financial crisis was brought about more by a failure to employ modern macroeconomics than by the failings of macroeconomics. (JEL code: E00) Copyright The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Ifo Institute for Economic Research, Munich. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org, Oxford University Press.
Sequencing and characterization of the Monocellicampa pruni (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) mitochondrial genome

Abstract The mitochondrial genome of the Monocellicampa pruni (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) (GenBank accession No. JX566509) has been reported in this study. This is the first sequenced mitochondrial genome from the family Tenthredinidae of the order Hymenoptera. The sequenced region of this mitochondrial genome is 15,169 bp with an A + T content of 77.21%, including 13 protein-coding, 2 rRNA and 19 tRNA genes, and a partial region of the A + T-rich region. Three tRNA genes, i.e. trnI. trnQ and trnM, between the A + T-rich region and the nad2 gene were failed to sequence because of the present of PolyAT structure. The gene arrangement of the sequenced region was similar to the pupative ancestral arrangement of insects. There are two large non-coding regions located between trnC and trnY. trnF and nad5 with a length of 107 and 177 bp, respectively. All protein-coding genes start with ATN start codon. Eleven protein-coding genes stop with termination codon TAA, whereas one protein-coding gene uses incomplete stop codon TA and one uses T. All of the 22 tRNA genes have a typical cloverleaf structure except for the trnS1, in which, the D-stem pairings in the DHU arm are absent.
Cool Plasma Activated Surface in Silicon Wafer Direct Bonding Technology

A novel cool plasma surface activation method has been developed for high quality SOI/SDB (Silicon wafer Direct Bonding) preparation. The activation effectiveness of different plasma gases, espetially of O2 plsma gases were investigated. The measurements of H. V-PMOS and L.V. -NMOS devices made on the SOI/SDB and on a bulk Silicon indicate that ratios of electron and hole mobility of SOI to those of bulk Silicon are 0.92 and 0.88. , respectively. It was proved that our SOI substrate produced by SDB is of device level quality.
gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)- and barbiturate-mediated 36Cl- uptake in rat brain synaptoneurosomes: evidence for rapid desensitization of the GABA receptor-coupled chloride ion channel.

"Desensitization" of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor-coupled chloride ion channel was studied using an in vitro method for measuring chloride (Cl-) permeability in brain vesicles (synaptoneurosomes). Muscimol, a GABA agonist, stimulated 36Cl- uptake in rat cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 7.3 +/- 0.5 microM), whereas pentobarbital stimulated 36Cl- uptake in a biphasic manner, indicated by a bell-shaped concentration-response relationship, with a maximal response at 500 microM (EC50 271 +/- 17 microM). Higher concentrations of pentobarbital led to progressively smaller stimulation of 36Cl- uptake and blocked muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake. Lower concentrations of pentobarbital (100-200 microM), when added with muscimol, produced an additive effect in stimulating 36Cl- uptake, whereas even lower (subthreshold) concentrations of pentobarbital (50 microM) potentiated muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake. Following continuous exposure of synaptoneurosomes (up to 20 min) to muscimol (50 microM) or pentobarbital (500 microM), the 36Cl- uptake response diminished to a new steady state level with a t1/2 of approximately 6 sec and 30 sec, respectively. The decrement in response to these agonists was dependent on both concentration and length of exposure. No decrement was observed in the ability of subthreshold concentrations of pentobarbital to enhance muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake following prolonged (20 min) incubation. "Heterologous desensitization" between muscimol and pentobarbital was observed in experiments where either muscimol or pentobarbital was added to the vesicles following pretreatment with the other. These findings suggest that "desensitization" of the GABA receptor/Cl- ion channel may involve both the GABA and barbiturate recognition sites or a common effector component such as the ionophore itself.
Delayed severe anaphylactoid reaction following retrograde pyelogram: A case report

Retrograde pyelography is used to evaluate upper collecting system in patients with hematuria who have contrast allergy. Reported here is a patient who developed severe, late-onset anaphylactoid reaction after retrograde pyelography. Premedication is commonly used to reduce risk of allergic reaction but has limited evidence to support its efficacy. Caution should be used when evaluating microhematuria with retrograde pyelography in patients with prior anaphylactoid reaction to intravenous contrast.
Bioelectric impedance vector distribution in peritoneal dialysis patients with different hydration status.

