Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Explaining intra–day and overnight price behavior

I n their comment, Amihud and Mendelson show that certain effects observed in the American market, which I attribute to specialist stabilizing behavior, occur also in countries with no specialists, namely, Japan and Italy. This is an interesting and important finding, and I am in no position to quarrel with it. The behavior of non-existent specialists obviously cannot explain the Japanese and Italian low overnight variances, which indicates that something else causes these variances. This other cause may extend to the United States as well, explaining part, or all, of the low overnight variances here. Amihud and Mendelson go too far, however, when they assert “Miller’s theory implies that, absent the specialist’s active intervention, we should not observe lower overnight variances relative to the intraday variances. ” Actually, I hold merely that specialist intervention is a sufficient (and rather parsimonious) explanation for the lower overnight variance. It is not a necessary cause, and hence my theory says nothing about what might be observed in markets without specialists, although the question is certainly an interesting one, well worth being addressed by expert researchers such as Amihud and Mendelson. Over a twenty-four-hour period there are 87 z 3
THE KILOSA KILLINGS: POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF A FARMER–HERDER CONFLICT IN TANZANIA

Farmer–herder conflicts in Africa are often presented as being driven by ‘environmental scarcity’. Political ecologists, however, argue that these conflicts should be analysed within a broader historical and policy context. This article presents a case study of a local conflict in the Kilosa District in Tanzania that tragically culminated in the killing of thirty-eight farmers on 8 December 2000. To understand the conflict, the authors argue that it is necessary to study the history of villagization and land use in the District, as well as national land tenure and pastoral policies. Attempts at agricultural modernization have fostered an anti-pastoral environment in Tanzania. The government aim is to confine livestock keeping to ‘pastoral villages’, but these villages lack sufficient pastures and water supplies, leading herders to search for such resources elsewhere. Pastoral access to wetlands is decreasing due to expansion of cultivated areas and the promotion of agriculture. The main tool that pastoralists still possess to counteract this trend is their ability to bribe officials. But corruption further undermines people's trust in authorities and in the willingness of these authorities to prevent conflicts. This leads actors to try to solve problems through other means, notably violence.
The rhetoric and reality of SME-friendly procurement

Small- and medium-sized enterprise-friendly policies are central to public procurement. The extent to which these policies have been put into practice has gone largely untested. To address this gap, a survey of SMEs’ reported experiences of policy implementation was conducted. Ireland served as the research context. Policy implementation was found to be limited. Company size was a significant predictor of SMEs’ experiences, with micro-enterprises more negative than small or medium-sized enterprises. The authors explain the policy–practice divide and make recommendations for improvement.
London Tourism

SUMMARY Global tourism demand has been subject to fluctuation in recent years, and London as a tourist destination has recently had to cope with both the significant forces at play in the wider environment and radical change in the way that tourism is to be managed across the UK. The purpose of this paper is to review the post-disaster destination marketing activity conducted by London in its attempt to regain its position as a premier destination for domestic and international visitors, set within the wider context of the devolution of tourism across the country. A number of the issues arising from London's post-disaster marketing campaign are identified, and a set of guiding principles for any future such action are discussed. The paper concludes that diversification of both the product and market is necessary if London is to retain its position as one of the world's leading ‘iconic’ city destinations.
SHORT-TERM CIGARETTE SMOKE EXPOSURE POTENTIATES ENDOTOXIN-INDUCED PULMONARY INFLAMMATION

Long-term cigarette smoke exposure is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, the effects of short-term smoke inhalation are less clear, because it may adversely affect the lung only if underlying disease is present. To test this hypothesis, Syrian hamsters were passively exposed to cigarette smoke for 2 hours per day over a period of 3 days either before or after intratracheal instillation of low-dose (20 μg) Escherichia coli endotoxin. The results indicate that short-term smoke exposure can potentiate endotoxin-induced lung inflammation. They also suggest that nonsmokers with underlying lung disease may be particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of second-hand smoke.
Getting Health Reform Right: A Guide to Improving Performance and Equity

PART I: HEALTH SYSTEM ANALYSIS 1. Introduction 2. Health-Reform Cycle 3. Judging Health-Sector Performance: Ethical Theory 4. Political Analysis and Strategies 5. Goals for Evaluating Health Systems 6. Assessing Health-System Performance 7. From Diagnosis to Health-Sector Reform PART II: THE CONTROL KNOBS 8. Financing 9. Payment 10. Organization 11. Regulation 12. Behavior 13. Conclusions Index
Automated Detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer in mp-MRI Images Based on an End-to-End Deep Neural Network

