Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does graphical reporting improve risk disclosure? Evidence from European banks

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the voluntary disclosure of risk-related issues, with a focus on credit risk, in graphical reporting for listed banks in the major European economies. It aims to understand if banks portray credit risk-related information in graphs accurately and whether these graphs provide incremental, rather than replicative, information. It also investigates whether credit risk-related graphs provide a fair representation of risk performance or a more favourable impression than is warranted. Design/methodology/approach A graphical accuracy index was constructed. Incremental information was measured. A multi-level linear model investigated whether credit risk affects the quantity and quality of graphical credit risk disclosure. Findings Banks used credit risk graphs to provide incremental information. They were also selective, with riskier banks less likely to use risk graphs. Banks were accurate in their graphical reporting, particularly those with high levels of credit risk. These findings can be explained within an impression management perspective taking human cognitive biases into account. Preparers of risk graphs seem to prefer selective omission over obfuscation via inaccuracy. This probably reflects the fact that individuals, and by implication annual report’s users, generally judge the provision of inaccurate information more harshly than the omission of unfavourable information. Research limitations/implications This study provides theoretical insights by pointing out the limitations of a purely economics-based agency theory approach to impression management. Practical implications The study suggests annual reports’ readers need to be careful about subtle forms of impression management, such as those exploiting their cognitive bias. Regulatory and professional bodies should develop guidelines to ensure neutral and comparable graphical disclosure. Originality/value This study provides a substantive alternative to the predominant economic perspective on impression management in corporate reporting, by incorporating a psychological perspective taking human cognitive biases into account.
Experience and Abstract Reasoning in Learning Backward Induction

Backward induction is a benchmark of game theoretic rationality, yet surprisingly little is known as to how humans discover and initially learn to apply this abstract solution concept in experimental settings. We use behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to study the way in which subjects playing in a sequential game of perfect information learn the optimal backward induction strategy for the game. Experimental data from our two studies support two main findings: First, subjects converge to a common process of recursive inference similar to the backward induction procedure for solving the game. The process is recursive because earlier insights and conclusions are used as inputs in later steps of the inference. This process is matched by a similar pattern in brain activation, which also proceeds backward, following the prediction error: brain activity initially codes the responses to losses in final positions; in later trials this activity shifts to the starting position. Second, the learning process is not exclusively cognitive, but instead combines experience-based learning and abstract reasoning. Critical experiences leading to the adoption of an improved solution strategy appear to be stimulated by brain activity in the reward system. This indicates that the negative affect induced by initial failures facilitates the switch to a different method of solving the problem. Abstract reasoning is combined with this response, and is expressed by activation in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. Differences in brain activation match differences in performance between subjects who show different learning speeds.
Landscape and Regional Environmental Analysis of the Spatial Distribution of Hantavirus Human Cases in Europe

Background: In Europe, the most prevalent hantavirus, Puumala virus, is transmitted by bank voles and causes nephropathia epidemica in human. The European spatial distribution of nephropathia epidemica is investigated here for the first time with a rich set of environmental variables. Methods: The influence of variables at the landscape and regional level is studied through multilevel logistic regression, and further information on their effects across the different European ecoregions is obtained by comparing an overall niche model (boosted regression trees) with regressions by ecoregion. Results: The presence of nephropathia epidemica is likely in populated regions with well-connected forests, more intense vegetation activity, low soil water content, mild summers, and cold winters. In these regions, landscapes with a higher proportion of built-up areas in forest ecotones and lower minimum temperature in winter are expected to be more at risk. Climate and forest connectivity have a stronger effect at the regional level. If variables are staying at their current values, the models predict that nephropathia epidemica may know intensification but should not spread (although southern Sweden, the Norwegian coast, and the Netherlands should be kept under watch). Conclusion: Models indicate that large-scale modeling can lead to a very high predictive power. At large scale, the effect of one variable on disease may follow three response scenarios: the effect may be the same across the entire study area, the effect can change according to the variable value, and the effect can change depending on local specificities. Each of these scenarios impacts large-scale modeling differently.
Evaluation of a simplified sucrose gradient method for the detection of rubella‐specific IgM in routine diagnostic practice

