Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quality of Corporate Governance , Analyst Coverage , and Analyst Forecast Error : Do analysts serve as external monitors to managers ?

This paper contributes to the literature by using the board structure proxy variables for the corporate governance quality to explore the relationship between analysts’ behaviors and corporate governance. We obtain analyst information from the Institutional Brokers Estimate System (I/B/E/S) database and information of board structure from RiskMetrics (formerly IRRC) database. We extract 10,334 firm-year observations from 1996 to 2006. Using board structure as the main proxy variables for corporate governance, we examine the relations among board structure, analysts’ coverage and analysts’ forecast error. Controlling for other possible determinants of the properties of analysts’ forecasts, consistent with our expectation, we find that analysts following firms with high levels of board independence have less forecast error and these firms also have more analysts’ coverage than those with a low level of board independence. After occurrences in Reg FD and SOX, we find that the increased intensity in regulated disclosure and governance enforcement will offset the effect of board independence on coverage and forecast error.
Resonance solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation in an open double-well potential

The resonance states and the decay dynamics of the nonlinear Schrödinger (or Gross–Pitaevskii) equation are studied for a simple, but flexible, model system, the double delta-shell potential. This model allows analytical solutions and provides insight into the influence of the nonlinearity on the decay dynamics. The bifurcation scenario of the resonance states is discussed as well as their dynamical stability properties. A discrete approximation using a biorthogonal basis is suggested which allows an accurate description even for only two-basis states in terms of a nonlinear, non-Hermitian matrix problem.
An approach for using Wikipedia to measure the flow of trends across countries

Wikipedia has grown to become the most successful online encyclopedia on the Web, containing over 24 million articles, offered in over 240 languages. In just over 10 years Wikipedia has transformed from being just an encyclopedia of knowledge, to a wealth of facts and information, from articles discussing trivia, political issues, geographies and demographics, to popular culture, news articles, and social events. In this paper we explore the use of Wikipedia for identifying the flow of information and trends across the world. We start with the hypothesis that, given that Wikipedia is a resource that is globally available in different languages across countries, access to its articles could be a reflection human activity. To explore this hypothesis we try to establish metrics on the use of Wikipedia in order to identify potential trends and to establish whether or how those trends flow from one county to another. We subsequently compare the outcome of this analysis to that of more established methods that are based on online social media or traditional media. We explore this hypothesis by applying our approach to a subset of Wikipedia articles and also a specific worldwide social phenomenon that occurred during 2012; we investigate whether access to relevant Wikipedia articles correlates to the viral success of the South Korean pop song, "Gangnam Style" and the associated artist "PSY" as evidenced by traditional and online social media. Our analysis demonstrates that Wikipedia can indeed provide a useful measure for detecting social trends and events, and in the case that we studied; it could have been possible to identify the specific trend quicker in comparison to other established trend identification services such as Google Trends.
Distance vs. Ray Functions: An Application to the Inshore Fishery of Greece

The objective of this paper is to compare the empirical results from two alternative representations of a stochastic multi-output technology using trip-level data of the inshore fleet in Greece. The comparisons involve technical efficiency scores, structure of the underlying technology, and technical efficiency determinants. The stochastic multi-output distance function and the stochastic ray production function indicate the same technology structure, which is non-separable in inputs and outputs, non-homothetic in inputs, and exhibits increasing returns to scale. The relative rankings of efficiency scores are very similar. The distributions of efficiency scores, however, are different, and the ray production frontier yields systematically lower technical inefficiency levels than the multi-output distance function.
Overestimation of the Subjective Experience of Time in Social Anxiety: Effects of Facial Expression, Gaze Direction, and Time Course

It is known that threatening stimuli increase emotional arousal, resulting in overestimating the subjective experience of passing time. Moreover, facial expressions and gaze direction interact to create socially threatening situations in people with social anxiety. The present study investigated the effect of social anxiety on the perceived duration of observing emotional faces with a direct or an averted gaze. Participants were divided into high, medium and low social anxiety groups based on social anxiety inventory scores. Participants then performed a temporal bisection task. Participants with high social anxiety provided larger overestimates for neutral faces with an averted gaze than those with low social anxiety in the second half of the task, whereas these differences were not found for angry face with direct and averted gaze. These results suggest that people with social anxiety perceive the duration of threatening situations as being longer than true durations based on objectively measured time.
DEFINING 3 D SPATIAL NEIGHBORHOODS FOR TOPOLOGICAL ANALYSES USING A 3 D NETWORK-BASED TOPOLOGICAL DATA MODEL-CA-BASED BUILDING EVACUATION SIMULATION -

