Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
2013 OECD GLOBAL FORUM ON DEVELOPMENT 4-5 APRIL 2013 DISCUSSION PAPER FOR SESSION 2: www.oecd.org/site/oecdgfd/ BEYOND POVERTY REDUCTION: THE CHALLENGE OF SOCIAL COHESION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

As the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) deadline approaches the world is looking back at the last 20 years. While policy makers hail the success in meeting the povery reduction target of the MDGs, social unrests in the Middle East and North African regions and some parts of Asia and Europe question current economic growth models. Developing countries have been catching up economically at unprecended rates, but economic growth does not automatically translate into positive social outcomes. Widening inequalities within countries, especially in fast-growing economies, threaten social cohesion.
Galactic Chemical Evolution in Hierarchical Formation Models

We study the metallicities and abundance ratios of early-type galaxies in cosmological semi-analytic models (SAMs) within the hierarchical galaxy formation paradigm. To achieve this we implemented a detailed galactic chemical evolution (GCE) model and can now predict abundances of individual elements for the galaxies in the semi-analytic simulations. This is the first time a SAM with feedback from Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) has included a chemical evolution prescription that relaxes the instantaneous recycling approximation. We find that the new models are able to reproduce the observed mass-metallicity (M? –[Z/H]) relation and, for the first time in a SAM, we reproduce the observed positive slope of the mass-abundance ratio (M? –[α/Fe]) relation. Our results indicate that in order to simultaneously match these observations of early-type galaxies, the use of both a very mildly top-heavy IMF (i.e., with a slope of x = 1.15 as opposed to a standard x = 1.3), and a lower fraction of binaries that explode as Type Ia supernovae appears to be required. We also examine the rate of supernova explosions in the simulated galaxies. In early-type (non-star forming) galaxies, our predictions are also consistent with the observed SNe rates. However, in starforming galaxies, a higher fraction of SN Ia binaries than in our preferred model is required to match the data. If, however, we deviate from the classical model and introduce a population of SNe Ia with very short delay times, our models simultaneously produce a good match to the observed metallicities, abundance ratios and SN rates. Based on Arrigoni M. , Trager S.C. , Somerville R.S. and Gibson B.K. , 2010, MNRAS, 402, 173 8 chapter 2: Chemical properties of Early-type galaxies in the local Universe.
Trend extraction based on Hilbert-Huang transform

Trend extraction is an important tool for the analysis of data sequences. This paper presents a new methodology for trend extraction based on Hilbert-Huang transform. Signals are initially decomposed through use of EMD into a finite number of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). The Hilbert marginal spectrum of each IMF is then calculated and a new criterion, termed the cross energy ratio of the Hilbert marginal spectrum of consecutive IMFs, is defined. Finally, through use of the new criterion, the underlying trend is obtained by adaptively selecting appropriate IMFs obtained by EMD. Results from experimental trials are included to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed method for extracting trends in data streams.
An enhanced specialized SiC power MOSFET simulation system

This work presents the recent progress in the development of a simulation system, CoolSPICE, specifically targeting high-power and high-temperature simulations of SiC power MOSFET devices in particular. CoolSPICE uses a subcircuit based on the conventional BSIM MOSFET model to represent SiC power MOSFETs. The BSIM equation set is modified and new parameters are added to the model set to account for the performance and behavior differences between conventional CMOS and these high power devices, while the robustness of BSIM is preserved. The parameter set is extracted by matching IV and CV curve measurements to simulations. Accuracy and robustness are verified by using this model to simulate typical power MOSFET circuit architectures.
A Real-Time Coded OFDM Acoustic Modem in Very Shallow Underwater Communications

In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a high-rate modem for use in very-shallow water communications. The modem employs an orthogonal-frequency-division-multiplexing (OFDM) scheme with a powerful forward error-correcting code (FEC) -turbo block code. Bit error rate (BER) measurements obtained from coastal sea trials showed that this modem is capable of delivering good error rate performance for information rates of up to nearly 10 kbits/s at transmission distances below 1700 m.
Information Transmission System Based On a Light Sensor

This paper describes a novel light-sensor-based information transmission system with particular benefits for mobile and wearable computers. Fluorescent light is used as the medium to transmit information which is in encoded form and receiver receives the encoded light information through a photoreceiver. The information is passed into the wearable or mobile computer after the data are decoded. This information allows positioning information to be given to indoor mobile and wearable computers. Keywords– fluorescent lamp, wearable computer.
Labour Cost and World Market Share: An Empirical Analysis with Panel Data (1999–2008)

In the present paper it will be shown that unit labour cost plays a significant role in the world market share. An econometric model will be used on panel data covering Western European Countries as well as Japan, during the period 1999 - 2008. The degree of impact of unit labour cost on world market share is estimated by this econometric model. The elaboration of data is made feasible through the Eviews software package.
A Novel Approach Based on CVQ Technique for Face Recognition

