Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The United States and the United Nations: toward a new realism

Quantitatively, international governmental organizations (IGOs) are still an expanding force in international affairs. According to one recent count, there now exist more than 1,100 such organizations all told. Some 40 percent more IGOs were created in the 1970s than in the 1960s. And, with the passage of time, more and more are being created by decisions of existing organizations rather than by treaty ratification by states. ' Qualitatively, however, the world of IGOs is not in good shape. Indeed, there is widespread talk these days about a crisis of multilateralism, especially but not exclusively in the context of the United Nations.2 With regard to peace and security, the UN secretary general himself has remarked that the organization's machinery functions so poorly that the international community finds itself "perilously near to a new international anarchy. "3 NorthSouth economic negotiations in the United Nations have been stalemated for a decade, and the decade-long Law of the Seas negotiations failed to produce a universally acceptable treaty. The administrative performance of the United Nations and its agencies is said by many critics to be inferior, the salary and benefit levels inflated. Many of its technical agencies are
The Fiscal Stance in Sweden: A Generational Accounting Perspective

Generational accounts provide answers to a simple question: how much will future generations have to pay in net taxes as compared to today`s generations? In this paper, we review the concept of generational accounting and provide estimates for Sweden, where public finances deteriorated substantially after 1990. Accounts are computed on the basis both of policies in place in September 1994 and of subsequent measures adopted before end-1994. The results suggest that the measures will improve significantly the relative position of future generations, who would nevertheless continue to face a large net tax burden.
The impact of the introduction of futures contracts on the spot market volatility: the case of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange

In investigating the impact of futures trading on spot market volatility, it is not obvious to what extent the results obtained using data from well developed and highly liquid markets are applicable to emerging markets. This paper provides evidence on the impact of the introduction of futures trading on spot market volatility using data from both the underlying and non-underlying stocks in the emerging Malaysian stock market. Results show that the onset of futures trading increases spot market volatility and the flow of information to the spot market. It is found that the underlying stocks respond more to recent news, while the non-underlying stocks respond more to old news. The lead–lag and causal relationship between futures trading activity and spot market volatility is also examined. VAR results show that the impact of the previous day's futures trading activity on volatility is positive but short (only a day). This is further confirmed by Granger's causality test.
Sleep disturbances associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: the impact of psychiatric comorbidity and pharmacotherapy.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the relative risk of sleep problems associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), its pharmacotherapy, and its comorbid psychopathology. METHOD Standard sleep questionnaires were used to assess sleep problems and characteristics in ADHD (n = 122) and non-ADHD (n = 105) comparison youths. RESULTS ADHD was associated with 10 of 19 sleep problems assessed. However, after controlling for psychiatric comorbidity and pharmacotherapy with stimulants, the majority of these differences were no longer evident. Rather, treatment with stimulants and comorbidity with anxiety and behavior disorders were significantly associated with sleep disturbances. Positive family history of ADHD was associated with none of the sleep problems assessed here after adjusting for age, psychiatric comorbidity, and treatment with anti-ADHD medication. CONCLUSIONS Although subjective sleep difficulties are common in ADHD youths, they are frequently accounted for by comorbidity and pharmacotherapy. Furthermore, the lack of an association between a positive family history of ADHD and sleep difficulties suggests that ADHD is not a misdiagnosis of the consequences of disruption of normal sleep.
Evaluating the Role of Energy Efficiency Labels: the Case of Dish Washers

This article uses the hedonic approach to estimate how much is paid for the energy efficiency label on the dishwasher market in Spain. The estimated figure is 15.6% of the final price. This accounts for about 80â‚¬ of the average price. We use this estimate combined with a demand systems to obtain own and cross price elasticities of demand, vital for policy designing and analysis. This is done by combining the use of the estimate with the Quantity Based Demand System (QBDS) model to completely determine the demand function for different dishwashers. Finally, the elasticity results are compared with the figure calculated using the Linear Almost Ideal Demand System (LA/AIDS). The comparison of the results confirms that the QBDS model is easier to handle and less data demanding than the LA/AIDS model but provide reliable estimates of demand elasticities.
UCLA Community College Review: Community College Partnerships with the Private Sector-Organizational Contexts and Models for Successful Collaboration

