Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What Have We Learnt About Pay For Performance? Geary Lecture Winter 2010

Governance is a central concern of economics. In much of economic activity, relevant principals (firms, voters, government agencies, and so on) delegate decisions to agents who may not have the interests of those principals at heart. Much of the literature in microeconomics of the last two decades has been concerned with the issue – what mechanisms can firms use to attempt to align interests? That such concerns are important hardly needs to be emphasised in the current Irish economic environment, where concerns of excessive lending by the banking sector have resulted in many claims about compensation and oversight. The purpose of this lecture is to overview the literature on one mechanism that has been proposed for solving agency concerns – pay for performance – but to place it in the context of other forms of governance. It is useful to distinguish between two forms of governance – those that reward on outputs, and those that reward on inputs. By this I mean that there are many employees whose pay is largely independent of what they do, so long as they pretty much follow orders. The typical worker in the developed world has such a contract – they receive a salary (or an hourly wage), where the requirement to get the salary is to show up on time, and to do what one is told. Such oversight ranges from the obvious worker-boss relationship, to also include cases where boards of directors proscribe executives from certain actions. Here the threat for failing to follow “orders” is usually that the agent
How Efficient is the European Football Betting Market? Evidence from Arbitrage and Trading Strategies

This paper assesses the international efficiency of the European football betting market by examining the forecastability of match outcomes on the basis of the information contained in different sets of online and fixed odds quoted by six major bookmakers. The paper also investigates the profitability of strategies based on: combined betting, simple heuristic rules, regression models and prediction encompassing. The empirical results show that combined betting across different bookmakers can lead to limited but highly profitable arbitrage opportunities. Simple trading rules and betting strategies based on forecast encompassing are found capable of also producing significant positive returns. Despite the deregulation, globalization and increased competition in the betting industry over recent years, the predictabilities and profits reported in this paper are not fully consistent with weak-form market efficiency. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gaining and Losing ERM Credibility: The Case of the United Kingdom

The model of this paper highlights two aspects of credibility: signaling the type of government, which is assumed not to be known; and, for any type, the likelihood that if circumstances are sufficiently unfavorable a devaluation will be impossible to avoid, since not to do so would go against the government's interests. These two factors have opposite implications for the link between unemployment and interest differentials: high unemployment signals a tough government but also makes it less likely that even a tough government will maintain an existing parity. Copyright 1995 by Royal Economic Society.
Vaccine Rejection and Hesitancy: A Review and Call to Action

Abstract Vaccine refusal has been a recurring story in the media for well over a decade. Although there is scant evidence that refusal is genuinely increasing in the population, multiple studies have demonstrated concerning patterns of decline of confidence in vaccines, the medical professionals who administer vaccines, and the scientists who study and develop vaccines. As specialists in microbiology, immunology, and infectious diseases, scientists are content experts but often lack the direct contact with individuals considering vaccination for themselves or their children that healthcare professionals have daily. This review examines the arguments and players in the US antivaccination scene, and it discusses ways that experts in infectious diseases can become more active in promoting vaccination to friends, family, and the public at large.
That's Not What Happened and it's Not My Fault Anyway! An Exploration of Management Attitudes Towards SRI-Shareholder Engagement

This paper explores semi-formal interactions between SRI-investors that take the governance route rather than deploy a best-in-class logic or exclusionary screening. On the basis of a stakeholder typology of the investor and of the chosen topic of interaction, namely compliance with the core ILO labor conventions, the paper formulates 10 expectations about management reactions to the concerns raised by investors. These expectations cover responsiveness, acknowledgment of positions and general attitude. The expectations are then related to the factual discourse by management responding to such concerns raised by investors. Based on data obtained from the Portfolio21-correspondence, which is a joint initiative of European investors, it is found that management is very willing to discuss cases but at the same time denies the truth-value of the allegations. Here, the problem of information asymmetry comes to the fore.
Quaternary lacustrine deposits in a high‐energy semi‐arid mountain environment, Karakoram Mountains, northern Pakistan

impressive Quaternary lacustrine deposits are present as terrace remnants through- out the Karakoram Mountains, northern Pakistan. They are mainly the result of damming of drainage systems during glacial advances or by catastrophic mass movement deposits. The longevity of most lakes is relatively short, in the order of years to tens of yeaa, but sedimentation rates are extremely high as a consequence of the high sediment loads within the rivers. This results in deposits that frequently exceed 10 rn in thickness. The sediments comprise dominantly planar bedded, massive and, less commonly, planar laminated, silts, comprising detrital quartz, brMl of QwterMry science feldspar, mica, calcite, chlorite and illite. A facies model for lacustrine sedimentation in a high- energy semi-arid high mountain region is presented, using case studies from a glacially dammed palaeolake (Glacial Lake Gilgit) and a debris-flow dammed palaeolake (Lake Serat). The rapid deposition and absence of organic material restricts the usefulness of these lacustrine Sediments as proxies for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, but they are helpful in reconstructing the former extent of glaciers and illustrating the importance of high-magnitude-low-frequency events, such as landsliding, as formative processes contributing to the evolution of the Karakoram land- scape.
One good thing leads to another: Cascades of positive youth development among American adolescents

