Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility and the Executive Compensation on Implicit Cost of Equity: Evidence from French ESG Data

This research aimed to evaluate the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and executive incentive compensation based on the achievement of sustainability goals on the implicit cost of equity. To test the study’s hypotheses, the authors applied linear regressions on panel data using the Thomson Reuters ASSET4 and Thompson Institutional Brokers Earnings Services (I/B/E/S) database of a sample of 154 French ESG firms over the 2015–2020 period. Our results show that CSR activities lower the cost of equity capital; hence, these activities are important to shareholders’ investment and financing decisions. The results have practical implications for investors and other partners interested in the business. Thus, using the implicit cost of equity is a better estimate of shareholder requirements in the context of socially responsible businesses. The results of this work could attract the attention of socially responsible investors and, especially, corporate citizens.
Tidal Marsh Plant Community Development within Four Restored Lowland Estuaries in the Western Peninsulas of Washington State, USA

Vegetation and soil within estuarine ecosystems play an integral role in ecological processes within pocket estuaries. However, physical barriers, caused by culverts diminish hydrological inputs, sediment exchange, and habitat connectivity. The restoration of estuaries by bridge replacement reconnects the aquatic corridor, however, the recovery of plant communities and soil sub-strate is not well understood. This observational study monitored four estuary restoration sites of variable ages (0 - 12 years) in Western Washington, USA. Plant community composition, soil organic carbon, organic matter, and soil nutrients were assessed. Percent soil carbon was different among the pre-restoration and youngest (3-year) post-restoration site (P = 0.03), suggesting an initial decrease in carbon and organic matter during restoration. Both N and P were deficient at the newest, lower restoration site, presumably linked to the lack of organic matter required for adequate cation exchange capacity and nutrient/plant exchange (P < 0.05). Plant species diversity was higher at the intermediate (9-year) and oldest post-restoration sites (12-year; P = 0.02). Vegetation composition was primarily native species with few invasive plants present. The results of this study illustrate that tidal marsh plant communities are influenced by the development of salinity and vertical gradients with older sites having an increase in species diversity. Future surveys are ongoing to better understand how these sites recover organic matter and tidal marsh communities to form adequate estuarine habitat over time.
A Fusion Framework for Forecasting Financial Market Direction Using Enhanced Ensemble Models and Technical Indicators

People continuously hunt for a precise and productive strategy to control the stock exchange because the monetary trade is recognised for its unbelievably different character and unpredictability. Even a minor gain in predicting performance will be extremely profitable and significant. Our novel study implemented six boosting techniques, i.e., XGBoost, AdaBoost, Gradient Boosting, LightGBM, CatBoost, and Histogram-based Gradient Boosting, and these boosting techniques were hybridised using a stacking framework to find out the direction of the stock market. Five different stock datasets were selected from four different countries and were used for our experiment. We used two-way overfitting protection during our model building process, i.e., dynamic reduction technique and cross-validation technique. For model evaluation purposes, we used the performance metrics, i.e., accuracy, ROC curve (AUC), F-score, precision, and recall. The aim of our study was to propose and select a predictive model whose training and testing accuracy difference was minimal in all stocks. The findings revealed that the meta-classifier Meta-LightGBM had training and testing accuracy differences that were very low among all stocks. As a result, a proper model selection might allow investors the freedom to invest in a certain stock in order to successfully control risk and create short-term, sustainable profits.
Molecular Structure, Spectroscopic Investigation, Docking and in Vitro Cytotoxicity Studies of 7-Methoxycoumarin as anti-Leukemia Agent

