bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investment portfolio management to meet or beat earnings expectations
Authors: Fan Zhongwen , Guo Jia , Ng Jeffrey , Zhang Xiao 
Published: December 2024

AbstractInsurers can boost their earnings by accruing interest income from their corporate bond investments. We document that insurers have higher corporate bond investments as well as less equity and cash holdings, when their parents meet or just beat analysts’ quarterly earnings forecasts, compared to when their parents miss or comfortably beat the forecasts. The investment in corporate bonds to boost earnings is more pronounced when bond offerings provide more opportunities for accruing interest income, when the parent’s corporate governance is weaker, when the parent’s managers have more equity incentives, when insurers face more competition, when other earnings management techniques are used, or when the insurance segment is more important to the parent. Finally, insurers suspected of helping their parents meet or beat earnings benchmarks experience worse investment performance in subsequent years, presumably because, by investing more in corporate bonds, the insurers forgo investment opportunities with higher longer-term returns.
Comparison of DWI techniques in patients with epidermoid cyst: TGSE-BLADE DWI vs. SS-EPI DWI
Authors: Otani Sayo , Fushimi Yasutaka , Okuchi Sachi , Sakata Akihiko , Yamamoto Takayuki , Nakajima Satoshi , Wang Yang , Ikeda Satoshi , Ito Shuichi , Yasumura Sumika , Takada Shigeki , Sano Noritaka , Ueno Kentaro , Urushibata Yuta , Zhou Kun , Arakawa Yoshiki , Nakamoto Yuji 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Purpose
To compare quantitative values and image quality between single-shot echo-planar imaging (SS-EPI) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and two-dimensional turbo gradient- and spin-echo DWI with non-Cartesian BLADE trajectory (TGSE-BLADE DWI) in patients with epidermoid cyst.

Methods
Patients with epidermoid cyst who underwent both SS-EPI DWI and TGSE-BLADE DWI were included in this study. Two raters placed ROIs encircling the entire epidermoid cyst on SS-EPI DWI, and then on TGSE-BLADE DWI. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the epidermoid cyst was measured within each ROI, then the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between raters was obtained for each DWI. The areas of ROIs placed by the two raters were measured and compared using the Dice coefficient. In the selected slice analysis, one rater selected the most appropriate slice and carefully placed the ROIs slightly smaller than the epidermoid outline to avoid artifacts. Image quality analysis was assessed qualitatively for geometric distortion, susceptibility artifacts, lesion conspicuity, and diagnostic confidence. ADCs for both DWI techniques were compared with theoretical values derived from the diffusion phantom.

Results
Twenty patients with epidermoid cyst were included in this study. The ICC of ADC measured by the two raters for TGSE-BLADE (0.80) was higher than that for SS-EPI (0.59). Dice coefficient of ROI areas was significantly higher with TGSE-BLADE (0.78) than with SS-EPI (0.71, P = 0.007). Selected slice analysis showed that the ADC of epidermoid cyst was significantly higher with TGSE-BLADE DWI than with SS-EPI DWI (P < 0.001). ADCs measured from carefully selected ROIs avoiding artifacts with the two techniques correlated positively (r = 0.87, P < 0.001; ICC 0.75). TGSE-BLADE DWI rated better for image quality than SS-EPI DWI according to all raters. ICCs of measured ADC and theoretical ADCs exceeded 0.99 for both techniques.

