Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reading Argumentative Texts: Effects of the Presence-Absence of Connectives in Reading Comprehension and Cognitive Effort

Recent studies prove a strong association between reading and eye movements. Few investigations report the role of connectors and prior knowledge during reading in Spanish, as well as their association with eye movements. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of the presenceabsence of connectors in two argumentative texts on cognitive effort and reading comprehension.Forty-one psychology undergraduate students participated in a reading comprehension task, while their eye movements were recorded. The condition with connectors was related to prior knowledge, the slide time fixation, the slide number fixations, and the slide return fixations. The condition without connectors was related to the return fixations, the time fixation, and the number of fixations. Prior knowledge was correlated with the total time fixation, the total return fixations, and comprehension. This suggests that during reading without connectors more cognitive effort is required, observed in the return fixations; moreover, prior knowledge has an important role in the visual strategies required to process and obtain a representation of text. But participant performance was still good as observed in the scores of the reading comprehension task.
Demand-Response-Oriented Load Aggregation Scheduling Optimization Strategy for Inverter Air Conditioner

In recent years, the peak–valley differences in urban power loads have been increasing. It is difficult to maintain the real-time balance of a power system by relying solely on the generation-side resources. As a typical flexible load, an air conditioning load can balance the supply and demand of a power grid by adjusting power using the thermal inertia of buildings. From the perspective of a load aggregator, this study models and aggregates the dispatch of a single inverter air conditioner distributed in a region to determine the adjustment potential of an air conditioning cluster. Then, according to the demand response capacity requirements, an optimal strategy for the aggregate dispatch of an inverter air conditioner considering incentive compensation measures is proposed with the objective of maximizing the load quotient economic benefit. The sensitivity analysis of the compensation factor for temperature rise is also performed. The results show that 3000 inverter air conditioners in the load quotient dispatch area participate in the demand response for 4 h, with a load reduction of 1.267 MW and a net income of RMB 14,435.97. Secondly, an increase in the temperature rise compensation factor will reduce the cost of temperature rise compensation by the loader to the user, but it will also reduce the load reduction and the net income of the loader. This study has practical significance for load aggregators to formulate compensation strategies and improve the economic benefits of participating in demand response.
Equilibrium measures for holomorphic endomorphisms of complex projective spaces

Let f : P → P be a holomorphic endomorphism of a complex projective space P, k ≥ 1, and let J be the Julia set of f (the topological support of the unique maximal entropy measure). Then there exists a positive number κf > 0 such that if φ : J → R is a Hölder continuous function with sup(φ)− inf(φ) < κf , then φ admits a unique equilibrium state μφ on J . This equilibrium state is equivalent to a fixed point of the normalized dual Perron–Frobenius operator. In addition, the dynamical system (f, μφ) is K-mixing, whence ergodic. Proving almost periodicity of the corresponding Perron–Frobenius operator is the main technical task of the paper. It requires producing sufficiently many “good” inverse branches and controling the distortion of the Birkhoff sums of the potential φ. In the case when the Julia set J does not intersect any periodic irreducible algebraic variety contained in the critical set of f , we have κf = log d, where d is the algebraic degree of f .
Pre-State-Dependent Ternary/Binary Logic Operation Obtained by Inkjet Printed Indium Oxide and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Indium Oxide Heterojunction-Based Transistors

This work proposes a pre-state-dependent ternary and binary logic inverter using a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/indium oxide (InO) heterojunction field-effect transistor (H-FET) which is reliably formed by an inkjet printing method. The proposed device exhibits a logic-in-memory characteristic that operates in either ternary or binary mode depending on the previous output voltage state. Such previous state dependent ternary/binary operations are observed even after 4 days of exposure under ambient conditions and with 90 s of constant supply of bias stress.
Infinitely many knots with the same polynomial invariant

