Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does the Measure Matter in the Mutual Fund Industry?

A frequent comment is that investment funds with a nonnormal return distribution cannot be adequately evaluated by using the classic Sharpe ratio. Research on hedge fund data that compared the Sharpe ratio with other performance measures, however, found virtually identical rank ordering by the various measures. The study reported here analyzed a dataset of 38,954 funds investing in seven asset classes over 1996–2005 and found that the previous result is true not only for hedge funds but also for mutual funds investing in stocks, bonds, real estate, funds of hedge funds, commodity trading advisers, and commodity pool operators. In short, choosing a performance measure is not critical to fund evaluation and the Sharpe ratio is generally adequate. The Sharpe ratio measures the relationship between the risk premium (mean excess returns) and the standard deviation of the returns generated by a portfolio, asset, or fund. Hedge funds and other alternative investments are prone to generating returns that have nonnormal distributions. For this reason, a number of researchers have claimed that these funds cannot be adequately evaluated by using the Sharpe ratio. Consideration of this issue has led to the development of numerous new performance measures, including Omega, the Sortino ratio, the Calmar ratio, and the modified Sharpe ratio, all of which are currently being debated in hedge fund literature. Recent research was carried out to compare these new performance measures with the Sharpe ratio by using return data on 2,763 hedge funds. Despite significant deviations of hedge fund returns from a normal distribution, the Sharpe ratio and the other performance measures resulted in virtually identical rank ordering of the hedge funds. These researchers analyzed only hedge funds, however, and thus did not consider whether this result is also true for funds investing in other asset classes. The aim of the study reported here was to address this issue. Combining two large data sets, I analyzed the rankings generated by various performance measures for 38,954 investment funds for the 1996–2005 period. This empirical study investigated 11 performance measures: the Sharpe ratio, Omega, the Sortino ratio, Kappa 3, the upside potential ratio, the Calmar ratio, the Sterling ratio, the Burke ratio, the excess return on value at risk, the conditional Sharpe ratio, and the modified Sharpe ratio. I found that the earlier research result is robust in regard to a large number of asset classes, including stocks, bonds, real estate, hedge funds, funds of hedge funds, commodity trading advisers, and commodity pool operators. This finding has serious implications for performance measurement in the investment industry. From a practical point of view, the Sharpe ratio is adequate for analyzing hedge funds and mutual funds. This finding is in accord with other research findings that, despite some undesirable features, the Sharpe ratio is adequate for analyzing performance throughout the investment industry.
Toxicity of white flesh Citrus grandis Osbeck fruit peel extracts against Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) larvae and its effect on non-target organisms

The aim of the study is to evaluate the bio-efficacy of white flesh Citrus grandis fruit peel extracts, essential oil and isolated compounds against late third instar Aedes aegypti larvae. Furthermore, this study also investigates its effect on non-target organisms. Bioassay was conducted under laboratory condition to determine the LC50 and LC90 values at 24 and 48 hours post treatment. The most toxic extract was tested at sub-lethal dose against non-target organism namely, Toxorhynchites splendens and Poecilia reticulata. Results revealed that the hexane extract proved to be the most effective with lowest LC50 values at 24 hours (17.98 ppm) and 48 hours (10.19 ppm). The extract is proven safe when tested with P. reticulata but toxic towards younger instar of Tx. splendens. The finding indicates that white flesh C. grandis fruit peel has the potential to be used as alternative larvicides against Ae. aegypti larvae.
Incorporating Financial Literacy into the Secondary School Accounting Curriculum: A New Zealand Perspective

This paper examines whether selected stakeholder groups believe accounting should continue to be taught as an elective subject in its current form at New Zealand secondary schools or whether incorporating a financial literacy component would increase the subject’s relevance to students. A mixed method approach combining qualitative and quantitative research methods was used. An electronically administered survey was used to obtain the responses of secondary school accounting teachers, while additional insight in the form of semistructured interviews was obtained from other stakeholders. Although respondents generally agreed that students benefited from accounting as an elective subject at secondary school, all agreed that the development of financial literacy skills was important. Difficulties in introducing a new core subject into an already overcrowded curriculum were acknowledged. However, this difficulty could be overcome by making modifications to the subject “Accounting”. As the most widespread, existing “finance” related subject, Accounting would be the most appropriate vehicle through which to teach financial literacy.
Effect of supplementing a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product during a preconditioning period prior to transit on receiving period performance, nutrient digestibility, and antioxidant defense by beef steers

