Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Methods for first-order kernel estimation: simple-cell receptive fields from responses to natural scenes

Recent studies have recovered receptive-field maps of simple cells in visual cortex from their responses to natural scene stimuli. Natural scenes have many theoretical and practical advantages over traditional, artificial stimuli; however, the receptive-field estimation methods are more complex than for white-noise stimuli. Here, we describe and justify several of these methods—spectral correction of the reverse correlation estimate, direct least-squares solution, iterative least-squares algorithms and regularized least-squares solutions. We investigate the pros and cons of the different methods, and evaluate them in a head-to-head comparison for simulated simple-cell data. This shows that, at least for quasilinear simulated simple cells, a regularized solution (‘reginv’) is most efficient, requiring fewer stimulus presentations for high-resolution reconstruction of the first-order kernel. We also investigate several practical issues that determine the success of this kind of experiment—the effects of neuronal nonlinearities, response variability and the choice of stimulus regime.
Measuring World Business Cycles

Using Kalman filtering and dynamic factor analysis, we decompose fluctuations in real aggregate output, consumption, and investment for the G7 countries into factors that are (i) common across all countries and aggregates, (ii) common across aggregates within a country, and (iii) specific to each data series. In quarterly data for the period 1970-1993, fluctuations in all of the aggregates contain world and country-specific common components which are significant both statistically and economically. Over this period all seven countries experience business cycle episodes primarily attributable to the world cycle and other episodes driven primarily by the country-specific factor. The share of the variance of aggregate output accounted for by the world business cycle in our estimates ranges from 13% for the U.K. to 67% for France. Also, the world common component in growth rates is more strongly serially correlated than is output growth in any of the seven countries.
Industrial Robot : An International Journal Evaluation of linear and revolute underactuated grippers for steel foundry operations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an automated industrial robotic system for handling steel castings of various sizes and shapes in a foundry. Design/methodology/approach – The authors first designed a prismatic gripper for pick-and-place operations that incorporates underactuated passive hydraulic contact (PHC) phalanges that enable the gripper to easily adapt to different casting shapes. The authors then optimized the gripper parameters and compared it to an adaptive revolute gripper using two methods: a planar physics based quasistatic simulation that accounts for object dynamics and validation using physical prototypes on a physical robot. Findings – Through simulation, the authors found that an optimized PHC gripper improves grasp performance by 12 per cent when compared to an human-chosen PHC configuration and 60 per cent when compared to the BarrettHandTM. Physical testing validated this finding with an improvement of 11 per cent and 280 per cent, respectively. Originality/value – This paper presents for the first time optimized prismatic grippers which passively adapt to an object shape in grasping tasks.
Marginal Cost Pricing When Spot Markets Are Complete

The standard formulation of a spot market subject to uncertain excess demand uses a tatonnement process that restricts trade until the market-clearing price is found. Here I present a model in which there is no restriction on trade during the process of the resolution of uncertainty about aggregate excess demand. The idea is to enlarge the commodity space and define goods by the probability that they will sell, in addition to other characteristics. The probability of sale characteristic is the spot market analogue of the contingencies under which delivery will take place in the Arrow-Debreu model. A failure to distinguish goods by the probability of sale characteristic can lead to the rejection of the competitive paradigm even when everyone is a price taker and the allocation is efficient.
Discrete harmony search algorithm for identical parallel machine scheduling problem

Harmony search (HS) is a recently proposed meta-heuristic, which has gained much attention and some applications during the past decades. In this paper, a discrete HS (DHS) algorithm is proposed for solving identical parallel machines scheduling problem with the objective of minimizing makespan criterion. In the DHS method, a permutation-based encoding method and a new improvisation scheme is proposed to enable the continuous HS algorithm to be applied to solve combinatorial optimization problems. In addition, an efficient local search method is embedded in the DHS algorithm to enhance the accuracy and convergence rate of the proposed method. Numerical results and comparisons with other heuristics demonstrate that the proposed HS algorithm can effectively improve the searching quality.
Prices and Choices: Microeconomic Vignettes

Prices and Choices is a collection of twenty-seven short, lively essays specifically designed to provide stimulating supplementary readings for introductory or intermediate microeconomic theory classes. Hemenway puts economic concepts to work, using tools of analysis that are well within the grasp of undergraduates. Students will have experience with, and ideas about, the topics and will therefore be able to enjoy Hemenway's entertaining discussions on economic theory; questions at the end of each chapter are included to promote active classroom discussion. Specific topics include: temptation, fashion, haggling, tipping, insurance, crime, quality, inspection, safety, health care, and the Bible.
Universities and Innovation in Space

