Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does environmental compliance pay

This paper examines the relationship between the environmental compliance and financial performance of large US companies. The environmental performance is measured in penalties assessed for violations of environmental regulations. The financial performance is represented by the profit margins. The regression models developed in this paper suggest that the degrees of environmental compliance have a positive influence on the profit margins. Conventional economic wisdom is that regulations impose costs and restrictions and, therefore, put companies at a competitive disadvantage. However, this paper is consistent with the proponents of environmental regulations who argue that tough regulations force companies to be innovative and as a result make them more productive.
Multilingual Speech Emotion Recognition System Based on a Three-Layer Model

Speech Emotion Recognition (SER) systems currently are focusing on classifying emotions on each single language. Since optimal acoustic sets are strongly language dependent, to achieve a generalized SER system working for multiple languages, issues of selection of common features and retraining are still challenging. In this paper, we therefore present a SER system in a multilingual scenario from perspective of human perceptual processing. The goal is twofold. Firstly, to predict multilingual emotion dimensions accurately such as human annotations. To this end, a three layered model consist of acoustic features, semantic primitives, emotion dimensions, along with Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) were studied. Secondly, by knowledge of human perception of emotion among languages in dimensional space, we adopt direction and distance as common features to detect multilingual emotions. Results of estimation performance of emotion dimensions comparable to human evaluation is furnished, and classification rates that are close to monolingual SER system performed are achieved.
Performance benchmarking of SDN experimental platforms

There is a huge number of SDN experimental platforms available such as simulators, emulators and actual testbeds, each of them having different performance metrics. This paper presents a series of performance tests, that can be performed in each of the available platforms, in order to evaluate and rank them in various performance categories. These tests cover performance categories such as experiment setup/teardown time, resources needed in the form of CPU and RAM, as well as the fair use and fair share of those resources by the experimental platform. In addition, ping delay, response failure rate and scalability are also measured. All the performance tests presented in this paper have been implemented in Mininet emulator in order to evaluate its performance. After the data analysis, the most noticeable results are (i) response failure increases as the number of links increases, in some cases by 95%, (ii) CPU load balancing is more efficient as the number of nodes increases and (iii) initial ping delay is huge compared to average ping delay, in some cases up to 1725 times larger. Finally, performance results indicate that Mininet has several scalability issues.
Cost Evaluation of Credit Risk Securitization in the Electricity Industry: Credit Default Acceptance vs. Margining Costs

Institutions such as the European Commission (EC) are currently seeking to increase the transparency of the derivatives markets. This course of action includes in particular the installation of a centralized clearing entity and with this the obligation to clear all relevant financial derivatives. Besides the expected securitization of the financial system, these steps would also significantly influence the electricity industry, as most of the commodity trading in this sector is currently still done in the largely non-cleared OTC markets. Despite the fact that clearing of the OTC contracts in this sector has significantly increased over the last years, credit risk mitigation is still largely effected with bilateral netting agreements, standardized contracts and individual trading limits between partners. This paper explores the impact of margining on the financial costs in comparison to the direct management and the intentional acceptance of credit risk. For this purpose, the losses due to defaulting business partners in the electricity industry are compared with the interest requirements of the cash reserve for an assumed margining account. The results show that for an asset-backed utility, depending on the price trajectory, the cost of margining may significantly outreach the costs stemming from the acceptance of credit risk.
Population structure and gene flow reversals in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) over contemporary and long‐term temporal scales: effects of population size and life history

Metapopulation dynamics are increasingly invoked in management and conservation of endangered species. In this context, asymmetrical gene flow patterns can be density dependent, with migration occurring mainly from larger into smaller populations, which may depend on it for their persistence. Using genetic markers, such patterns have recently been documented for various organisms including salmonids, suggesting this may be a more general pattern. However, metapopulation theory does not restrict gene flow asymmetry to ‘source‐sink’ structures, nor need these patterns be constant over longer evolutionary timescales. In anadromous salmonids, gene flow can be expected to be shaped by various selective pressures underlying homing and dispersal (‘straying’) behaviours. The relative importance of these selective forces will vary spatially and for populations of different census size. Furthermore, the consequences of life‐history variation among populations for dispersal and hence gene flow remain poorly quantified. We examine population structure and connectivity in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) from Newfoundland and Labrador, a region where populations of this species are relatively pristine. Using genetic variation at 13 microsatellite loci from samples (N = 1346) collected from a total of 20 rivers, we examine connectivity at several regional and temporal scales and test the hypothesis that the predominant direction of gene flow is from large into small populations. We reject this hypothesis and find that the directionality of migration is affected by the temporal scale over which gene flow is assessed. Whereas large populations tend to function as sources of dispersal over contemporary timescales, such patterns are often changed and even reversed over evolutionary, coalescent‐derived timescales. These patterns of population structure furthermore vary between different regions and are compatible with demographic and life‐history attributes. We find no evidence for sex‐biased dispersal underlying gene flow asymmetry. Our findings caution against generalizations concerning the directionality of gene flow in Atlantic salmon and emphasize the need for detailed regional study, if such information is to be meaningfully applied in conservation and management of salmonids.
Mental State Attribution to Educational Robots: An Experience with Children in Primary School 235-242

