Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence of Stock Returns and Abnormal Trading Volume: A Threshold Quantile Regression Approach

This paper presents a capital asset pricing model-based threshold quantile regression model with a generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic specification to examine relations between excess stock returns and “abnormal trading volume”. We employ an adaptive Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method with asymmetric Laplace distribution to study six daily Dow Jones Industrial stocks. The proposed model captures asymmetric risk through market beta and volume coefficients, which change discretely between regimes. Moreover, they are driven by market information and various quantile levels. This study finds that abnormal volume has significantly negative effects on excess stock returns under low quantile levels; however, there are significantly positive effects under high quantile levels. The evidence indicates that each market beta varies with different quantile levels, capturing different states of market conditions.
'Perceived' Competition and Performance in Italian Secondary Schools: New Evidence from OECD-PISA 2006

In this paper, we investigate the effects of competition on the performance of Italian secondary schools as measured by maths achievement scores (PISA 2006 dataset). Competition is measured by an indicator of ‘perceived’ competition (generated from an answer provided by the schools’ principals). The methodology employed is a propensity score matching that is corrected to take into account heteroskedasticity and finite sample bias. The results show a positive effect of competition on school performance. Nevertheless, this effect is quite low (between 3.62% and 4.05% computed at the average score level) and is consistent with previous findings about educational systems in Italy and worldwide. This is relevant for policy-making because competition appears to impact school performance even in a country like Italy where specific pro-competitive policies are quite absent.
Searchable encryption with pattern matching for securing data on cloud server

Searchable Encryption scheme is a cryptographic tool, which helps data owner to upload his data in encrypted form to storage server and allows user to search some desired data containing some specific keyword over encrypted form. There by, curious storage server need not get any partial information about the search query and stored encrypted data. There are a lots of existing techniques of searchable encryption scheme over the years. But, the practical significance of those techniques are not up to expectation. Nevertheless, it is an important tool regarding storing the data and retrieving from cloud server. For this, the scheme is gaining more attention in recent years. Searchable encryption was practically introduced by Boneh et al., who used asymmetric searchable encryption in their scheme. There are lots of techniques of searchable encryption based on single and multiple keyword search. The multiple keyword search was first attempted by Wang et al. However, the scheme has some drawbacks. Searchable encryption with patter obfuscation was introduced by Orencik et al. This scheme has also some shortcomings regarding security issues. In our work, we devised a searchable encryption scheme with pattern matching algorithm for multiple keywords. The scheme is designed with less space complexity and it also provides updating ranked search. We use the property of Trie data structure to reduce both the search and space complexity. Our scheme allows the ranked search with outcomes of most relevant top ranked documents which consists of the query keyword. Because of the Trie structure property, our scheme also deals with the update operation of files or documents flexibly. To ensure the privacy of the scheme, we include the fuzzy search trapdoor and exact search trapdoor here.
Honey bee promoter sequences for targeted gene expression

The honey bee, Apis mellifera, displays a rich behavioural repertoire, social organization and caste differentiation, and has an interesting mode of sex determination, but we still know little about its underlying genetic programs. We lack stable transgenic tools in honey bees that would allow genetic control of gene activity in stable transgenic lines. As an initial step towards a transgenic method, we identified promoter sequences in the honey bee that can drive constitutive, tissue‐specific and cold shock‐induced gene expression. We identified the promoter sequences of Am‐actin5c, elp2l, Am‐hsp83 and Am‐hsp70 and showed that, except for the elp2l sequence, the identified sequences were able to drive reporter gene expression in Sf21 cells. We further demonstrated through electroporation experiments that the putative neuron‐specific elp2l promoter sequence can direct gene expression in the honey bee brain. The identification of these promoter sequences is an important initial step in studying the function of genes with transgenic experiments in the honey bee, an organism with a rich set of interesting phenotypes.
Commercialisation of Non-Timber Forest Products: A Reality Check

This article challenges the pervasive view that commercialisation of non-timber forest products can (easily) achieve ecosystem and species conservation as well as improving livelihoods. Following a brief review of who and what is involved, it focuses on the main ecological and livelihood risks of unconsidered promotion of NTFP commercialisation, drawing on a wide range of case studies from around the world. It concludes with some recommendations, emphasising the lack of 'magic-bullet' products, and the importance - among other things - of not ignoring national policy, taking an integrated view of the value chain, considering the implications of different production options, and improving both quality and quantity.
Scaling analysis of a universal electrode for molecular biosensors