We investigate the role of universities as a knowledge source for regional innovation processes. The contribution of universities is tested on the level of German NUTS‐3 regions (Kreise) by using a variety of indicators. We find that the intensity and quality of the research conducted by the universities have a significant effect on regional innovative output while pure size is unimportant. Therefore, a policy that wants to promote regional innovation processes by building up universities should place substantial emphasis on the intensity and quality of the research conducted there. We also find the effects of universities to be concentrated in space. Obviously, the geographical proximity to particular knowledge sources is important for regional innovative activities.
Just enough, but not too much interactivity leads to better clinical skills performance after a computer assisted learning module

Background: Well-designed computer-assisted instruction (CAI) can potentially transform medical education. Yet little is known about whether specific design features such as direct manipulation of the content yield meaningful gains in clinical learning. We designed three versions of a multimedia module on the abdominal exam incorporating different types of interactivity. Methods: As part of their physical diagnosis course, 162 second-year medical students were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to Watch, Click or Drag versions of the abdominal exam module. First, students’ prior knowledge, spatial ability, and prior experience with abdominal exams were assessed. After using the module, students took a posttest; demonstrated the abdominal exam on a standardized patient; and wrote structured notes of their findings. Results: Data from143 students were analyzed. Baseline measures showed no differences among groups regarding prior knowledge, experience, or spatial ability. Overall there was no difference in knowledge across groups. However, physical exam scores were significantly higher for students in the Click group. Conclusions: A mid-range level of behavioral interactivity was associated with small to moderate improvements in performance of clinical skills. These improvements were likely mediated by enhanced engagement with the material, within the bounds of learners’ cognitive capacity. These findings have implications for the design of CAI materials to teach procedural skills.
Business process reengineering: Application and success - An Australian study

This paper presents the results of a study undertaken in Australia which investigated the extent of Australian thinking and experience with business process reengineering (BPR). The data for the study were gathered through a postal questionnaire survey which was mailed to 535 of Australia’s top businesses. The findings of the survey are compared with earlier studies on BPR conducted in the USA and the UK/Europe. The hypothesis that “expectant business process change is not significantly related to business improvements along dimensions of benefits and corporate impact” is tested. Finally the paper provides recommendations for managers which are seen as important for successful implementation of BPR projects.
Is the Response of REIT Returns to Monetary Policy Asymmetric?

In this paper, we investigate whether monetary policy has asymmetric effects on U.S. equity REIT returns by using Markov-switching models. We adopt a number of measures of monetary policy. We find substantial regime switching in the response to a monetary policy action that corresponds to ''boom'' and ''bust'' regimes. In particular, we find strong evidence that policy actions taken during boom markets have larger effects on REIT returns than those taken during bust markets. This result is in contrast to the empirical evidence of asymmetry related to output and stock returns.
Will Border Carbon Adjustments Work?

Abstract The potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) restrictions in some nations to increased emissions in other nations, or leakage, is a contentious issue in climate change negotiations. We evaluate the impact of border carbon adjustments (BCAs) outlined in the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454), using an economy-wide model. For 2025, we find that BCAs reduce leakage by up to two-thirds, but result in only modest reductions in global emissions and significantly reduce welfare. In contrast, BCA-equivalent leakage reductions can be achieved by very small emission charges or efficiency improvements in nations targeted by BCAs, which have negligible welfare effects. We conclude that BCAs are a costly method to reduce leakage, but may be an effective coercion strategy.
Analysing the Vinland Map: a critical review of a critical review

In an attempt to validate the Vinland Map as a genuine 15th century work, Garman Harbottle (2008) claims to review critically, and thereby discredit, the archaeometric research undertaken on the Map's ink by Walter McCrone (1974-1999) and Brown and Clark (2002). In this paper we outline and discuss the numerous arguments that are presented by Harbottle, all of which we find to be misleading or at best highly questionable.
Population genomics of the filarial nematode parasite Wuchereria bancrofti from mosquitoes

Wuchereria bancrofti is a parasitic nematode and the primary cause of lymphatic filariasis – a disease specific to humans. W. bancrofti currently infects over 90 million people throughout the tropics and has been acknowledged by the world health organization as a vulnerable parasite. Current research has focused primarily on the clinical manifestations of disease and little is known about the evolutionary history of W. bancrofti. To improve upon knowledge of the evolutionary history of W. bancrofti, we whole genome sequenced 13 W. bancrofti larvae. We circumvent many of the difficulties of multiple infections by sampling larvae directly from mosquitoes that were experimentally inoculated with infected blood. To begin, we used whole genome data to reconstruct the historical population size. Our results support a history of fluctuating population sizes that can be correlated with human migration and fluctuating mosquito abundances. Next, we reconstructed the putative pedigree of W. bancrofti worms within an infection using the kinship coefficient. We deduced that there are full‐sib and half‐sib relationships residing within the same larval cohort. Through combined analysis of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes we concluded that this is likely a results of polyandrous mating, the first time reported for W. bancrofti. Lastly, we scanned the genomes for signatures of natural selection. Annotation of putative selected regions identified proteins that may have aided in a parasitic life style or may have evolved to protect against current drug treatments. We discuss our results in the greater context of understanding the biology of an animal with a unique life history and ecology.
Longitudinal study on text entry by gazing and smiling