Abstract Developmental cascades are links across the life span among heterotypic (qualitatively distinct) variables associated with one or more levels of organization within the ecology of human development. Using data from the longitudinal, 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development (PYD), we illustrate a developmental systems theory predicated model of cascades in the relations between individuals and contexts that promote positive development among adolescents. Consistent with expectations about the bases of PYD and the role in such development on person and context, ecological resources associated with parenting are linked to individual self-regulatory behaviors that in turn impact PYD, which is then associated with youth community contributions. We discuss the limitations and future directions of this research and the implications of developmental cascades for applications to policies and programs.
Do Migrants Rob Jobs? Lessons of Australian History, 1861–1991

Historically, lands of recent settlement have had a thirst for immigrants, but one that has been procyclical (negatively related to unemployment rates). For a period in the early 1980s, Australia's major political parties supported high immigration in spite of rising unemployment. This article explores the long-run relationship between immigration and local unemployment, posing the question, “Do migrants rob jobs? ” It also seeks to apply long-run historical analysis to recent economic debate: would Australia's unemployment rate have been lower in very recent times without so many immigrants?
The Influence of Successor-Related Factors on the Succession Process in Small and Medium-Sized Family Businesses

In this study, successor-related factors that can influence the succession process in small and medium-sized family businesses are empirically investigated. This study was undertaken in South Africa among 2,458 owner-managers and successors in 1,038 family businesses. These respondents were identified via a snowball-sampling technique. A total of 332 usable questionnaires were returned. The dependent variable in this study, namely, the perceived success of the succession process, is measured by two underlying dimensions: satisfaction with the process and continued profitability of the business. The empirical results indicate that the successor-related factors that influence satisfaction with the process are, on the one hand, the willingness of the successor to take over and the relationship between the owner-manager and successor, on the other hand. The continued profitability of the business is influenced by the willingness of the successor to take over the business, the preparation level of the successor, and the relationship between the successor and owner-manager. The relationship between the owner-manager and successor is in turn influenced by the extent to which interpersonal relationships in the family can be described as harmonious. Based on these findings recommendations for successful succession are offered.
The Effects of Adding Leucine to Pre and Postexercise Carbohydrate Beverages on Acute Muscle Recovery From Resistance Training

Stock, MS, Young, JC, Golding, LA, Kruskall, LJ, Tandy, RD, Conway-Klaassen, JM, and Beck, TW. The effects of adding leucine to pre and postexercise carbohydrate beverages on acute muscle recovery from resistance training. J Strength Cond Res 24(8): 2211-2219, 2010-The present study examined the effects of adding leucine to pre and postexercise carbohydrate beverages on selected markers of muscle damage, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and squat performance for up to 72 hours after lower-body resistance training. Seventeen resistance trained men (mean ± SD age 22.9 ± 2.9 years) and 3 resistance trained women (mean ± SD age 21.6 ± 2.6 years) performed 6 sets of squats to fatigue using 75% of the 1 repetition maximum. Each subject consumed a carbohydrate beverage 30 minutes before and immediately after exercise with or without the addition of 22.5 mg·kg−1 (45 mg·kg−1 total) of leucine in a randomized, double-blind fashion. Serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and DOMS were analyzed immediately before (TIME1), 24 (TIME2), 48 (TIME3), and 72 (TIME4) hours after exercise. The subjects repeated the squat protocol at TIME4 to test recovery. No differences were observed between groups for squat performance, defined as the total number of repetitions performed during 6 sets of squats, for both TIME1 and TIME4. The addition of leucine did not significantly decrease CK and LDH activity or DOMS. These results suggested that adding leucine to carbohydrate beverages did not affect acute muscle recovery and squat performance during both initial testing and during a subsequent exercise bout 72 hours later in resistance trained subjects.
EVALUATION OF THE FLOCCULATION EFFICIENCY OF Chlorella vulgaris MEDIATED BY Moringa oleifera SEED UNDER DIFFERENT FORMS: FLOUR, SEED CAKE AND EXTRACTS OF FLOUR AND CAKE

