Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multi-model impacts of climate change on pollution transport from global emission source regions

Abstract. The impacts of climate change on tropospheric transport, diagnosed from a carbon monoxide (CO)-like tracer species emitted from global CO sources, are evaluated from an ensemble of four chemistry–climate models (CCMs) contributing to the Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Model Intercomparison Project (ACCMIP). Model time-slice simulations for present-day and end-of-the-21st-century conditions were performed under the Representative Concentrations Pathway (RCP) climate scenario RCP 8.5. All simulations reveal a strong seasonality in transport, especially over the tropics. The highest CO-tracer mixing ratios aloft occur during boreal winter when strong vertical transport is co-located with biomass burning emission source regions. A consistent and robust decrease in future CO-tracer mixing ratios throughout most of the troposphere, especially in the tropics, and an increase around the tropopause is found across the four CCMs in both winter and summer. Decreases in CO-tracer mixing ratios in the tropical troposphere are associated with reduced convective mass fluxes in this region, which in turn may reflect a weaker Hadley cell circulation in the future climate. Increases in CO-tracer mixing ratios near the tropopause are largely attributable to a rise in tropopause height enabling lofting to higher altitudes, although a poleward shift in the mid-latitude jets may also play a minor role in the extratropical upper troposphere. An increase in CO-tracer mixing ratios also occurs near the Equator, centred over equatorial and Central Africa, extending from the surface to the mid-troposphere. This is most likely related to localised decreases in convection in the vicinity of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), resulting in larger CO-tracer mixing ratios over biomass burning regions and smaller mixing ratios downwind.
Decreased Neural Response to Threat Differentiates Patients Who Have Attempted Suicide From Nonattempters With Current Ideation

Suicide prevention efforts have not slowed suicide rates, in part because of limited understanding of differences in risk for suicide ideation versus suicide attempts. Reduced fear of pain and death may be key to this distinction. In the present study we examine whether blunted neural response to threat of death, bodily harm, or illness, measured by the late positive potential (LPP), differentiates individuals who had previously attempted suicide from individuals who had never attempted suicide, controlling for current levels of suicidal ideation. We compared psychiatric outpatients with no history of suicide attempts (n = 152) and those with a history of suicide attempts (n = 83). Attempters exhibited a blunted threat-elicited LPP compared to patients with no history of attempts, regardless of current ideation. Findings suggest diminished neural response to threat can distinguish attempters from ideators and might be a target for future research on the transition from ideation to action.
General Equilibrium Models of Monopolistic Competition: CRRA Versus Cara

We analyze a class of "large group" Chamberlinian monopolistic competition models using multiplicatively quasi-separable (MQS) and additively quasi-separable (AQS) functions. We first prove that the MQS and AQS functions are equivalent to the "constant relative risk aversion" (CRRA) and "constant absolute risk aversion" (CARA) classes of functions, respectively. Whereas both approaches allow for closed-form solutions, only the AQS functions yield profit-maximizing prices that decrease in the mass of competing firms. We then characterize the equilibrium in both cases and discuss some possible applications of the AQS framework to trade, growth, and development.
The Connected Consumer: Connected Devices and the Evolution of Customer Intelligence

Technological advances are increasing the connections between customers and companies, products, and one another. Consumers’ use of connected devices is providing rich sources of data about consumers, their activity, and their environment, which we collectively label customer intelligence. At the same time, changes in statistical algorithms and artificial intelligence are making automated inferences and decisions regarding consumer behavior possible. One likely result of these changes is the emergence of companies that are especially adept at generating and using customer intelligence. This article explores how changes in sensing technology, causal modeling, and intelligent marketing platforms may affect the generation and utilization of customer intelligence. We envision a merging of these traditionally separate activities in companies that possess a large, active customer base and the ability to collect, process, and apply data from these customers quickly and accurately. Such a convergence offers substantial potential value but also notable risk for tomorrow’s connected consumers.
Internal Marketing, Nurse Loyalty and Relationship Marketing

Abstract Nurse loyalty and retention are critical issues facing the healthcare industry. A lack of continuity in the nursing staff compromises the quality of the care, results in significant costs, and leads to patient concerns about the viability of the healthcare facility. Conversely, a motivated and committed nursing staff creates a solid foundation for implementing initiatives for the improvement of healthcare quality. This article employs the “Relationship Marketing Paradigm” as a framework to understand and enhance nurse loyalty through internal marketing efforts. The results indicate that financial, social and structural bonds have significant, albeit different, impacts on nurse loyalty. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.
The Incidence and Causes of Personal Bankruptcy in Australia

