Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Habit Persistence, Asset Returns, and the Business Cycle

Two modifications are introduced into the standard real-business-cycle model: habit preferences and a two-sector technology with limited intersectoral factor mobility. The model is consistent with the observed mean risk-free rate, equity premium, and Sharpe ratio on equity. In addition, its business-cycle implications represent a substantial improvement over the standard model. It accounts for persistence in output, comovement of employment across different sectors over the business cycle, the evidence of "excess sensitivity" of consumption growth to output growth, and the "inverted leading-indicator property of interest rates," that interest rates are negatively correlated with future output.
A survey into performance and energy efficiency in HPC, cloud and big data environments

The growing demand for performance observed in many organisations can still be considered the main motivator for the evolution of high performance computing and, more recently, cloud environments. Part of this demand regards the need to deal with large and complex datasets, called big data. Performance improvement in such environments begins to be limited by energy consumption. Workload characterisation is a well-known approach to reproducing systems' behaviour. However, there are several methodologies, techniques and parameters that can be considered for a workload characterisation. As a result, we present a differentiated survey on workload characterisation focusing on performance and energy efficiency improvement on HPC, cloud and big data environments. After an extensive review and classification of research works, our study indicates that around 56.4% of the papers reviewed offer contributions to performance and energy efficiency improvement, and the growing interest in this subject has a rate of 7.86% per year.
Regional Innovation Systems within transitional context: Evolutionary comparison of electronics industry in Shenzhen and Dongguan since opening in China

Governance constitutes elementary supportive infrastructure for regional innovation systems. This paper extends the evolutionary lens of governance into initial industrialization phase and examines the impact of their evolution into regional innovation systems on fostering innovation activities within China’s transitional context. Drawing on the empirical substances in Shenzhen and Dongguan, China, a path-dependent nature of governance modality to initiate industrialization within the transitional context has been discovered. The paper shows that the dirigiste globalized production system in Shenzhen in 1980s has gradually evolved to a higher level of interactive regional innovation system than the grassroots globalized production system in Dongguan, where innovation activities are low and are still passively managed by global players. The review on the evolutionary path of electronics industry in Shenzhen and Dongguan revealed that the locational first-mover advantage in Shenzhen is further strengthened by the institutional first-mover advantage, incubating
Amateur structures and their effect on performance: the case of Greek voluntary sports clubs

This study applies an organizational perspective to the measurement of the structure and context of voluntary local sports clubs in Greece. Local sport clubs have rarely been an area of inquiry in terms of their organizational structure and context. This research firstly focuses on collecting and analysing data referring to measurements of contextual (e.g., organizational size, age and resource dependence) and structural (e.g., formalization, specialization, centralization) variables. Secondly, it examines whether the local sports clubs' contextual and structural development has an effect on their performance. The theoretical background underlying this research endeavour is drawn from the classical Weberian theory of bureaucracy as presented by Frisby's conceptual framework in order to be applicable in voluntary leisure service organizations. Forty-one local sport clubs composed the sample of this study. A member of their board of directors was interviewed following a specifically designed, highly structured pre-existing schedule. The results support a trend towards a loosely structured, less bureaucratic organizational operation for the local sport clubs, which is accompanied with external resource dependence and moderate performance.
The Effectiveness of a Highly Explicit, Teacher-Directed Strategy Instruction Routine

This study examined the effectiveness of a highly explicit, teacher-directed instructional routine used to teach three planning strategies for writing to fourth and fifth graders with learning disabilities. In comparison to peers who received process writing instruction, children who were taught the three planning strategies—goal setting, brainstorming, and organizing—spent more time planning stories in advance of writing and produced stories that were qualitatively better. One month after the end of instruction, students who had been taught the strategies not only maintained their advantage in story quality but also produced longer stories than those produced by their peers who were taught process writing. However, the highly explicit, teacher-directed strategy instructional routine used in this study did not promote transfer to an uninstructed genre, persuasive essay writing. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to effective writing instruction practices for students with learning disabilities.
The Relationship between Social Networks and Micro Shareholders

In this paper we had studied the relationship between social networks and micro (small)-shareholders, also, and we had answered this basic question that whether social networks affect shareholders decision- making for entering stock market and selling and buying the shares? If it so, which one has the greater effect? This study is a survey, studied population of which is the shareholders of Tehran stock market; 384 people had been selected randomly and had been questioned. We had analyzed the result using variance analysis method. The findings show that, there are some social networks which effect participating of shareholders in stock market including: social networks of friends and acquaintance, social network of relatives and kinsfolk, social network of Internet, social group of ethnicity. They had the strongest effect. The strongest networks which affect decision-making about selling and buying the shares are, respectively: social network of coworkers in stock market, social network of friends and acquaintance, social network of relatives and kinsfolk. We concluded that social and economic policy-makers in course of stock market expansion, can support the effective social networks of stock market and equip them with information, or, establish (virtual informative)networks in stock market.
The Effect of Private-Debt Underwriting Reputation on Bank Public-Debt Underwriting

We provide evidence that commercial banks extend their reputation in underwriting syndicated loans and private placements (private debt) to their bond underwriting activities. In the absence of bond-market reputation, private-debt-market reputation enables commercial banks to win underwriting mandates from their loan clients. Further, it allows them to credibly commit to investors against opportunistically using lending information and thereby deliver superior certification benefits in the form of higher issue prices relative to investment-bank underwriters. This pricing benefit is not offset by higher underwriting fees, and thus results in lower total issuance costs for borrowers.
The ‘All‐in’ Bundled Services Model for facilities management and costing

Large owner‐users of real estate increasingly search for methods to streamline their operations and reduce expenses without decreasing services to building occupants. This paper describes a model successfully adopted by a variety of corporations to accomplish these objectives. Key to achieving these results is the establishing of Standard Service Agreements between occupants and service providers and the ‘bundling’ of similar services under a unified management umbrella.
What works in dementia care? Research evidence for policy and practice: Part I

The provision of care for people suering from dementia represents a considerable challenge to the research and clinical community. Examples of good practice abound but there is a dearth of empirical research to support what should properly be regarded as good practice and which improves the quality of care and the quality of life of patients and their carers. It is with pleasure that the Journal publishes (in this issue and the next) the key papers from a meeting `What works in dementia care' held in Stirling, Scotland in June 1998. Dr Murna Downs and Professor Steven Zarit have collected and edited the manuscripts, which are set out in the form of the main paper followed by two commentaries. I hope their presentation will stimulate discussion and further research in this important area. ALISTAIR BURNS Withington Hospital Manchester
A New Money Exchange System: The World Calorie Currency (WCC)

The current ruble crisis causes much trouble for many of those eastern European countries like Russia and its neighbour countries: Strong ruble depreciation and high inflation for consumer goods are its most negative consequences. Because the ruble is only a national currency, but not a world currency, some people might ask if we introduce a new global currency, the World Calories Currency (WCC) or "Cal-Money", that currency would be less vulnerable and less crisis-prone. In this short paper, I firstly present the 4 main criteria of a successful and widely accepted currency: 1. Fair valuability & high inflation security, 2. high trust and acceptance among the users, 3.high distribution over the world and 4. high supportiveness of the real economy. After I compared the strength & weaknesses of the World Calorie Currency and present some concrete measures to make the Cal-Money implementation more smoothly, I then came to conclusion that all 4 main criteria of a successful, world wide applicable currency would be fulfilled by the WCC.
Negative Immune Regulator Tim-3 Is Overexpressed on T Cells in Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Its Blockade Rescues Dysfunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells

ABSTRACT A number of emerging molecules and pathways have been implicated in mediating the T-cell exhaustion characteristic of chronic viral infection. Not all dysfunctional T cells express PD-1, nor are they all rescued by blockade of the PD-1/PD-1 ligand pathway. In this study, we characterize the expression of T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) in chronic hepatitis C infection. For the first time, we found that Tim-3 expression is increased on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The proportion of dually PD-1/Tim-3-expressing cells is greatest in liver-resident T cells, significantly more so in HCV-specific than in cytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Tim-3 expression correlates with a dysfunctional and senescent phenotype (CD127low CD57high), a central rather than effector memory profile (CD45RAnegative CCR7high), and reduced Th1/Tc1 cytokine production. We also demonstrate the ability to enhance T-cell proliferation and gamma interferon production in response to HCV-specific antigens by blocking the Tim-3-Tim-3 ligand interaction. These findings have implications for the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches to this common viral infection.
Matching Score Level Fusion

With this chapter we aims at describing several basic aspects of matching score level fusion. Section 14.1 provides a description of basic characteristics of matching score fusion in the form of introduction. Section 14.2 shows a number of matching score fusion rules. Section 14.3 surveys several typical normalization procedures of raw matching scores. Section 14.4 gives an example of matching score level fusion method. Finally, Section 14.5 provides several brief comments on matching score fusion.
Exosomes: proteomic insights and diagnostic potential