Nanoscale and molecular manipulation techniques, such as concentration, are crucial for the success of an automated point-of-care diagnostic system. Here, we report the development of an electrokinetic concentrator for integrated bioanalytical systems. By combining different electrokinetic forces, the concentrator is capable of concentrating nanoscale particles in less than 1 min and increasing the concentration by 2 orders of magnitude. The concentrator used a universal electrode design developed for a versatile electrochemical sensor platform. We performed a scaling analysis to generalize and optimize the design of the universal electrode. The data collapse analysis showed that the concentration process follows a universal kinetics, and the time scaling factor (T) scales with the effective electric field (E) as T ~ E0.48plusmn0. 15 while the intensity scaling factor (T) increases with the effective electric field (E) as I ~ E0.93plusmn0. 12.
A monopole frequency reconfigurable antenna printed on multilayered substrate

In this paper, an efficient, narrowband frequency reconfigurable antenna is presented utilizing PIN diode RF switches. The eight possible ON/OFF combinations of RF switches exhibit eight different combinations of frequency bands and cover three major groups of frequencies (0.78–1.4GHz, 1.5–1.8GHz and 2.29–2.54GHz) including GSM, UMTS, LTE and other communication bands. The maximum electrical height (k0h) of the antenna is as low as 0.12 and offers a figure of merit (FOM) in terms of gain, bandwidth, HPBW up to 2.17. The antenna is fabricated on a multilayered substrate to realize the better tradeoff between miniaturization and radiation performance and to achieve efficiency above 68%. Radiation performance enhancement by the multilayered substrate is discussed and the dielectric constant of the substrate is extracted more precisely using an alternative technique based on resonant cavity model of the rectangular patch antenna and Full-Wave EM solver. The prototypes of the antennas are fabricated and execution is accepted by measured results.
A Theorem on the Decentralization of the Objective Function of the Firm in GEI

This paper introduces a separation theorem for a two period general equilibrium model with endogenized asset structures and incomplete income transfer space. This theorem separates the activities of the consumers from the activities of the firms. The result improves on the objective function introduced in Dreze (1974) and Grossman and Hart (1979), which is not independent of an exogenously assigned present value derived from the utilities of the owners of the firm.
On assessment of wind comfort by sand erosion

• A submitted manuscript is the author's version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers.
A stochastic-programming approach to integrated asset and liability management of insurance products with guarantees

In recent years insurance products have become more complex by providing investors with various guarantees and bonus options. This increase in complexity has provided an impetus for the investigation into integrated asset- and liability-management frameworks that could realistically address dynamic portfolio allocation in a risk-controlled way. In this paper the authors propose a multi-stage dynamic stochastic-programming model for the integrated asset and liability management of insurance products with guarantees that minimises the down-side risk of these products. They investigate with-profit guarantee funds by including regular bonus payments while keeping the optimisation problem linear. The uncertainty is represented in terms of arbitrage-free scenario trees using a four-factor yield-curve model that includes macroeconomic factors (inflation, capacity utilisation and the repo rate). They construct scenario trees with path-dependent intermediate discrete yield-curve outcomes suitable for the pricing of fixed-income securities. The main focus of the paper is the formulation and implementation of a multi-stage stochastic-programming model. The model is back-tested on real market data over a period of five years.
Obesity among adult Bahraini population: impact of physical activity and educational level.

BACKGROUND In the populations of the Arabian Peninsula, obesity has emerged as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality over a 25-year period of swift socioeconomic progress. The objective of this study was to determine the body weight distribution, prevalence and risk factors for the overweight and obese in the native adult Bahraini population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A cross-sectional national epidemiological community survey was conducted involving 2013 Bahraini subjects aged 40-69. The males were aged 40-59 years, with a mean age of 49 years, while the females were aged 50-69 years, with a mean age of 59. The sample was adjusted for gender, age, and area of residence distribution. A questionnaire describing the demographic, social, educational status and income status was completed. Measurements were made of height and weight, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated for each subject. WHO classification was used for defining overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m 2) and obesity (BMI > or =30 kg/m(2)) categories. RESULTS The age-standardized prevalence rate among native Bahraini men and women was high. Approximately 32% of women and 25% of men were obese (BMI > or =30.0 kg/m(2)). The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among female subjects than males throughout all the age groups. Overweight and obesity were more prevalent among those with higher levels of education and people with high incomes. A significant relationship was found between obesity and education, physical inactivity and TV watching of 16 hours a week or more. Subjects' self-appraisal and their report of physicians' diagnosis of health disorders revealed a significantly higher prevalence of ill health among obese subjects. There was a progressive decrease of BMI for male and female subjects with age. Although 28% of participants (564) had body mass index > or =30 kg/m(2), only 42% (267) of these obese individuals rated themselves as overweight. In addition, obesity was inversely related to physical activity at work in men. CONCLUSION We conclude that the prevalence of obesity among the native middle-aged and elderly Bahraini population is high. We noted that the prevalence of obesity increased as the level of education increased, which reflects the perception of obesity being a sign of affluence among Bahraini population. There is a necessity to develop an action plan for controlling obesity and its metabolic consequences among the populations of the Arabian Gulf.
A Preliminary Formula to Predict Timing of Symptom Resolution for Collegiate Athletes Diagnosed With Sport Concussion.