This paper examines recent trends in Australian personal bankruptcy by analysing a large data set obtained from the regulator, the Australian Financial Security Authority. It demonstrates a marked decline in Australian bankruptcy rates, since a peak in 2009, and a consistent rise in levels of unsecured debt among bankrupts. It identifies a number of distinct cohorts within the bankrupt population, and important differences between men and women, younger and older people, and professional and blue collar workers. We find that the debts of bankrupt individuals tend to fall into two distinct categories: a combination of taxation debts and legal liabilities; or a mixture of personal loan, overdraft and credit card debts, likely to be linked to consumer spending. These findings represent a significant contribution to Australian empirical bankruptcy research. They are also timely, in light of the Commonwealth Government's recent proposals to implement significant changes to Australian bankruptcy law.
Trading of Takeover Target Shares

A theoretical model proposed by Cornelli and Li (2002) suggests that informed traders transact in shares of the target firm following the announcement of a takeover. In such cases, takeover traders are incentivised to become large shareholders in the target and, in doing so, influence the outcome of the deal. We investigate the impact of these traders on the success of the takeover empirically using intraday data. In addition to the propositions of Cornelli and Li (2002), we also examine the impact of informed trading on the returns to target shareholders. Overall, we find that a 1% increase in informed trading immediately after a takeover announcement increases the likelihood of takeover success by 12.21%. The same increase in informed trading leads to a 2.59% increase in the one day cumulative abnormal returns accruing to target investors. The increase in abnormal returns attributable to a 1% increase in informed trading is 2.64% higher in successful takeovers than in unsuccessful ones. Our empirical test of the Cornelli and Li (2002) framework accurately predicts the takeover outcome in 70% of cases.
Enterprise Content Management Systems-use Supports Standardized Business Processes

The aim of this paper is to explore and provide guidance to practitioners on how they can possibly use Enterprise Content Management Systems (ECMS) to support their highly standardized business processes. Case studies were conducted in two types of organizations that emphasized standardized business processes namely an auto finance company and a retail chain store. It was learnt that organizations main objective in using ECMS is to support their daily businesses and work practices. However, it appears that ECMS-use is also influence by other factors such as the workplace environment and often influenced by management decisions. Therefore, based on the data gathered, this study explored and understand how ECMS is being used from the perspective of organizational business processes, work practices, other organizational structures and the work environment (that include management, users and others). Putting all these factors into account, it was found that organizations that are highly integrated can benefit from these types of technology when using ECMS for: (1) sharing standardized information (e.g. policies), building application that support standardized processes (e.g. approval and purchasing processes) and (3) decision making that can be applied throughout the company. These findings benefits business and IT managers in such that there is a guide for organizations that are highly standardized to support employees in achieving their intended ECMS-use, to understand reasons for ECMS failures and underutilization and to exploit technologies investments.
A 5-Gbit/s Clock- and Data-Recovery Circuit With 1/8-Rate Linear Phase Detector in 0.18-μm CMOS Technology

With a new 1/8-rate linear phase detector (PD), a 5-Gbit/s clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit is implemented in a digital 0.18-mum CMOS technology. The outputs of the PD have much wider pulse than those of the conventional linear PDs. Thus, the design of circuits such as the PD and charge becomes much easier, and the maximum data rate is no longer limited by the speed of phase detection. The CDR shows 6.8-ps rms and 57.4-ps peak-to-peak jitter in the recovered clock and 10-12 bit error rate for 231-1 pseudorandom binary-sequence input while consuming 144 mW from a 1.8-V supply.
Chinese Bilateral Intra-Industry Trade with Her Major Trading Partners: A Case Study of Japan, Korea, United States, European Union, Hong Kong and Taiwan

The purpose of this paper is to examine the features and determinants of Chinese intra-industry trade during the 1992-2010 transition periods for China’s primary trade partners. We disentangle total intra-industry trade into vertical intra-industry trade and horizontal intra-industry trade, using data at the harmonization system level. The results of our sets of estimations suggest that China’s HIIT is more likely to emerge with countries that are similar than with those that are different. Conversely, China’s VIIT happens more with different rather than with similar countries. And in the intra-industry trade, the vertical intra-industry trade takes the central stage since existing wide gap of technology and management of corporations between the interior of China and major trading partners.
The Melting Curve of Iron to 250 Gigapascals: A Constraint on the Temperature at Earth's Center