Community college partnerships with the private sector have grown in significance in the past 15 years due to state budget shortfalls, evolving labor requirements, the need to provide a cutting-edge curriculum, and a desire to respond to local educational needs. This article discusses the essential elements for creating and maintaining mutually beneficial partnerships, and it describes several successful types and models of community college partnerships with local businesses and industry. The article concludes with a discussion of the benefits and challenges associated with community college partnerships with the private sector.
INTERNATIONAL R&D SPILLOVERS AND OECD ECONOMIC GROWTH

This paper quantifies the cross-national spillover effects of government and private investment in research and development using a panel data set of ten OECD countries. The results show that domestic private research is a significant determinant of both domestic and foreign productivity growth and that foreign government research stimulates domestic private research. These findings are significant in that they provide empirical support for arguments in favor of international economic policy coordination, particularly in the area of international science and technology. Copyright 1995 by Oxford University Press.
Process of Cluster Formation in China: A Case Study of a Garment Town

In China industrial clusters consisting of small and medium enterprises have been proliferating in areas where private sectors have successfully developed. This study inquires into the process of forming a new industrial cluster and the roles of local and distant urban traders in the garment industry in China. We found that the local marketplace, where enterprise managers can easily purchase materials from and sell products to local traders, plays a critical role in stimulating the entry of new enterprises in the early stage of cluster development. As a cluster develops, however, entrepreneurial ability in producing high-quality products and marketing them to urban traders plays a more significant role.
Cervical length, risk factors, and delivery outcomes among women with spontaneous preterm birth

Abstract Objectives: To evaluate differences in risk factors and delivery outcomes among women with spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) with short (≤25 mm) versus normal (>25 mm) cervical length (CL). Methods: Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study of singleton gestations between 18 0/7 and 23 6/7 weeks, without prior sPTB, undergoing universal transvaginal CL screening between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013. Only women with sPTB (<37 0/7 weeks) were included. Demographic characteristics, risk factors for sPTB, delivery outcomes and presentation of PTB were collected. The primary outcome was mean number of risk factors. Results: The cohort included 2071 women, of which 145 (7%) had PTB and 84 (4%) had sPTB. Sixty-nine (82%) women with sPTB had a CL >25 mm and 15 (18%) had a CL≤25 mm. Women with a short CL did not differ from women with normal CL with respect to demographic variables or mean number of risk factors (4.20 ± 2.11 versus 3.52 ± 1.97, p = 0.23), but they did deliver at a significantly earlier gestational age (25.0 ± 1.1 versus 34.6 ± 3.1 weeks, p < 0.01). The distribution of the presentation of sPTB was different in women with a short versus normal CL (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Among women with sPTB, women with a short CL had similar number of risk factors, but were more likely to deliver at a significantly earlier gestational age. A short CL identifies women at risk for very early sPTB.
The collective action of data collection: A data infrastructure on parties, elections and cabinets

Here, I introduce a novel approach towards data collection for comparative research and present a new data infrastructure on parties, elections and governments, the Parliament and Government Composition Database (ParlGov). This data infrastructure combines a database, data presentation in webpages and software scripts in order to generate more dynamic datasets and to facilitate cooperation. So far, it includes information about more than 1000 parties, around 600 elections (national and European Parliament) and almost 1000 governments with their party composition. These observations are linked to a wide set of information about party positions and make it possible to derive various datasets for studies in political science. To provide a first glance into the potential of this new data infrastructure, I map the political space of the European Union (EU) by drawing on this source.
The Power of Information: The ICT Revolution in Agricultural Development

We review the state of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their impact on agricultural development in developing countries, documenting the rapid changes that have taken place over the past decade. Although there remains a wide gap in access between rural and urban areas, the spread of mobile phones in rural areas has led to important changes in the agricultural sector. We find that access to mobile phones has generally improved agricultural market performance at the macro level; however, impacts at the micro level are mixed. Evidence regarding the impact of market information systems (MIS) delivered through mobile phones on farm prices and income is limited, but the evidence points to strong, heterogeneous impacts. Similarly, the rollout of extension programs though ICTs is still in an early stage, and little research is available regarding such programs’ impacts.
Analysis of transient behavior of class E amplifier due to load variations

Analysis of transient behavior is important for class power E amplifiers because high peak switch voltage imposed on the transistor during the transient response may destroy the transistor switch. However, transient behavior of class E amplifiers due to load variation has not been analyzed yet. In this paper, analytical expression for transient behavior of a class E amplifier due to load variations is derived using high-frequency and low-frequency circuit models. Derived transient behavior of peak switch voltage was experimentally verified with a 2 MHz class E amplifier. Experimental results achieved good agreement with the theory.
Inclusive Educational Practices around the World: An Introduction

