Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Structural Breaks Affect Portfolio Designs and Hedging Strategies? International Evidence from Stock-Commodity Markets Linkages

The present paper studies stock-commodity markets linkage using vector autoregression generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (VAR-GARCH) approach for the period spanning from January 3, 2000 to March 12, 2014. The analysis has been performed through three competing specifications; the VAR-constant conditional correlation-GARCH, the VAR-Baba, Engle, Kroner, Kraft-GARCH, and the VAR-dynamic conditional correlation-GARCH, ignoring and accounting for structural breaks in volatility to look at the impact of the breaking events on volatility spillovers and its persistence as well as the implications on portfolio management. We found significant interdependency in first and second conditional moments. The structural break dates help forecast current conditional volatility and define its persistence. Their effects have been found slight on optimal weights, miscellaneous on hedge ratios but important on hedging effectiveness. We consider that our findings open up new insights for managerial and governmental policy purposes.
Measuring Retail Service Quality: An Empirical Assessment of the Instrument

Retailing in India is growing at the rate of about 18-20 per cent per annum. As part of its strategy to gradually open it up to foreign competition, the government is also in the process of increasing foreign direct investment in the retail sector. At the same time, the urban consumer is becoming more discerning and demanding as far as the lifestyle is concerned. Urban Indian household income and purchasing power are also on the rise. Under such circumstances, the success of organized retailing in India mainly depends on delivery of services through quality improvements. In service organizations, customer-perceived service quality is considered as one of the key determinants of business performance. So far, in the Indian context, there is a dearth of tested instruments which can measure customer-perceived service quality of a retail store. At the same time, instruments developed in other countries have not been tested for their applicability in the Indian retail industry. It is in this context that this paper reports on the application of Dabholkar, Thorpe and Rentz's (1996) retail service quality scale in measuring the gap between the customers' expectations and their perceptions about the service quality of retail stores in India. Statistical analyses were performed to test the dimensionality of service quality and to examine the reliability of the scale. Finally, the analysis of the gap scores was used to suggest relevant improvements in the retail store service quality. The results indicate the following: Although the instrument was found to be quite reliable, the gap scores did not merge into five dimensions of service quality as proposed by the scale developers; rather, the gap scores roughly merged into nine dimensions. The instrument and the five dimensions of service quality may need considerable restructuring. A few statements which showed considerable reliability problems should be restated or substituted by more relevant statements. The instrument may not be applicable to the retail sector in India without further restructuring. Further research is necessary to understand retail store service quality in India. The analysis of the gap scores indicates that the highest perceived service gap lies in the policies of the retail stores, particularly, parking facilities provided by them. Apart from this, all other statements also show a negative gap implying the need for considerable improvements in retail service quality. Therefore, as organized retailing develops in India, retail stores in India will have to improve the quality of their services significantly in order to compete successfully in the global marketplace.
Quantum modulation of the channel charge and distributed capacitance of double gated nanosize FETs

The structure represents symmetrical metal electrode (gate 1) - front SiO2 layer - n-Si nanowire FET - buried SiO2 layer - metal electrode (gate 2). At the symmetrical gate voltages high conductive regions near the gate 1 - front SiO2 and gate 2 - buried SiO2 interfaces correspondingly, and low conductive region in the central region of the NW are formed. Possibilities of applications of nanosize FETs at the deep inversion and depletion as a distributed capacitance are demonstrated. Capacity density is an order to ⁄ . The charge density, it distribution and capacity value in the nanowire can be controlled by a small changes in the gate voltages. at the non-symmetrical gate voltages high conductive regions will move to corresponding interfaces and low conductive region will modulate non-symmetrically. In this case source- drain current of the FET will redistributed and change current way. This gives opportunity to investigate surface and bulk transport processes in the nanosize inversion channel.
Equation of state, stability, anisotropy and nonlinear elasticity of diamond-cubic (ZB) silicon by phonon imaging at high pressure

Experimental phonon imaging in diamond anvils cell is demonstrated to be an adequate tool to extract the complete set of elastic constants of single-crystalline silicon up to the ZB ->beta-Sn transition (10 GPa). Contrary to what was commonly admitted, we demonstrate that the development of the strain-energy density in terms of strains cannot be stopped, for silicon, after the terms containing the third-order elastic constants. Nonlinear elasticity, degree of anisotropy and pressure-induced mechanical stability of the cubic silicon structure are thus revisited and investigated in more detail.
Security Monitoring System Design Based on ARM9 and Embedded Face Recognition System