We give infinitely many examples of infinitely many knots in S3 with the same recently discovered two-variable and Jones polynomials, but distinct Alexander module structures, which are hyperbolic, fibered, ribbon, of genus 2, and 3-bridge. Two knots K1 and K2 in S3 belong to the same isotopy type if there exists an orientation preserving homeomorphism of S3 which maps K1 onto K2. We denote it by K1 = K2. In 1984, V. Jones [9] discovered a very powerful polynomial invariant of the isotopy type of an oriented knot or link. Subsequently, the Jones polynomial was generalized to the two-variable polynomial invariant simultaneously and independently by Ocneanu [13], Lickorish and Millett [12], Hoste [8], and Freyd and Yetter. In this note we follow Lickorish and Millett. For a link L, the polynomial L (1, m) is defined recursively by the following two conditions: (I) If L? , L_ and Lo are three links with completely identical projections except at one crossing, where they are related as shown in Figure 1, then lL+(l, m) + 1-'L_(l, m) + mLo(l, m) = 0. (II) If K is a trivial knot, then K(l, m) = 1.
Polymeric/Dextran Wafer Dressings as Promising Long-Acting Delivery Systems for Curcumin Topical Delivery and Enhancing Wound Healing in Male Wistar Albino Rats

Curcumin is the main active constituent in turmeric, and it is one of the biopolyphenolic compounds. A cumulative body of research supports the use of curcumin in the treatment of wounds, yet poor water solubility and lack of therapeutic dose determination hamper its use for this therapeutic purpose. This work aimed at preparing novel curcumin wafer dressings to provide a favorable environment for wound healing. Hybrid synthetic (PVA, PVP, HPMC, and CMC) and biodegradable (sodium alginate and dextran) polymers were employed to prepare wafer dressings loaded with incremental three doses (2, 10, and 20 mg) of curcumin per a wafer dressing. The solvent casting method was used to prepare the dressings. Dimension, surface pH, mechanical properties, DSC, FTIR, XRD, erosion time, and in vitro release were studied. Skin wound healing assay was studied in Wistar albino rats. Six curcumin-loaded wafers were successfully prepared with good mechanical properties. Curcumin was dispersed in an amorphous/molecular form, as evidenced by thermal (DSC) and spectral (FTIR and XRD) analyses. Prolonged curcumin release (>24 h) was recorded for F6 (10 mg curcumin) and F7 (20 mg curcumin). Wound healing rate constants and time for 50% wound closure (T1/2) were estimated from a semi-log wound diameter versus time curve. A superior healing rate (up to 3-fold faster) was recorded for curcumin-loaded wafer dressings containing 10 mg (F6) with T1/2 of 7 days compared to 20 days for the placebo-treated group. These results warrant using the selected curcumin-loaded wafer dressing for safer and faster wound closure.
Astragaloside IV Targets Macrophages to Alleviate Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via the Crosstalk between Hif-1α and NF-κB (p65)/Smad7 Pathways

(1) Background: Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is derived from Astragalus membranous (AM), which is used to treat kidney disease. Macrophages significantly affect the whole process of renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). The regulation of macrophage polarization in kidneys by AS-IV was the focus. (2) Methods: Renal tubular injury and fibrosis in mice were detected by Hematoxylin and Eosin staining and Masson Trichrome Staining, separately. An ELISA and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to explore the cytokine and mRNA expression. Western blot was used to determine protein expression and siRNA technology was used to reveal the crosstalk of signal pathways in RAW 264.7 under hypoxia. (3) Results: In the early stages of I/R injury, AS-IV reduced renal damage and macrophage infiltration. M1-associated markers were decreased, while M2 biomarkers were increased. The NF-κB (p65)/Hif-1α pathway was suppressed by AS-IV in M1. Moreover, p65 dominated the expression of Hif-1α. In the late stages of I/R injury, renal fibrosis was alleviated, and M2 infiltration also decreased after AS-IV treatment. Hif-1α expression was reduced by AS-IV, while Smad7 expression was enhanced. Hif-1α interferes with the expression of Smad7 in M2. (4) Conclusions: AS-IV promoted the differentiation of M1 to M2, relieving the proinflammatory response to alleviate the kidney injury during the early stages. AS-IV attenuated M2 macrophage infiltration to prevent kidney fibrosis during the later stages.
Mucopolysaccharidoses: Cellular Consequences of Glycosaminoglycans Accumulation and Potential Targets