Inclusion is a term used to describe the ideology that each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, should be educated in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend. It involves bringing support services to the child (rather than moving the child to the services) and requires only that the child will benefit from being in the class (rather than having to keep up with the other students).
The Full Potential of Uganda's Cotton Industry

During the 1960s, Uganda was the largest cotton producer in sub-Saharan Africa. Attempts to revive the sector following its demise in the 1970s were unsuccessful in the 1980s and more effective in the 1990s. However, there is a sense that it still lags behind its full potential. Low quality of the cotton, lack of a domestic textile industry, and low use of purchased inputs due to lack of rural credit are identified as key constraints. This article argues that the fundamental problems are low profitability, which reflects the displacement of cotton by food crops, and the forced-labour conditions under which cotton was grown. It concludes that promotion of biotechnology and training cotton growers are two areas that should receive priority.
Intellectual Property Protection and the Formation of Entrepreneurial Growth Aspirations

Applying real options logic, we build and test a multi-level model that explicates the influence of a country’s intellectual property protection regime on the effect of human and financial capital on growth aspirations. The results suggest that the strength of the intellectual property regime moderates negatively the relationship between an individual's education and entrepreneurial growth aspirations; and it moderates positively the relationship between an individual’s household income and growth aspirations. Intellectual property protection thereby encourages specialization amongst differently qualified entrepreneurs. Our findings support claims that strategic entrepreneurial behaviors cannot be fully understood without giving attention to the context in which those behaviors are observed.
Finding Regressions in Projects under Version Control Systems

Version Control Systems (VCS) are frequently used to support development of large-scale software projects. A typical VCS repository of a large project can contain various intertwined branches consisting of a large number of commits. If some kind of unwanted behaviour (e.g. a bug in the code) is found in the project, it is desirable to find the commit that introduced it. Such commit is called a regression point. There are two main issues regarding the regression points. First, detecting whether the project after a certain commit is correct can be very expensive as it may include large-scale testing and/or some other forms of verification. It is thus desirable to minimise the number of such queries. Second, there can be several regression points preceding the actual commit; perhaps a bug was introduced in a certain commit, inadvertently fixed several commits later, and then reintroduced in a yet later commit. In order to fix the actual commit it is usually desirable to find the latest regression point. The currently used distributed VCS contain methods for regression identification, see e.g. the git bisect tool. In this paper, we present a new regression identification algorithm that outperforms the current tools by decreasing the number of validity queries. At the same time, our algorithm tends to find the latest regression points which is a feature that is missing in the state-of-the-art algorithms. The paper provides an experimental evaluation of the proposed algorithm and compares it to the state-of-the-art tool git bisect on a real data set.
Monetary Policy in Chile using Real-Time Data

Optimal monetary policy is predicated on forward-looking actions based on real-time forecasts for future variables, as reected in central bank (CB) policy statements. However, monetary policy could also be based on past data, due to forecast uncertainty, high predictive power of past information for the future, or policy inconsistency with CB statements. Do deeds follow words in the real world? This paper tests for the role of real-time information on both past data and forecasts about future variables in setting of monetary policy rates in Chile. It does so by specifying a generalized Taylor equation that nests backward-looking and forward-looking behavior in setting interest rates. This specication is tested for Chilean Monetary Policy using
The Internationalisation of Public Welfare Policy

With increasing globalisation of knowledge, there are increased opportunities to 'learn' from the experience of policy interventions elsewhere. This paper presents evidence on the extent of international convergence in public policy, with particular focus on labour, welfare, savings and retirement policy. Questions addressed in this framework include: to what extent is policy diffusion or convergence a real and relevant phenomenon? What role have economists played in the transfer of policy across national domains? Has policy transfer led to 'better' public policy? Are there any practical limitations to policy convergence?
The Status of HIV-1 Resistance to Antiretroviral Drugs in Sub-Saharan Africa

Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for persons infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa has greatly improved over the past few years. However, data on long-term clinical outcomes of Africans receiving HAART, patterns of HIV resistance to antiretroviral drugs and implications of HIV type-1 (HIV-1) subtype diversity in Africa for resistance, are limited. In resource-limited settings, concerns have been raised that deficiencies in health systems could create the conditions for accelerated development of resistance. Coordinated surveillance systems are being established to assess the emergence of resistance and the factors associated with resistance development, and to create the possibility for adjusting treatment guidelines as necessary. The purpose of this report is to review the literature on HIV-1 resistance to antiretroviral drugs in sub-Saharan Africa, in relation to the drug regimens used in Africa, HIV-1 subtype diversity and overall prevalence of resistance. The report focuses on resistance associated with treatment, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and transmitted resistance. It also outlines priorities for public health action and research.
The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Wages and Employment