Automated methods for detecting clinically significant (CS) prostate cancer (PCa) in multi-parameter magnetic resonance images (mp-MRI) are of high demand. Existing methods typically employ several separate steps, each of which is optimized individually without considering the error tolerance of other steps. As a result, they could either involve unnecessary computational cost or suffer from errors accumulated over steps. In this paper, we present an automated CS PCa detection system, where all steps are optimized jointly in an end-to-end trainable deep neural network. The proposed neural network consists of concatenated subnets: 1) a novel tissue deformation network (TDN) for automated prostate detection and multimodal registration and 2) a dual-path convolutional neural network (CNN) for CS PCa detection. Three types of loss functions, i.e., classification loss, inconsistency loss, and overlap loss, are employed for optimizing all parameters of the proposed TDN and CNN. In the training phase, the two nets mutually affect each other and effectively guide registration and extraction of representative CS PCa-relevant features to achieve results with sufficient accuracy. The entire network is trained in a weakly supervised manner by providing only image-level annotations (i.e., presence/absence of PCa) without exact priors of lesions’ locations. Compared with most existing systems which require supervised labels, e.g., manual delineation of PCa lesions, it is much more convenient for clinical usage. Comprehensive evaluation based on fivefold cross validation using 360 patient data demonstrates that our system achieves a high accuracy for CS PCa detection, i.e., a sensitivity of 0.6374 and 0.8978 at 0.1 and 1 false positives per normal/benign patient.
Time-Dependent Specificity of Immunopathologic (C4d-CD68) and Histologic Criteria of Antibody-Mediated Rejection for Donor-Specific Antibodies and Allograft Dysfunction in Heart Transplantation

Background In heart transplantation, antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is diagnosed and graded on the basis of immunopathologic (C4d-CD68) and histopathologic criteria found on endomyocardial biopsies (EMB). Because some pathologic AMR (pAMR) grades may be associated with clinical AMR, and because humoral responses may be affected by the intensity of immunosuppression during the first posttransplantation year, we investigated the incidence and positive predictive values (PPV) of C4d-CD68 and pAMR grades for clinical AMR as a function of time. Methods All 564 EMB from 40 adult heart recipients were graded for pAMR during the first posttransplantation year. Clinical AMR was diagnosed by simultaneous occurrence of pAMR on EMB, donor specific antibodies and allograft dysfunction. Results One patient demonstrated clinical AMR at postoperative day 7 and one at 6 months (1-year incidence 5%). C4d-CD68 was found on 4,7% EMB with a “decrescendo” pattern over time (7% during the first 4 months vs. 1.2% during the last 8 months; P < 0.05). Histopathologic criteria of AMR occurred on 10.3% EMB with no particular time pattern. Only the infrequent (1.4%) pAMR2 grade (simultaneous histopathologic and immunopathologic markers) was predictive for clinical AMR, particularly after the initial postoperative period (first 4 months and last 8 months PPV = 33%–100%; P < 0.05). Conclusion In the first posttransplantation year, AMR immunopathologic and histopathologic markers were relatively frequent, but only their simultaneous occurrence (pAMR2) was predictive of clinical AMR. Furthermore, posttransplantation time may modulate the occurrence of C4d-CD68 on EMB and thus the incidence of pAMR2 and its relevance to the diagnosis of clinical AMR.
A comparison between capacity, cost and degradation in Australian residential battery systems

There are a number of factors accelerating the uptake of residential battery systems in Australia, these include: falling battery cost, increased energy prices and lower solar export rates. Given the new interest, it is important to analyse the optimal capacities of residential battery systems, for a standard Australian households. This paper contributes an extension to modelling techniques by considering NPV energy costs, 25 year solar lifetime, commercially available modular battery sizes and DOD limits. This paper presents an upper limit to battery cost below which the residential battery system is economically viable for the home owner; the results show that this is inversely proportional to the battery capacity. A battery degradation analysis is presented showing the trade-off between the money saved by installing the battery, the battery cost and the number of depth of discharge cycles and the frequency of discharge rate hours.
Putative environmental factors in Type 1 diabetes.