Abstract: Forty-eight newly weaned crossbred beef steers from a single-source were used to determine the effects of feeding a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP; NaturSafe, Diamond V) on receiving period performance, nutrient digestibility, and antioxidant defense. Seven days after arrival, steers were stratified by BW (257 ± 18 kg), sorted into pens (n = 1 pen/treatment), and pens assigned to dietary treatments: SCFP at 0 (CON), 12 (SCFP12), 18 (SCFP18), or 0 g·steer−1·d−1 during preconditioning (PRE; days −19 to 0), then 18 g·steer−1·d−1 during receiving (REC; days 0 to 58; CON18). On day −1 BW and blood were collected, steers were loaded onto a semitruck and transported 1,748 km over 19 h. Upon return, steers were weighed, stratified by BW within treatment and sorted into pens with GrowSafe bunks (n = 12 steers/treatment). Steers were weighed on days −1, 0, 29, 30, 57, and 58. Blood was collected from all steers on days −1, 1, and 8 and liver biopsies were performed on all steers on days −20, −3, and 59. Titanium dioxide was included as an indigestible marker in the diet of all steers from days 14 through 29 to determine total tract nutrient digestibility. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design using ProcMixed of SAS with the fixed effect of treatment. Steer was the experimental unit for REC period variables. Contrast statements compared the linear and quadratic effects of feeding SCFP throughout the trial (CON, SCFP12, and SCFP18) and the effect of supplementation at 18 g·steer−1·d−1 for the entire trial or starting in REC (SCFP18 vs. CON18). Steers fed SCFP12 exhibited the greatest ADG and G:F from days 0 to 30 (quadratic P ≤ 0.04). Total tract digestibility of NDF and ADF was linearly decreased by SCFP (linear P ≤ 0.03). On day −3, SCFP12-fed steers tended to have the greatest liver concentrations of total, oxidized, and reduced glutathione (quadratic P = 0.06). Red blood cell lysate Mn:total-superoxide dismutase activity was 16% greater 1 d posttransit compared with pretransit values (day P ≤ 0.01). Timing of SCFP supplementation (SCFP18 vs. CON18) did not affect any of the variables assessed herein (P ≥ 0.19). Supplementing SCFP at 12 g·steer−1·d−1 tended to affect antioxidant capacity prior to transit and improved early receiving period performance; however, overall receiving period performance was not affected by SCFP supplementation. Further research is necessary to determine the optimal dose and timing of SCFP supplementation for beef cattle.
Antiproliferative activities of 2-hydroxyethyl substituted benzimidazolium salts and their palladium complexes against human cancerous cell lines

Abstract Benzimidazolium salts (1a and 1b) and respective palladium complexes (2a and 2b) were prepared and characterized with 1H and 13C NMR, IR, elemental analysis as well as HRMS (for 2a). All target compounds were screened as potential anticancer agents against human cell lines for assessing their cytotoxicity. Heterocyclic organic compounds (1a and 1b) showed more cytotoxic activity than their complexes (2a and 2b) in the tested two cell lines. Particularly, a benzimidazolium salt including a 4-methylbenzyl group had a high cytotoxic potency towards MDA-MB-231 and DLD-1 cell lines with IC50 values comparable to a well-known anticancer drug cisplatin, which is generally used in clinical studies. Furthermore, a compound namely 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-(2,3,4,5,6-pentamethylbenzyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-3-ium bromide was found to be more cytotoxic activity in MDA-MB-231 cell line compared to cisplatin with following IC50 value of 7.59 ± 0.68 μM. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
From colloids in liquid crystals to colloidal liquid crystals

ABSTRACT Liquid crystals in combination with nanoparticles are a fascinating topic of research, because of the wealth of aspects and questions to study. These range from simple effects of nanoparticles on phase transitions and phase diagrams, to the tuning of physical properties, adding of novel functionalities, all the way to the formation of spontaneous order by nanoparticles themselves and the possibilities that templating has for future materials design and applications. This article intends to provide a flavour of the multiplicity, variety and diversity that these thermotropic and lyotropic systems have to offer in the area of materials development, which we believe will become increasingly important, especially for switchable non-display applications and nanotechnology. It is not intended to provide a conclusive overview, which would be a presumptuous attempt considering the limited space available, but rather to place our own work into a wider context and to point out some more recent developments and trends in liquid crystal – nanoparticle dispersions. Graphical abstract We provide a broad overview of the recent developments in the fields of dispersions of nanoparticles in thermotropic liquid crystal hosts, as well as the formation of lyotropic liquid crystal phases from shape-anisotropic colloids in isotropic hosts. Such systems have attracted increasing interest in recent years for the stabilization of phases, the tuning of physical properties, the addition of novel functionalities and for templating self-organized order.
Building an infrastructure to improve cardiac rehabilitation: from guidelines to audit and feedback

