Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Margrabe Formulas for a Simple Bivariate Exponential Variance-Gamma Price Process (II) Statistical Estimation and Application

A multivariate moment method for the simple multivariate variance-gamma distribution is considered. It takes into account the star products of both the coskewness and cokurtosis tensors. The model parameters depend upon the solution of a sextic equation, and the covariance matrix is functionally dependent upon coskweness and cokurtosis. The method enables simultaneous estimation of the parameters given sample estimates of the mean vector, coskewness vector and cokurtosis matrix. Application to the estimation of the bivariate variance-gamma model for the Standard & Poors 500 and NASDAQ 100 stock market indices is undertaken. The statistical fitting results are used to compare the original Margrabe formula with a variance-gamma exchange option pricing formula derived through application of the stateprice deflator approach.
A Prehistoric Geometric Rock Art Landscape by the First Nile Cataract

● n°19 janvier 2009 Recent survey has shown that the hinterland at Gharb Aswan, by the fi rst Nile cataract opposite modern Aswan, has a signifi cant corpus of geometric rock art. It is comparable to corpora at Abka near the second cataract and El-Hosh close to Gebel el-Silsila, but appears to be more varied. Presumably spanning the period from the Epipalaeolithic to the early Predynastic, complex rectilinear forms accompanied by ladders seem to defi ne the earliest horizon, whereas meandering lines, sometimes associated with giraffes would belong to the latest. Located in connection to notable landscape formations, there is a wide variety of simple geometric forms, however composite designs and unique, complex compositions also occur, in some cases together with crocodiles, other animals and human fi gures. Undoubtedly, this rock art is the expression of relatively mobile groups that ranged across Upper Egypt, Lower Nubia and the adjacent deserts in the Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic periods. An important corpus of “classic” Predynastic rock art is found near earlier pictures, which indicate the longterm signifi cance of the locations. It is suggested that diversity in the geometric corpus can be explained in terms of age and the varying contexts in which it may have been made. As judged from several strands of indirect evidence, principal reasons for coming to Gharb Aswan in prehistory are believed to include hunting and stone procurement. There may have been campsites near early rock art and the area could have held signifi cance as a meeting place along converging travel routes. The extraordinary location by the fi rst cataract is also commented upon.
Underlying Factors of MELAB Listening Constructs

This study examined underlying factors of the listening construct of the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Confirmatory factor analysis tested the hypothesis that the listening construct had two underlying factors: language knowledge and comprehension. The analysis of the input facet of MELAB resulted in 14 listening ability variables. A total of 2,133 test takers’ listening scores were used. The initial model showed several high standard residuals and significant model chi-square values suggesting model respecification. In the respecified model, the measurement errors were allowed to covary while the factor associations remained unchanged. The respecified model showed good fit of both parameters and overall model. Thus the second model of listening construct was accepted as evidence to support the hypothesis. The two-factor model supported the complex nature of listening. The two factors were part of various knowledge sources in L2 listening, and other sources could account for the measurement error covariances. Listening constructs refer to the ability measured by a given listening test and are different from genetic listening abilities due to the test method effect. It is important to understand what is tested in order to argue for the validity of meaningful inference about listening abilities of test takers. This study investigates the underlying factors of the listening construct of the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). The underlying factors represent the dimensions of listening abilities and are grounded on theoretical aspects of listening abilities. In order to conceptualize the factors, this study considers language theories, comprehension processing, and test method formats. Language theories provide a theoretical basis for defining the components of the listening construct. Comprehension processing explains a cognitive complexity of the listening construct. Test formats are structural characteristics of a given test that place restrictions in defining the construct.
Corporate Governance, Investor Attention and Post-Earnings Announcement Drift

We study how corporate governance would affect market reactions to earnings surprises: the post-earnings announcement drift phenomenon. We conjecture that both investors’ under-reactions and over-reactions to earnings surprises can cause the post earnings announcement drift. For a bad governance firm, we conjecture that investors would under-react to earnings surprises as they are less confident in the earnings announcements and attribute the earnings surprises more to the firm's luck rather than to its ability, and it’s this under-reaction that causes the post announcement drift in a bad governance firm. In contrast, for a good governance firm we conjecture that as investors are more confident in its earnings surprises and attribute them more to the firm's ability rather than to its luck, their reactions to earnings surprises could change from under-reaction to over-reaction, and it’s this over-reaction that causes the drift in a good governance firm. Using earnings and firm characteristics data from I/B/E/S and Compustat together with corporate governance data we provide results supporting these conjectures. JEL Classification: G14, G34
N4136 – C Concurrency Challenges Draft 2014-10-13

