Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Stock Market and Macroeconomic Factors in Japan and Policy Implications

This paper finds that the Japanese stock market index is positively affected by industrial production, is negatively associated with the ratio of the government deficit to GDP, the domestic real interest rate and the expected inflation rate, and exhibits a nonlinear relationship with the ratio of M2 to GDP or the nominal effective exchange rate. Increased M2/GDP ratio would raise (reduce) the stock market index if the M2/GSP ratio is less (greater) than the critical value of 100.87%. An appreciation of the yen would increase (reduce) the stock market index if the nominal effective exchange rate is less (greater) than the critical value of 52.44. To promote a robust stock market, the authorities are expected to pursue economic growth, fiscal discipline, and a relatively low interest rate and expected inflation rate. Too much money supply relative to GDP or continual appreciation of the yen would impair the Japanese stock market index.
AN UPDATED PARAMETERISED FACE

During the last decade, CANDIDE has been a popular face model in many research labs around the world. One reason has been that it is a very simple model, another that it is publically available. There are, however, drawbacks with the model, mostly due to its simplicity. Also, the emergence of the MPEG-4 standard for face animation has actualized the need of an update, making the model compatible with the facial animation and definition parameters (FAPs and FDPs) defined in MPEG-4. This report documents an updated version of C ANDIDE, fulfilling the demands set by MPEG-4 and being somewhat less crude. The relation between the C ANDIDE entities (vertices, Action Units) and the MPEG-4 parameters are available in tables in the appendices.
Prostate Cancer : Detection of Lymph Node Metastases Outside the Routine Surgical Area with Ferumoxtran-10 – enhanced MR Imaging 1

Roel A. M. Heesakkers, MD Gerrit J. Jager, MD, PhD Anke M. Hövels, MSc Bartjan de Hoop, MD Harrie C. M. van den Bosch, MD Frank Raat, MD J. Alfred Witjes, MD, PhD Peter F. A. Mulders, MD, PhD Christina Hulsbergen van der Kaa, MD, PhD Jelle O. Barentsz, MD, PhD Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the feasibility of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with ferumoxtran-10 in patients with prostate cancer to depict lymph node metastases outside the routine pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) area.
EFFECT OF DIFFERENT MEDIUM CHAIN FATTY ACIDS , CALCIUM BUTYRATE , AND SALINOMYCIN ON PERFORMANCE , NUTRIENT UTILIZATION , AND FERMENTATION PRODUCTS IN GASTROINTESTINAL TRACTS OF BROILER CHICKENS

The objective of this study was to study efficacy of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), salinomycin, and butyric acid on growth performance, energy and nutrient availability, development of internal organs, and content of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens. Nine hundred and sixty Ross 308 male broilers were used in this study. Birds were randomly assigned to 10 dietary treatments (12 replications each/8 birds in one replication). We used two types of diet [provocative (PD) and corn diet (MD)]; each diet was then split into five batches that were supplemented with either salinomycin (70.0 mg/kg); triglyceride form of capric and caprylic acid (3.0 g/kg; MCT 1.38:1); calcium butyrate (10.0 g/kg; CB); mixture of caproic, caprylic, and capric acids (8.3 g/kg; MCFA; 1:1:1); or without any supplement [control (C)]. The examined supplements exerted a positive effect on growth performance in MD-fed chickens only. Chickens fed with MCFA-supplemented MD diet were characterized with 10% gain in body weight and 5% lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) than that of birds in the control group. CB positively influenced the value of nitrogen corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEN) by about average 6% (PD and MD) in comparison to the control birds. Nitrogen retention was found to be changed only in PD. The highest positive change was found in birds of MCT group (25%) than that of birds in the control group. MCFA, MCT and CB showed a favorable influence on the weight of gastrointestinal tract, in particular, the weight of the ileum, which was about 8% heavier than that of the control birds. The diet type and tested supplements significantly enhanced the content of SCFAs in broiler crop, ileum, and cecum digesta. In conclusion, the effect of tested supplements on the parameters determined depended on the type of diet, as confirmed by significant interactions. MCFA was found to be the best supplement in this study.
Internet-ability – The feasibility and ability of information technology adoption by SMEs

