Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Un análisis de la estructura tecnológica de refinerías y licuadoras: cálculo de la función de costo de Leontief multiproducto y reserva de precios

The Leontief multiproduct flexible cost function aims to give an approach to the technology used by refineries and blenders. In general, this cost function satisfies rational behavior restrictions imposed by economic theory. The estimated marginal costs are incorporated in a monopolistic competition model to calculate the virtual prices of other products provided by refineries and blenders in the hypothetical situation in which reformulated gasoline is absent in fuel markets. I have found that conventional gasoline and other product prices are greater than those in the mentioned hypothetical case. This result reflects the fact that consumers are being charged with high prices in order to have available a fuel which satisfies the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Finally, when all the products become perfect substitutes, i.e. consumers are not interested in the quality of fuels, price differences tend to be negligibly small.
The Multidimensional Poverty Assessment Tool (MPAT): Robustness issues and Critical assessment

The Multidimensional Poverty Assessment Tool (MPAT) was developed by the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development with a view to assess local-level poverty in rural regions around the globe. The MPAT is a survey-based thematic indicator of ten dimensions, from Food & Nutrition Security to Domestic Water Supply, Health & Healthcare, to Gender Equality. The aims of this validation report are: (a) to spot eventual conceptual and methodological shortcomings in the MPAT, (b) to identify suitable aggregation methods for the survey items, (c) to assess the internal consistency of the MPAT conceptual framework, and finally, (d) to offer snapshots of the MPAT results. The results show that the MPAT, upon some improvements throughout the entire development, would pass the “statistical” filters of index quality, and it could thus be reliably used to identify weaknesses and possible remedial actions, prioritize villages or even households with relatively low levels of rural poverty, and ultimately monitor and evaluate policy effectiveness. The analysis undertaken in this work provides no guarantee of the true ability of the MPAT to describe rural poverty world wide. Yet, it provides enough evidence that the MPAT cannot easily be falsified by methodological cunning. How to obtain EU publications Our priced publications are available from EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu), where you can place an order with the sales agent of your choice. The Publications Office has a worldwide network of sales agents. You can obtain their contact details by sending a fax to (352) 29 29-42758. The mission of the JRC is to provide customer-driven scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of EU policies. As a service of the European Commission, the JRC functions as a reference centre of science and technology for the Union. Close to the policy-making process, it serves the common interest of the Member States, while being independent of special interests, whether private or national. LB -N A -2310 EN -C
Low-Cost Hybrid WDM Module Integrated on Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) with a Coated WDM Filter Using Passive Alignment Technique

We have developed a low cost 1.25 Gbps WDM bidirectional module using two integrated optical subassemblies which are composed of a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) platform and a silicon optical bench (SiOB) platform. The low cost module is achieved by employing a flip-chip bonding method with passive alignment using a Fabry-Perot laser diode (FP-LD) with a monitoring waveguide-photodiode (PD) on a PLC platform and a receiver with a PIN-PD on a SiOB platform. We also observed the optical coupling loss between laser diode and waveguide and the performance of receiver sub-assembly.
Sub-central Tax Autonomy: 2011 Update

This paper provides an update of the indicators that measure the tax autonomy of sub-central governments in OECD countries. Over the last decade, tax autonomy at the state level increased, while it hardly changed at the local level. The OECD now has tax autonomy indicators for the years 1995, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2011. Autonomie fiscale des autorites infranationales : Mise a jour 2011 Ce document presente des indicateurs actualises qui mesurent l’autonomie fiscale des administrations infranationales dans les pays de l’OCDE. Au cours de la derniere decennie, l’autonomie fiscale au niveau de l’administration centrale s’est accrue, alors qu’elle n’a guere progresse au niveau local. L’OCDE dispose desormais d’indicateurs relatifs a l’autonomie fiscale pour les annees 1995, 2002, 2005, 2008 et 2011.
Robust optimization-based DC optimal power flow for managing wind generation uncertainty

Integrating wind generation into the wider grid causes a number of challenges to traditional power system operation. Given the relatively large wind forecast errors, congestion management tools based on optimal power flow (OPF) need to be improved. In this paper, a robust optimization (RO)-based DCOPF is proposed to determine the optimal generation dispatch and locational marginal prices (LMPs) for a day-ahead competitive electricity market considering the risk of dispatch cost variation. The basic concept is to use the dispatch to hedge against the possibility of reduced or increased wind generation. The proposed RO-based DCOPF is compared with a stochastic non-linear programming (SNP) approach on a modified PJM 5-bus system. Primary test results show that the proposed DCOPF model can provide lower dispatch cost than the SNP approach.
Private and Public Supply of Liquidity