This study presents the results of a longitudinal study on multimodal text entry where objects were selected by gazing and smiling. Gaze was used to point at the desired characters and smiling movements were performed to select them. Participants (N=12) took part in the experiments where they entered text for a total of 2.5 hours in ten 15-minute-long sessions during one-month time period. The results showed that the text entry rate improved with practice from 4.1 to 6.7 words per minute. However, the learning curve had not reached its plateau phase at the end of the experiment. Subjective ratings showed that the participants appreciated this multimodal technique.
Mineral trioxide aggregate pulpotomies: a case series outcomes assessment.

BACKGROUND The greatest threats to developing teeth are dental caries and traumatic injury. A primary goal of all restorative treatment is to maintain pulp vitality so that normal root development or apexogenesis can occur. If pulpal exposure occurs, then a pulpotomy procedure aims to preserve pulp vitality to allow for normal root development. Historically, calcium hydroxide has been the material of choice for pulpotomy procedures. Recently, an alternative material called mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has demonstrated the ability to induce hard-tissue formation in pulpal tissue. The authors describe the clinical and radiographic outcome of a series of cases involving the use of MTA in pulpotomy procedures. METHODS Twenty-three cases in 18 patients were treated with MTA pulpotomy procedures in an endodontic private practice. All of the patients had been referred to the practice for diagnosis and treatment of a symptomatic tooth. All of the authors provided treatment. Pulpal exposures were either due to caries or complicated enamel dentin fractures. RESULTS Nineteen teeth in 14 patients were available for recall. The mean time of recall was 19.7 months. Of the 19 cases, 15 involved healed teeth, and three involved teeth that were healing. One of 19 cases involved a tooth with persistent disease. CONCLUSIONS MTA may be useful as a substitute for calcium hydroxide in pulpotomy procedures. Further research, however, is required to clarify this conclusion. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS MTA conceivably could replace calcium hydroxide as the material of choice for pulpotomy procedures, if future research continues to show promising results.
Exhaled droplets due to talking and coughing

Respiratory infections can be spread via ‘contact’ with droplets from expiratory activities such as talking, coughing and sneezing, and also from aerosol-generating clinical procedures. Droplet sizes predominately determine the times they can remain airborne, the possibility of spread of infectious diseases and thus the strategies for controlling the infections. While significant inconsistencies exist between the existing measured data on respiratory droplets generated during expiratory activities, a food dye was used in the mouth during measurements of large droplets, which made the expiratory activities ‘unnatural’. We carried out a series of experiments using glass slides and a microscope as well as an aerosol spectrometer to measure the number and size of respiratory droplets produced from the mouth of healthy individuals during talking and coughing with and without a food dye. The total mass of respiratory droplets was measured using a mask, plastic bag with tissue and an electronic balance with a high precision. Considerable subject variability was observed and the average size of droplets captured using glass slides and microscope was about 50–100 µm. Smaller droplets were also detected by the aerosol spectrometer. More droplets seemed to be generated when a food dye was used.
Policy Distortions and Aggregate Productivity: The Role of Idiosyncratic Shocks

We consider policy distortions in a model where plants face idiosyncratic productivity shocks that evolve following a Brownian motion. Introducing idiosyncratic shocks into the model implies that plants have non-constant operating profits and as a result there is an endogenous exit margin and incumbent plants must decide in each period whether or not to remain in the industry. By using the forward Kolmogorov equation, we analytically characterize the Stationary Equilibrium. Our main contribution is to show that if a model is being calibrated/estimated without idiosyncratic shocks, where plants face constant productivity over time and the exit rate is exogenous to fit data generated from a model with shocks and endogenous entry, TFP distortions will be overestimated.
Voting on Minimum Wages: A Time-Series Analysis