The overall aim of this thesis is to use the principles of the Learning Health System (LHS) to realise an infrastructure to connect physicians, other health professionals, managers, professional associations, electronic patient record (EPR) developers, patients and researchers to continuously improve professional performance in the field of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in the Netherlands. CR programs offer a cost-effective, multidisciplinary, comprehensive approach to address coronary heart disease risk factors and to support patient in restoring their optimal physical and psychosocial condition. The infrastructure we developed integrates both technical and organisational components. The technical components allow the co-use of data collected in the EPR with clinical decision support (CDS), and realised an web-based audit and feedback (A&F) system. The organisational components concerned the active involvement of all stakeholders to receive their necessary input and commitment for the optimal functioning of the technical infrastructure. In addition we offered support services for multidisciplinary CR teams during outreach visits to actually use the A&F system and improve their performance by executing the LHS learning cycle. In the Introduction we addressed three research aims: 1) To assess current improvement challenges in the field of CR 2) To develop an infrastructure to facilitate continuous improvement 3) To assess the effect of a web-based A&F system with outreach visits on professional performance In Chapter 13 we present a summary and discussion of the main findings for each aim followed by our recommendations for researchers, decision-makers and other stakeholders from both inside and outside the field of CR.
Work domain modeling to support winter road maintenance operations

This thesis presents an application of Work Domain Analysis (WDA) to the domain of Winter Road Maintenance Operation (WRM). WDA is the first phase of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA), a methodology for analyzing complex socio-technical systems. WDA can help to structure system information in a manner that is meaningful for decision making and computer-based information system design. The Abstraction Decomposition Space (ADS) is an important tool used during the Work Domain Analysis. In this thesis an ADS model for Winter Road Maintenance (WRM) work system is created. This model gives a innovate structural description of WRM work system that can help WRM operators gain a more detailed understanding about the components in WRM work domain and their interrelationships. This model structures the WRM work domain in a manner that can help to identify information requirements for effective and efficient WRM operation decision making. In this thesis, from the ADS model, 65 information requirements are extracted. This thesis makes a theoretical contribution to extending application of Work Domain Analysis and proves WDA is a worthwhile and valuable technique to improve WRM information collection and decision making, which will result in more effective and efficient WRM operation. Abstract Approved: ____________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ____________________________________ Title and Department ____________________________________ DateApproved: ____________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ____________________________________ Title and Department ____________________________________ Date WORK DOMAIN MODELING TO SUPPORT WINTER ROAD MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS
A COMPARISON OF TRANSPORTATION NETWORK RESILIENCE UNDER SIMULATED SYSTEM OPTIMUM AND USER EQUILIBRIUM CONDITIONS

Resilience is a characteristic that indicates system performance under unusual conditions, recovery speed, and the amount of outside assistance required for restoration to its original functional state. Resilience is important for daily events, such as vehicle crashes, and more extreme events, such as hurricanes and terrorist attacks. Transportation resilience has ten dimensions: redundancy, diversity, efficiency, autonomous components, strength, collaboration, adaptability, mobility, safety, and the ability to recover quickly. This paper examines the influence of the system optimal and user equilibrium traffic assignments on the last four dimensions. No widely accepted measurement of resilience is available for transportation systems; this paper presents multiple metrics for the four examined contributing components that will aid future development of a single measure of resilience. An application of these measures to a test network found that user equilibrium results in better adaptability and safety while system optimum yields better mobility and faster recovery.
Matching Instructors and Spaces of Learning : The impact of space on behavioral , affective and cognitive learning

This study examined the extent to which instructional proxemics -– the physical space of the learning environment -impacts student behavioral, affective, and cognitive learning. Participants included 234 college students enrolled in 15 sections of public speaking. Each section was assigned to a study learning environment and an instructor, ensuring that each of the five instructors taught one section in each of the three learning environments. A 2 (student gender) x 3 (learning environment) x 5 (instructor) factorial ANOVA produced significant interactions between instructor and learning space on all three learning measures. Post-hoc analyses reveal that the instructional environment influences student learning outcomes and that these influences are moderated by the instructor. These results further the General Model of Instructional Communication (Valencic, Richmond, & McCroskey, 2004) by offering the instructional environment as a measurable facet of this model. In addition, these results suggest the importance of considering instructional proxemics as a facilitator of classroom success.
Assessing farmers’ intention to adopt soil conservation practices across Europe

