An examination of the stability of short-run Canadian stock predictability

Using monthly data from 1975-2001, we consider the stability of bivariate and multivariate models for short run in-sample predictability of Canadian stock returns. We test for model stability using a range of tests including the Andrews SupF statistic, Bai subsample procedure, and Bai and Perron sequential SupF procedure. We find evidence of instability in two of our nine bivariate cases considered as well as our preferred multivariate model. When estimated to account for these breaks, we find the degree and direction of predictability can change markedly.predictive regression models, structural breaks, real stock returns

Developing Appropriate Dispute Resolution Systems for Law Enforcement and Community Relations: The Pasadena Case Study

Published in cooperation with the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolutio

Evaluation of the Properties of 4-Year Old Rubberwood Clones Rrim 2000 Series for Particleboard Manufacture

With drastic depleting rubberwood supply, the Lembaga Getah Malaysia (LGM) has identified new clones of rubber trees that are expected to produce not solely latex but also timber. Among these clones, several clones from RRIM 2000 series were found to be fast growing with high yield of latex, high growth vigor, good growth form and are very suitable for timber production, particularly for the biocomposite industries. In this study, particleboards were manufactured from rubber tree clones of RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025 which are also categorized as Latex Timber Clone (LTC). The properties of these particleboards were compared with those made from the currently planted tree clone ; PB 260. All clones from RRIM 2000 series were planted at 1000-1100 trees planting density and harvested for this study at 4 year-old. The resin used was E1-grade urea formaldehyde (UF) and the target density of the particleboard was 700 kgm-3. The basic and adhesion properties of these woods were evaluated and discussed in relation to the board performance i.e. physical and mechanical properties, and dimensional stability. These properties were determined according to Japanese Industrial Standard for Particleboard (JIS A 5908-2003). Among the clones studied, RRIM 2002 showed the best overall wood basic properties and board performance, which are comparable to or better than those of matured clone PB 260. The 25-year old PB 260 gives the highest specific gravity (0.601), lowest moisture content (70%), longer fibre length (1.3 mm) and thickest fibre wall thickness (6.2 μm). Clone RRIM 2002 gives comparable wood basic properties except for specific gravity (0.570), higher wood moisture content (94%) relatively longer fibre length (1.4 mm) and thicker fibre wall (5.5 μm). Except for specific gravity, the other two clones give poorer overall wood properties particularly the RRIM 2025. Both clones, however, produced relatively high specific gravity, 0.589 and 0.582 for RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025. The adhesion properties of all 4-year old clones show almost similar properties. For the particle analysis, PB 260 gives the highest acceptable particle distribution (63.5%), whilst RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025 had respectively, 56.8%, 57.9%, 58.3%. The particleboards of PB 260, RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020 recorded similar modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 2156 Nmm-2, 2145 Nmm-2, and 2122 Nmm-2, respectively, which were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than that of RRIM 2025 board (1931 Nmm-2). The board’s strength (MOR) of clones RRIM 2002, RRIM 2020, RRIM 2025 and PB 260 were 20.4 Nmm-2, 19.9 Nmm-2, 18.0 Nmm-2 and 21.0 Nmm-2, respectively. The internal bond (IB) of all of the boards ranged from 1.24 Nmm-2 to 1.49 Nmm-2, and were not significantly different. Among the four rubber tree clones, PB 260 board was the most stable as indicated by the low values in thickness swelling (RRIM 2002, 22.4 %; RRIM 2020, 21.2 %; RRIM 2025, 19.7 % and PB260, 18.1 %). No significant difference in water absorption of particleboard was found for all clones studied. The overall results indicate that 4-year old rubberwood clones can be used as raw material for particleboard manufacture where clone RRIM 2002 as the most suitable clone as it produced comparable particleboard properties with matured clone particleboard

Baudelaire’s “Tableaux Parisiens”: metropolis multitude, and modernity

Volume 2, Issue 2, July 200

Cytotoxicity and Radiosensitising Activity of Synthesized Dinitrophenyl Derivatives of 5-Fluorouracil