BACKGROUND In continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), total body water (TBW) is estimated by functions of body weight, and by equations of bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA). These procedures may be biased with abnormal tissue hydration. We validated vector BIA (BIVA) patterns of hydration in CAPD patients, based on direct measurements of resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) (RXc graph) without knowledge of the body weight. METHODS Cross-sectional study in 200 adult CAPD patients from two groups: 149 patients (77 males and 72 females) without edema (BMI 24.3 kg/m2), and 51 (29 males and 22 females) with pitting edema (BMI 24.6 kg/m2). Single frequency (50 kHz), whole-body impedance vector was measured with both empty and filled peritoneal cavity. Vector distribution was compared with that from 726 healthy subjects, 1116 hemodialysis patients, and 50 nephrotic patients, all with a same BMI. The performance of BIVA was compared with indications of four anthropometry and four conventional BIA equations for TBW. RESULTS TBW estimates from anthropometry (Watson, Hume and Weyers, Chertow, and Johansson formulas) were misleading, indicating the same hydration in edema. TBW estimates from BIA equations indicated a 10% excess TBW in edema. BIVA were very sensitive to fluid overload, as both R (by 10%) and Xc (by 40%) were reduced in patients with edema (regardless of peritoneal filling). The vector distribution of individual CAPD patients without edema was superposable to that of the healthy, gender-specific, reference population (50%, 75%, and 95% tolerance ellipses, RXc graph) and close to the hemodialysis, presession distribution. Vectors from patients with edema were displaced downward on the RXc graph, out of the 75% ellipse (88% sensitivity and 87% specificity), and close to vectors from nephrotic patients. CONCLUSION CAPD prescription would keep or bring vectors of patients back into the 75% reference ellipse (border for progression from latent to apparent overhydration across the lower pole) regardless of body weight. Whether CAPD patients with vector within the target ellipse have better outcome needs longitudinal evaluation.
Optimal Inventory Policies for Assembly Systems Under Random Demands

This paper considers an inventory model of an assembly system with random demands and proportional costs of production and stock holding activities. The model is a generalization of the facilities in series model of Clark and Scarf. Under an assumption on the initial stock levels that in any case should appear in the long run Long-Run Balance, it is demonstrated that the assembly system can be remodeled as a series system. Hence, simple reorder policies are optimal and the computational requirements are drastically reduced. Simple approximate policies are suggested for the generally short period of time when systems might be out of long-run balance. There is some discussion of extensions.
Abdominal Adiposity and Diabetes Risk

Obesity is perhaps the longest studied and best described risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Epidemiologic investigations have consistently shown an independent increased risk for diabetes associated with overweight and obesity, with clear dose response patterning across categories of increasing body mass. While the importance of increased body mass in diabetes etiology is unequivocal, it has been recognized for some time that the distribution of body fat provides additional resolution regarding diabetes risk. In 1947, Vague (1) noted that an android (male or upper body) pattern of obesity was associated with a poorer metabolic profile compared with a gynecoid (lower body) pattern. These clinical observations regarding the detrimental health effects of central or upper body obesity were subsequently reinforced by the results of large prospective epidemiological studies of diabetes incidence, in which fat patterning of subjects was estimated using body surface measurements, specifically waist and hip circumferences and skinfold thicknesses (2–5). While these and other studies have reported superior prediction of diabetes with waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio compared with BMI, it is notable that this is far from a universal finding. Indeed, a recent meta-analysis of 32 studies concluded that BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio had similar associations with incident diabetes (6). This lack of clarity in the epidemiologic literature regarding optimal measures of obesity for studies of diabetes risk is due at least in part to the nature of these proxy (surrogate) measurements. Body surface measures such as waist circumference do not distinguish between the various adipose tissue depots, which are known to have differences in biologic function. Specifically, there can be sizable differences in the amounts of visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) …
Effects of direct oral anticoagulants on lupus anticoagulant assays in a real-life setting

