Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corruption on the Court: The Causes and Social Consequences of Point-Shaving in NCAA Basketball

This paper is concerned with the economic incentives of crime among agents within a private organization. Specifically, we present a contest model of a college basketball game to identify the winners, losers, and social welfare consequences of point-shaving corruption in mens NCAA basketball as an example of participation in illicit activities. It is shown that, under reasonable conditions, such activities lower the level of social welfare derived from college basketball play by reducing aggregate efforts in a game and distorting relative efforts across teams. We then examine the economic incentives of a player to point-shave and discuss player-types that are at a relatively high risk of engaging in point-shaving corruption. Private and public mechanisms to minimize corruption are compared in terms of efficiency, and a differential honesty premium is derived and discussed as an efficient way for the NCAA to decrease the incidence of player corruption.
A rule language and framework for RFID data capture and processing in manufacturing enterprise system

In an RFID-enabled enterprise manufacturing system, diverse RFID devices and varying RFID data formats exist as a result of dynamically changing business operations, varying needs at different physical asset touch points/conditions, etc. This presents a significant challenge in device deployment, device control, RFID data capturing, RFID data integration – that are essential stacks within enterprise manufacturing information infrastructure. It is well known that rule-based methodologies are widely applied for business processing modelling and logic flow control. However, it is not common to apply rules to every stack in an information capturing infrastructure. In this paper, we propose using rules as primary instruction carrier to configure, control, capture, and integrate RFID data in an enterprise manufacturing system. An XML based rule language is defined and a rule execution engine is implemented for this purpose. Computational performance of the execution engine is evaluated against the use case and further improvement is discussed.
Interaction of complement with Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae

The importance of the complement system in host defense against systemic infection caused by neisseriae is emphasized by a number of clinical observations documenting the importance of antibody-dependent, complement-mediated serum bactericidal activity in protection from systemic meningococcal disease (17) and the well-recognized association between the resistance of gonococci to complement-dependent serum bactericidal activity and the development of disseminated gonococcal infection (46, 49). Moreover, individuals with inherited complement deficiencies have a markedly increased risk (ca. 6,000-fold) of acquiring systemic neisserial infections and are subject to recurrent episodes of systemic meningococcal and gonococcal infections (37, 43). The purpose of this report is to review the complement cascade with particular reference to its importance in host defense against bacterial diseases, to compare and contrast neisserial disease in complement-deficient and complementsufficient individuals, to examine the molecular and functional basis for the particular importance of complement in host defense against these infections, and to examine the immunologic basis for prevention of neisserial disease in complement-deficient individuals.
There is something about pairs trading

The process of pairs trading involves exhaustively matching and ranking pairwise stocks based on some prespecified measure of closeness; e.g., correlation, cointegration, sum-of-squared price difference. Pairs trading is popular for various reasons. It is simple to follow and execute. The pairwise portfolio can be nearly market-neutral, such that it does not require the comprehensive analysis of macroeconomic news. Since it is based on relative valuation, the actual worth of individual firms is not a pertinent consideration. The strategy is sufficiently flexible to accommodate various investment styles. Lastly, it does not evoke frequent intraday rebalancing, such that pairs trading can be automated to a certain extent and be cost-feasibly profitable. Despite its long history on Wall Street, pairs trading remains elusive in nature. The academic attention it attracts is modest compared to contrarian and momentum trading.
'Issue-systems', 'multi-level games' and the analysis of the EU's external commercial and associated policies: a research agenda

This article considers how a particular combination of existing conceptual or heuristic approaches drawn from international relations theory-the 'issue-systems' framework and an adapted 'two-level game' model- might be brought to the empirical investigation of the European Union (EU) as an international actor and, more specifically, to the analysis of the policy-making and governance processes that shape and define the EU's external commercial and associated policies. It is proposed that the use of these frameworks in the analysis of the EU's external policy processes might provide a basis for tackling some of the broader questions concerning the nature and significance of the EU as a governance system and international actor in the world economic and political arena.
Moxifloxacin in the treatment of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis: Results of a multicenter, non-interventional study