The work presented in this paper was carried out in the context of the project Girls and boys: one day at university promoted by the City of Turin together with the University of Turin. We were responsible for two educational activities on robotics and coding hosted at the Computer Science Department, which made one of its laboratories available for this kind of lesson. At the conclusion of the lab's sessions, children compiled the Attribution of Mental State (AMS) questionnaire, which is a measure of mental states that participants attribute to robots, namely the user's perception of the robot's mental qualities as compared to humans. We distributed the questionnaires both to children attending the educational robotics lab and to children performing coding activities. Results show that the first group attributed higher mental qualities to the robots, compared to the attribution given by children that did not have a direct experience with a robot.
Does Strategic Ability Affect Efficiency? Evidence from Electricity Markets

Oligopoly models of price competition predict that strategic firms exercise market power and generate inefficiencies. However, heterogeneity in firms’ strategic ability also generates inefficiencies. We study the Texas electricity market where firms exhibit significant heterogeneity in how they deviate from Nash equilibrium bidding. These deviations, in turn, increase the cost of production. To explain this heterogeneity, we embed a cognitive hierarchy model into a structural model of bidding and estimate firms’ strategic sophistication. We find that firm size and manager education affect sophistication. Using the model, we show that mergers which increase sophistication can increase efficiency despite increasing market concentration. (JEL D24, D43, G34, L13, L25, L94)
Controllability discrepancy and irreducibility/reducibility of Floquet factorisations in linear continuous-time periodic systems

The paper reports interesting but unnoticed facts about irreducibility (resp., reducibility) of Flouqet factorisations and their harmonic implication in term of controllability in finite-dimensional linear continuous-time periodic (FDLCP) systems. Reducibility and irreducibility are attributed to matrix logarithm algorithms during computing Floquet factorisations in FDLCP systems, which are a pair of essential features but remain unnoticed in the Floquet theory so far. The study reveals that reducible Floquet factorisations may bring in harmonic waves variance into the Fourier analysis of FDLCP systems that in turn may alter our interpretation of controllability when the Floquet factors are used separately during controllability testing; namely, controllability interpretation discrepancy (or simply, controllability discrepancy) may occur and must be examined whenever reducible Floquet factorisations are involved. On the contrary, when irreducible Floquet factorisations are employed, controllability interpretation discrepancy can be avoided. Examples are included to illustrate such observations.
Adrenocortical Secretion in Anesthetized Dogs During Hyperoxia, Hypoxia and Positive Pressure Breathing.∗

Summary Experiments on acutely prepared anesthetized dogs revealed that 17-OHCS secretion after adrenal vein cannulation reached a low baseline level within one hour and remained relatively stable for the next 3.5 hours during which time the adrenal cortex was responsive to exogenous ACTH. Using this preparation, 17-OHCS secretory rates were significantly increased during hyperoxia, hypoxia and continuous positive pressure breathing. No significant positive correlations between steroid concentration and plasma flow were observed. The possible mechanism (s) for stimulation of the adrenal cortex during these stresses are discussed.
Copper and magnesium deficiencies in patients with short bowel syndrome receiving parenteral nutrition or oral feeding.

