Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cohesion of RBV and industry view for competitive positioning

The discussion on competitive advantage started about half a century ago but foundational theories still lack connectivity. The resource-based view (RBV) concentrates on concepts internal to a firm and disregards the world outside, whereas the industry view neglects internal antecedents and consequences. This review paper examines complementation of leading endogenous and exogenous theories on competitiveness and combines most influential concepts on firm resources and industrial forces to a complementary picture for strategic positioning. Seminal works from Edith Penrose and Michael Porter as well as subsequent research have been investigated on connectivity and togetherness. Inside-out constructs on resources and capabilities must match outside-in constructs on industry and markets in order to achieve competitive advantage. The article includes conceptual discussions of resources, capabilities, and assets. Resources combine to capabilities that are qualified services and value chain activities. Resources can be acquired on markets, while capabilities must be developed within organizations.
Capital flight and development: An overview of concepts, methods, and data sources

This paper offers a critical review of the methods used to estimate the extent of capital flight and illicit financial flows from developing countries. The largest estimates in the literature are based on imperfect methods with a great margin for error. Emerging new studies have built on approaches that successfully isolate missing capital flows and wealth and attempt to address the causal impact of tax rates on capital flows. The results from these studies indicate that the extent of capital flight from developing countries, while smaller than in earlier estimates, is still a cause for concern.
Processing 3-C Heavy Oil Data for Shallow Shear-wave Splitting Properties

Summary We demonstrate several aspects of processing 3-C data to obtain anisotropy information from shearwave splitting. This includes: analysis for unknown or uncertain field orientations of the receivers; a new method of splitting analysis which uses both radial and transverse component data to estimate the S1 direction, which is compared with a transverse only method; and some analysis of the difference between P-S1 and P-S2 imaging versus anisotropy-corrected “radial-prime” (R’) imaging.
Brain Structural Mapping of Multi-factorial Aging Mechanism Using 35,035 UK Biobank Subjects

Mounting evidence shows that the complex interaction between genes and environmental exposures is one of the major reasons for the diverse trajectories of micro- and macro-structural alterations across individuals. However, it is largely elusive how the multi-factorial mechanism, through which the gene-by-environment interaction exerts pathogenetic effects, contributes to brain structure differentially in male and female groups, in different age groups, and under different socioeconomic status (SES). To answer these important neuroscience questions, we performed a large-scale association analysis of brain structural measures and a set of risk factors of interest by using 35,921 subjects from UK Biobank (UKB), where each subject has 101 regional brain volumes, 110 white matter integrity measures, Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes, 15 polygenic risk scores, demographic information, lifestyle factors, and socioeconomic status (SES). We found over 200 significant pairs of brain-wide associations (p < 2.37x10-4) regarding both the main and interaction effects by using exclusively white British UKB subjects, while validating most of them in an independent dataset of non-British UKB ancestry subjects. For example, a positive age-APOE-{varepsilon}2 interaction effect on the amygdala volume was identified, suggesting its protective role of APOE-{varepsilon}2 against brain aging specifically at the amygdala. Our findings allow us to establish an in-depth understanding of health disparities that may ensure that health care is accessible and equal for all, regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, geography, and socioeconomic status.
1 UNCERTAINTY REDUCTION AND PARAMETERS 1 ESTIMATION OF A DISTRIBUTED HYDROLOGICAL MODEL 2 WITH GROUND AND REMOTE SENSING DATA

2 During the last decade the opportunity and usefulness of using remote sensing data in hydrology, 3 hydrometeorology and geomorphology has become even more evident and clear. Satellite based products 4 often provide the advantage of observing hydrologic variables in a distributed way, offering a different view 5 with respect to traditional observations that can help to understand and model the hydrological cycle. 6 Moreover, remote sensing data are fundamental in scarce data environments. The use of satellite derived 7 Digital Elevation Model (DEM), which are globally available now at 30 m resolution (e.g. from Shuttle 8 Radar Topographic Mission, SRTM), have become standard practice in hydrologic model implementation, 9 but other types of satellite derived data are still underutilized. As a consequence there is the need of 10 developing and testing techniques that allow exploiting the opportunities given by remote sensing data to 11 parameterize hydrological model and improving their calibration. 12 In this work, Meteosat Second Generation Land Surface Temperature (LST) estimates and Surface Soil 13 Moisture (SSM) available from EUMETSAT H-SAF are used together with streamflow observations to 14 calibrate the Continuum hydrological model that computes such state variables in a prognostic mode. The 15 first part of the work aims at proving that satellite observations can be exploited to reduce uncertainties in 16 parameters calibration by reducing the parameters equifinality that can become an issue in forecast mode. In 17 the second part four parameter estimation strategies are implemented and tested in a comparative mode: i) a 18 multi-objective approach that includes both satellite and ground observations which is an attempt to use 19 different source of data to add constraints to the parameters; ii and iii) two approaches solely based on 20 remotely sensed data that reproduce the case of scarce data environment where streamflow observation are 21 not available; iv) a standard calibration based on streamflow observations used as a benchmark for the 22 others. 23 Two Italian catchments are used as test-bed to verify the model capability in reproducing long-term (multi24 year) simulations. 25 The results of the analysis evidence that, as a result of the model structure and the nature itself of the 26 catchment hydrologic processes, some model parameters are only weakly dependent on discharge 27 observations and prove the usefulness of using data from both ground stations and satellite to add constrains 28 to the parameters in the calibration process and reducing the number of equifinal solutions. 29 30
Weight loss in adolescents with down syndrome compared to adolescents with other intellectual disabilities enrolled in an 18-month randomized weight management trial