Face recognition has been widely used to identify faces according to the patterns of mouth, lip, eyes and so on. Existing face recognition techniques provide a reasonable accuracy. However, their effectiveness significantly degrades in presence of uncontrolled conditions such as variations of background light and image sizes. To deal with this problem, we propose a novel approach based on Classified Vector Quantization (CVQ) technique for face recognition. The new approach divides images into some blocks and each block is classified into several patterns. The Vector Quantization technique (VQ) is applied on the vectors of each pattern. A major benefit of this technique is to consider the geometric structure of face and skin correlations which provide recognition based on changes on human's age. In order to evaluate our approach, experiments on some standard image databases have been conducted. The results demonstrate the high recognition rate and accuracy of our technique.
Investigating the Complexities of Nationbuilding: A Sub-National Regional Perspective

Abstract : Stabilization and reconstruction operations are necessary to secure and maintain the peace in the aftermath of conflict. The complexities of nation-building involve many different but interrelated systems and institutions. The basic structure of a country may or may not remain; its political, economic, and judicial systems, cultural, educational, medical, and military institutions, and critical infrastructure all vitally contribute to the overall progression of stability and prosperity. Understanding the significance of the dynamic relationships between the forces in play during stability and reconstruction operations is paramount to the successful conclusion of such missions. The system dynamics model proposed in this research functions as a support tool allowing decisionmakers and analysts to investigate different sets of decision approaches at a sub-national, regional level. Concentration on the regional level allows for specific identification and investigation of potentially troublesome regions, providing the model-user with more detailed information concerning the internal dynamics prevalent within the area of operations. Construction of two different measures via logistic regression, a probability of stabilization success and a probability of stabilization failure, provide indication as to the successful execution of stabilization and reconstruction operations. The proposed model is a general construct, widely adaptable to a variety of post-conflict nation-building scenarios. The model is notionally demonstrated using Operation Iraqi Freedom as a test case.
Secure broadcasting in cooperative cognitive radio networks

This paper explores the trade-off between cooperation and secrecy in cognitive radio networks. We consider a scenario consisting of a primary and a secondary system. In the simplest case, each system is represented by a pair of transmitter and receiver. We assume a secrecy constraint on the transmission in the sense that the message of the primary transmitter has to be concealed from the secondary user. Both situations where the secondary transmitter is aware and unaware of the primary message are investigated and compared. Furthermore, we extend our results to the scenario where the secondary system comprises multiple users. For each case we sketch the derivation of the rates that are achievable from an information theoretic perspective. We then investigate the findings by numerical simulations. Our main result is that, in spite of the secrecy constraint, cooperation is beneficial in terms of the achievable rates. The secondary transmitter has the two contradicting tasks of helping the primary system and transmitting its own message. Our results show that both tasks can be accomplished simultaneously, improving both systems' performance. In particular, the secondary system can achieve a significant rate without decreasing the primary rate below the benchmark rate achievable without the help of the secondary transmitter. In the case of multiple secondary users, the rate region reduces, which results in a lower individual rate. However, the linear increase in sumrate counterbalances this effect.
Formation and Properties of Juvenile Wood in Southern Pines: A Synopsis

To satisfy the increasing demand for forest products, much of the future timber supply will be from improved trees grown on managed plantations. This fast-grown resource will tend to be harvested in short age rotations and will contain higher proportions of juvenile wood than that of current harvests. In anticipation of this resource, definitive information is needed on the influence of juvenile wood on lumber properties so that grading rules and the associated allowable design stresses can be modified as needed. This document reports the results of an extensive review of the literature on juvenile wood in southern pines. This report defines and discusses the extent, occurrence, and characteristics of juvenile wood. It reviews the effects that environment and silviculture have on the amount of juvenile wood produced. Finally, the impacts that juvenile wood has on mechanical properties were quantified. The results of this quantification are significant to all producers of fast-grown plantations. Research has clearly shown that juvenile wood will have a detrimental impact on allowable design stresses for visually graded lumber. It is critical that methods are developed to more carefully manage fast-grown plantation wood for its most efficient use. This review should serve as an overall collection of knowledge pertaining to juvenile wood research in southern pines and should help in the decision-making efforts to improve seedling selection techniques and silvicultural practices to maximize the potential for fast-grown plantations of southern pines.
Mechanical circulatory support after paediatric heart transplantation.

