Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Nonparametric Methods to Measure Efficiency in the Savings and Loan Industry

Using data on 1,360 savings and loan (S&L) institutions, we compare two non-parametric methods for measuring efficiency: data envelopment analysis (DEA) and algebraic methods based on Varian (1984). We show that both methods are vulnerable to measurement error, although both theoretically and empirically we find the Varian-style measures to be less vulnerable. Because we have data on the future insolvency of our S&Ls, we can directly compare the two methods by seeing which does a better job of predicting insolvency (working under the hypothesis that efficiency and insolvency should be negatively correlated). We find that various measures perform very similarly, except for the technical efficiency measure in DEA. Importantly, this last measure frequently yields the implausible result that efficiency and insolvency are positively correlated, possibly because it does not account for factor prices. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.
Acute signalling responses to intense endurance training commenced with low or normal muscle glycogen

We have previously demonstrated that well‐trained subjects who completed a 3 week training programme in which selected high‐intensity interval training (HIT) sessions were commenced with low muscle glycogen content increased the maximal activities of several oxidative enzymes that promote endurance adaptations to a greater extent than subjects who began all training sessions with normal glycogen levels. The aim of the present study was to investigate acute skeletal muscle signalling responses to a single bout of HIT commenced with low or normal muscle glycogen stores in an attempt to elucidate potential mechanism(s) that might underlie our previous observations. Six endurance‐trained cyclists/triathletes performed a 100 min ride at ∼70% peak O2 uptake (AT) on day 1 and HIT (8 × 5 min work bouts at maximal self‐selected effort with 1 min rest) 24 h later (HIGH). Another six subjects, matched for fitness and training history, performed AT on day 1 then 1–2 h later, HIT (LOW). Muscle biopsies were taken before and after HIT. Muscle glycogen concentration was higher in HIGH versus LOW before the HIT (390 ± 28 versus 256 ± 67 μmol (g dry wt)−1). After HIT, glycogen levels were reduced in both groups (P < 0.05) but HIGH was elevated compared with LOW (229 ± 29 versus 124 ± 41 μmol (g dry wt)−1; P < 0.05). Phosphorylation of 5′AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) increased after HIT, but the magnitude of increase was greater in LOW (P < 0.05). Despite the augmented AMPK response in LOW after HIT, selected downstream AMPK substrates were similar between groups. Phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) was unchanged for both groups before and after the HIT training sessions. We conclude that despite a greater activation AMPK phosphorylation when HIT was commenced with low compared with normal muscle glycogen availability, the localization and phosphorylation state of selected downstream targets of AMPK were similar in response to the two interventions.
MRI findings of septic arthritis and associated osteomyelitis in adults.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to describe the soft-tissue, synovial, and osseous MRI findings of septic arthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS At 1.5 T (T1-weighted, T2-weighted or STIR, and contrast-enhanced images), 50 consecutive cases of septic arthritis were evaluated by two observers for synovial enhancement, perisynovial edema, joint effusion, fluid outpouching, fluid enhancement, and synovial thickening. The marrow was assessed for abnormal signal on T1- and T2-weighted images or after contrast enhancement. We noted whether the marrow signal was diffuse or abnormal in bare areas. MRI findings were compared with microbiologic, clinical, and surgical data and diagnoses. RESULTS The frequency of MRI findings in septic joints was as follows: synovial enhancement (98%), perisynovial edema (84%), joint effusions (70%), fluid outpouching (53%), fluid enhancement (30%), and synovial thickening (22%). The marrow showed bare area changes (86%), abnormal T2 signal (84%), abnormal gadolinium enhancement (81%), and abnormal T1 signal (66%). Associated osteomyelitis more often showed T1 signal abnormalities and was diffuse. CONCLUSION Synovial enhancement, perisynovial edema, and joint effusion had the highest correlation with the clinical diagnosis of a septic joint. However, almost a third of patients with septic arthritis lacked an effusion. Abnormal marrow signal-particularly if it was diffuse and seen on T1-weighted images-had the highest association with concomitant osteomyelitis.
Is GBS Still a Preferable Aid Modality

This paper attempts to assess the effect of General Budget Support (GBS) in developing countries by using panel data on government revenue, expenditure, and social indicators for the 10-year period from 1997 to 2006. We focus on the health sector as a representative social sector. The results show that GBS in fact increases the budget allocation for the health sector more than tax revenue does. However, the effect of government health expenditure on health indicators is not necessarily improved by the introduction of GBS, which indicates that the introduction of GBS alone has limited impact. The paper suggests that the complementarity between GBS and projects/programs focusing on human and institutional capacity development should be seriously considered.
Exploratory data analysis of dynamic cerebral contrast-enhanced perfusion MRI time-series

