bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An estimation of the underground economy and tax evasion
Authors: Amoh John Kwaku , Adafula Babonyire 
Published: November 2019

PurposeThis paper aims to use an econometric model to estimate tax evasion from the size of the underground economy and examined the factors that trigger it.Design/methodology/approachThe study used time series data sourced from world development indicators and Bank of Ghana covering the period 1990-2015 to estimate tax evasion from the underground economy using an autoregressive distributed lag model drawing on the currency demand approach.FindingsThe results confirmed the existence of a large underground economy and a high incidence of tax evasion in Ghana. The Ghanaian situation has been aggravated by an underground economy-triggering factor of mobile money activities, which increased by 83.1 per cent in 2015. Tax evasion averaged 20.78 per cent of GDP over the period. The study, thus, concludes that the increased number of mobile money activities, high tax burden and unemployment contribute to the worsening of the tax evasion problem in Ghana.Originality/valueThe study is one of the premier attempts to introduce electricity power consumption variables in the currency demand model to estimate tax evasion from the size of the underground economy. The authors hypothesize that the emergence of mobile money activities in its current form triggers underground and tax-evading activities. The study, thus, calls for the formalization and regulation of the operations of mobile money activities in emerging economies as a way of managing the underground economy, which incubates tax evasion.
An operating environment-based preventive maintenance decision model
Authors: Jiang Aiping , Li Qingxia , Yan Jinyi , Huang Leqing , Wu Haining 
Published: November 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on finding the optimal maintenance interval and the minimum maintenance cost for redundant system, considering environment factors.Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose a decision model with environment-based preventive maintenance for the repairable redundant system. Referring to the k-out-of-n model and Proportional Hazard Model, the reliability analysis is completed for the redundant system affected by internal and external issues. Meanwhile, the maintenance cost for the redundant system is divided into two categories: the fixed maintenance cost involving whole system replacement at the time of system failure, and the cost to replace failure components when the system still functions.FindingsUpon the required reliability analysis, an optimal maintenance interval that minimizes the average maintenance cost per unit time is identified. The simulation results indicate that the optimal maintenance interval with consideration of environmental factors is significantly shorter than that without consideration of these factors, with the maintenance cost increase within 10 percent.Practical implicationsThe redundant systems have widely been used in industries including the aero craft control system and warship power system. The model could be applied in the more real case considering the types of components and the operation environment, and help production managers better maintain machines by increasing the safety and reliability of the redundant model with the more frequent inspection.Originality/valuePrevious research of redundant system always focuses on internal degradation, while ignoring the reliability analysis for a redundant system with various multiple components under the influence of environment. However, this work could fill the theoretical gap, i.e. simultaneously consider both environmental and internal factors for a redundant system with non-homogeneous components. Meanwhile, the proposed superior model increases the reliability and safety of the k-out-of-n model with reasonable cost. Production managers could benefit a lot from this as well.
Health-care marketing in an omni-channel environment
Authors: Swan Eric L. , Dahl Andrew J. , Peltier James W. 
Published: November 2019

Purpose
Consumers have increased access to digital health tools such as social media, websites and marketer-controlled platforms for information sharing. Telemedicine (TM) represents an emerging omni-channel touchpoint for consumers to exchange information and inform health decision-making at a time and place of their choosing. While TM offers great potential, consumer adoption has been slower than expected. This paper aims to investigate attitudinal factors that influence adoption and usage of TM within consumers’ omni-channel decision-making environment.

Design/methodology/approach
Surveys from 869 patients were analyzed using multiple linear regression to examine the relationships between health decision-making, TM access benefits and omni-channel touchpoints (social media, website and internal health digital channels usage) on TM usage likelihood.

Findings
Attitudinal constructs related to TM’s benefits including access and health decision-making have the strongest impact on future TM usage. The study also empirically demonstrates a link between consumers’ omni-channel information seeking and TM usage.

Research limitations/implications
Increasing consumers’ involvement across omni-channel touchpoints has an additive effect on perceived benefits for engaging consumers in using digital offerings like TM. Future research is needed that examines the interrelationships on consumers’ health decision-making across generational cohorts and the post-adoption effects of digital service offerings.

Practical implications
Omni-channel touchpoints such as TM provide new opportunities to enhance shared decision-making. However, marketers need to adopt strategies that accommodate consumers’ evolving omni-channel preferences for access and information exchange to synergize digital service offerings with interpersonal touchpoints.

Originality/value
This study integrates shared decision-making, technology acceptance and omni-channel marketing literature to explore TM acceptance and usage within the context of consumers’ omni-channel decision process.
The relationship between dietary intakes during pregnancy and incidence of postpartum depression: a case-control study
Authors: Amini Shirin , Jafarirad Sima , Amani Reza , Sayyah Bargard Mehdi , Cheraghian Bahman , Hemmati Ali Asghar 
Published: November 2019

Purpose
Post-partum depression (PPD) is a mood disorder that affects 20-40 per cent of women in their post-delivery period worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to compare dietary intakes of energy, macronutrients, cholesterol, saturated fatty acids (SFAs), mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), some micronutrients and antioxidants in PPD patients with healthy controls.