Rubella‐specific IgM was measured in a single fraction of serum from a sucrose density gradient. Haemagglutination inhibition (HAI) tests were performed on paired aliquots of the fraction untreated and after treatment with 2‐mercaptoethanol, dilutions of the aliquots being incubated over night with rubella antigen before the addition of red cells. Of 822 sera tested, specific IgM was found in 249, but not in 492. When first tested, the remaining 81 sera gave unsatisfactory results because of contamination of the IgM fraction with IgG (6.0%), probable aggregation of IgG (3.5%), or the persistence of chick red cell agglutinins (0.4%). Tests were performed on 134 patients with rubella confirmed by a rise of HAI antibodies. Rubella‐specific IgM was found at a litre‐of more than eight in the sera taken from 62 of 64 patients between 10 and 29 days after the onset of the rash but in only one of the sera taken between 80 and 119 days, and in none taken later. However, specific IgM was still to be found at lower titre in the sera of 13 patients collected between 80 and 162 days after the onset of the illness. In routine diagnostic tests over three years on the serum from 479 patients with suspected acquired rubella, specific IgM was found at a titre of more than eight in 51 patients and in only 10 instances (2.1%) did a lower level pose a problem in interpretation.
Evaluation of Satellite Retrievals of Ocean Chlorophyll-a in the California Current

Retrievals of ocean surface chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla) by multiple ocean color satellite sensors (SeaWiFS, MODIS-Terra, MODIS-Aqua, MERIS, VIIRS) using standard algorithms were evaluated in the California Current using a large archive of in situ measurements. Over the full range of in situ Chla, all sensors produced a coefficient of determination (R2) between 0.79 and 0.88 and a median absolute percent error (MdAPE) between 21% and 27%. However, at in situ Chla > 1 mg m−3, only products from MERIS (both the ESA produced algal_1 and NASA produced chlor_a) maintained reasonable accuracy (R2 from 0.74 to 0.52 and MdAPE from 23% to 31%, respectively), while the other sensors had R2 below 0.5 and MdAPE higher than 36%. We show that the low accuracy at medium and high Chla is caused by the poor retrieval of remote sensing reflectance.
Obstacle Avoidance in Intelligent Assisted Walking Devices for Improving Mobility Among Seniors with Cognitive and Visual Impairments

Current research in walkers and rollators with integrated intelligent computing and robotic components shows promise in treatment, management and rehabilitation of a variety of ailments and disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer disease and multiple sclerosis. In this thesis a novel intelligent walker is designed, constructed and tested for the purpose of examining whether we can increase mobility among individuals with vision and cognitive impairments hindering their ability to move collision free about their environments, by detecting obstacles and using brakes to guide the user around them. This walker consists of a support frame, front castor wheels and rear particle brakes. Obstacle detection and localization are sensed by an onboard 3D depth camera and RGB camera (The Microsoft Kinect) and encoders in the rear wheels. This data is processed by an onboard laptop, producing a 2dimensional map of the environment. This map is inputted into the control algorithms to make braking decisions for obstacle avoidance. Two control algorithms are presented. The first is an open loop proportional gain control which determines necessary braking torque directly from the distance to the nearest obstacle. The second is a closed loop control which uses the systems dynamics and velocity data from the wheel encoders to estimate the forces being applied by the user and calculates the braking torque necessary to avoid obstacles. The walker moment of inertia and the viscous damping parameters of the system are estimated experimentally. The effect of varying three parameters in the closed loop algorithm and one parameter in the open loop algorithm are examined in a corner turning test. Observations support predictions made by the derived system dynamics. Lastly, the efficiency of the system at real world obstacle avoidance is tested in a controlled indoor obstacle course using goggles to impair the vision of otherwise able bodied test subjects. The open loop control algorithm was found to reduce the occurrence of collisions by 44% as compared to trials with no braking. The closed loop control algorithm was found to greatly reduce collisions with the front of the walker, however shows a tendency for over steering the user, producing a higher number of collisions with the walker's side. Possible causes and solutions to this problem are discussed. This thesis demonstrates promise in the approach of using braking to help walker users avoid collisions with their environments. Discussion is offered about necessary next steps towards testing with regular users of assisted walking devices, and eventually real world use.
A social-based service discovery protocol for mobile Ad Hoc networks

This work proposes an efficient proactive service discovery protocol that leverages the social behavior and the mobility of the people. The protocol is based on the concept that the service discovery performance is strongly affected by the mobility of the users and by their behavior along the time. Indeed, people generally have significant contacts with others with similar interests, hence they could be interested on similar services. We present simulation results that show that our protocol achieves increased efficiency in discovering services (compared to traditional broadcast-based mechanisms) by efficiently using bandwidth, thus decreasing the energy consumption.
Prevalence of Human metapneumovirus infection among patients with influenza-like illness: Report from a Tertiary Care Centre, Southern India

