Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Design of Multidimensional Auctions

Procurement auctions usually require the bid to specify several characteristics of the contract to be fulfilled. In this article I study the design of such mechanisms, allowing for a special case of correlation of the firm's costs. I describe the properties of optimal mechanisms and study the design of multidimensional auctions. Contrary to the independent-costs model, to implement the optimal outcome the procurer will need to use a two-stage auction: in the first stage the procurer selects one firm; in the second stage he bargains to readjust the level of quality to be provided.
Resolution enhanced MUSIC-like DOA estimation algorithm without estimating the number of sources

In this paper, we propose a new DOA estimation algorithm which achieves better resolution than the MUSIC algorithm and does not require estimation of the number of sources. Snapshots and steering vector used in the new algorithm are proposed to be constructed in the form of a second-order Volterra filter. To avoid estimation of the number of sources, we introduce a new optimization problem to realize DOA estimation in the framework of beamforming. Computer simulations are conducted to demonstrate validity and superiority of the proposed algorithm.
Father-friendly legislation and paternal time across Western Europe

Abstract Throughout the 1990s fathers across Western Europe were increasingly enabled to spend paternal time, following changes to national legislation regarding access to leave. We create a father-friendly policy index to construct a typology of governmental leave provisions specifically available to fathers by 1996–1997. We then analyze the time spent caring for children by fathers in Western Europe in 1996 and 2001, using the European Community Household Panel survey. We find that the time fathers spend caring for children, and gender inequalities in time caring for children, vary considerably by country. The policy index is correlated with both absolute and relative levels of fathers' time spent caring for children.
Bigger Cakes with Less Ingredients? A Comparison of Material Use of the World Economy

The amount of materials used worldwide in production and consumption increased by 56% from 1995 to 2008. Using an index decomposition analysis based on the logarithmic mean Divisia index, we investigate the drivers of material use, both on a global and a country scale. We exploit a panel dataset of 40 countries, accounting for 75% of worldwide material extraction and 88% of GDP, from 1995 to 2008. The results show that economic growth and structural change towards material-intensive countries explain most of the growth in global material use. Slight gains in material efficiency and falling importance of material-intensive sectors have decelerating effects. The country-level analysis reveals substantial heterogeneity. Some nations exhibit stable or falling material use, while it increases notably in most countries. Improving material efficiency is able to dampen growth of material use in important industrializing nations like China or India.
Large-scale synthesis of Ag nanoparticles by polyol process for low temperature bonding application

Lead is a toxic element which usually brings harm to natural resources and human health. The use of Pb-containing solder alloys are forbidden to be employed in electronic packaging, which led to the great efforts to the investigation and implementation of lead-free bonding materials. The novel low temperature sintering bonding using metal nanoparticles is a promising technique for lead free bonding method used in electronic packaging industry. In this article, a large scale chemical reduction method to synthesize silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for this low temperature bonding application was put forward. The obtained Ag NPs were confirmed by XRD to be crystalline silver with a face-centered cubic (fee) structure. We observed monodisperse spherical Ag NPs with a diameter range of 35 ± 15 nm. The influence of reaction parameters on the resulting particle size and its distribution is investigated. Robust joints were formed using the Ag NPs as the bonding materials at the low bonding temperature. The shear strengths of joints reach about 49.93 MPa at low temperature of 250 °C. The results show that the Ag NPs synthesized by this large scale chemical reduction method are suitable to be used as low temperature lead bonding material in electronic packaging industry.
Reverse Diffusion in Us Multinationals: Barriers from the American Business System

This paper addresses the issue of 'reverse diffusion' of employment practices in multinational companies, which is defined as the transfer of practices from foreign subsidiaries to operations in the country of origin. It adds to the literature by examining the influence of the parent business system in multinationals. Specifically, it addresses how the dominant institutions and established organizational structures and practices in the home country affect the extent and impact of reverse diffusion of employment practices. Drawing on fresh evidence from American-owned multinationals in the UK we argue that there is considerable potential for reverse diffusion to occur among this group of firms. However, we highlight a number of barriers to reverse diffusion that the American business system presents, demonstrating that these constrain both the prevalence and the impact of it in practice.
On Testing a Military Industrial Complex Theory

he relationship between business and government in t capitalist societies is one of the most often discussed and seldom analyzed problems in American social science. Despite repeated admonitions for economists to learn more politics (e.g., Stigler, 1973) and political scientists to learn more about business (e.g., Dahl, 1959), good explanations of business/government relations remain few and far between. I
Capacity management in the short break market