We compare experimentally four different unsupervised clustering techniques as a tool for the analysis of dynamic cerebral contrast-enhanced perfusion MRI time-series in patients with and without stroke. The goal of the paper is to determine the robustness and reliability of clustering methods in providing a self-organized segmentation of perfusion MRI data sharing common properties of signal dynamics. By using the whole information provided by the dynamic time series, we introduce an extension to the conventional method of analyzing perfusion MRI studies based on the evaluation of a few parameters such as mean transit time (MTT), regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV), and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF).
A Database for Reproducible Computational Research

The ability to reproduce the experiments of a scientific research is one of the fundamental principles of the scientific method, as failing to reproduce it and obtain results equal (or very similar) to the original might imply that the later were wrong. In compiler and computer architecture research, reproducibility requires a researcher to be able to compile and execute software on (possibly many) computing systems in a repeatable manner. Though the source code for the studied applications, operating systems and compiler tool chains are often available, it is sometimes still impossible to exactly reproduce one experiment due to the lack of information about versioning of the code, build configuration and environmental setup. In this work we propose a database for gathering experimental setup information as well as related experimental results to enforce reproducibility and to enable results sharing among the researchers.
Financial Privacy in the United States and the European Union: A Path to Transatlantic Regulatory Harmonization

Information has been described as the "cornerstone of a democratic society and market economy,"1 and enhanced technologies for using personal data have arguably transformed financial services into an "information industry. " 2 Walter Wriston, former chairman of Citicorp, asserted that "information standards" have replaced money in global financial markets. 3 Information today is fundamentally global. The technologies that carry it ignore national borders. Multinational corporations and consortiums of organizations that share data dot the globe. In the case of the Internet, multinational banking networks. , credit and financial services networks . , and stock and commodities networks . it is virtually meaningless to talk of national privacy law. What consumers and service providers alike need are common standards applicable throughout the world. Commonality does not require identical laws but rather legal regimes that, while still reflecting national contexts, are based on shared principles. The sheer technological power of the digital age, offering huge advances in the type and quality of products offered in the economic marketplace, also poses unprecedented threats to personal safety and autonomy if privacy is not adequately protected. In response to mounting privacy concerns in an era of
Brazilian income distribution in the 1960s: Tacts’ model results and the controversy

This paper discusses a number of hypotheses that have been put forward to explain apparently unequalising changes in Brazilian income distribution in the 1960s. One of these argues that, if more relevant measures are used, the increase in distributional inequity is apparent only. This hypothesis is rejected after conceptual and statistical criticism. Of the hypotheses which accept increased inequity in distribution in the 1960s, one emphasises the importance of changes in the composition of the income‐earning population (by education, sex, sector, age and region). But it is shown here that these compositional effects were either in an equalising direction (regional; sectoral) or quantitively small (sex, age and education). The argument that the rise in distributional inequity was caused by growth‐induced demand for skills forcing up the rewards for skill, is also rejected. The increase in the supply of skilled labour in the 1960s was very large, and with plausible elasticities of substitution and a compet.
Accessed External Knowledge, Centrality of Intra‐Team Knowledge Networks, and R&D Employee Creativity

Accessing knowledge is an important component of managing research and development (R&D) employee creativity. Although previous literature on creativity highlights the value of external diversified knowledge and the centrality of intra-team knowledge network to creativity, the effects of accessed external knowledge characteristics on the network position of intra-team knowledge and creativity, as well as the moderating role of accessed knowledge content reliability, have hardly been considered. This empirical study helps shed some light on this issue in the context of R&D. In particular, the mediated moderation effect of the diversity and reliability of accessed knowledge on the centrality of intra-team knowledge network and employee creativity was analyzed. The data were gathered via questionnaires completed by R&D employees and leaders in biopharmaceutical companies in China. The results indicated that the reliability of accessed knowledge moderated the relation between the diversity of the accessed knowledge and centrality of intra-team knowledge network. The centrality, in turn, improved employee creativity. Theoretical and practical suggestions for R&D management are discussed.
3.5mW W-Band Frequency Divider with Wide Locking Range in 90nm CMOS Technology

The frequency divider (FD) is one of the key components in very-high-frequency (VHF) PLLs. Conventionally, injection-locked frequency divider (ILFD) , Miller frequency divider, and CML static divider are widely used in various applications. Among these dividers, the ILFD has the highest operation frequency, but the locking range is limited. On the other hand, the static FD covers a wide locking range, but its operation frequency is low and the power consumption is usually high. Since a FD connected to a VCO operates at the highest frequency, the power dissipation and the locking range of a VHF FD should be carefully considered. In a PLL, due to the process and temperature variations, the locking range of the ILFD must be several times larger than the tuning range of the VCO. Thus, it is challenging to design a wide locking-range and low-power ILFD in the millimeter-wave applications. To achieve a higher operational frequency for an ILFD, the distributed LC oscillator is adopted. To widen the locking range of an ILFD, the transconductance-enhancement technique is presented. In this paper, two low-power ILFDs have a locking range of 85.1 to 96.3 GHz and 98.9 to 105.2 GHz, respectively.
The Role of Parties in Israeli Democracy

