Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-order total variation minimization for interior SPECT

Recently, we developed an approach for solving the computed tomography (CT) interior problem based on the high-order TV (HOT) minimization, assuming that a region-of-interest (ROI) is piecewise polynomial. In this paper, we generalize this finding from the CT field to the single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) field, and prove that if an ROI is piecewise polynomial, then the ROI can be uniquely reconstructed from the SPECT projection data associated with the ROI through the HOT minimization. Also, we propose a new formulation of HOT, which has an explicit formula for any n-order piecewise polynomial function, while the original formulation has no explicit formula for n ⩾ 2. Finally, we verify our theoretical results in numerical simulation, and discuss relevant issues.
Voting for Minority Candidates in Multiracial/Multiethnic Communities

Recent research suggests that over time the performance of minority officeholders rivals race-based attitudes and group membership as the primary determinant of citizen evaluations of minority officeholders. Here, we examine the determinants of electoral support for an African-American mayor in a multiracial/multiethnic venue. We test alternative explanations (race, social distance, and performance-based models) of voter support for an African-American mayor in a setting where no ethnic or racial group represents more than half the electorate. Our findings indicate that approval ratings coexist with racial-group identification as a determinant of voter support for minority mayors, with one important caveat. Racial voting appears to be more influential in minority candidates’ first electoral bids. While race strongly influences voter support for minority mayors during their initial run for office, job approval becomes more important when the minority candidate runs for reelection.
Juvenile Crime and Punishment in Bucharest, Romania. A Public Opinion Survey

This paper discusses results from a survey of public attitudes towards juvenile crime and the treatment of juvenile offenders in Romania. The study is based on research conducted as part of an MSc in Community Safety at Leicester University. Studies examining public opinion and crime are new to Romania – indeed, this survey represents the first attempt to explore such subjects. Results show that public opinion is inconsistent, with ambivalent attitudes about juvenile crime and sentencing; people concurrently favour retribution and tougher sentences for juvenile offenders, while supporting elements of restorative justice and non custodial penalties. Explanations for such contradictory views include inaccurate knowledge about juvenile crime, prejudices and distorted media reporting.
Sharing Followers in e-Government Twitter Accounts: The Case of Greece

The recent emergence of e-government and online social media offers opportunities for governments to meet the demands and expectations of citizens, to provide value-added services and overcome barriers of reduced public budgets. Twitter is the most popular microblogging platform that can facilitate interaction and engagement. It is widely used by government agencies, public affairs practitioners, non-government organizations, members of Parliament and politicians. The paper aims to explore the use of Twitter by government agencies in Greece and record Twitter followers’ preferences regarding which accounts they follow. The paper records 27 Greek e-government Twitter accounts and their 107,107 followers. It uses a data mining technique, association rules and two multivariate statistical methods, multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis and proposes the use of a similarity measure, suitable for describing Twitter account proximity. In this way, the paper locates accounts that share followers. Groups of Twitter accounts are located, and their common orientation is described. The analysis not only describes Twitter account similarities and group formation, but to some extent, the followers’ preferences and habits of obtaining information through Twitter, as well.
Why UK companies hedge interest rate risk

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the interest rate risk management (IRRM) practices of UK companies. In particular, the study examines five theories that have been advanced in the literature to explain why companies hedge: tax and regulatory arbitrage; under-investment, volatility of earnings and future planning; financial distress; managerial self-interest; and economies of scale. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses a questionnaire survey to examine the importance of hedging theories and to look at the detailed risk management practices of companies. Findings - The research findings confirm that all five theories of financial risk management have some support in practice. However, while the responses to some questions supported the theories, other information elicited from the questionnaires did not. This finding demonstrates that studies which employ large disaggregated datasets that result in generalised conclusions often miss the dynamic nature of corporate affairs and that, as such, more qualitative research is needed in this area. Originality/value - The use of a questionnaire survey facilitates an investigation of the IRRM practices of companies on an individual basis rather than the aggregated analysis afforded by most quantitative studies in finance. In addition, the qualitative approach adopted here permits an examination of many factors that relate to risk management practices, rather than just a limited number of financial ratios or factors that are typically used in studies of large datasets.
The Pain Imaging Revolution: Advancing Pain Into the 21st Century