Various environmental triggers, e.g. certain viruses and dietary factors, are thought to initiate the autoimmune process, leading to the destruction of pancreatic beta-cells and consequent Type 1 diabetes. A genetic predisposition is another prerequisite allowing the autoimmune process to progress. Twin studies, major geographical variations in incidence rates, temporal trends in the incidence and findings in migrant studies indicate that environmental factors play a crucial role in the development of Type 1 diabetes. In the present review the major focus is on dietary factors, and among them particularly the possible role of cow's milk proteins. The cow's milk and Type 1 diabetes hypothesis was developed more than 10 years ago, and the issue is still not settled. Among viral infections, enteroviruses are today the most interesting group of viruses in this respect, as recent prospective studies indicate that these viruses may trigger and potentiate existing beta-cell autoimmunity. Among toxins, particularly N-nitroso compounds are of potential interest, as they are probably involved in the aetiology of some cases. Finally, psychosocial factors and the interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental factors are briefly discussed.
Symbolic Value of Foreign Products in the People's Republic of China

In the People's Republic of China (PRC), consumers have recently shown a tendency to shift away from foreign products in preference for local offerings. Some commentators have speculated that this new market phenomenon is a result of government intervention, consumer ethnocentrism, and improvement in the quality of local products. In this study, the authors offer an alternative reason, which pertains to the fading symbolic value of foreign products in the PRC market. To provide support for their argument, Zhou and Hui present the results of a study of Chinese consumption behaviors involving a foreign, inconspicuous product item (Canadian pork sausage). By using such a privately consumed item, the authors attempt to demonstrate that symbolic benefits (such as modernity, prestige, and associations with foreign lifestyles) constitute one of the primary motivating forces of PRC consumers’ purchases of products of nonlocal origin, including products that may not be commonly regarded as conspicuous. The results challenge the conventional wisdom that improvement in the quality of local products is the main cause of the decreasing competitiveness of foreign products in the PRC. The authors also discuss implications for global marketers with respect to market adaptation and positioning strategies in the PRC.
Flavonoid intake in relation to cognitive function in later life in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

Previous studies have suggested a link between flavonoid intake and better cognitive function in later life but have not been able to control for possible confounding by prior intelligence quotient (IQ). The aim of the present study was to address this issue in a cross-sectional survey of 1091 men and women born in 1936, in whom IQ was measured at age 11 years. At the age of 70 years, participants carried out various neuropsychological tests and completed a FFQ. Associations between test scores and nutrient intake were assessed by linear regression with adjustment for potentially confounding variables. Total fruit, citrus fruits, apple and tea intakes were initially found to be associated with better scores in a variety of cognitive tests, but the associations were no longer statistically significant after adjusting for confounding factors, including childhood IQ. Flavanone intake was initially found to be associated with better scores in verbal fluency (P = 0·003, with standardised regression coefficient 0·10), but, again, the association was no longer statistically significant after adjusting for confounding factors. These findings do not support a role for flavonoids in the prevention of cognitive decline in later life. Studies of diet and cognitive function should include measurement of potential confounding variables, including prior IQ wherever possible.
The impact of job complexity and performance measurement on the temporal consistency, stability, and test-retest reliability of employee job performance ratings.

Although research has shown that individual job performance changes over time, the extent of such changes is unknown. In this article, the authors define and distinguish between the concepts of temporal consistency, stability, and test-retest reliability when considering individual job performance ratings over time. Furthermore, the authors examine measurement type (i.e., subjective and objective measures) and job complexity in relation to temporal consistency, stability, and test-retest reliability. On the basis of meta-analytic results, the authors found that the test-retest reliability of these ratings ranged from . 83 for subjective measures in low-complexity jobs to . 50 for objective measures in high-complexity jobs. The stability of these ratings over a 1-year time lag ranged from . 85 to . 67. The analyses also reveal that correlations between performance measures decreased as the time interval between performance measurements increased, but the estimates approached values greater than zero.
Separation of brain tissues in MRI based on multi-dimensional FCM and spatial information

Due to intensity non-uniformity (INU) and noise brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) segmentation is a complicated concern. Many methods have been presented to overcome brain MRI segmentation. Among these methods, using fuzzy c-means (FCM) is introduced as an effective strategy. Spatial information cannot be considered at a standard FCM. Therefore, many methods have been presented to optimize standard FCM with optimization of objective function. In this research work, a novel method has been proposed for brain MRI segmentation (BMS) based on multi-dimensional standard FCM. In this technique, different features of neighboring pixels such as mean, standard deviation and singular value in combination with pixel intensity has been used for typical pixel segmentation. The results have been evaluated against manual segmentation on a publicly available dataset.
Biogenesis, functions and fate of plant microRNAs

microRNAs (miRNAs), a recently discovered class of small RNAs, are endogenously transcribed non‐coding RNAs that are known to control diverse developmental processes and defense responses. They regulate these pathways by fine‐tuning the levels of transcripts to which they bind and cause their cleavage or translation repression. Several studies on the processing of miRNA precursors have shed light on the essential structural features for precise release of miRNA duplexes. The identification of a protein that degrade single stranded small RNA has provided us with some understanding of how miRNA flux is maintained in plants. This review focuses on the genome organization, biogenesis, miRNA activity, and the fate of miRNAs. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 3163–3168, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Seasonal Pattern and Amplitude – a Logical Framework to Analyse Seasonality in Tourism: An Application to Bed Occupancy in Sicilian Hotels

