Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Literature Review on ESG Score and Its Impact on Firm Performance

Research covering Environmental, Social, and Governance (hereafter ESG) and financial performance often suffers from inconsistent terminology and jargon. ESG refers to companies and investors incorporating environmental, social, and governance issues into their business. Meanwhile, the ESG score is an innovative method of evaluating a company's activities. The ESG score focuses not on financial reporting, which investors and managers are accustomed to using when making decisions, but on statements on the corporation's influence on the underlying pillars of the score. Stakeholders and fund managers believe that firms with high ESG scores yield better operating performance, higher returns, and lower firm-specific risk. But still, abundant inconclusive evidence attracts sustainability scholars to fill concerning sustainability disclosure and performance. Therefore, this paper examines the need for overall ESG scores and their impact on the firm performance of listed companies. It shows that there are both positive and negative relationships between ESG scores and firm performance. The author intends to continue research by formulating the hypotheses for analysing the influence of overall ESG scores on firm performance and proposing a model for analysing this correlation. The findings of this study will be helpful to investors, policymakers, and other related agencies and widen the scope of literature to examine the impact of overall ESG scores on their accounting performance (ROA and ROE) and market valuation (Market Capitalisation).
Low-Dose Radiation Reduces Doxorubicin-Induced Myocardial Injury Through Mitochondrial Pathways

The use of doxorubicin (DOX) as an anthraquinone antineoplastic agent is limited due to its cardiotoxicity. Our previous study suggested that low-dose radiation (LDR) could mitigate the cardiotoxicity induced by DOX via suppressing oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. However, the molecular targets and protective mechanism of LDR are not understood. In the present study, we sought to investigate the mechanisms underlying LDR’s cardioprotection. Balb/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control group (no treatment), DOX group, LDR group (75 mGy), and LDR-72 h-DOX group (LDR pretreatment followed by intraperitoneal injection of DOX). Electron microscopy, PCR, and Western blot analyses indicated that LDR pretreatment mitigated changes in mitochondrial morphology caused by DOX, upregulated activity of mitochondrial complexes, and restored ATP levels in cardiomyocytes that were decreased by DOX. Whole genome microarray and PCR analyses showed that mitochondrial-related genes were altered by LDR pretreatment. Thus, our study showed that LDR can protect cardiomyocytes against DOX through improving mitochondrial function and increasing ATP production. This research could inform DOX chemotherapy strategies and provide new insight into the molecule mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective effects of LDR.
New Variables in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Calibration Fields

The US Naval Observatory 0.2 m Flagstaff Astrometric Scanning Transit Telescope was used to obtain astrometric information in 16 equatorial fields in support of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Each field is approximately 7. °6 × 3. °2 in size and was scanned ∼10 times with overlapping CCD strip scans; star positions accurate to ±50 mas in each coordinate and magnitudes good to ±0.011 mag were determined. As an ancillary project, this database was searched for new variables, and the results of that search are presented here. Approximately 1500 new variables have been discovered, and accurate coordinates for ∼100 previously identified variables and suspected variables are given.
Health Risk Assessment of Some Heavy Metals In Irrigated Brassica Oleracea L.and Lactuca Sativa Vegetables of Barkin-Ladi Lga of Plateau State, Nigeria

The objectives of the present study were to investigate heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Mn and Pb) accumulation in Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) and Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) vegetable samples, which were freshly harvested within 7 different vegetable farm location grown around Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State, Nigeria. Heavy Metals concentrations in the vegetable samples were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Bulk Scientific Model 210 VGP). Concentration of Chromium in Cabbage ranged from0.32mg/kg - 0.05mg/kg and Lettuce was between 0.23mg/kg-0.04mg/kg. Cadmium level of vegetables from the analysis of Cabbage ranged between 0.65mg/kg - 0.15mg/kg, and Lettuce was between 0.60mg/kg-0.13mg/kg. Mn level of vegetables from the analysis of Cabbage ranged between 0.37mg/kg-0.04mg/kg and the range for Lettuce was between 0.45mg/kg-0.10mg/kg. Pb level of vegetables from these the analysis of Cabbage ranged between 0.35mg/kg-0.08mg/kg and the range for Lettuce was between 0.51mg/kg-0.05mg/kg. The calculated mean and standard deviation for Cabbage sample for Cd, Cr, Mn and Pb were 0.353±0.162, 0.144±0.066, 0.165±0.087 and 0.156±0.075 respectively, while Lettuce samples were 0,327±0.140, 0.119±0.062, 0.258±0.095 and 0.2300. 122 respectively. In general, the concentration trends of heavy metal investigated were on the order Cd ? Mn ? Pb ? Cr in all the sample matrices of both vegetables. Risk analysis parameters for both sample matrices computed using standard methods for both adult and children were HRI, HQ, DIM, EDIM, MPI. Different methods of health risk assessment of the heavy metals concentration also revealed although the vegetable may be safe for consumption, bioaccumulation risk index showed that there could be potential danger of consumption over a long period of time. This study concludes that different vegetables accumulate and translocate variable amount of heavy metals from the soil into their tissues. Hence, it is not advisable to consume vegetable samples collected from this site based on the permissible limits as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO).
Some spin-up effects on the geostrophic and quasi-geostrophic drag on a slowly rising particle or drop in a rotating fluid

