Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Product market competition and carbon disclosure: Evidence from China

Abstract Based on a sample of Chinese publicly listed firms in eight high energy-consuming industries from 2015 to 2019, this study investigates the relationship between the intensity of product market competition and carbon disclosure and explores the moderating effect of earnings pressure and environmental legitimacy pressure on this relationship. Using content analysis to construct an integrated measure of corporate carbon disclosure, we find that the intensity of product market competition is negatively associated with carbon disclosure. The negative relationship between the intensity of product market competition and carbon disclosure is more pronounced among firms facing fewer earnings pressures and greater environmental legitimacy pressures. The additional tests also show that the effect of product market competition on carbon disclosure is more pronounced among state-owned firms and large firms. Our results are robust to various robustness tests. This study extends the literature on carbon disclosure and has important implications for different stakeholders to promote corporate climate-related disclosure in China.
The wisdom of crowds in forecasting at high-frequency for multiple time horizons: A case study of the Brazilian retail sales

This case study compares the forecasting accuracy obtained for four daily Brazilian retail sales indexes at four time prediction horizons. The performance of traditional time series forecasting models, artificial neural network architectures and machine learning algorithms were compared in other to evaluate the existence of a single best performing model. Afterwards, ensemble methods were added to model comparison to verify if accuracy improvement could be obtained. Evidence found in this case study suggests that a consistent forecasting strategy exists for the Brazilian retail indexes by applying both seasonality treatment for holidays and calendar effects and by using an ensemble method which main inputs are the predictions of all models with calendar variables. This strategy was consistent across all 16 index and time horizon combinations since ensemble methods either outperformed the best single models or there were no statistical difference from them in a Diebold-Mariano's test.
Effect of Saccharides Coating on Antibacterial Potential and Drug Loading and Releasing Capability of Plasma Treated Polylactic Acid Films

More than half of the hospital-associated infections worldwide are related to the adhesion of bacteria cells to biomedical devices and implants. To prevent these infections, it is crucial to modify biomaterial surfaces to develop the antibacterial property. In this study, chitosan (CS) and chondroitin sulfate (ChS) were chosen as antibacterial coating materials on polylactic acid (PLA) surfaces. Plasma-treated PLA surfaces were coated with CS either direct coating method or the carbodiimide coupling method. As a next step for the combined saccharide coating, CS grafted samples were immersed in ChS solution, which resulted in the polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) formation. Also in this experiment, to test the drug loading and releasing efficiency of the thin film coatings, CS grafted samples were immersed into lomefloxacin-containing ChS solution. The successful modifications were confirmed by elemental composition analysis (XPS), surface topography images (SEM), and hydrophilicity change (contact angle measurements). The carbodiimide coupling resulted in higher CS grafting on the PLA surface. The coatings with the PEC formation between CS-ChS showed improved activity against the bacteria strains than the separate coatings. Moreover, these interactions increased the lomefloxacin amount adhered to the film coatings and extended the drug release profile. Finally, the zone of inhibition test confirmed that the CS-ChS coating showed a contact killing mechanism while drug-loaded films have a dual killing mechanism, which includes contact, and release killing.
Thermal transport during drop-on-drop impact on a heated superhydrophobic substrate

Abstract Interaction of multiple liquid droplets is ubiquitous in various engineering systems, for example, spray cooling in various forms, which is an attractive option to manage high heat flux applications. Thermal transport phenomena ensuing during drop-on-drop impact is numerically investigated here. One drop (Droplet #1) is kept stationary and in quasi-equilibrium on a heated superhydrophobic solid substrate, while the second drop (Droplet #2) is impacted vertically on it with a certain Weber number (We Droplet #2 = 1.0, 4.0, and 8.2). The evolution of both droplets in different phases of impact, such as spreading, receding, and bounce-off regimes, along with associated heat transfer is scrutinized. The dependence of transport characteristics on various control parameters such as impact velocity of drop, volume ratio, fluid properties, and wall temperature are investigated. Distinct heat transfer trends are observed with the considered We number of impacting droplet (Droplet #2) being = 1.0, 4.0, and 8.2, respectively. Smaller droplet impacting with higher impact velocity results in more effective heat transfer as compared to a large droplet with small velocity, both having identical We number. To ease the analysis, comparison of heat transfer during drop-on-drop impact with a single droplet impact, having an equivalent diameter and velocity scales of the former drop-on-drop case, is also presented. It is revealed that the resulting heat transfer, with velocity scale based on momentum balance, is underpredicted, as compared to drop-on-drop impact. If the actual impact velocity of impacting droplet is taken, then the heat transfer gets overpredicted. Accordingly, analysis suggests that the appropriate representative velocity scale will be in-between these two bounds, which will accurately predict the heat transfer during drop-on-drop impact.
A Rapid Stokes Imaging Method for Characterizing the Optical Properties of Tissue During Immersion Optical Clearing