The great advances in brain imaging techniques over the last few decades have determined a shift in our understanding of chronic pain conditions and opened the door for new opportunities to develop better diagnoses and perhaps better drug treatments. Neuroimaging has helped shape the concept of chronic pain from a disease affecting mainly the somatosensory system, to a condition in which emotional, cognitive, and modulatory areas of the brain are affected, in addition to degenerative processes. All these contribute to the development and maintenance of pain symptoms and comorbid features, including alterations in anxiety, depression, and cognitive processes. In this article the authors review the current understanding of the brain changes in chronic pain and the developments made possible by the use of various brain imaging techniques. They also discuss the possible applications of brain imaging to developing a “pain phenotype” that could aid in diagnostic and treatment choices of chronic pain conditions.
Effects of occupational exposure to aluminum on nervous system: clinical and electroencephalographic findings.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of aluminum (Al) on the nervous system functions in workers chronically exposed to Al. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study covered a selected group of 67 male workers (mean age, 38.7 SD 10.3 years; range 23-55 years) involved in the Al production. Their employment duration ranged between 2 and 34 years (mean, 14.6 SD 8.9 years). Aluminum oxide (Al203) concentrations varied from 0.13 to 1.95 mg/m3 (arithmetic mean, 0.40 mg/3, geometric mean, 0.35 mg/m3 SD 0.29). Urine Al concentrations found in smelters ranged from 8.5 to 93.0 microg/l (mean, 42.9 SD 20.5 microg/l). The control group consisted of 57 men non-occupationally exposed to Al, matched by gender, age and work shifts. RESULTS Clinically, headache (41.8%), increased emotional irritability (56.7%), concentration difficulty (22.4%), insomnia (22.4%) and mood lability (14.9%) predominated among functional disorders of the nervous system in workers chronically exposed to Al. Objective neurological examinations did not reveal organic lesions in the central or peripheral nervous system. In the EEGs classified as abnormal, generalized and paroxysmal changes were most common. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that exposure to Al203 at concentrations below MAC values induces subclinical effect in the nervous system.
The influence of internet customer reviews on the online sales and prices in hotel industry

In this paper, the impact of two service quality metrics (star rating and customer rating) on hotel room sales and prices is investigated. Two of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Paris and London, are chosen. It is found that a higher customer rating significantly increases the online sales of hotels. The study results show that a 1% increase in online customer rating increases Sales per Room up to 2.68% in Paris and up to 2.62% in London. Contrary to expectations, higher stars do not increase the sales. It is also shown that higher customer ratings result in higher prices of the hotel and the prices of high star hotels are more sensitive to online customer ratings.
State Attorneys General, Entrepreneurship and Consumer Protection in the New Federalism

Although many scholars have acknowledged the important role of states in regulatory enforcement, few have studied the decisions of the state attorneys general to pursue particular multi-state litigation actions. State attorneys general act as political entrepreneurs because they aggressively seek out market failures in society to justify stronger regulation. Their motivation to serve the public comes from the fact that they are elected in 43 states and the office is often used as a springboard into higher political office. A probit model analyzing the decision to join seven high-profile multi-state enforcement actions that look place between 1996 and 1998 reveals that state citizen ideology and the institutional structure of the office have the strongest effects on the decision to join a case. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
New Reactor Design for Photocatalytic Wastewater Treatment with TiO2 Immobilized on Fused-Silica Glass Fibers: Photomineralization of 4-Chlorophenol.

A new reactor design for the use of titanium dioxide-coated fused-silica glass fibers for wastewater treatment is described. The manufacture of the coating of the fibers is explained in detail. 4-Chlorophenol was used as the test compound. The influences of temperature and irradiation wavelength and the effect of hydrogen peroxide addition were investigated. Activation energy for the initial attack of an OH radical on 4-chlorophenol was calculated to be 20.6 kJ/mol. Degradation rates and quantum yields obtained with this reactor were compared with results measured with Degussa P25 TiO[sub 2]-slurry treatment. With the present design, the degradation rate of 4-chlorophenol is 1.6 times higher and the destruction of the total organic carbon (TOC) is 2.8 times faster. 35 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.
Understanding Travelers' Experiences of Gastronomy Through Etymology and Narration

Gastronomy is an important attribute in the development of niche travel and niche destinations, and although related literature supports the view that there is a connection between tourism and gastronomy, little is known about culinary tourists, which prompt these following questions: Does a destination's gastronomy contribute to the quality of the travelers' experiences while they are visiting the destination? Is there a culinary travel market segment, and who are these travelers? Do travelers return to the destination to resample its culinary delights? Through examples from in-depth interviews with travelers, this article addresses how individual and group leisure travelers manifest socially constructed narratives about the destination's gastronomy and culinaria. Such expressions are carried out through consumption and experiences of food and of culture though food. It is argued that accounts and stories of the destination's gastronomy and culinaria work particularly well in individuals' efforts to “narrate experiences and feelings. ” The study's objective, therefore, is to identify areas of commonality in the way in which travelers perceived and experienced gastronomy while visiting a destination. Specifically, the study aimed to determine (a) whether the destination's gastronomy contributed to the quality of visitors' experience, (b) whether visitors would return to the destination because of its gastronomy, and (c) whether culinary travelers represent a distinct market segment of an overall visitor market. This is a follow-up qualitative study to Kivela and Crotts (2006), which was also undertaken in Hong Kong and Macau. Qualitative feedback from the study reaffirms that as a contemporary cultural resource, gastronomy satisfies all the conventional requirements of cultural tourism products. Evidence suggests that motivation to travel for gastronomy reasons is a valid construct for the purposes of market segmentation. Qualitative results of the interview analysis reveal that gastronomy plays a major role in the way that visitors experience a destination and indicate that some travelers would return to the same destination to savor its unique gastronomy.
Analysis and design of convertible bond based on incomplete market: Evidence from bank of China