In this paper the initial “spin-up” stage of the flow field generated by the slow axial motion of a symmetric particle or drop in a rotating fluid in a “short cylinder” of length 2H is considered for small Rossby and Ekman numbers, Ro and E. The motion starts from solid body rotation. Attention is focused on time-dependent effects in the extended core (outside the E1/2 Ekman and E1/3 Stewartson layers) and their influence on the behaviour of the drag force. When the particle velocity is established by an impulsive start, the flow-field and the drag build up on the spin-up time scale; the particle advances ∼2RoE−1/2H during the transient stage. Results for the time-dependent geostrophic case, and also for various values of e=(12H)1/2E1/4, for both sphere and disk particles, are presented. It is shown that when the particle velocity is established by release under a constant axial (say, buoyant) force, during the spin-up some rapid inertial oscillations may appear which are inconsistent with some of the ass.
Electronic Structure and Elastic Properties of Strongly Correlated Metal Oxides from First Principles: LSDA + U, SIC‐LSDA and EELS Study of UO2 and NiO

We compare experimentally observed electron energy loss spectra (EELS) of uranium dioxide UO 2 and nickel monoxide NiO with the results of ab-initio calculations carried out by using a method combining the local spin density approximation and the Hubbard U term (the LSDA + U method). We show that by taking better account of strong Coulomb correlations between electrons in the 5f shell of uranium ions in UO 2 and in the 3d shell of nickel ions in NiO it is possible to arrive at a better description of electron energy loss spectra, cohesive energies and elastic constants of both oxides compared with local spin density functional theory. For NiO we also compare the LSDA + U results and EELS spectra with a self-interaction corrected LSDA calculation.
Enhancing the Performance of Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavement by Synergetic Improvement of Packing Density, Lubrication, and Moisture State of Recycled Concrete Aggregate

Roller-compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) is considered superior to other pavement types with reference to cost, ease of construction, and performance. However, the aggregate demand is significantly higher in RCCP than in the conventional concrete pavement. It is predicted that natural minable limestone sources would be exhausted in India in the next 30 to 40 years. One way to reduce the natural aggregates (NA) requirements in RCCP is through the integration of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA). However, the physical property of RCA is significantly inferior to that of NA owing to the presence of adhered mortar (AM), which increases the water demand by 2.3 to 4.6 times and affects the compactness and hardened-state behavior of RCCP. This study has tried to enhance the compactness and improve the performance of RCCP containing RCA (coarse, fine, and total RCAs) through different synergetic approaches. This, in turn, enhances the interlocking capacity using the particle packing approach, followed by mitigating the negative effects of AM by altering the moisture states, then improving the compactability and lubricating the matrix with superplasticizers. The results depict that altering the moisture states alone could adversely affect the RCCP performance because of the moisture transfer mechanism from the hydraulic gradient. Moreover, the inclusion of superplasticizers in different moisture states could manifest better aggregate rearrangement and compactability. Further, it could improve the tensile behavior of the RCCP compared with the concrete containing NA. These findings favor the complete replacement of NA by RCA for low-volume rural road construction.
Static spike autosolitons in the Gray-Scott model

We construct asymptotically the solutions to a classical reaction-diffusion system (the Gray-Scott model of an autocatalytic reaction) in the form of static spike autosolitons (self-sustained solitary pulses, spots and clots). We show that solutions in the form of static spike autosolitons exist over a wide range of system parameters in one dimension, and in a narrower range of parameters in two and three dimensions. We study the properties of these solutions.
Variance Trading and Market Price of Variance Risk

This paper develops a new approach for variance trading. We show that the discretely-sampled realized variance can be robustly replicated under very general conditions, including when the price can jump. The replication strategy specifies the exact timing for rebalancing in the underlying. The deviations from the optimal schedule can lead to surprisingly large hedging errors. In the empirical application, we synthesize the prices of the variance contract on S&P 500 index over the period from 01/1990 to 12/2009. We find that the market variance risk is priced, its risk premium is negative and economically very large. The variance risk premium cannot be explained by the known risk factors and option returns.
Distributed formation control of multi-vehicle system based on hybrid relative measurements