OBJECTIVES Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) may be required after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHTx) in children for the treatment of failure or rejection. We review the incidence and outcomes of post-transplant MCS in our institution. METHODS MCS was classified as early (<1 month since transplant) or late (>1 month since transplant) and the support offered was either veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) or a ventricular assist device (VAD). From 2003 to the present, 100 children (<16 years) underwent OHTx. Fifteen (15%) had 17 episodes of MCS. MCS was instituted early in 10 and late in seven episodes. Two children required two episodes of support. VA-ECMO was used in 12 episodes (71%). Two children required VAD support alone (12%). In three (17%) episodes ECMO was subsequently converted from VAD. RESULTS Among 10 children with early failure, eight were successfully weaned from support with recovery of graft function. In the late failure group, three of six patients died. All but four patients underwent re-transplantation with no perioperative deaths. Overall survival to discharge was 66%. The early failure group shows a better survival rate to hospital discharge compared with the late failure group (78 vs 50%; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of post-transplant MCS for graft failure in our patients was 15%. Early graft failure has a better outcome than late failure. Re-transplantation has good mid-term outcomes in children. A stepwise approach with a multimodality MCS strategy improves survival in this group of patients.
Presentation Slides for 'Trading Treasury Futures: A Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Analysis on the Volume-Volatility Relation'

A composition comprising a polylactide polymer with improved extensional viscosity and methods of making the same are disclosed. The polylactide polymer composition is prepared by providing in the composition polylactide polymer molecules which have been modified, relative to linear non-substituted polylactide, to provide increased molecular interaction among polylactide backbone chains in the composition. The preferred polylactide polymer composition has a number average molecular weight of at least about 10,000 (preferably at least 50,000) and a polydispersity of at least about 2.5. In addition, the polylactide polymer composition should have a neck-in ratio of less than about 0.8.
Tuning and disrupting the brain—modulating the McGurk illusion with electrical stimulation

In the so-called McGurk illusion, when the synchronized presentation of the visual stimulus /ga/ is paired with the auditory stimulus /ba/, people in general hear it as /da/. Multisensory integration processing underlying this illusion seems to occur within the Superior Temporal Sulcus (STS). Herein, we present evidence demonstrating that bilateral cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of this area can decrease the McGurk illusion-type responses. Additionally, we show that the manipulation of this audio-visual integrated output occurs irrespective of the number of eye-fixations on the mouth of the speaker. Bilateral anodal tDCS of the Parietal Cortex also modulates the illusion, but in the opposite manner, inducing more illusion-type responses. This is the first demonstration of using non-invasive brain stimulation to modulate multisensory speech perception in an illusory context (i.e., both increasing and decreasing illusion-type responses to a verbal audio-visual integration task). These findings provide clear evidence that both the superior temporal and parietal areas contribute to multisensory integration processing related to speech perception. Specifically, STS seems fundamental for the temporal synchronization and integration of auditory and visual inputs. For its part, posterior parietal cortex (PPC) may adjust the arrival of incoming audio and visual information to STS thereby enhancing their interaction in this latter area.
Roles of Iroquois Transcription Factors in Kidney Development

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) affect 1/500 live births. CAKUT lead to end stage renal failure in children, and are associated with high morbidity rates. Understanding the mechanisms of kidney development, and that of other associated urogenital tissues, is crucial to the prevention and treatment of CAKUT. The kidney arises from self-renewing mesenchymal renal stem cells that produce nephrons, which are the principal functional units of the organ. To date, the genetic and cellular mechanisms that control nephrogenesis have remained poorly understood. In recent years, developmental studies using amphibians and zebrafish have revealed that their simple embryonic kidney, known as the pronephros, is a useful paradigm for comparative studies of nephron ontogeny. Here, we discuss the new found roles for Iroquois transcription factors in pronephric nephron patterning, and explore the relevance of these findings for kidney development in humans.
Does the General Public Know the Extension Service? A Survey of Ohio Residents

This article presents results of an assessment of the familiarity of the general public of Ohio with OSU Extension and the means of contact with OSU Extension. One-fifth of respondents were familiar with programs and services OSU Extension provides. Agriculture and Natural Resources area programs were most popular among those Ohio residents familiar with OSU Extension. Reading a publication was the most likely way of knowing about OSU Extension. Ohio residents reported a positive, above-average value for their satisfaction with OSU Extension's programs and services, and indicated that they would recommend OSU Extension to others.
Domiciliary occupational therapy for patients with stroke discharged from hospital: randomised controlled trial