The melting curve of iron, the primary constituent of Earth's core, has been measured to pressures of 250 gigapascals with a combination of static and dynamic techniques. The melting temperature of iron at the pressure of the core-mantle boundary (136 gigapascals) is 4800 � 200 K. whereas at the inner core-outer core boundary (330 gigapascals), it is 7600 � 500 K. Corrected for melting point depression resulting from the presence of impurities, a melting temperature for iron-rich alloy of 6600 K at the inner core-outer core boundary and a maximum temperature of 6900 K at Earth's center are inferred. This latter value is the first experimental upper bound on the temperature at Earth's center, and these results imply that the temperature of the lower mantle is significantly less than that of the outer core.
Mechanisms for Electrical Degradation of GaN High-Electron Mobility Transistors

We have carried out systematic experiments of the electrical reliability of state-of-the-art GaN HEMTs. We have found that degradation is mostly driven by electric field and that there is a critical electric field below which negligible degradation is observed. Device degradation is associated with the appearance of prominent trapping behavior. Degradation is consistent with a model of defect formation in the AlGaN barrier as a result of the high electric field. We postulate that lattice defects are introduced by excessive stress associated with the inverse piezoelectric effect. Electron trapping at these defects reduces the extrinsic sheet carrier concentration and the maximum drain current
How can social enterprises in the brazilian semiarid be effective? – A double case study

This study has the objective to highlight the factors for effectiveness of two social enterprises (SEs) located in the Brazilian semiarid region. Employing a qualitative approach, data collection was based on 23 (twentythree) semistructed interviews analysed with the Nvivo® 10 software. Findings evidenced the importance of intersectoral collaboration; constant adaptation to social and commercial demands; the role of innovative services, products and processes; the skills foments by the managerial teams over time; the creation of a resilient mindset capable of framing challenges into opportunities. Research results put forth the importance of for-profit undertakings to provide greater autonomy to these organizations.
Distributed polarization-mode dispersion compensation using polarizers

We numerically evaluate the performance of two kinds of distributed polarization-mode dispersion compensation techniques using either linear or elliptic variable polarizers. Each in-line compensator is characterized by only one or two degrees of freedom and the average power is used as a monitor signal, which simplifies the control algorithm. The use of polarizers causes inevitable attenuation of the optical signal, which induces additional noise in amplified systems. Nevertheless, the noise enhancement due to the distributed polarizer-induced loss is shown to be limited in systems operated with erbium-doped fiber amplifiers in gain saturation and the tolerable differential group delay can be improved if the frequency of insertions is increased.
Recent respiratory infection and risk of cardiovascular disease: case-control study through a general practice database.

AIMS Respiratory infection may be associated with an increased risk of major cardiovascular events. This case-control study describes associations with these events of respiratory infection. METHODS AND RESULTS The IMS Disease Analyzer Mediplus primary care database was used to identify all cases of first-time diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke and single matched controls. Details were extracted on visits for respiratory infection over the preceding year. A total of 11 155 MI cases and 9208 stroke cases were identified. For MI and stroke respectively, there were 326 and 260 respiratory infections during the month preceding the index date. There was strong evidence of an increased risk of both events in the 7 days following infection, for MI adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.10 (95% confidence interval 1.38-3.21), for stroke OR 1.92 (95% confidence interval 1.24-2.97). The strength of these associations fell over time. The associations for MI occurred at all levels of initial underlying cardiovascular risk. CONCLUSIONS There are strong associations between recent respiratory infection and major cardiovascular events, for MI at all levels of underlying risk. The benefits of reducing respiratory infection either through immunization or treating or preventing infection may be substantial.
Model-Based Segmentation of Femoral Head and Acetabulum from CT Images

Segmentation of bone tissue is an important topic in computer assisted medical image analysis. In particular, automatic segmentation of femoral head and acetabulum from CT dataset of hip joint respectively is of importance for various corresponding clinical tasks including visualization, quantitative assessment, early diagnosis and adequate management of patients suffering from avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH). The non-uniformity of bone tissue, ranging from dense cortical bone to loose trabecular bone, the weakly defined joint space between femoral head and acetabulum and the inherent blurring of CT imaging render the segmentation of hip joint bones a challenging task. Traditional segmentation methods, e. g. thresholding, region growing and morphological can not well satisfy the segmentation demands. We then propose a statistical shape model based segmentation for bones in hip joint. In this paper, an improved algorithm of automatic landmarks selection for the generation of PDM for ASM is presented, the procedure of constructing ASM is described and the method using ASM to classify corresponding bone is analyzed and implemented.
Evolving ensemble classifiers for incremental face recognition