Abstract Conclusion: Moxifloxacin was generally well tolerated and highly effective in the treatment of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABS). The incidence of adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was low. The effectiveness, safety, and tolerability information collected in this study confirm the clinical safety profile of moxifloxacin and its benefit as a treatment option for ABS. Objective: To assess the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of moxifloxacin under daily life treatment conditions in patients with ABS. Methods: The study was carried out in China between September 2005 and May 2007. Patients with ABS were treated with moxifloxacin tablets 400 mg once daily for a duration that was left to the physician's discretion. Data were collected on demography, diagnosis of infection, pretreatment, concomitant diseases and medications, moxifloxacin therapy, course of symptoms during investigations, and final assessment of therapy. Results: In all, 578 patients with ABS treated with moxifloxacin were valid for effectiveness analysis. An improvement was observed in 98.8% (n = 571/578) of the patients. Cure was documented in 89.4% (n = 517/578) of the patients. The physicians' overall tolerability rating was ‘very good’ or ‘good’ in 92.9% (n = 537/578) of patients. The incidence rates of AEs and ADRs were 1.5% (n = 10/681) and 0.6% (n = 4/681), respectively. No serious AE was reported.
A Serious Game Powered by Semantic Web technologies

ISCOOL is an interactive educational platform that helps users develop their skills for objective text analysis and interpretation. The tools incorporated into ISCOOL bridge various disparate sources, including reference datasets for people, and organizations, as well as gazetteers, dictionaries and collections of historical facts. This data serves as the basis for educating learners about the processes of evaluating the implicit and implied content of written material, whilst also providing a wider context in which this information is accessed, interpreted and understood. In the course of gameplay, the user is prompted to choose images that best capture content of a read passage. The interactive features of the game simultaneously test the user's existing knowledge, and ability to critically analyse the text. Results can be saved and shared, allowing the players to continue to interact with the data through conversations with their peers, friends, and family members, and to disseminate information throughout their communities. Users will be able to draw connections between the information they encounter in ISCOOL, and their daily realities - participants are empowered, informed and educated.
Origin of the Anterior Forebrain Pathway

Abstract: The brain nuclei and pathways comprising the song system of oscine songbirds bear many similarities with circuits in other bird species and in mammals. This suggests that the song system evolved as a specialization of pre‐existing circuits and may retain fundamental properties in common with those of other taxa. Here we review evidence for these similarities, including electrophysiological, morphological, and neurochemical data for identifying specific cell types. In addition, we discuss connectional data, addressing similarities in axonal projections among nuclei across taxa. We focus primarily on the anterior forebrain pathway, a circuit essential for song learning and vocal plasticity, because the evidence is strongest that this circuit is homologous to mammalian circuits. These fundamental similarities highlight the importance of comparative approaches; for example, understanding the role the anterior forebrain pathway plays in song plasticity may shed light on general principles of basal ganglia function. In addition, understanding specializations of such circuits in songbirds may illuminate specific innovations critical for vocal learning.
Involvement of NR2A‐ or NR2B‐containing N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors in the potentiation of cortical layer 5 pyramidal neurone inputs depends on the developmental stage

In the cortex, N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors (NMDARs) play a critical role in the control of synaptic plasticity processes. We have previously shown in rat visual cortex that the application of a high‐frequency stimulation (HFS) protocol used to induce long‐term potentiation in layer 2/3 leads to a parallel potentiation of excitatory and inhibitory inputs received by cortical layer 5 pyramidal neurones without changing the excitation/inhibition balance of the pyramidal neurone, indicating a homeostatic control of this parameter. We show here that the blockade of NMDARs of the neuronal network prevents the potentiation of excitatory and inhibitory inputs, and this result leaves open to question the role of the NMDAR isoform involved in the induction of long‐term potentiation, which is actually being strongly debated. In postnatal day (P)18–23 rat cortical slices, the blockade of synaptic NR2B‐containing NMDARs prevents the induction of the potentiation induced by the HFS protocol, whereas the blockade of NR2A‐containing NMDARs reduced the potentiation itself. In P29–P32 cortical slices, the specific activation of NR2A‐containing receptors fully ensures the potentiation of excitatory and inhibitory inputs. These results constitute the first report of a functional shift in subunit composition of NMDARs during the critical period (P12–P36), which explains the relative contribution of both NR2B‐ and NR2A‐containing NMDARs in synaptic plasticity processes. These effects of the HFS protocol are mediated by the activation of synaptic NMDARs but our results also indicate that the homeostatic control of the excitation/inhibition balance is independent of NMDAR activation and is due to specialized recurrent interactions between excitatory and inhibitory networks.
Education in a Devolved Scotland: A Quantitative Analysis

