Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Don’t take it personally

The service industry perpetuates the notion that the customer is always right. The hospitality industry markets to guests based on service quality. The hotel industry has historically perpetuated gender, racial and ethnic stereotyping by placing women in gendered jobs with little power, such as hotel desk agents or cleaning personnel. Guest agents, the focus of this study, encounter a range of guest behaviors that may be negative such as yelling or throwing items. How do front-desk agents relate to guests when guests misbehave? This research examined this perplexing dilemma from the women desk agent's perspective.
Tubby-like protein 1 (TULP1) interacts with F-actin in photoreceptor cells.

PURPOSE TULP1 is a photoreceptor-specific protein of unknown function that, when mutated, can cause retinitis pigmentosa in humans and photoreceptor degeneration in mice. Toward a better understanding of the role of TULP1 in retinal disease, its subcellular localization was sought and the TULP1 protein binding partners identified. METHODS Immunocytochemistry and subcellular fractionation were used to determine the localization of TULP1 and actin in COS7 cells and photoreceptor cells. Immunoprecipitation from retinal lysates followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and in vitro binding assays was used to identify TULP1-binding partners. Phospholipid binding assays were performed with a commercially available kit. RESULTS TULP1 localizes at or near the plasma membrane and associates with the membranous fraction of COS7 cells, probably through binding phosphorylated phospholipids. In addition, TULP1 partitions to the aqueous phase during Triton X-114 extraction. Immunoprecipitation from retinal lysate identified F-actin as a possible TULP1-binding partner. Co-sedimentation assays further support an interaction between TULP1 and actin. In photoreceptor cells, actin and TULP1 colocalize at the inner segment, connecting cilium, and outer limiting membrane. CONCLUSIONS TULP1 is a cytoplasmic protein that associates with cellular membranes and the cytoskeleton. TULP1 and actin appear to interact and colocalize in photoreceptor cells of the retina. TULP1 may be involved in actin cytoskeletal functions such as protein trafficking that takes place at or near the plasma membrane from the inner segment through the connecting cilium into the outer segment of photoreceptor cells.
The role of auditory and cognitive factors in understanding speech in noise by normal-hearing older listeners

Normal-hearing older adults often experience increased difficulties understanding speech in noise. In addition, they benefit less from amplitude fluctuations in the masker. These difficulties may be attributed to an age-related auditory temporal processing deficit. However, a decline in cognitive processing likely also plays an important role. This study examined the relative contribution of declines in both auditory and cognitive processing to the speech in noise performance in older adults. Participants included older (60–72 years) and younger (19–29 years) adults with normal hearing. Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were measured for sentences in steady-state speech-shaped noise (SS), 10-Hz sinusoidally amplitude-modulated speech-shaped noise (AM), and two-talker babble. In addition, auditory temporal processing abilities were assessed by measuring thresholds for gap, amplitude-modulation, and frequency-modulation detection. Measures of processing speed, attention, working memory, Text Reception Threshold (a visual analog of the SRT), and reading ability were also obtained. Of primary interest was the extent to which the various measures correlate with listeners' abilities to perceive speech in noise. SRTs were significantly worse for older adults in the presence of two-talker babble but not SS and AM noise. In addition, older adults showed some cognitive processing declines (working memory and processing speed) although no declines in auditory temporal processing. However, working memory and processing speed did not correlate significantly with SRTs in babble. Despite declines in cognitive processing, normal-hearing older adults do not necessarily have problems understanding speech in noise as SRTs in SS and AM noise did not differ significantly between the two groups. Moreover, while older adults had higher SRTs in two-talker babble, this could not be explained by age-related cognitive declines in working memory or processing speed.
The Intonation Patterns of Interrogatives in Persian

This paper investigates the intonational properties of different types of interrogatives in Persian in the framework of the autosegmental-metrical theory of intonation. The structures studied are different types of yes/no questions, WH-questions, tag questions, and echo questions. The results, which are based on a total of nearly 400 read utterances recorded in laboratory conditions, show that the Persian Accentual Phrase (AP) with the pitch accent (L+)H* is present in all question types. Yes/no questions, whose accentuation follows the same constraints as declaratives, are characterized by a high Intonational Phrase boundary tone (H%), and have a greater pitch excursion and more final lengthening on the last AP than declaratives. The inclusion of particles and words such as aya, maege, and hič in the question adds an AP but does not change the core intonation pattern. In (multiple) WH-questions, which have a falling intonation similar to declaratives, the (final) WH-word is the nuclear pitch accent, followed by the deaccentuation of the upcoming elements. Echo questions end high and the boundary tone of their final AP can be either high or low. Contrastive focus APs are higher and longer than ordinary APs and deaccent what follows, even if it includes a WH-word.
Gender and Psychological Distress: A Geographical Perspective

