Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kriging-Pareto Front Approach for the Multi-Objective Exploration of Metamaterial Topologies

Metamaterials provide the opportunity for designers to create customisable artificial materials by independently tailoring the electric and magnetic response of sub-wavelength geometric structures to electromagnetic energy. Due to the increased complexity of these geometric structures, exacerbated by the increased interest in generating inhomogeneous and anisotropic metamaterials, direct optimisation of these designs using conventional approaches often becomes impractical and limited. In order to alleviate this issue, we propose an alternative optimisation approach which exploits the Kriging methodology in conjunction with an adaptive sampling plan to simultaneously optimise multiple conflicting objectives. Results show the effectiveness of the outlined algorithm in calculating a uniform spread of optimal trade-off designs, balancing the real and imaginary components of the refractive index over a wide range of values.
THE DEFICIT - INTEREST RATE LINK: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FOR CANADA

This paper explores whether a positive relationship exists between interest rates, nominal or real, and deficits, as postulated by a conventional macroeconomic model (Mundell–Fleming). Using spectral and time series techniques, annual and quarterly data for Canada, and a variety of definitions for the deficit and government spending variables, no empirical link between deficits and interest rates could be detected. It is suggested, therefore, that the evidence is inconsistent with theMundell–Fleming model, which predicts a positive association between interest rates and deficits. A possible explantion for the observed empirical results may be found in the Ricardian Equivalence Theorem.
How Much do CEOs and Top Managers Matter in Strategic Decision-Making?

This research note explores the influence of both CEO and top-management team (TMT) characteristics on the process of making strategic decisions (SDs). Empirical testing is based on a sample of 70 SDs in industrial enterprises operating in Greece, using a combination of interviews, questionnaires and archival data. The results suggest that (a) the characteristics of both the TMT and the CEO influenced the strategic decision-making process, but the former had more influence, (b) the TMT and CEO influenced different dimensions of the process, and (c) the broader context of SDs is more influential than either the CEO or the TMT. Among the most important factors was the TMT’s ‘aggressiveness’ (commitment to beating the competition, attitude to innovation, willingness to take risks). The results lend support to the ‘upper echelons’ perspective, but suggest that in studying strategic decision-making processes both CEO and TMT characteristics should be considered, in conjunction with the broader context. Such an approach should provide a more reliable view of strategic processes and their evolving dynamics.
Multi-step prediction of nonlinear Gaussian Process dynamics models with adaptive Gaussian mixtures

This paper presents an adaptive Gaussian Mixture Model (aGMM) formulation for performing multiple-step probabilistic state predictions using a nonparametric Gaussian Process (GP) regression model. The presented prediction algorithm is applicable to any dynamic system that is challenging to model parametrically, but where data is available. Gaussian mixture elements are propagated through the GP by analytically evaluating expectation integrals for the moments of the output distribution. Two metrics are presented and compared for adaptively splitting the initial state distribution into a sum of Gaussians to reduce the effect of nonlinearities on prediction accuracy: (1) an analytical evaluation of the excess kurtosis which measures the non-Gaussianity of the output distribution, and (2) a weighted least-squares regression model which evaluates the local nonlinearity of the GP mapping with respect to the input distribution. In addition, an on-the-fly data selection method is presented to reduce the computational complexity associated with analytically evaluating the higher-order moments of the GP output distribution. The proposed adaptive GP-aGMM formulation is applied to the case of anticipating driver behavior at road intersections using a GP driver behavior model in combination with a parametric vehicle model. Prediction performance for this scenario is evaluated using driving data collected from three human subjects navigating a standard four-way intersection. Results demonstrate that the presented prediction algorithm is capable of accurately capturing multimodal behavior in the GP training data.
Monetary Policy and Banking Structure

In this paper, I examine the differences in optimal monetary policy in various banking systems. In particular, I compare two monetary economies: one with a competitive banking system and the other with a monopolistic one. In addition, the optimality of the discount window policy is considered. It is shown that the Friedman rule is the optimal monetary policy in a monopolistic banking economy, and the zero-inflation policy is optimal in a competitive banking economy under appropriate parameters. In addition, the combination of the Friedman rule and the discount window policy can achieve efficient allocation in both banking systems.
Managing compliance in international anti‐doping policy: The world anti‐doping code

This paper examines the problems of achieving compliance in international anti‐doping policy. It takes, as its starting point, the recently published draft of the World Anti‐Doping Code, which is an attempt to develop a more integrated and harmonised approach to tackling the problem of doping in sport. The paper highlights the ambiguity of the concept of harmonisation and suggests a typology which distinguishes between the different intended outcomes of the process of harmonisation. Compliance as an essential element in the achievement of harmonisation of policy and practice is conceptualised as lying between the associated concepts of implementation and impact. Causes of non‐compliance are identified and the various strategies for addressing the causes are discussed. The final section of the paper evaluates the strategy for compliance included in the draft World Anti‐Doping Code in the light of the theoretical discussion of compliance and concludes that there is an over‐reliance on sanctions and an under utilisation of strategies that aim to manage compliance.
Traditional healers' views on their indigenous knowledge and the science curriculum