Many studies have investigated seasonality in tourism in terms of its causes and impacts, from both theoretical and applied perspectives. However, the definition of seasonality and, most of all, its application and measurement have not received the same degree of attention. In recognizing that seasonality has two main facets – pattern and amplitude – this paper critically examines the main seasonality measures proposed in the tourism literature, classifying them according to their properties and their most appropriate use. The framework then proposed is used to analyse a standard and comparable efficiency measure, such as the bed occupancy rate of Sicilian accommodation establishments, placing particular attention on its seasonality.
ERK1/2‐Mediated Vasoconstriction Normalizes Wall Stress in Small Mesenteric Arteries During NOS Inhibition In Vivo

&NA; As in essential hypertension, chronic nitric‐oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition leads to hypertrophic remodeling in conduit and muscular arteries and inward eutrophic remodeling in small resistance arteries with activation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in both vessel types. The authors tested the hypothesis that this remodeling heterogeneity could be related to distinct vasoreactivity patterns in small and larger arteries, with a vessel‐specific function of ERK1/2 signaling. Using intravital microscopy in rats we have demonstrated that acute NOS inhibition (l‐NA injection, 100 mg/kg) produced vasoconstriction of small mesenteric arteries. Consequently, the calculated in vivo wall stress was not significantly modified, despite the local rise in pressure. This could explain the lack of vascular protein synthesis elevation in vivo, an early index of hypertrophy. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activation with PD98059 blunted mesenteric artery contractions. Femoral arteries did not contract and were thus submitted to an enhanced wall stress and underwent hypertrophic remodeling in chronic conditions. In conclusion, the heterogeneous vascular remodeling in the l‐NAME model is associated with a heterogeneous vasoconstriction response to acute NOS inhibition. Indeed, in contrast to larger arteries, l‐NA–induced vasoconstriction in small arteries normalized wall stress and prevented early signs of hypertrophy. The results also suggest that ERK1/2 is a signaling element in NOS inhibition‐induced vasoconstriction of small arteries in vivo.
Regional development agencies and physical regeneration in England: can RDAs deliver the urban renaissance?

The ‘urban renaissance’, as espoused by the Urban Task Force, seeks to encourage people to move back into towns and cities by creating the quality of life and vitality that will make living in urban areas desirable once more. To counter the pervasive culture of anti-urbanism and the legacy of decades of sub-urbanisation and car-based planning, the Task Force’s report, Towards an Urban Renaissance (DETR, 1998), sets out a blueprint for the development of cities as places where people want to live. To bring people back from the suburbs and to breath life into decaying inner cities, the report sets out a vision for the
Does Ageing Call for a Reform of the Health Care Sector

A popular view is that ageing populations increase health expenditure to GDP ratios because health expenditure correlates positively with age and because the concomitant shrinking of the labour force depresses GDP. The resulting increase in transfers from the young to the old then calls for a reform of health care policies. This article critically examines the arguments underlying this view. It gives credit to factors that counteract the expenditure effect, the effects upon health care market and labour market distortions and the effects upon intergenerational solidarity. Although important, these factors are found to have insufficient weight to invalidate the popular view. (JEL: H21, I10, J10) Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.
Kaldor's technical progress function revisited

Here, Kaldor's technical function is re-examined and a model that can be used to test the shape of the function is introduced and tested. The results obtained conclusively refute the hypothesis that suggests the technical progress function is linear and confirm Kaldor's original hypothesis that suggests it is “convex upwards”.
The Shape of Art History in the Eyes of the Machine

How does the machine classify styles in art? And how does it relate to art historians' methods for analyzing style? Several studies showed the ability of the machine to learn and predict styles, such as Renaissance, Baroque, Impressionism, etc., from images of paintings. This implies that the machine can learn an internal representation encoding discriminative features through its visual analysis. However, such a representation is not necessarily interpretable. We conducted a comprehensive study of several of the state-of-the-art convolutional neural networks applied to the task of style classification on 67K images of paintings, and analyzed the learned representation through correlation analysis with concepts derived from art history. Surprisingly, the networks could place the works of art in a smooth temporal arrangement mainly based on learning style labels, without any a priori knowledge of time of creation, the historical time and context of styles, or relations between styles. The learned representations showed that there are a few underlying factors that explain the visual variations of style in art. Some of these factors were found to correlate with style patterns suggested by Heinrich Wölfflin (1846-1945). The learned representations also consistently highlighted certain artists as the extreme distinctive representative of their styles, which quantitatively confirms art historian observations.