Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Simplified Approach to Modelling the Co-Movement of Asset Returns

This paper proposes a simplified multivariate GARCH model that involves the estimation of only univariate GARCH models, both for the individual return series and for the sum and difference of each pair of series. The covariance between each pair of return series is then imputed from these variance estimates. The model that we propose is considerably easier to estimate than existing multivariate GARCH models and does not suffer from the convergence problems that characterize many of these models. Moreover, the model can be easily extended to include more complex dynamics or alternative forms of the GARCH specification. We use the simplified multivariate GARCH model to estimate the minimum-variance hedge ratio for the FTSE 100 index portfolio, hedged using index futures, and compare it to four of the most widely used multivariate GARCH models. The simplified multivariate GARCH model performs at least as well as the other models that we consider, and in some cases better than them.
Introduction into France of the Japanese oyster ( Crassostrea gigas )

The Japanese oyster (Crassostrea gigas) has been introduced in France on a large scale to replace cultivation of the Portuguese oyster (Crassostrea angulata), affected by a viral disease. The importation took place from 1971 to 1975, with broodstock coming from British Columbia (Canada) and spat from Japan. Good growth rate and success of the natural setting on the French Atlantic coast attested to the success of this implantation, with a production which reached 80000 t by 1976. The precautionary measures associated with this transfer Iimited the implantation of an introduced fauna, 15 years after, to: Balanus amphitrite, Aiptasia pulchella and, on the Mediterranean coast, Undaria pinnatifida and Laminaria japonica. The authors also discuss the possible role of Crassostrea gigas in spreading the viral disease.
A chronology of climatic downturns through the mid- and late-Holocene: tracing the distant effects of explosive eruptions from palaeoclimatic and historical evidence in northern Europe

Geochronological data of the conifer tree rings in a region sensitive to climatic effects of explosive eruptions were analysed for sudden growth reductions in association with extraordinarily cool reconstructed summer temperatures since 5500 B.C. Tree-ring data came from the stems of living trees and subfossil tree remains collected as increment cores and discs, respectively, from an area of northernmost Finnish Lapland (70–68°N to 30–20°E). Calendar year dates when the tree-ring signatures (i.e., growth reductions and reconstructed temperatures) were concurrent were compared with sulphate data from Greenland ice cores. Previous and new evidence are in agreement in demonstrating volcanism behind late-Holocene events in 1601 A.D. and 536 A.D., suggesting that the same causal relationship can be implied further back in time. Our data show that earlier events were found to have occurred in the years 330 B.C., 874 B.C., 1464 B.C., 1584 B.C., 2564 B.C. and 2850 B.C. Interestingly, events of lesser magnitude followed the three major events in 542 A.D., 1453 B.C. and 1579 B.C. by a few years. Natural disasters, and grain crop failures, occurred as a result of these events, as has been documented for the summer of 1601 A.D. through Finnish historical data and broadly in the Northern Hemisphere. Climate has surprised humans during historic and likely pre-historic times, causing sudden alterations in agriculture, ecology and economy, and may do so in the future. We argue that the climate change with the most magnified impacts on society may be a negative temperature anomaly that abruptly decreases resource availability over wide spatial scales.
AN APPROACH TO INCLUDE THE LIFE SITUATION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Suitable products are able to support elderly people in daily life. It is crucial to understand the future users and their needs. Interviews with elderly people are conducted by an interdisciplinary team, which asked the interviewees about their daily life, what problems arise and how products could be of help. This led to two results: support is clustered in different kinds of technical support and there are hints how products should be designed, in order to satisfy the future users. It became obvious to know not only the activity, which causes problems, but also the reason for it.
New Concepts of Innovation in Economic Sciences – Implications in the Field of Food Economy

Abstract The development of innovation theory points to the growing importance of innovation in the processes occurring in the economy. The paper characterizes evolutionary changes innovation models - starting with the linear models up to the cooperation network concept. Particular attention was paid to the creation of contemporary models of innovation and the possibility of their implementation in the food industry. It was found that innovation should increasingly be based on the concept of open innovation. It assumes the active participation of many actors in the creation of cross-organizational knowledge and skills improvement. This trend may be the answer to food industry companies to the growing competitive pressure in global markets.
Optimization Strategies for Multi-Aperture SAR Imaging With High Performance

Multi-aperture synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems enable high performance SAR imaging thus meeting the rising demands of future remote sensing applications that conventional SAR cannot fulfill. To provide constant per­formance even in case of a non-uniformly sam­pled data array in azimuth caused by a non-optimum pulse repetition frequency (PRF), an appropriate coherent proc­essing of the individual aperture signals is needed. An innovative multi-aperture reconstruction algorithm for such a ‘digital beam­forming on receive’ was presented and inves­tigated in -. This paper continues with a system design example to dem­onstrate the algorithm’s capa­bility for high performance imaging. Further, innovative strategies and extended system architectures allowing for optimizing the system perform­ance are introduced and their effectiveness is shown by simulation results. In this context, the theoretical characteri­zation of the impact of the proc­essing on the NESZ is extended to the new concepts.
Demand for Bank Lending by the Private Business Sector in Pakistan