This paper addresses a basic, yet unresolved, question: Do claims on private assets provide sufficient liquidity for an efficient functioning of the productive sector? Or does the state have a role in creating liquidity and regulating it either through adjustments in the stock of government securities or by other means? In our model, firms can meet future liquidity needs in three ways: by issuing new claims, by obtaining a credit line from a financial intermediary, and by holding claims on other firms. When there is no aggregateuncertainty, we show that these instruments are sufficient for implementing the socially optimal (second‐best) contract between investors and firms. However, the implementation may require an intermediary to coordinate the use of scarce liquidity, in which case contracts with the intermediary impose both a maximum leverage ratio and a liquidity constraint on firms. When there is only aggregate uncertainty, the private sector cannot satisfy its own liquidity needs. The government can improve welfare by issuing bonds that commit future consumer income. Government bonds command a liquidity premium over private claims. The government should manage debt so that liquidity is loosened (the value of bonds is high) when the aggregate liquidity shock is high and is tightened when the liquidity shock is low. The paper thus suggests a rationale both for government‐supplied liquidity and for its active management.
Dynamics and local policy in labour commuting

Dynamics and local policy in labour commuting Background: In the paper, the influence of the selected parameters, which are population, travel time to work by car, employment rate and average gross earnings, to labour commuting flows in Slovenia is analysed for the period 2000 - 2009. Furthermore, the dynamics of the analysed parameters have been studied to be implemented in the local policy application. Objectives: The main goal of this research has been to study the stickiness and attractiveness of Slovenian municipalities regarding the analysed parameters to support local labour commuting policy. Methods/Approach: The influence of the analysed parameters to the labour commuting flows has been studied in the extended gravity model. The change of the influence of parameters on commuting flows has been studied separately for each year in the analysed period. Additionally, the calculation of the extended gravity model has been performed for the whole analysed period. Results: The results show that the analysed parameters more attracted than dispatched the inter-municipal labour commuting flows in Slovenia in the study period. The results of the study of the dynamics of the analysed parameters have been implemented in the case study at the local level. Conclusions: The results provide the important empirical contribution to physical planners at the state, regional and/or local level for creating development policies. The results show that some factors in the gravity model can be compensated with the change of the others and vice-versa.
Constituency Service in Multi-level Democracies

Abstract What are the patterns of legislator responsiveness to constituents in multi-level democracies, and what explains them? Previously, comparative research has been hampered by a lack of theory and a lack of data. The article first theorizes how constituency service may be explained by conventional arguments, such as electoral motivations and role orientations. It then considers how regionalization specifically might affect service responsiveness. Using data from the PARTIREP survey of legislators in eight multi-level democracies and six unitary democracies, the article demonstrates that national legislators devote less time to constituency service in multi-level than in unitary democracies; and that regional legislators devote more time than national legislators in multi-level democracies. While conventional arguments are important, the specific effects of regionalization are also significant in determining service responsiveness, establishing an agenda for future research of constituency service as a significant area in the study of multi-level democracy.
Improved survival in acute liver failure with hepatocyte therapies

(2) Cuervas-Mons V, Colas A, Rivera JA, Prados E. In vivo efficacy of a bioartificial liver in improving spontaneous recovery from fulminant hepatic failure: A controlled study in pigs. Transplantation 2000;69:337-344. (Reprinted with permission.) Abstract Liver Transplantation Worldwide 508Liver Transplantation Worldwide 508
Effect of disturbance in working memory performace: An fNIRs study

This paper demonstrates a near infrared spectroscopic study of understanding effect of disturbance on working memory performance. Embedded prefrontal hemodynamic characters are obtained from recorded data which is filtered and preprocessed by adopting a mean normalization technique. Furthermore, a ReleifF algorithm based feature selection is adopted to sort out the most prominent feature set. A comparative study is drawn to demonstrate the effectivity of the proposed framework by comparing classifiers accuracy which shows that our proposed framework outperforms other conventional principal component analysis (PCA) based feature selection and classification techniques. In addition, correlations among different learning conditions, as well as recall conditions are calculated to demonstrate how diverse conditions (without and with disturbances) alter prefrontal hemodynamics. In addition, a voxel plot approach shows the changing oxyhemoglobin concentrations during different recall tasks (with and without disturbance during learnings). The novelty of this paper lies in understanding the role of disturbance during encoding of information which affects recall performance in working memory tasks.
Identification and Characterization of Microsatellite Markers Derived from the Whole Genome Analysis of Taenia solium

