Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Behavioral Economics of Retirement Savings Behavior

One of the missions of the Institute is to foster research and analysis on public policy issues of importance to mid-life and older Americans. This publication represents part of that effort. The views expressed herein are for information, debate, and discussion, and do not necessarily represent official policies of AARP. i Foreword To commemorate its 20 th anniversary, in 2005, the AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) initiated the Twentieth Anniversary Invitational Lecture Series, supported in part by a generous bequest made to the AARP Foundation. In keeping with PPI's mission to stimulate and inform the debate on public policy issue areas of critical importance to mid-life and older Americans, the series of four lectures offered a platform for distinguished scholars to address a contemporary aspect of their public policy work in economic security, health care, consumer protections, or long-term care. Each scholar was given the opportunity to expand the ideas presented in his/her lecture in a paper published and disseminated by the AARP Public Policy Institute. Behavioral economics and finance are relatively new fields in economics but they have already had a powerful influence on economic theory and on public policy. In no area is this more evident than that of retirement saving, where many of the insights from this field of research have quickly found their way into employer pension plans and legislation. Professors Thaler and Benartzi, two of the leaders in that field, discuss many of the insights from their research in this Issue Paper. They demonstrate the power of inertia on saving behavior, and the importance of designing savings plans in ways that will put inertia to work in behalf of more saving rather than less. Executive Summary There is a worldwide trend, in both the public and private sectors, away from defined benefit (DB) retirement plans toward defined contribution (DC) plans. DC plans transfer much of the decision making authority about how much to save and how to invest from the employer or government to the employee. It is rare to find someone who has spent much time determining the optimal savings rate, given all the uncertainties about future rates of return, income flows, retirement plans, health, and so forth. Instead, most people attempt to cope with complexity by adopting simple heuristics, or rules of thumb, to aid decision-making. Simple heuristics often lead to counterproductive biases, however. In this paper, two noted behavioral economists examine some …
University of Birmingham Miniaturized double-layer EBG structures for broadband mutual coupling reduction between UWB monopoles

— Novel miniaturized two-layer Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG) structures are presented for reducing the electromagnetic coupling between closely spaced UWB planar monopoles on a common ground. The proposed EBG structures employ two closely coupled arrays, one comprising linear conducting patches and the other comprising apertures (slits) in the ground plane. The two arrays are printed on either side of a very thin dielectric layer (55μm) with a rotation of between the elements to produce maximum coupling for miniaturizing. A microstrip line excitation is initially used for the efficient analysis and design of the slit-patch EBG structures, which are subsequently employed between two UWB printed monopoles. The proposed EBG structure has a small footprint and produces a significant reduction of the mutual coupling across the wide operating band of the UWB antennas. Simulated results as well as measurements of fabricated prototypes are presented.
Evaluating the best value framework in UK local government services

The aim of this article is to conduct an exploratory multiple case analysis of local government delivery of Best Value by focusing on Environmental Waste Management Service (EWMS) delivery. EWMS is chosen as a key area of Best Value development and application. The Best Value framework was developed by the UK Government to introduce performance management to local government as part of the ‘Modernising Government’ agenda. There is a need to critically evaluate Best Value so that local government can determine if this is a suitable and sustainable framework for the management of public services and that it can make a contribution to increased public service effectiveness. The article describes an exploratory multiple case research study and shows that the imposition of Best Value in local government must recognise the complexity and diversity within local government services, rather than adopting an inflexible approach to deployment. There is a need to go beyond generalised performance measures and benchmarks and to attempt to understand the difficulties and complexities of localised conditions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new ICI matrix estimation technique using padded m-sequences for wireless OFDM systems

The intercarrier interference (ICI) matrix for the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems usually involves a fairly large dimension. The traditional least-square solution based on the pseudo-inverse operation therefore has its limitation. In addition, a sufficiently long training sequence to estimate the complete ICI matrix is not feasible since it results in the severe throughput reduction. In this paper, we derive a lower bound for the mean-square estimation error among the least-square ICI matrix estimators using different training sequences and prove that the minimum mean-square error (MMSE) optimality is attained when the training sequences carried by different OFDM blocks are orthogonal to each other, regardless of the sequence length. Then we propose to employ the training sequences based on the padded maximal-length shift-register sequences (m-sequences) so as to achieve a highly efficient and optimal ICI matrix estimator with the minimum mean-square estimation error among all least-square ICI matrix estimators. Besides, our new scheme involves only linear complexity while other existing least-square methods require the complexity proportional to the cube of the ICI matrix size. Both analytical and experimental comparisons between our new scheme using padded m-sequences and the existing method using conventional m-sequences justify the significant advantages of our new ICI matrix estimator
Intracranial complications of preinjury anticoagulation in trauma patients with head injury.

