Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is environmental disclosure good for the environment? A meta-analysis and research agenda

This paper reviews the literature on the association between environmental disclosure and environmental performance. Results from previous studies are mixed. While some studies conducted in an economic perspective document a positive association between these two environmental dimensions, other studies obtain a negative association that they mainly explain using arguments drawn from socio-political theories. Given these conflicting results, we conduct a meta-analysis to provide an average direction and magnitude of the association between environmental disclosure and environmental performance. The meta-analysis reveals that there is no association between the environmental disclosure and the environmental performance of the 2,672 companies of our cumulated sample, and that this non-association remains constant over time despite the continuous reinforcement of environmental regulations. Based on these results, we discuss theoretical and methodological issues associated with prior literature that could explain this overall non-association and we suggest avenues for future research.
Extinction rate has a complex and non-linear relationship with area

Aim. Biodiversity loss, measured as count of extinction events, is a key component of biodiversity change, and can significantly impact ecosystem services. However, estimation of the loss has focused mostly on per-species extinction rates measured over limited numbers of spatial scales, with no theory linking small-scale extirpations with global extinctions. Here we provide such link by introducing the relationship between area and per-species probability of extinction (PxAR) and between area and count of realized extinction events in that area (NxAR). We show theoretical and empirical forms of these relationships, and we discuss their role in perception and estimation of the current extinction crisis. Location USA, Europe, Czech Republic, Barro Colorado Island Methods We derived the expected forms of PxAR and NxAR from a range of theoretical frameworks based on theory of island biogeography, neutral models, and species-area relationships. We constructed PxAR and NxAR in five empirical datasets on butterflies, plants, trees and birds, collected over range of spatial scales. Results Both the theoretical arguments and empirical data support monotonically decreasing PxAR, i.e. per-species extinction probability decreasing with increasing area; however, we also report a rare theoretical possibility of locally increasing PxAR. In contrast, both theory and data revealed complex NxAR, i.e. counts of extinction events follow variety of relationships with area, including nonlinear unimodal, multimodal and U-shaped relationships, depending on region and taxon. Main conclusions The uncovered wealth of forms of NxAR can explain why biodiversity change (the net outcome of losses and gains) also appears scale-dependent. Furthermore, the complex scale dependence of PxAR and NxAR means that global extinctions indicate little about local extirpations, and vice versa. Hence, effort should be made to understand and report extinction crisis as a scale-dependent problem. In this effort, estimation of scaling relationships such as PxAR and NxAR should be central.
Inclusive Education in India

India is one of the few countries world over where the education of children with special needs doesn’t fall within the purview of human resource development ministry. It is generally the burden of the omnibus ministry of social justice and empowerment, the prime focus of which is rehabilitation, not education. In fact, till today it does not have education as part of its agenda and the issue of education of children with disabilities remains imperceptible, hidden from the public domain, a private problem for families and NGOs to deal with. It’s time that governmental agencies as well as mainstream institutions woke up to the reality that segregation of children with challenging needs is morally unjustifiable and a violation of human rights. Indeed there is no other way to provide education to 36 million disabled children. Seventy-eight percent of Indian population lives in rural areas without provision for special schools. Therefore, inclusive schools have to address the needs of all children in every community and the central and state governments have to train their teachers to manage inclusive classrooms.
The influence of speech coding on recognition performance in telecommunication networks

The influence of encoding and decoding speech on automatic speech recognition is investigated in this paper with respect to applications in today’s telecommunication networks. The deterioration of recognition performance is presented for several coding schemes in GSM and future mobile networks. The extraction of acoustic features for the recognition is done with the already standardized ETSI frontend and with the advanced robust frontend whose standardization is almost finished. The Aurora2 experiment for recognizing the noisy TIDigits is taken as experimental basis. Finally recognition results are compared to results of subjective listening tests that have been performed for the characterisation of these speech coding schemes.
Prediction of weekly nitrate-N fluctuations in a small agricultural watershed in Illinois

Agricultural nonpoint source pollution has been identified as one of the leading causes of surface water quality impairment in the United States. Such an impact is important, particularly in predominantly agricultural areas, where application of agricultural fertilizers often results in excessive nitrate levels in streams and rivers. When nitrate concentration in a public water supply reaches or exceeds drinking water standards, costly measures such as well closure or water treatment have to be considered. Thus, having accurate nitrate-N predictions is critical in making correct and timely management decisions. This study applied a set of data mining tools to predict weekly nitrate-N concentrations at a gauging station on the Sangamon River near Decatur, Illinois. The data mining tools used in this study included artificial neural networks, evolutionary polynomial regression and the naive Bayes model. The results were compared using seven forecast measures. In general, all models performed reasonably well, but not all achieved best scores in each of the measures, suggesting that a multi-tool approach is needed. In addition to improving forecast accuracy compared with previous studies, the tools described in this study demonstrated potential for application in error analysis, input selection and ranking of explanatory variables, thereby designing cost-effective monitoring networks.
Entanglement of random subspaces via the Hastings bound