Abstract The vibrational assignments of 7-methoxycoumarin (7MC), a potential anticancer agent, have been studied by the experimental (FTIR and FT-Raman) and theoretical methods. The density functional theory DFT- B3LYP technique with cc-pVTZ basis set is utilized to examine the molecular geometry, electrostatic potential (MEP), infrared intensities, Raman activities, Mulliken charge and thermodynamic limits. The molecular charge exchange in orbitals has been examined by natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. HOMO-LUMO transition and the UV absorption by using TD-DFT approach have been investigated. The molecular docking studies have been executed for interaction of 7MC with the sites of human Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK), Phosphoinositide 3'-kinase (PI3K) and Spleen Associated Tyrosine Kinase (SYK). MTT assay is used to study the anticancer activity of 7MC through five human cancer cell lines (A-549, HEPG2, HEp2, MCF-7, and HL-60). The results suggested that the 7MC can have possibly been used as an agent of anti-leukemia efficacy.
Evolutionary Analysis As a Powerful Complement to Energy Calculations for Protein Stabilization

Stability is one of the most important characteristics of proteins employed as biocatalysts, biotherapeutics, and biomaterials, and the role of computational approaches in modifying protein stability is rapidly expanding. We have recently identified stabilizing mutations in haloalkane dehalogenase DhaA using phylogenetic analysis but were not able to reproduce the effects of these mutations using force-field calculations. Here we tested four different hypotheses to explain the molecular basis of stabilization using structural, biochemical, biophysical, and computational analyses. We demonstrate that stabilization of DhaA by the mutations identified using the phylogenetic analysis is driven by both entropy and enthalpy contributions, in contrast to primarily enthalpy-driven stabilization by mutations designed by the force-field calculations. Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis revealed that more than half (53%) of 1 099 evolution-based stabilizing mutations would be evaluated as destabilizing by force-fi.
Biomethanation Of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) By Ultrasonic-Membrane Anaerobic System (UMAS)

Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) is the wastewater produced during the production of palm oil. POME is a brownish, colloidal suspension that can cause severe damage to environment because of its high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochem ical oxygen demand (BOD). POME often released at high temperature (70 - 80°C) and has pH values between 3.5 and 4.5. In this study, Ultrasonic - Membrane Anaerobic system was used as a cost - effective design to treat POME while methane gas was collected from th e biomethanation process. POME was continuously feed into an anaerobic reactor and pH was maintained at 1.75 bar. Temperature was maintained between 30 and 35°C. Samples from reactor and permeate were collected after 5 hours of operation for the analysis o f COD, BOD, total suspended solids (TSS) and volatile suspended solids (VSS). At the end of 5 hours operation, biogas was collected from the top of 200 litres of UMAS reactor using a designated syringe. Throughout the experiment, the COD and BOD removal ef ficiencies were 66.06% and 96.88% respectively. 94.24% of total suspended solids removal was achieved at 10 days of hydraulic retention time. The methane gas production efficiency was 83.61%. The membrane fouling problem reduced and the treatment of POME w as improved by UMAS introduction.
Interpretation of total phytoplankton and cyanobacteria fluorescence from cross‐calibrated fluorometers, including sensitivity to turbidity and colored dissolved organic matter

In vivo pigment fluorescence methods allow simple real‐time detection and quantification of freshwater algae and cyanobacteria. Available models are still limited to high‐cost fluorometers, validated for single instruments or individual water bodies, preventing data comparison between multiple instruments, and thus, restricting their use in large‐scale monitoring programs. Moreover, few models include corrections for optical interference (water turbidity and colored dissolved organic matter, CDOM). In this study, we developed simple models to predict phytoplankton and cyanobacterial chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations based on Chl a and C‐phycocyanin in vivo fluorescence, using multiple low‐cost handheld fluorometers. We aimed to: (1) fit models to mixed cyanobacterial and microalgal cultures; (2) cross‐calibrate nine fluorometers of the same brand and series; (3) correct the CDOM and turbidity effects; and (4) test the algorithms’ performance with natural samples. We achieved comparable results between nine instruments after the cross‐calibration, allowing their simultaneous use. We obtained algorithms for total and cyanobacterial Chl a estimation. We developed parametric corrections to remove CDOM and turbidity interferences in the algorithms. Five sampling sites (from a lake, a stream, and an estuary) were used to test the algorithms using eight cross‐calibrated fluorometers. The models showed their best performance after CDOM and turbidity corrections (total Chl a: R2 = 0.99, RMSE = 7.8 μg Chl a L−1; cyanobacterial Chl a: R2 = 0.98, RMSE = 9.8 μg Chl a L−1). In summary, our models can quantify total phytoplankton and cyanobacterial Chl a in real time with multiple low‐cost fluorometers, allowing its implementation in large‐scale monitoring programs.
Adherence to Psychological First Aid after Exposure to a Traumatic Event at Work among EMS Workers: A Qualitative Study