A N ANALYSIS OF THE PARTY SYSTEM IN ISRAEL and of the r6le played by the parties in the democratic processes in that country will best be preceded by some factual data regarding these parties. To that effect, we shall reproduce at this point a list of the parties which have secured parliamentary representation in the election either to the first Knesset (i.e., Parliament) in 1949 or to the second Knesset in 1951 (to be read in connection with a glossary provided at the end of this essay). 2
Are Unions Good or Bad for Organizations? The Moderating Role of Management's Response

Union impact research has been hindered by an underdeveloped conceptualization of management response, contributing to inconclusive empirical findings. Integrating the collective voice/institutional response model with the appropriateness framework, we propose that an employee-focused business strategy is a critical moderating variable in the relationship between union density and organizational outcomes that mitigates the negative effects of unions and enhances the positive effects by sending a clear signal of management's intentions to co-operate. Using a panel dataset of Canadian organizations over six years, we provide empirical evidence to support our arguments. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
TI 11-042 / DSF 16 Observation Driven Mixed-Measurement Dynamic Factor Models with an Application to Credit Risk

We propose a dynamic factor model for mixed-measurement and mixed-frequency panel data. In this framework time series observations may come from a range of families of parametric distributions, may be observed at different time frequencies, may have missing observations, and may exhibit common dynamics and cross-sectional dependence due to shared exposure to dynamic latent factors. The distinguishing feature of our model is that the likelihood function is known in closed form and need not be obtained by means of simulation, thus enabling straightforward parameter estimation by standard maximum likelihood. We use the new mixed-measurement framework for the signal extraction and forecasting of macro, credit, and loss given default risk conditions for U.S. Moody’s-rated firms from January 1982 until March 2010.
On the reconstruction aspects of moment descriptors

The problem of reconstruction of an image from discrete and noisy data by the method of moments is examined. The set of orthogonal moments based on Legendre polynomials is employed. A general class of signal-dependent noise models is taken into account. An asymptotic expansion for the global reconstruction error is established. This reveals mutual relationships between a number of moments, the image smoothness, sampling rate, and noise model characteristics. The problem of an automatic (data-driven) section of an optimal number of moments is studied. This is accomplished with the help of cross-validation techniques. >
Sustainability of exercise intervention outcomes among people with disabilities: a secondary review

Abstract Background: This review explored the sustainability of health and physical activity-based outcomes following exercise trials that were conducted for people with disabilities, and characterised the influence of technology and behaviour change strategies. Methods: A total of 132 studies were screened from an existing database. Results: Only 22 studies featured follow-up periods and met eligibility criteria. At follow-up, studies typically reported at least one significant health outcome that was maintained (n = 18/21; 86%). However, significant health outcomes accounted for only 32% of the total volume of outcomes that were measured at follow-up. For physical activity-based outcomes, six studies (n = 6/8; 75%) reported that intervention gains were maintained throughout follow-up. The incorporation of technology or behaviour change strategies appeared to be linked with sustainable intervention effects. Conclusions: Overall, some evidence demonstrated that post-intervention effects were sustainable. However, the strength of the evidence was weak and several existing gaps in knowledge were identified. Moreover, most studies did not focus on sustainability, but instead emphasised short-term effects of exercise participation on health and physical activity outcomes. Study findings call for greater research and programme efforts to maintain health, function, and physical activity behaviour after supports provided by research studies are removed. Implications for rehabilitation Short-term exercise programmes may require additional strategies designed specifically to enhance the sustainability of exercise outcomes and physical activity participation. Incorporating technology within exercise interventions may enhance the likelihood of sustaining health and function outcomes. Exercise programmes framed within behaviour change theory can equip individuals with the appropriate strategies necessary to maintain their physical activity participation.
Disruptive ultra-low-power SOI CMOS circuits towards μW medical sensor implants

In this paper, we propose disruptive circuit design techniques for ultra-low-power (ULP) medical sensor implants. They use unique CMOS blocks to build ULP diodes and transistors that are implemented with ultra-low-Vt devices in 0. 15µm fully-depleted SOI CMOS, without process modification. Using these techniques, we propose a highly-efficient power-management unit and a 1. 1µW interface for capacitive sensors.
The Dynamics of Party Activism in Britain: A Spiral of Demobilization?

