Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Policy Update: Policy implications of high RIN prices and the ‘blend wall‘

Renewable identification numbers (RINs) ensure that blenders fulfill the mandated blend requirement of the RFS. Each gallon of ethanol is assigned a RIN, which is separated at the end of the supply chain when ethanol is blended with gasoline, and the RIN is forfeited to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as proof of compliance with the RFS. If some blenders blend more ethanol than the mandated minimum, the ensuing excess RINs can be banked for later use (in lieu of not blending the required minimum) or traded for use by other blenders. RINs can also be borrowed from the following year. Prior to 2013, US corn-ethanol RIN prices were very low (typically 1–2¢/gallon), reflecting differential RFS compliance costs. For example, a blender in some remote region of the USA minimizes costs by buying RINs from a blender elsewhere in the USA who is willing to blend more ethanol than the required minimum. However, historically, RIN prices sometimes rose to double-digit values (to a maximum of ~15¢/gallon) when ethanol prices approached or were above gasoline prices, which gave blenders the incentive to use less ethanol and more gasoline, as consumers do not have the choice at the pump between pure gasoline and blended fuel. No consumer choice means that blenders have the option to “water down the scotch”, as one oil executive put it, but if ethanol prices exceed gasoline prices, then there is an incentive to blend only the minimum amount of ethanol required. However, this is not the reason why RIN prices skyrocketed in 2013 to over US$1/gallon and have recently been approximately 60¢/gallon, well above historical levels. The reason is the so-called ‘blend wall’ where, because of potential damage to the engine, cars are limited to a 10% blend of ethanol. Prior to 2013, the required blend as determined by the EPA was less than 10%, but in 2013 we estimate that the mandated blend is required to be 10.94%, causing the blend wall to become an issue. High RIN prices currently reflect some blenders’ willingness to pay other blenders to exceed their 10.94% minimum blend to absorb that ethanol above the 10% blend wall.
Measuring the Research Performance of UK Economics Departments: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis

The research output of economics departments in U.K. universities is assessed using data envelopment analysis. Results are compared with those obtained in the recent Universities Funding Council exercise. The results obtained are sensitive to the inclusion or otherwise of external funding as an input into the research process. A new method for assessing the relative performance of a number of data envelopment analyses is proposed. Copyright 1993 by Royal Economic Society.
Studying Professional Cultures in Improving High Schools.

Rossman, Gretchen B. ; And Others Studying Professional Cultures in Improving High Schools. Research for Better Schools, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa. National Inst. of Education (ED), Uashington, DC. Apr 85 36p. ; Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (69th, Chicago, IL, March 31-April 4, 1985). Speaches/Conference Papers (150) -Reports Descriptive (141)
Regional Partnerships and Metropolitan Economic Development

ABSTRACT: Regional partnerships have grown popular as mechanisms to address public goods that transcend local boundaries, but we know little about their effectiveness. For example, what impact do regional economic development partnerships (REDPs), cooperative organizations of local governments, nonprofits and business organizations have on the economies of metropolitan areas? This article employs survival analysis and multilevel growth curve models to examine how the emergence of regional partnership arrangements influences patterns of economic development in U.S. metropolitan areas. The results suggest that, whereas these organizations do not make a great difference in some metro areas, in densely populated and politically fragmented metropolitan areas personal incomes, business firms, and employment grew significantly with the emergence of REDPs. Furthermore, state level factors, such as intergovernmental grant funding, are found to have positive influences. In conclusion, we discuss regional partnerships as solutions to institutional collective action problems in economic development and other policy arenas.
Challenge of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) immunized with human immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoprotein gp120

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the causative agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, infects humans and chimpanzees. To determine the efficacy of immunization for preventing infection, chimpanzees were immunized with gp120 purified from human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type IIIB (HTLV-IIIB)-infected cell membranes and challenged with the homologous virus, HTLV-IIIB. A challenge stock of HTLV-IIIB was prepared by using unconcentrated HTLV-IIIB produced in H9 cells. The titer of the virus from this stock on human and chimpanzee peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in human lymphoid cell lines was determined; a cell culture infectivity of 10(4) was assigned. All chimpanzees inoculated intravenously with 40 cell culture infectious units or more became infected, as demonstrated by virus isolation and seroconversion. One of two chimpanzees inoculated with 4 cell culture infectious units became infected. Chimpanzees immunized with gp120 formulated in alum developed antibodies which precipitated gp120 and neutralized HTLV-IIIB. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from gp120-vaccinated and HIV-infected animals showed a significantly greater response in proliferation assays with HIV proteins than did peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nonvaccinated and non-HIV-infected chimpanzees. Two of the gp120-alum-immunized chimpanzees were challenged with virus from the HTLV-IIIB stock. One animal received 400 cell culture infectious units, and one received 40 infectious units. Both animals became infected with HIV, indicating that the immune response elicited by immunization with gp120 formulated in alum was not effective in preventing infection with HIV-1.
Wage level and its determinants for AFDC leavers: a case study of the US state of Missouri