During the past decennia, soil conservation practices (SCPs) have been developed in order to maintain or restore soil health which is essential to the resilience of the farm. However, the adoption rate in practice is rather low. Amongst other reasons, these practices might lack onfarm compatibility, or farmers may lack confidence in the proposed measures. To increase the adoption rate of SCPs, capturing farmers’ opinions, given their specific farming context, can aid future strategies to get the SCPs implemented. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify and compare different barriers and drivers towards the adoption of SCPs across 25 major farm type agri-environmental zone combinations in 8 European countries. To unravel farmer’s motivation and ability to implement a certain SCP, we applied a sequential mixed method approach based on the theory of planned behavior, a socio-psychological framework to predict human behavior. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with farmers reveal a first indication of possible barriers and drivers. These serve as the basis for a broad quantitative survey in each of the 25 major farm type zones, all characterized by their own soil, climate, regulatory and socio-economic context. Due to this context, the selected SCPs in the questionnaire differ among the major farm type zones, although with cover crops and reduced and/or non-inversion tillage, two wide-spread practices, were included across nearly all farm type zones. An EU-wide comparison between different regions allows us to better relate differences in barriers, motivators and farmers’ intention to differences in bio-physical, economic, institutional, social and regulatory conditions. To obtain a correct interpretation and clarification of the most striking results, we organize regional focus groups with experts and farmers. The results will offer valuable insights to advice EU policy, extension and scientific research. They will be able to take into account the specific context of
Upwelling induced by the frictional stress curl and vertical squeezing of the vortex tube over a submerged valley in the East China Sea

We conducted a process-oriented modeling study to investigate the characteristics and dynamics of the prominent upwelling over a vast submerged valley in the East China Sea (ECS). The valley is inversely funnel-shaped with the west bank and the east bank oriented in the north-south direction. A cross-bank upward transport occurred along the west bank. It intensified northward and peaked around the head of the valley. An along-bank southward pressure gradient force ( PGF) formed the cross-bank geostrophic transport for the upwelling over the valley. The PGF reached its maxima at the head of the valley. Our momentum and vorticity dynamic analyses revealed that a bottom stress curl mainly contributed the PGF along the west bank. At the same time, both the bottom stress curl and the nonlinear vorticity advection contributed to the PGF around the head. The bottom stress curl was due to the bottom shear vorticity of the coastal current and the curvature vorticity around the head. The nonlinear vorticity advection formed because of the vertical squeezing of vortex tube as the current flowed over the valley. The nonlinearity mainly affected the PGF around the head, whereas the bottom stress curl contributed to the PGF over the entire valley. The ratio of the nonlinear to frictional contributions to the PGF increased as the coastal current intensified. Our study demonstrates that the PGF that drives the upwelling over the valley is the combined result of the nonlinearity due to vertical squeezing of vortex tube and bottom frictional effects.
An indoor location algorithm based on Kalman filter fusion of ultra-wide band and inertial measurement unit

Indoor positioning technology has been widely used in today’s life, but due to the influence of multipath effect, the positioning signal is attenuated or even interrupted seriously, resulting in obvious reduction or even failure of positioning accuracy. Therefore, the emerging multi-sensor joint positioning has become the general trend of the development of positioning technology, in which Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) have their own features in positioning and navigation. So this paper combines the advantages of UWB and IMU to achieve accurate positioning in complex environment. Firstly, the signal transmission law in complex environment is obtained by distinguishing Line of Sight (LOS) from NLOS (Non Line of Sight) environment. Secondly, the maximum likelihood estimation algorithm is used to eliminate the influence of NLOS on the transmitted signal, and then the extended Kalman filter information fusion strategy is used. The ranging information of UWB and the angle information of IMU are fused to realize the accurate positioning of UWB in complex environment. Finally, the experimental results show that the performance of the joint positioning proposed in this paper is obviously better than that of a single sensor compared with single UWB and single IMU positioning. It provides more solutions for accurate indoor positioning of multi-sensor fusion.
Hemagglutinating Virus of Japan Envelope Vectors as High-Performance Vehicles for Delivery of Small RNAs

Hemagglutinating virus of Japan envelope (HVJ-E) vectors are particulate forms of the Sendai virus, and are characterized by maintained cell membrane fusion activities and completely inactivated genomes. HVJ-E vectors can be safely used as a non-viral transfection tools for laboratory research without the need for special protocols or equipment. HVJ-E particles are loaded with molecules such as DNA, proteins, antisense oligonucleotides, or small RNAs, to form HVJ-E vectors that carry these molecules into target cells by virtue of their membrane fusion activity. Interference by small RNAs such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) is now established as an important biological strategy for gene silencing, and is becoming an essential method for analyzing biological processes. Various delivery reagents are currently available globally; however, delivery to non-adherent immune cells, particularly primary immune cells, remains extremely difficult. The simple and effective delivery capabilities of HVJ-E vectors overcome the above obstacle. Here we describe examples and demonstrate the utility and potential applications of HVJ-E vectors as high-performance vehicles for delivery of small RNAs.