Abstract - Flocculation as a pre-separation method can help make production of biodiesel from microalgae economically feasible. In a previous study, Moringa oleifera seed flour (1 g.L -1 ) was shown to be a very efficient flocculant for Chlorella vulgaris , a microalga with high potential for biodiesel production. In this study, several aspects of C vulgaris flocculation mediated by Moringa were investigated in order to optimize the separation of this biomass. Flocculation efficiency was the same with seeds from different origins and lots. The stationary growth stage was best for harvesting C vulgaris cells to carry out flocculation efficiently (93%). The use of flour extracts and cake extracts generated the best cost-benefit ratio (flocculation efficiency from 78 to 97% with a saving in mass of seed of 75%). The highest efficiency was reached with extracts prepared with seawater and NaCl solutions which have high salt concentration. Reasonable stability of the extract allows its use for up to two weeks, prov ided it is kept at low temperature (4 °C).
An ID-based broadcast encryption scheme for key distribution

A broadcast encryption scheme enables a center to distribute keys and/or broadcast a message in a secure way over an insecure channel to an arbitrary subset of privileged recipients. In this paper, an ID-based broadcast encryption scheme is proposed, by which a center can distribute keys over a network, so that each member of a privileged subset of users can compute a specified key. Then a conventional private-key cryptosystem, such as DES, can be used to encrypt the subsequent broadcast with the distributed key. Because a key distribution can be done in an encrypted broadcast without any key pre-distribution, re-keying protocols for group membership operations can be simplified, a center can use the ID-based broadcast encryption scheme again to distribute a new and random session key. The ID-based broadcast encryption scheme from bilinear pairings is based on a variant of the Boneh-Franklin identity based encryption scheme.
A resource management tool for implementing strategic direction in an academic department

This paper reports on a load balancing system for an academic department, which can be used as an implementation mechanism for strategic planning. In essence, it consists of weighting each activity within the department and performing workload allocation based on this transparent scheme. The experience to date has been very positive, in terms of achieving strategic change and staff contentment.
GENERIC PROMOTION OF BEEF: MEASURING THE IMPACT OF THE US BEEF CHECKOFF

Generic promotions of commodities are growing in importance. In the US, commodity industry assessments or checkoffs (i.e. a per unit levy or tax) are used to underwrite domestic and international promotions by commodity groups. The US beef checkoff is one of the largest of these new national commodity programmes. Evaluation of the economic impact of the beef promotion is an essential part of the beef checkoff. A model for evaluating the US beef programmes is estimated and the methodology is applicable to other commodity models that include advertising and promotion expenditures. The beef analysis shows a positive and significant return to the beef industry, with an average of approximately $5 for each $1 invested for the quarters 1987:1 through 1991:2.
Mycophenolic Acid Plasma Concentrations: Influence of Comedication

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in combination with cyclosporine (CsA) or Tacrolimus (TAC) has been show to be a potent immunosuppressive agent. The authors assessed the mycophenolic acid (MPA) plasma levels achieved in clinical practice and evaluated the effect of concomitant administration of CsA and TAC . One hundred forty transplant patients (kidney: 120 and lung: 20) received a triple immunosuppression regimen of CsA or TAC, prednisone and MMF. Twenty-two renal transplant patients received double therapy with MMF and prednisone. There was no correlation between MMF dose and MPA trough concentrations (r = -0.0657). The medians (range) of the MPA dose-to-concentration ratio (D/C) in the CsA and TAC groups were 0.90 (0.11–8.33) and 0.56 (0.11–14.3), respectively (p < 0.0001). According to the post transplant period (1–3, 4–6 and >6 months), D/C values were significantly lower in patients receiving MMF and TAC than those receiving MMF and CsA in all three periods. MPA levels in patients treated with MMF and CsA were significantly lower than those obtained in double therapy. The D/C ratio in CsA-treated patients, increased significantly (p = 0.0005) when CsA level increased. There was no relationship between D/C ratio and TAC blood concentrations. These results suggest that CsA exerts an influence on MPA trough levels, although further work is required to characterize the mechanism of interaction.
Mixed integer programming formulation techniques and applications to Unit Commitment problem

Unit Commitment (UC) problem with non-linear functions and probabilistic constraints are difficult to solve by standard optimization methods. This paper provides an introduction to mixed integer programming problem formulation techniques and its applications to UC problem. Use of binary variables to convert nonlinear functions and probabilistic constraints to a Mixed Integer linear programming (MILP) form are presented. This conversion helps in solving the UC problem by using commercially available MILP solvers.
Avoiding the pitfalls of single particle cryo-electron microscopy: Einstein from noise