The study on convertible bonds is beneficial to regulate the issuing and trading of convertible bonds, to protect the benefits of investors and issuing corporations, and to guarantee the healthy and orderly development of China's financial market. In this paper, an ∈-arbitrage approach to 21-ary tree is expanded, and designs of the Bank of China convertible bonds' additional provisions are present. And then analysis of these additional provisions is given based on Monte Carlo method. We found the ∈-arbitrage approach is suitable for China's financial market, for the error is just 0.384%. We also found there are defects in the Bank of China convertible bonds' additional provisions. Hence, we design the put provision and downward provision. However, the empirical result is not ideal because of the randomness of Monte Carlo method.
Statistical moments of scattered ordinary and extraordinary waves in the turbulent plasma

Statistical characteristics of the ordinary and extraordinary waves scattered in the magnetized plasma are investigated using the perturbation method and boundary conditions. Second order statistical moments of scattered electromagnetic waves are obtained for the arbitrary correlation function of electron density fluctuations. Numerical calculations are carried out for the 3MHz and 40MHz operating frequencies.
Staff Papers Cross-Country Variation in the Anchoring of Inflation Expectations

This paper develops a method for measuring the anchoring of long-run inflation expectations that does not require estimates of long-run inflation expectations. Such estimates exist for only a few developed economies, and even then only a short time series is available. By not requiring estimates of long-term inflation expectations, this method is able to measure the anchoring of inflation expectations in sixty-four different developed and developing countries. In addition, with rolling-window estimations we can measure the anchoring of expectations across time within a country, and thus we can observe how inflation expectations became unanchored in many countries during the 1970s. Then we can observe how, through means like inflation targeting and monetary unification, these expectations were re-anchored during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.
Crystal Structure of the Catalytic Domain of Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase SHP-1*

The crystal structures of the protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 catalytic domain and the complex it forms with the substrate analogue tungstate have been determined and refined to crystallographic R values of 0.209 at 2.5 Å resolution and 0.207 at 2.8 Å resolution, respectively. Despite low sequence similarity, the catalytic domain of SHP-1 shows high similarity in secondary and tertiary structures with other protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). In contrast to the conformational changes observed in the crystal structures of PTP1B and Yersinia PTP, the WPD loop (Trp419-Pro428) in the catalytic domain of SHP-1 moves away from the substrate binding pocket after binding the tungstate ion. Sequence alignment and structural analysis suggest that the residues in the WPD loop, especially the amino acid following Asp421, are critical for the movement of WPD loop on binding substrates and the specific activity of protein-tyrosine phosphatases. Our mutagenesis and kinetic measurements have supported this hypothesis.
The New Paradox in Marine Scientific Research: Regulating the Potential Environmental Impacts of Conducting Ocean Science

Concerns about the negative effects of marine scientific research are in clear juxtaposition to the beneficial role that scientific knowledge plays in enhancing the understanding of the oceans and protecting the marine environment. This presents a regulatory paradox that is examined in this article in light of the legal framework in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The article traces how these general principles in the Convention are elaborated in soft law instruments for the promotion of environmentally sustainable research practices. It also looks at an example of state practice in this area by examining regulatory measures instituted in the Canadian Endeavour Hydrothermal Vent Marine Protected Area.
Competition and Cooperation in the Market of Voluntary Sustainability Standards

Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) have proliferated over the last two decades. Currently there are at least more than 400 schemes operating internationally. The paper starts with a description of the emergence, proliferation and global diffusion of VSS. It subsequently focuses on the diversity between systems in the wider group of VSS. What emerges is a diverse and growing (both on the supply and demand side) market of VSS. This proliferation and diversification of VSS is creating problems such as a credibility gap, increased costs to gain certification by multiple VSS systems and a potential race to the bottom of systems. These problems point to the need for increased cooperation between VSS systems. Next, the paper introduces and discusses two mechanisms which can facilitate more cooperation, mutual recognition and meta-regulation. Mutual recognition is especially suited to address cost issues, while meta-regulation might contribute to leveling the playing field. The paper analyzes these mechanisms and argues that cooperation in the market of VSS is currently more developed with regard to addressing the credibility gap (meta-regulation) rather than with regard to addressing the cost issue (mutual recognition).
Attending Physician Adherence to a 29-Component Central Venous Catheter Bundle Checklist During Simulated Procedures*