Face recognition is an important research issue in many modern applications. Traditional face recognition technologies need collect the set of enough face images to learn an accurate face classifier for a specific person. However, collecting face images at a time is not easy for most people in real applications. In this paper, we propose an incremental learning method based on data selection and random decision trees to learn ensemble classifiers for on-line face recognition. The experimental results show that the proposed incremental learning method is efficient and highly adaptive. The learned classifiers also have accurate and stable recognition rate under a limited number of training face datasets.
Characterization of Kidney Infection in Ultrasound B-mode Images Using Texture Analysis

The general objective of this study was to develop an algorithm that can extracted textural features from ultrasound images of normal and abnormal kidneys in order to classify these images as having normal tissues, glomerulonephritis, or pyelonephritis. Linear discriminant analysis was used to classify the extracted features from the medulla and pelvic calycle system of kidneys ultrasound images. The results of the study showed that the overall accuracy using medulla texture equal to 98% while for those extracted from pelvic calycle system was 95.7. In conclusion linear function was developed to classify other ultrasound images with an error <5%
Fatal hemorrhagic disease and shock associated with primary dengue infection on a Pacific island.

Abstract An epidemic of dengue type 2 which occurred on Niue Island during the first half of 1972 involved approximately 90% of the population of 4,600 persons and affected all age groups equally. Serologic data indicated that this was the first occurrence of any dengue virus on the island for at least 25 years. Many persons had minor hemorrhages associated with febrile illnesses during the outbreak and a few had severe hemorrhages or shock. Twelve deaths occurred which may have been caused by dengue. The clinical features of the fatal illnesses among children were very similar to those described previously for dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. It is concluded that at least some deaths among children were caused by dengue virus and were, consequently, the result of primary infection with that virus.
Bacterial community dynamics in long‐term operation of a pilot plant using aerobic granular sludge to treat pig slurry

Aerobic granular sludge represents an interesting approach for simultaneous organic matter and nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment plants. However, the information about microbial communities in aerobic granular systems dealing with industrial wastewater like pig slurry is limited. Herein, bacterial diversity and dynamics were assessed in a pilot scale plant using aerobic granular sludge for organic matter and nitrogen elimination from swine slurry during more than 300 days. Results indicated that bacterial composition evolved throughout the operational period from flocculent activated sludge, used as inoculum, to mature aerobic granules. Bacterial diversity increased at the beginning of the granulation process and then declined due to the application of transient organic matter and nitrogen loads. The operational conditions of the pilot plant and the degree of granulation determined the microbial community of the aerobic granules. Brachymonas, Zoogloea and Thauera were attributed with structural function as they are able to produce extracellular polymeric substances to maintain the granular structure. Nitrogen removal was justified by partial nitrification (Nitrosomonas) and denitrification (Thauera and Zoogloea), while Comamonas was identified as the main organic matter oxidizing bacteria. Overall, clear links between bacterial dynamics and composition with process performance were found and will help to predict their biological functions in wastewater ecosystems improving the future control of the process. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 32:1212–1221, 2016
A study of acquiring firm returns around merger and acquisition (M&A)announcements with a focus on multiple acquisitions and director trading

This thesis conducts three studies regarding the stock market reaction to M&A announcements and information content of director trading prior to M&A announcements by acquiring firms. The first study investigates the stock market reaction to M&A announcements by acquirers that complete a single acquisition (single acquirers) and acquirers that complete multiple acquisitions (multiple acquirers) over a certain period. The second study examines the stock market reaction to first acquisitions and successive acquisitions by multiple acquirers. The third study explores whether director trading prior to M&A announcements can predict the stock market reaction around M&A announcements by acquiring firms. Our final sample includes 1294 (658 single and 636 multiple) M&A announcements by acquiring firms between 2003 and 2012. We manually collect director trading data up to 12 months prior to each M&A announcement. The first study investigates whether there is a variation in stock market reaction to M&A announcements by single acquirers and multiple acquirers. In this study, we find that the stock market reaction around M&A announcements is significantly positive for both single and multiple acquirers. However, the stock market reaction to M&A announcements for single acquirers is more positive than for multiple acquirers. The second study examines the stock market reaction to M&A announcements by multiple acquirers and investigates whether variation in returns exists between first M&A deal and successive deals by multiple acquirers. We find that the market reaction to first M&A deal is significantly more positive than the market reaction to successive M&A deals by multiple acquirers. The third study investigates whether director trading prior to M&A announcements can predict market reaction around M&A announcements. In this study, we focus on open market stock trading by executive and non-executive directors of acquiring firms. We first investigate the information content of director trading for single acquirers. We find that the market reaction to M&A announcements is positive for acquiring firms regardless of director trading. Further, the market reaction is more positive to M&A announcements for acquiring firms whose directors do not trade prior to M&A announcements than for those acquiring firms whose directors are net purchasers or net