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the wage level of AFDC recipients after they had left AFDC. Consistent with previous studies, I find that the wage level of AFDC recipients in Missouri was too low to escape poverty, despite their wages having increased after AFDC. In addition, this paper examines recipients' socioeconomic characteristics as determinants of their wage level. The findings show that wage level is positively associated with higher education, living in a metro-area, positive earning experience, a smaller number of children, and the oldest age of children.
Cytomics—New technologies: Towards a human cytome project

Molecular cell systems research (cytomics) aims at the understanding of the molecular architecture and functionality of cell systems (cytomes) by single‐cell analysis in combination with exhaustive bioinformatic knowledge extraction. In this way, loss of information as a consequence of molecular averaging by cell or tissue homogenisation is avoided.
On-the-Job Search and Labor Market Equilibrium

On-the-job search is something we all do from time to time. Indeed, a significant percentage of job changes made by workers involves no interim unemployment. The object of the study is to develop and analyze a labor market model where unemployed workers and firms bargain over the wage paid if employment is accepted. Any employed worker can choose to search for another job but only at a cost. It will be shown that in such an environment the bargaining set is not convex. Nevertheless, utilizing a strategic bargaining game we show there is a unique bargaining outcome which may involve a lottery. The resulting market equilibrium exists and if the cost of search is low enough the resulting equilibrium is where some employees search on-the-job even in the case where both workers and firms are homogeneous.
Expropriation vs. Proportional Sharing in Corporate Acquisitions

An important and growing literature in finance points to existence of considerable benefits to being a controlling shareholder. At the same time, the well-established literature on mergers finds these key corporate events to be subject to agency costs. Relying on these two arguments, we employ a novel application of the Bertrand et al. (2002) insight to study the hypothesis that controlling shareholders use acquisitions to expropriate resources to their benefit. The findings do not allow us to reject the null hypothesis of proportional sharing of acquisition gains in favor of the alternative hypothesis of expropriation of bidder's minority shareholders.
Joint Consolidation and Service-Aware Load Balancing for Datacenters

Workload consolidation is an efficient approach to reduce the power consumption of datacenters, meanwhile load balancing can reduce the datacenter's user delay. Despite complexities of 1) the coupling between consolidation and load balancing methods for server allocation, and 2) the heterogeneity of server configurations, we address the joint consolidation and service-aware load balancing problem to minimize the operation cost of datacenters. We first formulate the joint optimization problem, which is NP-hard. We then solve this problem using the Gibbs sampling method. Furthermore, to improve the computation of our approach, we propose the JCL algorithm that combines Gibbs sampling and the ADMM method for parallel and distributed calculations. Simulation results also validate that our method not only reduces the power consumption and delay cost, but also balances the workload in heterogeneous servers.
The Diffusion of Organic Farming in Lithuania

The institutions governing organic farming in Lithuania constitute an unusual mix: relatively low information and support services are coupled with a high level of subsidy and low market prospects in the short to medium term. While the literature emphasizes a complex set of reasons for conversion consisting of personal (financial, health, environmental and other concerns), farm-related, and sometimes institutional factors, the hypothesis for Lithuania is that financial support is the dominant reason for increasing diffusion, not least because adoption numbers match the development of subsidy levels fairly well. To investigate this, and to understand why the majority of farmers still do not convert in face of relatively high financial support, a survey with organic and conventional farmers was conducted during spring and early summer 2005. The results suggest that the main motivations for future in-conversions are primarily connected with economic and farm management reasons. These depend primarily on the farm type; whether farmers believe that it is possible to manage an organic farm effectively; the subsidy, and related to this, the farmers' expectations of effects on land and land-rent prices. The survey points also to substantial farm-support deficits, with a low uptake of extension services in general and low availability of organic farming specific advisory services. By concluding, we recommend to rebalance direct subsidy levels with investments into support infrastructure and market development to increase the effectiveness of the whole organic farming ‘system,’ Finally, we critically discuss effects of land capitalisation of relatively high direct organic subsidies, which might have distorting effects if they are not linked to production levels.
Estimation and rejection for disturbances using composite nonlinear observer