Background and the purpose of the study: Dual functional agents in which nitroaromatic or nitroheterocyclic compounds are attached through a linker unit to mustards and aziridines have shown higher cytotoxicities than the corresponding counterparts to both aerobic and hypoxic cells and enhanced radiosensitizing activity. In thepresent investigation cytotoxicity and radiosensitizing activity of 2,4-dinitrobenzyl, 2,4-dinitrobenzoyl, and 2,4-dinitrophenacetyl derivatives of 5-fluorouracil which was assumed to release cytotoxic active quinone methidide,and 5-fluorouracil under hypoxic conditions on HT-29 cell line under both aerobic and hypoxic conditions wasinvestigated.Methods: 5-fluorouracil derivative X-XIII were prepared by the reaction of the corresponding di-nitro substitutedbenzyl, benzoyl and phenacetyl halides with 5-fluorouracil protected at N-1 with di-t-butoxydicarbonate (BOC) in dimethyl formamide (DMF) in the presence of the potassium carbonate followed by hydrolysis of the blocking,group by potassium carbonate in methanol. Cytotoxicity of fluorouracil VIII and tested compounds X-XIII against HT-29cell line under both aerobic and hypoxic conditions after 48 hrs incubation were measured by determination of the percent of the survival cells using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and percent of the dead cells using propidium iodide(PI)-digitonine assay and results were used to calculate the corresponding IC50 values. Radiosensitization experiments were carried out by irradiation of the incubations with a 60Co source and clonogenic assay was performed to determine the cell viabilities following treatment with the tested compounds and/or radiation. Sensitization Enhancement Ratio (SER) of each tested compound was obtained from the radiation survival curves in the absence and presence of each sensitizer for 37% survival respectively.Results and major conclusion: Findings of the present study showed that alkylation or acylation of 5-fluorouracilresult in compounds which have little or no cytotoxicity and radiosensitizing activity under aerobic conditions, buthave high cytotoxicity and radiosensitizing effects under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore radiosensitizing activities ofcompounds under hypoxic conditions increased by increase in their concentrations and SER of the tested 5-FU derivatives at concentrations higher than 50 μmol were equal or higher than 1.6 which is the minimum effective SER of a radiosensitizer in an in vitro assay

Effects of polymorph transformation via mercerisation on microcrystalline cellulose fibres and isolation of nanocrystalline cellulose fibres

Cellulose I can be irreversible transformed into cellulose II via mercerisation or regeneration treatments. In the past few decades, mercerisation was used mainly to improve fibre properties for textile industries. A few studies have focused on the effects of mercerisation treatment on the cellulose polymorph itself and after it was downscaled to nanosize. This study aims to characterise the micro size crystalline cellulose after complete polymorph conversion via mercerisation technique and investigate its effects on isolation to nanosize crystalline cellulose. A microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was purchased and converted into cellulose II via mercerisation technique. Sulphuric acid hydrolysis was carried-out to produce nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). The MCC and NCC of different polymorphs were then characterised and analysed for its crystallography, morphology, particles size distribution and thermal stability using wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD), electron microscopes, dynamic light scattering analyser and thermogravimetric analyser, respectively. Both MCC and NCC fibres showed complete conversion of cellulose I to cellulose II and decrement of crystallinity index (CI). Electron micrographs revealed that both cellulose II polymorph fibres (MCC II and NCC II) were morphological affected. The analysis of size distribution and dimension measurement confirmed that mercerisation treatment causing increment in fibre diameter and shortened length. The thermal stability of both cellulose II polymorph fibres (MCC II and NCC II) was also found to be improved

Retting process of some bast plant fibres and its effect on fibre quality : a review.

Retting is the main challenge faced during the processing of bast plants for the production of long fibre. The traditional methods for separating the long bast fibres are by dew and water retting. Both methods require 14 to 28 days to degrade the pectic materials, hemicellulose, and lignin. Even though the fibres produced from water retting can be of high quality, the long duration and polluted water have made this method less attractive. A number of other alternative methods such as mechanical decortication, chemical, heat, and enzymatic treatments have been reported for this purpose with mixed findings. This paper reviews different types of retting processes used for bast plants such as hemp, jute, flax, and kenaf, with an emphasis on kenaf. Amongst the bast fibre crops, kenaf apparently has some advantages such as lower cost of production, higher fibre yields, and greater flexibility as an agricultural resource, over the other bast fibres. The fibres produced from kenaf using chemical retting processes are much cleaner but low in tensile strength. Enzymatic retting has apparent advantages over other retting processes by having significantly shorter retting time and acceptable quality fibres, but it is quite expensive

Design of photovoltaic power conditioning incorporating maximum power point tracking of solar cell

This thesis report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis report.Includes bibliographical references (page 25).Nuzhat Noor SayeedAhmed Aaqib Sajjad HossainNazmul HasanMenhajul Abedin BhuiyanB. Electrical and Electronic Engineerin

“Simplesmente não vale a pena”: Interromper argumentos oficiais para o fechamento de escolas urbanas com counterframes