After 9/11 there has been special interests in 3D models to represent internal structures of micro-scale environment (built-in urban areas), in order to understand and analyze human movements under such emergency situations in micro-scale environment. With comparing to 2D analysis, the 3D searching operation should deal with complex geometric computational problems involves with defining spatial neighbourhoods between the 3D target object and well-formed 3D objects in a micro-scale urban area such as spatial units in a building. Therefore, this study is motivated by need of a new method to analyze human behaviours in micro-space urban environments, such as a relative accessibility, or location interoperability services for emergency operations within a medical centre. In this study, we considered about the application method of three dimensional models and indoor positioning techniques. We presented an algorithm to define spatial relationships based on network-based neighbourhoods for 3D topological analyses in microscale urban area. We utilize Cellular Automata model to connect with indoor positioning techniques and present movement of individual evacuees for the 3D topological analysis. 1 Corresponding author
Luminosity functions beyond the spectroscopic limit I. Method and near-infrared LFs in the HDF-N and HDF-S

We have developed a Monte Carlo method to compute the luminosity function of galaxies, based on photometric redshifts, which takes into account the non-Gaussianity of the probability functions, and the presence of degenerate solutions in redshift. In this paper we describe the method and the mock tests performed to check its reliability. The NIR luminosity functions and the redshift distributions are determined for near infrared subsamples on the HDF-N and HDF-S. The results on the evolution of the NIR LF, the stellar mass function, and the luminosity density, are presented and discussed in view of the implications for the galaxy formation models. The main results are the lack of substantial evolution of the bright end of the NIR LF and the absence of decline of the luminosity density up to a redshift z ∼ 2, implying that most of the stellar population in massive galaxies was already in place at such redshift.
Effects of phenylalanine on reproductive performance and teratogenesis in mice.

We evaluated the effects of phenylalanine on reproductive performance and teratogenesis in mice, as well as we assessed its protective effect in mice treated with an acute dose of cyclophosphamide. Animals were divided into 6 experimental groups (females N = 15/group, males N = 5/group): G1, the negative control group, phosphate-buffered saline; G2, the positive control group, 35 mg cyclophosphamide/kg body weight (b.w.); G3 and G4 received phenylalanine at doses of 150 and 300 mg/ kg b.w. , respectively; G5 and G6 received phenylalanine at doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg b.w. co-administered with cyclophosphamide at a dose of 35 mg/kg b.w. , respectively. Pregnant mice received phenylalanine from 8-12 days of pregnancy and cyclophosphamide on the 10th day of treatment or the respective vehicles. In animals treated with cyclophosphamide, offspring fetal weight significantly decreased. The G5 and G6 groups, which received cyclophosphamide co-administered with phenylalanine, showed a smaller reduction in weight. Based on this analysis, the offspring from groups G2, G5, and G6 showed low weight due to pregnancy age. Moreover, at the doses used, phenylalanine did not interfere with embryo-fetal development. However, further studies are necessary to increase the understanding of the effects of phenylalanine on mouse reproductive performance and teratogenesis.
An Updated Meta-Analysis: Risk Conferred by Glutathione S-Transferases (GSTM1 and GSTT1) Polymorphisms to Age-Related Cataract

Purpose. To study the effects of glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) and T1 (GSTT1) polymorphisms on age-related cataract (ARC). Methods. After a systematic literature search, all relevant studies evaluating the association between GSTs polymorphisms and ARC were included. Results. Fifteen studies on GSTM1 and nine studies on GSTT1 were included in this meta-analysis. In the pooled analysis, a significant association between null genotype of GSTT1 and ARC was found (OR = 1.229, 95% CI = 1.057–1.429, and P = 0.007). In subgroup analysis, the association between cortical cataract (CC) and GSTM1 null genotype was statistically significant (OR = 0.713, 95% CI = 0.598–0.850, and P < 0.001). In addition, GSTM1 null genotype was significantly associated with ARC causing risk to individuals working indoors and not individuals working outdoors. The association between GSTT1 null genotype and risk of ARC was statistically significant in Asians (OR = 1.442, 95% CI = 1.137–1.830, and P = 0.003) but not in Caucasians. Conclusions. GSTM1 positive genotype is associated with increased risk of CC and loses the protective role in persons who work outdoors. Considering the ethnic variation, GSTT1 null genotype is found to be associated with increased risk of ARC in Asians but not in Caucasians.
Geometric Features-Based Filtering for Suppression of Impulse Noise in Color Images

A geometric features-based filtering technique, named as the adaptive geometric features based filtering technique (AGFF), is presented for removal of impulse noise in corrupted color images. In contrast with the traditional noise detection techniques where only 1D statistical information is used for noise detection and estimation, a novel noise detection method is proposed based on geometric characteristics and features (i.e., the 2-D information) of the corrupted pixel or the pixel region, leading to effective and efficient noise detection and estimation outcomes. A progressive restoration mechanism is devised using multipass nonlinear operations which adapt to the intensity and the types of the noise. Extensive experiments conducted using a wide range of test color images have shown that the AGFF is superior to a number of existing well-known benchmark techniques, in terms of standard image restoration performance criteria, including objective measurements, the visual image quality, and the computational complexity.
A Function-based Formatting Model