Design/methodology/approach
This case-control study was conducted on 163 women in postpartum period (81 PPD and 82 non-PPD) using Edinburgh questionnaire for the diagnosis of PPD. Dietary nutrients intake was assessed using 147-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Portion sizes of food items were converted to grams per day. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between tertiles of dietary intakes with the odds ratio (OR) of PPD.

Findings
According to the fully adjusted model, highest tertile compared to lowest tertile dietary intake of SFAs [OR = 0.01; 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) = 0.00, 0.01, p = 0.001], MUFAs (OR = 0.01; 95 per cent CI = 0.00, 0.02, p < 0.001), total fats (OR = 0.01; 95 per cent CI =0.00, 0.01, p < 0.001) and cholesterol (OR = 0.06 ; 95 per cent CI = 0.01, 0.08, p < 0.001), thiamine (OR = 0.01; 95 per cent CI = 0.00, 0.01, p < 0.001), riboflavin (OR = 0.10; 95 per cent CI = 0.02, 0.39, p < 0.001), pyridoxine (OR = 0.03; 95 per cent CI =0.01, 0.32, p < 0.001), folate (OR = 0.01; 95 per cent CI = 0.00, 0.01, p < 0.001), cobalamine (OR = 0.01; 95 per cent CI = 0.00, 0.01, p < 0.001) , selenium (OR = 0.79 ; 95 per cent CI =1.36, 3.32, p < 0.001), iron (OR =0.68; 95 per cent CI = 0.24, 0.94, p < 0.001) and iodine (OR = 0.36; 95 per cent CI =1.10, 1.38, p < 0.001) had a protective effect on the incidence of PPD. Furthermore, higher intake of vitamin A and beta-cryptoxanthin can increase the incidence of PPD (OR =114.29; 95 per cent CI =17.85, 118.12, p < 0.001) and (OR = 4.85; 95 per cent CI = 1.49, 15.69, p = 0.015), respectively.

Originality/value
PPD may have destructive effects on the relationship between mother and infant. Results of previous studies demonstrated nutrients are required for the synthesis of neurotransmitters and have biochemical role in the nervous system.
Induced phenological avoidance: A neglected defense mechanism against seed predation in plants
Authors: Sercu Bram K. , Moeneclaey Iris , Bonte Dries , Baeten Lander 
Published: November 2019

Abstract

Flowering phenology is an important life‐history trait affecting plant reproductive performance and is influenced by various abiotic and biotic factors. Pre‐dispersal seed predation and pollination are expected to impose counteracting selection pressure on flowering phenology, with pre‐dispersal seed predation expected to favour off‐peak flowering and pollination to favour synchronous flowering.

Here we studied the effect of pre‐dispersal seed predation by the beetle Byturus ochraceus, a specialist seed herbivore, on the flowering phenology of Geum urbanum. This forest understorey plant species is self‐pollinating, so that the influence of seed predation can be studied independent from pollination. We measured in detail the timing and predation rate of individual flowers during two consecutive years in more than 60 individuals. We tested the hypotheses that pre‐dispersal seed predation exerts selection for within‐season compensatory flowering as well as for induced phenological avoidance in the following season.

We found no indication for compensatory flowering within a growing season, but plants that experienced predation shifted their flowers to the end of the flowering season the subsequent year. This induced phenological avoidance points to a plastic response to pre‐dispersal seed predation that may be adaptive. Importantly, the delay in flower production came at a cost, since flowers later in the season had a reduced seed output, presumably because of increasing light limitation following forest canopy closure.

Synthesis. Herbivory by specialist enemies can cause serious fitness decline in hosts. We here show that induced shifts in phenology can form an important defense strategy against pre‐dispersal seed predation. The induced mismatches between herbivore and host phenology are anticipated to be adaptive when herbivory is predictable across successive flowering periods.
Histological and computed tomographic characteristics of the sinonasal structure of BALB/c mice
Authors: Wang Zhiyuan , Chang Lihong , Huang Jiancong , Huang Zizhen , Li Xia , Chen Xiaohong , Lai Xiaoping , Zhang Gehua 
Published: November 2019

AbstractMice models were used to study the pathogenesis of mice and human diseases. Although some mice models of allergic rhinitis and rhinosinusitis have been reported, no detailed anatomic, histological and computed tomographic comparative data of the normal murine sinus are available in the literature for new researchers to establish mice models. The purpose of this study was to clarify the histological and computed tomographic characteristics of the normal nasal sinus in BALB/c mice. Fifteen sinonasal specimens were collected. Five mice were subjected to micro‐computed tomography imaging, and then dissected to observe its anatomic landmarks, and 10 mice were subjected to haematoxylin and eosin staining. Important anatomic landmarks were clearly demonstrated, including the ethmoturbinates, nasoturbinal, maxilloturbinate, ethmoid sinus, maxillary sinus, nasopharyngeal duct, nasolacrimal duct and vomeronasal organ. Full and typical sinonasal landmarks can be visualized by gross anatomy, micro‐computed tomography imaging and haematoxylin and eosin staining, which will be useful for establishing the mouse models of nasal disease.
Is an increased PaO2 in a normobaric state safe in acute CO poisoning?
Authors: Moon Jeong Mi , Chun Byeong Jo , Cho Yong Soo 
Published: November 2019

AbstractOur objective was to determine how much PaO2 levels increase after normobaric oxygen (NBO) therapy and whether NBO therapy exerts therapeutic effects regardless of the PaO2 level. We suggest the optimal PaO2 level to use during NBO therapy for the acute treatment of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. This retrospective study included 311 patients who received oxygen administration after CO poisoning and had a measurable PaO2 level upon arrival. Baseline characteristics, clinical courses and long‐term neurological outcome were collected and compared. The PaO2 level upon arrival was 192 (161‐225) mm Hg, and 272 (87.5%) of the patients presented with hyperoxia. The incidence of poor long‐term neurological outcome was 11.3% at a median follow‐up period of 35 months. PaO2 levels upon arrival were higher in patients with good long‐term neurological outcome than in those with poor outcome. The incidence of poor long‐term neurological outcome was significantly dependent on the PaO2 level when patients were stratified at 100‐mm Hg increments. A multivariate regression analysis showed that PaO2 levels, when considered a continuous, interval or ordinal variable, were associated with long‐term neurological outcome in separate models. According to the three models, a PaO2 level of 200‐300 mm Hg has the lowest risk of poor long‐term neurological outcome. The results of the analysis of the predicted probability of poor long‐term outcome according to the PaO2 level exhibited a U‐shaped curve. Further large‐scale studies are needed to confirm the association between 200‐300 mm Hg of PaO2 and long‐term neurological outcome and evaluate the impact of PaO2 levels above 300 mm Hg on acute CO poisoning outcome.
An Analysis of Region Clustered BVH Volume Rendering on GPU
Authors: Ganter D. , Manzke M. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractWe present a Direct Volume Rendering method that makes use of newly available Nvidia graphics hardware for Bounding Volume Hierarchies. Using BVHs for DVR has been overlooked in recent research due to build times potentially impeding interactive rates. We indicate that this is not necessarily the case, especially when a clustering algorithm is applied before the BVH build to reduce leaf‐node complexity. Our results show substantial render time improvements for full‐resolution DVR on GPU in comparison to a recent state‐of‐the‐art approach for empty‐space‐skipping. Furthermore, the use of a BVH for DVR allows seamless integration into popular surface‐based path‐tracing technologies like Nvidia's OptiX.
Generic interactive pixel‐level image editing
Authors: Liang Y. , Gan Y. , Chen M. , Gutierrez D. , Muñoz A. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractSeveral image editing methods have been proposed in the past decades, achieving brilliant results. The most sophisticated of them, however, require additional information per‐pixel. For instance, dehazing requires a specific transmittance value per pixel, or depth of field blurring requires depth or disparity values per pixel. This additional per‐pixel value is obtained either through elaborated heuristics or through additional control over the capture hardware, which is very often tailored for the specific editing application. In contrast, however, we propose a generic editing paradigm that can become the base of several different applications. This paradigm generates both the needed per‐pixel values and the resulting edit at interactive rates, with minimal user input that can be iteratively refined. Our key insight for getting per‐pixel values at such speed is to cluster them into superpixels, but, instead of a constant value per superpixel (which yields accuracy problems), we have a mathematical expression for pixel values at each superpixel: in our case, an order two multinomial per superpixel. This leads to a linear least‐squares system, effectively enabling specific per‐pixel values at fast speeds. We illustrate this approach in three applications: depth of field blurring (from depth values), dehazing (from transmittance values) and tone mapping (from brightness and contrast local values), and our approach proves both favorably interactive and accurate in all three. Our technique is also evaluated with a common dataset and compared favorably.
Scale‐adaptive Structure‐preserving Texture Filtering
Authors: Song Chengfang , Xiao Chunxia , Lei Ling , Sui Haigang 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThis paper proposes a scale‐adaptive filtering method to improve the performance of structure‐preserving texture filtering for image smoothing. With classical texture filters, it usually is challenging to smooth texture at multiple scales while preserving salient structures in an image. We address this issue in the concept of adaptive bilateral filtering, where the scales of Gaussian range kernels are allowed to vary from pixel to pixel. Based on direction‐wise statistics, our method distinguishes texture from structure effectively, identifies appropriate scope around a pixel to be smoothed and thus infers an optimal smoothing scale for it. Filtering an image with varying‐scale kernels, the image is smoothed according to the distribution of texture adaptively. With commendable experimental results, we show that, needing less iterations, our proposed scheme boosts texture filtering performance in terms of preserving the geometric structures of multiple scales even after aggressive smoothing of the original image.
Towards Robust Direction Invariance in Character Animation
Authors: Ma Li‐Ke , Yang Zeshi , Guo Baining , Yin KangKang 
Published: November 2019

AbstractIn character animation, direction invariance is a desirable property. That is, a pose facing north and the same pose facing south are considered the same; a character that can walk to the north is expected to be able to walk to the south in a similar style. To achieve such direction invariance, the current practice is to remove the facing direction's rotation around the vertical axis before further processing. Such a scheme, however, is not robust for rotational behaviors in the sagittal plane. In search of a smooth scheme to achieve direction invariance, we prove that in general a singularity free scheme does not exist. We further connect the problem with the hairy ball theorem, which is better‐known to the graphics community. Due to the nonexistence of a singularity free scheme, a general solution does not exist and we propose a remedy by using a properly‐chosen motion direction that can avoid singularities for specific motions at hand. We perform comparative studies using two deep‐learning based methods, one builds kinematic motion representations and the other learns physics‐based controls. The results show that with our robust direction invariant features, both methods can achieve better results in terms of learning speed and/or final quality. We hope this paper can not only boost performance for character animation methods, but also help related communities currently not fully aware of the direction invariance problem to achieve more robust results.
Naturalness‐Preserving Image Tone Enhancement Using Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Son Hyeongseok , Lee Gunhee , Cho Sunghyun , Lee Seungyong 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThis paper proposes a deep learning‐based image tone enhancement approach that can maximally enhance the tone of an image while preserving the naturalness. Our approach does not require carefully generated ground‐truth images by human experts for training. Instead, we train a deep neural network to mimic the behavior of a previous classical filtering method that produces drastic but possibly unnatural‐looking tone enhancement results. To preserve the naturalness, we adopt the generative adversarial network (GAN) framework as a regularizer for the naturalness. To suppress artifacts caused by the generative nature of the GAN framework, we also propose an imbalanced cycle‐consistency loss. Experimental results show that our approach can effectively enhance the tone and contrast of an image while preserving the naturalness compared to previous state‐of‐the‐art approaches.
Compacting Voxelized Polyhedra via Tree Stacking
Authors: Hao Yue , Lien Jyh‐Ming 
Published: November 2019

AbstractVolume compaction is a geometric problem that aims to reduce the volume of a polyhedron via shape transform. Compactable structures are easier to transport and in some cases easier to manufacture, therefore, they are commonly found in our daily life (e.g. collapsible containers) and advanced technology industries (e.g., the recent launch of 60 Starlink satellites compacted in a single rocket by SpaceX). It is known in the literature that finding a universal solution to compact an arbitrary 3D shape is computationally challenging. Previous approaches showed that stripifying mesh surface can lead to optimal compaction, but the resulting structures were often impractical. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that cuts the 3D orthogonal polyhedron, tessellated by thick square panels, into a tree structure that can be transformed into compact piles by folding and stacking. We call this process tree stacking. Our research found that it is possible to decompose the problem into a pipeline of several solvable local optimizations. We also provide an efficient algorithm to check if the solution exists by avoiding the computational bottleneck of the pipeline. Our results show that tree stacking can efficiently generate stackable structures that have better folding accuracy and similar compactness comparing to the most compact stacking using strips.
Pyramid Multi‐View Stereo with Local Consistency
Authors: Liao Jie , Fu Yanping , Yan Qingan , Xiao Chunxia 
Published: November 2019

AbstractIn this paper, we propose a PatchMatch‐based Multi‐View Stereo (MVS) algorithm which can efficiently estimate geometry for the textureless area. Conventional PatchMatch‐based MVS algorithms estimate depth and normal hypotheses mainly by optimizing photometric consistency metrics between patch in the reference image and its projection on other images. The photometric consistency works well in textured regions but can not discriminate textureless regions, which makes geometry estimation for textureless regions hard work. To address this issue, we introduce the local consistency. Based on the assumption that neighboring pixels with similar colors likely belong to the same surface and share approximate depth‐normal values, local consistency guides the depth and normal estimation with geometry from neighboring pixels with similar colors. To fasten the convergence of pixelwise local consistency across the image, we further introduce a pyramid architecture similar to previous work which can also provide coarse estimation at upper levels. We validate the effectiveness of our method on the ETH3D benchmark and Tanks and Temples benchmark. Results show that our method outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art.