ABSTRACT There are gender differences in the prevalence of psychological distress (PD). Women are consistently reported to be more distressed than men. This is partly accounted for by the society's assignment of privileges and responsibilities toward each sex, but little is known about the geographical manifestations of these disparities. This article therefore seeks to determine the spatial pattern of PD by gender, and to identify critical factors affecting the observed patterns. A questionnaire survey of 180 persons was carried out in the Ibadan North local government area of Nigeria. The ten diagnostic questions on PD from the Kessler-10 instrument were included. Mean PD scores for both sexes were computed and mapped. A stepwise multiple regression identified the significant risk factors affecting PD. Results indicated that males, contrary to expectations, were more distressed. PD for both sexes and males was generally high in all the wards. In contrast, sharp differences in the spatial pattern of PD among females were seen. Age had a significant effect on the spatial pattern of PD for both sexes and for males. It was recommended that interventions should not only reduce PD prevalence, but also be based on an understanding of its spatial patterns and determinants.
Cognitive and Transactional Determinants of Child Compliance and Maternal Endorsement of Punitive Discipline

Parents’ ability to elicit their children’s compliance is crucial for child socialization and influences parental discipline responses. Although previous research suggests that parental use of effective commands and quality of dyadic interaction influence parents’ ability to elicit child compliance, comparatively less research has examined the role of social cognitive capacities in determining parents’ ability to elicit child compliance as well as their discipline responses. This study examined relationships between maternal Social Information Processing (SIP) deficits, mothers’ use of effective commands, dyadic dyssynchrony, child compliance, and maternal endorsement of punitive discipline. It was predicted that greater maternal SIP deficits including unrealistic expectations of children’s capacities, problem-solving deficits, and attributional biases toward children’s behaviors would result in increased use of ineffective commands and lower the quality of interactions between mothers and their children. In turn, these deficits were predicted to result in lower levels of child compliance and greater maternal endorsement of punitive discipline. These hypotheses were tested in a low-income sample of mothers and their 3-5 year old children. As predicted, maternal SIP deficits were related to mothers’ endorsement of punitive discipline. However children’s compliance did not mediate this relationship. This study did find the predicted indirect effect of one maternal SIP deficit, unrealistic expectations, on endorsement of punitive discipline through increased dyadic dyssynchrony. These findings present interesting implications for the study of SIP, parent-child interaction, and child socialization as well as intervention and prevention efforts designed to promote child compliance and socialization and efforts to promote positive parenting.
Redistribution through Public Employment: The Case of Italy

This paper examines the regional distribution of public employment in Italy. It documents two facts. The first is that public employment is used as a subsidy from the North to the less wealthy South. About half of the wage bill in the South of Italy can be identified as a subsidy. Both the size of public employment and the level of wages are used as a redistributive device. The second fact concerns the effects of subsidized public employment on individuals' attitudes toward job search, education, "risk taking" activities, and so on. Public employment discourages the development of market activities in the South.
Spiritual Competence: What It Is, Why It Is Necessary, and How to Develop It

ABSTRACT Various professional standards underscore the importance of providing effective services to all people, including those from diverse religious backgrounds. Yet despite these standards, studies have repeatedly found that most social workers receive little training in navigating this aspect of diversity during their graduate educations. To address this lack of training, the present article discusses a concept that is foundational for effective service provision with spiritual clients from diverse religious backgrounds—spiritual competence. More specifically, this article outlines what spiritual competence is and why it is important in therapeutic work, and then offers a number of strategies for developing spiritual competence. As such, this article helps equip practitioners to provide more ethical, effective services in a nation characterized by increasing religious diversity.
Guan-Xi Networks and Sentiment of Institutional Investors in the Emerging E-Society