Considerable literature exists on the nature of yield management (YM) and capacity strategies. One strategy for maximizing revenue yield, rooms or supplementary spend is the provision of short breaks. Short breaks in the UK are widely recognized as a growth market. However, little literature exists on the supply or strategic dimensions of the market. Provides an overview of the supply dimension of UK short break markets, focusing on hotel operations. Examining the short break activities of 20 hotel companies in the UK, through personal interviews with key marketing executives, draws comparisons in performance between the use of various short break strategies. Explores the apparent impact of such strategies relative to supplementary spend and market segments, and draws conclusions as to how short break markets can be actively employed as a capacity management tool.
Expectationally-driven market volatility: An experimental study

We study the existence and robustness of expectationally-driven price volatility in experimental overlapping generation economies. In the theoretical model under study there exist “pure sunspot” equilibria which can be “learned” if agents use some adaptive learning rules. Our data show the existence of expectationally-driven cycles, but only after subjects have been exposed to a sequence of real shocks and “learned” a real cycle. In this sense, we show evidence of path-dependent price volatility.
Risk factors for insufficient fixation of microkeratome during laser in situ keratomileusis.

PURPOSE To investigate the potential risk factors leading to insufficient fixation of a microkeratome during laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), especially in Asian eyes. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 1809 eyes of 972 patients that underwent LASIK. Profiles of patients (age, sex, past medical history, width of palpebral fissure, corneal power, and postoperative clinical course) whose operations were discontinued due to insufficient fixation were compared to all LASIK patients. RESULTS Insufficient fixation was observed in 18 eyes of 16 patients. Those patients were significantly younger (26.1 +/- 5.5 yr) compared to all patients (32.3 +/- 8.6 yr). Mean keratometric power was 42.40 +/- 1.37 D in patients with insufficient fixation and 43.60 +/- 1.40 D in all patients (P < .001). Maximum width of palpebral fissure with eyes wide open was 0.96 +/- 0.20 mm in patients with insufficient fixation, and 1.10 +/- 0.19 mm in all patients (P = .0015). These patients subsequently underwent LASIK utilizing combinations of cooling, frequent corticosteroid instillation for several hours, and lateral canthotomy. CONCLUSION Narrow palpebral fissures commonly found in Asian populations might be a risk factor for insufficient fixation of a microkeratome in LASIK, especially in young patients with flat corneas.
Trends of the human resources management model in Brazilian companies: a forecast according to opinion leaders from the area

This paper is the result of research carried out to identify trends of the human resources management model in Brazilian organizations. In order to do this, we employed a research methodology known as Delphi, which consists of gradually adjusting the perceptions of specialists. Respondents were selected using criteria that characterized them as opinion leaders in human resource management. Having consulted more than 160 people, we observed that themes such as the management of competences, corporate education and encouragement for organizational learning will be gradually assimilated by companies. One of our main conclusions is that the change process in human resources has ceased to be reactive. Data relating to changes that occurred during the 1980s and 1990s showed that the function concentrated on internal restructuring, on reducing the number of specialist employees, on encouraging the outsourcing of operational processes and on establishing a new model for looking after in-house customers.
The association between depression and health‐related quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes: a systematic literature review

The relationships between co‐morbid depression in people with diabetes and adverse outcomes including poor HbA1c control, adherence to medication and mortality have been examined and confirmed. However, as the awareness of the decrement to health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in people with diabetes and its clinical consequences grows, investigators have become increasingly interested in measuring HRQOL in clinical trials. Given that the psychological factors such as depression may contribute to diminished HRQOL, the present review sought to summarize the association between these variables in people with type 2 diabetes. Articles for a systematic review were obtained via a search performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO (1980–2007).
A Survey on Privacy of Record Linkage by using Locality Sensitive Hashing Method and Secure Multi-Party Computation

The main motivation behind this paper is to present a vital overview of Locality-Sensitive Hashing which is base blocking method for preserving the security of record linkage. The proposed LSH method is used for guess the candidate record pairs, which goes through an anonymous transformation. In this survey paper Cosine based approach is proposed to compare the formulated record pair's in homomorphism way.
Oxidative Stress Causes Mucin Synthesis Via Transactivation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor: Role of Neutrophils1