This paper studies the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on wages and employment. When labor-management bargaining is industrywide, two effects of FDI are identified: the collusion effect and the threat-point effect. It is shown that: (1) FDI always reduces the negotiated wage and (2) FDI reduces union employment and the competitive wage if the union cares more about employment than wages or is equally concerned about employment and wages. However, if labor-management bargaining is firm-specific and unionization is industrywide, then the above effects of FDI are substantially reduced. Copyright 1998 by Royal Economic Society.
Evaluation of Price/Dockage Strategies for U.S. Wheat Exporters

The impact of quality on competition in world wheat trade has been a subject of growing interest. ' Debate in the United States has focused primarily on one characteristic, wheat cleanliness. In the U.S. marketing system, wheat dockage is a non-grade-determining factor. In export transactions, dockage is a contract term subject to negotiation between buyers and sellers.2 Other countries include the equivalent of dockage as a grade-determining factor with stringent limits-in effect, making cleanliness a component of their export strategy.3 Similar proposals have been
The distributional and welfare impact of inflation in Italy

The entrance of Italy in the Euro area in 2001 has given rise to a wide debate about the perception of inflation on householdsâ€™ well-being. However, most of the debate has involved the measurement of the â€œcorrectâ€ consumer price index at national level. Much less analysis has been carried out on the microeconomic consequences of inflation on every household and to the investigation of its distributional impact. This paper addresses this issue by performing a microsimulation analysis of the impact of inflation on Italian households in the period 1997-2007. The extension of the study allows to capture possible structural breaks in correspondence of the adoption of the euro currency in 2001, and to get insightful information on the persistence of either positive or negative impacts. All methods of investigation proposed in this paper show that the impact of inflation has an ambiguous path over the period, yet a large concentration of welfare losses is found in the period surrounding the introduction of the euro currency. In particular, poorer and larger households are found to be severely hurt by inflation and a closer inspection suggests that the prices of gas and gasoline are largely responsible in determining living conditions of Italian households in both the period around the introduction of the euro and over the decade.
Is monetary policy really neutral in the long-run? Evidence for some emerging and developed economies

The traditional economic theory suggests that changes in the money supply or in the interest rates can influence the business cycle, but not the long-run potential output. In other words, monetary policy is neutral over the long-run. In this paper we use some new developments in econometrics to test for the existence of a long-run relationship between the monetary policy instrument used by most Central Banks - short-term interest rates - and real output. Using annual data for 14 emerging and developed countries our results offer overall support for the traditional economic theory.
ROBUST OPTION REPLICATION FOR A BLACK- SCHOLES MODEL EXTENDED WITH NONDETERMINISTIC TRENDS

Statistical analysis on various stocks reveals long range dependence behavior of the stock prices that is not consistent with the classical Black and Scholes model. This memory or nondeterministic trend behavior is often seen as a reflection of market sentiments and causes that the historical volatility estimator becomes unreliable in practice. We propose an extension of the Black and Scholes model by adding a term to the original Wiener term involving a smoother process which accounts for these effects. The problem of arbitrage will be discussed. Using a generalized stochastic integration theory [8], we show that it is possible to construct a self financing replicating portfolio for a European option without any further knowledge of the extension and that, as a consequence, the classical concept of volatility needs to be re-interpreted.
Statistical regularization in linearized microwave imaging through MRF-based MAP estimation: hyperparameter estimation and image computation

The application of a Markov random fields (MRF) based maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation method for microwave imaging is presented in this paper. The adopted MRF family is the so-called Gaussian-MRF (GMRF), whose energy function is quadratic. In order to implement the MAP estimation, first, the MRF hyperparameters are estimated by means of the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm, extended in this case to complex and nonhomogeneous images. Then, it is implemented by minimizing a cost function whose gradient is fully analytically evaluated. Thanks to the quadratic nature of the energy function of the MRF, well posedness and efficiency of the proposed method can be simultaneously guaranteed. Numerical results, also performed on real data, show the good performance of the method, also when compared with conventional techniques like Tikhonov regularization.