This paper deals with the adoption of new technologies by SMEs. Some organisations are better able to use the advantages of these technologies companies or organisations, and this often varies according to company size. Some firms are more able to translate existing processes into cost-efficient, customer-friendly, faster processes by using these newest information technologies. Certain company processes are more easily integrated with these new technologies than other processes. To give support to the matter of internet-ability, the main conclusions of a survey are reported. These results illustrate how organisations possibly vary in the strategic drivers, pressures, barriers and opportunities of adopting new technologies depending on their size.
Sistem Penilai Source Code Otomatis

Penelitian ini bertujuan membangun sistem yang dapat menganalisis source code program dalam dua bahasa pemrograman yaitu Pascal dan Java, dan kemudian mengimplementasikannya sehingga dapat digunakan untuk memeriksa tugas source code program mahasiswa. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah eksperimental, dimana penelitian dilakukan dengan melakukan pemeriksaan terhadap tugas mahasiswa dalam tiga kelas yang berbeda, dua kelas pemrograman Pascal dan satu kelas pemrograman Java. Tiap kelas terdiri dari 30-35 mahasiswa. Banyaknya kasus yang digunakan adalah tiga kasus. Baik mahasiswa maupun dosen memasukkan source code jawaban melalui Web Browser. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sistem dapat memeriksa source code dalam bahasa pemrograman Pascal maupun Java. Selain itu, banyaknya waktu yang digunakan oleh sistem untuk memeriksa tugas source code dalam satu kelas jauh lebih singkat dibanding waktu kerja manual, sehingga dapat dikatakan bahwa sistem mampu meningkatkan efisiensi kerja dosen.
Comparison of Acid and Basic ThermoChemical Treatments in the Production of Adsorbents Based on Corncobs . II : Equilibrium Study and FTIR Analysis

Corncobs were evaluated as raw material in the production of adsorbents for phenol removal from aqueous solutions. A comparative evaluation of acid and basic activating agents is presented. There were differences in both surface chemistry makeup and adsorption performance depending on the activating agent. Acid activation provided an adsorbent with better adsorption capacity for phenol. Adsorption tests showed that both the prepared adsorbents presented adsorption capacities that were higher or similar to those of commercially available activated carbons as well as other adsorbents produced from agricultural residues, confirming that this type of waste material is a suitable candidate for use in the production of adsorbents.
Lycopene protects from perfluorooctanoic acid induced liver damage and uterine apoptosis in pregnant mice

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of lycopene on liver oxidative damage and decidual apoptosis induced by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in early pregnancy mice. Fifty pregnant mice were randomly divided into five groups of 10 each. Mice in the control group were fed with 0.1 mL of soybean oil every morning from gestation day (GD) 1-GD 7, while mice in the PFOA model group were fed with 20 mg/kg PFOA daily. Mice in the other three lycopene groups were fed with 20 mg/kg PFOA daily and different concentrations of lycopene at doses of 10 mg/kg (Low), 20 mg/kg (Medium), and 40 mg/kg (High). Liver and uterus samples were collected on GD 9 and the organ index was calculated.
A Micro-founded Theory of Aggregate Labor Supply with Non-linear Wages ∗

