Okun's Law in Panels of Countries and States

[[abstract]]This article contributes to the empirical literature of Okun's law in three respects. First, in contrast to the limited data used in the existing studies, we employ two extensive (across countries and across states, i.e. within a country) panel data sets to investigate the validity of Okun's law. Second, the use of the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimator permits us not to pre-filter the data as often done in the current literature, and can take into account the possibility of cointegration between unemployment and output. Third, in addition to the short-run relationship or cyclical components between unemployment and output, we also estimate the long-run linkage between these two important variables. Empirical results show that unemployment and output are long-run cointegrated, irrespective of using country- or state-level data. Moreover, the unemployment-output linkages are found to be negative and highly significant both in the short- and long-run. Our results not only confirm the validity of Okun's law (in the short-run) but also point out that a similar tradeoff exists in the long run.[[journaltype]]國外[[incitationindex]]SSCI[[ispeerreviewed]]Y[[booktype]]紙本[[booktype]]電子版[[countrycodes]]GB

Financial structure on growth and volatility

[[abstract]]By applying the pooled mean group estimator to a large panel up to 40 countries over the 1960–2009 period, this study finds that financial structure is significantly cointegrated to both economic growth and its volatility. In particular, the relationship is positive in nature, suggesting that more market-based countries enjoy faster economic growth but suffer more from economic fluctuations in the long run. Accordingly, in sharp contrast to the existing evidences,we conclude that the architecture of an economy's financial systemmatters for real sector performance. Moreover, the findings are robust to a variety of sensitivity checks, including the problem of endogeneity, the use of different financial structure (and growth volatility) indicators, the inclusion of extra growth (volatility) determinants, and the control of cross-sectional dependence in the panel data.[[notice]]補正完畢[[incitationindex]]SSCI[[booktype]]紙

The Performance on a Computerized Attention Assessment System between Children with and without Learning Disabilities

AbstractAttention is an essential function for children's learning. Cancellation tasks are one of most popular tools used for the assessment of visuospatial attention. A computerized cancellation test system was developed to investigate whether the children with or without learning disabilities (LD) would have different performances on cancellation tasks. The result showed that group differences regarding task performance are all significant and independent from types of stimulus and layout. Post hoc analysis of between-group effects showed that the control group had more correct responses (F = 28.177, p < .001), and spent less time (F = 5.592, p = .021) than the LD group

Short-Term Rental Regulation and House Sharing Behavior: Evidence From Airbnb.com

The controversial short-term rental (STR) industry and the relevant STR regulation have been in the spotlight in recent years. Despite all the pros and cons of regulating the STR industry, yet it is unclear what the real effects of the STR regulation are. This study seeks to shed light on the questions regarding how the city STR regulation and should be conceived as well as what the outcomes of the regulation implementation are. We employ a comprehensive data set assembled from multiple resources to analyze the effects of the STR regulation from different geographic levels. Indeed, STR regulation turns out to be effective in improving the STR business. Registration requirement would encourage people from affluent neighborhoods to list their properties online. And internal requirements of the listed properties are critical in preventing listings from those non-affluent neighborhoods. At the clause level, the clauses vary in their effects in different types of neighborhoods. The clause specifically requiring listing to achieve certain standards would be more efficient in crowding out the listings with low quality from the STR market. STR regulation would be able to raise the quality of the listings online and standardize the listing process. Consequently, STR regulation would reduce the information-based uncertainties exist in the online STR mediatory platforms. Overall, the results suggest that STR regulation helps release the “lemon problems” in the STR market by encouraging listings with good quality while crowd out the “bad apples” from the platforms by adjusting the STR business in different types of neighborhoods

Characteristics of Si(111) surface with embedded C84molecules

A monolayer of fullerene molecules on Si(111) surfaces is fabricated in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber through a controlled self-assembly process. The characteristics of self-assembled Si(111) surfaces, including supramolecular structures, electronic density of states, the quantum confinement effect, field emission features, and optoelectronical properties with embedded C84 are determined by the use of an ultrahigh vacuum scanning probe microscope. The results revealed that such a silicon surface with embedded C84 has a wide band gap of [similar]3.4 eV, high emission efficiency and low turn-on voltage, all of which are crucial to nano-electronics, optoelectronics, and the fabrication of semiconductor carbide. The measured data derived from photoluminescence emission experiments further confirm the corresponding band gap value obtained from I–V curves. The theoretical results from first-principles calculations for the field enhancement factor are compared with experimental measurements

