Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Formation of an optimal portfolio of venture projects

Purpose. Development of a method for forming an optimal portfolio of venture projects taking into account risks, uncertainty in initial data and limited financial resources. Methodology. To calculate the accuracy of forecasting prices, which are necessary for calculating the parameters of the stochas­ tic optimization model for the formation of a portfolio of projects, we used the theory of random variables and regression analysis. The problem of choosing the optimal portfolio of venture projects was solved using stochastic mathematical programming. Findings. A model for creating an optimal portfolio of venture projects has been developed. It is a stochastic mathematical programming model that can be used to solve problems of investing in venture projects in the extractive industry. This model takes into account the risks associated with obtaining the expected income from the implementation of each venture project, the uncer­ tainty in the initial data for calculating the income from the projects selected in the portfolio, as well as the limited funds required to finance the project portfolio. Originality. The stochastic optimization model for the formation of an optimal portfolio of projects, taking into account the peculiarities of venture projects, in particular, their high riskiness, has been significantly improved and adapted. Practical value. The proposed model for the formation of an optimal portfolio of venture projects can be used at mining enter­ prises, whose development strategy involves the implementation of innovative, high­risk projects. The use of this model in strate­ gic planning will allow an enterprise to receive the maximum income from venture projects in the face of a lack of financial re­ sources, as well as instability of the innovation market.
Modelling potential climate change impacts on sediment yield in the Tsitsa River catchment, South Africa

COPYRIGHT © The Author(s) Published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0) The effects of climate change on water resources could be numerous and widespread, affecting water quality and water security across the globe. Variations in rainfall erosivity and temporal patterns, along with changes in biomass and land use, are some of the impacts climate change is projected to have on soil erosion. Sedimentation of watercourses and reservoirs, especially in water-stressed regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, may hamper climate change resilience. Modelling sediment yield under various climate change scenarios is vital to develop mitigation strategies which offset the negative effects of erosion and ensure infrastructure remains sustainable under future climate change. This study investigated the relative change in sediment yield with projected climate change using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for a rural catchment in South Africa for the period 2015–2100. Data from six downscaled Coupled Global Climate Models (CGCM) were divided into three shorter time periods, namely, 2015–2034, 2045–2064 and 2081–2100. Results were then compared with a control scenario using observed data for the period 2002–2017. The results show that, if left unmanaged, climate change will likely lead to greater sediment yield, of up to 10% more per annum. Peak sediment yield will also increase almost three-fold throughout the century. The study shows that projected climate change will have multiple negative effects on soil erosion and emphasised the need for changes in climate to be considered when embarking on water resource developments. Modelling potential climate change impacts on sediment yield in the Tsitsa River catchment, South Africa
Island effects and amelioration by resumption in Jordanian Arabic: An auditory acceptability‐judgment study

This study brings evidence from Jordanian Arabic, a primarily spoken grammatical‐resumption language, into the (formal‐experimental) empirical base of both theories of island effects and theories of island amelioration by resumption. We report four auditory judgment studies exploring two dependency types and four island types with a gap or resumption in the tail of the dependency, yielding 16 distinct quantified effects. Our experiments identified two notable sources of variation: variation across dependency types in the sets of island effects that occur with gaps and variation across island types in amelioration by resumption. We discuss the challenges these results raise for four major classes of theories of island effects, and we point to paths forward for each. We also discuss the consequences of the variation in amelioration for theories of the source of resumption, concluding that both base generation and movement must be available options to learners of Jordanian Arabic. We also observe some evidence of individual variation in the availability of resumption across dependency types that could be explored in future studies.
Isolated and Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion for Unresectable Liver Metastases: A Systematic Review