In this paper we first document various facts about the labor supply decisions of male workers in the US over their life cycle. We then build a neoclassical model of labor markets with non-linear wages and heterogeneous agents that accounts for labor supply choices at the extensive margin. The key feature of our theory for delivering periods of non-participation is the non-linear mapping between hours of work and earnings, which is convex at low hours of work. We show that our heterogeneous agent model with non-linear wages can go a long way in capturing salient features of labor supply over the life-cycle for male workers. Moreover, in a quantitative experiment, we find that the aggregate response of labor supply to a one time unanticipated wage shock is We thank seminar participants at Alberta, Carlos III, the Chicago Fed, Concordia, IIES Stockholm, Iowa, the Minneapolis Fed, Montreal, Pennsylvania, Queen’s, Rochester, Toronto, UAB, UBC, UWO, the 2008 Yale-Cowles Summer Conference, the 2008 CEA Conference, the 2009 SED Conference, the III Dynamic General Equilibrium Macroeconomics Workshop, the 2008 WCU-Seoul Conference on Recent Development in Macroeconomics, the 2009 NBER Summer Workshop, the 2009 Minnesota Macroeconomic Workshop, the 2010 meetings of the European Economic Association, and the 2010 Rimini Conference in Economics and Finance for useful comments and discussions. Fuster gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Commission through the Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant PIRG03-GA-2008-231099. Kambourov gratefully acknowledges support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Grants #410-2007-0299 and #410-2008-1517. IMDEA Social Sciences Institute, Calle Isaac Newton 2, Tres Cantos, 28760 Madrid, Spain. E-mail: andres.erosa@imdea.org E-mail: luisa.fuster@imdea.org Department of Economics, University of Toronto, 150 St. George St., Toronto, ON, M5S 3G7 Canada. E-mail: g.kambourov@utoronto.ca. National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Rimini Center for Economic Analysis (RCEA).
Implementation of B-splines in a Conventional Finite Element Framework

Implementation of B-splines in a Conventional Finite Element Framework. (May 2009) Brian Christopher Owens, B.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. John D. Whitcomb The use of B-spline interpolation functions in the finite element method (FEM) is not a new subject. B-splines have been utilized in finite elements for many reasons. One reason is the higher continuity of derivatives and smoothness of B-splines. Another reason is the possibility of reducing the required number of degrees of freedom compared to a conventional finite element analysis. Furthermore, if B-splines are utilized to represent the geometry of a finite element model, interfacing a finite element analysis program with existing computer aided design programs (which make extensive use of B-splines) is possible. While B-splines have been used in finite element analysis due to the aforementioned goals, it is difficult to find resources that describe the process of implementing B-splines into an existing finite element framework. Therefore, it is necessary to document this methodology. This implementation should conform to the structure of conventional finite elements and only require exceptions in methodology where absolutely necessary. One goal is to implement B-spline interpolation functions in a finite element framework such that it appears very similar to conventional finite elements and is easily understandable by those with a finite element background. The use of B-spline functions in finite element analysis has been studied for advantages and disadvantages. Two-dimensional B-spline and standard FEM have been compared. This comparison has addressed the accuracy as well as the computational efficiency of B-spline FEM. Results show that for a given number of degrees of
Personalized Movie Recommendation System Using Context-Aware Collaborative Filtering Technique

ABSTRACT The explosive growth of information has been difficult for user s to get an appropriate information in time. The various ways of new services to solve problems has been provided. As customized service is being magnified, the personalized recommendation sy stem has been important issue. Collaborative filtering system in the recommendation system is widely used, and it is the most successful process in the recommendation system. As the recommendation is based on customers’ profile, there can be sparsity and cold-start problems. In this paper, we propose personalized movie recommen dation system using collaborative filtering techniques and context-based techniques. The context-based technique is the re commendation method that considers user’s environment in term of time, emotion and location, and it can reflect user’s preferences depending on the various environments. In order to utilize the context-based technique, this paper uses the human emotion, and uses movie reviews which are effective way to identify subject ive individual information. In this paper, this proposed method shows outperforming existing collaborative filtering methods.
Polyglycolic acid sheet plus esophageal stent presents with higher efficacy in preventing esophageal stricture post endoscopic submucosal dissection compared with stent placement alone in early-stage esophageal cancer patients