This study estimates the demand for bank lending by the private business sector in Pakistan. For the purpose of analysis a three-step methodology is applied, that is, univariate analysis, multivariate cointegration analysis, and error correction mechanism. It is found that the individual series are difference stationary, and there is a long-run stable relationship between the variables. The preferred model, obtained by the application of the general-to-specific methodology is also found to be stable throughout the study period. The study shows that the output of business sector is an important determinant of the demand for bank credit in Pakistan, implying that to achieve the objective of monetary policy the behaviour of the output of business sector must not be ignored. Furthermore, the study shows that the rate of interest on bank advances is an important determinant of the demand of credit by the business sector. It implies that monetary authorities can move the flow of bank credit to the private sector while changing the interest rate charged on bank lending. The analysis has important implications: a tight monetary policy implies a high rate of real interest; a high rate of interest on bank lending negatively affects the demand for bank credit by the business sector (and the investment), which in turn leads to low aggregate demand and lower output. That is what has happened in Pakistan in the last decade.
Shifting paradigms: on the robustness of economic models to heavy-tailedness assumptions

The structure of many models in economics and finance depends on majorization properties of convolutions of distributions. In this paper, we analyze robustness of these properties and the models based on them to heavy-tailedness assumptions. We show, in particular, that majorization properties of linear combinations of log-concavely distributed signals are reversed for very long-tailed distributions. As applications of the results, we study robustness of monotone consistency of the sample mean, value at risk analysis and the model of demand-driven innovation and spatial competition as well as that of optimal bundling strategies for a multiproduct monopolist in the case of an arbitrary degree of complementarity or substitutability among the goods. The implications of the models remain valid for not too heavy-tailed distributions. However, their main properties are reversed in the very thick-tailed setting
An Empirical Analysis of Security Issues in Cloud Environment

Cloud Computing is a flexible, cost-effective, and proven delivery platform for providing business or consumer IT services over the Internet. However, cloud Computing presents an added level of risk because essential services are often outsourced to a third party, which makes it harder to maintain data security and privacy, support data and service availability, and demonstrate compliance. Cloud Computing leverages many technologies (SOA, virtualization, Web 2.0); it also inherits their security issues, which we discuss here, identifying the main vulnerabilities in this kind of systems and the most important threats found in the literature related to Cloud Computing and its environment as well as to identify and relate vulnerabilities and threats with possible solutions.
Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Model of Inelastic Oscillator Based on Equivalent Linearization Technique

In reliability-based seismic design of a structure, it is important to estimate the maximum response of an inelastic oscillator corresponding to a prescribed exceedance probability during a reference period. This paper first investigates the accuracy of the use of either a uniform hazard spectrum (UHS) or a conditional mean spectrum along with an equivalent linearization technique to estimate the response. Then, a new approximation method is proposed using UHS along with a modified Capacity Spectrum. The accuracy and applicability of the method is discussed using numerical examples as well as a generic model.
On Click Fraud

Internet advertising is getting more and more important. As in every growing line of business, criminals try to profit from that growth. They do so by manipulating Pay-Per-Click (PPC) adverts with artificially generated clicks, a process which is known as Click Fraud (CF). CF is not difficult to commit and, consequently, it could threaten the existence of companies like Google. At present, there seems to be no way to either detect or prevent CF. It can, however, be altogether avoided by switching from PPC to other advertising schemes like Cost-Per-Action.
An estimation of the plasma parameters in the solar corona using quasi-periodic metric type III radio burst emission

We report radio observations of quasi-periodic type III burst emission from the solar corona in close association with the 2B/X2.8 flare of December 11, 2001 at two frequencies (151.5 and 109 MHz). The measured mean period was ≈11.6 s. We attempted to infer the plasma parameters of the region where the electron beams responsible for the observed type III emission were accelerated/injected using our data, and the values are the following: the Alfven speed (vA) = 873 ± 427 km s −1 ;t he electron density (Ne) ≈ 3.09 × 10 9 cm −3 ; the magnetic field strength (B) = 22 ± 11 G.
Molecular Taxonomy of a Phantom Midge Species (Chaoborus flavicans) in Korea