Conclusions
TGSE-BLADE DWI appears more suitable than SS-EPI DWI for evaluating epidermoid cyst.
Weighted inverse gamma innovation for the structure learning of DAGs
Authors: Nazari S. , Arashi M. , Sadeghkhani N. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIn cancer causal analysis, graphical models can help to identify genomic changes using the relations between proteins and phosphoproteins. In particular, directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are effective methods to analyze intricate structures of dependence and causal connections among variables. From a Bayesian standpoint, DAG structural learning is a crucial goal in genomics studies since it enables the discovery of dependent relationships that contribute to the comprehension of variable behavior. However, we benefit from Bayesian DAG learning when dealing with small sample cases such as genomics and large networks because it promotes sparsity in the graphs, integrates prior knowledge, and crucially considers the uncertainty in the graph structure. On the other hand, modeling a proper prior distribution plays a vital role in correct posterior learning. Our work recommends using a weighted prior distribution for Gaussian DAG structure learning to improve graphical metrics. Simulation studies show that our proposal is superior to the existing one. We give the network configuration using the weighted prior distribution in a cancer data analysis.
Exploring the most suitable probability distribution for analyzing annual rainfall data: a case study of Makkah and Jeddah cities
Authors: Alzahrani Abdulaziz S. , Abdelbaki Ahmed M. , Mobarak Babikir A. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis study aims to determine the most suitable probability distribution that can effectively capture the statistical characteristics of rainfall in Makkah and Jeddah cities. The analysis focused on fitting probability distributions to the annual rainfall data between 1971 and 2013, which were provided by the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment. Three probability distributions, namely Normal, Gamma, and Weibull, were tested using a statistical goodness-of-fit test based on p-value and Anderson–Darling (AD) test with significance level of 0.05. For Makkah station, there is no significant evidence to conclude that the observed annual rainfall data significantly deviates from any of the tested distributions. Based on the AD test results, the observed annual rainfall data appears to be consistent with the three distributions. For Jeddah station, the rainfall data does not significantly deviate from a normal distribution while, it significantly deviates from both the Gamma and Weibull distributions at the same significance level. The ability to accurately model annual rainfall patterns using probability distributions has important practical applications, such as in water resource planning, drought forecasting, and climate change impact assessments. The insights from this case study can help inform such applications for the Makkah and Jeddah regions of Saudi Arabia.
From urban design to service design in urban informatics: spectators' attitudes, expectations and privacy concerns in mass urban events
Authors: Vainio Teija , Karppi Ilari , Sankala Iina 
Published: December 2024

AbstractSo far, the primary urban informatics connections between service design and urban design have been researched within healthcare and transportation systems. However, as mass events are becoming essential to urban life and new event venues are built in densifying downtowns, a particular design challenge linking the venue and its urban surroundings comes from the people flow. This study investigates mobility and privacy issues related to the information shared in the context of event attendance, with a survey of 880 ice-hockey fans as the respondents. The study addresses the factors that impact the experiences of sharing urban informatics among event attendees.
The biography of microplastics (MPs): occurrences, sources, weathering/degradation, characterization, ecological/human risks, removal methods, policy development, and current trends and future perspectives
Authors: Ratnayake Amila Sandaruwan , Gunawardhana G. M. S. S. , Perera U. L. H. P. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThe environment provides endless assistance for the wellbeing of all living organisms. However, the environment can be stressed due to anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic pollutants. Plastics have been identified as a persistent pollutant that has been stressing the environment for over a few decades. Among these hazardous plastics, the accumulation of microplastics (MPs) has been identified as a growing global issue. MPs are generally defined as small pieces of plastic less than 5 mm in diameter. Considering the source, two categories are identified, primary and secondary MPs, and it has been recognized that MPs are released into the environment during plastic production, transportation, product usage, and product maintenance. Different processes including physical, chemical, photodegradation, and biological degradations tend to break plastics into MP fragments, which include MPs as well as nanoplastics. Among these degradation processes, physical degradation is prominent in the coastal regions, and chemical degradation can occur due to corrosive chemicals, acids, gases, and atmospheric pollutants, which was the case during the recent MV X-Press Pearl disaster in the Indian Ocean. Different methodologies can be applied for the pretreatment, separation, detection, identification, and quantification of MPs. Digestion of complex substances and ultracentrifugation or ultrafiltration are utilized as pretreatment methods, whereas density, magnetic and electrostatic separations, filtration, and size-exclusion chromatography are practiced as separation methods for MPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and mass spectrometry can be identified as the main analytical methods for MP detection. The ecological risk of MPs affects the marine environment, freshwater environment, and soil environment, ultimately influencing human health. To remediate the issue, removal methods for MPs are being developed, with currently progressing methods being physical sorption and filtration, biological removal and ingestion, chemical treatments, membrane processes, and magnetic separation. Considering the prospects, the need to conduct meta-analyses, and compare data from different studies done in various geographic regions is important, which, among other related topics such as policy development, are discussed thoroughly through this review article.
Refinement of the co-content function, through an integration of a polynomial fit of $$I-{I}_{sc}$$. Part 1 theoretical analysis and proposal
Authors: Rangel-Kuoppa Victor-Tapio 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIn this Part 1 article of this series of articles, a new methodology to refine the Co-Content function $$\left(CC\left(V,I\right)\right)$$

C
C

V
,
I

is proposed, consisting on fitting the current minus the short-circuit current $$(I-{I}_{sc})$$

(
I
-

I

sc

)

, to an $$N-1$$

N
-
1

order polynomial, where $${N}_{points}=N$$

N

points

=
N

, is the number of measured current–voltage $$\left(IV\right)$$

I
V

points, and integrating it to calculate $$CC\left(V,I\right)$$

C
C

V
,
I

. The shunt resistance $$\left({R}_{sh}\right)$$

R

sh

, the series resistance $$\left({R}_{s}\right)$$

R
s

, the ideality factor $$\left(n\right)$$

n

, the light current $$\left({I}_{lig}\right)$$

I

lig

, and the saturation current $$\left({I}_{sat}\right)$$

I

sat

, are then deduced, in the case of a constant percentage noise or a percentage noise of the maximum current $$\left({I}_{max}\right)$$

I

max

. In the former case, $${R}_{s}$$

R
s

, $${R}_{sh}, n, \text{and } {I}_{lig},$$

R

sh

,
n
,
and

I

lig

,

can be deduced with less than 10% error, using only $${P}_{V}=$$

P
V

=

51 $$\frac{number\, of \,points}{V}$$

n
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

p
o
i
n
t
s

V

, even if the noise is as large as $${p}_{n}=0.1\text{\%}$$

p
n

=
0.1
\%

, with a computation time around 80 ms. $${I}_{sat}$$

I

sat

needs $${p}_{n}=0.05\text{\%}$$

p
n

=
0.05
\%

or less, and $${P}_{V}$$

P
V

equal or larger than 501 $$\frac{number\, of\, points}{V}$$

n
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

p
o
i
n
t
s

V

. For the latter case, $${R}_{s}$$

R
s

, $$\text{and } {I}_{lig},$$

and

I

lig

,

can be obtained with less than 10% error, using only $${P}_{V}=$$

P
V

=

251 $$\frac{number\, of\, points}{V}$$

n
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

p
o
i
n
t
s

V

, and $${p}_{n}=0.1\text{\%}$$

p
n

=
0.1
\%

, or smaller, with total computation time around 49 s. $${R}_{sh}, {I}_{sat}, \text{and } n$$

R

sh

,

I

sat

,
and

n

needs that $${p}_{n}\le 0.05\text{\%}$$

p
n

≤
0.05
\%

, and $${P}_{V}=$$

P
V

=

751 $$\frac{number\, of \,points}{V}$$

n
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

p
o
i
n
t
s

V

or larger. A computation time expression of the form $$time=E{{N}_{points}}^{m}$$

t
i
m
e
=
E

N

points

m

, is deduced. The methodology proposed in this article is appliable to unevenly/randomly distributed IV data points, and it is implemented in Part 2 in solar cells’ and photovoltaic modules’ experimental $$IV$$

IV

reported in the literature, to deduce their five solar cell parameters.
Talmudo-Mīmāṃsā: Towards a Science of Sacrifice
Authors: Meshel Naphtali S. , Mishra Anand , Mali Hillel 
Published: December 2024

AbstractA distinctive kind of theoretical and analytical discourse on ritual sacrifice evolved within the Indian and Jewish traditions, in Mīmāṃsā and in Talmudic literatures, respectively, introducing special modes of analyzing ritual sacrifice, and elaborate methods of conceptualizing the relations between text and practice. Despite the significant role that comparative studies of Vedic/Brahmanical and biblical/Jewish sacrifice played in the development of the modern study of religion, a detailed comparative study of these emic “sciences of sacrifice” has not yet been carried out.This study examines two pericopes addressing a similar dilemma—the treatment of ritual byproducts—from the Jaimini-Mīmāṃsā-Sūtra and from the Babylonian Talmud, each discussed within its commentarial tradition. The texts reveal a significant degree of convergence (major differences notwithstanding) in terms of dialectic discourse, terminology, thought-structures, hermeneutic assumptions, and more. Factors that may have contributed to this convergence are discussed, as are the broader implications of this comparative experiment.
Constraints on the Origin of the Martian Dichotomy From Southern Highlands Marsquakes
Authors: Sun Weijia , Tkalčić Hrvoje 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThe Martian hemispheric dichotomy is delineated by significant differences in elevation and crustal thickness between the Northern Lowlands and Southern Highlands. Yet, its origin remains controversial. Here, we improve the signal‐to‐noise ratios and determine the locations of the low‐frequency marsquakes recorded during the InSight mission. We find a new cluster of marsquakes in Terra Cimmeria, Southern Highlands, in addition to those previously located in Cerberus Fossae, Northern Lowlands. Using the spectral ratio method, we estimate the quality factor Q in the range 481–543 for Terra Cimmeria versus 800–2,000 determined for Cerberus Fossae. The attenuation difference might be linked to the temperature differences between the two hemispheres, along with more vigorous convection beneath the Southern Highlands. These seismological observations, together with geochronological constraints of giant impacts, reinforce the “endogenic” hypothesis that mantle convection causes the crustal dichotomy.
Quantifying the Turbulent Entrainment‐Mixing Processes Based on Z‐LWC Relationships of Cloud Droplets
Authors: Luo Shi , Lu Chunsong , Liu Yangang , Li Haoran , Zhang Fengwei , Lv Jingjing , Zhu Lei , Xu Xiaoqi , Li Junjun , He Xin , He Ying , Gao Sinan , Yang Xinlin , Gu Juan , Chen Xuemin , Sun Haining 
Published: December 2024

AbstractTurbulent entrainment‐mixing processes profoundly influence the relationship between radar reflectivity factor and liquid water content (Z‐LWC) of cloud droplets. However, quantification of the entrainment‐mixing mechanisms based on the Z‐LWC relationship is still lacking. To address this gap, 12,218 entrainment‐mixing cases are simulated using the Explicit Mixing Parcel Model. We examine the variations of the parameters in the power‐law relationship Z = aLWCb, and the relationship between parameter b and homogeneous mixing degree (ψ), a measure quantifying entrainment‐mixing processes. The results indicate that parameter b distributes within the range of 1–2, with a positive correlation between parameter b and ψ. The b‐ψ relationship is fitted, which connects the Z‐LWC relationship for various entrainment‐mixing types. The results suggest the potential for employing a remote sensing approach to investigate the entrainment‐mixing mechanisms of non‐precipitating small cumulus/stratocumulus clouds, thereby overcoming the limitations of traditional observational studies that rely solely on aircraft observations.
Flux Convergence and Divergence Linked to Asymmetric Transport by Large Turbulent Eddies in the Unstable Atmospheric Surface Layer
Authors: Gao Zhongming , Li Lei , Liu Heping , Yang Bai 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIt is well‐established that large eddies significantly influence the turbulent transport of heat and scalars in the atmospheric surface layer. However, the mechanistic understanding of how large eddies originating from both the ground (updrafts) and aloft (downdrafts) regulate flux convergence (FC) and divergence (FD) remains relatively unexplored. Based on turbulence data measured at 12 levels, spanning from 1.2 to 60.5 m above the ground, we observe a notable increase in the variability of sensible heat flux magnitudes with height. Our results show that FC and FD of sensible heat are primarily linked to variations in the respective transport efficiencies () at different heights. Using the cross‐wavelet transform, we find that in FC cases, the regions with high wavelet coherence expand with height, resulting in higher at higher levels compared to low ones. Conversely, in FD cases, the regions with high wavelet coherence decrease with height, leading to lower at higher levels. Large eddies with length scales of approximately 120–500 m have a significant impact on amplifying or attenuating at higher levels compared to lower levels. Using conditional sampling to extract the updrafts and downdrafts of large eddies, distinct patterns are observed in the characteristics of updrafts and downdrafts between FC and FD groups especially in their flux contribution and transport efficiencies. This work emphasizes the significant contribution of asymmetric turbulent transport by updrafts and downdrafts to the discrepancy between the observed turbulent fluxes and those predicted by the Monin‐Obukhov similarity theory.
Improved Models of Ganymede's Permanent and Induced Magnetic Fields Based on Galileo and Juno Data
Authors: Jia Xianzhe , Kivelson Margaret G. , Khurana Krishan K. , Walker Raymond J. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractNear Ganymede, the magnetic field is a superposition of Jupiter's magnetospheric magnetic field, the field arising from sources within the moon, the field generated by plasma currents driven by the interaction of flowing magnetospheric plasma with the conducting moon, and the field arising from ionospheric currents. Previous fits to Ganymede's internal field have not identified the contributions of plasma and ionospheric currents, although their contributions can obscure the signature of sources internal to the moon. Fortunately, using magnetohydrodynamic simulations whose output agrees well with the measurements acquired on close passes by Galileo and Juno, we can estimate the moon‐scale contributions of plasma sources. By subtracting the magnetic signatures of plasma and ionospheric currents from the measured field, we approximate measurements made in a current‐free region. We fit the corrected data from different sets of flybys either as a sum of low order spherical harmonics or as a permanent dipole moment plus an induced dipole with approximately the same root‐mean‐square errors. For the induced dipole model, data from multiple flybys occurring at different phases of Jupiter's rotation are used to represent the time‐variation of the external field at Ganymede. Compared with earlier estimates, the magnitude of the permanent dipole moment did not significantly change in either analysis. However, for the permanent plus induced dipole model, the induction efficiency decreases from 0.84 to ∼0.72. The reduced efficiency places new constraints on the thickness of the ice shell above the ocean and the ocean's depth and conductivity.
Complementary Relationship Among Heat Flux Ratios and Maximum Entropy Production Principle in Humid Forests
Authors: Choi Kwanghun , Paik Kyungrock 
Published: December 2024

AbstractUnderstanding how the net Solar radiation is partitioned into heat fluxes on land surface is fundamental to understand water, energy, and carbon cycles. Here we claim that, in forests under energy‐limited environment, the proportion in the net radiation occupied by the sum of the sensible and latent heat fluxes rarely varies over time; the variability in the latent heat fraction is mostly compensated by that of the sensible heat flux. This mutual compensation is rooted in the energy conservation principle and also in accordance with the principle of Maximum Entropy Production (MEP). The ratio of inertia parameters corresponding to latent and sensible heat fluxes in the MEP‐based model, is found approximately the reciprocal Bowen ratio. With this seesaw relationship, the formulation of the MEP‐based model for the surface energy partitioning problem is simplified. The new formulation is tested for a wide range of flux tower sites with different biome, demonstrating promising results.
Cigarette smoking is associated with reduced neuroinflammation and better cognitive control in people living with HIV
Authors: Brody Arthur L. , Mischel Anna K. , Sanavi Andre Y. , Wong Alvin , Bahn Ji Hye , Minassian Arpi , Morgan Erin E. , Rana Brinda , Hoh Carl K. , Vera David R. , Kotta Kishore K. , Miranda Alannah H. , Pocuca Nina , Walter Thomas J. , Guggino Natalie , Beverly-Aylwin Renee , Meyer Jeffrey H. , Vasdev Neil , Young Jared W. 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
People living with HIV (HIV+) are roughly twice as likely to smoke cigarettes (Smok+) as the general population. With the advent of effective antiretroviral therapies, it is increasingly important to understand the effects of chronic HIV infection and cigarette smoking on brain function and cognition since HIV+ individuals have heightened neuroinflammation and cognitive deficits even with such therapies. Based on prior studies demonstrating that smoking reduces a marker for neuroinflammation in HIV- individuals, we hypothesized that HIV+/Smok+ individuals would have less neuroinflammation and better cognitive control than HIV+/Smok- individuals. Fifty-nine participants (HIV-/Smok- [n = 16], HIV-/Smok+ [n=14], HIV+/Smok- [n = 18], and HIV+/Smok+ [n = 11]) underwent baseline eligibility tests, positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to determine levels of a marker for neuroinflammation, and assessment of cognitive control with the reverse-translated 5-choice continuous performance test (5C-CPT), with smokers having smoked to satiety prior to testing. For the PET data, a significant effect of smoking status on whole brain (WB) standardized uptake value (SUV) was found between HIV+/Smok+ and HIV+/Smok- participants (due to 18.8% lower WB SUV in the HIV+/Smok+ group). HIV+/Smok- participants exhibited a mean 13.5% higher WB SUV than HIV-/Smok- participants. For the 5C-CPT, HIV+/Smok+ participants performed significantly better than HIV+/Smok- participants (d prime), and HIV+/Smok- participants performed worse than HIV-/Smok- participants. Thus, HIV+/Smok+ individuals demonstrated lower levels of the neuroinflammation marker and better cognitive control than HIV+/Smok- individuals. Given that HIV+ individuals whose HIV is well-controlled can still have chronic neurocognitive complications, study results suggest possible paths for future research into nicotine-related treatments to prevent such complications.