Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of goodwill on firms capital structure in developed and developing countries: moderating effects of legal system

ABSTRACT The study investigates the impact of goodwill assets on firms’ capital structure and examines the indirect impact of the legal system on the relationship between goodwill assets and firms’ capital structure (debt ratio). The study uses 4912 firms from 23 developing countries covering the 2010 to 2018 periods. The findings show a robust positive relationship between goodwill assets and firms’ capital structure in developing countries. Moreover, the country’s legal system positively impacts the firms’ capital structure. Furthermore, the impact of goodwill assets on firms’ capital structure is weaker in countries where common law is practiced.
Characteristics of potential fibre Bragg grating sensor-based devices at elevated temperatures

Fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) of type I and IIA were fabricated in Ge-doped and B–Ge co-doped fibres using a 248 nm excimer laser and their performance characteristics were tested and compared with those of a chemical composition grating (CCG), written in a fluorine–germanium doped fibre, over a wide range of temperatures. Long-term testing (more than 600 h) involving a series of step-wise incremental temperature changes shows for the first time the potential of FBGs for high temperature measurement applications (up to and beyond 1100 °C), this depending on the type of FBG involved and the material and composition of the substrate fibre (the CCG was observed to be the most durable at very high temperatures). These gratings are likely to be useful for the simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature over these higher temperature ranges.
2SRS: Two-Stream Residual Separable Convolution Neural Network for Hyperspectral Image Classification

Typically, hyperspectral image suffers from redundant information, data scarcity, and class imbalance problems. This letter proposes a hyperspectral image classification framework named a two-stream residual separable convolution (2SRS) network that aims to mitigate these problems. Principal component analysis (PCA) is first employed to reduce the spectral dimension of the hyperspectral image. Subsequently, the data scarcity and class imbalance problems are overcome via spatial and spectral data augmentations. A novel spectral data creation from image patches is proposed. The augmented samples are fed into the proposed 2SRS network for hyperspectral image classification. We evaluated the proposed method on three benchmark datasets, namely, 1) Indian Pines (IP); 2) Pavia University; and 3) Salinas Scene (SA). The proposed method achieved state-of-the-art performance in terms of overall accuracy (OA), average accuracy (AA), and Kappa coefficient (Kappa) for both 30% and 10% training set ratios.
A Comparison of Simulated Precipitation by Hybrid Isentropic-Sigma and Sigma Models

Abstract The primary objectives of this study are threefold: 1) to compare simulators of dry and moist baroclinic development from 10-and 22-layer hybrid isentropic-sigma coordinate models with those from 11-, 27-, and 35-layer sigma coordinate models; 2) to examine the ability of the models to transport water vapor and simulate equivalent potential temperature θe; and 3) to compare predictions of the timing, location, and amount of precipitation. A model's capability to predict precipitation sterns from the accuracy of its simulation of the joint distribution of mass, potential temperature, and water vapor throughout the model domain. In a series of experiments to compare simulations of precipitation, several analytic distributions of water vapor are specified initially. The water vapor distributions include a “cylinder”extending vertically throughout the atmosphere and “lenses” within isentropic, sigma, and isobaric layers. The effect of increased horizontal resolution are also studied. Results indicate.
Distributed Data Integrity Verification Scheme in Multi-Cloud Environment

Most existing data integrity auditing protocols in cloud storage rely on proof of probabilistic data possession. Consequently, the sampling rate of data integrity verification is low to prevent expensive costs to the auditor. However, in the case of a multi-cloud environment, the amount of stored data will be huge. As a result, a higher sampling rate is needed. It will also have an increased cost for the auditor as a consequence. Therefore, this paper proposes a blockchain-based distributed data integrity verification protocol in multi-cloud environments that enables data verification using multi-verifiers. The proposed scheme aims to increase the sampling rate of data verification without increasing the costs significantly. The performance analysis shows that this protocol achieved a lower time consumption required for verification tasks using multi-verifiers than a single verifier. Furthermore, utilizing multi-verifiers also decreases each verifier’s computation and communication costs.
Radiative-convective equilibrium with explicit two-dimensional moist convection

Abstract Radiative-convective statistical equilibria are obtained using a two-dimensional model in which radiative transfer is interactive with the predicted moisture and cloud fields. The domain is periodic in x, with a width of 640 km, and extends from the ground to 26 km. The lower boundary is a fixed-temperature water-saturated surface. The model produces a temperature profile resembling the mean profile observed in the tropics. A number of integrations of several months' duration are described in this preliminary examination of the model's qualitative behavior. The model generates a QBO-like oscillation in the x-averaged winds with an apparent period of ∼60 days. This oscillation extends into the troposphere and influences the convective organization. In order to avoid the associated large vertical wind shears, calculations are also performed in which the x-averaged winds are constrained to vanish. The convection then evolves into a pattern in which rain falls only within a small part of the domain.
Automatic inspection and reading system of pointer instrument based on computer vision