Formation control has been studied extensively along with the potential applications of multi-vehicle system in various areas. In this paper, a distributed control scheme based on the relative bearing and distance measurements is proposed. The main difference from the existing works lies in that the proposed control scheme can realize unambiguous formation tracking while considering the task-specification and environment constraints under practical bearing and distance sensing conditions. First, the uniqueness of the formation based on relative bearings and distances is investigated and the sufficient condition is provided. Further, the distributed formation controllers that are able to dynamically track the formation with both leaderless and leader-follower setups are designed under practical sensing conditions. In the end, to validate the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed distributed hybrid measurements based formation control scheme, both simulations based on synthetic scenarios and experiments with quadrotors equipping cameras and Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) transmitters are carried out. The simulation and experiment results show that the proposed controllers are able to track the desired formation pattern based on the bearing and distance measurements.
A novel cyber-physical resilience-based strategy for water quality sensor placement in water distribution networks

ABSTRACT Water distribution networks (WDNs) employ contamination warning systems (CWS) with water quality sensors to detect water contamination. If some of these sensors are compromised during a contamination event, the consequences regarding public health can be devastating. With the emerging threat of cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure, WDNs are at risk of cyber-physical attacks that can deliberately contaminate water and concurrently mask the event by cyber-attacking sensors in the CWS. We develop a novel optimization strategy for the placement of water quality sensors that maximizes resilience under cyber-physical attack scenarios, suitable for designing a new sensor layout or upgrading an existing one. The resilient strategy is tested on multiple WDNs, focused on the upgrade problem. Results show improvement in the expected CWS detection performance under cyber-physical attacks, while the performance trade-off under nominal operation is minimal compared to classic strategies, hinting at a good design solution for cyber-wise water utilities.
Worldwide research output in probability and statistics: An update

The authors update the work of Genest (1997, 1999) on world research output in probability and statistics. The rankings they produce of countries and institutions are based on a survey of papers published between 1986 and 2000 in 25 specialized journals of high reputation in these two fields. The contribution of Canadian probabilists and statisticians is highlighted.
The Spatially Resolved Bipolar Nebula of Sakurai’s Object. II. Mapping the Planetary Nebula Expansion

Observations of the ejecta from the final flash (FF) of helium shell burning in Sakurai’s Object (V4334 Sgr) are presented for 2015–2019, a period ∼20–24 yr after discovery. Adaptive optics images at K s trace the expanding debris. While most of the ejecta mass is in ∼200 K dust, a small fraction, ∼0.4%, of the dust mass is at ∼760 K. The 760 K continuum dominates the near-IR images. Spatial-spectral images in He i 10830 Å show an ∼16 diameter bipolar planetary nebula at position angle 21° ± 5° with the SW moving toward us and the NE moving away. Seen in integrated light, the nebula is nearly circular. Near-IR continuum images show ejecta moving radially away from a bright central point source. High-resolution mid-IR spectra reveal molecular hydrocarbon lines with an expansion velocity of 270 ± 5 km s−1 seen in absorption against the dust continuum. The hydrocarbons originate in material produced in the FF. The bipolar nebula and debris clouds are discussed in the context of a highly inclined disk model. The proper motion has been measured placing V4334 Sgr in the thick disk population. There is no evidence that a hot white dwarf Wolf–Rayet ([WR]) wind has emerged; no [WR] spectral features were detected. The possibility of a binary companion involved in the evolution is discussed.
New way to search for the best base in wavelet packets

The binary-tree best base searching method developed by Coifman and his colleagues is well known and widely used in wavelet packet applications. However, the requirement that the base vectors be chosen from either a parent or its directly related children in the binary-tree structure is a limitation because it doesn't search all possible orthogonal bases and therefore may not provide a optimal result. We have recently found that the set of all possible orthogonal bases in a wavelet packet is much larger than the set searched by the binary-tree method. Based on this observation, we have developed a new way to search the best base among the larger set of orthogonal bases. Preliminary results on 1D signals show that we can achieve considerable improvement in signal compression and feature extraction using the new method. This method can also be readily extended to 2D images for improved image compression, feature extraction, and object classification.
The Effects of Gender on Tolerance

The study provided an overview of the various effects of multiculturalism on society’s tolerance to accept others different than themselves. This phenomenon is increasing due to geopolitical factors and changes in immigration, which have created more multicultural, super diverse, and convivial societies. It explored the effects of immigration on individual tolerance. Aiming for a global input, data was collected from 44 countries. Participants (N = 601), both female and male immigrants and nonimmigrants, completed a 52-item religious tolerance survey. Although tolerance has been defined in several ways and measured dissimilarly, this study focused on three aspects of tolerance: factor 1: Tolerance involves ethical behavior that must ensure respect and coexistence and emphasizes living differently and yet peacefully with others; factor 2: Tolerance involves reasonable arguments and free discussions that lead to the truth and factor 3: Tolerance implies a spectrum of behavior that leads to the acceptance of differences and respects the freedom of others’ choices. A t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to test gender differences on the three factors of tolerance. Females were shown to be significantly more tolerant than males.
Added economic value of limited area multi-EPS weather forecasting applications