Objectives:Central venous catheter insertions may lead to preventable adverse events. Attending physicians’ central venous catheter insertion skills are not assessed routinely. We aimed to compare attending physicians’ simulated central venous catheterinsertion performance to published competency standards. Design:Prospective cohort study of attending physicians’ simulated internal jugular and subclavian central venous catheter insertion skills versus a historical comparison group of residents who participated in simulation training. Setting:Fifty-eight Veterans Affairs Medical Centers from February 2014 to December 2014 during a 2-day simulation-based education curriculum and two academic medical centers in Chicago. Subjects:A total of 108 experienced attending physicians and 143 internal medicine and emergency medicine residents. Intervention:None. Measurements and Main Results:Using a previously published central venous catheter insertion skills checklist, we compared Veterans Affairs Medical Centers attending physicians’ simulated central venous catheter insertion performance to the same simulated performance by internal medicine and emergency medicine residents from two academic centers. Attending physician performance was compared to residents’ baseline and posttest (after simulation training) performance. Minimum passing scores were set previously by an expert panel. Attending physicians performed higher on the internal jugular (median, 75.86% items correct; interquartile range, 68.97–86.21) and subclavian (median, 83.00%; interquartile range, 59.00–86.21) assessments compared to residents’ internal jugular (median, 37.04% items correct; interquartile range, 22.22–68.97) and subclavian (median, 33.33%; interquartile range, 0.00–70.37; both p < 0.001) baseline assessments. Overall simulated performance was poor because only 12 of 67 attending physicians (17.9%) met or exceeded the minimum passing score for internal jugular central venous catheter insertion and only 11 of 47 (23.4%) met or exceeded the minimum passing score for subclavian central venous catheter insertion. Resident posttest performance after simulation training was significantly higher than attending physician performance (internal jugular: median, 96%; interquartile range, 93.10–100.00; subclavian: median, 100%; interquartile range, 96.00–100.00; both p < 0.001). Conclusions:This study demonstrates highly variable simulated central venous catheter insertion performance among a national cohort of experienced attending physicians. Hospitals, healthcare systems, and governing bodies should recognize that even experienced physicians require periodic clinical skill assessment and retraining.
Ontario's Bold Move to Create Jobs and Growth: Impact of the 2009 Ontario Budget and Other Recent Tax Measures on Investment, Jobs and Incomes

• The 2009 Ontario Budget measures, together with other recent tax changes, will have a profound impact on Ontario’s competitiveness by lowering the tax burden on new business investment. • Within ten years, Ontario will benefit from: – increased capital investment of $47 billion; – increased annual incomes of up to 8.8%, or $29.4 billion; and – an estimated 591,000 net new jobs. This paper documents the impact of the 2009 Ontario Budget and other recent tax changes on capital investment, jobs, and incomes in the province. In the March 2009 Budget, Ontario announced it will harmonize its sales tax with the federal goods and services tax (GST) as well as reduce corporate and personal taxes. The Budget measures will have a profound impact on the willingness of business to invest in Ontario since corporate tax rate reductions and the adoption of the federal GST base would result in the virtual elimination of taxes on capital goods and business intermediate inputs once fully phased in. Since 1980, when I began modelling the impact of taxes on investment, this is the largest change ever seen in a single budget, leading to the sharpest reduction in the tax burden on capital investment in any one province. Coupled with federal reductions in corporate taxes and Ontario’s already legislated elimination of all remaining capital taxes,1 Ontario will see its effective tax rate on new investments by medium and large businesses plummet from 33.6% in 2009 to 23.7% in 2010 and then to 18.5% by 2018. The province will then have an effective tax rate on non-resource investments that is similar to most other provinces, including Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec. Ontario will also improve its international competitiveness dramatically with a lower tax burden on new investment compared with the average of 20 major industrialized and emerging economies. Small businesses will also benefit substantially from the 2009 Budget. The effective tax rate on small business investment will fall by more than half, from 28.6% to 13.3%, due to the one percentage point reduction in the corporate tax rate and sales tax harmonization. Sales tax harmonization will have a large impact since the Ontario retail sales tax especially hurts investment in machinery that Ontario’s small businesses use intensively. Within ten years, the lower tax burden on investment will lead to increases in capital investment of $47 billion and in annual incomes of between 4.4% and 8.8%, and to the creation of an estimated 591,000 net new jobs.