Magnon-induced non-Markovian friction of a domain wall in a ferromagnet

Motivated by the recent study on the quasiparticle-induced friction of solitons in superfluids, we theoretically study magnon-induced intrinsic friction of a domain wall in a one-dimensional ferromagnet. To this end, we start by obtaining the hitherto overlooked dissipative interaction of a domain wall and its quantum magnon bath to linear order in the domain-wall velocity and to quadratic order in magnon fields. An exact expression for the pertinent scattering matrix is obtained with the aid of supersymmetric quantum mechanics. We then derive the magnon-induced frictional force on a domain wall in two different frameworks: time-dependent perturbation theory in quantum mechanics and the Keldysh formalism, which yield identical results. The latter, in particular, allows us to verify the fluctuation-dissipation theorem explicitly by providing both the frictional force and the correlator of the associated stochastic Langevin force. The potential for magnons induced by a domain wall is reflectionless, and thus the resultant frictional force is non-Markovian similarly to the case of solitons in superfluids. They share an intriguing connection to the Abraham-Lorentz force that is well-known for its causality paradox. The dynamical responses of a domain wall are studied under a few simple circumstances, where the non-Markovian nature of the frictional force can be probed experimentally. Our work, in conjunction with the previous study on solitons in superfluids, shows that the macroscopic frictional force on solitons can serve as an effective probe of the microscopic degrees of freedom of the system.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure

Chondroprotective effects and mechanisms of resveratrol in advanced glycation end products-stimulated chondrocytes

[[abstract]]INTRODUCTION: Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in joints contributes to the pathogenesis of cartilage damage in osteoarthritis (OA). We aim to explore the potential chondroprotective effects of resveratrol on AGEs-stimulated porcine chondrocytes and cartilage explants. METHODS: Chondrocytes were isolated from pig joints. Activation of the IkappaB kinase (IKK)-IkappaBalpha-nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-activator protein-1 (AP-1) pathways was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), Western blot and transfection assay. The levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-NO and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were measured by Western blot, Griess reaction or ELISA. The expression and enzyme activity of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) were determined by real time RT/PCR and gelatin zymography, respectively. RESULTS: We show that AGEs-induced expression of iNOS and COX-2 and production of NO and PGE2 were suppressed by resveratrol. Such effects of resveratrol were likely mediated through inhibiting IKK-IkappaBalpha-NF-kappaB and JNK/ERK-AP-1 signaling pathways induced by AGEs. By targeting these critical signaling pathways, resveratrol decreased AGEs-stimulated expression and activity of MMP-13 and prevented AGEs-mediated destruction of collagen II. Histochemistry analysis further confirms that resveratrol could prevent AGEs-induced degradation of proteoglycan and aggrecan in cartilage explants. CONCLUSIONS: The present study reveals not only the effects and mechanisms regarding how resveratrol may protect cartilage from AGEs-mediated damage but also the potential therapeutic benefit of resveratrol in the treatment of OA

DC-SIGN (CD209) Promoter −336 A/G (rs4804803) Polymorphism Associated with Susceptibility of Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is characterized by systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is the most effective therapy for KD to reduce the prevalence of coronary artery lesion (CAL) formation. Recently, the α2, 6 sialylated IgG was reported to interact with a lectin receptor, specific intracellular adhesion molecule-3 grabbing nonintegrin homolog-related 1 (SIGN-R1) in mice and dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3 grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) in human, and to trigger an anti-inflammatory cascade. This study was conducted to investigate whether the polymorphism of DC-SIGN (CD209) promoter −336 A/G (rs4804803) is responsible for susceptibility and CAL formation in KD patients using Custom TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays. A total of 521 subjects (278 KD patients and 243 controls) were investigated to identify an SNP of rs4804803, and they were studied and showed a significant association between the genotypes and allele frequency of rs4804803 in control subjects and KD patients (P = 0.004 under the dominant model). However, the promoter variant of DC-SIGN gene was not associated with the occurrence of IVIG resistance, CAL formation in KD. The G allele of DC-SIGN promoter −336 (rs4804803) is a risk allele in the development of KD

Associations of obesity and malnutrition with cardiac remodeling and cardiovascular outcomes in Asian adults:A cohort study

BackgroundObesity, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and heart failure (HF), is associated with adverse cardiac remodeling in the general population. Little is known about how nutritional status modifies the relationship between obesity and outcomes. We aimed to investigate the association of obesity and nutritional status with clinical characteristics, echocardiographic changes, and clinical outcomes in the general community.Methods and findingsWe examined 5,300 consecutive asymptomatic Asian participants who were prospectively recruited in a cardiovascular health screening program (mean age 49.6 ± 11.4 years, 64.8% male) between June 2009 to December 2012. Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were described in participants, stratified by combined subgroups of obesity and nutritional status. Obesity was indexed by body mass index (BMI) (low, ≤25 kg/m2 [lean]; high, >25 kg/m2 [obese]) (WHO-recommended Asian cutoffs). Nutritional status was defined primarily by serum albumin (SA) concentration (low, ConclusionsIn our cohort study among asymptomatic community-based adults in Taiwan, we found that obese individuals with poor nutritional status have the highest comorbidity burden, the most adverse cardiac remodeling, and the least favorable composite outcome