Recently, Hastings [“A counterexample to additivity of minimum output entropy,” Nat. Phys. 5, 255 (2009); e-print arXiv:0809.3972v3] proved the existence of random unitary channels, which violate the additivity conjecture. In this paper, we use Hastings’ method to derive new bounds for the entanglement of random subspaces of bipartite systems. As an application we use these bounds to prove the existence of nonunital channels, which violate additivity of minimal output entropy.
Selective Restoration of the Selenoprotein Population in a Mouse Hepatocyte Selenoproteinless Background with Different Mutant Selenocysteine tRNAs Lacking Um34*

Novel mouse models were developed in which the hepatic selenoprotein population was targeted for removal by disrupting the selenocysteine (Sec) tRNA[Ser]Sec gene (trsp), and selenoprotein expression was then restored by introducing wild type or mutant trsp transgenes. The selenoprotein population was partially replaced in liver with mutant transgenes encoding mutations at either position 34 (34T→A) or 37 (37A→G) in tRNA[Ser]Sec. The A34 transgene product lacked the highly modified 5-methoxycarbonylmethyl-2′-O-methyluridine, and its mutant base A was converted to I34. The G37 transgene product lacked the highly modified N6-isopentenyladenosine. Both mutant tRNAs lacked the 2′-methylribose at position 34 (Um34), and both supported expression of housekeeping selenoproteins (e.g. thioredoxin reductase 1) in liver but not stress-related proteins (e.g. glutathione peroxidase 1). Thus, Um34 is responsible for synthesis of a select group of selenoproteins rather than the entire selenoprotein population. The ICA anticodon in the A34 mutant tRNA decoded Cys codons, UGU and UGC, as well as the Sec codon, UGA. However, metabolic labeling of A34 transgenic mice with 75Se revealed that selenoproteins incorporated the label from the A34 mutant tRNA, whereas other proteins did not. These results suggest that the A34 mutant tRNA did not randomly insert Sec in place of Cys, but specifically targeted selected selenoproteins. High copy numbers of A34 transgene, but not G37 transgene, were not tolerated in the absence of wild type trsp, further suggesting insertion of Sec in place of Cys in selenoproteins.
Body Mass Index Is Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Prior work suggested that patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have lower body mass index (BMI) than controls and patients with lower BMI have more serious complications. Goal The study was aimed to find relationship between BMI in patients with and without IBD, investigate effects of medicine therapy and disease stages on patients’ BMI. Methods Potentially eligible studies were identified through searching PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases. Outcome measurements of mean BMI and the number of patients from each study were pooled by a random-effect model. Publication bias test, sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were conducted. Results A total of 24 studies containing 1442 patients and 2059 controls were included. Main results were as follows: (1) BMI in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients was lower than that in health controls (-1.88, 95% CI -2.77 to -1.00, P< 0.001); (2) Medical therapy significantly improved BMI of CD patients (with therapy: -1.58, -3.33 to 0.16; without: -2.09, 95% CI -3.21 to -0.98) while on the contrary not significantly improving BMI of UC patients (with therapy: -0.24, 95% CI -3.68 to 3.20; without: -1.34, 95% CI -2.87 to 0.20, P = 0.57); (3) Both CD and UC patients in active phase showed significantly greater BMI difference compared with controls than those in remission (CD patients: remission: -2.25, 95% CI -3.38 to -1.11; active phase: -4.25, 95% CI -5.58 to -2.92, P = 0.03; UC patients: remission: 0.4, 95% CI -2.05 to 2.84; active phase: -5.38, -6.78 to -3.97, P = 0.001). Conclusions BMI is lower in CD patients; medical therapy couldn’t improve BMI of IBD patients; the state of disease affects BMI of CD patients and UC patients.
Governing Through Networks: Participation Dynamics in New Deal for Communities