Abstract— In this paper, proposed system is designed to recognize the person based on preloaded database images in controller. Our Embedded system using Friendly ARM9 based BSP S3C2440 has feature of image/video processing with detecting the face by using face class Haarcascade feature, and then face recognition by using Principal Component Analysis transform algorithms have been proposed for pedestrian detection. It overcomes the performance in terms of sensors and hardware cost is also too high. So, designed Embedded system recognize the person just as they enter the web camera view, with low false alarm rate and high speed . Security alerts are provided by B uzzer and SMS alert through GSM module when the person match with database images. This Embedded system is backed by RT Linux to work in a Real-Time environment.
DESIGN AND 3-D PARTICLE-IN-CELL SIMULATION OF A 140 GHz SPATIAL-HARMONIC MAGNETRON

This paper discusses design procedure and 3-D numerical simulation of a 140GHz spatial-harmonic magnetron (SHM). The well known scaling laws and an approximate approach based on single harmonic analysis are used to determine the interaction space dimensions and the optimum geometrical parameters of the side resonators. Numerical simulations of the SHM were performed using CST-Particle Studio. Since the simulations are not based on artiflcial RF priming or assuming restrictive assumptions on the mode of operation or on the number of harmonics to be considered, electromagnetic oscillations grow naturally from noise. The presented SHM shows stable operation in the …=2 i 1-mode at 140GHz over a range of DC anode voltages extending from 11.3kV to 11.5kV and for an axial magnetic ∞ux density equal to 0.79T. Output power of the SHM varies from 2kW to 11kW over these voltages with a maximum e-ciency of about 6.8%.
Information Theory based Feature Selection for Customer Classification

The application of Information Theory techniques in customer feature selection is analyzed. This method, usually called information gain has been demonstrated to be simple and fast for feature selection. The important concept of mutual information, originally introduced to analyze and model a noisy channel is used in order to measure relations between characteristics of given customers. An application to a bank customers data set of telemarketing calls for selling bank long-term deposits is shown. We show that with our method, 80% of the subscribers can be reached by contacting just the better half of the classified clients.
Modelling predictors of blog stickiness and retention by university students

Weblogs represent a popular tool for sharing common knowledge and promoting learning among university students. Yet, little is known about what influences university students to stick to a blog. The current study develops a framework to investigate the role of several key factors on blog stickiness and retention among university students. Data for the study was collected from a sample of university students in Malaysia (n=725) and analysed using structural equation modelling. Results of the study revealed that social influence, content quality and perceived enjoyment were the most important predictors of blog stickiness, resulting in blog retention. More specifically, it was found that the need for cognition, perceived enjoyment and social influence also play a key role in predicting blog stickiness among student. Results of this study help to provide insights to the social, cognitive and physiological components that will encourage student to read and use blogs more frequently. This understanding can assist in designing approaches to increase blog application, stickiness and retention among students and help educate better learners capable of obtaining information from electronic sources of knowledge.
Analysis of exercise motivation and locus of causality for exercise among interuniversity level team game players.

The main purpose of the study was to analyze the exercise motivation and Locus of causality of exercise of various intervarsity team game players. To achieve the purpose of the study, 75 men interuniversity Team game players were selected as subjects of which 25 football, 25 basketball and 25 hockey. Age of subjects ranges from 17 to 25 years. The psychological variables namely Exercise Motivation Inventory developed by David Markland was used as tool to measure the examine questions concerning the functional significance of exercise motives from the perspective of Deci and Ryan's (1985) self-determination theory which consist of fourteen subfactors viz. Stress management, Revitalization, Enjoyment, Challenge, Social recognition, Affiliation, Competition, Health pressure, Ill-health avoidance, Positive health and Weight management and Locus of Causality for Exercise Scale which assess the extent to which individuals feel that they choose to exercise rather than feeling that they have to for some reason. For statistical analysis and interpretation One-way analysis of variance was used to test the significance of the mean of different team game player’s likely Football, Basketball and Hockey. The mean difference is tested for significance at the . 05 level of confidence. To find out the pairwise and Critical difference of mean comparison LSD technique for equal sample was applied. The result of the study shows the significant differences for only the subfactors viz Affiliation, Health pressure, Ill-health avoidance, Appearance and nimbleness but the subfactors Stress management, Revitalization, Enjoyment, Challenge, Social recognition, Competition, Weight management, Strength and endurance showed no significane difference again the scale Locus of causality of exercise shows no any significant differences among the three team game players viz Football, Basketball and Hockey.
Measurements, system response, and calibration of the SLAC T-510 experiment

The SLAC T-510 experiment provides the first beam-test of radio-frequency radiation from a charged particle cascade in the presence of a magnetic field (up to 970 G), a model system for radio-frequency emission from a cosmic-ray air shower. The primary purpose of this experiment is to provide a suite of controlled laboratory tests to compare to simulations based on particlelevel models of RF emission, making the calibrations of critical importance. We present system calibrations and analysis of the experiment from end to end. Measurements of the beam charge and two-dimensional magnetic field map are fed directly into the simulations using two different formalisms: ZHS and Endpoints. Simulated electric fields are forward-folded with the system response, allowing for direct comparisons of spectra and waveforms with the simulations.
Emergence of Energy Services Ecosystems: Scenario Method as a Policy Enabler