Managing post-traumatic stress reactions in the first few days after exposure to a potentially traumatic event in the course of one’s work remains a challenge for first responder organizations such as Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed approach to reducing initial distress and promoting short- and long-term coping strategies among staff in the aftermath of exposure. PFA provided by peer helpers is considered a promising solution for first responder organizations. Unfortunately, first responders may encounter stigma and barriers to mental health care. Therefore, a deeper investigation is needed regarding adherence over time to implemented PFA intervention. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore factors that influence adherence to PFA intervention of recipients and peer helpers. EMS workers (n = 11), working as PFA peer helpers for one year, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis; intercoder reliability (κ = 0.91) was also used. Researchers identified four themes and 11 subthemes influencing adherence to PFA intervention: (1) individual perceptions and attitudes of peer helpers and recipients about pfa intervention; (2) perceived impacts on peer helpers and recipients; (3) organizational support to pfa intervention; and (4) congruence with the occupational culture. Study findings herein suggest that it is conceivable to act on various factors to improve adherence to PFA intervention among peer helpers and recipients within EMS organization. This could lead to enhanced understanding of the challenges involved in sustaining a peer led PFA program for first responders.
Ti3C2Tx MXene Catalyzed Ethylbenzene Dehydrogenation: Active Sites and Mechanism Exploration from both Experimental and Theoretical Aspects

Two-dimensional materials (such as graphene, MXenes) usually perform remarkably well as catalysts in comparison with their three-dimensional counterparts. In this work, Ti3AlC2-derived Ti3C2Tx MXene (T = O, OH, F) was prepared and employed in the direct dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. A 92 μmol m–2 h–1 reactivity and a 40 h stability with almost no deactivation were observed, which is much better than those of the previously reported nanocarbon catalysts. The graphene-like layered structure and the C–Ti–O termination groups induced by the preparation process were thought to account for the good catalytic performance of Ti3C2Tx MXene from both experimental and computational perspectives. The discovery expands the application of two-dimensional MXenes and provides more choices in exploring high-activity catalysts for hydrocarbon dehydrogenation reactions.
Quasi-Biweekly Extensions of the Monsoon Winds and the Philippines Diurnal Cycle

The impact of quasi-biweekly variability in the monsoon southwesterly winds on the precipitation diurnal cycle in the Philippines is examined using CMORPH precipitation, ERA5 reanalysis, and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) fields. Both a case study during the 2018 Propagation of Intraseasonal Tropical Oscillations (PISTON) field campaign and a 23-year composite analysis are used to understand the effect of the QBWO on the diurnal cycle. QBWO events in the west Pacific, identified with an extended EOF index, bring increases in moisture, cloudiness, and westerly winds to the Philippines. Such events are associated with significant variability in daily mean precipitation and the diurnal cycle. It is shown that the modulation of the diurnal cycle by the QBWO is remarkably similar to that by the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO). The diurnal cycle reaches a maximum amplitude on the western side of the Philippines on days with average to above average moisture, sufficient insolation, and weakly offshore prevailing wind. This occurs during the transition period from suppressed to active large-scale convection for both the QBWO and BSISO.Westerly monsoon surges associated with QBWO variability generally exhibit active precipitation over the South China Sea (SCS), but a depressed diurnal cycle. These results highlight that modes of large-scale convective variability in the tropics can have a similar impact on the diurnal cycle if they influence the local scale environmental background state similarly.
L-Arginine inhibits hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damage and inflammatory response by regulating antioxidant capacity in ovine intestinal epithelial cells