Background: Human metapneumovirus (HMPV), discovered in the 21st century, has emerged as an important cause of influenza-like illness in children and adults causing mild upper respiratory tract infection to severe bronchiolitis and community-associated pneumonia. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HMPV in the Union Territory of Puducherry, India, as part of National Influenza Surveillance Programme. Materials and Methods: From November 2011 to December 2013, a total of 447 nasopharyngeal samples were collected from patients with acute respiratory infections and tested for HMPV RNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: HMPV was identified in 23/447 (5%) samples with 11/23 in the age group of 14–30 years. Most of the HMPV infections were mild with no fatalities. Two patients were co-infected with the respiratory syncytial virus and one with influenza B virus. The seasonal distribution showed increasing HMPV infection cases in rainy months except for a peak in summer of 2012. Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of the nucleoprotein gene of one HMPV strain showed a high degree of sequence identity with Indian strains obtained during 2006 and 2011. Conclusion: This study shows that HMPV infection is more common in adults than in children. Sequence homology suggests the circulation of closely related HMPV strains within the country.
Ethnic differences in parent involvement are moderated by type of involvement scale

Ethnic Differences in Parent Involvement Are Moderated by Type of Involvement Scale. (August 2005) Shuk Wa Wong, B.A., Chinese University of Hong Kong; M.S., University of Southern California Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Jan Hughes This study examines ethnic group differences on different dimensions of parentrated and teacher-rated parent involvement after adjusting for the influence of family socioeconomic factors, and the role of involvement scale in moderating ethnic differences in parent involvement. Parents and teachers provided information on parent involvement for 476 first-grade children attending one of three school districts (1 urban, 2 small city) in Southwest Texas, who were recruited in two sequential cohorts to participate in a larger longitudinal study on the impact of grade retention on academic achievement and psychosocial outcomes. Parents rated the following four dimensions of parent involvement: Positive Perceptions about School, Communication, Parent-Teacher Shared Responsibility, and Parent School-Based Involvement. Teachers rated the following three dimensions of parent involvement: Alliance, General Parent Involvement, and Teacher Initiation of Involvement. The two research hypotheses generated for this study were partially supported by the data. As predicted, controlling for parent education and employment status, the data showed significant ethnic/racial group differences in Communication (parent-rated), Alliance (teacher-rated), and
Comparative Exposure Assessment of ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli through Meat Consumption

The presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and plasmidic AmpC (pAmpC) producing Escherichia coli (EEC) in food animals, especially broilers, has become a major public health concern. The aim of the present study was to quantify the EEC exposure of humans in The Netherlands through the consumption of meat from different food animals. Calculations were done with a simplified Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment (QMRA) model. The model took the effect of pre-retail processing, storage at the consumers home and preparation in the kitchen (cross-contamination and heating) on EEC numbers on/in the raw meat products into account. The contribution of beef products (78%) to the total EEC exposure of the Dutch population through the consumption of meat was much higher than for chicken (18%), pork (4.5%), veal (0.1%) and lamb (0%). After slaughter, chicken meat accounted for 97% of total EEC load on meat, but chicken meat experienced a relatively large effect of heating during food preparation. Exposure via consumption of filet americain (a minced beef product consumed raw) was predicted to be highest (61% of total EEC exposure), followed by chicken fillet (13%). It was estimated that only 18% of EEC exposure occurred via cross-contamination during preparation in the kitchen, which was the only route by which EEC survived for surface-contaminated products. Sensitivity analysis showed that model output is not sensitive for most parameters. However, EEC concentration on meat other than chicken meat was an important data gap. In conclusion, the model assessed that consumption of beef products led to a higher exposure to EEC than chicken products, although the prevalence of EEC on raw chicken meat was much higher than on beef. The (relative) risk of this exposure for public health is yet unknown given the lack of a modelling framework and of exposure studies for other potential transmission routes.
Convergence Analysis of Saddle Point Problems in Time Varying Wireless Systems— Control Theoretical Approach

Saddle point problems arise from many wireless applications, and primal-dual iterative algorithms are widely applied to find the saddle points. In the existing literature, the convergence results of such algorithms are established assuming the problem specific parameters remain unchanged during the iterations. However, this assumption is unrealistic in time varying wireless systems, as explicit message passing is usually involved in the iterations and the channel state information (CSI) may change in a time scale comparable to the algorithm update period. This paper investigates the convergence behavior and the tracking error of primal-dual iterative algorithms under time varying CSI. The convergence results are established by studying the stability of an equivalent virtual dynamic system derived in the paper, and the Lyapunov theory is applied for the stability analysis. We show that the average tracking error is proportional to the time variation rate of the CSI. Based on these analyses, we also derive an adaptive primal-dual algorithm by introducing a compensation term to reduce the tracking error under the time varying CSI.
Prion protein and Alzheimer disease