Isolated and Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion for Unresectable Liver Metastases: A Systematic Review Bagias G1*, Antonakis P3, Memos N3, Panopoulou E2, Toutouzas K2, Alexakis N2, Konstadoulakis M3 and Bramis K3 1Clinic for General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany 21st Propaedeutic Department of Surgery, University of Athens, Medical School, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece 32nd Department of Surgery, University of Athens, Medical School, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece
Congenital Talipes Equinovarus: Requires Investigative Curiosity to Understand the Definition for Detection, Prevalence, Etiology, Treatment, and Outcomes

Introduction: Investigative curiosity is required following the identification of Congenital Talipes Tquinovarus (CTEV) to identify the etiology for appropriate prenatal and post-natal counseling as it has an important impact on reproductive decisions, treatment management and recurrence risk. Material and Methods: This review article is a structured review using Pub Med with CTEV key word identifiers for consideration of the detection, prevalence, etiology, treatment, and outcomes. Review for isolated and complex CTEV was used as CTEV is common with many genetic syndromes/ associations/sequences. Review period was concentrated for 2000 to 2020 but earlier cohorts were included for prevalence evaluation. Results: The prevalence for CTEV was 0.4 to 7.0 per 1000 live births with ethic differences (Chinese 0.39; Polynesian/Pacific Islanders 7.0). Etiologies were variable considering idiopathic and non-idiopathic (fetal environment-fetal mechanical-fetal external exposure-fetal genetic) for both isolated and complex-multiple anomaly cohorts. Genetic etiologies included chromosomal, molecular mutation, and syndromes (dominant; recessive; X-linked). Consensus for neonatal treatment is use of manipulation and serial casting initially with surgical techniques for primary treatment failure and post ambulation recurrence. Conclusion: Maternal smoking and a family history of CTEV have been identified as risk factors in affected children. The etiologies for complex CTEV have been shown to have multiple fetal environmental, mechanical, external exposure, and genetic/molecular etiologies. Many genetic syndromes have CTEV as a component of the syndrome multiple anomalies. Treatment supports the use of a non-surgical approach (Ponseti) Method: Manipulation, casting, bracing) initially prior to the consideration of surgical techniques. Douglas Wilson R* Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Canada
On Visual-Aided LiDAR-Inertial Odometry System in Challenging Subterranean Environments

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is one of the fundamental components for autonomous robotic exploration. The goal of SLAM is to create an accurate map for the environment and provide robust state estimation for planning, control, and perception tasks. However, due to the nature of different sensors, SLAM estimates are prone to drift and failure in degraded environments. For example, LiDAR-based estimation algorithms are easy to fail when the environments are geometrically degraded (elevator shafts, long corridors), and so are vision-based algorithms in texture-less environments. In the DARPA Subterranean Challenge, a fleet of robots are sent to navigate through various tunnel, urban, and cave environments, where degenerate and challenging scenes frequently show up, creating many failure cases for LiDAR-inertial state estimation system. In order to extend the robot’s exploration capability to these difficult cases, we introduce an additional visual-inertial odometry pipeline to the system. In this thesis, we demonstrate that a vision-aided LiDAR-inertial odometry system can provide more robust state estimation under challenging environments. We first discuss methods of failure and degeneracy detection for LiDAR and visual odometry. Then we expand on the depth-enhanced visual-inertial odometry pipeline, including hardware setup, and software architecture. Finally, we present a complete visual-LiDAR-inertial state estimation pipeline and show that our system can overcome extremely challenging environments like elevator shafts, long corridors, etc.
Central Nervous Cryptococcosis and Chronic Hepatitis C: Two Case Reports and Review of the Literature

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) could be a risk factor for neuropsychiatric illness and a predisposing factor for meningoencephalitis caused by opportunistic organisms such as Cryptococcus neoformans. Nonetheless, the association between virological cure and resolution of Brain-Blood Barrier (BBB) damage and neuroinflammation has remained unclear. Understanding this association may help develop strategies to reduce neuropsychiatric comorbidity in Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) patients and improve outcomes in addiction medicine, specifically Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT) retention. Cannabis may be a direct source of inoculation of Cryptococcus species and other fungi in the lungs and subsequent hematogenous dissemination.
Thirty-eight years of CO2 fertilization have outpaced growing aridity to drive greening of Australian woody ecosystems