ABSTRACT We compare the GLAMEPS system, a pan-European limited area ensemble prediction system, with ECMWF's EPS over Belgium for an extended period from March 2010 until the end of December 2010. In agreement with a previous study, we find GLAMEPS scores considerably better than ECMWF's EPS. To compute the economic value, we introduce a new relative economic value score for continuous forecasts. The added value of combining the GLAMEPS system with the LAEF system over Belgium is studied. We conclude that adding LAEF to GLAMEPS increases the value, although the increase is small compared to the improvement of GLAMEPS to ECMWF's EPS. As an added benefit we find that the combined GLAMEPS-LAEF multi-EPS system is more robust, that is, it is less vulnerable to the (accidental) removal of one of its components.
Macular Vascularity and Ganglion Cell Complex Parameters in the Young Adults with Myopia and Progressive Myopia

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the relationships between foveal avascular zone (FAZ), foveal vascular density (FD) and GCC (ganglion cell complex) parameters in a healthy myopic population using optical coherence tomography angiography (angio-OCT). Patients and Methods Three hundred and eighty-one eyes of 381 healthy participants were included into this study and assigned to three groups according to their spherical equivalent (SE) values and an additional progressive myopia group. One randomly chosen eye from each patient was analyzed. GCC mean thickness, focal loss of volume (FLV), global loss of volume (GLV), FAZ area, FAZ perimeter, and FD parameters were obtained with the RTVue AngioOCT device. Results FAZ area and its perimeter were strongly correlated with the belonging spherical equivalent group (p = 0.0001, p = 0.0008 accordingly), being the largest in progressive myopia subgroup (mean size 0.42mm2). Other factors that were significantly higher in myopic eyes were FLV (p = 0.0023), GLV (p = 0.0020). There were no differences in FD between groups. In the myopic and progressive myopia groups, there was a significant relationship between FAZ area and FLV, GLV, and GCC thickness. We found that in myopic eyes with AXL exceeding 26.6 mm, FAZ becomes negatively correlated to mean GCC thickness. Conclusion In myopia, compared to non-myopic groups, there is a greater loss of neural tissue represented by a thinner GCC layer, greater FLV and GLV parameters, and worse blood supply represented by a larger FAZ area. Eye axial length of 26.6 mm is a breaking point, where the negative FAZ area to GCC thickness relationship curve is getting significantly steeper.
Managing Medications and Medication Adherence Among US Adults During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose Before the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruptions it brought, medication adherence was already a challenging and complex health behavior. The purpose of this study was to describe patients’ interactions in clinic, pharmacy, and home contexts and associated medication management and adherence during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and Methods A survey questionnaire was developed using the Medication Adherence Context and Outcomes framework and distributed via social media between May and July 2020 targeting adults taking a daily prescribed medication. Survey questions assessed sociodemographics, interactions with healthcare providers, clinics, pharmacies, medication management experiences, habit strength, and life chaos perceptions during the pandemic. Medication adherence was assessed by the self-report BAASIS© scale to measure implementation, discontinuation, and overall nonadherence. Results A total of 134 adults from the United States, mean age 50.0 (SD 16.1) years were included in this analysis. Respondents took a median of 3.50 (interquartile range 4) daily medications. Delays in seeing a provider were reported by 47 (35.1%). Pharmacy encounters were impacted; 25 (18.7%) indicated their method for obtaining medication changed. Medication nonadherence was reported among 62 (46.3%) and was significantly greater among those who delayed prescription refills (p=0.032), pillbox users (p=0.047), and those who experienced greater life chaos (p=0.040) and lower habit strength (p<0.001) in the early phase of the pandemic. Conclusion Although the early phase of the pandemic affected access to care for nearly one-third of the sample, distance-accessible care options and strategies to obtain needed services without being in-person supported respondents medication management. Helpful strategies included provider accessibility, telehealth, home delivery/mail-order, drive-thru’s, 90-day supplies, and online/automatic refills. Methods to develop and reestablish habits are critical. Care providers in clinic and pharmacy settings can educate and remind patients about services like distance-accessible technologies and online ordering of medications and establishing routines to support medication adherence.
On practical stability

In this paper, a class of non-linear non-autonomous systems with multiple non-linearities is considered. Sufficient conditions are developed for a type of practical stability with specified settling time. The conditions are independent of the actual Form of the non-linear characteristics so that they can be interpreted as conditions for ‘absolute’ practical stability. The stability test is reduced to verification of the Hurwitz property of a constant matrix. This makes the stability analysis of the considered class of non-linear systems convenient for machine computations The proposed practical stability analysis is applied to a third-order system with several non-linearities.