Exosomes are 40–100-nm diameter membrane vesicles of endocytic origin that are released by most cell types upon fusion of multivesicular bodies with the plasma membrane, presumably as a vehicle for cell-free intercellular communication. While early studies focused on their secretion from diverse cell types in vitro, exosomes have now been identified in body fluids such as urine, amniotic fluid, malignant ascites, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, synovial fluid, breast milk, saliva and blood. Exosomes have pleiotropic biological functions, including immune response, antigen presentation, intracellular communication and the transfer of RNA and proteins. While they have also been implicated in the transport and propagation of infectious cargo, such as prions, and retroviruses, including HIV, suggesting a role in pathological situations, recent studies suggest that the presence of such infectious cargo may be artefacts of exosome-purification strategies. Improvements in mass spectrometry-based proteomic tools, both hardware and software, coupled with improved purification schemes for exosomes, has allowed more in-depth proteome analyses, contributing immensely to our understanding of the molecular composition of exosomes. Proteomic cataloguing of exosomes from diverse cell types has revealed a common set of membrane and cytosolic proteins, suggesting the evolutionary importance of these membrane particles. Additionally, exosomes express an array of proteins that reflect the originating host cell. Recent findings that exosomes contain inactive forms of both mRNA and microRNA that can be transferred to another cell and be functional in that new environment, have initiated many microRNA profiling studies of exosomes circulating in blood. These studies highlight the potential of exosomal microRNA profiles for use as diagnostic biomarkers of disease through a noninvasive blood test. The exacerbated release of exosomes in tumor cells, as evidenced by their increased levels in blood during the late stage of a disease and their overexpression of certain tumor cell biomarkers, suggests an important role of exosomes in diagnosis and biomarker studies. The aim of this article is to provide a brief overview of exosomes, including methods used to isolate and characterize exosomes. New advances in proteomic methods, and both mass spectrometry hardware and informatics tools will be covered briefly.
Performance of Large Air Gaps under Lightning Overvoltages: Experimental Study and Analysis of Accuracy of Predetermination Methods

The paper summarizes the results of the research recently carried out at CESI, with lightning overvoltages. Tests were performed on various gap configurations and with several impulse shapes of both polarities to get information about macroscopic parameters and basic processes associated with discharge development. The basic aim was to have a consistent amount of data to carry out a validation and comparison of the existing models, while providing the required information to support the refinement of those based on physical approach. Breakdown voltages versus time to breakdown characteristics, (Volt-time curves), were determined. The curves give an indication of the importance of the impulse-shape and configuration, thus underlying the necessity of calculations methods. Discharge parameters have been presented and discussed to put into evidence the relative importance of the impulseshape characteristics. Data about the discharge process have been compared with other available data and with evaluations according to methods suggested in the literature. A refinement of the available formulas with reference to leader velocity has also been proposed, as in the following: v1 = 170 * d * e(1.5* 10-3* U/d) * (U/x-Eo) where ¿1 is the velocity (m/s), U is the applied voltage (kV), d the gap clearance (m), x the part of the gap unbridged by the leader (m) and Eo the average gradient in the gap of the configuration examined at 50% breakdown voltage with standard lightning impulse (kV/m). The equation is of general type, applicable for all the configurations and for impulses of different shape and polarity.
INFLUENCE OF MATERNAL MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES ON THE MUCOSAL MICROBIOME OF NEONATAL PIGS

Colostrum is vital to the newborn pig. Hence, cross-fostering is employed to equalize the number of piglet between litters ensuring colostrum intake for their survival and growth. However, little is known about its impact on the intestinal microbiome of the neonatal pig. Twenty-four piglets were enrolled in the study to determine the influence of maternal microbial communities on the mucosal microbiome of the young pig. Piglets were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments according to colostrum source and postcolostral milk feeding for 21 days, as follow: treatment 1 (n = 8), received colostrum and post-colostral milk feeding from their own dam; treatment 2 (n = 8), received colostrum from foster dam and returned to their own dam for post-colostral milk feeding; and treatment 3 (n = 8), received colostrum and post-colostral milk feeding from foster dam. DNA was extracted from nasal, fecal, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract of the piglets and from colostrum, vaginal, and fecal samples of the sows. Discriminant analysis revealed that bacterial communities varied with biogeographical location in the GI tract, with colon being the most diverse section. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla in the GI tract of the young pig. Bacterial communities in both maternal colostrum and vaginal samples were significantly associated with those present in the GI tract, feces, and nasal passage of piglets. Treatment did not affect bacterial communities present in the piglet GI tract, however, the bacterial communities present in piglet fecal and nasal samples changed over time. Although
Species specific protein‐‐DNA interactions may determine the chromatin units of genes in S.cerevisiae and in S.pombe.