Background Infections with Taenia solium are the most common cause of adult acquired seizures worldwide, and are the leading cause of epilepsy in developing countries. A better understanding of the genetic diversity of T. solium will improve parasite diagnostics and transmission pathways in endemic areas thereby facilitating the design of future control measures and interventions. Microsatellite markers are useful genome features, which enable strain typing and identification in complex pathogen genomes. Here we describe microsatellite identification and characterization in T. solium, providing information that will assist in global efforts to control this important pathogen. Methods For genome sequencing, T. solium cysts and proglottids were collected from Huancayo and Puno in Peru, respectively. Using next generation sequencing (NGS) and de novo assembly, we assembled two draft genomes and one hybrid genome. Microsatellite sequences were identified and 36 of them were selected for further analysis. Twenty T. solium isolates were collected from Tumbes in the northern region, and twenty from Puno in the southern region of Peru. The size-polymorphism of the selected microsatellites was determined with multi-capillary electrophoresis. We analyzed the association between microsatellite polymorphism and the geographic origin of the samples. Results The predicted size of the hybrid (proglottid genome combined with cyst genome) T. solium genome was 111 MB with a GC content of 42.54%. A total of 7,979 contigs (>1,000 nt) were obtained. We identified 9,129 microsatellites in the Puno-proglottid genome and 9,936 in the Huancayo-cyst genome, with 5 or more repeats, ranging from mono- to hexa-nucleotide. Seven microsatellites were polymorphic and 29 were monomorphic within the analyzed isolates. T. solium tapeworms were classified into two genetic groups that correlated with the North/South geographic origin of the parasites. Conclusions/Significance The availability of draft genomes for T. solium represents a significant step towards the understanding the biology of the parasite. We report here a set of T. solium polymorphic microsatellite markers that appear promising for genetic epidemiology studies.
Fiber-based time and frequency dissemination between THU and NIM

We build up a time and frequency dissemination system via the 80 km urban telecommunication fiber network between Tsinghua university (THU) and the National Institute of Metrology (NIM). A 9.1 GHz microwave frequency is disseminated on this link. Using the proposed phase noise compensation method, the frequency dissemination stability on the order of 7 × 10-15/s and 4.5 × 10-19/105 s has been demonstrated. In addition, we also disseminate the timing signal between THU and NIM. Using the delay time compensation method, transfer delay stability within 50 ps at measurement periods from 1s to 1000s has been demonstrated.
Do Sales–Price and Debt–Equity Explain Stock Returns Better than Book–Market and Firm Size?

During the 1979–91 period, the sales–price ratio and the debt–equity ratio had greater explanatory power for stock returns than either the book–market value of equity ratio or the market value of equity. Furthermore, the sales–price ratio captures the role of the debt–equity ratio in explaining stock returns. Neither the book–market value of equity ratio nor the market value of equity has consistent explanatory power for stock returns, and the sales–price ratio is a more reliable explanatory factor.
Blockade of LOX-1 Prevents Endotoxin-Induced Acute Lung Inflammation and Injury in Mice

Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-1 (LOX-1), a cell surface receptor expressed in endothelial cells, is known to mediate oxidized LDL-induced vascular inflammation and atherogenesis. Although the role of LOX-1 in vascular inflammation has been well established, its involvement in acute lung inflammation and injury remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the effects of a LOX-1-blocking antibody on lung inflammation in a mouse endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury model. We demonstrated that intraperitoneal challenge with LPS induced a rapid and robust increase in LOX-1 expression in mouse lung. Pre-treatment of mice with anti-LOX-1-blocking antibody significantly inhibited LPS-induced lung inflammation as indicated by decreased neutrophil accumulation in the lung. Furthermore, anti-LOX-1 was capable of inhibiting LPS-induced inflammatory responses, including NF-κB activation, ICAM-1 expression and apoptotic signaling, in mouse lung. Collectively, these results indicate that LOX-1 may serve as a valuable therapeutic target in the prevention of acute lung inflammation and injury in sepsis.
Early Antivascular Effects of Bevacizumab Anti-VEGF Monoclonal Antibody on Colorectal Carcinomas Assessed With Functional CT Imaging