BACKGROUND We have evaluated our recent experience as a Level I trauma center to test the hypothesis that preinjury anticoagulation adversely affects the morbidity and mortality of trauma patients with an intracranial injury. METHODS Records of 380 patients admitted to the trauma service from January 1997 to December 1998 who at the time of admission were taking warfarin, low-molecular-weight heparin, aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, pentoxifylline, or naproxen were reviewed. Thirty-seven patients with intracranial injuries were identified and compared with a matched (age, gender, mechanism, and severity of injury) control group of 37 patients with similar head injury but not taking any anticoagulant randomly selected from the trauma registry for that same time period. RESULTS The control and anticoagulated groups were comparable in terms of age, 75 +/- 8 versus 74 +/- 11 years (p = 0.655); gender, 22 men/15 women versus 21 men/16 women; mechanism of injury, 30 falls/7 motor vehicle crashes versus 30 falls/7 motor vehicle crashes; and length of hospital stay, 11 +/- 14 versus 10 +/- 11 days (p = 0.853). In the anticoagulated group, the mean Injury Severity Score was 17.0 +/- 7.8 and the mean Glasgow Coma Scale score was 11.8 +/- 4.0; these were not significantly different from the control group, which had a mean Injury Severity Score of 19.8 +/- 8.1 (p = 0.143) and a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 12.5 +/- 2.6 (p = 0.378). There were 14 deaths (38%) in the anticoagulation group, versus 3 deaths in the control group (8%) (p = 0.006). In the anticoagulation group, 4 of 12 patients (33%) taking warfarin died, whereas 9 of 19 patients (47%) taking aspirin died (p = 0.285). All deaths were secondary to head injuries; all deaths in the control group and all but one in the anticoagulated group were the result of a fall; 6 of 10 anticoagulated patients who fell on stairs died, and 5 of these were taking aspirin only. CONCLUSION These data indicate that the trauma patient with preinjury anticoagulation such as warfarin or even aspirin who has an intracranial injury has a four- to fivefold higher risk of death than the nonanticoagulated patient. The efficacy of reversing the anticoagulant effect at the time of hospital admission remains to be evaluated.
Should Trade Agreements Include Environmental Policy?

This article examines the extent to which environmental and trade policies should be treated equally, or symmetrically, in international negotiations. It reviews the recent economics literature on trade and the environment to address two questions. First, should trade negotiations include negotiations over environmental policies and the setting of binding environmental standards? Second, if there are grounds for international environmental negotiations, should environmental agreements be explicitly linked to existing trade agreements in the world trading system?
A critical approach to nutritional assessment in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Nutritional assessment enhances quality of nutritional care, however, its practice bemuses professionals. This prospective study aimed to identify a feasible/informative nutritional parameter in intensive care. METHODS 44 patients (APACHE II: 23.8+/-10.1), age 58.4+/-18.6 years, were evaluated at admission: clinical data, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), tricep skinfold thickness, mid-arm circumference (MAC), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC), albumin, total protein and lymphocyte count. Anthropometric parameters' performance was evaluated isolated or assembled according to Blackburn and McWhirter criteria. RESULTS Oedema increased %IW and BMI (P<0.01); muscle depletion was frequent and agreed with MAC or MAMC ranked by both criteria, P=0.02. %IW and BMI overestimated well-nourished/overweight patients, whilst arm anthropometry, mostly MAC/MAMC, shifted towards +/-50% malnutrition. Patients were not equally ranked by both criteria; McWhirter's by using percentiles clarified the distribution and showed agreement between MAC and MAMC, P=0.007, unlike Blackburn's. Mortality was higher in patients with MAC<5th percentile, P=0.003; MAC;<15th percentile was able to predict mortality and major complications. In invasive ventilated patients, severe muscle depletion was associated with mortality, P=0.05. CONCLUSION In intensive care most nutritional assessment methods are useless; MAC is simple, feasible and if classified by percentiles may prove functional with prognostic value.
Review of rural tourism development theories