Abstract. Climate change is projected to increase the imbalance between the supply (precipitation) and atmospheric demand for water (i.e. increased potential evapotranspiration), stressing plants in water-limited environments. Plants may be able to offset increasing aridity because rising CO2 increases water-use-efficiency. CO2 fertilization has also been cited as one of the drivers of the widespread ‘greening’ phenomenon. However, attributing the size of this CO2 fertilization effect is complicated, due in part to a lack of long-term vegetation monitoring and interannual to decadal-scale climate variability. In this study we asked the question, how much has CO2 contributed towards greening? We focused our analysis on a broad aridity gradient spanning eastern Australia’s woody ecosystems. Next we analysed 38-years of satellite remote sensing estimates of vegetation greenness (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI) to examine the role of CO2 in ameliorating climate change impacts. Multiple statistical techniques were applied to separate the CO2-attributable effects on greening from the changes in water supply and atmospheric aridity. Widespread vegetation greening occurred despite a warming climate, increases in vapor pressure deficit, and repeated record-breaking droughts and heatwaves. Between 1982–2019 we found that NDVI increased (median 11.3 %) across 90.5 % of the woody regions. After masking disturbance effects (e.g. fire), we statistically estimated an 11.7 % increase in NDVI attributable to CO2, broadly consistent with a hypothesized theoretical expectation of an 8.6 % increase in water-use-efficiency due to rising CO2. In contrast to reports of a weakening CO2 fertilization effect, we found no consistent temporal change in the CO2 effect. We conclude rising CO2 has mitigated the effects of increasing aridity, repeated record-breaking droughts, and record-breaking heat waves in eastern Australia. However, we were unable to determine whether trees or grasses were the primary beneficiary of the CO2 induced change in water-use-efficiency, which has implications for projecting future ecosystem resilience. A more complete understanding of how CO2 induced changes in water-use-efficiency affect trees and non-tree vegetation is needed.
Effect of Sexual Relationship Enrichment Educational Program on the Sexual Satisfaction of Dual-Career Couples in Ardabil, Iran (2019): A Case Study

Article Info Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of sexual relationship enrichment program training on the sexual satisfaction of dual-career couples. Material and Methods: This research was a single-case experiment. The statistical population was all couples referred to the counseling center in Ardabil in 2019. In this study, three couples were purposefully selected as a sample. Larson's (1998) Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to collect data, and visual shape analysis, clinical significance, and improvement rate were used to analyze them. Results: The mean of sexual satisfaction before treatment for first to third couples was 55.16, 57.37, and 58.4, respectively, after treatment, it was 70.2, 71.8, and 73, respectively, and in the follow-up stage, it was 70.66, 72.33, and 73.66, respectively, indicating an increase compared to the baseline stage. The reliable change index after treatment for the first to third couples was equal to 2.83, 2.71, and 2.74, respectively, and in the follow-up stage, it was equal to 2.92, 2.81, and 2.87, respectively, showing that for all three couple participants, these values were higher than the standard value of Z = 1.96. Conclusion: The results of the present study, along with other studies, showed the importance of sexual relationship enrichment program training in increasing the level of sexual satisfaction in dual-career couples.
Optimization of β-Fructofuranosidase Production from Agrowaste by Aspergillus carbonarius and Its Application in the Production of Inverted Sugar