CONTEXT Symptom presentation and recovery after sport concussion (SC) are variable. Empirically based models documenting typical symptom duration would assist health care providers in managing return to play after SC. OBJECTIVE To develop a prediction model for SC symptom duration. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Two National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university laboratories. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Seventy-six (51 male and 25 female) concussed athletes with an average age of 19.5 ± 1.65 years who were evaluated within 24 hours of diagnosis. INTERVENTION(S) Participants completed the Revised Head Injury Scale (HIS-r), Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), and Sensory Organization Test within 24 hours of SC diagnosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) A stepwise multivariate regression incorporating ImPACT and Sensory Organization Test composites and HIS-r symptom severity-duration was used to predict the number of days athletes reported symptoms after SC. The resulting regression formula was cross-validated using the Stine cross-validation coefficient. RESULTS The final formula consisted of the HIS-r's self-reported neck pain, drowsiness, tingling, and nervousness duration and ImPACT total symptom severity (R = 0.62, R(2) = 39%, R(2)(adj) = 34.2%, P < . 001). Approximately 29% (R(2)(cv) = 29%) of the variance associated with total days symptomatic after SC was explained by our preliminary formula when cross-validated. The current formula correctly identified 76% of participants who recovered within 10 days of injury. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that self-reported duration of 4 symptoms during the initial 24 hours after injury along with total symptom severity as measured by ImPACT accounted for a considerable amount of variance associated with days symptomatic after SC in collegiate athletes. Until the formula is cross-validated in a college-aged sample, caution is warranted in using it clinically.
Twin deficits phenomenon in small islands: an empirical investigation by panel data analysis

This article empirically investigates the direction of causality between current account balance and the overall budget balance of a selected 24 small island state economies by conducting panel data econometric techniques. The results of both bivariate and pairwise Granger causality tests suggest that there is unidirectional causation which runs from current account balance to the overall budget balance. On the other hand, no evidence has been obtained on the causation which runs from budget balance to current account balance in small island states.
Performance study of dimensionality reduction methods for metrology of nonrigid mechanical parts

The geometric measurement of parts using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) has been generally adapted to the advanced automotive and aerospace industries. However, for the geometric inspection of deformable free-form parts, special inspection fixtures, in combination with CMM’s and/or optical data acquisition devices (scanners), are used. As a result, the geometric inspection of flexible parts is a consuming process in terms of time and money. The general procedure to eliminate the use of inspection fixtures based on distance preserving nonlinear dimensionality reduction (NLDR) technique was developed in our previous works. We sought out geometric properties that are invariant to inelastic deformations. In this paper we will only present a systematic comparison of some well-known dimensionality reduction techniques in order to evaluate their accuracy and potential for non-rigid metrology. We will demonstrate that even though these techniques may provide acceptable results through artificial data on certain fields like pattern recognition and machine learning, this performance cannot be extended to all real engineering metrology problems where high accuracy is needed.
Nonparametric regression sinogram smoothing using a roughness-penalized Poisson likelihood objective function

The authors develop and investigate an approach to tomographic image reconstruction in which nonparametric regression using a roughness-penalized Poisson likelihood objective function is used to smooth each projection independently prior to reconstruction by unapodized filtered backprojection (FBP). As an added generalization, the roughness penalty is expressed in terms of a monotonic transform, known as the link function, of the projections. The approach is compared to shift-invariant projection filtering through the use of a Hanning window as well as to a related nonparametric regression approach that makes use of an objective function based on weighted least squares (WLS) rather than the Poisson likelihood. The approach is found to lead to improvements in resolution-noise tradeoffs over the Hanning filter as well as over the WLS approach. The authors also investigate the resolution and noise effects of three different link functions: the identity, square root, and logarithm links. The choice of link function is found to influence the resolution uniformity and isotropy properties of the reconstructed images. In particular, in the case of an idealized imaging system with intrinsically uniform and isotropic resolution, the choice of a square root link function yields the desirable outcome of essentially uniform and isotropic resolution in reconstructed images, with noise performance still superior to that of the Hanning filter as well as that of the WLS approach.
International Volatility Transmission of REIT Returns

