Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute Oil Shocks through International Transport Costs: Evidence from U.s. Business Cycles

The effects of oil shocks on output volatility through international transport costs are investigated in an open-economy DSGE model. Two versions of the model, with and without international transport costs, are structurally estimated for the U.S. economy by a Bayesian approach for moving windows of ten years. For model selection, the posterior odds ratios of the two versions are compared for each ten-year window. The version with international transport costs is selected during periods of high volatility in crude oil prices. The contribution of international transport costs to the volatility of U.S. GDP has been estimated as high as 36% during periods of oil crises. The views in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.
An Iterative Algorithm Using the Statistical Perspective of Bias for Efficient Polynomial Approximation by Modified MKZ Operator

This paper aims at constructing an iterative computerizable numerical algorithm for an improved polynomial approximation by a modified version of „MKZ‟ operator. The algorithm uses the „Statistical Perspective of Bias‟ for exploiting the information about the unknown function „f‟ available in terms of its known values at the „pre-chosen-knots‟ in C [0, 1/2] more fully with the proposed modified operator. The improvement, achieved by an a-posteriori use of this information, happens iteratively. Any typical iteration uses the typical concepts of „Bias‟. The potential of the achievable efficiency through the proposed „computerizable numerical iterative algorithm‟ is illustrated per an „empirical study‟ for which the function „f‟ is assumed to be known in the sense of simulation. The illustration has been confined to “Three Iterations” only, for the sake of simplicity of illustration.
Policy for plenty: measuring the benefits of policy-oriented social science research

This paper suggests practical methods for assessing policy research programs, both ex post and ex ante. Measuring the benefits of policy research is difficult: the path of causation between research and policy change is nearly always uncertain; multiple factors influence any particular policy change; policies are diverse in nature as are their intended and actual effects; and some effects of policy research are not priced in the market. Many of the benefits of changes in policy stem from the reduced cost of welfare-improving institutional change. Economic surplus analysis can be used to assess such changes. In some cases, Bayesian decision theory may be helpful in evaluating policy research, although it is usually difficult to obtain estimates of the probability distributions a decisionmaker has before the research becomes available. Subjective estimates of parameters and some measure of their degree of uncertainty, are likely to be needed for an economic surplus model. The paper suggests a set of steps for policy research evaluation. It is applied to two cases: an evaluation of pesticide policy research in Brazil, and an evaluation of policies affecting deforestation in Indonesia.
Prices for Paintings by African American Artists and Their Contemporaries: Does Race Matter? (Revision of Working Paper No. 2006-06)

This paper investigates the extent that economic markets have incorporated mainstream artistic acceptance of African American art. Price levels and movements for paintings by African American artists versus their white contemporaries are compared using auction data from 1972 to 2004. Means in the aggregate as well as individually are found to be significantly lower for African American artists in almost every case. Hedonic regressions are used to refine the statistical analysis by controlling for factors characterizing the painting and auction environment. In the regressions significant differences persist between the two groups with African American artists experiencing lower price levels but higher price appreciation throughout the period. The price gap thus appears to be narrowing indicating a possible convergence of economic reality and artistic appreciation. In addition, the higher investment returns for paintings by African American artists made them a relatively profitable art niche in recent years and possibly for the future since economic values have not completely converged for the two groups.
Optimal scan delay depending on contrast material injection duration in abdominal multi-phase computed tomography of pancreas and liver in normal Beagle dogs

This study was conducted to establish the values for optimal fixed scan delays and diagnostic scan delays associated with the bolus-tracking technique using various contrast material injection durations in canine abdominal multi-phase computed tomography (CT). This study consisted of two experiments employing the crossover method. In experiment 1, three dynamic scans at the porta hepatis were performed using 5, 10 and 15 sec injection durations. In experiment 2, two CT scans consisting of five multi-phase series with different scan delays of 5 sec intervals for bolus-tracking were performed using 5, 10 and 15 sec injection duration. Mean arrival times to aortic enhancement peak (12.0, 15.6, and 18.6 sec for 5, 10, and 15 sec, respectively) and pancreatic parenchymal peak (17.8, 25.1, and 29.5 sec) differed among injection durations. The maximum mean attenuation values of aortas and pancreases were shown at the scan section with 0 and 5, 0 and 10 and 5 and 10 sec diagnostic scan delays during each injection duration, respectively. The optimal scan delays of the arterial and pancreatic parenchymal phase in multi-phase CT scan using fixed scan delay or bolus-tracking should be determined with consideration of the injection duration.
An accurate design of fully integrated 2.4GHz CMOS cascode LNA