This paper provides a conceptual framework for examining effects of guan-xi on institutional investor's sentiment in the emerging e-society of China. The conception model generates a new perspective on the growing literature in investors' sentiment: guan-xi and institutional investors' sentiment has a significant relationship. Investor managers, from more than fifty institutional investors were investigated using a structured survey. The institutional investor sentiment approach that we use in this paper is contrary to classical ones. It is measured with a systematic method. Empirical results show that there is a significant effect of guan-xi on institutional investors' sentiment. A direct implication of empirical evidence is that it is important for international investment to consider the role of guan-xi in the emerging e-society of China.
Agreement of noninvasive tear break-up time measurement between Tomey RT-7000 Auto Refractor-Keratometer and Oculus Keratograph 5M

Background It is difficult to standardize assessment of dry eye in different clinical settings. Increasingly, tear stability is recognized to be important for the definition and assessment of patients with dry eye. Recently, two commercially available instruments have been made available for objectively measuring noninvasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), as an indicator of tear stability: the Tomey RT-7000 Auto Refractor-Keratometer and Oculus Keratograph (K)5M. We aim to assess the agreement of NIBUT measurements using these modalities. Methods This prospective cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary referral eye center and involved 126 consecutive dry eye patients. NIBUT assessment was performed on the right eyes of participants with both the RT-7000 and the K5M techniques, with the order of assessment randomized. The Standardized Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) questionnaires were administered to assess dry eye symptoms in the 2 weeks before assessment. Results The age of the participants was 56.0±14.3 years (69.84% females). Measurements for both modalities were non-normally distributed (right-skewed). The median RT-7000 and K5M readings were 4.2 (range 0.1–10.0) and 6.4 (0.1–24.9) seconds, respectively. RT-7000 and K5M readings were poorly correlated (ρ=0.061, P=0.495). Intraclass correlation coefficient between the modalities was 0.187 (95% confidence interval −0.097 to 0.406). The Bland–Altman plot showed no systematic differences between the readings with these machines. The agreement between machines was not different in different SPEED categories. Conclusion While there are theoretical and practical benefits of NIBUT for assessment of tear stability over dye-based methods, the agreement between the two modalities was poor. Hence, studies and trials assessing NIBUT should avoid using these modalities interchangeably for NIBUT assessment. More research is needed to improve consensus on how to determine NIBUT.
Children’s Implicit Leadership Theories in Middle Childhood: Christian Children's Perceptions in the Cavite Province

ABSTRACT This mixed methods study explored the implicit leadership theories (ILTs) of children from Christian elementary schools in the Philippines, in response to the lack of importance attached to leadership ideas and leadership developmental experiences that occur in childhood. Jesus was the most frequently cited leader by the children who also showed a preference for the male stereotype for leadership. Among the nominated leader’s roles, religious figures, parents, teachers, and politicians received consideration from the children. The themes on leader’s attributes were categorized into four factors: (a) socioemotional, (b) spiritual–moral, (c) cognitive, and (d) physical. Males, older children, and non-Catholic participants were more likely to choose male leaders. Girls, Catholics, and young children were more likely to nominate a female leader.
SEAN: SNP prediction and display program utilizing EST sequence clusters

SEAN is an application that predicts single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using multiple sequence alignments produced from expressed sequence tag (EST) clusters. The algorithm uses rules of sequence identity and SNP abundance to determine the quality of the prediction. A Java viewer is provided to display the EST alignments and predicted SNPs.
An Empirical Analysis of the Propensity of Academics to Engage In Informal University Technology Transfer

Formal university technology transfer mechanisms, through licensing agreements, research joint ventures, and university-based startups, have attracted considerable attention in the academic literature. Surprisingly, there has been little systematic empirical analysis of the propensity of academics to engage in informal technology transfer. This paper presents empirical evidence on the determinants of three types of informal technology transfer by faculty members: knowledge transfer, joint publications with industry scientists, and consulting. We find that male and tenured faculty members are more likely to engage in all three forms of informal technology transfer. We also find that academics who allocate a relatively higher percentage of their time to grants-related research are more likely to engage in informal commercial knowledge transfer.
Chromatic Gain Controls in Visual Cortical Neurons