Background:The complex effect on anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) monoclonal antibodies on the tumor vasculature urges studies to identify the optimal time frames for the administration of such agents with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Patients and Methods:Using CT scan functional imaging, we examined the perfusion changes of contrast medium induced 7 days following administration of bevacizumab (5 mg/kg iv) in 12 patients with colorectal cancer. Results:CT imaging 7 days after the administration of bevacizumab confirmed tumor shrinkage in 3 of 12 cases. The mean Haunsfield units after the injection of contrast medium were significantly lower 7 days following the administration of bevacizumab (P = 0.002). The “perfusion score” significantly decreased after the administration of bevacizumab (P = 0.01). In 5 of 12 cases the perfusion score was by 45% to 75% decreased, in 3 of 12 minor drop of the perfusion score was noted, in 1 of 12 a slight increase was noted, and in 3 of 12 remained unchanged. Conclusion:It is concluded that the antivascular effects of bevacizumab are evident within 7 days from administration in 40% of colorectal carcinomas. The mechanisms by which this early antivascular effect may favor the antitumor efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy require further investigation.
Are Democracies the Better Allies? The Impact of Regime Type on Military Coalition Operations

This study asks which attributes make states the more valuable partners in military coalition operations. Due to the uncertainty inherent in combat in general and coalition operations in particular, successful military cooperation depends on the amount of discretion given to national armed forces. Since democracies usually have more harmonious civil-military relations, restricting the discretion of military agents is a relatively less attractive and needed tool for democratic principals. This in turn makes democratic states the more valuable allies. The argument has two empirical implications: On one hand, a state conducting a military intervention should be more likely to build a coalition with its allies, the more democratic allies it has. On the other hand, military interventions by democratic military coalitions should end more quickly with success for the interveners than interventions by nondemocratic coalitions. These hypotheses are tested and supported using data on military interventions between 1946 and 2001.
Program comprehension levels of abstraction for novices

Although various program comprehension models exist, their levels of abstraction and the related terminologies do not fit the programming pedagogy perspective. In this study, we proposed five abstraction levels for novice's program comprehension: statement, block, module, program and domain. The expansion and the terminologies of the proposed abstraction levels are inspired by the application of decomposition concept in programming pedagogy. To comprehend a program, novices understand decomposed parts (i.e. statements, blocks, and modules) of that program and chunk those parts into a meaningful whole (i.e. program) within a specific domain. We supported our revised abstraction levels with a user study. The revised abstraction levels are able to describe hierarchical levels of novices' program comprehension that map appropriately with their mental model. The proposed abstraction levels can be applied in designing empirical studies of novices' program comprehension that distinctly capture their different abstraction levels.
Rights Offerings, Subscription Period, Shareholder Takeup, and Liquidity

Abstract We examine the role of shareholder takeup in rights offerings on the subscription period price reaction and liquidity. Our results indicate that takeup information is reflected in price adjustments over the subscription period and that quality-related information disclosed on the rights announcement date further impacts prices in this period. Higher shareholder takeup improves liquidity. We do find some evidence of inefficiencies in the adjustment process over the subscription period that, in part, is consistent with a model where markets are characterized by overconfident investors and that also articulates with takeup information arriving in the market.
Econometric Modeling of a Stackelberg Game with an Application to Labor Force Participation

Following Bjorn and Vuong (1984), a model for dummy endogenous variables is derived from a game theoretic framework where the equilibrium concept used is that of Stackelberg. A distinctive feature of our model is that it contains as a special case the usual recursive model for discrete endogenous variables [see e.g., Maddala and Lee (1976)]. A structural interpretation of this latter model can then be given in terms of a Stackelberg game in which the leader is indifferent to the follower's action. Finally, the model is applied to a study of husband/wife labor force participation.
Stable Internal Reference Genes for Normalizing Real-Time Quantitative PCR in Baphicacanthus cusia under Hormonal Stimuli and UV Irradiation, and in Different Plant Organs

Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek, the plant source for many kinds of drugs in traditional Chinese medicine, is widely distributed in South China, especially in Fujian. Recent studies about B. cusia mainly focus on its chemical composition and pharmacological effects, but further analysis of the plant's gene functions and expression is required to better understand the synthesis of its effective compounds. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a powerful method for gene expression analysis. It is necessary to select a suitable reference gene for expression normalization to ensure the accuracy of RT-qPCR results. Ten candidate reference genes were selected from the transcriptome datasets of B. cusia in this study, and the expression stability was assessed across 60 samples representing different tissues and organs under various conditions, including ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, hormonal stimuli (jasmonic acid methyl ester and abscisic acid), and in different plant organs. By employing different algorithms, such as geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper, which are complementary approaches based on different statistical procedures, 18S rRNA was found to be the most stable gene under UV irradiation and hormonal stimuli, whereas ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 was the best suitable gene for different plant organs. This novel study aimed to screen for suitable reference genes and corresponding primer pairs specifically designed for gene expression studies in B. cusia, in particular for RT-qPCR analyses.