This paper presents a full integrated 2.4GHz inductively degenerated cascode low noise amplifier (LNA) realized in a standard TSMC 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS process. The source degenerated inductor has been design after the electromagnetic (EM) analysis using the calibrated substrate conditions. The measured performance of the proposed LNA shows the noise figure (NF) of 2.87 dB, the power gain of 13.29 dB, and the reverse isolation of -30.8 dB. High linearity design with the output 1 dB gain compression point (PldB) of 0 dBm, input third-order intercept point (IIP3) of 2.2 dBm, and the power consumption is only 11 mW while dissipating 5.5 mA from a 2 V supply. The overall measured results of the implemented LNA show good agreement with simulated results.
Neuroscience research and post-secondary education: How do adult educators perceive neuroscience research in informing educational practices?

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand how professors in the field of Education from post-secondary universities across Canada with an interest in adult education (i.e., adult education professors) perceived neuroscience research on how the brain learns in informing educational practices. The results of this study gave insight into how aware adult education professors are of neuroscience research and education, if they were currently enhancing their educational practices with neuroscience research evidence, if they believed neuroscience research could enhance educational practices, and if given the opportunity to talk with a neuroscientist what their topic of interest would be.
Policy specification and enforcement in online social networks using MKNF+

Emerging tools that ease sharing information in online social networks (OSNs) can cause various privacy issues for users. Access control is the main security mechanism in OSNs which is used to tackle such issues. In this paper, a prioritized ontology based access control model for protecting users' information in OSNs is proposed. In the proposed model, description logic (DL) is used for modeling social networks and MKNF+ rules are used for specification of users' access control policies. Using MKNF+, we can have nonmonotonic inference (i.e., closed-world reasoning) in the access control procedure. Conflict among access rules defined by a user in an OSN, is another problem, which is resolved in the proposed model by defining priority levels for the rules in a logical manner. Logical foundation of the model gives accuracy, expressiveness, and inference (of implicit access rules from the explicit ones) to the model, and thus decreases the risk of sharing information in OSNs.
Distributed computation of minimum time consensus for multi-agent systems

The problem of computing the minimum time to consensus of multiple identical double-integrator agents is considered. A distributed algorithm for computing the final consensus target state is proposed. Local feedback time optimal control laws are synthesized to drive each agent to the computed final consensus target state. Each agent is assumed to know the states of every other agent. As a part of the algorithm, every possible triplet of agents compute their mutual minimum time to consensus. The maximum value among these triplet minimum times is shown to be the required minimum time to consensus for the entire group. Since the required computation can be performed for each triple separately, it can be distributed evenly among the agents.
Foreign Language Ability

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the importance of foreign language ability as a core attribute of graduates from hospitality management programs. Specifically, the perceptions of such importance were examined and compared among hospitality managers, recruiters, and students themselves and in relation to a number of other attributes. A total of 175 completed questionnaires were collected from recruiters, students and managers. The study found that managers attached a different degree of importance to certain attributes than students and recruiters agreed upon. These and other findings suggest that there might be a lack of effective communications between each pair of the three groups. The study results present critical implications for hospitality educational curricula.
Multi‐imager compatible actuation principles in surgical robotics

Today's most successful surgical robots are perhaps surgeon‐driven systems, such as the daVinci (Intuitive Surgical Inc., USA, www.intuitivesurgical.com). These have already enabled surgery that was unattainable with classic instrumentation; however, at their present level of development, they have limited utility. The drawback of these systems is that they are independent self‐contained units, and as such, they do not directly take advantage of patient data. The potential of these new surgical tools lies much further ahead. Integration with medical imaging and information are needed for these devices to achieve their true potential. Surgical robots and especially their subclass of image‐guided systems require special design, construction and control compared to industrial types, due to the special requirements of the medical and imaging environments. Imager compatibility raises significant engineering challenges for the development of robotic manipulators with respect to imager access, safety, ergonomics, and above all the non‐interference with the functionality of the imager. These apply to all known medical imaging types, but are especially challenging for achieving compatibility with the class of MRI systems. Even though a large majority of robotic components may be redesigned to be constructed of MRI compatible materials, for other components such as the motors used in actuation, prescribing MRI compatible materials alone is not sufficient. The electromagnetic motors most commonly used in robotic actuation, for example, are incompatible by principle. As such, alternate actuation principles using “intervention friendly” energy should be adopted and/or devised for these special surgical and radiological interventions.
On inconsistent initial conditions for linear time-invariant differential-algebraic equations