Abstract African traditional healers (THs) were interviewed in order to explore their indigenous knowledge (IK) concerning natural science topics and science teaching, with potential implications for school science curriculum. First, THs in Lesotho were interviewed about their general ideas and these were compared with ideas obtained from THs in a previous study in South Africa. Then THs in the Western Cape (South Africa) were interviewed about more specific aspects of their IK that could usefully be taught, and also invited to demonstrate teaching methods. The traditional healers interviewed in these studies expressed a coherent view about what could be taught, how to teach it, and enthusiasm to become more engaged in the schooling of African children.1
Intercomparison and combination of satellite retrieved aerosol optical depth over land

Atmospheric aerosols play an important role in climate change research. It was found that different algorithms and instruments produce somewhat different results for aerosol optical depth (AOD) even if the same location at the same time is observed. Therefore, it is critical to integrate data from multiple platforms and techniques to derive a consistent AOD product. This paper introduced an approach to combine MODIS and MISR AOD data. One-month AOD data derived over Asian land with two different retrieval algorithms applied to MODIS and one retrieval algorithm applied to MISR are compared. Results show that the correlation coefficient between combined AOD product and AOD measured by CE318 is 0.70, and the root mean square error (RMSE) is 0.023. Moreover, it provided more details about the aerosols over land than either of the individual satellite measurements by mutually compensating for each other.
The Transition from Temporary to Permanent Employment: Evidence from Tuscany

In this paper, by distinguishing between the decisions made by the workers and those made by the firms, we provide a probabilistic evaluation of the transition from temporary to permanent employment in a regional context. Specifically, by exploiting a multinomial nested logit strategy of estimation, we find that the transition to a permanent job is far from certain, especially for women and older workers.
Viruses Oncolytic strains Tumor targeting mutations Cythopatic mutations Permissive cells Tumors 1 Clinical trials Injection methods

1. Abstract 2. Introduction 3. Viruses employed for therapy 3.1. Wild-type replication competent, viruses that display tumor specificity 3.1. 1.Reovirus 3.1. 2.Newcastle Disease Virus 3.1. 3.Vesicular Stomatitis Virus 3.1. 4.Vaccinia Virus 3.1. 5.Autonomous Parvovirus 3.2. Genetically engineered oncolytic viruses 3.2. 1.Adenovirus 3.2. 2.Herpes Simplex Virus 3.2. 3.Polyovirus 3.3. Limits and disadvantages of oncolytic viruses 4. Genetic modifications for engineering of oncolysis 4.1. Mutations to induce viral tumor specificity 4.1. 1.Retargeting of viral entry 4.1. 2.Retargeting of viral replication by complementation with cellular factors 4.1. 3.Transcriptional retargeting 4.2. Further enhancement of therapeutic potential of oncolytic viruses 5. Clinical trials 6. Effect of the immune response on tumor oncolysis and future perspectives 7. References
On the ongoing evolution of very high frequency power supplies

The ongoing demand for smaller and lighter power supplies is driving the motivation to increase the switching frequencies of power converters. Drastic increases however come along with new challenges, namely the increase of switching losses in all components. The application of power circuits used in radio frequency transmission equipment helps to overcome those. However those circuits were not designed to meet the same requirements as power converters. This paper summarizes the contributions in recent years in application of very high frequency (VHF) technologies in power electronics, describes the remaining challenges and shows results of the recent advances, among others a 120MHz, 9 W LED driver with 89 % efficiency.
High-Level Neuronal Expression of Aβ1–42 in Wild-Type Human Amyloid Protein Precursor Transgenic Mice: Synaptotoxicity without Plaque Formation