Abstract Objective: To establish if a brief programme of domiciliary occupational therapy could improve the recovery of patients with stroke discharged from hospital. Design: Single blind randomised controlled trial. Setting: Two hospital sites within a UK teaching hospital. Subjects: 138 patients with stroke with a definite plan for discharge home from hospital. Intervention: Six week domiciliary occupational therapy or routine follow up. Main outcome measures: Nottingham extended activities of daily living score and “global outcome” (deterioration according to the Barthel activities of daily living index, or death). Results: By eight weeks the mean Nottingham extended activities of daily living score in the intervention group was 4.8 points (95% confidence interval −0.5 to 10.0, P=0.08) greater than that of the control group. Overall, 16 (24%) intervention patients had a poor global outcome compared with 30 (42%) control patients (odds ratio 0.43, 0.21 to 0.89, P=0.02). These patterns persisted at six months but were not statistically significant. Patients in the intervention group were more likely to report satisfaction with a range of aspects of services. Conclusion: The functional outcome and satisfaction of patients with stroke can be improved by a brief occupational therapy programme carried out in the patient's home immediately after discharge. Major benefits may not, however, be sustained.
Prevalence of Hypertension and Diabetes and Coexistence of Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Risk in the Population of the Republic of Moldova

In 2005, the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) established the Global Outreach Program (GO) aimed at building a capacity for detecting and managing chronic kidney disease and its complications in low- and middle-income countries. Here we report data from the 2006-2007 screening program (1025 subjects from the general population) in the Republic of Moldova aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and their coexistence with microalbuminuria. The likelihood of a serious cardiovascular (CV) event was also estimated. Hypertension and diabetes were very common among screened subjects. The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 16.9% and that of estimated GFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (decreased renal function) was 9.4%. Male gender was associated with an increased prevalence of hypertension and microalbuminuria. Hypertension and diabetes clustered in subjects with microalbuminuria and renal dysfunction. Risk factors such as preobesity/obesity, physical inactivity and smoking were relatively common, even in younger participants. The prevalence of subjects with predicted 10-year CV risk ≥10% was 10.0%. In conclusion, in the Republic of Moldova patients with hypertension and diabetes should be screened for the coexistence of renal abnormalities, with the intention of developing disease-specific health-care interventions with the primary goal to reduce CV morbidity and mortality and prevent renal disease progression to end stage renal disease.
Defense and the Economy

Abstract : The Institute for Defense Analyses prepared this paper for the Defense Conversion Commission to provide an assessment of the economic effects of the defense budget drawdown. Using economic simulation models, we estimate the potential long-run economic benefits, and the short-run transitional costs, of the planned budget cuts. We present several cases showing how the results depend on alternative policies for spending the peace dividend.
No . 412 Regulated Electricity Retailing in Chile by Alexander Galetovic

While some countries have unbundled distribution and retailing, skeptics argue that the physical attributes of electricity make retailers redundant. Instead, it is claimed that passive pass through of wholesale prices plus regulated charges for transmission and distribution suffice for customers to benefit from competitive generation markets. We review the Chilean experience with regulated retailing and pass through of wholesale prices. We argue that when energy wholesale prices are volatile and prices are stabilized, distortions emerge. Regulated retailers gain little by mitigating or correcting them. On the contrary, sometimes price distortions increase their profits. We estimate the cost of three distortions that neither regulated retailers nor the regulator have shown any interest in correcting.
Morphogenesis of the Node of Ranvier: Co-Clusters of Ankyrin and Ankyrin-Binding Integral Proteins Define Early Developmental Intermediates

AnkyrinG 480/270 kDa and three ankyrin-binding integral membrane proteins (neurofascin, NrCAM, and the voltage-dependent sodium channel) colocalize within a specialized domain of the spectrin–actin network found at axonal segments of nodes of Ranvier in myelinated axons. Before myelination in embryonic nerves, ankyrinG480/270 kDa and the related ankyrin isoform ankyrinB 440 kDa are co-expressed along with NrCAM in an abundant, continuous distribution along the length of axons. This study has resolved intermediate stages in the developmental transition from a continuous distribution of ankyrinG 480/270 kDa in all axons to a highly polarized localization at the node of Ranvier in the developing rat sciatic nerve. The first detected event is formation of clusters containing the cell adhesion molecules neurofascin and NrCAM at sites independent of myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG)-staining Schwann cell processes. Subsequent steps involve recruitment of ankyrinG 480/270 kDa and the voltage-dependent sodium channel to cluster sites containing cell adhesion molecules, and elaboration of MAG-staining Schwann cell processes adjacent to these cluster sites. Formation of the mature node of Ranvier results from the fusion of asynchronously formed pairs of clusters associated with MAG-positive Schwann cells flanking the site of presumed node formation. Studies with the hypomyelinating mutant mousetrembler demonstrate that the elaboration of compact myelin is not required for the formation of these clustered nodal intermediates. Clustering of neurofascin and NrCAM precedes redistribution of ankyrinG 480/270 kDa and the voltage-dependent sodium channel, suggesting that the adhesion molecules define the initial site for subsequent assembly of ankyrin and the voltage-dependent sodium channel.