This paper considers the stabilization problem for a nonlinear system with composite uncertain disturbances using disturbance observer based control (DOBC) approach. Instead of only one type disturbance such as harmonic or constant disturbance is concerned, the composite disturbances estimated consist of two parts, the first is harmonic with known parameter, the second is supposed to be system uncertainty, and a conventional controller is integrated with the observer to stabilize the closed loop system. Stability analysis of the closed-loop system is established using Lyapunov approach, if the prior knowledge of second disturbance is known, asymptotic stable is obtained. The control method shows lower conservative and especially, it can be extended to compensate unmatched disturbance problem. Simulations on a missile autopilot system show that satisfactory performance and robustness can be achieved using the proposed approaches.
A Jumping Smile

This paper examines systematically the consequences of jump processes in the returns of the underlying asset, for the existence of the volatility smile. The key insight in this paper is the theoretical (but little-noticed) result that the presence of jumps brings major qualitative changes to option pricing. Specifically, when there are jumps it is not possible to have a single option price derived by arbitrage methods alone even at the limit of continuous trading. In a universe of investors who are risk-averse but otherwise unspecified the absence of arbitrage possibilities generates two bounds on option prices, within which the "true" option price lies. If, as is highly plausible, each observed option price at any given time is drawn from a different cohort of risk-averse investors then there is no reason for the existence of a single distribution able to price all options. The method developed in this paper is thus suited to the pricing of contingent claims when the smile is due to the presence of jumps. Two boundary risk-neutral distributions are identified, bracketing the observed option values. These disttributions are the tightest possible distributions supportable by our data, in the sense of producing the minimum spread between possible option values. In our sample the economic difference between these two distributions in the case of S&P 500 options is minor, in the sense that the percentage error in using one rather than the other is small for the key portion of the range of exercise prices. A major advantage of our approach is that it produces results almost always. In a sample of 1991 simultaneous observations on both options and the underlying index value spread over the years 1991, 1993, and 1996 our method produced results in every single instance. By contrast, a single risk-neutral distribution satisfying all observed option values did not exist for 41% of our observations. This failure of the data to support a single option-pricing distribution cannot be explained by models based on systematically-varying volatility of the underlying asset, or by transactions costs. By contrast, it is fully consistent with the existence of jumps in the price of the underlying asset. Further, while a detailed screening of the data may eliminate some of these failures as data errors or mispricings, the fact remains that such eliminations can only take place ex post, thus reducing the usefulness of the single distribution approaches for option practitioners.
Conceptual approaches to the transfer of employment practices in multinational companies: an integrated approach

This article examines the transfer of employment practices across borders within multinational companies. We contrast market-based, cross-national comparative and micro-political perspectives on this issue and argue for an integrated approach that focuses on interrelationships between markets and institutions on the one hand and the material interests of actors on the other. We develop this argument using data from a multi-level case study of a multinational in the US and Britain.
Methylxanthine drug therapy in chronic heart failure associated with hypoxaemia: double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of doxofylline versus theophylline and bamifylline.

The effects of the methylxanthine drugs doxofylline, theophylline and bamifylline were investigated on the basis of clinical and gasometric parameters in hypoxic patients with chronic heart failure. A parallel, double-blind, randomized study was conducted in 48 in-patients with NYHA II-IV chronic heart failure with normo- or hypercapnic hypoxaemia. They were divided into three groups and then submitted to a 4-day run-in with placebo. Either doxofylline 800 mg b.i. d. , theophylline slow-release 400 mg b.i. d. or bamifylline 1200 mg b.i. d. were administered orally in each group of 16 patients for 10 days. Exercise capacity was estimated through NYHA class modification. Gasometric determinations, including arterial oxygen tension (PaO2), carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) and oxygen saturation (SaO2), were measured from arterial blood samples at the time of enrollment (T-4), at the onset of xanthine therapy (T0) and at the end of the trial (T9). After 10 days' treatment, the NYHA class was found to be diminished in 50% of the doxofylline group, 50% of the bamifylline group and 44% of the theophylline group. PaO2 showed a > 15% increase in 75% of the doxofylline group, 56% of the theophylline group and 43% of the bamifylline group (responders). In all three groups the responders presented a highly significant enhancement in PaO2 and SaO2 (p < 0.01 T0 vs T9). Doxofylline exhibited the highest percent increase in PaO2 and SaO2 with respect to T0. The effects on cardiac rhythm showed a progressive heart-rate reduction in the doxofylline group, whereas patients receiving theophylline presented an increase rate of beating. In conclusion, the use of methylxanthines in patients with chronic heart failure seems to be particularly effective especially when a significant ventilatory dysfunction is present. Doxofylline appears to be specially useful because of its ability not to interfere with cardiac rhythm.
Variation in the gene encoding the serotonin transporter is associated with a measure of sociopathy in alcoholics