Yeast genes, such as URA3, are chromatin units characterized by positioned nucleosomes and flanking nuclease sensitive regions (NSRs). To investigate the structural determinants at the chromatin level in vivo, the URA3 gene was dissected into three parts (U5′, Umid and U3′), and the chromatin structures of the individual parts were analysed after insertion into minichromosomes and after chromatin assembly in vivo in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. While nucleosome positions were altered on Umid, the 5′‐end and the 3′‐end of URA3 maintained their native structures (a positioned nucleosome and a NSR each) independent of the site or orientation of insertion. This suggests that the chromatin unit of the native URA3 gene is dominated by strong protein boundaries at the 5′‐ and 3′‐ends. In an alternative approach, we investigated whether nucleosome positions or NSRs were maintained when the whole URA3 gene was placed on a shuttle vector and assembled into chromatin by Schizosaccharomyces pombe providing different proteins, but the same nucleosomal spacing. In a complementary exchange experiment, the ade6 gene of S.pombe was shuttled to S.cerevisiae. In spite of a general conservation of histone proteins and nucleosome core structures, neither nucleosome positions nor NSRs were maintained in the heterologous background. The results demonstrate that chromatin structures are species specific and that the structural boundaries of yeast genes may be dominated by strong species specific protein‐DNA interactions.
Dealer Quotes, Order Flow and Indirect Foreign Currency Utility in a Multiple Dealership Market

The paper proposes a model of multiple dealer forex trade in two variants: for direct and brokered market organization. The equilibrium order flow pattern is derived as a function of shadow prices (marginal valuations) of FX holdings across market participants. The shadow currency values can be heterogeneous across market participants (due to differences in preferences, endowments or asset payoff information), giving rise to nonzero trades in equilibrium. Purchases (sales) of the currency are initiated by those market users whose marginal currency values are high (low) in relation to the marginal valuations of the market maker. As a consequence, one would observe a strong price impact of the order flow when it moves the marginal value of the recipient dealer away from the no-trade level, and a weak order flow impact when the received position reverts the marginal value back to it. The Nash equilibrium of the studied one period inter-dealer game is obtained as a steady state Nash equilibrium of a differential game between the same players. We also find that differences in equilibrium quoting behavior result in higher volumes of inter-dealer trade in the brokered market compared to the direct market. However, under both trading mechanisms hot potato trades are non-zero even if the dealers are perfectly symmetric. For a given level of non-dealer investor foreign currency demand, gains from trade in the brokered market are lower than in the direct market.
Polluting Technologies and Economic Development

We study how the import of older and more polluting technologies alters the relationship between output and environmental quality in developing countries within a vintage capital framework. Our results show that old technologies prolong the period until which pollution may eventually decrease and cause this turning point to be reached at a higher level of pollution. An empirical analysis using export data of vintage technologies from the USA and Europe to developing countries supports our theoretical findings.
Cryptosporidium hominis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Cryptosporidiidae) from Homo sapiens

Abstract The structure and infectivity of the oocysts of a new species of Cryptosporidium from the feces of humans are described. Oocysts are structurally indistinguishable from those of Cryptosporidium parvum. Oocysts of the new species are passed fully sporulated, lack sporocysts, and measure 4.4–5.4 μm (mean = 4.86) × 4.4–5.9 μm (mean = 5.2 μm) with a length to width ratio 1.0–1.09 (mean 1.07) (n = 100). Oocysts were not infectious for ARC Swiss mice, nude mice, Wistar rat pups, puppies, kittens or calves, but were infectious to neonatal gnotobiotic pigs. Pathogenicity studies in the gnotobiotic pig model revealed significant differences in parasite-associated lesion distribution (P = 0.005 to P = 0.02) and intensity of infection (P = 0.04) between C. parvum and this newly described species from humans. In vitro cultivation studies have also revealed growth differences between the two species. Multi-locus analysis of numerous unlinked loci, including a preliminary sequence scan of the entire genome demonstrated this species to be distinct from C. parvum and also demonstrated a lack of recombination, providing further support for its species status. Based on biological and molecular data, this Cryptosporidium infecting the intestine of humans is proposed to be a new species Cryptosporidium hominis n. sp.