Amyloid plaques are a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but their relationship to neurodegeneration and dementia remains controversial. In contrast, there is a good correlation in AD between cognitive decline and loss of synaptophysin-immunoreactive (SYN-IR) presynaptic terminals in specific brain regions. We used expression-matched transgenic mouse lines to compare the effects of different human amyloid protein precursors (hAPP) and their products on plaque formation and SYN-IR presynaptic terminals. Four distinct minigenes were generated encoding wild-type hAPP or hAPP carrying mutations that alter the production of amyloidogenic Aβ peptides. The platelet-derived growth factor β chain promoter was used to express these constructs in neurons. hAPP mutations associated with familial AD (FAD) increased cerebral Aβ1–42 levels, whereas an experimental mutation of the β-secretase cleavage site (671M→I) eliminated production of human Aβ. High levels of Aβ1–42 resulted in age-dependent formation of amyloid plaques in FAD-mutant hAPP mice but not in expression-matched wild-type hAPP mice. Yet, significant decreases in the density of SYN-IR presynaptic terminals were found in both groups of mice. Across mice from different transgenic lines, the density of SYN-IR presynaptic terminals correlated inversely with Aβ levels but not with hAPP levels or plaque load. We conclude that Aβ is synaptotoxic even in the absence of plaques and that high levels of Aβ1–42are insufficient to induce plaque formation in mice expressing wild-type hAPP. Our results support the emerging view that plaque-independent Aβ toxicity plays an important role in the development of synaptic deficits in AD and related conditions.
Amplatzer vascular plug IV for occlusion of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in a patient with cryptogenic stroke

Paradoxical embolism resulting in cryptogenic stroke has received much attention recently, with the primary focus on patent foramen ovale (PFO). However, it is essential to be vigilant in the search for other causes of paradoxical embolic events, such as pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVM). We describe successful closure of pulmonary AVM with a St Jude Medical (Plymouth, MN) Amplatzer™ vascular plug IV. The newer AVP-IV devices can be used for successful embolization of tortuous pulmonary AVM in remote locations where use of other traditional devices may be technically challenging.
Trading Patterns and Prices in the Interbank Foreign Exchange Market

The behavior of quote arrivals and bid-ask spreads is examined for continuously recorded deutsche mark-dollar exchange rate data over time, across locations, and by market participants. A pattern in the intraday spread and intensity of market activity over time is uncovered and related to theories of trading patterns. Models for the conditional mean and variance of returns and bid-ask spreads indicate volatility clustering at high frequencies. The proposition that trading intensity has an independent effect on returns volatility is rejected, but holds for spread volatility. Conditional returns volatility is increasing in the size of the spread. THERE IS A GROWING body of theoretical studies on the pattern of trading activity in financial markets, with implications for the time series behavior of transactions prices and intensity of trading. The empirical literature addressing similar concerns using intraday market data appropriate for such tasks is sparse, particularly in the area of the trading of currencies. The purpose of this paper is to examine both international patterns of intraday trading activity and the time series properties of returns and bid-ask spreads for the deutsche mark-dollar exchange rate in the interbank foreign exchange market. The goal is to provide information useful in the further development of market microstructure models of trading and to compare empirical findings against theoretical results already in existence. The foreign exchange market is in operation twenty-four hours a day, seven
Effects of Medicare Part D on Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Hospital Utilization Among Seniors

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate whether Medicare Part D reduced racial/ethnic disparities in hospital utilization among Medicare seniors, based on the Institute of Medicine’s definition of a disparity. Method: Using data on 43,098 adult respondents to the 2002-2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we derive a difference-in-difference-in-differences estimator using a multivariate regression framework, and measure Part D’s effects on disparities in any hospitalization, the number of nights hospitalized, and inpatient expenses. Results: Part D narrowed racial/ethnic disparities in hospital utilization. For African Americans, it reduced the disparity in any hospitalization by 2.94% (p < .001) but had no effect on disparities in nights hospitalized or inpatient expenses. For Hispanics, Part D reduced disparities in nights hospitalized by 1.58 nights (p = .009) and in inpatient expenses by US$3,453 (p < .001). Discussion: Following Medicare Part D, disparities in hospital utilization narrowed significantly for both African American and Hispanic seniors, but in different ways for each population.
HRM outsourcing: the impact of organisational size and HRM strategic involvement