Background There is limited information on the efficacy of weight management interventions in adolescents with Down Syndrome (DS) Objective To compare weight change and intervention compliance between adolescents with DS compared to adolescents with non-DS related intellectual disabilities (ID) who were enrolled in an 18-month weight management trial. Methods Participants were adolescents (13–21 years) with mild to moderate ID and overweight or obesity. Participants were randomized in a 1:1:1 allocation to one of 3 intervention arms for an 18-month weight management trial: face-to-face/conventional diet (FTF/CD), remote delivery/conventional diet (RD/CD), or remote delivery/enhanced Stop Light Diet (RD/eSLD). Anthropometrics were assessed at baseline 6, 12, and 18 months by staff blinded to the intervention, and self-monitoring data was collected across the 18-month study. As an unpowered, post-hoc, secondary analysis, two-sample t-tests were used to compare the weight change across 6,12, and 18 mos. and compliance across 18 mos. between adolescents with and without DS randomized to each intervention arm. Results Adolescents with ID (n = 110) were randomized to one of three intervention arms: FTF/CD (n = 36, DS = 17, other ID = 19), RD/CD (n = 39, DS = 21, other ID = 18) or RD/eSLD (n = 35, DS = 15, other ID = 20). Body weight at 18 months was obtained from 82%, 76% and 73% of participants with DS and 84%, 83% and 75% of participants with other ID randomized to the FTF/CD, RD/CD, and RD/eSLD arms, respectively Weight change across 18 months was −0.2 ± 8.8 kg (−0.5%), −0.3 ± 5.3 kg (−0.7%), and −2.6 ± 5.0 kg (−4.0%) in adolescents with DS randomized to the FTF/CD, RD/CD and RD/eSLD arms, respectively. There were no significant differences in change in body weight or BMI across 18 months between adolescents with DS or those with other ID in any of the 3 intervention arms (all p > 0.05). Additionally, there were no significant differences in intervention compliance between adolescents with and without DS across 18 mos. (all p > 0.05). Conclusions Adolescents with DS respond to a multi-component weight management intervention similar to those with others ID
One-year spatiotemporal variations of air pollutants in a major chemical-industry park in the Yangtze River Delta, China by 30 miniature air quality monitoring stations

Fine chemical industrial park (FCIP) is a major source of atmospheric pollutants in China. A long-term high spatial resolution monitoring campaign on air pollutants had been firstly conducted in a major FCIP in Yangtze River Delta (YRD) from December 2019 to November 2020. The grid-based monitoring platform consisting of 30 miniature air quality monitoring stations (AQMSs) provided comprehensive coverage of a FCIP, and long-term monitoring studies solved the problem of lack of clarity about pollution sources in industrial parks. Overall, NO2 pollution was particularly high in the pharmaceutical industry, while TVOCs and O3 pollution were most serious in the textile dyeing industry, with PM pollution much higher in the metal smelting industry than in other industries, and in the leather industry, O3 pollution was relatively severe. The spatial and temporal variations of air pollutants showed that higher PM, CO and NO2 concentrations were revealed in winter while lower in summer due to better meteorological diffusion conditions. TVOCs concentrations were higher with an average of 1954 ppb in summer possibly due to their increased volatilization from their sources at higher ambient temperatures. O3 concentrations were at their peaks in spring (88.8 μg m−3) and early fall (78.5 μg m−3). The daily trends of O3 precursors (TVOCs and NO2) were clearly negatively correlated with O3, and they showed bimodal peaks due to anthropogenic activities, plant emissions, lowering of the mixed boundary layer, etc. The O3 formed in FCIP was judged to be NO2-limited during the monitoring period based on the ratios of NO2 to TVOCs. Therefore, the effective strategy to reduce O3 formation in FCIP is to decrease the ambient NO2 concentration. Based on Pearson correlation coefficients, it appeared that WS promoted O3 formation through long-term transport and that high air temperatures also contributed to O3 formation in the environment. It was also stated in the study that the closer the residential area is to the industrial sources, the more significant the correlation. Thus, the results of this study will also be helpful for policymakers to design pollutant control strategies for different industries to mitigate the impact of pollutants on human health.
Molecular evolution of human coronavirus-NL63, -229E, -HKU1 and -OC43 in hospitalized children in China

Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) HCoV-NL63, HCoV-229E, HCoV-HKU1 and HCoV-OC43 have been circulated in the human population worldwide, and they are associated with a broad range of respiratory diseases with varying severity. However, there are neither effective therapeutic drugs nor licensed vaccines available for the treatment and prevention of infections by the four HCoVs. In this study, we collected nasopharyngeal aspirates of children hospitalized for respiratory tract infection in China during 2014–2018 and conducted next-generation sequencing. Sequences of four HCoVs were then selected for an in-depth analysis. Genome sequences of 2 HCoV-NL63, 8 HCoV-229E, 2 HCoV-HKU1, and 6 HCoV-OC43 were obtained. Based on the full-length S gene, a strong temporal signal was found in HCoV-229E and the molecular evolutionary rate was 6 × 10−4 substitutions/site/year. Based on the maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree of complete S gene, we designated H78 as a new sub-genotype C2 of HCoV-HKU1, and the obtained P43 sequence was grouped into the reported novel genotype K of HCoV-OC43 circulating in Guangzhou, China. Based on the complete genome, potential recombination events were found to occur as two phenomena, namely intraspecies and interspecies. Moreover, we observed two amino acid substitutions in the S1 subunit of obtained HCoV-NL63 (G534V) and HCoV-HKU1 (H512R), while residues 534 and 512 are important for the binding of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and neutralizing antibodies, respectively. Our findings might provide a clue for the molecular evolution of the four HCoVs and help in the early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of broad-spectrum HCoV infection.
Impact of time between thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy on outcomes in patients with acute ischaemic stroke

Background Benefits of endovascular thrombectomy (ET) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) have been demonstrated, but analyses of the relationship between IVT-ET time delay and functional outcomes among patients receiving both treatments are lacking. Methods We used data from the “Berlin—Specific Acute Treatment in Ischaemic and haemorrhAgic stroke with Long-term outcome” (B–SPATIAL) registry. Between January 1st, 2016 and December 31st, 2019, we included patients who received both IVT and ET. The primary outcome was the 3-month ordinal modified Rankin scale (mRS) score. The IVT-ET time delay was analyzed in categories and continuously. We used adjusted ordinal logistic regression to estimate common odds ratios (cOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Secondary analyses involved flexible modeling of IVT-ET delay and dichotomous outcomes. Results Of 11,049 patients, 714 who received IVT followed by ET were included. Compared with having an IVT-ET window >120 min (reference), for an IVT-ET window < 30 min, we obtained adjusted cORs for mRS of 0.41 (95% CI: 0.22 to 0.78); and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.33 to 0.82) for 30 to 120 min. Secondary analyses also found protective effects of shorter time delays against “poor” functional outcomes at 3 months. Conclusions In patients with AIS, shorter IVT-ET intervals were associated with better 3-month functional outcomes. While the time-to-IVT and time-to-ET include the time until medical attention is received, the IVT-ET time delays fall entirely within the domain of medical management and thus might be easier to optimize.
The derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio can be the predictor of prognosis for COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 infected patients

Background Several systemic inflammatory biomarkers have been associated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease severity in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, it remains unclear which markers are better for predicting prognosis, especially for COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 infected patients. The present study aimed to identify reliable predictors of prognosis of COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 from inflammatory indicators. Methods A cohort of 2645 COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 infected patients were retrospectively analyzed during the Omicron BA.2 surge in Shanghai between April 12, 2022, and June 17, 2022. The patients were admitted to the Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University. Six systemic inflammatory indicators were included, and their cut-off points were calculated using maximally selected rank statistics. The analysis involved Kaplan-Meier curves, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves (time-ROC) for OS-associated inflammatory indicators. Results A total of 2347 COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 infected patients were included. All selected indicators proved to be independent predictors of OS in the multivariate analysis (all P < 0.01). A high derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) was associated with a higher mortality risk of COVID-19 [hazard ratio, 4.272; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.417-7.552]. The analyses of time-AUC and C-index showed that the dNLR (C-index: 0.844, 0.824, and 0.718 for the 5th, 10th, and 15th day, respectively) had the best predictive power for OS in COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 infected patients. Among different sub-groups, the dNLR was the best predictor for OS regardless of age (0.811 for patients aged ≥70 years), gender (C-index, 0.880 for men and 0.793 for women) and disease severity (C-index, 0.932 for non-severe patients and 0.658 for severe patients). However, the platelet to lymphocyte ratio was superior to the other indicators in patients aged <70 years. Conclusions The prognostic ability of the dNLR was higher than the other evaluated inflammatory indicators for all COVID-19 Omicron BA.2 infected patients.
Extreme Downside Liquidity Risk