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) constitute a heterogeneous group of lysosomal storage disorders characterized by the lysosomal accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Although lysosomal dysfunction is mainly affected, several cellular organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and their related process are also impaired, leading to the activation of pathophysiological cascades. While supplying missing enzymes is the mainstream for the treatment of MPS, including enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), or gene therapy (GT), the use of modulators available to restore affected organelles for recovering cell homeostasis may be a simultaneous approach. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the cellular consequences of the lysosomal GAGs accumulation and discusses the use of potential modulators that can reestablish normal cell function beyond ERT-, HSCT-, or GT-based alternatives.
A Multi-Hysteresis Control for Minimizing Battery Charging Time Within Industrial JEITA Guidelines

In common industrial practices, the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) guideline is widely adopted for battery temperature regulations. However, the conventional JEITA-compliant temperature-regulated current control (TRCC) is generally designed without considering the charging speed. To address this issue, a multi-hysteresis TRCC (MTRCC) is proposed in this article. The proposed MTRCC is designed based on the conventional JEITA-compliant TRCC by dividing the hysteresis band for each temperature reference from one to multiple. As a result, the number of charging current levels is increased from three to multiple, such that the charging speed can be improved according to the analysis. The proposed control inherits the simple and effective temperature regulations of the conventional control, while enhancing the charging speed without additional hardware costs. This approach has potential to be an alternative of the state-of-the-art TRCC in JEITA guidelines for single-cell charging applications. Empirical results validate that the proposed MTRCC (with four hysteresis bands) can achieve faster charging than the conventional control at four different ambient temperatures and the charging speed improvement is more significant when the ambient temperature is higher.
PRICING LIFE ANNUITIES FOR IMPAIRED LIVES: THE CASE OF PORTUGAL

Abstract Life annuities markets are underdeveloped in Portugal and other countries. This annuitization puzzle is explained by improvements in mortality at old ages and passive adverse selection, reasons that put lives with diminished life expectancies at an unfair disadvantage. Using data from the SHARE (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe) project, we assess the impact of some of the most serious and common diseases over a reference survival curve. Then we calculate the price of annuities for impaired lives, using adjusted survival, and compare them with those for the reference population. We show that applying the reference mortality to impaired lives is very unfair and that pricing annuities for lives weakened by disease in an accurate way is possible. Keywords: annuities, impaired life, net survival, crude survival, SHARE. Resumen Los mercados de rentas vitalicias están subdesarrollados en Portugal y otros países. Este “annuitization puzle” se explica por las mejoras en la mortalidad en edades avanzadas y la selección adversa pasiva, razones que ponen en una desventaja injusta a las personas con una esperanza de vida disminuida. Usando datos del proyecto SHARE (Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe), evaluamos el impacto de algunas de las enfermedades más graves y comunes sobre una curva de supervivencia de referencia. Luego calculamos el precio de las rentas vitalicias por deterioro de la vida, utilizando la supervivencia ajustada, y las comparamos con las de la población de referencia. Mostramos que aplicar la mortalidad de referencia a las vidas deterioradas es muy injusto y que es posible fijar el precio de las rentas vitalicias para las vidas debilitadas por la enfermedad de manera precisa. Palabras clave: rentas vitalicias, vida deteriorada, supervivencia neta, supervivencia bruta, SHARE.
Modelling $Z\rightarrow\tau\tau$ processes in ATLAS with $\tau$-embedded $Z\rightarrow\mu\mu$ data