This study aimed to investigate the effect of polyglycolic acid (PGA) plus stent therapy compared with stent alone therapy on preventing post-endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) esophageal stricture in patients with early-stage esophageal cancer (EC). This prospective cohort study recruited 75 patients who underwent ESD for early-stage EC, including 38 patients who received PGA plus stent therapy (PGA+stent group) and 37 patients who received only stent placement (stent group). Incidence of postoperative stricture after esophageal ESD, the days to esophageal stricture, location, length and diameter of esophageal stricture as well as balloon dilatation times for the esophageal stricture were evaluated. 13.2% (n = 5) patients in PGA+stent group developed esophageal stricture, which was lower compared with stent group (35.1% (n = 13), P = 0.026). In the patients with esophageal stricture, length of esophageal stricture in PGA+stent group was numerically shorter than that in stent group (P = 0.050). While no difference in time to esophageal stricture (P = 0.286), diameter of esophageal stricture (P = 0.103), esophageal stricture distance from the incisions (P = 0.917) or balloon dilatation time (P = 0.173) was found between PGA+stent group and stent group. In addition, Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PGA+stent (vs. stent, P = 0.021) was an independent predictive factor for lower possibility of esophageal stricture. In conclusion, PGA plus stent placement therapy achieved lower occurrence of post-ESD esophageal stricture as well as numerically lighter esophageal stricture severity compared with stent placement therapy alone in early-stage EC patients.
Engaging students in three-dimensional learning

Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) is the focus on students making sense of phenomena or designing solutions to problems by using three-dimensional learning (NRC 2014). The three dimensions are disciplinary core ideas, scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. Three-dimensional learning is the first criterion described in the EQuIP rubric used for judging if lessons and materials align with the NGSS (Achieve and NSTA 2014). The NGSS include student performance expectations that incorporate all three dimensions. Figure 1 (p. 26) shows two examples of performance expectations. The performance expectations describe what students should be assessed on at the end of instruction but do not describe how to support students in realizing them. Three-dimensional learning challenges educators to rethink the inquiry approach to teaching science content.
Matrix Singular Value Decomposition

This thesis starts with the fundamentals of matrix theory and ends with applications of the matrix singular value decomposition (SVD). The background matrix theory coverage includes unitary and Hermitian matrices, and matrix norms and how they relate to matrix SVD. The matrix condition number is discussed in relationship to the solution of linear equations. Some inequalities based on the trace of a matrix, polar matrix decomposition, unitaries and partial isometies are discussed. Among the SVD applications discussed are the method of least squares and image compression. Expansion of a matrix as a linear combination of rank one partial isometries is applied to image compression by using reduced rank matrix approximations to represent greyscale images. MATLAB results for approximations of JPEG and . bmp images are presented. The results indicate that images can be represented with reasonable resolution using low rank matrix SVD approximations.
SunPy—Python for solar physics

SunPy is a data analysis toolkit which provides the necessary software for analyzing solar and heliospheric datasets in Python. SunPy aims to provide a free and open-source alternative to the current standard, an IDL- based solar data analysis environment known as SolarSoft (SSW). We present the latest release of SunPy, version 0.3. Though still in active development, SunPy already provides important functionality for solar data analysis. SunPy provides data structures for representing the most common solar data types: images, lightcurves, and spectra. To enable the acquisition of scientific data, SunPy provides integration with the Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO), a single source for accessing most solar data sets, and integration with the Heliophysics Event Knowledgebase (HEK), a database of transient solar events such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections. SunPy utilizes many packages from the greater scientific Python community, including NumPy and SciPy for core data types and analysis routines, PyFITS for opening image files, in FITS format, from major solar missions (e.g., SDO/AIA, SOHO/EIT, SOHO/LASCO, and STEREO) into WCS-aware map objects, and pandas for advanced time-series analysis tools for data from missions such as GOES, SDO/EVE, and Proba2/LYRA, as well as support for radio spectra (e.g., e-Callisto). Future releases will build upon and integrate with current work in the Astropy project and the rest of the scientific python community, to bring greater functionality to SunPy users.
Sampling based time efficient path planning algorithm for mobile platforms