The diffusion of drugs or agents in biological tissues is vital in biomedicine. Here we propose a non-invasive polarization optical method to evaluate the microstructural changes in tissues during agent diffusion. Skeletal muscle samples immersed in an aqueous solution of glycerol of various concentrations are taken to confirm the performance of the method. Temporal polarized images are captured by a rapid Stokes imaging system, then Stokes parameters s1, s2, s3 are calculated and polarization parameters such as depolarization Δc and linear retardance δ are derived for quantifying tissue changes. By observing polarization parameters in experiments using different concentrations of agents, staged characteristics during tissue optical clearing are extracted. Comparing diffusion properties at different concentrations, we find that the variation of polarization parameters becomes more significant with the increasing concentration. Combined with Monte Carlo simulations, the dominant mechanism in different optical clearing stages in tissues can be explained. Specifically, dehydration dominates in the first stage, and refractive index matching gradually dominates after a transitional stage. The experiments and simulations confirm the potential of rapid Stokes imaging to explore the diffusion properties in biological tissues and give a detailed optical characterization and explanation.
Resolution-function theory in piezoresponse force microscopy : Wall imaging, spectroscopy, and lateral resolution

Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) has emerged as a primary tool for imaging, domain engineering, and switching spectroscopy on ferroelectric materials. Quantitative interpretation of PFM data, including measurements of the intrinsic width of the domain walls, determination of geometric parameters of the domain below the tip in local hysteresis loop measurements, as well as interpretation of local switching and coercive biases in terms of material properties and switching mechanisms, requires reliable knowledge on electrostatic and strain field structures produced by the tip. Using linear imaging theory, we develop a theoretical approach for the interpretation of these measurements and the determination of tip parameters from a suitable calibration standard. The resolution and object transfer functions in PFM are derived, and the effect of material parameters on resolution is determined. Closed-form solutions for domain-wall profiles in vertical and lateral PFM and signals from cylindrical and nested cylindrical domains in transversally isotropic piezoelectric are derived for point-charge and sphere-plane geometries of the tip.
Fabrication and Optimization of Essential-Oil-Loaded Nanoemulsion Using Box–Behnken Design against Staphylococos aureus and Staphylococos epidermidis Isolated from Oral Cavity

Oral bacterial infections are fairly common in patients with diabetes mellitus; however, due to limited treatment options, herbal medicines are considered an alternate solution. This study aimed to formulate a stable essential-oil-loaded nanoemulsion for the treatment of oral bacterial infections. Essential oils from edible sources including coriander, clove, cinnamon and cardamom were extracted by hydrodistillation. The response surface methodology was used to optimize the nanoemulsion formulation by applying the Box–Behnken design. The oil concentration, surfactant concentration and stirring speed were three independent factors, and particle size and polydispersity index were two responses. The particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential of the optimized formulation were 130 mm, 0.222 and −22.9, respectively. The ATR-FTIR analysis revealed that there was no incompatibility between the active ingredients and the excipients. A significant release profile in active ingredients of nanoemulsion, i.e., 88.75% of the cinnamaldehyde and 89.33% of eugenol, was recorded after 24 h. In the ex vivo goat mucosal permeation study, 71.67% of the cinnamaldehyde permeated and that of the eugenol 70.75% from the nanoemulsion. The optimized formulation of the essential-oil-loaded nanoemulsion showed a 9 mm zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, whereas in anti-quorum sensing analysis, the optimized nanoemulsion formulation showed an 18 mm zone of inhibition. It was concluded that formulated essential-oil-loaded nanoemulsion can be used against S. epidermidis and S. aureus infections in oral cavity.
Solid State Physics: Problems and Solutions

I. Problems 1. Crystal Structures 2. Interatomic Forces, Lattice Vibrations 3. Electronic Band Structure 4. Density of States 5. Elementary Excitations 6. Thermodynamics of Noninteracting Quasiparticles 7. Transport Properties 8. Optical Properties 9. Interactions and Phase Transitions 10. Mesoscopic and Nano-scale Systems II. Solutions to Problems 1. Crystal Structures 2. Interatomic Forces, Lattice Vibrations 3. Electronic Band Structure 4. Density of States 5. Elementary Excitations 6. Thermodynamics of Noninteracting Quasiparticles 7. Transport Properties 8. Optical Properties 9. Interactions and Phase Transitions 10. Mesoscopic and Nano-scale Systems Bibliography Index
Evaluating the Role of Cytokine Receptor-like Factor 2 and Janus Kinase 2 in Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

AIM: The aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive roles of the cytokine receptor-like factor 2 (CRLF2) and the Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) genes expression in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. METHODS: The expression levels of CRLF2 and JAK2 genes were evaluated in the bone marrow (BM) samples of 105 adult ALL patients, compared to 12 healthy controls. The data were correlated to the patients’ relevant clinic-pathological features, response to treatment and survival rates. RESULTS: There was a significant overexpression of JAK2 in ALL patients compared to the control group [0.04 (0–160.8) and 0.006 (0–0.009), respectively, p < 0.001]. Similarly, CRLF2 was overexpressed in ALL patients in comparison to control subjects [0.008 (0–78.2) and 0.0005 (0–0.006), respectively, p < 0.001]. The sensitivity, specificity, and the area under curve (AUC) for JAK2 were 78.1%, 81.8%, and 0.796, respectively (p < 0.001), and that of CRLF2 were 92.4%, 90.9%, 0.958, respectively (p < 0.001). When combining both JAK2 and CRLF2 for the diagnosis of ALL patients, it revealed 90.9% sensitivity, 91.4% specificity, and AUC of 0.957 (p < 0.001). The JAK2, CRLF2, or their combined expression associated significantly with the increased expression of MHC-II (p = 0.015, 0.001, and 0.004, respectively). However, they had no significant impact on patients’ response to treatment, overall (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) rates (p > 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: JAK2 and CRLF2 could be a potential useful diagnostic molecular marker for ALL patients, which allow them to be successful targets for ALL therapy.
Introducing new endogeneity into a simultaneous equation model: an application to corporate finance

ABSTRACT Corporate finance data, such as cash holdings and dividend payments, are simultaneously determined. In this study, new endogeneity was introduced into a simultaneous equation model. The proposed model features a correlation between the explanatory variable in the first equation and the disturbance term in the second equation. The necessity of this endogeneity can be derived from a theoretical requirement and/or model identification requirement. Covariance structure analysis was performed to estimate this model using the maximum likelihood method. The efficacy of the proposed model is assessed by comparing it with conventional estimation methods, such as two-stage least squares. Finally, a Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to determine the bias conventional estimation methods produce in the case of this new endogeneity.
Mobile Access to Medical Records in Heart Transplantation Aftercare: Mixed-Methods Study Assessing Usability, Feasibility and Effects of a Mobile Application

Background: Patient access to medical records can improve quality of care. The phellow application (app) was developed to provide patients access to selected content of their medical record. It was tested at a heart transplantation (HTx) outpatient clinic. The aims of this study were (1) to assess usability of phellow, (2) to determine feasibility of implementation in routine care, and (3) to study the effects app use had on patients’ self-management. Methods: Usability was measured quantitatively through the System Usability Scale (SUS). Furthermore, usability, feasibility, and effects on self-management were qualitatively assessed through interviews with users, non-users, and health care providers. Results: The SUS rating (n = 31) was 79.9, indicating good usability. Twenty-three interviews were conducted. Although appreciation and willingness-to-use were high, usability problems such as incompleteness of record, technical issues, and complex registration procedures were reported. Improved technical support infrastructure, clearly defined responsibilities, and app-specific trainings were suggested for further implementation. Patients described positive effects on their self-management. Conclusions: To be feasible for implementation in routine care, usability problems should be addressed. Feedback on the effect of app use was encouraging. Accompanying research is crucial to monitor usability improvements and to further assess effects of app use on patients.
Assessing Construction Constraint Factors on Project Performance in the Construction Industry

A construction constraint is a condition that impedes progress toward meeting construction project goals. This paper seeks to assess the constraint factors affecting project performance in the South African construction industry. The study adopted a quantitative research design, and a questionnaire was designed to retrieve data from the target populations. The target population were construction professionals within the South African construction industry. One hundred and eighty questionnaires were administered to construction professionals within the study area through the purposive quota sampling technique. Retrieved data were analysed using descriptive and exploratory factor analysis. In order to determine the data reliability and the interrelatedness of the variables, Cronbach’s alpha test was carried out on each component. The results of the exploratory factor analysis show that stakeholders’ inappropriate project scheduling and coordination factors, organisation and government policies factors, and organisation and government policies factors were the leading constraints affecting construction project performance in the South African construction industry. Due to time and distance constraints, this study was limited to construction professionals in South Africa’s Free State province. The paper concluded that to reduce the construction constraints affecting construction project performance, construction professionals must improve their project scheduling, coordination, organisational policies, and managerial capacity. The paper’s findings will assist stakeholders in identifying and overcoming construction constraints in construction projects’ execution and delivery.
Pattern of CD4 Count and Hematological Indices in HIV Serodiscordant Partners in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

This was a cross sectional study designed to evaluate the cluster of differentiation 4(CD4) count and hematological indices in HIV serodiscordant partners in Jos, Nigeria. A total of 20 Serodiscordant HIV couples (40 patients) and 20 non HIV couples (40 controls) aged between 18 and 49 years were included in the study. Each participant provided a 5ml venous blood sample that was collected into EDTA containers for the analysis of the CD4 count and hematological indices. The following blood parameters were measured using a three pack full blood count autoanalyzer: white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), hematocrit/packed cell volume (HCT/PCV), hemoglobin (HB), platelet count (PLT), lymphocyte, neutrophil, and mixed cell (NUE/NAC) count. The CD4+-T cell was measured using flow cytometry. The results showed that the mean RBC count, platelet count, mixed cell count (Nue/Nac), HCT/PCV and HB levels, as well as the CD4-T cell count, were all significantly lower while the mean age was higher in the HIV serodiscordant test group compared to control group (p<0.05) respectively. The mean neutrophil, lymphocyte, and WBC counts in the HIV serodiscordant test group did not statistically differ from those in the control group (p>0.05). The HB, HCT/PCV, RBC, lymphocyte, and CD4 counts in the female HIV serodiscordant test group were statistically significantly lower than those in the female control group (p-value=0.008; 0.002; 0.000, 0.008, 0.000), respectively. The male HIV serodiscordant test group had statistically significantly lower mean neutrophil and CD4 counts than in the male control (p-value=0.000; 0.012) respectively. The female HIV seropositives had a statistically significantly lower mean RBC count, Hb, PCV, and CD4 count (p-value =0.000; 0.037, 0.005 and 0.000) than in female control respectively. Also, the female HIV exposed seronegatives had statistically significantly lower mean CD4 count (p-value =0.000) and Hb (p-value =0.037) levels than in female control while the male HIV seropositives had statistically significantly lower CD4 count compared to male control (p-value =0.000). This study has revealed significant changes in CD4-T cell count and hematological indices in HIV serodiscordant couples, which calls for an urgent interventional strategy to prevent the potential anemia, leucocytopenia, and weakened immunity that may result in both HIV seropositives and seronegative exposed couples.
Intrinsic Network Changes in Bilateral Tinnitus Patients with Cognitive Impairment: A Resting-State Functional MRI Study

Previous studies have found a link between tinnitus and cognitive impairment, even leading to dementia. However, the mechanisms underlying this association are not clear. The purpose of this study was to explore intrinsic network changes in tinnitus and hearing loss patients with cognitive disorders. We included 17 individuals with bilateral idiopathic tinnitus, hearing loss, and cognitive impairment (PA) and 21 healthy controls. We identified resting-state networks (RSNs) and measured intra-network functional connectivity (FC) values via independent component analysis (ICA). We also evaluated correlations between RSNs and clinical characteristics. Compared with the healthy controls, the PA group showed decreased connectivity within the ventral attention network, dorsal attention network (DAN), visual network, left frontoparietal network, right frontoparietal network, sensorimotor network, and increased connectivity within the executive control network. MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) scores were negatively correlated with the FC values for left calcarine within the DAN. We identified abnormal intrinsic connectivity in several brain networks, mainly involving cognitive control, vision, sensorimotor function, and the cerebellum, in tinnitus patients with cognitive impairment. It may be possible to use the FC strength of the left calcarine within the DAN as an imaging marker to predict cognitive impairment in tinnitus patients.
Distribution of Biscogniauxia mediterranea and its potential insect vectors on Quercus suber in Southwestern Bulgaria

This is the first study in Bulgaria on the distribution of Biscogniauxia mediterraneа in cork oak plantations (Quercus suber). Symptoms of the disease (presence of exudate and wounds with stroma) caused by the fungus have been found on stems and branches of cork oak in Maleshevska Mountain. Harvesting of cork does not visibly affect the phytosanitary status of the trees. A significantly higher risk of parasitic fungus development occurs in coppice-managed crops where it causes the death of young trees. The associations of ten insect species with the Quercus suber are new for Bulgaria. Eight of them are possible vectors of the fungus.
DL-Aided Underground Cavity Morphology Recognition Based on 3D GPR Data

Cavity under urban roads has increasingly become a huge threat to traffic safety. This paper aims to study cavity morphology characteristics and proposes a deep learning (DL)-based morphology classification method using the 3D ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data. Fine-tuning technology in DL can be used in some cases with relatively few samples, but in the case of only one or very few samples, there will still be overfitting problems. To address this issue, a simple and general framework, few-shot learning (FSL), is first employed for the cavity classification tasks, based on which a classifier learns to identify new classes given only very few examples. We adopt a relation network (RelationNet) as the FSL framework, which consists of an embedding module and a relation module. Furthermore, the proposed method is simpler and faster because it does not require pre-training or fine-tuning. The experimental results are validated using the 3D GPR road modeling data obtained from the gprMax3D system. The proposed method is compared with other FSL networks such as ProtoNet, R2D2, and BaseLine relative to different benchmarks. The experimental results demonstrate that this method outperforms other prior approaches, and its average accuracy reaches 97.328% in a four-way five-shot problem using few support samples.