This paper describes the concept, technical realisation and validation of a largely data-driven method to model events with Z→ττ decays. In Z→μμ events selected from proton-proton collision data recorded at √s=8 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2012, the Z decay muons are replaced by τ leptons from simulated Zarrowττ decays at the level of reconstructed tracks and calorimeter cells. The τ lepton kinematics are derived from the kinematics of the original muons. Thus, only the well-understood decays of the Z boson and τ leptons as well as the detector response to the τ decay products are obtained from simulation. All other aspects of the event, such as the Z boson and jet kinematics as well as effects from multiple interactions, are given by the actual data. This so-called τ-embedding method is particularly relevant for Higgs boson searches and analyses in ττ final states, where Zarrowττ decays constitute a large irreducible background that cannot be obtained directly from data control samples. In this paper, the relevant concepts are discussed based on the implementation used in the ATLAS Standard Model H→ττ analysis of the full datataset recorded during 2011 and 2012.
Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in the assessment of testicular perfusion in infertile men with clinical varicocele

Background Varicocele represents the most common correctable cause of male infertility. The presence of non-invasive imaging parameters providing evidence as to which patients with varicocele are at risk for infertility would be important. Purpose To explore the role of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using semi-quantitative parameters in the assessment of testicular perfusion in infertile men with clinical varicocele. Material and Methods The study cohort included 11 infertile men with clinical varicocele and six controls, with prior paternity. Subtraction DCE-MRI was performed after gadolinium administration, using a three-dimensional fast field-echo sequence. Time-signal intensity curves were created and semi-quantitative parameters were calculated. The independent samples t-test was used to compare basic T1 perfusion parameters between infertile testes with clinical varicocele and normal testes. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the most significant predictor of the diagnosis of clinical varicocele. Results Both testes with clinical varicocele and normal testes enhanced moderately and homogeneously, with a linear increase of enhancement throughout the examination. Higher mean values of maximum enhancement (P = 0.026), maximum relative enhancement (P = 0.024), and wash-in rate (P = 0.013) were detected in the testes of infertile men with clinical varicocele, compared to the normal population. The wash-in rate proved the most significant predictor of the diagnosis of clinical varicocele (P = 0.013). Conclusion DCE-MRI may provide a valuable insight into the testicular perfusion of infertile men with clinical varicocele. The wash-in rate proved a strong and independent predictor of the diagnosis of clinical varicocele.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and firm performance in India

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance on the firm performance of select Indian companies. Design/methodology/approach The present paper is a cross-section study based on secondary data with a sample of 222 Indian firms. The ESG performance for Indian companies is based on the Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL) ESG score, and the financial data are extracted from the ACE Equity database. Both accounting- and market-based measures of firm performance are used. Ordinary least squares and simultaneous quantile regression models are used for empirical investigation. Findings The study reveals that Indian firms focus much more on governance and social parameters than environmental ones. The results indicate that ESG performance and its components are positively associated with firm performance. The results of quantile regression show that the impact of ESG is different at different locations of the conditional distribution of firm performance and the positive impact is more pronounced at upper quantiles. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in India based on the CRISIL ESG score for analyzing the ESG and firm performance relationship. Furthermore, in the Indian context, a modest attempt is made to study the influence of ESG performance at different locations of the distribution of firm performance by using quantile regression.
An Extension of the T-Method of Multiple Comparison to Include the Cases with Unequal Sample Sizes

Abstract Under fairly general conditions the studentized range can be used to approximately simultaneously estimate all linear combinations of a set of means for an unbalanced AOV fixed effects model. These new methods are called extended Tukey procedures (Ext-T). Comparisons are made with the Scheffe (S) procedures. It is recommended generally that the (Ext-T) procedures be used if primary interest is in pairwise comparisons of the means and if the unbalance is not severe.
Land Surface Temperature Retrieval From Landsat 9 TIRS-2 Data Using Radiance-Based Split-Window Algorithm