Changes in activism among grassroots members of the Labour and Conservative parties in Britain are modelled using panel surveys in this article, with party members being surveyed before and after the 1992 general election. The evidence suggests that a decline in activism over time has occurred in both parties, but this decline is greater in the Labour party than in the Conservative party. This is attributed to a number of political, cultural and sociological changes in society over time, but in the short run the main factor is the outcome of the general election in 1992. These trends are modelled by means of a ‘general incentives’ theory of activism, which explains the decline in activism in terms of changing incentives for political action. Reductions in incentives for activism were, with one exception, greater for Labour party members than for Conservatives, which explains the differences between the two parties. This may produce a ‘spiral of demobilization’ in which electoral losses produce a decline in activism and campaigning at the local level, which in turn leads to further electoral losses.
A promising new mechanism of ionizing radiation detection for positron emission tomography: modulation of optical properties

Using conventional scintillation detection, the fundamental limit in positron emission tomography (PET) time resolution is strongly dependent on the inherent temporal variances generated during the scintillation process, yielding an intrinsic physical limit for the coincidence time resolution of around 100 ps. On the other hand, modulation mechanisms of the optical properties of a material exploited in the optical telecommunications industry can be orders of magnitude faster. In this paper we borrow from the concept of optics pump-probe measurement to for the first time study whether ionizing radiation can produce modulations of optical properties, which can be utilized as a novel method for radiation detection. We show that a refractive index modulation of approximately 5×10−6 is induced by interactions in a cadmium telluride (CdTe) crystal from a 511 keV photon source. Furthermore, using additional radionuclide sources, we show that the amplitude of the optical modulation signal varies linearly with both the detected event rate and average photon energy of the radiation source.
Participatory budgeting in Brazil

Participatory budgeting (PB) began more than a decade ago in Porto Alegre, one of the most populated cities in South Brazil. PB is a process through which citizens present their demands and priorities for civic improvement, and influence through discussions and negotiations the budget allocations made by their municipalities. Since 1989, budget allocations for public welfare works in Porto Alegre have been made only after the recommendations of public delegates and approval by the city council. Participatory budgeting has resulted in improved facilities for the people of Porto Alegre. For instance, sewer and water connections went up from 75 percent of total households in 1988 to 98 percent in 1997. The number of participants in the participatory budgeting process in Porto Alegre reached 40,000 per year in less than a decade, indicating PB ability to encourage increasing citizen involvement. The success of people's participation in determining the use of public welfare funds in the city of Porto Alegre has inspired many other municipalities to follow suit. So far, of the 5,571 municipalities in Brazil, more than 140 (about 2.5 percent) have adopted PB. The positive impact of PB is a noticeable improvement in the accessibility and quality of various public welfare amenities in those municipalities that have adopted it. The participation and influence of people belonging to low-income groups in the budget allocation process are proof of their empowerment. However, lack of representation of very poor people in the process is a shortcoming of PB that needs to be addressed.
Gender Earnings Gaps in the World

This paper documents gender disparities in labor earnings for sixty-four countries around the world. Disparities are partially attributed to gender differences in observable socio-demographic and job characteristics. These characteristics are used to match males and females such that gender earnings disparities are computed only among individuals with the same characteristics, as in Nopo (2008). After comparing males and females with the same characteristics we found that the earnings gap falls within a range between 8% and 48% of average females' earnings, being more pronounced in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The unexplained earnings gaps are more pronounced among part-time workers and those with low education.
SOLVING SYSTEMS OF DIFFERENCE CONSTRAINTS

In this paper we use the problem of determining the feasibility of system of difference constraints. A difference constraints is of the form x - y ≤ b, where x and y are numeric variables and b is a constant. Systems of difference constraints occur in many economic applications. For example, the unknowns x and y may represent the moment of times at which events are to occur. Each constraint can be viewed as stating that one event cannot occur too much later than another event. In the end, an experimental analysis of two heuristics is presented for the problem of the negative cycle’s detection.
Testing for Reference Dependence: An Application to the Art Market

This paper tests for reference dependence, using data from Impressionist and Contemporary Art auctions. We distinguish reference dependence based on rule of thumb learning from reference dependence based on rational learning. Furthermore, we distinguish pure reference dependence from effects due to loss aversion. Thus, we use actual market data to test essential characteristics of Kahneman and Tversky`s Prospect Theory. The main methodological innovations of this paper are firstly, that reference dependence can be identified separately from loss aversion. Secondly, we introduce a consistent non-linear estimator to deal with measurement errors problems involved in testing for loss aversion. In this dataset, we find strong reference dependence but no loss aversion.