In a recent paper, Silberman and Durden (1976; hereafter S-D) examined economic factors associated with voting by representatives on changes in the minimum wage in 1973. They found, among other results, that the number of low-wage workers in a congressional district is positively associated with voting for higher minimum wages by representatives from the district. This result is somewhat surprising; in fact, S-D were unable to predict a priori the sign of this variable. As Browning (1975) has shown, since the late 1 960s there has been a substantial increase in transfers to lowincome persons, particularly in terms of income in kind. Thus, in 1973 the losses of those who became unemployed by higher minimum wages may have been relatively smaller than losses in earlier periods. This would have reduced the cost to low-wage workers of the "unemployment effect" (S-D, p. 321) and might have served to make such workers, net, more favorably disposed to passage of such laws. In addition, the 1964 Voting Rights Act enfranchised many blacks. Blacks are typically low-paid workers; thus, they would have strong interest in minimum-wage legislation. Time-series analysis should enable us to determine any changes in the influence of blacks on voting by representatives and thus enable us to ascertain if the Voting Rights Act has any influence on minimum-wage legislation. Possibilities of detecting such changes make time series a useful adjunct to cross-section analysis. This note is a time-series study of economic determinants of passage of minimumwage legislation. The econometric technique used is probit analysis. A (0, 1) variable is defined over all representatives, with 0 being a vote against the minimum wage and 1 being a vote in favor. In each year, we used the vote on final passage of the law rather than on amendments, for this enables us to compare votes and influences over time. We use all years in which there was an actual legislated change in the minimum wage; we omit years such as 1973 in which minimum wages were considered but not passed. (In 1973 the increase in the minimum wage was vetoed by the president.)
Vulnerability and Responses to Risks in Rural India

Using Vulnerability as Expected Utility (VEU) analysis that permits the decomposition of household vulnerability into its components on a unique data set this paper demonstrates that in rural India household vulnerability is most explained by poverty and idiosyncratic components. So far as risk coping strategies go households rely heavily on informal instruments such as their own saving, transfers or capital depletion. However, they also try to cope with covariate risks by participating in government programmes. Further, household consumption is highly covariate with income. This implies that existing informal insurance instruments are not sufficient to protect household consumption against income shocks. Government sponsored coping strategies reduce the idiosyncratic and risk component of vulnerability. Hence, an important policy implication of our analysis is that the government should provide readily accessible and well targeted public safety nets. The existing informal strategy is not very effective as a consumption insurance mechanism. Although the government coping programme is found to reduce vulnerability access to such programmes is constrained. Expansion of government sponsored coping programmes is likely to protect households effectively from negative shocks.
Are Shareholder Proposals All Bark and No Bite? Evidence from Shareholder Resolutions to Rescind Poison Pills

Abstract We provide a comprehensive examination of shareholder resolutions to rescind poison pills. We find that pill rescission proposals are more frequent the more negative the market reaction to the initial pill adoption and the lower the insider and unaffiliated block ownership. Votes for such a proposal increase when performance is poor and for more onerous poison pills. While we document a stock price decline associated with the proposal announcements, we find poison pills are more likely to be restructured or rescinded when there is a shareholder resolution. Moreover, pill revisions are associated with stockholder wealth increases. Collectively, our results suggest that pill rescission proposals are more frequent when the pill is more likely to harm shareholders and that managers respond to shareholder proposals.
Study on the Mechanism Formation of Corporate Strategy

The corporate strategy is a quite new branch in management science. Since the 1960’s, the term “strategy” was brought out in the field. Although the study on corporate strategy is not very long , as a result of the development of economy, the essence, the connotation and the significance of corporate strategy have been constantly enriched and developed, with its study object shifted from external environment to market competition, and then to core ability. This paper makes a mechanism analysis frame, in which three elements are involved as benefit relater, market competence and corporative growth. By analyzing the promotive effect of those three elements to corporate strategy, this paper describes the mechanism formation of the corporate strategy, aiming to seize the essence of corporate strategy and at the same time achieve a comprehensive understanding of corporate strategy.
Bone length extraction from MRI data for prosthetic forearm design

The paper presents how to extract bone lengths from the captured MRI data, ultimately, to determine the design parameters for prosthetic forearm. The original bone lengths of the lost arm are estimated from the MRI data regarding the living arm at opposite side. In detail a right forearm amputee participates in the experiment and the MRI data regarding his left forearm are used to determine the design parameters.
Income and Health Concentration in Australia

This paper measures the concentration of ill-health among income groups in Australia using health survey data from 1989-90 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 1991) and 1995 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 1997), which contain responses on self-assessed health status and gross personal income. The technique of direct standardisation is used to control for the influence on health status of gender and age. Comparisons of the concentration of ill-health over time and between males and females and persons living in rural and urban areas are reported. For both surveys and all groups, we find that ill-health is concentrated among lower income groups. Concentration measures of ill-health are higher (in absolute terms) for men than for women. In all categories apart from women, the concentration measures fell between 1989-90 and 1995 surveys.