Purpose – The aims of this paper are, first, to consider the impact of organisational size and the strategic involvement of the human resource management (HRM) function on the decision to outsource, second, to consider the impact of HRM outsourcing on organisational performance for organisations of different size and where the HRM function has access to positions of elevated political power.Design/methodology/approach – The research examines responses from 441 Australian senior HRM managers who participated in an online survey of a national HRM professional association. The hypotheses were tested using multiple regression.Findings – Although results did not confirm the expected relationship between smaller organisational size and increased outsourcing, there was a positive relationship between HRM strategic involvement and the decision to outsource. The relationship between HRM outsourcing and perceived financial performance was positive for smaller firms and negative for larger firms. The positive relati.
Patterns and Obstacles of Provision of Minor Orthopedic Procedures among Primary Care Physicians in Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION Musculoskeletal disorders are common reasons for consultation with the primary care provider (PCP). For many of these disorders, treatment with minor procedures can bring about rapid and effective response with a very low complication rate. In reality, not many of these procedures are carried out in the primary care facilities in Saudi Arabia and in many other countries around. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross sectional study design was chosen. The questionnaire aimed to quantify the number and different types of injections performed by PCPs; to evaluate the level of training and to identify barriers to PCPs performing joint and soft tissue injections in the primary care facilities. This questionnaire was distributed on 298 physicians working in primary care setting in Riyadh. The absolute frequency and percentages were calculated, and Chi square and ANOVA analyses were calculated and correlation test was done to procedures obstacles and their patterns. RESULTS One hundred and thirty physicians (43.6%) of the respondents have taken orthopedic training during their residency program. Among the respondents who have taken a training period during their residency 115 (88.5%) had orthopedic training for 4 weeks. Only 69 (53.1%) of them -who had training- had performed joint and soft tissue injections during their family medicine residency program. The top reasons cited for not performing the procedures were "Lack of up to date skills" and "limited consultation time" because of work overload. CONCLUSION Many physicians working in primary care settings in Saudi Arabia refer patients requiring minor office procedures for specialist consultation. Treating patients at the primary care level can be more time and cost effective. These results uncover that there is a big need for improvement in orthopedic and rheumatology training during undergraduate medical vocational training and family medicine residency program.
Developing international leadership talent and stimulating significant culture change: Royal FrieslandCampina

Fran Montague is based at Ashridge Business School, Aylesbury, United Kingdom. Willem van der Lee is based at Talent and Leadership, Royal FrieslandCampina, Zwolle, Netherlands. Lindsey Masson is based at Ashridge Business School, Berkhamsted, United Kingdom. F rieslandCampina was formed in 2009 by a merger between Friesland Foods and Campina, creating the second largest dairy co-operative in the world with 21,000 employees, 19,000 member dairy farmers, offices in 28 countries and selling to 100 countries worldwide?
Changes in skin blood flow during the menstrual cycle: the influence of the menstrual cycle on the peripheral circulation in healthy female volunteers.

1. It is known that females have a lower skin perfusion than males. In women there are also differences in blood flow at different reproductive stages of their lives. As an initial investigation of the possible contribution of sex hormones to these differences, we studied skin and forearm blood flow during the natural changes in hormone levels which occur during the menstrual cycle. 2. Thirty-one healthy female volunteers were studied. The effect of a standardized finger cooling test (immersion of a gloved hand in a 16 degrees C water bath) on finger skin temperature and on laser Doppler flux in the finger, and forearm blood flow (strain gauge venous occlusion plethysmography) was assessed at four different times during one cycle: during menstruation, 1 day before ovulation, 2 days after ovulation and at the mid-luteal phase. Test days were determined by daily measurements of basal body temperature and were confirmed afterwards by determinations of serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, 17 beta-oestradiol and progesterone. 3. Peripheral skin circulation varied significantly within one menstrual cycle. The extremes were a mean finger skin temperature of 25.9 +/- 3.0 degrees C in the luteal phase compared with 28.4 +/- 3.7 degrees C in the pre-ovulatory phase (P = 0.002). The respective values for the mean laser Doppler flux were 18.4 +/- 10.9 compared with 29.2 +/- 16.4 arbitrary units (P = 0.003). 4. Baseline forearm muscle blood flow also varied significantly (P = 0.04) within one menstrual cycle, with low values in the menstrual phase compared with the other phases. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
On Effective and Efficient Quality Management for Approximate Computing

Approximate computing, where computation quality is traded off for better performance and/or energy savings, has gained significant tractions from both academia and industry. With approximate computing, we expect to obtain acceptable results, but how do we make sure the quality of the final results are acceptable? This challenging problem remains largely unexplored. In this paper, we propose an effective and efficient quality management framework to achieve controlled quality-efficiency tradeoffs. To be specific, at the offline stage, our solution automatically selects an appropriate approximator configuration considering rollback recovery for large occasional errors with minimum cost under the target quality requirement. Then during the online execution, our framework judiciously determines when and how to rollback, which is achieved with cost-effective yet accurate quality predictors that synergistically combine the outputs of several basic light-weight predictors. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed solution can achieve 11% to 23% energy savings compared to existing solutions under the target quality requirement.
Cross-Border Retail Banking: Exploring the Unknown Financial Globalization in Times of Financial Crises

The surge in cross-border banking prior to the 2007 / 08 global financial crisis took place not only in the interbank market but also in the retail market, e. g. between banks and their private customers abroad. Cross-border retail activities of banks now account for a substantial share of total international activities. Despite its rising importance, we are just starting to understand the role of crossborder retail banking for globalization and stability. In this study, we assess this less known part of financial globalization by reviewing the development and structure of cross-border banking, identifying the factors that drive retail customers across borders and assessing the impact of financial crises on global retail banking.