Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heteroscedasticity, R2 and Thin Trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange

IT IS FREQUENTLY REPORTED that the transactions on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) are irregular and infrequent so the prices quoted as closing on the exchange are often unreliable. This has implications for a researcher using the Market Model (MM) and/or investigating the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) in a Canadian context. These models, which were originally proposed by Markowitz [20] and subsequently modified by others (Sharpe [32], [33], Lintner [19], Mossin [25], and Fama [8]) propose a relationship between the return on a security and the return on a market portfolio. The market model (henceforth referred to as MM) in its traditional form can be written1:
Demand for electricity: evidence of cointegration and causality from Sri Lanka

This study examines the cointegration and causality relationship between the demand for residential electricity and real income, average real electricity prices, real kerosene prices and real gas prices using annual data for the period, 1960-2007 in Sri Lanka. Error correction (EC) techniques and the Granger-causality (GC) approaches are employed. The long run income elasticity of demand, price elasticity of demand and kerosene price were estimated to be 0.78, -0.62, and 0.14 respectively. The short run elasticities for the same variables were 0.32, -0.16 and 0.10 respectively. The GC results detect bi-directional causality between electricity consumption and real income as well as electricity prices and its consumption. This suggests that these variables are determined jointly. Furthermore, one-way causality running from kerosene price to electricity demand was also found.
Working Conditions under Lean Production: A Worker-based Benchmarking Study

Benchmarking is being used extensively in management's drive to achieve ‘world class’ levels of performance. The majority of benchmarking studies have little if anything to say about working conditions or the tradeoffs between productivity improvements and the conditions of working life. This article is based on a study which focuses on working conditions as described by workers, raising questions about the tradeoffs betwcen work reorganization and the quality of working life under Lean Production. The results, based on a survey of 1670 workers at 16 different companies, suggest that work life under Lean Production has not improved. Compared with workers in traditional Fordist style plants, those at Lean companies reported their work load was heavier and faster. They rcported work loads were increasing and becoming faster. They reported it was difficult to change things they did not like about their job and that it was becoming more difficult to get time off. While our survey results suggest that working .
The relationship between insulin sensitivity and skeletal muscle enzyme activities in hepatic cirrhosis

We have examined the hypothesis that insulin insensitivity in hepatic cirrhosis is related to abnormalities of glycogen deposition and skeletal muscle enzyme activities. Otherwise well patients with biopsy‐proven hepatic cirrhosis secondary to previous excess alcohol intake were studied. Prior to study, in basal state, patients had identical blood glucose concentrations but raised serum insulin concentrations (cirrhotic: 8.5 ± 0.8 mU per liter; matched control subjects: 5.7 ± 0.5 mU per liter, p < 0.01). Muscle glycogen content, glycogen synthase activity and pyruvate dehydrogenase activity were normal in the basal state. The cirrhotic patients required less glucose to maintain the clamp in response to 0.1 unit per kg per hr insulin (6.7 ± 0.5 vs. control 8.3 ± 0.4 mg per kg per min, p < 0.05) and deposited less glycogen in muscle during the clamp (8.6 ± 0.5 vs. 12.0 ± 1.4 mg per gm protein, p < 0.05). Glycogen deposition correlated with clamp glucose requirement in the cirrhotic patients (r = 0.78, p < 0.05). The expressed activity of glycogen synthase activity was significantly lower in cirrhotic patients at the end of the clamp (26.5 ± 1.1% vs. 30.9 ± 1.6%) and again correlated with clamp glucose requirement (r = 0.82, p < 0.05). Skeletal muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was not different in patients and control subjects. Insulin insensitivity in hepatic cirrhosis appears to be related to abnormalities of glucose deposition as glycogen in skeletal muscle.
Ig-Hepta, a Novel Member of the G Protein-coupled Hepta-helical Receptor (GPCR) Family That Has Immunoglobulin-like Repeats in a Long N-terminal Extracellular Domain and Defines a New Subfamily of GPCRs*