SUMMARY The work presented here concerns a document processing model accounting for aspects of an activity which is usually called formatting. The core of the model, an experimental formatting language called FFL, is the central topic. FFL is a purely functional language in the style of FP and the applicative part of APL. Sequences, characters, and so-called boxes constitute the data types and among the build-in primitives are functions for aligning/spacing, breaking etc. Emphasis is put on presenting the language and exemplifying its use. Also considered are issues in type checking of formatting function definitions and techniques for doing incremental formatting with FFL formatting functions. FFL is currently being implemented by the BENEDICK project group led by the author.
An analytic investigation of the scatter in the integrated X-ray properties of galaxy groups and clusters

We revisit the scaling relationships between the dark matter mass and observed X-ray luminosity and temperature of galaxy clusters and groups in the local Universe. Specifically, we compare recent observations with analytic models of the intracluster medium in which the gas entropy distribution has been shifted by a variable amount, K o , to investigate the origin of the scatter in these scaling relations, and its influence on the luminosity and temperature functions. We find that variations in halo concentration or formation epoch (which might determine the time available for low-entropy gas to cool out) are insufficient to explain the amount of scatter in the mass and X-ray luminosity (M-L) relation. Instead, a range of entropy floors at a fixed halo mass, spanning approximately ∼50-700 keV cm 2 , is required to match the data. This range is likely related to the variance in heating and/or cooling efficiency from halo to halo. We demonstrate that these models are consistent with the observed temperature and luminosity functions of clusters, with a normalization of σ 8 ∼ 0.8 in agreement with Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) measurements (for h = 0.7 and Ω m = 0.3); in particular, the scatter in the M-L relation has an important influence on the shape of the luminosity function, and must be accounted for to provide a consistent result. Finally, we present predictions for the redshift evolution of these scaling relations and luminosity/temperature functions. Comparison with recent data at z < 0.7 shows reasonable agreement with a model that assumes a median entropy floor of K = 200 keV cm 2 . When observations are extended to group scales (kT ≤ 1 keV). this evolution will have the potential to discriminate between an entropy floor that is independent of redshift (e.g. in a preheating scenario) and one that depends on the cooling time of the halo.
Dynamic Behaviour of a Doubly Fed Induction Machine with Generator-side Converter under Abnormal Condition

This paper describes the dynamic behaviour of a doubly-fed induction machine, operating with wind turbine. The rotor circuit of the machine consists only of a generator- side converter working under abnormal condition at stator side (fault condition and voltage drop take place in transmission lines of the grid system). The induction machine model is based on the stationary reference frame and the control-unit model is based on the line- voltage oriented reference frame. The generator-side controller provides good decoupling between active and reactive power. A powerful MATLAB/SIMULINK was used for the simulation of the wind energy conversion system of a 4 kW wind generator. The simulation results of the generator side converter show that the speed, torque and the sinϕ (power factor) can be regulated independently to match the reference signals. The effects of assumed abnormal condition in the grid system are discussed with regard to stator current and rotor current of the induction machine. The results indicate that during a fault condition the inverter should be disconnected in order to reduce the high oscillation in stator currents and rotor currents. In the case of a voltage drop, it indicates that the inverter should be automatically disconnected with a protective relay.
A novel in vivo tumor oxygen profiling assay: Combining functional and molecular imaging with multivariate mathematical modeling

Lee, Chung-Wein. Ph.D., Purdue University, May 2015. A Novel In vivo Tumor Oxygen Profiling Assay: Combining Functional and Molecular Imaging with Multivariate Mathematical Modeling. Major Professor: Keith M. Stantz. Purpose: The objective of this study is to develop and test a novel high spatio-temporal in vivo assay to quantify tumor oxygenation and hypoxia. The assay implements a biophysical model of oxygen transport to fuse parameters acquired from in vivo functional and molecular imaging modalities. Introduction: Tumor hypoxia plays an important role in carcinogenesis. It triggers pathological angiogenesis to supply more oxygen to the tumor cells and promotes cancer cell metastasis. Preclinical and clinical evidence show that anti-angiogenic treatment is capable of normalizing the tumor vasculature both structurally and functionally. The resulting normalized vasculature provides a more efficient and uniform microcirculation that enhances oxygen and drug delivery to the tumor cells and improves second-line treatments such as traditional radiation or chemotherapy. Early studies using the overall or average tumor hypoxia as a prognostic biomarker of antiangiogenic therapy efficacy was ambivalent; however, recent studies have discovered that the etiology of hypoxia and its heterogeneity could be used as reliable prognostic biomarkers. The capability to longitudinally map tumor hypoxia with high spatial and temporal resolution has the potential to enhance fundamental cancer research and ultimately cancer patient care.
The Research of Vehicle Classification Using SVM and KNN in a Ramp