Abstract Little is known how L-arginine (Arg) affects the ovine intestinal epithelial cells (IOECs) redox status induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This study aimed to examine the impact of Arg on IOECs subjected to H2O2-induced oxidative damage, intestinal barrier injury, and inflammatory response. The IOECs were incubated for 16 h then classified as four groups (n = 6/group) and cultured in corresponding media including (1) control (CON) group, in which IOECs were cultured in Arg-free Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s F12 Ham medium (DMEM) containing 100 μM Arg; (2) Arg group, in which IOECs were cultured in Arg-free DMEM containing 350 μM Arg; (3) H2O2 group, in which IOECs were cultured in CON group plus 150 μM H2O2; (4) Arg + H2O2 group, in which IOECs were cultured in Arg group plus150 μM H2O2. After culturing for 24 h in media, some characteristics of cells in the four groups were measured. Arg administration decreased the H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production compared with the H2O2 group (p < .05). Compared with H2O2, adding Arg to H2O2 increased (p < .05) transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), but decreased (p < .05) tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) within the IOECs. Compared with H2O2, adding Arg to H2O2-induced injured IOECs increased (p < .05) glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1), zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and epithelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) protein levels, and decreased (p < .05) TNF-α levels within cells. Arg inhibits H2O2-induced oxidative damage, intestinal barrier injury, and inflammatory response by NO pathway within IOECs. HIGHLIGHTS Arg inhibits H2O2-induced oxidative damage of IOECs. Arg inhibits H2O2-induced barrier injury of IOECs. Arg inhibits H2O2-induced inflammatory of IOECs. Arg modulates the antioxidant activity by a NO pathway in IOECs.
Electrochemical polymerization for two-dimensional conjugated polymers

Traditional conjugated polymers (CPs) that are chain-like macromolecules with quasi-one-dimensional (1D) charge transport along conjugated backbones have received considerable attention in various optoelectronic devices. Extending π-conjugation in CPs from 1D to 2D can not only give significantly enhanced charge transport but may also induce other favorable properties, such as excellent mechanicality, flexibility, isotropic properties, etc. Currently, various approaches, including chemical synthesis, interfacial reaction, topochemical and electrochemical polymerization (EP) and so on, have been developed to create 2D conjugated polymers that have their own advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we focus on the current progress of the EP method for assembling CP materials. A brief comparison of the properties of 1D and 2D CPs is given in the beginning of the article. This is followed by a special focus on the EP method and its applications for preparing 1D and 2D CPs. Current challenges in this field and future research directions are discussed.
Tuning the mechanical properties of silicene nanosheet by auxiliary cracks: a molecular dynamics study

Silicene has become a topic of interest nowadays due to its potential application in various electro-mechanical nanodevices. In our previous work on silicene, fracture stresses of single crystal and polycrystalline silicene have been investigated. Existence of defects in the form of cracks reduces the fracture strength of silicene nanosheets to a great extent. In this study, an engineering way has been proposed for improving the fracture stress of silicene nanosheets with a pre-existing crack by incorporating auxiliary cracks symmetrically in a direction perpendicular to the main crack. We call this mechanism the “Failure shielding mechanism”. An extensive molecular dynamics simulation based analysis has been performed to capture the atomic level auxiliary crack-main crack interactions. It is found that the main crack tip stress distribution is significantly changed with the presence of auxiliary cracks for loading along both armchair and zigzag directions. The effects of temperature and the crack propagation speed of silicene have also been studied. Interestingly, in the case of loading along the zigzag direction, SW defect formation is observed at the tip of main crack. This leads to a reduction of the tip stress resulting in a more prominent failure shielding in case of zigzag loading than in armchair loading. Moreover, the position and length of the cracks as well as the loading directions have significant impacts on the tip stress distribution. Finally, this study opens the possibilities of strain engineering for silicene by proposing an engineering way to tailor the fracture strength of silicene.
The Impact of Sustainability Goals on Productivity Growth: The Moderating Role of Global Warming

