Climate,diseases, and the origins of corruption

It has been commonly observed that tropical countries tend to suffer from intense corruption and underdevelopment. This study provides an explanation for this long-standing disparity across the world based on variation in the intensity of ultraviolet radiation (UV-R). The central hypothesis is that UV-R is positively associated with the (historical) prevalence of eye diseases, which significantly shortens work-life expectancy as a skilled worker. This helps shape the worldwide distribution of corruption by affecting the incumbents' window of opportunity. Using data for up to 139 countries, I consistently find empirical support for the positive relationship between UV-R and corruption. The main findings withstand accounting for numerous alternative explanations for international differences in corruption levels. Employing individual-level data from the World Values Survey, I document suggestive evidence that exposure to UV-R is linked to surveyed respondents' tolerance towards corrupt activities. Furthermore, a subnational analysis for China lends credence to the cross-country evidence.     

Social media bots and stock markets

This study examines the link between information spread by social media bots and stock trading. Based on a large sample of tweets mentioning 55 companies in the FTSE 100 composites, we find significant relations between bot tweets and stock returns, volatility, and trading volume at both daily and intraday levels. These results are also confirmed by an event study of stock response following abnormal increases in the volume of tweets. The findings are robust to various specifications, including controlling for traditional news channel, alternative measures of volatility, information flows in pretrading hours, and different measures of sentiment.     

Market Discipline and Deposit Guarantee: Evidence from Australian Banks

This study examines depositor market discipline of Australian banks and its interaction with the 2008 deposit and wholesale funding guarantee. Prior to 2008 market discipline is found for Australian‐incorporated banks. Depositors did not distinguish between major and small banks, but some differences in the degree of market discipline were found for foreign bank subsidiaries. Following the introduction of the 2008 guarantees, market discipline was reduced except for nonhousehold depositors at banks that did not access the wholesale guarantee. Market discipline is also evidenced at foreign bank branches, but weaker for those accessing the wholesale guarantee.     

An intelligent service matching method for mechanical equipment condition monitoring using the fibre Bragg grating sensor network

Due to the advantages of being able to function under harsh environmental conditions and serving as a distributed condition information source in a networked monitoring system, the fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensor network has attracted considerable attention for equipment online condition monitoring. To provide an overall conditional view of the mechanical equipment operation, a networked service-oriented condition monitoring framework based on FBG sensing is proposed, together with an intelligent matching method for supporting monitoring service management. In the novel framework, three classes of progressive service matching approaches, including service-chain knowledge database service matching, multi-objective constrained service matching and workflow-driven human-interactive service matching, are developed and integrated with an enhanced particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm as well as a workflow-driven mechanism. Moreover, the manufacturing domain ontology, FBG sensor network structure and monitoring object are considered to facilitate the automatic matching of condition monitoring services to overcome the limitations of traditional service processing methods. The experimental results demonstrate that FBG monitoring services can be selected intelligently, and the developed condition monitoring system can be re-built rapidly as new equipment joins the framework. The effectiveness of the service matching method is also verified by implementing a prototype system together with its performance analysis.     

资源型城市金融锁定与反锁定研究——以铜陵市为例

文章以资源型城市铜陵市为例,运用实证分析方法,对铜陵市十余个行业资金配置效率进行排序,并通过与EVA(经济增加值)回报率排序进行比较分析,来探讨资源型城市的金融锁定与反锁定安排。认为在资源型城市中,金融服务较为集中于以资源为主导的行业,产业结构制约了金融资源配置的优化,欠佳的信贷结构又反过来加深了产业结构的锁定。其次银行业金融机构要想在资源型经济中获得可持续发展,就不能固守单一追求效率原则。一方面通过信贷结构的调整,推动产业的转型和优化升级,延伸产业链,提升产品附加值;另一方面通过实施金融资源重置,谋划新兴工业化经济发展战略,打破传统的过度依赖于少数几个产业的瓶颈。     

探讨无人值守自动发卡机在高速公路收费站的应用

目前,我国高速公路网络发展迅速,给人们带来交通便利的同时,也产生了许多问题。如何提高对高速公路各路段的综合管理水平,充分发挥路网中各高速公路之间快捷、畅通的通行优势,最大限度地降低人为干扰因素,已成为摆在高速公路管理者面前的一项新的研究课题。为此,尽快实现联网收费成为交通管理部门的重要工作目标之一。文章从工程应用的角度,对当前高速公路收费站应用无人值守自动发卡机工作流程的特点和通信过程中可能遇到的问题进行详细分析。     

银海社区开展民族团结进步创建活动的实践探索

民族社区的民族工作对于巩固党的执政基础、构建和谐的民族关系、促进民族地区社会和谐与稳定,有着极其重要的作用。如今少数民族流动人口越来越多的进入社区,社区不再是单一民族的居住地,而是多民族聚居的社区,因而在民族社区开展民族工作意义重大而深远。银海社区通过"三个狠抓"、"三项创新"、唱好"四部曲",促进了民族社区的和谐发展,更好的推动了民族团结创建活动的深入开展。     

面向服务外包的软件工程人才培养模式研究

文章通过我国软件工程服务外包人才培养现状及人才需求的分析,总结出软件工程外包人才应具备的基本素质;以西安工业大学计算机学院人才培养改革创新为依托,从课程体系设置、实践教学和校企合作等方面探索了软件外包人才培养的新模式。     

浅谈结构转换层的应用及施工

随着我国经济的持续快速发展,人们对高层建筑的功能要求趋向于多样化、综合化和全面化。于是,带转换层的建筑结构孕育而生,并在近年来得到较为广泛的应用。     

从建筑结构设计看住宅造价成本的控制

随着建筑市场日益蓬勃、欣欣向荣的全面发展,市场竞争的日趋激烈初现端倪。面对市场逐渐复杂的发展格局,优化结构设计、有效降低住宅造价成本成为建筑企业扩张市场份额、强化竞争的有力武器。本文正是从控制住宅造价成本的角度出发,探讨了如何根据建筑市场现状通过科学、优化的结构设计发挥其有效的成本控制作用。