Given an arbitrary initial value x/sub 0//sup -/ for the differential-algebraic equation Ax/spl dot/(t)+Bx(t)=f(t), an initial value x/sub 0//sup +/ can be selected from among all consistent initial values for that equation by means of the Laplace transform. We show that this choice is the only one that fulfils some simple, physically reasonable assumptions on linear systems' behavior, thereby ruling out other values of x/sub 0//sup +/ proposed in the literature. Our derivation is elementary compared to previous justifications of the above Laplace transform based method: We also characterize x/sub 0//sup +/ by means of a system of linear equations involving A, B, derivatives of f, and x/sub 0//sup -/, which gives a new method to numerically calculate x/sub 0//sup +/.
Wrinkled hard skins on polymers created by focused ion beam

A stiff skin forms on surface areas of a flat polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) upon exposure to focused ion beam (FIB) leading to ordered surface wrinkles. By controlling the FIB fluence and area of exposure of the PDMS, one can create a variety of patterns in the wavelengths in the micrometer to submicrometer range, from simple one-dimensional wrinkles to peculiar and complex hierarchical nested wrinkles. Examination of the chemical composition of the exposed PDMS reveals that the stiff skin resembles amorphous silica. Moreover, upon formation, the stiff skin tends to expand in the direction perpendicular to the direction of ion beam irradiation. The consequent mismatch strain between the stiff skin and the PDMS substrate buckles the skin, forming the wrinkle patterns. The induced strains in the stiff skin are estimated by measuring the surface length in the buckled state. Estimates of the thickness and stiffness of the stiffened surface layer are estimated by using the theory for buckled films on compliant substrates. The method provides an effective and inexpensive technique to create wrinkled hard skin patterns on surfaces of polymers for various applications.
Reslizumab in the management of poorly controlled asthma: the data so far

Interleukin-5, an important cytokine in the pathophysiology of asthma, participates in terminal maturation and increases chemotaxis, endothelial adhesion, and activation of eosinophils. Blockade of interleukin-5 activity with monoclonal antibodies have been successful in decreasing eosinophil counts. Reslizumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets interleukin-5, has been studied for the treatment of severe asthma. Several studies have shown that reslizumab can effectively treat severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype. Compared to placebo, patients treated with reslizumab had a reduction in the rates of asthma exacerbations and experienced improvement in FEV1 and asthma control questionnaires scores as early as 4 weeks after the therapy was initiated. Reslizumab was not effective in various asthma outcomes in patients without eosinophilia. The adverse events reported were similar in both treatment and placebo groups. Patients should be observed immediately after treatment because anaphylaxis may occur rarely (0.3%) after exposure to reslizumab. Future surveillance studies are still needed to establish the risks of malignancy and safety during pregnancy.
Financial Market Integration and Financial Stability

The present study deals with the consequences of Austria's integration into the Common Market and into Economic and Monetary Union for its financial stability. It shows that financial stability has been increased by a more efficient allocation of capital (as a result of intense competition), a higher degree of risk diversification, a reduced probability of asymmetric shocks and enhanced influence on the establishment of a harmonized framework. These positive effects have to some extent been weakened only by the increased risk of cross-border spillover effects and the growing importance of systemically relevant institutions. Setbacks in the earnings of financial institutions brought about by the integration process seem to have been offset at least in part by measures leading to higher cost efficiency. The cooperation of European countries in the regulation and supervision of financial institutions has promoted the positive integration effects of financial stability while weakening those reducing financial stability.
Long-term mortality in mothers with perinatal losses and risk modification by surviving children and attained education: a population-based cohort study

Objective To assess the association between perinatal losses and mother's long-term mortality and modification by surviving children and attained education. Design A population-based cohort study. Setting Norwegian national registries. Participants We followed 652 320 mothers with a first delivery from 1967 and completed reproduction before 2003, until 2010 or death. We excluded mothers with plural pregnancies, without information on education (0.3%) and women born outside Norway. Main outcome measures Main outcome measures were age-specific (40–69 years) cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality. We calculated mortality in mothers with perinatal losses, compared with mothers without, and in mothers with one loss by number of surviving children in strata of mothers’ attained education (<11 years (low), ≥11 years (high)). Results Mothers with perinatal losses had increased crude mortality compared with mothers without; total: HR 1.3 (95% CI 1.3 to 1.4), cardiovascular: HR 1.8 (1.5 to 2.1), non-cardiovascular: HR 1.3 (1.2 to 1.4). Childless mothers with one perinatal loss had increased mortality compared with mothers with one child and no loss; cardiovascular: low education HR 2.7 (1.7 to 4.3), high education HR 0.91 (0.13 to 6.5); non-cardiovascular: low education HR 1.6 (1.3 to 2.2), high education HR 1.8 (1.1 to 2.9). Mothers with one perinatal loss, surviving children and high education had no increased mortality, whereas corresponding mothers with low education had increased mortality; cardiovascular: two surviving children HR 1.7 (1.2 to 2.4), three or more surviving children HR 1.6 (1.1 to 2.4); non-cardiovascular: one surviving child HR 1.2 (1.0 to 1.5), two surviving children HR 1.2 (1.1 to 1.4). Conclusions Irrespective of education, we find excess mortality in childless mothers with a perinatal loss. Increased mortality in mothers with one perinatal loss and surviving children was limited to mothers with low education.
M P Ra Entrepreneurship Policy in Estonia Entrepreneurship Policy in Estonia