This study examines whether volatility of REIT returns can transmit across national borders. Two competing hypotheses are proposed. The first is the Transportable Risk Hypothesis which suggests geographic risk can be transmitted overseas if the general equity and real estate securities markets are integrated internationally. The second is the Non-Transportable Risk Hypothesis which argues that geographic risk factors are country-specific and therefore not transmittable across national borders. Using GARCH and EGARCH econometric models, international spillovers of volatility of REIT returns are found among United States, United Kingdom, and Japan. The finding has major implications for formulating international portfolio strategies as it improves forecasting ability. The finding also implies that better international portfolio diversification can be achieved with real estate securities from countries that have a lower degree of integration between the real estate sector and the general stock market.
PWM Converter Integrating Switched Capacitor Converter and Series-Resonant Voltage Multiplier as Equalizers for Photovoltaic Modules and Series-Connected Energy Storage Cells for Exploration Rovers

Power systems for exploration rovers tend to be complex as three separate converters are necessary; in addition to a main dc–dc converter and cell equalizer for rechargeable energy storage cells, an equalizer for photovoltaic (PV) modules is desirably equipped in order to preclude negative impacts of partial shading. This paper proposes the pulse width modulation (PWM) converter integrating voltage equalizers for PV modules and energy storage cells. The proposed integrated converter comprises a switched capacitor converter, PWM buck converter, and series-resonant voltage multiplier that perform PV equalization, power conversion from the PV modules to the load, and cell equalization, respectively. Three converters can be integrated into a single unit with reducing the total switch counts, achieving not only system-level but also circuit-level simplifications. The derivation procedure of the integrated converter is explained, followed by the operation analysis. Experimental tests were performed using series-connected supercapacitor (SC) modules and solar array simulators to emulate a partial shading condition. With the integrated converter, the extractable maximum power from the PV modules significantly increased while voltage imbalance of SC modules was adequately eliminated, demonstrating the integrated performance of the proposed converter.
Effects of dietary oligosaccharide supplementation on growth performance, concentrations of the major odor-causing compounds in excreta, and the cecal microflora of broilers.

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with 4 types of oligosaccharides on the growth performance, concentrations of the major odor-causing compounds in excreta and cecal microflora of broilers. Three hundred 21-day-old Archer Abor broilers with an average initial live weight of 702.3 g were randomly divided into 5 dietary treatments: basal diet, basal diet + 5 g/kg of mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS), basal diet + 1.2 g/kg of inulin, basal diet + 1.5 g/kg of fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), and basal diet +1.25 g/kg of soybean oligosaccharide (SBOS), respectively. Each diet was fed to 6 replicates of 10 birds from d 21 to 42, and body weight and feed intake were recorded. Fresh excreta were sampled from each replicate on d 40, 41, and 42 and stored at -20 °C until further analysis. On d 42, the ceca of killed birds were aseptically removed, and the cecal contents were collected into sterile containers and stored at -80 °C until further analysis. Results showed that feeding inulin, FOS, and SBOS diets resulted in an improvement in daily gain (P < 0.05). Broilers fed the SBOS diet showed lower feed:gain ratio (1.84g:g) than the other groups (P > 0.05). Broilers fed the FOS diet showed the lowest volatile basic nitrogen, pH value, and indole and skatole contents in excreta, and broilers fed the SBOS diet had higher total volatile fatty acids concentrations than control (P < 0.05). The cecal microbial community was measured using the PCR-DGGE, which indicated that the cecal microflora Shannon-wiener index and richness of SBOS-fed broilers were significantly higher than that of the control (P < 0.05). The lowest evenness was recorded in the FOS group, which was significantly lower than the other groups (P < 0.05) except the SBOS group. Based on the sequences of the corresponding 16S rDNA of the DGGE bands, in combination with the contents of the major odor-causing compounds in excreta, it is suggested that uncultured Lachnospiraceae bacterium and Bacteroides sp. were associated with the production of major odor-causing compounds in excreta.