The present study examined the association between a measure of sociopathy and 5‐HTTLPR genotype in a sample of individuals from Project MATCH, a multi‐center alcohol treatment trial. 5‐HTTLPR, an insertion–deletion polymorphism in SLC6A4, the gene encoding the serotonin transporter protein, results in functionally distinct long (L) and short (S) alleles. The S allele has been associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders and symptoms including alcohol dependence, but it is unknown whether 5‐HTTLPR increases the risk for co‐morbid sociopathy among those with alcohol dependence. Eight hundred sixty‐two subjects diagnosed with alcohol dependence completed the California Psychological Inventory, a psychological assessment that includes a measure of socialization, which was used as a proxy measure of sociopathy. Subjects were genotyped for the insertion–deletion polymorphism, as well as a single nucleotide polymorphism (A→G) that is located in the inserted region. Regression analysis revealed that after controlling for age, which was negatively related to socialization score, 5‐HTTLPR genotype interacted with sex to determine socialization score (P < 0.001). Males with the L'L' genotype (i.e. those homozygous for the LA allele) had lower socialization scores (i.e. greater sociopathy) than males who were carriers of the S' allele (P = 0.03). In contrast, women with the S'S' genotype had lower socialization scores than women with two L' alleles (P = 0.002) and tended to have lower Socialization Index of the California Psychological Inventory scores than women with one copy of the L' allele (P = 0.07). Among individuals with alcohol use disorders, the tri‐allelic 5‐HTTLPR polymorphism had opposite effects on socialization scores in men than women. The basis for this finding is unknown, but it may have implications for sub‐typing alcoholics.
The epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori in Peruvian children between 6 and 30 months of age.

OBJECTIVES Cross-sectional studies of children in developing countries show a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection at 6 months of age, but a decrease in the prevalence of infection between 1 and 5 yr of age. The decrease suggests a loss or clearance of infection, an uncommon finding in adults. Our objective in this study was to determine the longitudinal persistence of H. pylori infection in young children. METHODS We tested an initial cohort of 105 6-month-old infants at 6-month intervals with the 13C-urea breath test; 56 subjects were successfully studied for 2 yr or until 30 months of age. RESULTS Overall prevalence decreased from 71.4% to 47.9% when children were between 6 and 18 months of age, and we found a significant gender difference (males 63.6-55.0%, females 80.0-38.7%, p = 0.03). Of the 56 subjects, six had negative breath tests at all 6-month intervals, 10 were consistently positive, and 36 subjects had one or more negative tests after a positive test. The overall probability of acquiring H. pylori in a given 6-month period ranged between 0.28 and 0.38; the probability of clearing the infection was between 0.22 and 0.45. During the first 18 months after birth, male infants were more likely to acquire H. pylori and less likely to clear the infection than female infants. CONCLUSION We conclude that H. pylori colonization in infants may be a reversible process.
Assessment of transformer mineral oil condition based on dc and ac conductivity

Due to the increase of electrical energy consumption, the power transformers are loaded beyond nameplate rating. The degradation of their insulation systems is intensified and the dielectric properties are worsened. Therefore, the interest of asset managers, regarding the condition of their transformers is a very important topic. Electrical conductivity is strongly influenced by the high operating temperatures and catalysis products (water, gases, acids) that appear as a result of oil and paper degradation reactions during transformer operation. The present paper is focused on an experimental study regarding the influence of water, acids and gases (hydrogen, acetylene, ethylene, methane etc.) resulted from degradation processes on electrical conduction phenomena of mineral oil. For that, the frequency/time variation curves of ac/dc conductivity for different concentrations of water, acids and gases are drawn. Finally, the correlation between ac and dc conductivity and the possibility to assess the ageing state of the mineral oil based on these quantities are analyzed.
Common core structure of amyloid fibrils by synchrotron X-ray diffraction.

Tissue deposition of normally soluble proteins as insoluble amyloid fibrils is associated with serious diseases including the systemic amyloidoses, maturity onset diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. Although the precursor proteins in different diseases do not share sequence homology or related native structure, the morphology and properties of all amyloid fibrils are remarkably similar. Using intense synchrotron sources we observed that six different ex vivo amyloid fibrils and two synthetic fibril preparations all gave similar high-resolution X-ray fibre diffraction patterns, consistent with a helical array of beta-sheets parallel to the fibre long axis, with the strands perpendicular to this axis. This confirms that amyloid fibrils comprise a structural superfamily and share a common protofilament substructure, irrespective of the nature of their precursor proteins.