The larvae of Chaoborus are widely distributed in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. These omnivorous Chaoborus larvae are crucial predators and play a role in structuring zooplankton communities, especially for small-sized prey. Larvae of Chaoborus are commonly known to produce predator-induced polyphenism in Daphnia sp. Nevertheless, their taxonomy and molecular phylogeny are very poorly understood. As a fundamental study for understanding the role of Chaoborus in predator-prey interactions in a freshwater ecosystem, the molecular identification and phylogenetic relationship of Chaoborus were analyzed in this study. A molecular comparison based on partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) between species in Chaoborus was carried out for the identification of Chaoborus larvae collected from 2 localities in Korea. According to the results, the Chaoborus species examined here was identified as C. flavicans, which is a lake-dwelling species. Furthermore, partial mitochondrial genome including COI, COII, ATP6, ATP8, COIII, and ND3 were also newly sequenced from the species and concatenated 5 gene sequences excluding ATP8 with another 9 dipteran species were compared to examine phylogenetic relationships of C. flavicans. The results suggested that Chaoborus was more related to the Ceratopogonidae than to the Culicidae. Further analysis based on complete mitochondrial DNA sequences and nuclear gene sequences will provide a more robust validation of the phylogenetic relationships of Chaoborus within dipteran lineages.
poietin-2 (Ang2)-small interfering (si)RNA chitosan magnetic nanoparticles and to observe the interference effects of the nanoparticles on the expression of the Ang2 gene in human malignant melanoma cells. Ang2-siRNA chitosan magnetic nanoparticles were constructed and transfected into human maligna

The aim of the present study was to construct angiopoietin-2 (Ang2)-small interfering (si)RNA chitosan magnetic nanoparticles and to observe the interference effects of the nanoparticles on the expression of the Ang2 gene in human malignant melanoma cells. Ang2-siRNA chitosan magnetic nanoparticles were constructed and transfected into human malignant melanoma cells in vitro. Red fluorescent protein expression was observed, and the transfection efficiency was analyzed. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) was used to assess the inhibition efficiency of Ang2 gene expression. Ang2-siRNA chitosan magnetic nanoparticles were successfully constructed, and at a mass ratio of plasmid to magnetic chitosan nanoparticles of 1:100, the transfection efficiency into human malignant melanoma cells was the highest of the ratios assessed, reaching 61.17%. RT-qPCR analysis showed that the magnetic chitosan nanoparticles effectively inhibited Ang2 gene expression in cells, and the inhibition efficiency reached 59.56% (P<0.05). Ang2‐siRNA chitosan magnetic nanoparticles were successfully constructed. The in vitro studies showed that the nanoparticles inhibited Ang2 gene expression in human malignant melanoma tumor cells, which laid the foundation and provided experimental evidence for additional future in vivo studies of intervention targeting malignant melanoma tumor growth in nude mice.
Determining the Relation Between the Burden of Caregivers for Individuals With Neurological Disease and Caregivers’ Ways of Coping With Stress

Objectives: This analytical study was done to determine the relation between the burden of caregivers for individuals with neurological disease and caregivers’ ways of coping with stress. Methods: This study was conducted in the neurology clinic of Giresun Professor Doctor A. İlhan Özdemir Public Hospital from October 1 to December 31, 2015. The sample of the study consists of 64 people who care for patients with neurological problems and who agreed to participate in the research. An information form, the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale and the Stress Coping Styles Scale were administered to the participants. Results: The participants’ mean caregiver burden score was 31.90±15.56. Their self-confident approach score was 2.41±0.54, their optimistic score approach was 2.42±0.59, and their helpless approach score was 1.49±0.63. Their yielding approach score was 1.64±0.49, and their social support seeking approach score was 1.79±0.66. Care giving burden was found to be higher for primary caregivers, for individuals who have another patient requiring care and for female caregivers (p<0.05). A significant negative relation was found between caregiver burden, self-confident approach and optimistic approach scores, while a positive moderate relation was found between helpless and yielding approach scores. Conclusion: Caregivers for patients with neurological problems use less self-confident and optimistic approaches and more helpless and yielding approaches as their caregiver burden increases. Female caregivers and caregivers having another patient who requires care have greater caregiving burden.
Uncertainty issues of a conceptual water balance model for a semi‐arid watershed in north‐west of China