SUMMARY Research background Microbial β-fructofuranosidases are widely employed in food industry to produce inverted sugar or fructooligosaccharides. In this study, a newly isolated Aspergillus carbonarius PC-4 strain was used to optimize the β-fructofuranosidase production in a cost-effective process and the sucrose hydrolysis was evaluated to produce inverted sugars. Experimental approach Optimization of nutritional components of culture medium was carried out using simplex lattice mixture design for 72 and 120 h at 28 °C. One-factor-at-a-time methodology was used to optimize the physicochemical parameters. Crude enzyme was used for sucrose hydrolysis at different concentrations. Results and conclusions The optimized conditions of enzyme production were achieved from cultivations containing pineapple crown waste (1.3%, m/V) and yeast extract (0.3%, m/V) after 72 h with an enzyme activity of 9.4 U/mL, obtaining R2=91.85%, R2adjusted=85.06%, highest F-value (13.52) and low p-value (0.003). One-factor-at-a-time used for optimizing the physicochemical conditions showed optimum temperature (20 °C), pH (5.5), agitation (180 rpm) and time course (72 h) with a 3-fold increase of enzyme production. The invertase-induced sucrose hydrolysis showed the maximum yield (3.45 mmol of reducing sugars) using 10% of initial sucrose concentration. Higher sucrose concentrations caused the inhibition of invertase activity, possibly due to the saturation of substrate or formation of sucrose aggregates, making it difficult for the enzyme to access sucrose molecules within the created clusters. Therefore, a cost-effective method was developed for the invertase production using agroindustrial waste and the produced enzyme can be used efficiently for inverted sugar production at high sucrose concentration. Novelty and scientific contribution This study presents an efficient utilization of pineapple crown waste to produce invertase by a newly isolated Aspergillus carbonarius PC-4 strain. This enzyme exhibited a good potential for inverted sugar production at high initial sucrose concentration, which is interesting for industrial applications.
Controlled Release of Bi-Layered Malvidin Tablets Using 3D Printing Techniques

Malvidin belongs to the class of anthocyanidin, a pigment compound present in fruits and vegetables like the colored berries, flowers, and vegetables which have pigments on it and it is available commercially as malvidin chloride. Malvidin is known to possess many medicinal characteristics like anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-cancer. In this research paper, a 3D printing technique is used which evolves a 3D printer based on desktop that extrudes tablets comprising the active drug which here is malvidin our main ingredient and the other excipients which are used as binders and disintegrants. Methods which are adapted here for the formulation of 3D printed tablet make the tablets appropriate for immediate and sustained release with its definite physical and mechanical properties like hardness, friability, and weight. Tablets that are extruded by the 3D printer are controlled release bi-layer tablets. Due to involvement of 3D printer, printing cost for the bi-layered tablets found very low that makes our method as cost efficient.
Determinants of earnings management: The study of Nigerian nonfinancial companies

Earnings management uses acceptable accounting rules and procedures, as well as evading business practices, in order to achieve desired ends. It is a form of a financial report designed by management, presented so as to obtain a private gain of some kind. There are two basic motives: opportunistic and efficient motives. Opportunistic motives are those implying that managers use their decisions to maximize their personal gains. In efficient motives, manageress window-dress a financial report so as to signal information to the users of the report (Cudia & Dela Cruz, 2018, 120). The implication of both motives is that management do not present the firm’s true economic position (Emudainohwo, 2020, 397). Rather, they mislead stakeholders, as well as prospective investors, by signaling false information about the firm’s performance as if it were true (Beaver, 2002, 468). DETERMINANTS OF EARNINGS MANAGEMENT: THE STUDY OF NIGERIAN NONFINANCIAL COMPANIES
Discrimination of haloarchaeal genera using Raman spectroscopy and robust methods for multivariate data analysis

In this study, we aimed at developing a rapid and non-destructive method to predict the genus-level taxonomic affiliation of phenotypically similar halophilic archaea of Halobacteria Class. For this purpose, representatives of three widespread and frequently isolated haloarchaeal genera (Halobacterium sp., Haloferax sp. and Halorubrum sp.) were investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy. The most relevant Raman bands exhibited at 1505, 1150 and 1000 cm−1, respectively, were ascribed to the bacterioruberin carotenoid found in haloarchaea. Due to the similar spectral profiles, a robust chemometric approach based on fuzzy principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis for the classification of the three halophilic strains was employed, and the high-accuracy grouping of spectral data corresponding to those strains was achieved. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mental health and substance use associated with hospitalization among people with laboratory confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 in British Columbia: a population-based cohort study