Summary Laboratory diagnosis of lupus anticoagulant (LA) is based on prolongation in at least one coagulation assay (diluted Russell’s viper venom time – dRVVT or activated partial thromboplastin time – aPTT), which normalises after addition of phospholipids. Both assays may be influenced by anticoagulants and therefore LA should not be tested during warfarin or heparin treatment. It has been shown (primarily in vitro) that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs – dabigatran [DAB], rivaroxaban [RIV] and apixaban [API]) may also influence LA testing. We tested the effects of DOACs on assays routinely used for the diagnosis of LA in patients treated with these drugs in a real-life setting. Plasma from patients with atrial fibrillation treated with DAB (n=30), RIV (n=20) and API (n=17) and not known to have LA were tested using dRVVT (LA-screen and LA-confirm, Life Diagnostics) and aPTT (PTT-LA, Diagnostica Stago and aPTT Actin FS, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics) assays. According to the diagnostics algorithm, dRVVT and aPTT ratios of <1.2 were considered negative, ratios of >1.4 positive, while if the ratios were 1.2–1.4 LA could not be ruled out. Plasma concentrations varied between 8–172 µg/l for DAB, 8–437 µg/l for RIV and 36–178 µg/l for API. LA diagnosis was negative in only eight (27 %) plasma samples from patients treated with DAB, and in five (25 %) and four samples (24 %) from patients treated with RIV and API, respectively. LA Positivity (dRVVT and aPTT ratios >1.4) was found in 5 cases (17 %) among patients treated with DAB, in 10 cases (50 %) treated with RIV and in 7 cases (41 %) treated with API. A concentration-dependent effect of DOACs on dRVVT-based parameters was observed, particularly as regards DAB. At lower concentrations, RIV and API had only minor effects on the confirmatory tests (below 100 µg/l and 70 µg/l, respectively). Our results suggest that a risk of overestimation of LA detection is present in samples from patients treated with DOACs. Therefore, LA testing should not be performed during treatment with DOACs. Prolongation in confirmatory assays may be helpful for the recognition of false positivity, especially as regards DAB.
Direct parameter-extraction method for laser diode rate-equation model

A new direct extraction method to determine the small-signal and rate-equation model parameters for laser diode is presented in this paper. This method differs from previous ones by extracting the whole model parameters without global numerical optimization techniques. The main advantage of this method is that a unique and physically meaningful set of extrinsic and intrinsic parameters are extracted by using a set of closed-form expressions based on the input reflection coefficients and modulation responses taken from on-wafer measurement. Simulated and measured results for the input reflection coefficients and modulation responses exhibit good agreement over a wide range of bias points.
Characteristics of the Laser-Induced Breakdown Detection of Colloidal Nanoparticles for Determining Particle Size

Laser-induced breakdown detection (LIBD) of colloidal nanoparticles has been investigated in various fields, such as the measurement of natural colloids in drinking water (Bundschuh et al., 2005; Kaegi et al., 2008; Wagner et al., 2005; Walther et al., 2006), the in-situ observation of colloid mediated pollutant transport (Hauser et al., 2002; Mori et al., 2003) and the real-time measurement of the solubility of radioactive elements (Bundschuh et al., 2000; Cho et al., 2008; Knopp et al., 1999; J.I. Kim, 2006; Neck et al., 2001, 2003; Opel et al., 2007; Walther et al., 2007). LIBD is an established technique that measures the size and concentration of colloidal particles in aqueous media using plasma formation, which is induced by focusing a short pulse laser beam into the solution (Kim & Walther, 2007). LIBD is especially efficient for detecting small particles less than 100 nm in diameter, which are not easily detectable using commercially available devices that adopt the measurement of a scattered light intensity, such as photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) (Bundschuh et al., 2001b). Although several different LIBD systems have been developed over the last decades, a commercial instrument that adopts the LIBD method is currently unavailable.
Money and Corporate Earnings

A MUCH-DEBATED ISSUE over recent years has been the relationship between money and stock prices. Among the better-known papers that have appeared are [6, 10, 11, 12, 23, 25]. Useful critical summaries of much of this work have been provided in [22, 23]. Frequently, the concern is with the closely connected relationship between inflation and stock prices (see, especially, [22]). Central to the issue of the effect of money on stock prices is, of course, the effect of money on corporate earnings. The pattern of effect on expected corporate earnings, in conjunction with the investor's required rate of return on stocks, will determine the effect on stock prices. (On the relationship of actual and expected earnings, see [20].) Because the principal concem of most researchers has been with stock prices, the primary link between money and earnings has not been directly studied. It is the purpose of this paper to fill this gap and present evidence on the relationship between changes in the money supply and pretax corporate earnings.
Multi-wavelength campaign on NGC 7469 - II. Column densities and variability in the X-ray spectrum