The paper analyses the theories of rural tourism development and present the framework of the main factors of rural tourism development based on this theoretical framework. There are several theories of rural tourism development based on the supply and demand factors. The main demand factors of rural tourism are based on the motives of consumers. The main supply factors of rural tourism development are based on the local tourism resources and the application of evolutionary approach in rural tourism development. The evolutionary approach of tourism development means that the rural tourism development can be seen
A Nonparametric Distribution-Free Test for Serial Independence in Stock Returns: A. Correction

Abstract A fundamental statistical test of serial independence developed by Ashley and Patterson (1986) to examine a possible form of serial dependence in daily stock returns is shown to be improperly constructed. As a consequence, the significance probabilities that they obtain are overstated. This paper presents a corrected version of their test. The test statistic obtained after correction is shown to possess the same limiting distribution as the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test statistic. Applying the corrected test procedure to data identical to that used by Ashley and Patterson, we find that their original null hypothesis can no longer be rejected at conventional significance levels.
Plasticity of the Arabidopsis Root System under Nutrient Deficiencies1[C][W][OPEN]

A systematic characterization of root system architecture and quantification of multiple root traits describes changes in overall root plasticity in response to nutrient deficiencies. Plant roots show a particularly high variation in their morphological response to different nutrient deficiencies. Although such changes often determine the nutrient efficiency or stress tolerance of plants, it is surprising that a comprehensive and comparative analysis of root morphological responses to different nutrient deficiencies has not yet been conducted. Since one reason for this is an inherent difficulty in obtaining nutrient-deficient conditions in agar culture, we first identified conditions appropriate for producing nutrient-deficient plants on agar plates. Based on a careful selection of agar specifically for each nutrient being considered, we grew Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants at four levels of deficiency for 12 nutrients and quantified seven root traits. In combination with measurements of biomass and elemental concentrations, we observed that the nutritional status and type of nutrient determined the extent and type of changes in root system architecture (RSA). The independent regulation of individual root traits further pointed to a differential sensitivity of root tissues to nutrient limitations. To capture the variation in RSA under different nutrient supplies, we used principal component analysis and developed a root plasticity chart representing the overall modulations in RSA under a given treatment. This systematic comparison of RSA responses to nutrient deficiencies provides a comprehensive view of the overall changes in root plasticity induced by the deficiency of single nutrients and provides a solid basis for the identification of nutrient-sensitive steps in the root developmental program.
Un exposé de la théorie du déséquilibre : Revue commentée de la littérature

This paper reviews the principal theories on disequilibrium, from Walras to Barro and Grossman. There is a certain tendency in most of these theories to consider equilibrium and disequilibrium as independent phenomenons: at the end of a disequilibrium period, equilibrium in the neoclassical sense reappears, i.e. a paretian optimum. Disequilibrium is at most an adjustment period. But Glower is opposed to this methodology. Equilibrium periods are very influenced by preceding disequilibrium periods. For example, Clower considers unemployment as a situation of equilibrium. This is a nonsense for a neoclassical economist for whom equilibrium is an ideal state. Clower attacks veritably the traditional economic analysis which attributes to the equilibrium of perfect competition certain ideal properties. Finally, we emphasize that the theory of disequilibrium may arrive to explain stagflation.
VAR: Seductive but Dangerous

Value at risk (VAR) has gained rapid acceptance as a valuable approach to risk management. Not all VARs are equal, however. A study of VAR techniques used by dealers and end-users reveals that VAR calculations differ significantly for the same portfolio. VARs are extremely dependent on parameters, data, assumptions, and methodology. Calculation of eight common VARs for three hypothetical portfolios demonstrates the potentially seductive but dangerous nature of any single approach to risk management. In sum, although VAR and other quantitative techniques are necessary aspects of an effective risk-management program, they are not sufficient to control risk.
INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND THE SCIENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change and, more specifically, the idea that there is a process of global warming well advanced, features frequently in broadcast and published news. Images, such as those of polar bears trapped on ice floes drifting away from the safety of land, make this an issue that is not merely a concern of scientists, but something that disturbs the public mind. At its heart the issue is a matter of the enormous bodies of current and historical meteorological data available, the computer systems that can be used to organise them, and the interpretations that emerge from informed examination of the data. There is, however, the personal observation of the ordinary person to take into account. It is not only that, for instance, in the UK meteorologists note that the 10 warmest years on record have occurred during the last 12 years. It is also observable fact that there has been little or no snow in lowland England during the lifetimes of the younger part of the population. And, of course, people from the Nordic countries have noted equally disturbing changes. Scientifically measurable patterns, personal observation and the suggestion that there is a broad, long-term trend in process fit together persuasively. Add to that the suggestion that this all is caused by damage to the ozone layer resulting from the high levels of carbon emissions produced by modern industrial society and you have a potent mix of scientific concern and public anxiety.
Congestion Theory and Transport Investment