This thesis examines participation in local decision making for public services in the context of changing modes of governance in Britain. The impact of resident participation on local public services through a regeneration partnership is explored through a focus on how participation processes operate in a governance network context. Governance reforms in Britain have provided new opportunities for citizens to participate in public policy decision making. In particular, urban regeneration partnerships such as New Deal for Communities have been designed to promote local resident participation and also to reorient local services to be more closely aligned with resident needs, and thereby to reduce social exclusion. This has presented opportunities for residents to influence local public services; this type of participation outcome has received little attention however. This thesis argues that urban regeneration partnerships can be understood as a type of governance network which create opportunities for resident participation, and that a more detailed understanding of ‘network’ aspects of governing can explain some of the processes and outcomes of resident participation in this context. The research was carried out through an ethnographic case study of a New Deal for Communities programme, in East Manchester. A ‘theory of change’ framework was used to explore participation processes and outcomes in detail. The research found that certain individuals acted as ‘brokers’ through whom processes of influence operated. The more personal aspects of the relationships, or ‘strong ties’, between them were also significant. Resident influence through network governing was largely restricted to the local level however, and was unstable. This thesis makes a contribution to understanding how participation processes operate in an urban regeneration context and how they may lead to changes in public services. The thesis also makes a theoretical contribution by exploring how governance network processes may operate through brokers and network ties.
What do recent advances in quantifying climate and carbon cycle uncertainties mean for climate policy?

Global policy targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions are being negotiated. The amount of emitted carbon dioxide remaining in the atmosphere is controlled by carbon cycle processes in the ocean and on land. These processes are themselves affected by climate. The resulting ‘climate–carbon cycle feedback’ has recently been quantified, but the policy implications have not. Using a scheme to emulate the range of state-of-the-art model results for climate feedback strength, including the modelled range of climate sensitivity and other key uncertainties, we analyse recent global targets. The G8 target of a 50% cut in emissions by 2050 leaves CO2 concentrations rising rapidly, approaching 1000 ppm by 2300. The Stern Review’s proposed 25% cut in emissions by 2050, continuing to an 80% cut, does in fact approach stabilization of CO2 concentration on a policy-relevant (century) timescale, with most models projecting concentrations between 500 and 600 ppm by 2100. However concentrations continue to rise gradually. Long-term stabilization at 550 ppm CO2 requires cuts in emissions of 81 to 90% by 2300, and more beyond as a portion of the CO2 emitted persists for centuries to millennia. Reductions of other greenhouse gases cannot compensate for the long-term effects of emitting CO2.
Opening a Developing Economy in the 21st Century: A Look at the Rural Salvadoran Perspective

In recent decades there has been a trend for countries to begin establishing bilateral trade relations with one another, namely, free trade agreements. The result has been open economies that are economically tied to one another. In El Salvador, two policies are highlighted that tie it strongly to the United States: Dollarization and the Dominican Republic Central American Free Trade Agreement (DRCAFTA). This paper analyzes the policy process, utilizing a mix of the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) and Neoinsitutionalism; macroeconomic trends that have followed; and the perception of a sample population regarding their quality of life in the past five years. What was discovered was that the government of El Salvador, at the time when the policies were being negotiated, acted in a process that had much to do with a Neoinstitutional approach, while, simultaneously, following along the lines of the MSF. The policies have allowed for El Salvador to have a highly open economy, which has exposed it to being influenced more by the global economy. This exposure has seen increases in food and medicine prices that have affected the rural Salvadoran population. Concentrating on a small, rural sample population, the analysis highlights major worry among participants regarding a deteriorating quality of life.
The Galaxy Luminosity Function at z ≃ 1 in the HUDF: Probing the Dwarf Population

We present a catalog of spectrophotometric redshifts for 1308 galaxies from the Grism ACS Program for Extragalactic Science (GRAPES) observations with the Hubble Space Telescope. These low-resolution spectra between 6000 Å and 9500 Å are supplemented with U, J, H, and Ks data from various facilities, resulting in redshifts computed with ~40 spectral bins per galaxy. For 75 galaxies in the range 0.5 < z < 1.5 with spectroscopic redshifts, the standard deviation in the fractional error in 1 + z is 0.037. With this catalog, we compute the B-band luminosity function in this redshift range from 72 galaxies. Due to the depth of the GRAPES survey, we are able to accurately constrain the faint-end slope by going to MB ≃ -18 mag at z = 1.0 ± 0.2, nearly 2 mag fainter than previous studies. The faint-end slope is α = -1.32 ± 0.07. When compared to numerous published values at various redshifts, we find strong evidence for a steepening of the faint-end slope with redshift, which is expected in the hierarchical formation scenario of galaxies.
The attitudes of young people towards sustainable transport