We have investigated the ionic column density variability of the ionized outflows associated with NGC 7469, to estimate their location and power. This could allow a better understanding of galactic feedback of AGNs to their host galaxies. Analysis of seven XMM-Newton grating observations from 2015 is reported. We used an individual-ion spectral fitting approach, and compared different epochs to accurately determine variability on timescales of years, months, and days. We find no significant column density variability in a ten-year period implying that the outflow is far from the ionizing source. The implied lower bound on the ionization equilibrium time, ten years, constrains the lower limit on the distance to be at least 12 pc, and up to 31 pc, much less but consistent with the 1 kpc wide starburst ring. The ionization distribution of column density is reconstructed from measured column densities, nicely matching results of two 2004 observations, with one large high ionization parameter (ξ) component at 2 < log ξ< 3.5, and one at 0.5 < log ξ< 1 in cgs units. The strong dependence of the expression for kinetic power, ∝ 1 /ξ, hampers tight constraints on the feedback mechanism of outflows with a large range in ionization parameter, which is often observed and indicates a non-conical outflow. The kinetic power of the outflow is estimated here to be within 0.4 and 60% of the Eddington luminosity, depending on the ion used to estimate ξ. Key words: galaxies: individual: NGC 7469 / galaxies: Seyfert / galaxies: active / galaxies: nuclei / methods: data analysis
Development of an Unmarked Gene Deletion System for the Filamentous Fungi Aspergillus niger and Talaromyces versatilis

ABSTRACT In this article, we present a method to delete genes in filamentous fungi that allows recycling of the selection marker and is efficient in a nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ)-proficient strain. We exemplify the approach by deletion of the gene encoding the transcriptional regulator XlnR in the fungus Aspergillus niger. To show the efficiency and advantages of the method, we deleted 8 other genes and constructed a double mutant in this species. Moreover, we showed that the same principle also functions in a different genus of filamentous fungus (Talaromyces versatilis, basionym Penicillium funiculosum). This technique will increase the versatility of the toolboxes for genome manipulation of model and industrially relevant fungi.
Dynamic Programming for Optimal Control of Stochastic McKean-Vlasov Dynamics

We study the optimal control of general stochastic McKean-Vlasov equation. Such problem is motivated originally from the asymptotic formulation of cooperative equilibrium for a large population of particles (players) in mean-field interaction under common noise. Our first main result is to state a dynamic programming principle for the value function in the Wasserstein space of probability measures, which is proved from a flow property of the conditional law of the controlled state process. Next, by relying on the notion of differentiability with respect to probability measures due to P.L. Lions [32], and It{\^o}'s formula along a flow of conditional measures, we derive the dynamic programming Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation, and prove the viscosity property together with a uniqueness result for the value function. Finally, we solve explicitly the linear-quadratic stochastic McKean-Vlasov control problem and give an application to an interbank systemic risk model with common noise.
The currencies of carbon: carbon money and its social meaning

Following the rapid development of carbon markets, little attention has been devoted to what precisely is being traded. Some authors have speculated that carbon can be considered as a form of money (Button; House and Victor). Not only is making money from carbon possible via several market devices but this process has also enabled the construction of carbon as a form of money. The importance of the social underpinnings of the commodification of carbon is highlighted and, following arguments about the performativity of economics (Callon), it is shown that carbon can perform functions similar to those of money. Following Actor–Network Theory, market devices such as registries or exchange platforms are explored to show how the market is constructed through them. Using the work of Zelizer and others on the sociology of money, it is argued that the construction of carbon money should be seen as a fundamentally social (rather than ‘merely’ technical) process.
Frequency shifting using corrugated coupled microstrip lines

Coupled microstrip lines are used to suit a wide variety of circuit applications like directional couplers and filters. Another coupled line variety called corrugated coupled microstrip modifies the phase velocities of the two eigen-modes in the direction of propagation. This property can be used in the design of fase shift couplers, i.e., the coupled wave is phase shifted with respect to the input wave, and in the design of filters with suppression of spurious response at twice the frequency center. The property cited above is used here to discuss other important feature of the corrugated coupled microstrip lines that doesn't appear in the conventional literature: frequency shift. The simulations performed in an appropriate software show that the idea works very well and can be useful in microwave devices like duplex, diplex and multiplex.
Clinical Characteristics of Aged Becker Muscular Dystrophy Patients with Onset after 30 Years

To elucidate the clinical characteristics of aged patients with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), 4 patients with this disease who were over 50 years were examined. The ages at onset in all patients were later than 30 years. All were proven to have a deletion around exons 45–55 of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene. Two patients became wheelchair bound in their 40s or beyond, while the other 2 (aged 73 and 69, respectively) were still able to walk at the time of examination. Three of 4 patients had no obvious hypertrophy in their calves, which is known to be one of the characteristic clinical features in the juvenile BMD patients. Serum creatine kinase levels were elevated in all patients, but not markedly (mean 444.8 ± 230.3 U/l; normal value < 180 U/l). Dilated cardiomyopathy was clinically apparent in 2 patients. We emphasize that some BMD patients are free of muscular symptoms until their 50s and are still self-supporting in their 60s or 70s.