The very nature of the energy sector, as a highly regulated and capital-intensive sector, as well as the challenges imposed by the global transition to renewable energy, have made the emergence of innovation ecosystems, which are necessary for the development and commercialization of new solutions, rather challenging. We examine the emergence of energy services ecosystems from a policy perspective, suggesting the scenario method as an enabler for focusing the attention of relevant actors and identifying triggering events that guide their activities toward a shared future. We illustrate our arguments using three case examples from Finnish public policy. Our study contributes to the nascent literature of ecosystem emergence and public innovation policy in the field of energy services.
Leverage and Returns in Three Countries of Southern European Region

This paper aims to investigate the impact of leverage on stock returns in three southern European countries, members of the Euro zone, Greece, Italy and Portugal from 2000 to 2010. The portfolio level analysis is performed both on a full sample basis and on an industry basis. The main contribution of our work is that we enhance the capital structure studies by broadening the limited work that has been accomplished on the base of leverage as an explanatory variable of returns. At the industry level analysis, a significant positive leverage effect is isolated only at Consumer Goods and Health Care industries in Italy and at Industrial sector in Portugal. In Greece, the industry effect of leverage is almost negligible.
The Final Stages of Protein Synthesis and the Role of Lipids in the Process BY

It is now a well-known fact that protoplasts prepared by the action of lysozyme on Bacillus megaterium can under suitable conditions carry out many of the functions of the intact cell. Thus they can respire, grow, form spores and synthesize nucleic acids and proteins when incubated in media of high osmotic pressure. In more dilute media, the protoplasts can readily be lysed with the liberation of about 70 yo of their dry weight in a soluble cytoplasmic fraction. The remainder of the protoplast can be completely sedimented under moderate centrifugal forces as a membrane complex which appears to consist of two principal components when viewed in the electron microscope (Godson, Hunter & Butler, 1961). One component consists of large empty membranous vesicles; many sections seen, however, are almost entirely populated by smaller vesicles which appear to be studded with electron-dense particles of approximately 150 A. diameter. While the larger vesicles are almost certainly derived from the cytoplasmic membrane of the cell, the smaller ones may partly originate from internal structures. When protoplasts are incubated with labelled amino acids for short periods of time up to 2 min. and then lysed, the bulk of the labelled protein formed is found in this membrane complex. The isolated membrane complex is itself capable of incorporating labelled amino acids into protein in vitro, although the observed incorporation rate is linear with time and can continue in this way for several hours, Degradative experiments have clearly shown that the bulk of the label is bound in polypeptide form (Hunter, Brookes, Crathorn & Butler, 1959). Similar results have been reported by Spiegelman (1959) and by Zillig and his co-workers (Schachtschabel & Zillig, 1959; McCorquodale & Zillig, 1959), using Eschrichia coli, and by Connell, Lengyel & Warner (1959) using Azotobacter. The appearance of the membrane complex in the electron microscope led us to suspect that it contained bound ribonucleoprotein particles of the type that have been implicated in other systems as being directly concerned in protein synthesis, and our more recent work (Godson et al. 1961) has been directed towards the further fractionation of this complex. The most effective method used has involved the dispersal of the complex in a dilute buffer under the impact of ultrasonic vibrations. The dispersed material can now be readily resedimented in two distinct layers, leaving about 24 yo of its dry weight in the supernatant fraction. The two layers can be separated quite simply by mechanical means, the lower heavy white layer consisting largely of non-
Modelling Term-Structure Dynamics for Risk Management: A Practitioner's Perspective

Modelling term-structure dynamics is an important component in measuring and managing the exposure of portfolios to adverse movements in interest rates. Model selection from the enormous term-structure literature is far from obvious and, to make matters worse, a number of recent papers have called into question the ability of some of the more popular models to adequately describe interest rate dynamics. The author, in attempting to find a relatively simple term-structure model that does a reasonable job of describing interest rate dynamics for risk-management purposes, examines two sets of models. The first set involves variations of the Gaussian affine term-structure model by modestly building on the recent work of Dai and Singleton (2000) and Duffee (2002). The second set includes and extends Diebold and Li (2003). After working through the mathematical derivation and estimation of these models, the author compares and contrasts their performance on a number of in- and out-of-sample forecasting metrics, their ability to capture deviations from the expectations hypothesis, and their predictions in a simple portfolio-optimization setting. He finds that the extended Nelson-Siegel model and an associated generalization, what he terms the "exponential-spline model," provide the most appealing modelling alternatives when considering the various model criteria.
Financial Conditions Indices for Canada

In this paper, we construct several FCIs for Canada based on three approaches: an IS-Curve-based model, generalized impulse response functions and factor analysis. Each approach is intended to address one or more criticisms applied to MCIs and existing FCIs. We evaluate our various FCIs based on their weights, dynamic correlation with output and inflation, their in-sample fit in explaining output and their out-of-sample forecast performance. Based on the IS-Curve method with monthly data, we find that housing prices, equity prices and bond yield risk premia, in addition to short- and long-term interest rates and the exchange rate, are significant in explaining output from 1981 to 2000. In both the HP-filter and first difference specifications, housing prices have a higher or comparable absolute-value coefficient than that of the exchange rate. Finally, we find that the FCI outperforms the MCI in many criteria considered in this paper.
Cloning and Molecular Characterization of cry1Ca and cry1Cb Genes from Locally Isolated Bacillus thuringiensis Strains

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is endospore former, Gram positive bacterium and makes parasporal crystals (Cry proteins), which kill particular target pests of different crops. Bt isolated from different localities of Pakistan were screened for cry1Ca and cry1Cb domain III genes by polymerase chain reaction. Among all the screened Bt strains, five were positive for cry1C domain III gene, 3 of which were positive for cry1Ca and 2 for cry1Cb. Confirmation was done by colony PCR, restriction analysis, nucleotide sequencing and alignment on BLAST. The complete gene (3.6kb) encoding cry1Ca endotoxin of one of the Bt isolate (MS-SBS Bt1) was amplified and analyzed for the nucleotide sequence. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of endotoxin gene was compared with that of Bt strains available in the literature. The genes amplified from the positive strains had 99% similarity and had 100% same deduced amino acid with that of Bt strains reported in the Gene Bank. Full gene sequence was submitted in Gene Bank.
Service failures away from home: benefits in intercultural service encounters

Consumer travel and multinational service corporations have increased the opportunity for service failures where consumers from one culture experience service problems in another cultural setting. This study tested the Stauss and Mang model (1999), which proposed the possibility that intercultural service failures exhibit lower seriousness ratings due to the customer’s attributing errors to cultural distance. Such a possible outcome has important implications for service providers whose customers are from different cultures, such as tourist or visiting businesspeople.
Effects of single and combined microalgae on larval growth, development and survival of the commercial sea cucumber Holothuria spinifera Theel

The results of the study on the suitable algal feed for the mass rearing of holothurian larvae through hatchery system are presented. Auricularia larvae. after 48 h of fertilization, obtained from induced spawning of Holoth~iriasp inifera, were fed with different algae Isochrysis galbana, Nanodlloropsis snlinn, Pavlava lutheri. Tetmselmis chllii and Chaetoceros cnlcitrans as well as I. galbana+C. calcitrans to ascertain the effect of single and combined microalgal diet.
Treatment of effluent from shrimp farms using watermeal (Wolffia arrhiza )

Watermeal (Wollfia arrhiza ) is a small aquatic plant which we have used to treat water from black tiger shrimp ponds. The relationship between watermeal biomass and treatment length, the changes in water quality parameters, and N-balance were evaluated for the treatment of black tiger shrimp farm effluent in low-salinity areas. A biomass of 12 g of watermeal per litre of shrimp farm effluent and a treatment period of 30 days were found to provide the best conditions for the growth of watermeal, and the quality of the treated effluent in terms of biological oxygen demands, suspended solids, total phosphorus, nitrate, total ammonia nitrogen, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen. The pH and salinity were similar for each level of biomass. The watermeal biomasses of 4-12 g per litre of effluent were suitable for watermeal survival over time. Since watermeal can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, it can grow very well in effluent containing a low level of nitrogen, maintaining the N-balance.
AVOCADO QUALITY ON THE RETAIL SHELF: WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY

Summary About 40% of ‘Hass’ avocado fruit sampled from the wholesaler, the distribution centre of the retail chains, on arrival at the retail store, or from the retail shelf, had at least 10 % of the flesh affected by defects. Body rots (caused mainly by anthracnose) and flesh discolouration caused mainly by bruising, were the most common defects. We consider the following practices require improvement if better quality fruit is to be offered to the consumer: • Control of rots by the grower and packer. • Reducing the time from picking to consumption by better co-ordination between the grower/packer, the wholesaler and the retailer, so that over-supply at the wholesaler is reduced. • Better stock rotation at wholesale and retail level, to reduce the risk of lines being “forgotten” or lost. That is, increase the adoption of “first in-first out”. • Improving retail staff awareness that ripe fruit are very susceptible to bruising and disease, that near-ripe fruit must be sold quickly or displayed at 4°C, and that over-ripe fruit need to be removed from display. • More attention to the risk of bruising during harvest and packing.