Education is an area that is highly devolved in the UK, and the fact that all four constituent countries have pursued very different policies in the recent past provides a good testing ground to undertake a comparative review of the merits or otherwise of the education reforms that have taken place. There is, of course, an important policy context to such an analysis. Examining the performance of children educated in the devolved Scottish system in comparison to those educated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has potential to offer a unique and valuable insight into the impact of Scottish devolution in a high profile area of public policy. When deciding whether or not to seek independence from the UK, the Scottish electorate will need to consider how a devolved Scotland has fared in educating its nation under its own terms – and hence how they might fare when taking ownership of other policy areas. In examining the key differences in attainment bearing in mind these differences, this report will help answer this question.
Legislative Voting Behavior, Seen and Unseen: A Theory of Roll-Call Vote Selection

The empirical study of legislative behavior largely relies on roll-call-vote analysis, but roll-call votes in many legislatures represent only a sample of legislative votes. We have good reasons to believe this sample is particularly poor for inferring party effects on legislative behavior. The selection of votes for roll call may be endogenous to exactly the characteristics of voting behavior (for instance, party cohesion) that we want to study. We must understand the roll-call-vote institution and account for its selection effects before we can draw inferences about legislative behavior from roll-call results. This paper develops a game-theoretic model of roll- call-vote requests predicated on party leaders requesting votes to enforce party discipline. The model offers general and testable predictions about the selection process and how it affects observed and unobserved legislative voting behavior, particularly party cohesion.
Molecular diversity and phylogenetic analysis of mariner‐like transposons in the genome of the silkworm Bombyx mori

Genome‐wide screening of mariner‐like elements (MLEs) in the silkworm Bombyx mori has revealed the presence of five different types of MLEs (Bmmar1, Bmmar2, Bmmar3, Bmmar4 and Bmmar5). We isolated and characterized sixty copies of the MLEs representing the five Bmmar types. Their nucleotide sequences, nucleotide compositions, deduced transposase sequences, codon preferences, and the copy numbers showed extensive variations. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences revealed that Bmmar1, Bmmar2, and Bmmar3 have been in the B. mori genome for a long time, while Bmmar4 is probably a recent invader of the genome. Because of the long‐term association of Bmmar1 and Bmmar2 with the genome, highly mutated miniature Bmmar1 and Bmmar2 are widespread in the genome, and the footprints of these elements are also present in different silkworm genes. However, miniature copies of Bmmar4 were not detected. This recently acquired element has very few mutations. None of the characterized copies had functional transposase open reading frames. They essentially exist as fossils in the genome.
Formal Methods for Control Synthesis in Partially Observed Environments: Application to Autonomous Robotic Manipulation

Modern robots are increasingly expected to function in uncertain and dynamically challenging environments, often in proximity with humans. In addition, wide scale adoption of robots requires on-the-fly adaptability of software for diverse application. These requirements strongly suggest the need to adopt formal representations of high level goals and safety specifications, especially as temporal logic formulas. This approach allows for the use of formal verification techniques for controller synthesis that can give guarantees for safety and performance. Robots operating in unstructured environments also face limited sensing capability. Correctly inferring a robot's progress toward high level goal can be challenging. This thesis develops new algorithms for synthesizing discrete controllers in partially known environments under specifications represented as linear temporal logic (LTL) formulas. It is inspired by recent developments in finite abstraction techniques for hybrid systems and motion planning problems. The robot and its environment is assumed to have a finite abstraction as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP), which is a powerful model class capable of representing a wide variety of problems. However, synthesizing controllers that satisfy LTL goals over POMDPs is a challenging problem which has received only limited attention. This thesis proposes tractable, approximate algorithms for the control synthesis problem using Finite State Controllers (FSCs). The use of FSCs to control finite POMDPs allows for the closed system to be analyzed as finite global Markov chain. The thesis explicitly shows how transient and steady state behavior of the global Markov chains can be related to two different criteria with respect to satisfaction of LTL formulas. First, the maximization of the probability of LTL satisfaction is related to an optimization problem over a parametrization of the FSC. Analytic computation of gradients are derived which allows the use of first order optimization techniques. The second criterion encourages rapid and frequent visits to a restricted set of states over infinite executions. It is formulated as a constrained optimization problem with a discounted long term reward objective by the novel utilization of a fundamental equation for Markov chains - the Poisson equation. A new constrained policy iteration technique is proposed to solve the resulting dynamic program, which also provides a way to escape local maxima. The algorithms proposed in the thesis are applied to the task planning and execution challenges faced during the DARPA Autonomous Robotic Manipulation - Software challenge.
Welcome to the Wet Tropics: the importance of weather in reef tourism resilience1