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases of airways. Here we show that oxidative stress causes ligand-independent activation of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) and subsequent activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)-p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p44/42mapk), resulting in mucin synthesis in NCI-H292 cells. Exogenous hydrogen peroxide and neutrophils activated by IL-8, FMLP, or TNF-α increased EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation and subsequent activation of p44/42mapk and up-regulated the expression of MUC5AC at both mRNA and protein levels in NCI-H292 cells. These effects were blocked by selective EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (AG1478, BIBX1522) and by a selective MEK inhibitor (PD98059), whereas a selective platelet-derived growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (AG1295), a selective p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580), and a negative compound of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (A1) were without effect. Neutrophil supernatant-induced EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation, activation of p44/42mapk, and MUC5AC synthesis were inhibited by antioxidants (N-acetyl-l-cysteine, DMSO, dimethyl thiourea, or superoxide dismutase); neutralizing Abs to EGFR ligands (EGF and TGF-α) were without effect, and no TGF-α protein was found in the neutrophil supernatant. In contrast, the EGFR ligand, TGF-α, increased EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation, activation of p44/42mapk, and subsequent MUC5AC synthesis, but these effects were not inhibited by antioxidants. These results implicate oxidative stress in stimulating mucin synthesis in airways and provide new therapeutic approaches in airway hypersecretory diseases.
What to do with politicized science

science advice before Nixon from advice after Nixon. Newcomers to science policy may be more taken by the tightrope walking nearly all advisers (and particularly the Congressional staffers) needed to do in their work. Hopefully, everyone will be reminded (whether they need to be or not) that the science adviser serves the President, and not the scientific community. Given the dearth of research in this area, simply having a record of this event is a valuable addition to the literature (and hopefully to science policy practitioners , to whom most of the book is targeted). Thankfully Pielke and Klein supplemented the book with two Congressional perspectives and two efforts to place the advisers' remarks in context. Were this a more academically oriented book I could easily see the context chapters being much larger. The editors' restraint is appreciated, though some may feel the context work in the book could have been more detailed. In either case, I recommend that readers cover the chapters by Guston, and by Pielke and Klein before going to the rest of the material. It should be easier to connect those chapters to the advisers' material if read before diving into the details of science policy in six different administrations. What (minor) complaints I have with the book are partly a function of the type of event the book is capturing. Transcripts of the interviews with Pielke are not included with all of the advisers' remarks, and transcripts of the questions and answers with students are included with even fewer chapters. This becomes important in part because the transcripts (at least those that were included in the book) provide a greater sense of how past science advisers engage with current science policy issues. Those advisers who served more recently were quicker to address current issues in their remarks, but I would like to see what those who served and have some remove from their service have to say about what's going on today. Dr David's discussion of the political angle behind President Nixon eliminating his science adviser and advisory council led me to draw parallels with the complaints over President George W Bush's administration and how some scientists became more politically active as a response. Were these parallels drawn out in the interview or in the questions and answers? I could go to the website and see; but I'm reading and reviewing the book, not the …
PENGARUH MEKANISME CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, KUALITAS AUDITOR EKSTERNAL, DAN LIKUIDITAS TERHADAP KUALITAS LABA

Abstrak: Pengaruh Mekanisme Corporate Governance , Kualitas Auditor Eksternal, dan Likuiditas Terhadap Kualitas Laba. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah memberikan bukti empiris pengaruh penerapan mekanisme corporate governance yang terdiri dari struktur dewan direksi, kepemilikan manajerial, kepemilikan institusional, komite audit, dan komisaris independen terhadap kualitas laba. Penelitian ini menggunakan sampel sebanyak 22 perusahaan manufaktur yang listing di BEI pada periode 2007-2011. Analisis GLS digunakan sebagai teknik analisis data dalam penelitian ini. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa struktur dewan direksi, komisaris independen berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap Discretionary Accrual (DTAC) atau berpengaruh negatif terhadap kualitas laba. Kemudian kualitas auditor eksternal berpengaruh negatif dan signifikan terhadap Discretionary Accrual (DTAC) atau berpengaruh positif terhadap kualitas laba. Sedangkan kepemilikan manajerial, kepemilikan institusional, komite audit, dan likuiditas tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap kualitas laba. Kata kunci: corporate governance , kualitas auditor eksternal, likuiditas, kualitas laba. Abstract: The influence of Corporate Governance Mechanism, External Auditor Quality, and Liquidity on the Quality of Earnings. The purpose of this study is to provide empirical evidence of the effect of the application of corporate governance mechanisms consisting of board structure, managerial ownership, institutional ownership, audit committees and independent commissioners on the quality of earnings. This study used a sample of 22 manufacturing companies listed on the Stock Exchange in the period 2007-2011. GLS analysis is used as a data analysis technique in this study. The results showed that the board structure and the proportions of independent commissioner have a positive and significant effect to discretionary accrual (DTAC) or have a negative effect to the earnings quality. The quality of external auditor has a negative and significant effect to DTAC or has a positive effect to the earnings quality. While managerial ownership, institutional ownership, audit committees, and liquidity does not significantly influence the quality of earnings. Keywords: corporate governance, external auditor’s quality, liquidity, earnings quality .
Rules of Origin in the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership Agreement and Nigeria’s international trade