Although the response of a neuron in the visual cortex generally grows nonlinearly with contrast, the spatial tuning of the cell remains stable. This is thought to reflect the activity of a contrast gain control (“normalization”) that has very broad tuning on the relevant stimulus dimension. Contrast invariant tuning on a particular dimension is probably necessary for reliable representation of stimuli on that dimension. In the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), V1, and V2 of anesthetized macaque, we measured chromatic tuning of neurons at several contrasts to characterize the gain controls and identify cells that might be important for representing color. We estimated separately the chromatic signature of the linear receptive field and that of the gain control. In the LGN, we found normalization in magnocellular cells and cells receiving excitatory S-cone input but not in parvocellular cells or those receiving inhibitory S-cone input. We found normalization in all types of cortical neurons. Among cells that preferred achromatic modulation, or modulation along intermediate directions in color space (making them responsive to both achromatic and chromatic stimuli), normalization was driven by mechanisms tuned to a restricted range of directions in color space, close to achromatic. As a result, chromatic tuning varied with contrast. Among the relatively few cells that strongly preferred chromatic modulation, normalization was driven by mechanisms sensitive to modulation along all directions in color space, especially isoluminant. As a result, chromatic tuning changed little with contrast. To the extent that contrast invariant tuning is important in representing chromaticity, relatively few cortical neurons are involved.
Working with the cracks in the rigging in researching early childhood professional development

This article seeks to explore the development of the relationship between a group of early childhood academics from the same university and practitioners from a particular early years setting in the north of England into an innovative professional development and research project (2-Curious). The article uses Foucauldian notions of heterotopia to theorise an approach to professional development and research concerned with examining the discourses and practices associated with provision for two-year-old children. In place of a transmission model of professional development and scientific preoccupations with research purity, the authors explore what is offered by an alternative approach that involved a broader engagement with ideas, feelings and the body, and the layering of research complexity. The authors consider what emerges when the practitioners take the learning from the project back into their own settings, and conclude by considering the possibilities and complexities of academics and practitioners working together to research and represent what emerged from the project.
Estimating Genetic and Maternal Effects Determining Variation in Immune Function of a Mixed-Mating Snail

Evolution of host defenses such as immune function requires heritable genetic variation in them. However, also non-genetic maternal effects can contribute to phenotypic variation, thus being an alternative target for natural selection. We investigated the role of individuals’ genetic background and maternal effects in determining immune defense traits (phenoloxidase and antibacterial activity of hemolymph), as well as in survival and growth, in the simultaneously hermaphroditic snail Lymnaea stagnalis. We utilized the mixed mating system of this species by producing full-sib families in which each parental snail had produced offspring as both a dam and as a sire, and tested whether genetic background (family) and non-genetic maternal effects (dam nested within family) explain trait variation. Immune defense traits and growth were affected solely by individuals’ genetic background. Survival of snails did not show family-level variation. Additionally, some snails were produced through self-fertilization. They showed reduced growth and survival suggesting recessive load or overdominance. Immune defense traits did not respond to inbreeding. Our results suggest that the variation in snail immune function and growth was due to genetic differences. Since immune traits did not respond to inbreeding, this variation is most likely due to additive or epistatic genetic variance.
Characterization of the materials in golf ball construction for use in finite element analysis

The overall aim of the present work is to develop suitable material tests and use the acquired data to produce a fully validated finite element (FE) model that is capable of predicting hysteresis during cyclic loading as well as coefficient of restitution (COR) on high speed impacts. This paper reports the detailed experimental study that has been carried out in order to establish accurate and reliable material properties of a two-piece golf ball. The data has been used with FE package ABAQUS to produce a model of the ball which takes into account material heterogeneity. © 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. "
Effects of Moral Sensitivity and Critical Thinking Disposition on Perceived Ethical Confidence in Nursing Students

This study was conducted to investigate the level of moral sensitivity, critical thinking disposition and perceived ethical confidence, as well as to identify the factors influencing the perceived ethical confidence in nursing students. The study evaluated 170 nursing students in D Province from May 16-20, 2016. Data were analyzed using a t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and multiple regression. The mean score of the perceived ethical confidence was 3.54 (±0.51), the moral sensitivity was 4.92 (±0.59) and the critical thinking disposition was 3.45 (±0.39). There were positive correlations between the perceived ethical confidence and moral sensitivity (r=0.410, p<0.001) and critical thinking disposition (r=0.523, p<0.001). The significant factors influencing the perceived ethical confidence were moral sensitivity and critical thinking disposition, which explained 33.2% of the variance in perceived ethical confidence. Based on these findings, programs and teaching methods that develop moral sensitivity and critical thinking disposition are necessary for college nursing students to promote perceived ethical confidence.