BACKGROUND Patients with short bowel syndrome have significant fluid and electrolytes loss. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the mineral and electrolyte status in short bowel syndrome patients receiving intermittent parenteral nutrition or oral feeding. METHODS Twenty two adults with short bowel syndrome, of whom 11 were parenteral nutrition dependent (PN group), and the 11 remaining had been weaned off parenteral nutrition for at least 1 year and received all nutrients by oral feeding (OF group). The study also included 14 healthy volunteers paired by age and gender (control group). Food ingestion, anthropometry, serum or plasma levels of sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron and copper were evaluated. PN group subjects were evaluated before starting a new parenteral nutrition cycle. RESULTS The levels of sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and zinc were similar between the groups. The magnesium value was lower in the PN group (1.0 ± 0.4 mEq /L) than other groups. Furthermore, this electrolyte was lower in the OF group (1.4 ± 0.3 mEq /L) when compared to the Control group (1.8 ± 0.1 mEq/L). Lower values of copper (69±24 vs 73±26 vs 109±16 µg/dL) were documented, respectively, for the PN and OF groups when compared to the control group. CONCLUSION Hypomagnesemia and hypocupremia are electrolyte disturbances commonly observed in short bowel syndrome. Patients with massive intestinal resection require monitoring and supplementation in order to prevent magnesium and copper deficiencies.
Intrauterine exposure to infection and risk of cerebral palsy in very preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate exposure to intrauterine infection as an independent risk factor for spastic cerebral palsy (CP) among very prematurely born infants. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case-control study. METHODS Singleton children with gestational ages less than 32 weeks and birth weights less than 1999 g who survived to age 2 years and were born from 1988 to 1994 in a level 2 or 3 hospital in California were included in the study. Cases were children with congenital spastic CP (n = 170). Controls were children randomly sampled within 250-g birth weight intervals (n = 270). Gestational age was controlled through multiple logistic models. Major analyses were controlled for preeclampsia and short time between admission and delivery. RESULTS Neither clinical nor histologic indicators of intrauterine infection were associated with total spastic CP or spastic diplegia in these infants. Although not predicted by prior hypothesis, we observed an approximate doubling of risk for infants of infected mothers among children born to white women, whereas no association was noted among children born to women of other races/ethnicities. White controls had lower frequency of all measured infection indicators compared with white cases and cases and controls of other races/ethnicities. CONCLUSION Exposure to intrauterine infection was not an independent risk factor for CP in very premature infants when gestational age and other confounders were tightly controlled.
Investigating agency–client relationships in the Polish advertising industry

This paper explores selection and retention factors as perceived among agencies and clients operating in the Polish advertising industry. Initially, a broad review of advertising and marketing literature is presented in the context of those variables perceived to be important for (a) selecting/evaluating ad agencies, and (b) maintaining client loyalty and client retention. Two ad agencies and two advertisers in Poland were approached in order to explore and evaluate the variables in more depth, and as a result 15 key variables emerged that became the focus for the study. A questionnaire was designed and a postal survey was later administered to advertisers and agencies with the intentions of obtaining the views of both parties. Emerging findings of the study indicate that clients tend to focus on sales pitch and factors relating to past performance in recruiting an agency. Results also reveal that there was a close consensus among agencies and their clients concerning the relative importance of retention factors such as quality of service and customer care attributes.
Real-time metabolic monitoring with proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry

We analysed the time evolution of several volatile organic compounds formed by the catabolism of ingested isotope-labelled ethanol using real-time breath gas analysis with proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry. Isotope labelling allowed distinguishing the emerging volatile metabolites from their naturally occurring, highly abundant counterparts in the human breath. Due to an extremely low detection limit of the employed technologies in the parts per trillion per volume range, it was possible to detect the emerging metabolic products in exhaled breath within ∼10 min after oral ingestion of isotope-labelled ethanol. We observed that ethanol was in part transformed into deuterated acetone and isoprene, reflecting the different fates of activated acetic acid (acetyl-coenzyme A), formed in ethanol metabolism. Using ethanol as a model clearly demonstrated the value of the here presented technique for the search for volatile markers for metabolic disorders in the exhaled breath and its potential usefulness in the diagnosis and monitoring of such diseases.
Effect of combination therapy including protease inhibitors on mortality among children and adolescents infected with HIV-1.

BACKGROUND Combination therapy including protease inhibitors has been shown to be effective in treating adults infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), but there are only limited data regarding the treatment of children and adolescents. METHODS A cohort of 1028 HIV-1-infected children and adolescents, from birth through 20 years of age, who were enrolled in research clinics in the United States before 1996 was followed prospectively through 1999. We used proportional-hazards regression models to estimate the effect on mortality of combination therapy including protease inhibitors. RESULTS Seven percent of the subjects were receiving combination therapy including protease inhibitors in 1996; by 1999, 73 percent were receiving such therapy. In univariate analyses, a higher base-line percentage of lymphocytes that were CD4-positive, a higher weight for age, a higher height for age, black race, Hispanic ethnic background, younger age, and perinatally acquired infection were associated with a longer median time to the initiation of this type of therapy (P<0.001). After adjustment for covariates, the differences among racial and ethnic groups in the time to initiation were not statistically significant. Mortality declined from 5.3 percent in 1996 to 2.1 percent in 1997, 0.9 percent in 1998, and 0.7 percent in 1999 (P for trend <0.001). There were reductions in mortality in all subgroups defined according to age, sex, percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes, educational level of the parent or guardian, and race or ethnic background. In adjusted analyses, the initiation of combination therapy including protease inhibitors was independently associated with reduced mortality (hazard ratio for death, 0.33; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.19 to 0.58; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The use of combination therapy including protease inhibitors has markedly reduced mortality among children and adolescents infected with HIV-1.
Psychopathic Traits and Preattentive Threat Processing in Children