This paper examines the key issues and assesses the impact of the rules of origin (RoO) and cumulation on Nigeria’s international trade within the context of Africa-EU partnerships agreements. The review of literatures shows that RoO are an important element in determining the final benefit associated with the bilateral trade relationship under preferential trade agreements. It notes that Africa-EU bilateral trade relations dates back to the Lome Conventions that gave preferential entry into EU of some products, and now to the new Africa-EU partnership which lays less emphasis on RoO. An analysis of available data show that RoO have had limited impact on Nigeria’s exports trade with the EU since her major exports (crude oil) does not benefit from RoO. Instead, there has been an increase in intermediate imports from EU which suggests trade creation in favour of EU while the rising trend in trade within Africa could be the result of bilateral cumulation and intra-Africa FTAs/economic integration. The paper further argues that the increase in trade with USA and others may be the result of trade reorientation as a result of switching from EU to other cheaper partner countries, especially USA in the face of AGOA. Among the challenges which militate against the RoO are: global reduction in tariff by WTO and the changing focus of the objectives of Africa-EU partnership principles from PTA to regional support. In concluding, the paper notes that the new partnership agreements needs to reconsider its position on RoO as it is a potent tool that is mutually beneficial in partnership. As such, the EU must go beyond the WTO GSP and AGOA to give preferential treatment to goods originating from Africa.
Constituent Participation and the IASB's International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee

Abstract While international convergence of accounting standards is becoming more of a reality, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) continues to seek greater acceptance and legitimacy as an institution. Constituent participation is one key component for an organization to obtain legitimacy and success. This study investigates constituent participation of one significant part of the IASB, the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC). IASB/IFRIC constituents are classified in two ways: (1) geographically (by country and region); and (2) stakeholder interest group (the accounting profession, regulators, preparers and users). Respondents writing comment letters in regards to IFRIC's first 18 Draft Interpretations are examined. A total of 272 respondents from 40 countries generated 714 comment letters. The European Union provided a majority of writers and letters, with the UK being the largest contributor. The USA, Canada and developing countries generated few letters. Constituent participation significantly increased over IFRIC's predecessor committee, but responses remain concentrated with 35 respondents, mostly professional accountancy bodies and accounting standard-setters, generating 58% of the comment letters. Users accounted for only 5% of letters. While improved constituent participation may support the notion of increased legitimacy, limited participation by some IFRIC constituents suggests that the IASB should further promote constituent participation to achieve greater legitimacy.
State Clean Energy Practices: Renewable Fuel Standards

The State Clean Energy Policies Analysis (SCEPA) project is supported by the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program within the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. This project seeks to quantify the impacts of existing state policies, and to identify crucial policy attributes and their potential applicability to other states. The goal is to assist states in determining which clean energy policies or policy portfolios will best accomplish their environmental, economic, and security goals. For example, renewable fuel standards (RFS) policies are a mechanism for developing a market for renewable fuels in the transportation sector. This flexible market-based policy, when properly executed, can correct for market failures and promote growth of the renewable fuels industry better than a more command-oriented approach. The policy attempts to correct market failures such as embedded fossil fuel infrastructure and culture, risk associated with developing renewable fuels, consumer information gaps, and lack of quantification of the non-economic costs and benefits of both renewable and fossil-based fuels. This report focuses on renewable fuel standards policies, which are being analyzed as part of this project.