There is an important significance of the application for real-time classification by using of the acoustic and seismic signals generated by vehicles in the road ramp. The eight test points were put on the both sides of a road ramp, the some devices of acoustic and seismic sensors etc were put in each point. On the acquisition of acoustic and seismic signals, shorttime Fourier transform (STFT) was used for feature extraction. In the classification, Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernel was used to train SVM, KNN and SVM were used for the comparative study of real-time classification and achieved good results. We also proposed an improved SVM algorithm which has improved the classification accuracy of SVM to nearly 1 percent. This paper also discussed the classification of the different window size, and discussed the influence on the classification accuracy changes in the window size. And it finally comes to the conclusion by experiment: it is obvious that the classification accuracy is sensitive to the window size. In the classification accuracies, the performance of SVM is superior to that of KNN, and improved SVM is slightly superior to SVM.
Demonstration of highly specific toxicity of the α-emitting radioimmunoconjugate211At-rituximab against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cells

The ability of an α-emitter conjugated to a chimaeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody to kill selectively human B-lymphoma cells in vitro is reported. Two B-lymphoma cell lines RAEL and K422, and normal haematopoietic progenitor cells from human bone marrow aspirates were incubated with211At-rituximab (Rituxan® or MabThera™) and plated in clonogenic assays for survival analyses. Following 1 h incubation with211At-rituximab, in concentrations which gave an initial activity of 50 kBq ml–1, a high tumour cell to normal bone marrow cell toxicity ratio was obtained; 4.1 to 1.0 log cell kill. Biodistribution studies of211At-rituximab in Balb/c mice showed similar stability as that of the iodinated analogue. The data indicate that testing of211At-rituximab in human patients is warranted. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign
SN 1998A: explosion of a blue supergiant

We present spectroscopic and photometric observations of the peculiar Type II supernova (SN) 1998A. The light curves and spectra closely resemble those of SN 1987A, suggesting that the SN 1998A progenitor exploded when it was a compact blue supergiant. However, the comparison with SN 1987A also highlights some important differences: SN 1998A is more luminous and the spectra show bluer continua and larger expansion velocities at all epochs. These observational properties indicate that the explosion of SN 1998A is more energetic than SN 1987A and more typical of Type II supemovae. Comparing the observational data with simulations, we deduce that the progenitor of SN 1998A was a massive star (∼25 M ○. ) with a small pre-supernova radius (? 6 x 10 12 cm). The Ban lines, unusually strong in SN 1987A and some faint II-P events, are almost normal in the case of SN 1998A, indicating that the temperature plays a key role in determining their strength.
Parallelizing Clique and Quasi-Clique Detection over Graph Data

In a wide variety of emerging data-intensive applications, such as social network analysis, Web document clustering, entity resolution, and detection of consistently co-expressed genes in systems biology, the detection of dense subgraphs (cliques and approximate or quasi-cliques) is an essential component. Unfortunately, these problems are NP-Complete and thus computationally intensive at scale — hence there is a need to come up with techniques for distributing the computation across multiple machines such that the computation, which is too time-consuming on a single machine, can be efficiently performed on a machine cluster given that it is large enough. In this paper, we first propose a new approach for maximal clique and quasi-clique enumeration, which identifies dense subgraphs by recursive graph partitioning. Given a connected graph G = (V,E), it has a space complexity of O(|E|) and a time complexity of O(|E|μ(G)), where μ(G) represents the number of different cliques (quasi-cliques) existing in G. It recursively divides a graph until each task is sufficiently small to be processed in parallel. We then develop parallel solutions and demonstrate how graph partitioning can enable effective load balancing. Finally, we evaluate the performance of the proposed approach on real and synthetic graph data and show that it performs considerably better than existing approaches in both centralized and parallel settings. In the parallel setting, it can achieve the speedups of up to 10x over existing approaches on large graphs. Our parallel algorithms are implemented and evaluated on MapReduce, a popular shared-nothing parallel framework, but can easily generalize to other shared-nothing or shared-memory parallel frameworks.
A variational EM algorithm for the separation of moving sound sources

This paper addresses the problem of separation of moving sound sources. We propose a probabilistic framework based on the complex Gaussian model combined with non-negative matrix factorization. The properties associated with moving sources are modeled using time-varying mixing filters described by a stochastic temporal process. We present a variational expectation-maximization (VEM) algorithm that employs a Kalman smoother to estimate the mixing filters. The sound sources are separated by means of Wiener filters, built from the estimators provided by the proposed VEM algorithm. Preliminary experiments with simulated data show that, while for static sources we obtain results comparable with the baseline method [1], in the case of moving source our method outperforms a piece-wise version of the baseline method.