A novel member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family was cloned and characterized, which is unique, among the members, in its long extracellular domain comprising Ig-like repeats and in its high expression predominantly in the lung. The clone (Ig-Hepta) was first identified as a polymerase chain reaction product generated with primers designed to amplify secretin receptor family members including the parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptors. Analysis of the open reading frame of cDNAs isolated from a rat lung cDNA library indicated that Ig-Hepta is a protein of 1389 amino acid residues and has two Ig-like repeats in the N-terminal extracellular domain (exodomain) of 1053 amino acid residues and 7 transmembrane spans in the C-terminal region. Northern blot analysis revealed very high expression of its mRNA in the lung and low but detectable levels in the kidney and heart. The mRNA expression in the lung was found to be strongly induced postnatally. Biochemical analysis indicated that Ig-Hepta is a highly glycosylated protein and exists as a disulfide-linked dimer. Immunohistochemistry on rat lung and kidney sections revealed dense localization of Ig-Hepta in alveolar walls and intercalated cells in the collecting duct, respectively, suggesting a role in the regulation of acid-base balance. Ig-Hepta defines a new subfamily of GPCRs.
Toward Automatic Simulation of Aging Effects on Face Images

The process of aging causes significant alterations in the facial appearance of individuals. When compared with other sources of variation in face images, appearance variation due to aging displays some unique characteristics. Changes in facial appearance due to aging can even affect discriminatory facial features, resulting in deterioration of the ability of humans and machines to identify aged individuals. We describe how the effects of aging on facial appearance can be explained using learned age transformations and present experimental results to show that reasonably accurate estimates of age can be made for unseen images. We also show that we can improve our results by taking into account the fact that different individuals age in different ways and by considering the effect of lifestyle. Our proposed framework can be used for simulating aging effects on new face images in order to predict how an individual might look like in the future or how he/she used to look in the past. The methodology presented has also been used for designing a face recognition system, robust to aging variation. In this context, the perceived age of the subjects in the training and test images is normalized before the training and classification procedure so that aging variation is eliminated. Experimental results demonstrate that, when age normalization is used, the performance of our face recognition system can be improved.
Free-Riding in Tax Credits for Home Insulation in France: An Econometric Assessment Using Panel Data

This econometric study assesses the efficiency of the income tax credit system implemented in France in 2005 on households’ retrofitting investment decisions, focusing on insulation measures. A logit model with random individual effects is estimated using an unbalanced panel of 23,879 households surveyed over the period 2002-2011. An estimation in difference is performed to identify the impact of the policy. The tax credit had no significant effect during the first two years, suggesting a latency period related to inertia in households’ investment decisions, possibly due to the complexity of the tax credit scheme. The tax credit had an increasing, significant positive effect from 2007 to 2010, before slightly decreasing in 2011. This is in line with changes in the tax credit rates, suggesting a correlation with the level of subsidy. Defined as the situation in which the subsidized household would have invested even in the absence of the subsidy, free-riding progressively decreased over the period and was lower for insulation of opaque surfaces (roofs, walls, etc.) than for insulation of windows. The estimated average proportion of free-riders varies between 40% and 85% after 2006. Finally, we assess the potential bias caused by time-varying unobservable variables and conclude that our estimates of the impacts of the policy are conservative.
Correcting Distortions in Panoramic Images Using Constructive Neural Networks

This paper presents a novel approach to the correction of panoramic (wide-angle) image distortions. Unlike traditional methods that separate the distortion of the panoramic image into radial and tangential components and then concentrate on the correction of one type of distortion at a time, the method presented in this paper uses an integrated approach that simultaneously corrects all non-linear distortions of the panoramic image. The system uses data obtained from carefully constructed calibration patterns to automatically build and train a constructive neural network of suitable complexity to approximate the characteristic distortion of the panoramic image. The trained neural network is then used to correct the distortions represented by the sample data. It is demonstrated that by applying the distortion correction method presented in this paper to panoramic images representing real world scenes, perspective-corrected views of the real world scene that are usable in a wide variety of applications can be generated.
Shari’ah Audit in Islamic Financial Institutions: The Postgraduates’ Perspective

Islamic finance industry is claimed to be one of the fastest growing industry and allegedly immune to any financial turmoil. With a growth of between 15 to 20% for the past decades, it surely provides an interesting avenue for research. One aspect that is still under-researched is the shari’ah audit. In the absence of a proper framework and standards, this could dampen the future of the Islamic finance industry. There is an impending need for the Islamic financial institutions to provide reasonable and sufficient assurance that they have really followed the shari’ah through shari’ah audit. The absence of proper shari’ah audit framework is worrying. This study is embarked to get the perspectives of the postgraduate students on shari’ah audit in a country relatively new to Islamic finance industry. Postgraduate students from two universities are chosen as samples. Survey questionnaires are distributed by hand and the results are presented using frequency tables. It is found that they have a low level of awareness and understanding of the term and concept of shari’ah audit. They are also in vague as to whether the shari’ah audit is the same as conventional audit. Moreover, they feel that the Islamic financial institutions are not doing enough to promote shari’ah audit. They agree that the mass media has a big role to play in promoting shari’ah audit. Finally, they agree that the shari’ah audit has a very good potential to be developed in the future.
MRF based text binarization in complex images using stroke feature

This paper presents a novel binarization technique for text images based on Markov Random Field (MRF) framework. We regard stroke as an obvious feature of text to produce clustering result, which will be optimized by MRF model combining color, texture, context features to get the final binarization. The main innovations of our method are: (1) the integrated image is split into sub-images on which we can automatically acquire seed pixels of foreground and background using stroke feature; and (2) diverse weights are attached to seed pixels according to their location information, then highly confident cluster centers of sub-image can be acquired by gathering weighted seeds. The experimental results show that our method is robust and accurate on both video and scene images.
Mechanisms of platelet‐derived growth factor‐mediated neuroprotection – implications in HIV dementia

Platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) has been implicated in promoting survival and proliferation of immature neurons, and even protecting neurons from gp120‐induced cytotoxicity. However, the mechanisms involved in neuroprotection are not well understood. In the present study we demonstrate the role of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling in PDGF‐mediated neuroprotection. Pharmacological inhibition of PI3K greatly reduced the ability of PDGF‐BB to block gp120 IIIB‐mediated apoptosis and cell death in human neuroblastoma cells. The role of Akt in PDGF‐mediated protection was further corroborated using a dominant‐negative mutant of Akt, which was able to block the protective effect of PDGF. We next sequentially examined the signals downstream of Akt in PDGF‐mediated protection in human neuroblastoma cells. In cells pretreated with PDGF prior to gp120 there was increased phosphorylation of both GSK‐3β and Bad, an effect that was inhibited by PI3‐kinase inhibitor. Nuclear translocation of NF‐κB, which lies downstream of GSK‐3β, however, remained unaffected in cells treated with PDGF. In addition to inducing phosphorylation of Bad, PDGF‐mediated protection also involved down‐regulation of the proapoptotic protein Bax. Furthermore, PDGF‐mediated protection also involved the inhibition of gp120‐induced release of mitochondrial cytochrome C. Our findings thus underscore the roles of both PI3K/Akt and Bcl family pathways in PDGF‐mediated neuroprotection.
Key signaling pathways in the muscle‐invasive bladder carcinoma: Clinical markers for disease modeling and optimized treatment

In this review, we evaluate key molecular pathways and markers of muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Overexpression and activation of EGFR, p63, and EMT genes are suggestive of basal MIBC subtype generally responsive to chemotherapy. Alterations in PPARγ, ERBB2/3, and FGFR3 gene products and their signaling along with deregulated p53, cytokeratins KRT5/6/14 in combination with the cellular proliferation (Ki‐67), and cell cycle markers (p16) indicate the need for more radical treatment protocols. Similarly, the “bell‐shape” dynamics of Shh expression levels may suggest aggressive MIBC. A panel of diverse biological markers may be suitable for simulation studies of MIBC and development of an optimized treatment protocol. We conducted a critical evaluation of PubMed/Medline and SciFinder databases related to MIBC covering the period 2009–2015. The free‐text search was extended by adding the following keywords and phrases: bladder cancer, metastatic, muscle‐invasive, basal, luminal, epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cell, mutations, immune response, signaling, biological markers, molecular markers, mathematical models, simulation, epigenetics, transmembrane, transcription factor, kinase, predictor, prognosis. The resulting selection of ca 500 abstracts was further analyzed in order to select the latest publications relevant to MIBC molecular markers of immediate clinical significance.
Does Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation Enhance Auditor Independence? Evidence from Spain

SUMMARY: In this study, we document evidence on the impact of mandatory rotation of audit firms on auditor independence using Spanish archival data. Rotation of audit firms every nine years was mandatory in Spain from 1988–1995. Although the rule was never enforced, the Spanish context provides a unique setting to examine the effects that mandatory audit firm rotation has on auditor behavior. We examine audit reports for a sample of financially stressed companies from 1991–2000 to compare audit reporting behavior in a regime with rotation (mandatory rotation period: 1991–1994) and one without rotation (post‐mandatory rotation period: 1995–2000). We test two competing hypotheses concerning the impact of mandatory rotation on the likelihood of auditors' issuing going‐concern modified audit opinions. We find no evidence to suggest that a mandatory rotation requirement is associated with a higher likelihood of issuing going‐concern opinions. Our results suggest that auditors' incentives to protect their reput.
Research on architecture of digital educational resources grid and specification of metadata

The traditional Web model can't meet the requirement of file resource management under Internet environment for reasons of Web server bottleneck, resource replication management, resource discovery and network bandwidth problems. Grid technology provides an efficient method for distributed resources management. This paper introduces architecture of educational resources grid (ERG) and analyzes the components function in detail. A metadata specification of ERG is proposed.
Does Wagner’s Law really apply to Greece?

Abstract Time series data and six different empirical equations are used to test whether Wagner’s Law applies to the Greek economy. Since the particular series in the study are notoriously known to be nonstationary, cointegration testing is a sine qua non in our analysis. Then the OLS method is used with all standard statistical tests. Special care is taken of the structural stability of the models with the dummy variable approach. The main conclusion of the study is that doubts are cast upon the universal acceptance of Wagner’s Law when the sample period is considered as a whole. However, when structural changes are considered, evidence is given for Wagner’s Law applicability, especially for the second span of 1974–1996. This is attributed to both economic and political reasons, as well to the overall “new philosophy” prevailing all these years.
A Comparative Analysis of Several Popular Term Structure Estimation Models

Fixed-income analysis begins with the term structure. Issues arise as to the methodology for estimating a term structure. Practitioners seem to want a method that is easy to implement, reliable, accurate, and appropriate for their particular niche (e.g., hedging, mortgage-backed, trading, or valuation). Our analysis addresses estimation methodology by using simulations to examine six methods of deriving a cross-sectional discount function.
Block of IKs by the diuretic agent indapamide modulates cardiac electrophysiological effects of the class III antiarrhythmic drug dl-sotalol.

Indapamide is a diuretic agent with direct electrophysiological effects on ionic currents involved in cardiac repolarization. In particular, indapamide blocks the slow component of delayed rectifier potassium current. In contrast, most class III antiarrhythmic agents, such as dl-sotalol, block the rapid component of delayed rectifier potassium current. Computer simulations have suggested potentiation of drug effects on cardiac repolarization by the combined block of the rapid component of delayed rectifier potassium current and the slow component of delayed rectifier potassium current. Therefore, the objective of our study was to evaluate the modulation of cardiac electrophysiological effects of dl-sotalol by indapamide. Two indices of cardiac repolarization, monophasic action potential duration at 90% repolarization and effective refractory period, at two basic cycle lengths (800 and 400 msec) were determined in 24 anesthetized open-chest dogs. In two treatment groups (n = 6/group), data were obtained at base line and every 2 min during steadily increasing concentrations of dl-sotalol (0-40 microg/ml) either alone or in the presence of indapamide (500 ng/ml). Data were also obtained in dogs receiving either a low-dose (500 ng/ml) or a high-dose (up to 7.5 microg/ml) infusion regimen of indapamide alone. Administration of dl-sotalol was associated with concentration-dependent increases in monophasic action potential duration at 90% repolarization and effective refractory period, whereas repolarization was only slightly altered by the administration of indapamide alone. However, concentration-response curves of dl-sotalol were shifted to the left in dogs treated with the combination of dl-sotalol and indapamide, and the EC50 values of dl-sotalol estimated for the prolongation of monophasic action potential duration at 90% repolarization and effective refractory period were decreased 3-fold during the coadministration of both drugs (P < .05 vs. dl-sotalol alone). Thus, under conditions of normal K+ levels, clinically relevant concentrations of indapamide modulate dl-sotalol effects on cardiac repolarization. Additional block of cardiac K+ currents, especially the rapid component of delayed rectifier potassium current and the slow component of delayed rectifier potassium current could explain these observations.
Reduction of Power and Area in Shift Register Using Pulsed Latches

This paper proposes a low-power and area-efficient shift register using pulsed latches. The area and power consumption are reduced by replacing flipflops with pulsed latches. This method solves the timing problem between pulsed latches through the use of multiple non-overlap delayed pulsed clock signals instead of the conventional single pulsed clock signal. The shift register uses a small number of the pulsed clock signals by grouping the latches to several sub shifter registers and using additional temporary storage latches. A 128-bit shift register using pulsed latches was fabricated using a 65nm CMOS process with VDD = 1.0V. The proposed shift register saves area and power compared to the conventional shift register with flip-flops.
Panum's Limiting Case: Double Fusion, Convergence Error, or ‘Da Vinci Stereopsis’

Panum's limiting case—a perceived depth difference between two lines in one eye combined with only one in the other eye—has long been considered weak or reversible. In the last few years this has led to strong promotion of the view that Panum's case is not based on a stereoscopic process involving double fusion, that only one line is fused, with the depth of the other one attributable either to fixation disparity or to occlusion cues. This view is refuted in two ways. First it is shown that when the separation of the two lines, considered as a disparity, is within the range of ‘patent stereopsis’, depth is perceived with a precision and accuracy indistinguishable from regular stereopsis. The predictions of nonstereoscopic theories concerning the effects of fixation are not borne out at small disparities. Second, very compelling Panum versions of orientation and curvature disparity are introduced, which are difficult to account for except by a process of double fusion. Finally it is shown that at large disparities the depth in Panum's case deviates from prediction more frequently than does regular stereoscopic depth.
Occupational Segregation In The Malaysian Labor Market: Evidence On The L Index

Empirical research on occupational segregation has conventionally measured it with Duncan dissimilarity index. This paper adopts an alternative approach — the L index — using the multivariate analysis introduced by Spriggs and Williams, which we extend to explore the impact of economic development on occupational segregation. This enables us to investigate the importance of individuals' attributes in explaining the segregation. Using data from the Labor Force Survey between 1985 and 2005, our results indicate that the L index controlling only for sex is substantial and persistent. However, the full model L index generally implies that occupational segregation has widened after controlling for individuals' attributes. It is found that segregation in the Malaysian labor market is mainly explained by gender, which, on average, accounts for 82% of the segregation. When a measure of macroeconomic conditions and a time variable economic are factored into the model that controls for gender only, the L index remains unchanged.