Aiming at the problems of background interference and incorrect angles in the images collected by inspection robots, a computer vision-based automatic inspection and reading system for pointer-type instruments is proposed, which can automatically obtain pointer readings on the basis of instrument image detection and correction. First, use the Centernet algorithm to detect the target of the pointer instrument image, and cut out the instrument image with the background removed according to the detected position information; then, perform key point detection, select a pair of symmetrical key points to rotate the instrument using affine transformation correction, and then select two pairs of symmetrical key points through template matching to correct the inclination of the meter using perspective transformation; finally, complete the reading of the meter by using Otsu segmentation and Hough transform circle and line detection. The experimental results show that the proportion of images to be corrected is 93%, the average error rate of the corrected instrument image is reduced by 10.19%, and the average accuracy of readings reaches 97.02%, which can meet the practical application.
“I’m Not Going to Tell Him What I Tell You”: A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Understand Firearm Owner Perspectives on Suicide Prevention

Suicide is the 10th most frequent cause of death in the US with 47,511 deaths in 2019, of which 23,941 were firearm suicides. Certain subgroups within the general population are at increased risk for firearm suicide, including law enforcement, active-duty military, veterans, persons with post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual minorities, and young people who have adverse childhood experiences such as witnessing domestic violence, being bullied, or sexually assaulted. Firearm owners are a group of people that require tailored suicide prevention interventions because of their proximity to lethal means as well as the unique cultural and legal factors that exist around gun ownership in the United States. Participatory action research (PAR) methods provide a model for increased community inclusion in research and have been utilized to study suicide prevention with a variety of communities, including firearm owners. Previously, the goals of incorporating community-involved methods into suicide prevention research have included learning about the causes of suicidal ideation and behavior, as they are understood within the affected community, developing interventions that reflect the community’s culture, and testing these interventions to determine their efficacy within the given community. Here we utilized PAR methods to gain an understanding of firearm owners’ perspectives, attitudes, and beliefs about suicide and the prevention of suicide.
Magnetooptic Spatial Light Modulator Array Fabricated by IR Annealing

We demonstrated a flat-surface magneto-optic spatial light modulator (MOSLM) without physically isolated pixels and an external bias coil. The flat-surface MOSLM, which was fabricated by a simple process, was designed as a compact system with a high resolution and very low driving current. Flat-surface pixels for the novel MOSLM were produced by the combinatory use of the local annealing effect that reduced magnetization 4πMs of pixel areas and the stress effect that produced sharp variations of magnetic anisotropy in a magnetic garnet film under the edge of a metal layer. The fabricated MOSLM was switched by applying currents of 6 mA for a bottom conductor line and 10 mA for a top conductor line.
Relationship Between Negative Life Events and Depressive Symptoms for Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Rumination and Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support and Psychological Capital

Objective External events affect individuals through their cognitive process, a model on how and when negative life events are associated with depressive symptoms was tested by considering individuals’ internal and external factors based on the conservation of resource theory (COR). Methods We conducted a survey to test our hypotheses. Participants were college students who were selected with the cluster sampling method and were asked to complete the scales measuring negative life events, perceived social support, psychological capital (PsyCap), rumination, and depressive symptoms in the classroom with a unit of class. A total of 764 questionnaires were distributed and returned, and 703 valid data were obtained finally. Results The present study found that (1) the relationship between negative life events and depressive symptoms was moderated by perceived social support negatively, such that the relationship was stronger with low perceived social support; (2) the relationship between negative life events and depressive symptoms was mediated by rumination; (3) the relationship between rumination and depressive symptoms was moderated by PsyCap negatively, such that the relationship was stronger with low PsyCap; (4) the indirect relationship between negative life events and depressive symptoms through rumination was moderated by PsyCap negatively, such that the indirect relationship got stronger with low PsyCap. Conclusion Rumination is an essential process for negative life events to affect depressive symptoms, PsyCap and perceived social support help alleviate the detrimental effect of negative life events from internal and external perspectives, respectively. Our research conclusion has a theoretical and practical implementation for reducing depressive symptoms in college students.
Foreign-gas collision broadening of the far-infrared spectrum of water vapor

The far-infrared rotational spectrum of H216O has been studied in the spectral range 25–112 cm−1 to measure the foreign-gas collision-broadened linewidths. Measurements of 17 lines broadened by nitrogen and 21 lines broadened by oxygen are reported. The measurements were made at 297 K. From these data, the widths due to air broadening are obtained. The experimental results are compared with recent theoretical calculations and with the case of a constant linewidth, equal to the average experimental width. There is some correlation between the relative experimental linewidths and the theoretical predictions. However, the simple assumption of a constant value for the collision-broadened linewidths gives a better representation for the case of N2- and O2-broadened linewidths than do present detailed theoretical calculations.
3D measurement based on vanishing point theorem