The main task of this article is to explore the entrepreneurship policy in Estonia. The idea proceeds from the book by Lundström and Stevenson (2001), in which the authors describe, analyse and discuss the development of entrepreneurship policy in ten economies — six EU Member States and four members of APEC. In some respects, this article strives to be a “missing chapter” in the aforementioned book concerning entrepreneurship policy in Estonia. It should be considered as an attempt to apply their approach to a country without a long history in SME development. The article starts with an overview of the theoretical background and goes on to examine entrepreneurship policy (or even economic policy) in Estonia. Examination of SME / entrepreneurship policy documents shows that Estonia is moving towards entrepreneurship policy, but with certain minor reservations. The current Estonian entrepreneurship policy may be regarded as a combination of an extension to SME policy and a holistic policy, the trend of development is towards the latter. The “old” (effective in 2002–2006) policy was almost SME policy and has been mentioned as a basis in the new (for 2007–2013) policy document, which is being prepared now. The policy structures followed the vertical model in the period 1996–2000 (and also earlier), but now Estonia is moving towards a horizontal or multi-ministerial model. Introduction: Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship Policy In order to speak about entrepreneurship policy, we should look behind the two words — entrepreneurship and policy, but in-depth look into these broad phenomena seems impossible for the scope of a conference paper. The term entrepreneurship is widely used nowadays, standing for a phenomenon and/or for an academic discipline (field of research and studies). In some cases it is useful (or even necessary) to distinguish between them. When we look at characterisations of entrepreneurship in academic literature, some authors use word(ing)s like eclectic (Verheul et al 2001) or lacking a conceptual framework (Shane & Venkataraman 2000), etc. Certainly, this does not sound good for a “solid” academic discipline, but it is very disputable for a phenomenon, because entrepreneurship (or entrepreneurial behaviour) is probably as old as mankind. Nevertheless, there is still no unambiguous definition of entrepreneurship. Of course, such a statement could be criticized, especially by those scholars who have proposed a definition for entrepreneurship. 1 "Patterns and Trends in Entrepreneurship / SME Policy and Practice in Ten Economies Volume 3 of the Entrepreneurship Policy for the Future Series", issued by the Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research. 2 EU stands for the European Union and APEC for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Phenotypic and Molecular Analysis of Tellurite Resistance among Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Sorbitol-Fermenting O157:NM Clinical Isolates

ABSTRACT A total of 66 (98.5%) of 67 enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 strains had increased potassium tellurite (Te) MICs (32 to 1,024 μg/ml), grew on Te-containing media, and possessed Te resistance (ter) genes, whereas 83 (96.5%) of 86 sorbitol-fermenting (SF) EHEC O157:NM strains had Te MICs of ≤4 μg/ml, did not grow on Te-containing media, and lacked ter genes. Optimal detection of SF EHEC O157:NM strains requires Te-independent strategies.
Governança corporativa na América Latina: a relevância dos princípios da OCDE na integridade dos conselhos e autonomia dos conselheiros 1 Corporate governance in Latin America: the relevance of OECD principles for the board's integrity and directors' independence

Boards of directors are characterized as important elements for good corporate governance. In this regard, the present study aims to associate governance practices of Latin American companies to the principles recommended by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, for that region (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Chile). Among the seven principles recommended for Latin America, this work focused only on the fifth principle, which addresses the "Responsibilities of the Board" and, more specifically, the recommendations concerning the "Board's Integrity and Directors' Independence". The main objective is to evaluate companies' attitudes in relation to managers' responsibilities and supervision as a way to ensure control and the results expected by shareholders. To that end, a questionnaire expressing the major OECD