This paper considers that a fuller understanding of the public’s attitudes towards and perceptions of transport is essential in the development of successful campaigns and policies aiming to encourage more sustainable transport behaviour. The paper seeks to clarify: the importance of understanding the attitudes and perceptions of young people (the future users and decision makers in regard to transport); what is currently understood in this area through a review of the current literature; where new research can make a contribution to knowledge; and subsequently a conceptual framework is developed to guide proposed new research. Specifically this research will seek to: identify which sources of knowledge impact on the attitudes of young people towards transport; examine how these sources of knowledge impact on their attitudes; investigate what and how subjective factors impact on young people’s transport related attitudes; and determine to what extent perceived control over behaviour affects their attitudes and behaviours. Each of these factors is considered in the context of the changes in life stage that young people experience as they age. In addition, the paper justifies and outlines a methodology for successfully capturing the perceptions and attitudes of young people in their own words. The research will be using participatory methods, in particular a combination of photography and discussion groups, which has the potential to act as a highly successful way of involving young research participants (aged between 11 and 18 in terms of this research) and revealing depth insights.
Developmental Regionalism and Regional Value Chains: Pitfalls to South Africa's Vision for the Tripartite Free Trade Area

Regional integration via the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) received a significant boost when the South African parliament signed the corresponding agreement in October 2018. This article uncovers the convictions and objectives that drive South Africa's commitment to the TFTA. It reveals that South Africa sees the TFTA as a means of “developmental regionalism,” which is expected to facilitate region-wide industrialisation based on value addition in regional value chains (RVCs). For this purpose, South Africa seeks to coordinate industrial policies within the TFTA and rehabilitate infrastructure jointly with the regional states. In addition to explaining the logic behind these goals, and analysing how far they have already been achieved, the article also highlights important challenges to South Africa's vision for the TFTA. It calls the prospects of developmental regionalism into question, being particularly sceptical about the way in which RVCs are conceived.
Predominance of caudate nucleus lesions in acute ischaemic stroke patients with impairment in language and speech

Whereas traditional views of language processing in the brain have assumed that the language function is concentrated to a limited number of cortical areas (Broca's and Wernicke's areas), current knowledge points at a much more complex system of language and speech processing involving many brain areas, both cortical and subcortical. The purpose of the current study was to make an unbiased assessment of which cerebral areas are affected in first‐ever acute ischaemic stroke patients identified as having language and speech impairments according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS).
News Media Credibility of the Internet and Television

In this study, a survey design was used to determine the factors influences the perception of media credibility to decipher how respondents perceive the Internet and television in terms of credibility for news information. A survey with 270 non-academic professional staff was conducted to determine the factors that influence their perception towards media credibility. The systematic sampling method was used to select for inclusion in the sample. The results of the study revealed that television is more credible than Internet to convey news. This study also explored a positive and significant relationship between issue salience, media reliance, and media usage with perception of the Internet and television credibility.
Analog placement design with constraints of multiple symmetry groups

This paper presents a solution to handling multiple symmetry constraints in the placement design using transitive closure graph (TCG) representation for analog layouts. We propose a set of symmetric-feasible conditions, which can guarantee symmetric placement of sensitive cells with respect to multiple symmetry axes for reduction of parasitic mismatch and thermal gradients. We also develop a new contour-based packing scheme with time complexity of O(p⋅nlgn), where p is the number of symmetric groups and n is the number of the placed cells. Furthermore, a set of perturbation operations with time complexity of O(n), where n is the number of the placed cells, are defined in order to generate a random symmetric-feasible TCG configuration from an existing one. Our experimental results show the effectiveness of this approach compared to other state-of-the-art placement algorithms.
Ownership Structure and Risk: A Canadian Empirical Analysis

This study attempts to relate ownership structure to changes in corporate risk behavior for Canadian firms using seven competing risk measurement models and three ownership structure indicators selected to reflect the roles of the firm major players. Univariate and multivariate cross-sectional tests are conducted using a sample of 569 Canadian non-financial listed firms. This study tests the hypothesis that ownership structure of the firm is negatively related to its level of risk and that this relation is a complex and nonlinear one. We provide evidence that the ownership structure can explain the cross-sectional variation in the firm level of risk. A nonlinear relationship between managerial ownership and both total risk and systematic risk is uncovered, with higher risk-taking at lower and very high ownership levels, consistent with evidence of Chen and Steiner (1999) for U.S. non-financial firms.