Mass school closures have become commonplace in urban school districts. To explain their actions, school system leaders often rely on a dominant frame that presents closures as an inevitable, data-driven, and politically neutral phenomenon in an educational landscape defined by shrinking budgets, demographic changes, and increased school choice. In response, research has typically focused on how communities tell counternarratives that seek to interrupt official accounts of school closures. Using a critical frame analysis of qualitative data from the 2013 school closure process in Washington, DC, I discuss another grassroots approach to disrupting school closures: counterframes. Drawing on Critical Race Theory and social movement theory, I discuss counterframes as discursive arguments that allow communities to directly challenge official rhetoric and offer alternatives. Findings show that communities in DC crafted counterframes that pushed back on the notion that the closures were inevitable, questioned the data guiding the process, and attempted to expose hidden agendas and interests behind shuttering schools. The article concludes with the relevance of counterframes to broader educational mobilizations as well as their limitations.El cierre de escuelas se ha vuelto común en los distritos escolares urbanos de EE.UU. Para explicar sus acciones, los líderes del sistema escolar a menudo confían en una narrativa dominante que presenta los cierres como un fenómeno inevitable, basado en datos y políticamente neutral en un entorno educativo definido por presupuestos ajustados, cambios demográficos y una mayor elección de escuela. En respuesta, la investigación a menudo se centra en cómo las comunidades cuentan narraciones contrarias que buscan alterar las cuentas oficiales de cierre de escuelas. Basado en un análisis de datos cualitativos del proceso de cierre de escuelas de 2013 en Washington, DC, analizo otro enfoque popular para interrumpir el cierre de escuelas: counterframes. Basado en la teoría crítica de la raza y la teoría del movimiento social, analizo los counterframes como argumentos discursivos que permiten a las comunidades desafiar la retórica oficial y ofrecer alternativas. Los hallazgos muestran que las comunidades en DC crearon counterframes que impulsaron la idea de que los cierres eran inevitables, cuestionaron los datos que guían el proceso e intentaron exponer agendas e intereses ocultos detrás de las escuelas cerradas. El artículo concluye con la relevancia de los counterframes para movilizaciones educativas más amplias, así como sus limitaciones.O fechamento de escolas tornou-se comum em distritos escolares urbanos dos Estados Unidos. Para explicar suas ações, os líderes do sistema escolar geralmente confiam em uma narrativa dominante que apresenta encerramentos como um fenômeno inevitável, orientado a dados e politicamente neutro em um cenário educacional definido por orçamentos reduzidos, mudanças demográficas e aumento da escolha da escola. Em resposta, a pesquisa geralmente se concentra em como as comunidades contam contra-narrativas que buscam interromper as contas oficiais de fechamento de escolas. Com base em uma análise de dados qualitativos do processo de fechamento de escolas em 2013, em Washington, DC, discuto outra abordagem popular para interromper o fechamento de escolas: os counterframes. Com base na teoria crítica da raça e na teoria do movimento social, discuto os counterframes como argumentos discursivos que permitem às comunidades desafiar a retórica oficial e oferecer alternativas. As descobertas mostram que as comunidades em DC criaram counterframes que empurraram a idéia de que os fechamentos eram inevitáveis, questionaram os dados que norteiam o processo e tentaram expor agendas e interesses ocultos por trás das escolas fechadas. O artigo conclui com a relevância dos counterframes para mobilizações educacionais mais amplas, bem como suas limitações.

Effects of a single dose of oral iodised oil during pregnancy, on thyroid & iodide status of women & children, pregnancy outcome and infant mortality in a goitrous area of Bangladesh

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs) are a major public health problem of many less developed countries (LDCs) of the world including Bangladesh, especially affecting pregnant women and their children. A cross sectional study of 356 pregnant women in Madhupur revealed a high prevalence of goitre (98.6%) and hypothyroidism with a varying prevalence according to the test used (low TT4: 61.7%; high TSH: 18.7%; low TT4 & high TSH: 15.8%). Among goitrous pregnant women the risk of developing hypothyroidism, as defined by low levels of plasma TT4, increased as the pregnancy progressed. The prevalence of 'low TT4 hypothyroidism' rose from 19.6% (9/46) during early pregnancy ( (186/270) during mid and late pregnancy (>15 weeks of gestation) [RR (CI95%) = 3.52 (1.95 - 6.36); χ2=38.4; p0.39 μmol/L). The effects of a single dose of 400 mg oral iodised poppy seed oil (IPSO) in two capsules administered to pregnant women on pregnancy outcome (spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, and birth weight), thyroid and iodide status of the women and their children, and childhood mortality until second year of life were investigated. Childhood mortality rates were similar. In 6.7% vs. 19.1% (RR = 0.35; CI95% = 0.11 - 1.15; χ2 = 2.51; p = NS) infants of the unsupplemented and IPSO supplemented women respectively, there was a transient 'biochemical hyperthyroidism' at 3 months post-partum without any evidence of clinical thyrotoxicosis. At 1 year no infant of the unsupplemented women and 4.4% infants of the IPSO supplemented women had 'biochemical hyperthyroidism' without any evidence of clinical thyrotoxicosis. The oral IPSO was protective from 'biochemical hypothyroidism' even among the shorter or thinner women. This study emphasises the importance of improving iodide and thyroid status by increasing iodine intake among pregnant and pre-pregnant women. Ideally this should be via the universal salt iodisation (USI) with proper monitoring and quality control. If USI is not locally available or the quality of iodisation is not up to the mark, a single dose of oral IPSO during pregnancy can be used for the benefit of both the women and their babies. Its protective effect lasts for at least a year. (Abstract shortened by UMI.