We merge the literature on downside return risk with that on systematic liquidity risk and introduce the concept of extreme downside liquidity (EDL) risk. We show that the cross-section of expected stock returns reflects a premium for EDL risk. Strong EDL risk stocks deliver a positive risk premium of more than 4% p.a. as compared to weak EDL risk stocks. The effect is more pronounced after the market crash of 1987. It is not driven by linear liquidity risk or by extreme downside return risk, and it cannot be explained by other firm characteristics or other systematic risk factors.
Towards the Strategic Outsourcing of Core Competencies in the Automotive Industry: Threat or Opportunity?

Faced with shorter product life cycles and increased cost of capital, companies can no longer afford the capital outlay for new facilities, which may become underutilised as processes improve over the first few years of operation. Outsourcing the production capacity can remove this uncertainty. However, fast-moving automotive environment companies, faced with increasingly demanding customers, have to deploy the resources and expertise of the best-in-class provider. To achieve this, they have further reduced their functions to a handful of core activities. Outsourcing core activities can bring about benefits under certain circumstances, but also possesses the risk that companies may become 'hollow', and lack a core deliverable. Within the next couple of years, companies in the automotive sector will further outsource activities in order to free up investment capital. The trends and areas of outsourcing have been explored and a guiding framework has been developed for practitioners.
Exploring an Integrated Model of Tracking and Tracing Application: Insights from PeduliLindungi in Indonesia

The impact of COVID-19 in Indonesia has been tremendous. Starting from the announcement of the multi-tiered activity restrictions (PPKM) by the government to the national regulations for the enforcement of the tracking and tracing e-government application, PeduliLindungi, for several regions in Indonesia. Due to the application's significant adoption impact, understanding the integration of its factor and impacts are crucial to gaining a holistic understanding of COVID-19 prevention in Indonesia. This research aims to explore an integrated model consisting of factors affecting and impacts of the adoption of e-government applications in Indonesia, specifically towards PeduliLindungi. This research uses an exploratory research model with constructs adapted from various past research inspired by the Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) dan Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) research models. The analysis process of this research utilizes the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). This research shows that perceived ease of use, perceived benefits, hedonic motivation, and trust in government prove to predict tracking and tracing e-government adoption. On the other hand, Information transparency, government accessibility, social awareness, dan intention to recommend are proven impacts of tracking and tracing e-government adoption. Theoretically, this research theoretically enriches the e-government research field in Indonesia by exploring PeduliLindungi and providing a baseline for future research. Preictally, this research gives insights and suggestions about the impact of adopting tracking and tracing e-government in Indonesia.
Use of Biological Methods For Removal of H2S From Biogas In Wastewater Treatment Plants – A Review

Abstract Biogas is produced during anaerobic digestion of organic substances by a consortium of microorganisms. Biogas consists mainly of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Other gases such as dinitrogen (N2), water vapour (H2O), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and other sulfur compounds could also be found therein. Biogas produced by waste biomass has been recognized as one of the most important alternative energy sources in the recent years. In order to be used as a source of energy to generate heat and electricity, biogas should be cleaned. H2S is a colourless, flammable, malodorous and toxic gas. The main issues due to the high concentrations of H2S in biogas are its corrosive action, which damages engines and the production of sulfur oxides (SOx) due to H2S combustion. The best ways to remove H2S from biogas are the biological methods with the use of biofilters, biotrickling filters, bioscrubbers and using of activated sludge.
The effects of trauma experiences in maltreated adolescents with respect to familial and cultural variables

The Effects of Trauma Experiences in Maltreated Adolescents with Respect to Familial and Cultural Variables by Amie Marie Lemos-Miller Dr. Christopher A. Kearney, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Psychology University of Nevada, Las Vegas Child maltreatment is a societal problem that affects thousands of youths in the United States. Substantial amounts of youths affected by child maltreatment develop Posttraumatic Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Depression, maladaptive cognitions, dissociation, and anger are symptoms often associated with presentations of PTSD. Specifically, these PTSD-related symptoms may influence development and maintenance of PTSD. This study examined PTSD-related symptoms and PTSD associated with child maltreatment within a culturally competent, ecologically-based framework. The first hypothesis was that family expressiveness, cohesion, control, conflict, and independence would mediate the relationship between (1) PTSD-related symptoms of depression, dissociation, maladaptive cognitions, and anger and (2) PTSD symptoms. The second hypothesis was that ethnic identity would mediate the relationship between (1) depression, dissociation, anger, and maladaptive cognitions and (2) PTSD symptoms.