We tested the fearlessness hypothesis of psychopathy in an at-risk sample of 88 preadolescent children. Psychopathy was measured using combined child- and parent-reported scores on the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD). Using a continuous-flash-suppression paradigm, we evaluated threat processing at the preattentive level for the first time in a study of psychopathy. Scores for the APSD Callous/Unemotional factor, which assesses the core affective deficits of psychopathy, predicted preattentive face-recognition deficits for fearful faces and, to a lesser extent, for disgusted faces. This finding contradicts recent suggestions that the fearlessness associated with psychopathy is solely a consequence of overt attentional artifacts. Future research should focus on preattentive processing of fear in individuals with callous-unemotional traits, and on the implications of preattentive-processing deficits for treatment and theory development.
Experience with a new skin test antigen prepared from Cryptococcus neoformans.

Despite mounting evidence that attests to the ubiquity of Cryptococcus neoformans, cryptococcosis develops in only a few of the many persons who must be exposed to this organism (1). The reasons for this disparity are not understood, but there has been speculation that these patients with clinical illness represent only a small part of a much larger population that has been infected with C. neoformans. Hopefully, immunologic methods will be valuable in clarifying the epidemiology of cryptococcosis, and the present report describes a continuation of previous efforts in this laboratory to develop a skin test antigen that would be suitable for this purpose (2).
Primary nerve repair by muscle autografts prepared with local anesthetic

We evaluated the usefulness of muscle autografts obtained immediately after graft preparation with lidocaine injections for primary nerve repair. The right sciatic nerve of adult Wistar rats was sectioned, and muscle grafts obtained 15 min or 24 h after lidocaine injection were used to repair a gap 1.5 cm long. Axon and fiber diameters, as well as myelin thickness, decreased to similar extents for grafts of both time intervals. The G‐ratios in the distal stumps of both groups were not different from controls, indicating that regenerated axons had a proper level of myelination. The ultrastructural appearance of the neuromuscular junctions was similar to that of normal samples. These results indicate that there are no restrictions to the use of a muscle graft for primary nerve repair, immediately after lidocaine injection, since the nerve regeneration was comparable to that observed with this type of graft used 24 h after being prepared. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Calibration of open interconnect yield models

The critical area model is commonly used to estimate the yield loss sensitivity of products to random failure mechanisms, especially shorts. With the shift to dual-damascene copper backends, interconnect opens have become a very important factor in product yield loss. On via chain test structures, we observe a strong dependence of the yield loss as a function of via density. Using the critical area model, we calculate the sensitivity of via chains to metal opens and via opens. By comparison with experimental data, we show that the difference in via chain yields between aluminum line-tungsten plug and dual-damascene copper technologies can be adequately explained by the difference in predominant yield loss mechanism. The presented model allows accurate calibration of yield models for backend yield loss due to opens.
Demonstration of Low Power 3-bit Multilevel Cell Characteristics in a TaOx-Based RRAM by Stack Engineering

Multilevel cell (MLC) storage technology is attractive in achieving ultrahigh density memory with low cost. In this letter, we have demonstrated 3-bit per cell storage characteristics in a TaOx-based RRAM. By analyzing the key requirements for MLC operation mainly the switching uniformity and stability of resistance levels, an engineered stack based on thermodynamics in top electrode/(vacancy reservoir/defect control layer)/switching layer/bottom electrode structure was designed. In the optimized stack with ~10-nm Ta layer incorporated at W/TaOx interface, seven low resistance state levels with same high resistance state were obtained by controlling the switching current down from 30 μA enabling low power 3-bit storage in contrast to the control device which shows 2-bit MLC with resistance saturation. The improved switching and MLC behavior is attributed to the minimized stochastic nature of set/reset operations due to filament confinement by favorable electric field generation and formation of thin but highly conductive filament which is confirmed electrically.