Background: This study identified factors associated with hospital admission among people with laboratory-diagnosed COVID-19 cases in British Columbia. Methods: This study was performed using the BC COVID-19 Cohort, which integrates data on all COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, medical visits, emergency room visits, prescription drugs, chronic conditions and deaths. The analysis included all laboratory-diagnosed COVID-19 cases in British Columbia as of January 15th, 2021. We evaluated factors associated with hospital admission using multivariable Poisson regression analysis with robust error variance. Findings: From 56,874 COVID-19 cases included in the analyses, 2,298 were hospitalized. Models showed significant association of the following factors with increased hospitalization risk: male sex (adjusted risk ratio (aRR)=1.27; 95%CI=1.17-1.37), older age (p-trend <0.0001 across age groups with a graded increase in hospitalization risk with increasing age [aRR 30-39 years=3.06; 95%CI=2.32-4.03, to aRR 80+years=43.68; 95%CI=33.41-57.10 compared to 20-29 years-old]), asthma (aRR=1.15; 95%CI=1.04-1.26), cancer (aRR=1.19; 95%CI=1.09-1.29), chronic kidney disease (aRR=1.32; 95%CI=1.19-1.47), diabetes (treated without insulin aRR=1.13; 95%CI=1.03-1.25, requiring insulin aRR=5.05; 95%CI=4.43-5.76), hypertension (aRR=1.19; 95%CI=1.08-1.31), injection drug use (aRR=2.51; 95%CI=2.14-2.95), intellectual and developmental disabilities (aRR=1.67; 95%CI=1.05-2.66), problematic alcohol use (aRR=1.63; 95%CI=1.43-1.85), immunosuppression (aRR=1.29; 95%CI=1.09-1.53), and schizophrenia and psychotic disorders (aRR=1.49; 95%CI=1.23-1.82). Among women of reproductive age, in addition to age and comorbidities, pregnancy (aRR=2.69; 95%CI=1.42-5.07) was associated with increased risk of hospital admission. Interpretation: Older age, male sex, substance use, intellectual and developmental disability, chronic comorbidities, and pregnancy increase the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization. Funding: BC Centre for Disease Control, Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Democratic governance and excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background Excess mortality has been used to assess the health impact of COVID-19 across countries. Democracies aim to build trust in government and enable checks and balances on decision-making, which may be useful in a pandemic. On the other hand, democratic governments have been criticised as slow to enforce restrictive policies and being overly influenced by public opinion. This study sought to understand whether the strength of democratic governance is associated with the variation in excess mortality observed across countries during the pandemic. Methods Through linking open-access datasets we constructed univariable and multivariable linear regression models investigating the association between country EIU Democracy Index (representing the strength of democratic governance on a scale of 0 to 10) and excess mortality rates, from February 2020 to May 2021. We stratified our analysis into high-income and low and middle-income country groups and adjusted for several important confounders. Results Across 78 countries, the mean EIU democracy index was 6.74 (range 1.94 to 9.81) and the mean excess mortality rate was 128 per 100,000 (range -55 to 503 per 100,000). A one-point increase in EIU Democracy Index was associated with a decrease in excess mortality of 26.3 per 100,000 (p=0.002), after accounting for COVID-19 cases, age 65+, gender, prevalence of cardiovascular disease, universal health coverage and the strength of early government restrictions. This association was particularly strong in high-income countries (b=-47.5, p<0.001) but non-significant in low and middle-income countries (b=-10.8, p=0.40). Conclusions Socio-political factors related to the way societies are governed have played an important role in mitigating the overall health impact of COVID-19. Given the omission of such considerations from outbreak risk assessment tools, and their particular significance in high-income countries rated most highly by such tools, this study strengthens the case to broaden the scope of traditional pandemic risk assessment.