Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Disclosure and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Sustainability Performance

This paper aims to evaluate the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure practices on the sustainability performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Saudi Arabia. It adopts qualitative research methods to answer the research questions through interviews, using a sample of 30 interviewees, to direct and moderate the relationship between SMEs’ sustainability performance and their disclosure of ESG practices. The results indicated that SMEs in Saudi Arabia lack awareness of ESG practices and disclosures and, therefore, the extent of their importance to sustainability performance. The findings of this research have several practical implications for different stakeholders, internally and externally, such as managers, consultants, investors, credit agencies, lenders, policymakers, government, and the overall community in the context of the potential effects of ESG disclosure practices on SMEs.
Fruit Volume and Leaf-Area Determination of Cabbage by a Neural-Network-Based Instance Segmentation for Different Growth Stages

Fruit volume and leaf area are important indicators to draw conclusions about the growth condition of the plant. However, the current methods of manual measuring morphological plant properties, such as fruit volume and leaf area, are time consuming and mainly destructive. In this research, an image-based approach for the non-destructive determination of fruit volume and for the total leaf area over three growth stages for cabbage (brassica oleracea) is presented. For this purpose, a mask-region-based convolutional neural network (Mask R-CNN) based on a Resnet-101 backbone was trained to segment the cabbage fruit from the leaves and assign it to the corresponding plant. Combining the segmentation results with depth information through a structure-from-motion approach, the leaf length of single leaves, as well as the fruit volume of individual plants, can be calculated. The results indicated that even with a single RGB camera, the developed methods provided a mean accuracy of fruit volume of 87% and a mean accuracy of total leaf area of 90.9%, over three growth stages on an individual plant level.
Predictors of Complicated Appendicitis with Evolution to Appendicular Peritonitis in Pediatric Patients

Background and Objecitves: Appendicitis is one of the most frequent surgical emergencies in pediatric surgery. Complicated appendicitis can evolve with appendicular peritonitis characterized by the diffusion of the pathological process to the peritoneal cavity, thus producing generalized or localized inflammation of the peritoneum. The capacity to anticipate the possibility of perforation in acute appendicitis can direct prompt management and lower morbidity. There is no specific symptom that could be used to anticipate complicated appendicitis, and diagnostic clues include a longer period of symptoms, diffuse peritoneal signs, high fever, elevated leukocytosis and CRP, hyponatremia, and high ESR. Imagistic methods, particularly US and CT, are useful but not sufficient. There are no traditional inflammation biomarkers able to predict the evolution of uncomplicated to complicated appendicitis alone, but the predictive capacity of novel biomarkers is being investigated. Materials and Methods: The present study represents a retrospective evaluation of children hospitalized between January 2021 and July 2022 in the Grigore Alexandrescu Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis settled based on clinical characteristics, traditional and novel biomarkers, and ultrasonographic features. The children were subsequently grouped into two groups based on the existence of appendicular peritonitis on intraoperative inspection of the abdominal cavity. The aim of this report is to establish the predictors that may aid physicians in timely identifying pediatric patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis at risk for developing complicated appendicitis with evolution to appendicular peritonitis. Results: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte radio (PLR) are representative severity markers in infections. This report analyzes the benefit of these markers for distinguishing uncomplicated appendicitis from complicated appendicitis in pediatric patients. Conclusions: Our study suggests that a value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio greater than 8.39 is a reliable parameter to predict the evolution to appendicular peritonitis.
Flow-Induced Oscillations of Two Cylinders in Tandem and Staggered Arrangements

Abstract A stabilized finite element formulation is employed to study flow-induced oscillations of a pair of equal-sized cylinders in tandem and staggered arrangement placed in uniform incompressible flow. Computations, restricted to 2-D, are carried out for Reynolds numbers 100 for various values of the structural frequency of the oscillator. The cylinders are separated by 5·5 times the cylinder diameter in the streamwise direction. For the staggered arrangement, the cross-flow spacing between the two cylinders is 0·7 times the cylinder diameter. In this arrangement, the downstream cylinder lies in the wake of the upstream one and therefore experiences an unsteady in-flow. Since the spacing between the two cylinders is beyond the critical value for proximity interference, it is expected that the upstream cylinder behaves like an isolated single cylinder, while the downstream one experiences wake-induced flutter. The Re=100 flow leads to a very organized wake and large amplitude motion is observed for the downstream cylinder. The trajectory of the upstream cylinder resembles a figure-of-eight. The downstream cylinder shows a similar behaviour for the tandem arrangement. However, for the staggered arrangement, the trajectory of the rear cylinder resembles a tilted oval. Soft lock-in is observed in almost all the cases.
Accessibility of Psychological Treatments for Bulimia Nervosa: A Review of Efficacy and Engagement in Online Self-Help Treatments

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterised by marked impairment to one’s physical health and social functioning, as well as high rates of chronicity and comorbidity. This literature review aims to summarise existing academic research related to the symptom profile of BN, the costs and burden imposed by the illness, barriers to the receipt of care, and the evidence base for available psychological treatments. As a consequence of well-documented difficulties in accessing evidence-based treatments for eating disorders, efforts have been made towards developing innovative, diverse channels to deliver treatment, with several of these attempting to harness the potential of digital platforms. In response to the increasing number of trials investigating the utility of online treatments, this paper provides a critical review of previous attempts to examine digital interventions in the treatment of eating disorders. The results of a focused literature review are presented, including a detailed synthesis of a knowledgeable selection of high-quality articles with the aim of providing an update on the current state of research in the field. The results of the review highlight the potential for online self-help treatments to produce moderately sized reductions in core behavioural and cognitive symptoms of eating disorders. However, concern is raised regarding the methodological limitations of previous research in the field, as well as the high rates of dropout and poor adherence reported across most studies. The review suggests directions for future research, including the need to replicate previous findings using rigorous study design and methodology, as well as further investigation regarding the utility of clinician support and interactive digital features as potential mechanisms for offsetting low rates of engagement with online treatments.
Mesoscale forecasting during a field program: Meteorological support of the Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment

Abstract This report discusses the design and implementation of a specialized forecasting system that was set up to support the observational component of the Labrador Sea Deep Convection Experiment. This ongoing experiment is a multidisciplinary program of observations, theory, and modeling aimed at improving our knowledge of the deep convection process in the ocean, and the air–sea interaction that forces it. The observational part of the program was centered around a cruise of the R/V Knorr during winter 1997, as well as several complementary meteorological research flights. To aid the planning of ship and aircraft operations a specially tailored mesoscale model was run over the Labrador Sea, with the model output postprocessed and transferred to a remote field base. The benefits of using a warm-start analysis cycle in the model are discussed. The utility of the forecasting system is illustrated through a description of the flight planning process for several cases. The forecasts proved to be invaluabl.
Investigation on Boiling Heat Transfer Characteristics of R404A in a 7.49-mm Smooth Horizontal Tube

Abstract Experimental investigation on flow boiling heat transfer characteristics of R404A (R125/R143a/R134a) was carried in a smooth horizontal tube of 7.49-mm inner diameter. The tested conditions were similar to those present in the evaporator of supermarket display cases, refrigerated cabinets, laboratory freezers, etc. The heat transfer coefficients along the length of the test section were experimentally measured under varied heat flux conditions between 4 and 19 kW m−2, mass flow rate between 2.5 and 4.5 g s−1 (57 to 102 kg m−2 s−1), and working pressure between 4.4 and 6.1 bar. The flow patterns for the tested conditions were stratified, stratified-wavy, and near-annular flows, which were confirmed using the Kattan–Thome–Favrat flow pattern maps. The experiments revealed that under the aforementioned operating condition, the nucleate boiling mechanism was predominant in the heat transfer coefficient. Further, unlike high mass flow rate conditions, the presence of nucleation was witnessed even at higher vapor qualities.
Physicochemical characterization, kinetic parameters, shelf life and its prediction models of virgin olive oil from two cultivars (“Arbequina” and “Moroccan Picholine”) grown in Morocco

This works aimed at investigating shelf-life behavior of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) extracted from two cultivars “Arbequina” and “Moroccan Picholine” as a function of storage time (8 weeks) at accelerated conditions (60 °C). Our outcomes revealed significant variations between EVOOs from both cultivars in terms of the investigated physicochemical characteristics. These were also affected by storage time and temperature except for fatty acids, for which storage time had no significant effects. While the changes in tocopherols showed a drastic reduction ranging from 48.18 (“Moroccan Picholine”) to 62.62% (“Arbequina”). Indeed, the changes of quality indices showed a linear increase. Moreover, “Arbequina” oil was the first to exceed the established upper limits for EVOO label. An increase in oxidation rate was observed with increasing temperature when oils were oxidized at six elevated temperatures (373, 383, 393, 403, 413 and 423 °K) under Rancimat test conditions. The natural logarithms of the kinetic rate constant varied linearly with respect to temperature, with temperature coefficient (TCoeff) ranging from 7.31 × 10−2 in “Arbequina” to 7.51 × 10−2 K−1 found in “Moroccan Picholine”. This had higher oxidative stability and shelf life as compared to “Arbequina”. These outcomes were confirmed by kinetic parameters of oxidative stability including reaction rate constant as well as Arrhenius equation and thermodynamic parameters.
COMPUTATION OF TRANSIENT NATURAL CONVECTION IN A SQUARE CAVITY BY AN IMPLICIT FINITE-DIFFERENCE SCHEME IN TERMS OF THE STREAM FUNCTION AND TEMPERATURE

In this article we discuss the application of an implicit scheme to the solution by finite differences of transient natural convection in terms of the stream function and temperature. The second-order energy differential and fourth-order momentum equations are discretized according to the well-known alternate direction implicit (ADI) method. Then the temperature field solution is built based on the classic tridiagonal matrix algorithm (TDMA), and the stream function solution is built based on the two original hypotheses proposed here together with the penta diagonal matrix algorithm (PDMA). The time step in the algorithm is obtained analytically as a function of the Prandtl number and the size of the grid imposing the diagonal dominance condition in the pentadiagonal matrix generated by the hypothesis. We verify the hypothesis and the algorithm using the transient natural convection solution in the following parameter ranges: 10 3 r Ra r 10 6 , 10 -2 r Pr r 10 2 , 21 2 21 r grid r 61 2 61. The transient solution to the problem is presented using the average Nusselt number and local Nusselt numbers on the hot wall, CPU time, the temperature and velocity profiles in the y = 0.5 section, and the temperature in the central point of the cavity. The results of the permanent solution are presented using the maximum value of the stream function within the domain and the average Nusselt number on the cold wall as a function of the Rayleigh number, the relaxation parameter, Prandtl number, and the size of the grid. Finally, both the transient and permanent solution results are compared with the results of five other published studies.
2-D non-periodic homogenization of the elastic wave equation: SH case

In the Earth, seismic waves propagate through 3-D heterogeneities characterized by a large variety of scales, some of them much smaller than their minimum wavelength. The costs of computing the wavefield in such media using purely numerical methods, are very high. To lower them, and also to obtain a better geodynamical interpretation of tomographic images, we aim at calculating appropriate effective properties of heterogeneous and discontinuous media, by deriving convenient upscaling rules for the material properties and for the wave equation. To progress towards this goal we extend our successful work from 1-D to 2-D. We first apply the so-called homogenization method (based on a two-scale asymptotic expansion of the field variables) to model antiplane wave propagation in 2-D periodic media. These latter are characterized by short-scale variations of elastic properties, compared to the smallest wavelength of the wavefield. Seismograms are obtained using the 0th-order term of this asymptotic expansion, plus a partial first-order correction. Away from boundaries, they are in excellent agreement with solutions calculated at a much higher computational cost, using spectral elements simulations in the reference media. We then extend the homogenization of the wave equation, to 2-D non-periodic, deterministic media.
Plate quadrilateral finite element with incompatible modes

A four-node quadrilateral plate element with a set of incompatible modes is presented in this work. In an analysis of thin plates, the element exhibits a similar performance as the well known discrete Kirchhoff plate element. The computational effort associated with the element is also comparable to that associated with the discrete Kirchhoff element. However, as opposed to the discrete Kirchhoff plate element, the presented plate element is based on the Reissner–Mindlin plate theory and can be used in a thick plate analysis as well.
ANSA: Adaptive Near-Sensor Architecture for Dynamic DNN Processing in Compact Form Factors

Advanced edge sensing/computing devices, such as AR/VR devices, have a uniquely challenging adaptive baseline workload and camera sensor structure. These devices must process images in real-time from multiple sensors, placing a large burden on a typical centralized mobile SoC processor. Augmenting the sensors with a package-integrated near-sensor processor can improve the device’s processing performance as well as reduce energy consumption. This near-sensor processor must adapt to the dynamic workloads, fit within a limited silicon footprint and energy envelope, and satisfy the real-time requirement. In this work, we present ANSA, a near-sensor processor architecture supporting flexible processing schemes and dataflows to maintain high efficiency for dynamic CNN workloads. ANSA is scalable to sub-mm2 sizes to match the footprint of advanced image sensors. ANSA supports module-level power gating to adapt the compute capacity to dynamic workloads. Finally, ANSA leverages recent advancements in high-density non-volatile memory and 3D packaging to support weight storage within the area constraints of an image sensor. Overall, ANSA achieves inference energy consumption up to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$30\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> lower than a standard SIMD baseline. Additionally, our design’s scalability allows it to achieve up to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2.76\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> lower average inference energy at <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$4.5\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> lower silicon area compared to competing edge accelerator designs.
An integrally closed ring which is not the intersection of valuation rings

Each commutative ring R which is integrally closed in its total quotient ring T(R) is the intersection of all paravaluation rings of T(R) containing R. In this note an example is given that shows that this statement is not true with "valuation rings" instead of "paravaluation rings". This is an answer of a question asked by J. A. Huckaba in [3]. In this note, all rings are commutative. Every ring has a unit-element, denoted by 1, which is preserved by homomorphisms and inherited by subrings. Let F be a totally ordered commutative group written additively and let IF. = IFoo} where y min{v(x),v(y)}. (c) v(l) = O and v(0) = oo. Furthermore, a surjective paravaluation is called a valuation and a subring B of R is called a valuation ring, resp. a paravaluation ring, if there is a valuation, resp. paravaluation, v of R such that B = {r E R I v(r) > O}. In this case, we write B = Bv and M, := {r E R I v(r) > O} is a prime ideal of Bv . Paravaluation rings are a useful tool in commutative ring theory for describing the integral closure of a ring: Theorem. Let R be a ring with total quotient ring T. Then R is integrally closed (in T) if and only if R is the intersection of its set ofparavaluation rings of T containing R. This statement is also valid if T is an arbitrary ring and R a subring of T (cf. [2] and [3, Theorem 9.1]). In his new book, J. A. Huckaba asked whether Received by the editors September 27, 1988, and in revised form, November 17, 1988. 1980 Mathematics Subject Classification (1985 Revision). Primary 1 3B20; Secondary 1 3A1 8.
Robust model selection and the statistical classification of languages

In this paper we address the problem of model selection for the set of finite memory stochastic processes with finite alphabet, when the data is contaminated. We consider m independent samples, with more than half of them being realizations of the same stochastic process with law Q, which is the one we want to retrieve. We devise a model selection procedure such that for a sample size large enough, the selected process is the one with law Q. Our model selection strategy is based on estimating relative entropies to select a subset of samples that are realizations of the same law. Although the procedure is valid for any family of finite order Markov models, we will focus on the family of variable length Markov chain models, which include the fixed order Markov chain model family. We define the asymptotic breakdown point (ABDP) for a model selection procedure, and we show the ABDP for our procedure. This means that if the proportion of contaminated samples is smaller than the ABDP, then, as the sample size g.
Elderly sarcoidosis in Japan

Objective The manifestations of sarcoidosis differ by ethnicity and region. However, the few studies that have focused on elderly sarcoidosis are only from Western countries. Therefore, we investigated elderly sarcoidosis in Japan. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of adult patients (≥18 years old) who were diagnosed with sarcoidosis from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2020. The diagnosis was pathologically confirmed in all patients. We compared the clinical features of elderly (diagnosed at ≥65 years old) and non-elderly (diagnosed at <65 years old) patients. Results Thirty-five (33%) of 106 patients were elderly. The elderly group had significantly more comorbidities than the non-elderly group (median [range], 1 [0–4] vs. 0 [0–5]). The biopsy site at diagnosis included significantly more extrathoracic sites in the elderly than non-elderly group (57.1% vs. 33.8%). The elderly group had significantly more muscle lesions than the non-elderly group at the time of diagnosis (11.4% vs. 1.4%) and at any time during follow-up (17.1% vs. 1.4%). Conclusion In Japan, elderly patients with sarcoidosis might have more muscle involvement and comorbidities than younger patients. Because comorbidities might affect the prognosis of elderly sarcoidosis, further study is needed to clarify the effect of comorbidities on elderly sarcoidosis.
Two Types of RG-Factorizations of Quasi-birth-and-death Processes and Their Applications to Stochastic Integral Functionals

Abstract In this paper, we provide UL-type and LU-type RG-factorizations for an irreducible continuous-time level-dependent quasi-birth-and-death (QBD) process with either finitely-many levels or infinitely-many levels, and then apply the RG-factorizations to solve a class of linear QBD-equations, which is always crucial for analyzing a stochastic model described as a QBD process. Based on the results obtained for the linear QBD-equations, we analyze up-, down- and return-integral functionals. We explicitly express the Laplace transforms of the conditional distributions of the three types of stochastic integral functionals and their conditional moments.