Single particle cryo-electron microscopy is currently poised to produce high-resolution structures of many biological assemblies, but several pitfalls can trap the unwary. This critique highlights one problem that is particularly relevant when smaller structures are being studied. It is known as “Einstein from noise,” in which the experimenter honestly believes they have recorded images of their particles, whereas in reality, most if not all of their data consist of pure noise. Selection of particles using cross-correlation methods can then lead to 3D maps that resemble the model used in the initial selection and provide the illusion of progress. Suggestions are given about how to circumvent the problem.
Cloning and embryonic expression of six wnt genes in the medaka (Oryzias latipes) with special reference to expression of wnt5a in the pectoral fin buds

WNTs are secreted signaling molecules which control cell differentiation and proliferation. They are known to play essential roles in various developmental processes. Wnt genes have been identified in a variety of animals, and it has been shown that their amino acid sequences are highly conserved throughout evolution. To investigate the role of wnt genes during fish development from the evolutionary viewpoint, six medaka wnt genes (wnt4, wnt5a, wnt6, wnt7b, wnt8b and wnt8‐like) were isolated and their embryonic expression was examined. These wnt genes were expressed in various tissues during embryonic development, and most of their expression patterns were conserved or comparable to those of other vertebrates. Thus, these wnt genes may be useful as molecular markers to investigate development and organogenesis using the medaka. Focus was on wnt5a, which was expressed in the pectoral fin buds, because its expression pattern was particularly comparable to that in tetrapod limbs. Its detailed expression pattern was further examined during pectoral fin bud development. The conservation and diversification of Wnt5a expression through the evolutionary transition from fish fins to tetrapod limbs is discussed.
House Prices and Bubbles in New Zealand

This paper studies actual (real) house prices relative to fundamental (real) house values in New Zealand for the period 1970–2005. Utilizing a dynamic present value model, we find disparities between actual and fundamental house prices in the early 1970s and 1980s and from 2000 to date. We model the bubble component that is related to fundamentals (the intrinsic component), making it possible to highlight whether a bubble still exists after that component is accounted for. We then analyze any remaining bubble to detect any momentum behavior. Much of the overvaluation of the housing market is found to be due to price dynamics rather than an overreaction to fundamentals.
T’ai chi benefits some patients with chronic conditions, review concludes

T’ai chi can improve physical performance of patients with certain chronic conditions without exacerbating their pain or making them breathless, concludes a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine . 1 The Chinese martial art t’ai chi consists of slow, gentle, and flowing movements that involve strengthening, balance, postural alignment, mind concentration, relaxation, and breath control. Canadian researchers examined the current evidence on the …
Impacts and Channels of University Spillovers Before the National Innovation System Reform in Japan

This study examines the presence and mechanism of university spillovers in the period when university-industry collaborations encountered institutional barriers. In addition to estimating the traditional regional knowledge production function, the knowledge spillover pool, which is accessible to firms through joint research with national universities, is incorporated into the regression model. Despite institutional constraints on formal interactions, the results indicate positive university spillovers in many technological categories. The effects of university research on industrial innovations vary according to technology, geographical proximity, and knowledge networks. The theoretical and policy implications of empirical findings are discussed.
Discontinuous Galerkin discretizations of optimized Schwarz methods for solving the time-harmonic Maxwell's equations

We show in this paper how to properly discretize optimized Schwarz methods for the time-harmonic Maxwell's equations in two and three spatial dimensions using a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method. Due to the multiple traces between elements in the DG formulation, it is not clear a priori how the more sophisticated transmission conditions in optimized Schwarz methods should be discretized, and the most natural approach, at convergence of the Schwarz method, does not lead to the monodomain DG solution, which implies that for such discretizations, the DG error estimates do not hold when the Schwarz method has converged. We present here a consistent discretization of the transmission conditions in the framework of a DG weak formulation, for which we prove that the multidomain and monodomain solutions for the Maxwell's equations are the same. We illustrate our results with several numerical experiments of propagation problems in homogeneous and heterogeneous media.
Determining the Exogeneity of Tax Components with Respect to GDP

In this study we examine the relationship between tax revenues and GDP for Turkey for the period from 2004.Q1 to 2012.Q1. The effectiveness of tax components on GDP are investigated by using Johansen and Juselius (1990) cointegration and Granger Causality test. According to our findings, the main categories of taxes are cointegrated with GDP but the sub categories are not. This results means that more than optimal level of tax is collecting in some sub categories. When determined these sub categories, we have found as result that policy makers should increase Withholding Income Tax. When consider Special Consumption Tax, except Tobacco and Alcohol Products’ SCT, all categories of Special Consumption Tax should be increased.