As one of Australia's iconic tourism attractions and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is an important economic, social and natural resource for Queensland's Tropical North. However, the long-term prognosis for the health of the reef and by implication, the industries dependent on it, is not positive. So far much attention has focussed on the health and resilience of the reef ecosystem, as a foundation for a resilient tourism industry. In this study we explore how weather conditions have affected the reef experiences of 1000 tourists to the Cairns/Port Douglas region, suggesting that this may also be an important indicator of change on the reef. The results suggest that poor weather has a more pronounced effect on experiences than good weather and reinforce the likelihood that seasickness, cold and wet conditions, reduced water visibility, and difficult snorkelling/diving conditions will reduce overall levels of satisfaction. Poor weather was found to have a direct effect on satisfaction scores, the likelihood that reef and tour expectations were not realised, and lowered perceived value for money. These are important considerations for the reef centred tourism industry that is currently facing strong environment pressures from climate change.
Adjunct analgesic drugs to local anaesthetics for neuroaxial blocks in children

Purpose of review This article reviews various adjunct drugs used in the context of neuroaxial blocks in children and to provide a literature and evidence-based suggestion for the rational use of such adjuncts. Recent findings Contrary to plain local anaesthetics, preservative-free morphine and clonidine, ketamine in neonatal rodents has been found to enhance apoptosis in the spinal cord. Dexmedetomidine has been shown to be equally effective as clonidine as an adjunct to caudal blocks. Systemic dexamethasone is as effective as if it is co-administered together with the local anaesthetic in the context of neural blockade. Summary Alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists currently represent the most versatile and well-tolerated adjunct for neuroaxial blockade in children. Preservative-free morphine may be indicated in certain situations but the risk for respiratory depression and other disturbing side-effects must be taken into account. Preservative-free ketamine is an effective adjunct to caudal blockade in children but the use should be restricted to children older than 1 year of age. All other drugs must still be regarded as experimental and should not be used outside clinical trials.
Does the Possibility to Make Equity Investments in Crowdfunding Projects Crowd Out Reward–Based Investments?

Despite crowdfunding's increasing popularity as a vehicle for financing early–stage ventures, we still know relatively little about the mechanisms that drive individuals to pledge and invest via such online platforms. We explored the extent to which financial or nonfinancial motivations determine the decision to invest for equity or to pledge. In addition, we also looked at whether having invested for equity can crowd out individuals’ motivation to keep a pledge into the same project. Our results show that nonfinancial motives play no significant role. Furthermore, we find that having invested for equity is a positive predictor of keeping a pledge.
Disinflation, Structural Change, and Distribution

There exists a deflationary bias in the contemporary international economy, and this has significant domestic distributional consequences for all states in the system. After investigating its sources, I consider the consequences of and possible solutions to this bias. I review the modern debate over inflation and macroeconomic policy and argue that some small but positive rate of inflation is necessary to achieve optimal economic growth. This is demonstrated to be consistent with most otherwise competing schools of economic thought, such as Keynesianism and monetarism. However, public dissatisfaction with the inflation of the 1970s, coupled with the rise of conservative governments (and new economic theories), allowed highly disinflationary structural and institutional changes to take place without sufficient attention to political consequences. Those changes privilege sectors in society willing to sacrifice some economic growth to assure very low levels of inflation. International financial deregulation reinforces a nominally apolitical anti-inflation coalition by limiting macroeconomic policy autonomy, which reduces the viability of relatively expansionary policies, while at the same time helping to sustain the view that such measures are inherently flawed. Greater sensitivity to the distributional consequences of inflation, and reform in the international financial system, such as the introduction of a Tobin tax, could mitigate the existing deflationary bias.
An analysis of information technology adoption situation in Botswana secondary schools and its impact on digital scholarship initiatives in institutions of learning

Sub Saharan Africa is both technologically and economically less developed, and this has led to the slow adoption of information technology. The use of Information Technology (IT) has led to major changes in the information era, one of which is known as digital scholarship, a term associated with the application of modern technology to teaching, learning and research activities. Governments in Africa invested in Information Technology and Botswana is among the countries that are currently attempting to promote Information Technology use in schools. Botswana has developed a Vision 2016, which aims at turning the country into an information society or an informed nation by the year 2016 (Long Term Vision 2016). The achievement of this goal of an informed nation implies the adoption, diffusion and use of information technology. This paper assessed the digital scholarship environment in educational institutions by analyzing the ramification of computer technology acceptance and use by school principals in Botswana secondary schools. Preliminary findings point to barriers to information technology adoption due to computer anxiety, digital literacy and lack of ease of use of the computer among some school principals.