In this paper we present a time efficient one step path planning algorithm for navigating a large robotic platform in indoor environments. The proposed strategy, based on the generation of a novel search space [1], relies on non-uniform density sampling of the free areas to direct the computational resources to troubled and difficult regions, such as narrow passages, leaving the larger open spaces sparsely populated. A smoothing penalty is also associated to the nodes to encourage the generation of gentle paths along the middle of the empty spaces. Collision detection is carried out off-line during the creation of the configuration space to speed up the actual search for the path, which is done on-line. Results compared to currently available path planning algorithms such as Randomly-exploring Random Trees (RRTs) and Probabilistic Road Maps (PRMs) proved that the proposed approach considerably reduces the searching time and produces smoother paths with less jagged path segments than those from randomized planners.
Adiponectin and glomerular diseases

Glomerular diseases are caused by an immune-mediated inflammation of the glomeruli. Often presenting as nephrotic syndrome, glomerular diseases are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. Among several mechanisms, oxidative stress and inflammation in response to renal injury may play crucial role. Accordingly, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory medications are generally used to slow the disease progression. Adiponectin is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that is produced by adipose tissue and may offer a renoprotective effect. The specific association between adiponectin and glomerular diseases, however, appears to vary in different types of diseases. As such, the interplay between the level of adiponectin and proteinuria, which is a marker of the progression of glomerular diseases, has not been adequately characterized. Therefore, the purpose of our review was to summarize and evaluate current evidence regarding the role of adiponectin in the development of glomerular diseases, including experimental and clinical studies. On the basis of accumulated data, targeting adiponectin may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of glomerular diseases.
Polymer Coated Urea : Mitigating Nitrogen Loss to the Environment

Fertile soil is the foundation for food production and successful civilizations and is developed and maintained through the addition of nutrients lost through harvest. Nitrogen (N) accounts for approximately half of global fertilizer inputs. However, N recovery by plants is inherently inefficient with uptake of applied fertilizer N less than most other nutrients. Losses from the soil system can cause negative air and water resource impacts. Additionally, poor fertilizer efficiency is a waste of natural resources and potentially reduces yields, crop quality, and grower profits. Nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) is increased through using optimal source, rate, timing, and placement. Polymer coated urea (PCU) is a source of N fertilizer that, when correctly managed, can result in virtually no N loss beyond background levels. A summary of our laboratory, glasshouse, and field research trials shows significantly less N loss from soil to the air and water due to dramatic increases in NUE from PCU compared to uncoated urea. Average ammonia volatilization and nitrous oxide emissions were lower for PUC by 300 and 120%, respectively. Residual nitrate was 38% lower for PCU compared to uncoated urea. The N losses for PCU fertilized plants were at or nearly the same as background levels for the controls. In all cases, PCU resulted in crop yields and/or quality which were significantly improved or at least equivalent to uncoated urea when managed properly. The global use of PCU is warranted to greatly improve environmental quality and to meet the demands for providing food, fuel, and fiber for the seven billion plus people on earth.
Biases in market-based measure of the conditional conservatism

In this paper we analyse the effects of outlier observations and endogeneity on the market-based measurement of conditional accounting conservatism. To address it, we apply a reverse engineering approach by using two alternative samples to estimate a measure of country-specific conditional conservatism – one including outliers and another without the multivariate influential observations identified. In the same way, on the sample without outliers we use two alternative estimation techniques – one affected by endogeneity and another specially designed to deal with the endogeneity problem. We apply this reverse engineering approach to the estimation of a comparative model of the conditional conservatism in order to analyse the effect of the International Financial Reporting Standards first adoption on the country-specific conditional conservatism. We report for both cases the two alternative results whose differences are only due to the outlier bias and the endogeneity bias, respectively. Our results prove the presence of these biases when outliers are not correctly identified and when the Ordinary Least Squares estimation technique is conducted. Moreover, these biases are large enough to result in misleading conclusions.