A method of determining 3D position based on vanishing-point theorem in perspective picture was developed and tested. Proposed an iterative method that using fastest descent arithmetic to calculate the non-linear parameter and implemented the non-linear calibration to system. In order to get the accurate position of vanishing-point, a sub-pixel self-adapting recursion arithmetic was presented, that makes the originality numeric image defined in integral pixel position obtain continuous mapping in rational number field. A experiment of determination 3D position with a cub showed, the position precision can effectively improved by using the sub-pixel self-adapt recursion arithmetic in the non-linear calibration method based on vanishing-point, and part of a plaster module of a person's head also been measured with this method and the vivid result of reconstruction shows the measurement can be used in free curved surface.
Magnesium Supplementation May Not Be Protective against Carboplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity But May Be Beneficial for Children Suffering Malignancies: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Magnesium oxide may be effective in renal insufficiency prevention after carboplatin therapy. We have evaluated magnesium oxide impression on the serum creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels plus glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in cancerous children. Materials and Methods: A group of children with different cancers (n = 18) was treated with 250 mg/day magnesium oxide supplementation (MOS) and compared with a matched placebo-treated group (n = 18). After 2 weeks, carboplatin chemotherapy started. We compared serum Cr, BUN, and GFR values before and 3 and 7 days post intervention. Results: Serum Cr and BUN were increased significantly 3 and 7 days after intervention in both the groups. Serum Cr and BUN were not statistically different between the MOS and placebo groups before the intervention and 3 or 7 days after carboplatin administration (P > 0.05). Three days after the intervention, the GFR reduced from 101.38 ± 14.67 to 90.11 ± 10.52 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the MOS group. Furthermore, in the placebo group, 3 days after the intervention, the GFR was reduced from 97.5 ± 9.71 to 92.33 ± 10.61 mL/min/1.73 m2. Further, in the MOS group, after 7 days of the intervention, the GFR was reduced to 84.11 ± 12.47 mL/min/1.73 m2. In the placebo group, after 7 days of the intervention, the GFR was diminished to 85.38 ± 10.66 mL/min/1.73 m2 (P = 0.371). Conclusion: The current study suggests that magnesium supplementation does not prevent carboplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in children with malignancies. Anyway, we propose magnesium oxide supplementation for this group of pediatrics because magnesium is an essential element for cell and tissue growth, maintenance, and metabolism.
A stability theorem for energy-balance climate models

Abstract This paper treats the stability of steady-state solutions of some simple, latitude-dependent, energy-balance climate models. For north-south symmetric solutions of models with an ice-cap-type albedo feed-back, and for the sum of horizontal transport and infrared radiation given by a linear operator, it is possible to prove a “slope-stability” theorem; i.e., if the local slope of the steady-state icelinc latitude versus solar constant curve is positive (negative) the steady-state solution is stable (unstable). Certain rather weak restrictions on the albedo function and on the heat transport are required for the proof, and their physical basis is discussed in the text.
Classification of Lung Nodule CT Images Using GAN Variants and CNN

Global Cancer Statistics 2020 states that there are 2.2 million lung cancer cases worldwide with 1.8 million deaths. At present, deep learning based CAD system for lung nodules classification has been extensively explored. However, this approach requires a great size of images which becomes an issue for medical images. Thus, Generative Advesarial Network (GAN) is introduced to ease this limitation by creating synthetic images. In this study, four GAN architectures namely Deep Convolutional (DCGAN), Deep Regret Analytic GAN (DRAGAN), Wasserstein GAN (WGAN) and Wasserstein GAN with Gradient Penalty (WGANGP) are used in generating synthetic medical images which are then used to classify the lung lesions into benign and malignant via ShuffleNet. The classification is assessed based on pecificity, accuracy, sensitivity, and values of AUC-ROC. Experimental results show that DRAGAN achieved the lowest Fréchet Inception Distance (FID) score of 137.48 of the new generated datasets followed by the WGAN-GP (158.86), WGAN (176.86) and DCGAN (172.56). However, due to the lack of diversity in datasets of DRAGAN, instead WGAN-GP ShuffleNet performed the best in the classification task achieving 98.87% of accuracy, 98.36% of specificity, 99.34% of sensitivity and highest AUC among others at 99.96%. Overall, both high quality and well diversed synthetic images are equally important for the lung nodules classification problem.
In Search Of Axions: The CAST Experiment

The CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) experiment uses a decommissioned LHC test magnet in conjunction with three different technology X‐ray photon detectors and tracks the sun to look for the elusive axion. Axions or axion‐like particles with a two‐photon interaction can be produced in the Sun by the Primakoff process, according to the theory. In a laboratory magnetic field they can be transformed into X‐rays with energies of a few keV. CAST has been running for about 6 months during 2003 and most of 2004. The first results from the analysis of the 2003 data are presented here. No signal above background was observed, implying an upper limit to the axion to photon coupling gαγγ < 1.16 × 10−10 GeV−1 at 95% CL for mα ⩽ 0.02 eV. This limit is comparable to the limit from stellar energy loss arguments and considerably more restrictive than any previous experiment in this axion mass range.
Bioinformatic analysis of the obesity paradox and possible associated factors in colorectal cancer using TCGA cohorts

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Obesity is an important determinant of CRC incidence; however, obese patients have also shown better long-term survival than non-obese patients, suggesting that the development and progression of CRC are associated with different mechanisms. This study compares the expression of genes, tumor-infiltrating immune cells, and intestinal microbiota between high- and low-body mass index (BMI) patients at the time of CRC diagnosis. The results revealed that high-BMI patients with CRC have better prognosis, higher levels of resting CD4+ T cells, lower levels of T follicular helper cells, and different levels of intratumoral microbiota than low-BMI patients. Our study highlights that tumor-infiltrating immune cells and intratumoral microbe diversity are major features of the obesity paradox in CRC.
Dynamic viscoelastic shear properties of soft matter by magnetic resonance elastography using a low-field dedicated system

A magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) based method that consists in measuring dynamic viscoelastic parameters of soft matter by analysis of propagating shear waves at different frequencies is proposed. Dynamic shear tests were performed on soft gels with a dedicated magnetic resonance imaging system at low field (0.1T) and were compared with results obtained with a mechanical rotational rheometer. Storage and loss moduli were plotted against frequency with both methods and good agreement was found between their results in the shared frequency range. Therefore, it is shown that the described method could be a reliable and accessible tool for three-dimensional dynamic mechanical analysis on soft matter able to overcome dynamic range, sample dimensions and directional limitations of mechanical rheometers. Advantages and limits of the method are discussed.
Development of the indirect‐drive approach to inertial confinement fusion and the target physics basis for ignition and gain

Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is an approach to fusion that relies on the inertia of the fuel mass to provide confinement. To achieve conditions under which inertial confinement is sufficient for efficient thermonuclear burn, a capsule (generally a spherical shell) containing thermonuclear fuel is compressed in an implosion process to conditions of high density and temperature. ICF capsules rely on either electron conduction (direct drive) or x rays (indirect drive) for energy transport to drive an implosion. In direct drive, the laser beams (or charged particle beams) are aimed directly at a target. The laser energy is transferred to electrons by means of inverse bremsstrahlung or a variety of plasma collective processes. In indirect drive, the driver energy (from laser beams or ion beams) is first absorbed in a high‐Z enclosure (a hohlraum), which surrounds the capsule. The material heated by the driver emits x rays, which drive the capsule implosion. For optimally designed targets, 70%–80% of the d.
Simulation of Water-Entry and Water-Exit Problems Using a Moving Mesh Algorithm

Simulation of Water-Entry and Water-Exit Problems Using a Moving Mesh Algorithm Simulation of the water-entry and water-exit particularly, at the interface of two phases i.e. water and air due to the effect of flow-induced loads, gravity force and trapped air cushion presence is very complicated. This paper attempts to introduce a finite volume-based moving mesh algorithm in order to simulate such problems in a viscous incompressible two-phase medium. The algorithm employs a fractional step method to deal with the coupling between pressure and velocity fields. Interface is also captured by solving a volume fraction transport equation. A boundary-fitted body-attached mesh of quadrilateral Control Volumes (CVs) is implemented to record hydrodynamic time histories of loads, motions and interfacial flow changes around the structure. Forced water-exit of a cylinder is simulated based on the introduced algorithm, together with free symmetric and asymmetric water-entry of wedges. Results show that the presented algorithm is favorably capable of assessing such complexities when comparing to experimental data.
The Role of the Interleukin-1 Family in Complications of Prematurity

Preterm birth is a major contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Complications of prematurity such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD, affecting the lung), pulmonary hypertension associated with BPD (BPD-PH, heart), white matter injury (WMI, brain), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP, eyes), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC, gut) and sepsis are among the major causes of long-term morbidity in infants born prematurely. Though the origins are multifactorial, inflammation and in particular the imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators is now recognized as a key driver of the pathophysiology underlying these illnesses. Here, we review the involvement of the interleukin (IL)-1 family in perinatal inflammation and its clinical implications, with a focus on the potential of these cytokines as therapeutic targets for the development of safe and effective treatments for early life inflammatory diseases.