Hydrological models are useful tools for better understanding the hydrological processes and performing the hydrological prediction. However, the reliability of the prediction depends largely on its uncertainty range. This study mainly focuses on estimating model parameter uncertainty and quantifying the simulation uncertainties caused by sole model parameters and the co‐effects of model parameters and model structure in a lumped conceptual water balance model called WASMOD (Water And Snow balance MODeling system). The validity of statistical hypotheses on residuals made in the model formation is tested as well, as it is the base of parameter estimation and simulation uncertainty evaluation. The bootstrap method is employed to examine the parameter uncertainty in the selected model. The Yingluoxia watershed at the upper reaches of the Heihe River basin in north‐west of China is selected as the study area. Results show that all parameters in the model can be regarded as normally distributed based on their marginal distributions and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, although they appear slightly skewed for two parameters. Their uncertainty ranges are different from each other. The model residuals are tested to be independent, homoscedastic and normally distributed. Based on such valid hypotheses of model residuals, simulation uncertainties caused by co‐effects of model parameters and model structure can be evaluated effectively. It is found that the 95% and 99% confidence intervals (CIs) of simulated discharge cover 42.7% and 52.4% of the observations when only parameter uncertainty is considered, indicating that parameter uncertainty has a great effect on simulation uncertainty but still cannot be used to explain all the simulation uncertainty in this study. The 95% and 99% CIs become wider, and the percentages of observations falling inside such CIs become larger when co‐effects of parameters and model structure are considered, indicating that simultaneous consideration of both parameters and model structure uncertainties accounts sufficient contribution for model simulation uncertainty. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Daily Gains of Bulls with Multi-Trait and Random Regression Models*

The average daily gains of 6,420 Czech Pied bulls (dual-purpose, Simmental type) from 7 breeding stations were analyzed using single-trait animal models, a multi-trait animal model and random regression models. The effects of station, year and season were taken into account by creating herd-year-season classes (HYS) with the season being defined as a 3-month class starting with December. Legendre polynomials of the 1 st to the 4 th degree were used to describe the daily gains within the HYS classes as well as to model bull-specific gain curves. The comparison of the h 2 -values estimated with single-trait models and those gained with a multi-trait model returned only insignificant differences. The comparison of genetic parameters based on the multi-trait model to those from different random regression models shows that polynomials of at least the 2 nd degree are to be used for the genetic analysis of daily gains.
Structural radiation mode sensing for active control of sound radiation into enclosed spaces

In the recent article by Cazzolato and Hansen [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 104, 2878–2889 (1998)] it was shown that it is possible to derive for a structure some set of surface velocity distributions, referred to as radiation modes, which are orthogonal in terms of their contributions to the acoustic potential energy of a coupled cavity. The technique used an orthonormal decomposition to derive an expression for the radiation modes which was based on prior work for free-field sound radiation. It will be shown in the following letter that for the special case involving the calculation of global internal potential energy it is possible to use a simple approach which requires no orthonormal decomposition since the expression for the global potential energy is already in a form that can be easily diagonalized.
Local Fiscal Capacity in the New Members of the European Union: Is It Efficient?

Purpose – This paper aims to analyze the efficiency of the fiscal capacity of the local governments in the new members of the EU. Design/methodology/approach – The impact of the locally collected taxes on economic growth is analyzed by the means of regression analysis. The GDP growth rate is adopted as a dependent variable in the model and its deviations are explained via tax instruments for building fiscal capacity. Findings – Strong positive effects on economy, when property taxes come in local budgets. Research limitations/implications – There are many factors affecting the economic growth, which are not included in the regression model. The effects of the charges levied by local governments also remain without estimation. Originality/Value – The study fills in the gap of research on the benefits of local fiscal capacity in the countries of interest.
The effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on employment in China

This paper studied the relationship between employment and FDI in China. China has been the largest recipient of FDI, and it is in the critical moment of economic structural adjustment. So the research of the relationship between employment and FDI can provide some useful recommendations to policy makers. I compared the effect of FDI on employment in 8 sectors. The scatter plot results showed a negative relationship between FDI and employment in Agriculture, Forestry, Animal husbandry & Fishing and FDI has positive effects on employment in the industries of Finance, Mining and Real estate. For the total FDI and employment, there also exists a positive relationship between them. In terms of a Generalist Method of Moments(GMM) test, I eliminated the effect of standard errors on autocorrelation and heteroskedasticity. I also tested overidentifying restrictions to make the results more accurate. Finally, we know that there is a positive relationship between current and past data of employment and FDI.
Institutional Change as a Result of International Accreditation: Business Schools of Lithuania after the Iron Curtain

This paper studies the effects of gaining international accreditation in business schools (B-schools) in Lithuania. As in other CEE countries, in Lithuania international accreditation has recently become one of the key solutions to achieving legitimacy for B-schools. Due to the lack of research in this area, the aim of this paper is to explore and unveil the reasons for, and the consequences of the accreditation using an institutional theory framework. A multiple case study methodology is used to answer the research questions. The findings reveal that accreditation effects represent a case of institutional isomorphism, because B-schools seek accreditation to achieve legitimacy rather than improved performance. B-schools decide for accreditation and implement it mainly because of bandwagon effects and the reduction of information asymmetry – reasons which are accompanied by all three types of isomorphic change (coercive, mimetic, and normative). Based on the findings, the study concludes by suggesting propositions to be tested in future studies to further investigate this under-researched topic, especially in the CEE region. DOI: 10.15458/85451.8