The thermal infrared sensor-2 (TIRS-2) carried on Landsat 9 is the newest thermal infrared (TIR) sensor for the Landsat project and provides two adjacent TIR bands, which greatly benefits the land surface temperature (LST) retrieval at high spatial resolution. In this article, a radiance based split window (RBSW) algorithm for retrieving LST from Landsat 9 TIRS-2 data was proposed. In addition, the split-window covariance-variance ratio (SWCVR) algorithm was improved and applied to Landsat 9 TIRS-2 data for estimating atmospheric water vapor (AWV) that is required for accurate LST retrieval. The performance of the proposed method was assessed using the simulation data and satellite observations. Results reveal that the retrieved LST using the RBSW algorithm has a bias of 0.06 K and root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.51 K based on validation with the simulation data. The sensitivity analysis exhibited a LST error of <1.75 K using the RBSW algorithm when the uncertainties in input parameters (i.e., AWV, emissivity, and at-sensor radiance) were considered. There is a marginal discrepancy between LST retrievals using the estimated AWV and moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer AWV, with a difference in bias of −0.14 K and RMSE of 0.22 K, which indicates that the improved SWCVR method can provide an optional means to obtain AWV inputted in LST retrieval. With regard to the validation using the in situ measurements, the retrieved LST from Landsat 9 TIRS-2 data exhibits a bias of 0.44 K and RMSE of 1.98 K, respectively, showing a higher accuracy than the USGS Landsat LST product with bias of 1.21 and RMSE of 2.56 K. In conclusion, the proposed algorithm combining RBSW algorithm and improved SWCVR algorithm for LST retrieval from Landsat 9 has a good accuracy without dependence on external atmospheric data, and it is expected to be a reliable method for LST generation from Landsat 9 TIRS-2 data.
Spatially resolved distribution of dislocations and crystallographic tilts in GaN layers grown on Si(111) substrates by maskless cantilever epitaxy

The spatial distribution of strain, misfit and threading dislocations, and crystallographic orientation in uncoalesced GaN layers grown on Si(111) substrates by maskless cantilever epitaxy was studied by polychromatic x-ray microdiffraction, high resolution monochromatic x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Tilt boundaries formed at the column/wing interface depending on the growth conditions. A higher lateral to vertical growth ratio suppressed sidewall deposition and was found to produce larger lattice tilts in the GaN films. Two kinds of crystallographic tilts are observed in the films. The measurements revealed that the free-hanging wings are tilted upward at room temperature in the direction perpendicular to the stripes. Finite element simulations of the thermally induced part of the wing tilt are presented. Moreover, a misorientation between the GaN(0001) and the Si(111) planes is observed in the parallel to the stripe direction. Its origin is discussed with respect to the strain of .
Research on the effect of image noise on non-iterative fast mode decomposition technique in high-power fiber lasers

High mode purity of high-power fiber lasers is strongly required in 3-dimensional printing, high brightness beam combing, and high accuracy material processing. Mode decomposition (MD) is an effective technique for diagnosing the mode composition of a high-power fiber laser. In particular, dynamic mode evolution could be commonly generated during power scaling process due to thermal and nonlinear effects. Consequently, the fast and accurate mode decomposition (MD) method is strongly required. The non-iterative fast mode decomposition based on matrix operation method is theoretically a promising technique to achieve ultra-fast MD with high accuracy. However, this technique of realizing MD is mainly limited by the noise of the light-spot image in a practical system. In this report, the effect of the image noise on the noniterative fast mode decomposition technique is carefully investigated. Simulation results show that the decomposition accuracy decreases as the intensity of noise increases. Nevertheless, the effect of image noise on the non-iterative fast mode decomposition method depends not only on the noise intensity but also on the coefficient matrix condition number of the matrix equations. Furthermore, the higher the condition number of coefficient matrix of linear equations is, the more influence of image noise on the non-iterative fast MD accuracy. The results presented could give instructive reference for further optimizing the non-iterative fast mode decomposition technique used in practical high-power fiber lasers.