In this paper we investigate the concurrency semantics of C and C++. We ﬁrst give two positive results: we show that (for strongly ﬁnite programs) the existing axiomatic model for C/C++11 satisﬁes one of the core design goals, guaranteeing sequentially consistent semantics for race-free programs that do not use low-level atomics, and we develop an equivalent executable operational model. These results are mechanised, in HOL4 and Isabelle respectively. We then investigate the longstanding problem of thin-air executions , which are known to be a challenge for the semantics of high-performance relaxed atomics. We ﬁrst give a concise description of the problem and show that it cannot be solved (without restricting current compiler optimisations) with any per-candidate-execution condition. We then show that the problem essentially recurs when one attempts to integrate the concurrency model with more of C, mixing atomic and nonatomic accesses; it is not conﬁned to programs that use relaxed atomics. We explore how far one can go with a semantics based on an explicit operational construction of out-of-order execution; this gives the desired behaviour for thin-air examples but exposes further difﬁculties. We conclude by summarising the possible alternatives for the semantics of C and C++. The remarkable and disturbing fact is that, currently, there is no really satisfactory proposal for the semantics of any general-purpose shared-memory concurrent programming language.
Intertwining Trilogy Premises of Hope, Social Support and Trust Relieving Work Stress Influencing to Well-being

The aim of this study was to verify premises that job security has indirect influence on well-being by means of hope, social support, and trust. Meanwhile, job autonomy and person-environment fit (P-E fit) have direct and indirect influence on well-being by means of social support and trust. Two hundred and eighteen respondents working in multinational companies were selected to test this hypothetical model. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in Linear Structural Relation (LISREL) software, several assumptions in the model were tested, i.e. how job security affected well-being, how autonomy influenced well-being, and how individual deal with it; how P-E fit directly influenced well-being, and how those who were working in the unfavorable environment could reach their well-being condition. The resulting fit indexes Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) with a value of . 031 and CFI with a value of . 99 significantly confirmed that the model fits and is reliable to represent the actual situation in multinational oil company and multinational automotive company. It was also generalized Conservation of Resources (COR) theory conducted in collective culture. Ultimately, this study offered theoretical and applicative suggestions as new and constructive contributions in improving the well-being at workplace in collective culture.
Asymptotic behavior of dilution index in steady Darcy flows through heterogeneous porous media

The dilution index E is an indicator of mixing of inert solute clouds in heterogeneous porous media. Its maximum value is theoretically known to increase monotonically in steady Darcy flows through isotropic heterogeneous porous media. Our numerical results allow us to test this hypothesis by establishing the relationship between the slope a of maximum dilution index Emax and the averaged positive second invariantQav of deformation tensor∇u. The parameters of this relationship depend on molecular diffusion and dimensionality of problem considered.
The Role of Diffusion Weighted MR Imaging in Assessment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Radiofrequency Ablation

Background: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy. Surgical resection and local ablative therapies represent the most frequent first lines therapies adopted when liver transplantation cannot be offered. Aim of the work:this study aimedto evaluate the feasibility of DWI and the corresponding ADC values to detect tumor response after radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients and methods: MR examinations were done for 20 HCC patients post-RFA. Pre and post gadolinium enhanced images as well as DW sequences were performed. ADC values of ablation zones and liver parenchyma were assessed. ADC values of ablation zones and adjacent signal alterations identified in DWI were analyzed. Results:residual or recurrent lesions were detected in 4 patients (20%). The mean ADC value of ablated zones differed significantly from that of normal liver parenchyma. The corresponding ADC values were significantly lower in patients with residual lesion than in patients without residual lesion. Conclusion: it can be concluded that DWI is a feasible follow-up tool for post ablation liver contributing in detection of residual lesion.
Addressing the challenge of lean manufacturing sustainment with system dynamics modeling: a case study on apparel manufacturing in a developing country

Lean techniques have yet to extend to the majority of manufacturers in developing countries where traditional work practices are dominant and cultural resistance to change is high. This research consists of a case study about a Lean implementation at a clothing manufacturer in a developing country. Production wastes are identified and appropriate lean techniques, namely Total Productive Maintenance, Kanban and Supermarket Pull, are used to eliminate or reduce them. The potential impacts on the manufacturing system are first assessed using a system dynamics model. The modeling results showed that system performance, in the form of reduced work-in-process, is improved by 34% on average starting immediately after the lean intervention, which was replicated by a similar trend in practice. A similar improvement trend was achieved with the actual implementation of the selected lean techniques. And since lean improvements are typically difficult to sustain over the long term, the system dynamics model is simulated over a 6 months period to ensure the achieved benefits are sustained.
Export-output Causality in Bolivia during the Years of Neo-Liberal Trade Policies, 1986-2003 by

As a small open economy, Bolivia provides a good example of a developing country trying to achieve economic growth by pursuing outward-oriented policies. After an overview of the economy, we examine the causal relationship between output and three measures of export revenues from agricultural, manufacturing, and mining sectors. Our findings suggest that export revenues play an important role in determining current aggregate activity but have not yet been an engine for future growth. Given these findings, we discuss the strength and limitations of outward-oriented (and macroeconomic stabilization) policies for promoting economic activity as well as the importance of preferential export agreements in regional and US markets.
Conformational Studies of Aβ (1-12) with Metals and Small Molecules Suggests Plausible Disruption of Aggregation

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of senile dementia, is associated with the progressive accumulation of plaques and tangles within the neuronal cell. The plaques are composed of amyloid (Aβ) peptide fragments with a high propensity for aggregation. Metal ion binding to Aβ peptide has been known to alter the aggregation of the peptide and to be involved in the pathogenecity of Alzheimer’s. Earlier investigations suggest that the N terminal hydrophilic region of the peptide exhibit preferential ligand binding capabilities and, thus initiate the onset of aggregation events. The complexation events with metals like zinc, copper, aluminium, and small molecules like betaine and curcumin, reported in this paper provide a molecular level appreciation of the binding characteristics of the Aβ (1-12) peptide fragments and the variations thereof. Our data show notable conformational changes induced due the binding of these ligands, suggesting plausible clues to explore these molecules as potential inhibitors and neuro-protective agents for AD.
FAMILIARITY, FIXED ENTRY COSTS AND ADJUSTMENTS ON THE EXTENSIVE MARGIN-an empirical analysis of unilateral export flows

Fixed entry costs play an important role to explain the observed heterogeneity among exporters in terms of the extent of their export activities. Yet, the existing literature has paid little attention to the nature and variation of such costs across different markets. This paper proposes a link between familiarity and fixed entry costs, such that (all else equal) the cost of entering a familiar market is lower than entering an unfamiliar one. A testable implication of this is that familiarity should primarily affect the extensive margin (number of exporters) of exports. This hypothesis is tested by estimating a gravity equation on a panel that describes Swedish firms’ exports to 150 destination countries over a period of seven years. The results are consistent with the hypothesis and show that the effect of familiarity on the volume of aggregate exports is exclusively due to adjustments on the extensive margin. The adjustments on the extensive margin are large and have a significant impact on aggregate export volumes. The findings do not only help to clarify the nature and variation of fixed entry costs across destination markets: they also suggest a precise mechanism through which familiarity affects trade. JEL classification: F10, F14, R12
Knockdown of Radixin Suppresses Growth of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Radixin, encoded by chromosome 11 (11 exons), is a member of the ERM (ezrin–radixin–moesin) family; it functions as a membrane-cytoskeletal crosslinkers in actin-rich cell surface structures and is thereby thought to be essential for cortical cytoskeleton organization, cell motility, adhesion and proliferation (Hoeflich and Ikura, 2004). ERM proteins display a similar structural organization. They share extensive homology in their amino-terminal domain, which is called the four-point one, ezrin, radixin, moesin (FERM) domain (Gautreau et al., 2002). The last 34 residues of the ~100 amino acid carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) of radixin consists of a (filamentous) F-actin-binding site. Spanning these globular domains lies an α-helix-rich domain, termed the α-domain. Recent biophysical studies indicate that the radixin α-domain is an extremely long (240Å in length from Nto C-terminus), linear monomer with an enhanced number of electrostatic, salt bridge interactions predicted to contribute synergistically to its thermal stability (Hoeflich et al., 2003). Activated radixin has been shown to join actin filaments to CD43, CD44, and ICAM1-3 cell adhesion molecules and various membrane channels and receptors, such as the Na+/H+ exchanger-3 (NHE3), cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and the β2-adrenergic receptor (Tsukita and Yonemura, 1999; Bretscher et al., 2002; ). Radixin is expressed in a variety of normal and
Comparison Results for Nonlinear Difference Equations

The existence of solution and extremal solutions of equation are obtained. o o u t u t u t g t u    ) ( )); ( , ( ) ( Some comparison theorems are proved and are extended to finite system of difference inequalities. To extend the results, mixed monotone property is used.
Education or Western Governance – The Beneficial Effects of FDI in Developing Countries

This paper develops the literature concerning the growth effects of FDI in developing countries in the context of the importance of institutions. There is a large literature that seeks to determine the growth effects of FDI, and equally one that seeks to link FDI to institutional quality. However, while the potential endogeneity between growth and FDI has been commented on, paucity of data has tended to prevent a more systematic analysis of this. We extend this literature further by examining the growth effects of both institutional quality and education, for a panel of 57 developing countries over a period of 18 years. We show that while institutional quality is important for countries seeking to attract inward investment, it is not as important as education.
Core Lab Analysis of Baseline Echocardiographic Studies in the STICH Trial and Recommendation for Use of Echocardiography in Future Clinical Trials

Jae K. Oh, MD, Patricia A. Pellikka, MD, Julio A. Panza, MD, Jolanta Biernat, MD, Tiziana Attisano, MD, Barbara G. Manahan, RDCS, Heather J. Wiste, BA, Grace Lin, MD, Kerry Lee, PhD, Fletcher A. Miller, Jr., MD, Susanna Stevens, MS, George Sopko, MD, Lilin She, PhD, and Eric J. Velazquez, MD, on Behalf of the STICH Trial Investigators, Rochester, Minnesota; Washington, District of Columbia; Katowich, Poland; Salemo, Italy; Durham, North Carolina; Bethesda, Maryland
Haki Yako: a client provider information education and communication project in Kenya.

The Family Planning Association of Kenya implemented the Kenya Client-Provider Information Education and Communication (IEC) Project (the Haki Yako [Its Your Right] campaign) during February 1991-June 1994. The campaign was intended to increase partner communication on family planning and to increase awareness of the safety of modern contraceptives. The project also trained trainers of community-based distributors (CBDs) and clinic service providers to improve the quality of counseling. The project evaluation consisted of clinic studies omnibus surveys and observations of CBD trainers. Even though the overall contraceptive prevalence rate did not increase the project was associated with an increase in the number of new acceptors at clinics in the continued use of modern methods for at least 1 year in partner communication on family planning and in the availability and use of educational materials at service delivery points as well as an improvement in the public image of family planning providers. By September-October 1993 76% of the adults were exposed to at least 1 Haki Yako campaign material. During April-May 1994 56% had heard the radio serial drama (Discussion Leads to Understanding). About 60% recalled at least 1 of the 2 project posters. About 45% of people who heard the radio program in 1993 took some action especially talked with spouse (36%). People who listened to the radio program were more likely to use modern contraceptives than non-listeners (56% vs. 38%). New acceptors were more likely to report the radio drama as influencing their decision to seek family planning services than any other campaign material (76% vs. 46-58%). Respondents exposed to campaign materials were more likely to perceive service providers positively than those not exposed. New acceptors per month increased from 1500 to 2000 during the campaign. During 1991-1993 availability of leaflets and of flipcharts increased from 40% to 68% and 28% to 58% respectively. By the end of the project almost 75% of CBDs were trained by their agencies compared to about 25% of clinic service providers.
Endogenous hub formations in international trade∗

Paul Krugman in 1993 explored the role of transportation hubs in the pattern of trade. He asked when and why will a transportation hub emerge. In this paper, I incorporate network theory in a simple trade model of monopolistic competition with representative firms in order to yield conditions governing the optimal network formation a hub or a direct links structure. Firms take into consideration the optimal network for their trading strategy. Reductions in variable and fixed costs affect trade flows in the predictive way. But trade volumes also have an impact on the optimal transportation network structure because of increasing returns in the transport sector, herein modelled via the manufacturing firm. I provide empirical evidence for the existence of hub formations and direct connections in international trade flows by employing HS2 bilateral trade flows for a panel of 63 countries between 2003 and 2007. I compare two measures of distance, direct capital and indirect capital distance, under two different regimes: countries trading directly, and countries trading indirectly. Indirect distance under hub networks reduces exports by about 5 per cent less relative to direct distance. The latter reduces export flows 24 per cent less than indirect distance when direct trading is allowed. I show that the network formation is driven through sectoral heterogeneity. The decision of the firm to choose network formations results in the endogeneity of distance. Consequently sector fixed effects are utilised or time difference as an instrument to identify the impact of the network structure in trade flows. Preliminary Draft, August 2012. Please do not cite without prior permission from the author. First version September 2011.
Noise Removal Method for Moving Images Using 3-D and Time-Domain Total Variation Regularization Decomposition

— In recent years, in order to display high vision broadcast the next generation displays, super resolution techniques for improving image resolution are demanded. In addition, with the spread of digital cameras and smartphones, people have more opportunities to handle camera images. In particular, images of surveillance cameras are required to obtain high-definition output by removing noise. In this paper, in order to avoid the adverse effect of image quality deterioration when emphasizing noise mixed image which is a problem of super resolution processing, we examine a noise removal method before super resolution processing. In our proposed method, Total Variation regularization, which is decomposed into structure and texture components, is extended in direction of time axis. As a result, moving images can be decomposed into structure moving images and texture moving images. In theory, it is thought that noise components with large value of Total Variation should shift to texture components. Furthermore, we aim for separation of texture components and noise, and aim for acquisition of high-definition moving images. We verify the performance of our proposed method by comparing it with the BM3D method, which is regarded as the highest performance for moving image noise removal processing. 