Investment in transit facilities necessarily begins by being largely investment in the provision of new routes or new services under conditions of substantial indivisibilities and increasing returns to scale. Under these conditions the usual profitability tests for determining the desirability of specific investments lead generally to under- rather than to over-investment in transit facilities. As investment proceeds, however, larger and larger proportions of transportation investment are made primarily to relieve congestion on existing routes and to expand overall capacity. This paper discusses the investment designed to relieve congestion. For purposes of economic analysis it is useful to distinguish at least six types of congested situations, which are: simple interaction, multiple interaction, bottleneck, triggerneck, network and control, and general density.
The use, prevalence and potential benefits of a diary as a therapeutic intervention/tool to aid recovery following critical illness in intensive care: a literature review.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To critically appraise the available literature and summarise the evidence related to the use, prevalence, purpose and potential therapeutic benefits of intensive care unit diaries following survivors' discharge from hospital and identify areas for future exploration. BACKGROUND Intensive care unit survivorship is increasing as are associated physical and psychological complications. These complications can impact on the quality of life of survivors and their families. Rehabilitation services for survivors have been sporadically implemented and lack an evidence base. Patient diaries in intensive care have been implemented in Scandinavia and Europe with the intention of filling memory gaps, enable survivors to set realistic recovery goals and cement their experiences in reality. DESIGN A review of original research articles. METHODS The review used key terms and Boolean operators across a 34-year time frame in: CIHAHL, Medline, Scopus, Proquest, Informit and Google Scholar for research reports pertaining to the area of enquiry. Twenty-two original research articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. RESULTS The review concluded that diaries are prevalent in Scandinavia and parts of Europe but not elsewhere. The implementation and ongoing use of diaries is disparate and international guidelines to clarify this have been proposed. Evidence which demonstrates the potential of diaries in the reduction of the psychological complications following intensive care has recently emerged. Results from this review will inform future research in this area. CONCLUSIONS Further investigation is warranted to explore the potential benefits of diaries for survivors and improve the evidence base which is currently insufficient to inform practice. The exploration of prospective diarising in the recovery period for survivors is also justified. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Intensive care diaries are a cost effective intervention which may yield significant benefits to survivors.
An Overview of Population Genetic Data Simulation

Simulation studies in population genetics play an important role in helping to better understand the impact of various evolutionary and demographic scenarios on sequence variation and sequence patterns, and they also permit investigators to better assess and design analytical methods in the study of disease-associated genetic factors. To facilitate these studies, it is imperative to develop simulators with the capability to accurately generate complex genomic data under various genetic models. Currently, a number of efficient simulation software packages for large-scale genomic data are available, and new simulation programs with more sophisticated capabilities and features continue to emerge. In this article, we review the three basic simulation frameworks--coalescent, forward, and resampling--and some of the existing simulators that fall under these frameworks, comparing them with respect to their evolutionary and demographic scenarios, their computational complexity, and their specific applications. Additionally, we address some limitations in current simulation algorithms and discuss future challenges in the development of more powerful simulation tools.
Youth labor market in Burkina Faso: recent rends

The paper starts with a detailed descriptive analysis of various labor market indicators. It focuses on employment and unemployment rates broken down along various dimensions, such as gender, urban/rural status, age, and education attainment. It also assesses the extent to which there are readily available human resources that could be easily mobilized in the context of, for example, government programs aimed at modernizing or refurbishing infrastructure. The next section provides a more analytical look and tries to pursue some of the issues in a more in-depth fashion.
The reputation society: How online opinions are reshaping the offline world

seemed to conflate the methods and models of sociological inquiry with the concrete changes underway. Both of these criticisms lend themselves well to classroom discussion, where this is used as a course text. Moreover, they represent only modest criticisms of a book that I think manages to do the impossible rather well: providing a strong foundation for thinking about networked society that is not dated 2 years after issue, and I suspect will continue to be marked as a contribution to understanding the networked society for some time to come. There are other paths to the study of this area, drawing on different methodological and epistemological traditions, but I have little doubt that those who come to this area through Rainie and Wellman’s book will be well prepared to engage the literature as a whole and will see the networked world in a different light.