The objective of this paper was to gain novel insights into the complex relationships among Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in shaping productivity (GDP/capita) growth. Using dynamic panel regressions on data collected in 138 countries between 2000 and 2017, we found that rising temperatures negatively affect growth and mitigate the impact of other SDGs on growth. We also found that CO2 emissions have a U-shaped relationship with growth; life expectancy negatively influences growth (positively moderated by rising temperatures), and food security positively impacts growth (negatively moderated by rising temperatures). This study highlights the difficulty of simultaneously implementing SDGs and elucidates novel research perspectives and policies to decrease the negative impacts of climate change on socio-economic and environmental well-being.
Investigation and preliminary laboratory study on substrate preference of Schizothorax lantsangensis

The destruction of fish habitat is one of the most important factors in the decline of fish stocks. Substrate is a major component of fish habitat. We examined the substrate preferences of wild adult Schizothorax lantsangensis using both field investigation and laboratory experiments. Field investigation showed that the substrate of S. lantsangensis habitat in parts of the Lancang River consists mainly of sand, gravel, and pebbles. The substrate was categorized into six types according to the particle size using the modified Wentworth classification: sand and silt (diameter < 2 mm), gravel (diameter 2.1–16 mm), pebble (diameter 16.1–32 mm), cobble (diameter 32.1–64 mm), small boulder (diameter 64–128 mm), and boulder (diameter > 128 mm). The substrate preference of S. lantsangensis was determined in the laboratory, using a single factor test, by comparing the residence times of fish in each of six substrates during different time periods. The results showed that S. lantsangensis preferred pebble and cobble substrates. This study provides a reference for the creation of artificial substrate in habitat restoration in the Lancang River.
Wikipedia, Google Trends and Diet: Assessment of Temporal Trends in the Internet Users’ Searches in Italy before and during COVID-19 Pandemic

We obtained data from Google Trends and Wikipedia in order to assess whether an analysis of Internet searches could provide information on the Internet users’ behaviour/interest in diets. Differences in seasonality, year and before/during COVID-19 pandemic were assessed. From Wikipedia, we extracted the number of times a page is viewed by users, aggregated on monthly and seasonal bases. We also used Google Trends to evaluate the frequency of the users’ web searches. The Mediterranean diet was the most frequently (33.9%), followed by the pescatarian diet (9.0%). Statistically, significant seasonal differences were found for the Mediterranean, vegetarian, Atkins, Scarsdale, and zone diets and pescetarianism. The most commonly searched diet and consequent diet-related queries on Google resulted to be: Dukan diet, Dukan and weight loss. Ketogenic, FODMAP and intermittent fasting diets were statistically more frequently searched during the pandemic compared with before. Our data show a different trend of searches based on the seasonality, year and the pandemic. These data could be useful for scientists, practitioners and policy makers because they can inform educational campaigns via the Internet, especially in periods when the population is more receptive.
Intended high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for the quantification of norfloxacin and its potential impurities in active pharmaceutical ingredient and tablet dosage forms

Norfloxacin [NFXC] is an active pharmaceutical ingredient belongs to 4-quinolone antibacterial agent used for the prophylaxis of gram +ve and gram-ve bacterial infections. A reliable stability-indicating RP-HPLC method was developed for the separation and estimation of NFXC along with its synthetic impurities A and B. High resolution and precise results were achieved on waters C18 Column (250mm×4.6mm; 3.5µm Particle size) with a mobile phase of Methanol, 0.01M sodium perchlorate (pH 3.1) in the ratio of 15:85 (v/v) at a flow rate of 0.8ml/min in isocratic mode. Eluents were detected using UV detector at 220nm. All the validation parameters are under the acceptance limit. Forced degradation studies were carried under acidic, basic, oxidative, photolytic and thermal conditions. NFXC was found to be stable in all the stress conditions and proposed method can separate the known and unknown impurities. Optimized method was successfully applied for the routine analysis of NFXC in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations.