Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Ownership Structure on Earnings Management: Evidence from Pakistan

The aim of the current study is to examine the impact of ownership structure on earnings management by using three aspects of ownership i.e. managerial, institutional and foreign. The sample consists of non-financial firms included in KSE-100 index of Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). The modified Jones model is used to calculate earnings management and random effect model regression is applied to test the impact of ownership structure on earnings management. The findings reveal that firms with high managerial and foreign ownership, engage more in earnings management. However, analysis reveal insignificant relationship between institutional ownership and earnings management.
Sulfate radical oxidation combined with iron flocculation for upgrading biological effluent of coking wastewater

Because the components of the coking wastewater was biologically toxic and hence inhibit the actions of microorganisms in conventional biological treatment processes,the biological effluent of coking wastewater (BECW) still remains much recalcitrant pollutants. In the current work, we set out to explore the feasibility of using a proposed advanced oxidation method, involving the persulfate-activated zero-valent iron system (PS/ZVI), to realize a deep treatment of BECW. The efficiency levels at which sulfate radical oxidation combined with iron flocculation removed pollutants, specifically TOC, phenolic compounds (PCs), cyanide, and suspended solids (SSs), as well as removing colour were investigated in batch tests. Increasing the persulfate concentration generally resulted in improved pollutant removal, with maximum removal efficiency levels of 58.5%, 68.4%, 61% 99.9% and 91.04% for TOC, PCs, SS, cyanide and colour, respectively. Note that the coexisting inorganic ions CO32− and HCO3− were strong competitors of the radical consumption of TOC, but this interference was eliminated by adjusting the pH to 4.5. Also, flocculation of the generated Fe3+ ions from the radical reaction significantly enhanced SS removal. GC-MS analysis showed that the compositional diversity of the BECW decreased after oxidation. Meanwhile its biodegradability increased, indicating less bio-toxicity reaching the natural water body. This study suggests that the PS/ZVI system may be an alternative safer and more efficient method than Fenton's method for carrying out an advanced treatment of coking wastewater.
Stress oxydant et glycoxydation : impact des produits avancés de glycation sur les mitochondries des cellules endothéliales dans le cadre de la pathologie diabétique

L’endothelium est une barriere semi-permeable assurant le maintien de l’homeostasie vasculaire. C’est un regulateur cle du tonus vasculaire, des processus de coagulation et de fibrinolyse, et de l’inflammation. Sa dysfonction est a l’origine de nombreuses pathologies parmi lesquelles figurent les complications vasculaires liees au diabete, notamment les maladies cardiovasculaires, premiere cause de mortalite chez les patients diabetiques. Le stress oxydant associe aux produits avances de glycation (AGEs), dont la formation est favorisee par l’hyperglycemie, constitue l’element central de la dysfonction endotheliale. Ce stress correspond a un desequilibre entre les defenses antioxydantes et les especes prooxydantes cellulaires en faveur de ces dernieres, et peut etre d’origine mitochondriale. L’objectif de mon travail de these a ete de determiner les effets des AGEs derivant de l’albumine (la proteine plasmatique la plus abondante) sur le fonctionnement des mitochondries de cellules endotheliales en culture, en parallele a une analyse des mecanismes moleculaires impliques dans le stress oxydant intracellulaire, et des fonctions endotheliales. L’etude mitochondriale s’est principalement axee sur la description des etats respiratoires et a revele des phenotypes associes aux AGEs, variant en fonction du modele cellulaire endothelial et de la confluence. Par ailleurs, deux autres resultats phares issus de mes investigations correspondent a la mise en evidence de : 1) l’alteration des proprietes antioxydantes de l’albumine, ainsi que l’acquisition d’un pouvoir pro-oxydant apres glycoxydation ; 2) la contribution des mitochondries au stress oxydant, a travers une communication possible avec la NADPH oxydase, une enzyme produisant des anions superoxydes. Ce travail apporte ainsi un nouvel eclairage sur le desequilibre redox observe chez les cellules endotheliales dans le cadre de la pathologie diabetique, en relation avec l’aspect mitochondrial.
Técnicas voltamétricas e cromatográficas na análise direta de antioxidantes em biodiesel diluído em metanol e etanol ou como microemulsão livre de surfactante

xxii 1 INTRODUÇÃO . 23 1.1 Objetivos . 24 1.1.1 Objetivo Geral . 24 1.1.1 Objetivos Específicos . 25 2 REVISÃO BIBLIOGRÁFICA . 26 2.1 Biodiesel . 26 2.2 Estabilidade Oxidativa do Biodiesel . 29 2.3 Antioxidantes Fenólicos Sintéticos . 31 2.4 Microemulsões . 33 2.4. 1 Classificação das Microemulsões . 33 2.4. 2 Técnicas para Caracterização das Microemulsões . 35 2.4. 3 Microemulsões Livres de Surfactante. 35 2.4. 3.1 Formação de Microemulsões Livres de Surfactante . 36 2.5 Técnicas Cromatográficas . 38 2.5. 1 Cromatografia em Fase Gasosa . 39 2.5. 2 Cromatografia em Fase Líquida: HPLC e UHPLC . 40 2.6 Técnicas Eletroanalíticas. 41 2.6. 1 Ultramicroeletrodos . 41 2.6. 2 Microeletrodos de Fibra de Carbono . 42 2.6. 3 Técnicas Eletroquímicas de Análise . 44 2.6. 3.1 Voltametria de Pulso Diferencial . 44 2.6. 3.2 Voltametria de Onda Quadrada . 45 3 PARTE EXPERIMENTAL . 47 3.1 Materiais . 47 3.2 Metodologia . 48 3.2.1 Preparo de Amostras e Soluções-Padrão . 48 3.2.1.1 Voltametria de Pulso Diferencial em ume de Pt . 48 3.2.1.2 Caracterização da SFME . 49 3.2.1.3 Voltametrias de Pulso Diferencial e de Onda Quadrada em CFM . 49 3.2.1.4 Voltametria de Pulso Diferencial em ume de Au . 50 3.2.2 Análises Cromatográficas . 51 3.2.2.1 Análise por GC/qMS . 51 3.2.2.2 Análise por HPLC-UV . 51 3.2.2.3 Análise por UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap/MS . 52 3.2.3 Estudo da Estabilidade do Biodiesel. 53
Quadriparesis After Bariatric Surgery: Case Report

Obesity is one of the most significant public health concerns of the 21st century. The number of surgeries performed due to obesity continues to increase. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is the most commonly performed laparoscopic bariatric surgery and nutritional deficiencies after bariatric surgery are common. In weight-loss surgery patients with a nutritional deficiency, it should be kept in mind that the patient may have multiple vitamin deficiencies. Lifetime nutritional status follow-up is necessary. An appropriately detailed preoperative evaluation and postoperative care, as well as patient education, are essential to follow-up. There are guidelines available that recommend routine nutritional supplementation for the treatment and prevention of deficiencies. The aim of this manuscript was to describe the clinical impact of the current evidence.
Rolling Bearing Fault Diagnosis Algorithm Based on Overlapping Group Sparse Model-Deep Complex Convolutional Neural Network

As the key component of a mechanical system, rolling bearings will cause paralysis of the entire mechanical system once they fail. In recent years, considering the high generalization ability and nonlinear modeling ability of deep learning, a rolling bearing fault diagnosis method based on deep learning has been formed, and good results have been achieved. However, because this kind of method is still in the initial development stage, its main problems are as follows. First, it is difficult to extract the composite fault signal feature of rolling bearing. Second, the existing deep learning rolling bearing fault diagnosis methods cannot well consider the problem of multi-scale information of rolling bearing signals. Therefore, this paper first proposes the overlapping group sparse model. It constructs weight coefficients by analyzing the salient features of the signal. It uses convex optimization techniques to solve the sparse optimization model, and applies the method to the feature extraction of rolling bearing composite faults. For the problem of multi-scale feature information extraction of rolling bearing composite fault signals, this paper proposes a new deep complex convolutional neural network model. This model fully considers the multi-scale information of rolling bearing signals. The complex information in this model not only contains rich representation ability, but also can extract more scale information. Finally, the classifier of this model is used to identify rolling bearing faults. Based on this, this paper proposes a new rolling bearing fault diagnosis algorithm based on overlapping group sparse model-deep complex convolutional neural network. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper can not only effectively identify rolling bearing faults under constant operating conditions, but also accurately identify rolling bearing fault signals under changing operating conditions. Additionally, the classification accuracy of the method proposed in this paper is greatly improved compared with traditional machine learning methods. It also has certain advantages over other deep learning methods.
Multi-functional nanowall arrays with unrestricted Li+ transport channels and an integrated conductive network for high-areal-capacity Li–S batteries

The rational design of cathode hosts with superior polysulfide (PS) confinement properties, excellent Li+/e− transport and improved cyclability is of the utmost importance for high-areal-capacity lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. Herein, multi-functional nanowall arrays (MNWAs) combining the aforementioned properties are fabricated to improve the electrochemical performance of Li–S batteries with high areal sulfur loadings. The integrated conductive networks and top-down vertically aligned Li+ transport channels are beneficial to Li+/e− transport, resulting in high rate performance with a discharge capacity of 620 mA h g−1 at a high current density of 9.6 mA cm−2 for 4 mg cm−2 sulfur-loaded S/MNWA electrodes. Additionally, the strong PS shuttling suppression via the synergetic effects of physical confinement and chemical adsorption leads to Li–S batteries with a sulfur loading of 10 mg cm−2 capable of delivering a high areal capacity of 12.4 mA h cm−2 with a high capacity retention of nearly 85% for over 100 cycles. What's more, the Li–S batteries assembled with 4 mg cm−2 sulfur-loaded S/MNWA electrodes show an ultra-low capacity decay of 0.07% per cycle over 400 cycles at 3.2 mA cm−2.
Integrated physical-Fenton remediation of petroleum-contaminated soil using ethyl lactate as a green solvent

The huge amount of petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated sites is the heritage of a long history of fossil fuels usage. Reducing petroleum hydrocarbons levels in contaminated soils by Fenton reaction and with the aid of one or two agents such as solvents, surfactants, or vegetable oils has been studied in recent years, with successful reported results. Nonetheless, destruction of the aliphatic fraction of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) by Fenton reaction has been studied to a lesser extent as compared to the aromatic fraction of TPH. Additionally, studies regarding the effect of humic acid (HA) on Fenton reaction reported contradictory results, and more research is necessary to clarify HA effects. Lastly, although achieving the highest efficiency is the main objective of soil remediation technologies, the environmental side effects of the applied processes should be considered as important as the efficiency. In light of these, the main aim of this project was to increase Fenton treatment efficiency by using an environmental friendly solvent, ethyl lactate (EL). The project objectives included determining optimum levels for the reagents of Fenton reaction and desorption process such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and EL, identifying the kinetic of TPH desorption and destruction of petroleum hydrocarbons by Fenton reaction in addition to analysing the effects of EL on these processes. Through desorption tests, EL/water solution demonstrated great ability to increase the removal efficiency and desorption of sorbed TPH. Desorption by EL/water solution consisted of a very fast desorption stage followed by a slow stage. After 30 min of desorption, the removal efficiency of TPH increased from 63% to 81% for EL=25% and EL=100%, respectively. The initial desorption rate for 25% and 100% were 1.625 mg/min and 3.368 mg/min, respectively. The results of batch experiments indicated that EL%=10% was the optimum value for the EL-modified Fenton reaction. After 4 h, an increase in H2O2 concentration from 0.1 M to 2 M at L/S=2 and EL=25% increased the removal efficiency of TPH from 68.41% to 90.21%. HA addition up to 150 mg/l was also studied. For fraction 1, adding HA led to an increase in removal efficiency while for fraction 2, only HA=150mg/l had higher removal efficiency than the HA=0 case and for fraction 3, addition of HA in the studied range could not increase the removal efficiency. A good compatibility of zero-valent iron nanomaterial with H2O2 was proved. Laboratory column experiments were finally carried out to remove petroleum hydrocarbons from diesel-contaminated soil with EL to reproduce the conditions of in-situ treatment. The remaining diesel in soil decreased by increasing H2O2 molarity from 0.1 M to 0.5 M whereas a further increase to 2 M led to an increase in remaining diesel in soil. The stability of H2O2 in EL has been observed which signifies good potential for in-situ applications. Overall, the project has demonstrated the feasibility of EL-modified Fenton reaction for the remediation of petroleum-contaminated soil.
THE PROJECTIVE REACTIVE ""PRPR"": A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR THE STUDY OF PERSONAL MEANING ORGANIZATION

The post-rationalist cognitive model considers that tacit processes are fundamental to the understanding of a Personal Meaning Organization (PMO). The Post-Rationalist Projective Reactive (PRPR) has been developed focusing on the person’s narrative. It is a projective instrument consisting of 20 sheets. The researching method has been to supply the instrument to a cohort of 311 subjects (121 men, mean age: 30.25); the consistency of the theoretical construct and effectiveness of PRPR were verified through cluster analysis and convergence. Cluster analysis initially identified 2 main groups of subjects (Inward and Outward) and, successively, four groups corresponding to the descriptions of the PMO. Sinificant convergent validity correlation was found with the results of the Mini Questionnaire of Personal Organization (MQOP, r= .73, p <.001) and clinical interview (r = .88, p <.01). These preliminary results of the first cognitive projective reactive post-rationalist demonstrate that the PRPR identifies the tacit processes of Inward and Outward terms and PMO.
Investigating the reprogramming of the hypertrophic Myostatin null muscle with estrogen-related receptor gamma : implications for muscle structure and function

Skeletal muscle is a highly compliant organ system that is composed of muscle fibres, nerves, sensory cells, blood vessels and connective tissue. A central concept of skeletal muscle biology is the existence of an inverse relationship between muscle fibre size and its oxidative capacity which has been used to explain why small fibres are oxidative and large fibres glycolytic. However, sturdiness of this relationship is unknown. In order to investigate the rigour of this relationship we made use of a genetic model that enhances oxidative metabolism, mediated by estrogen-related receptor gamma (Errγ) (a constitutively active orphan nuclear receptor belongs to the ERR subfamily), and the hypertrophic background of Myostatin (a member of the Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily that is negatively regulating skeletal muscle mass development) null (Mtn‐/‐) mice. We show that superimposition of Errγ on the Mtn‐/‐ background results in hypertrophic muscle that displays a high oxidative capacity (Mtn‐/‐/ErrγTg/+), thus violating the inverse relationship between muscle fibre cross-sectional area and its oxidative capacity. Thereafter, we examined the canonical view that there is a high number of satellite cells (skeletal muscle resident stem cells) in oxidative muscles. Surprisingly, I found that hypertrophic oxidative muscle fibres from Mtn‐/‐/ErrγTg/+ mice showed a deficit in the number of satellite cells. Unexpectedly, the lower population of satellite cells in the hypertrophic oxidative model is not associated with a lower regenerative capacity. We also examined the relationship between muscle fibre phenotype (size and metabolism) and components of its force transducer apparatus that consists of both extracellular matrix (ECM) and dystrophinglycoprotein complex (DGC). Interestingly, I showed that levels of ECM and DGC entities can be influenced by muscle fibre phenotype. Observations of this work firstly, challenge the notion of a constraint between skeletal muscle fiber size and oxidative capacity, secondly, indicate the important role of the microcirculation in the regenerative capacity of a muscle even with low population of satellite cells, and thirdly, show that the metabolic properties of a muscle fibre are a critical factor to regulate the levels of ECM and DGC proteins.
https://researchopenworld.com/endocrine-disruptors-caused-faulty-hormonal-imprinting-focus-on-women/#

Hormonal imprinting is a physiological process, when hormone receptors and the target hormone meet in the first occasion, perinatally. This process is needed for the normal function of the receptor-hormone complex and valid for life. However, hormone-like molecules also can bind to the developing receptor causing faulty imprinting and its consequences: altered binding of hormones, inclination to diseases, manifestation of diseases, disturbing the physiological hormonal regulation. The faulty imprinting also has a lifelong effect. Industrial, communal, nutritional and medical endocrine disruptors are faulty imprinters and their variables as well, as amounts are enormously growing in the human environment. The faulty imprinting influences also the microsomal enzyme system. Numerous diseases, manifested at adult age can be deduced to perinatal faulty hormonal imprinting and the higher sensitivity of women to drugs (more adverse reactions) could be explained by perinatal events. The extremely growing variants and amount of endocrine disruptors could rearrange the whole endocrine system, which could be disastrous or useful alike in the future.
Application of mathematical logic for immunophenotyping of B-Cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL)

Mathematical Logic as known nowadays was developed among others by the mathematicians Gottlob Frege [7] and Guiseppe Peano [8], and the philosophers Bertrand Russell [9] and Ludwig Wittgenstein [10]. Especially the latter one and the mathematician Emil Post [11] simultaneously and independently developed the truth tables, which we also use in this study. Lukasiewicz [12] developed a 3-valued logic with the term “possible” in form of a propensity score. However, we apply the principle of the excluded middle, meaning that a proposition can only be either true or false, but not be something in between. For true propositions, we use the number 1, while for false propositions we use the number 0. Based on outlined above, a proposition can only have one value at a time, 1 for “true” and 0 for “false”. The values of 2 propositions can have 4 permutations.
A Reweighted Total Variation Algorithm with the Alternating Direction Method for Computed Tomography

A variety of alternating direction methods have been proposed for solving a class of optimization problems. The applications in computed tomography (CT) perform well in image reconstruction. The reweighted schemes were applied in l 1 -norm and total variation minimization for signal and image recovery to improve the convergence of algorithms. In this paper, we present a reweighted total variation algorithm using the alternating direction method (ADM) for image reconstruction in CT. The numerical experiments for ADM demonstrate that adding reweighted strategy reduces the computation time eﬀectively and improves the quality of reconstructed images as well.
INNOVATION CAPABILITY, ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY AND SMES PERFORMANCE IN PAKISTAN: THE MODERATING EFFECT OF BUSINESS STRATEGY

The small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial part in county’s economic growth and a key contributor in country’s GDP. In Pakistan SMEs hold about 90 percent of the total businesses. The performance of SMEs depends upon many factors. The main aim for the research is to examine the relationship between Innovation Capability, Absorptive Capacity and Performance of SMEs in Pakistan. This conceptual paper also extends to the vague revelation on Business Strategy in which act as a moderator between Innovation Capability, Absorptive Capacity and SMEs Performance. Conclusively, this study proposes a new research directions and hypotheses development to examine the relationship among the variables in Pakistan’s SMEs context.
PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PLGA NANOPARTICLES

Nanoparticles were prepared by emulsion solvent evaporation method, using methylene chloride (DCM) as the organic solvent and poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) as the surfactant. Different formulation conditions such as surfactant concentration, drug amount, homogenization time, aqueous phase volume were investigated for drug entrapment efficiency, drug loading and particle size. It was found that PVA concentration less than 1% was unable to form a stable emulsion, increasing drug amount more than 30 mg didn't lead to any significant difference in drug entrapment efficiency or particle size, homogenization for 2 minutes led to particles having larger size and higher entrapment efficiency than those obtained after 3 minutes homogenization, increasing the aqueous phase volume from 40 ml to 80 ml led to a significant increase in entrapment efficiency and a significant decrease in particle size.
The Droplet Ignition in High Pressure Condition with Natural Convection

For some of combustion devices such as liquid-propellant rocket motors, gas turbines and diesel engines, the liquid fuel sprays burn in the high pressure and temperature condition. Therefore, in order to understand the fundamental phenomena involved therein, the research on the combustion of single droplet in the high-pressure environment must be preceded. A simulation of the droplet combustion in the high-pressure environment often requires including real gas effects on the equation of state and thermo-physical properties that are usually neglected in normal pressure conditions [1]. Based on these facts, many researchers have studied high-pressure droplet combustion as well as vaporization [1-4]. These studies discussed on the high-pressure droplet combustion characteristics focusing their attentions on its vaporization or burning rate. However, there are few studies on the ignition delay times of droplets in high-pressure conditions. Especially, the research on the natural convection effects on the ignition delay time, while considering various high-pressure effects, has not been available yet. The natural convection effect would become important as the ambient pressure rises, since the density of the gas increases. Therefore, to describe the real situation of the normal gravity experiments about high-pressure droplet combustion, the natural convection effects must be considered. Based on these facts, the objectives of this paper are to investigate the effects of high temperature and pressure on the ignition delay time for a n-heptane droplet, both for normal gravity and microgravity condition, while considering natural convection effects, and to make a bench mark through the comparison with other experimental results.