Alzheimer and prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders characterised by the abnormal processing of amyloid-b (Ab) peptide and prion protein (PrPC), respectively. Recent evidence indicates that PrPC may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease. PrPC interacts with and inhibits the b-secretase BACE1, the rate-limiting enzyme in the production of Ab. More recently PrPC was identified as a receptor for Ab oligomers and the expression of PrPC appears to be controlled by the amyloid intracellular domain (AICD). Here we review these observations and propose a feedback loop in the normal brain where PrPC exerts an inhibitory effect on BACE1 to decrease both Ab and AICD production. In turn, the AICD upregulates PrPC expression, thus maintaining the inhibitory effect of PrPC on BACE1. In Alzheimer disease, this feedback loop is disrupted, and the increased level of Ab oligomers bind to PrPC and prevent it from regulating BACE1 activity.
Physical therapy in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: A systematic review

About 50% of patients with heart failure (HF) have preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) which is especially common in elderly people with highly prevalent co-morbid conditions. HFpEF is usually defined as an ejection fraction equal to or greater than 50%, although some studies have used a limit as low as 40%. The prevalence of this syndrome is expected to increase over the next decades. The associated impact on mortality and hospital readmissions has made of this entity a major public health issue. Despite the fact that mortality and re-hospitalisation rates of HFpEF are similar to the syndrome of HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), currently there is no available evidence-based therapy as effective as is the case for HFrEF. Exercise intolerance is the principal clinical feature in HFpEF. The pathophysiological mechanisms behind impaired exercise capacity in these patients are complex and not yet fully elucidated. Current guidelines and consensus documents recommend the implementation of exercise training in HFpEF; however, they are based mostly on results from a few small trials evaluating surrogate endpoints such as exercise capacity and quality of life. The aim of this work was to review the current evidence that supports the effect of the different modalities of physical therapies in HFpEF.
Trend in U.S.-Born Dropouts’ GED and Postsecondary Degree Acquisition: Differences by Gender and Race/Ethnicity

Despite the economic and social costs of school drop-out, little is known about the rate and trend in dropouts’ transitions toward educational attainment through acquisition of General Education Development (GED) certificates and postsecondary degrees. Using the 2004 and 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation, we identify 3 cohorts of U.S.-born dropouts (N = 6,559) who left school during the 1961–1970, 1971–1980, or 1981–1990 timeframes. We then use variables for gender and race/ethnicity to examine trends in the likelihood of these school dropouts obtaining (a) a GED credential within 7 years of dropping out and (b) a postsecondary degree within 14 years of dropping out. The likelihood of GED acquisition shows an upward trend for all racial/ethnic groups. However, an upward trend in the likelihood of attaining a postsecondary degree emerges among White and African American dropouts, but not among Hispanics. Further, the upward trends for both GED and postsecondary degree attainment are concentrated among female dropouts. Findings imply that post-dropout interventions should be geared toward male and minority dropouts.
Ectopic over-expression of the maize b -glucosidase Zm-p60.1 perturbs cytokinin homeostasis in transgenic tobacco

The activity of the phytohormone cytokinin depends on a complex interplay of factors such as its metabolism, transport, stability, and cellular/tissue localization. O -glucosides of zeatin-type cytokinins are postulated to be storage and/or transport forms, and are readily deglucosylated. , N3 . more lower puriﬁed transgenic from the wild type although differences in phytohormone levels were observed. When grown on medium containing zeatin, inhibition of root elongation was apparent in all seedlings 14 d after sowing (DAS). Between 14 and 21 DAS, the transgenic seedlings accumulated fresh weight leading later (28–32 DAS) to ectopic growths at the base of the hypocotyl. The development of ectopic structures correlated with the presence of the enzyme as demonstrated by histochemical staining. Cytokinin quantiﬁcation showed that transgenic seedlings grown on medium containing zeatin accumulate active metabolites like zeatin riboside and zeatin riboside phosphate and this might lead to the observed changes. The presence of the enzyme around the base of the hypocotyl and later, in the ectopic structures themselves, suggests that the development of these structures is due to the perturbance in zeatin metabolism caused by the ectopic presence of Zm-p60.1.