Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anthropogenically induced environmental changes in the northeasternAdriatic Sea in the last 500 years (Panzano Bay, Gulf of Trieste)

Abstract. Shallow and sheltered marine embayments in urbanized areas are prone to the accumulation of pollutants, but little is known about the historical baselines of such marine ecosystems. Here we study foraminiferal assemblages, geochemical proxies and sedimentological data from 1.6 m long sediment cores to uncover ∼ 500 years of anthropogenic pressure from mining, port and industrial activities in the Gulf of Trieste, Italy. From 1600 to 1900 AD, normalized element concentrations and foraminiferal assemblages point to negligible effects of agricultural activities. The only significant anthropogenic activity during this period was mercury mining in the hinterlands of the gulf, releasing high amounts of mercury into the bay and significantly exceeding the standards on the effects of trace elements on benthic organisms. Nonetheless, the fluctuations in the concentrations of mercury do not correlate with changes in the composition and diversity of foraminiferal assemblages due to its non-bioavailability. Intensified agricultural and maricultural activities in the first half of the 20th century caused slight nutrient enrichment and a minor increase in foraminiferal diversity. Intensified port and industrial activities in the second half of 20th century increased the normalized trace element concentrations and persistent organic pollutants (PAH, PCB) in the topmost part of the core. This increase caused only minor changes in the foraminiferal community because foraminifera in Panzano Bay have a long history of adaptation to elevated trace element concentrations. Our study underlines the importance of using an integrated, multidisciplinary approach in reconstructing the history of environmental and anthropogenic changes in marine systems. Given the prolonged human impacts in coastal areas like the Gulf of Trieste, such long-term baseline data are crucial for interpreting the present state of marine ecosystems.
Conductivity with cold atoms in optical lattices

This paper studies a simple model of conductivity—a quantum particle (an atom) in a lattice, subject to a static field and interacting with the bath of Bose atoms. Results from direct numerical simulations of the system dynamics and statistical analysis of the eigenstates are compared with predictions from linear response theory, analytical solutions of the master equation, and the theory of quantum chaos. It is shown, in particular, that the behavior of the current–current correlation function, entering Kubo’s equation, is entirely defined by the chaotic properties of the system and that the phenomenological relaxation constant, entering the master equation, is actually encoded in this correlation function.
SIMULATION OF A CARDIAC CELL. Part I: AN ELECTRO-CHEMICAL MODEL / Simulación de la Célula Cardiaca. Part I: Un Modelo Electro-Químico

A global model of the cardiac muscle cell is formulated, integrating the electrical and chemical dynamical aspects of the different components in the cytosol, the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and the cellular membrane (L-channels, Ryanodine channels, SERCA-pump, ATP-pump, Na+-Ca2+-exchanger, myofibrilles). The model is based on the idealization of the cell as a two-interconnected-stirred-tank-reactor system. It produces the expected time responses of the excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling, i.e. the oscillatory-bell-shaped curve in calcium dynamics and the characteristic plateau phase in membrane potential. Validations of the model with experimental data show that it can be adapted to represent cells of different species. Using sensitivity analysis, the phenomenological structure of the model allows the identification of the cellular sub-systems that are related to specific or altered dynamics, and hence the applications of the model in experiment design, drug-effect analysis and cardiac-pathology treatment. RESUMEN En este trabajo, se formula un modelo matematico integral de la celula del musculo cardiaco que toma en cuenta los fenomenos quimicos y electricos que ocurren en las diversas estructuras que componen los diferentes elementos celulares: el reticulo sarcoplasmico (canales de Rianodina, bomba SERCA), la membrana celular (canales L, bomba ATPasa, intercambiador Na+-Ca2+) y citosol (miofibrillas). El modelo esta basado en la interpretacion de la celula como dos tanques agitados e interconectados donde ocurren reacciones quimicas (“two-interconnected-stirred-tank-reactor system”). Este modelo reproduce la duracion del proceso de excitacion-contraccion (“E-C coupling”) esperado, asi como las formas caracteristicas para la curva de la dinamica de calcio (campana asimetrica) y para la curva del potencial de membrana (potencial en forma de meseta). El proceso de validacion con datos experimentales mostro que el modelo puede adaptarse para representar el comportamiento de celulas de diferentes especies de animales. Se realizo un analisis de sensibilidad que mostro que la estructura fenomenologica del modelo permite identificar el comportamiento de los diferentes elementos de la celula y relacionarlos de manera especifica con dinamicas alteradas. Esto habilita al modelo para utilizarlo como herramienta en el diseno de protocolos experimentales, analisis de efectos de farmacos y formulacion de tratamientos para cardiopatias.Palabras clave: Modelado cardiaco, Celula cardiaca, Contraccion-relajacion, Dinamica de calcio, Simulacion celular.
HOW NEWS DRIVES COMMODITY PRICES

The efficiency of electronic markets is affected by the availability of information. While some information comprises quantitative data, the majority is of qualitative nature. Although qualitative facts are essential, they are difficult to decode. As a status quo, knowledge on information processing of human agents facing qualitative news is still marginal and mostly unknown. Accordingly, it is crucial to understand how different decision makers process qualitative information in commodity markets. In this paper, we show that sentiment analysis facilitates research in qualitative information processing. We provide empirical evidence that abnormal returns in commodity markets can be explained, up to a large extent, by news sentiment. Further, we contribute to the question of how investors process novel information. Our results suggest that the influence of sentiment is asymmetric – with commodity markets being mostly driven by negative news. In addition, we show that words exhibit strong changes in polarity over time.
Analyzing an absorptive capacity: Unlearning context and Information System Capabilities as catalysts for innovativeness

This study examines the impact of a company�s unlearning context and information system (IS) capabilities on the company�s ability to challenge of basic beliefs and to implement processes that are explicitly or tacitly helpful in the reception of new ideas (absorptive capacity). We also examine the relationship between absorptive capacity and the existence and enhancement of innovativeness. These relationships are examined through an empirical investigation of 286 large Spanish companies. Our results show that absorptive capacity is an important dynamic determinant for developing a company�s innovativeness. Moreover, this relationship is best explained with two related constructs. Firstly, the company�s unlearning context plays a key role in managing the tension between potential absorptive capacity and realised absorptive capacity. Secondly, the results also shed light on a tangible means for managers to enhance their company�s innovativeness through IS capabilities.
Pay and offer of benefits as significant determinants of job satisfaction: a case study in the Czech republic

Emotions are an important factor that affects employee performance; job satisfaction or dissatisfaction represent one of the important components of emotions. There are very few studies dealing with determinants that affect job satisfaction in the Czech Republic. The studies published so far show that the Czech Republic has ranked and still ranks among the states with the lowest level of satisfaction. The aim of this study is to answer the research question whether changing trends in the level of pay and fringe benefits correlates to overall job satisfaction, or satisfaction with pay and fringe benefits. Pay and fringe benefits are significant determinants that affect job satisfaction. The results of the study show that they lower the overall level of job satisfaction since the average level of these determinants is lower than the average level of overall job satisfaction. Overall job satisfaction is increased by other factors, such as supervision, co-workers, nature of work and communication, whose average level of satisfaction exceeds 4.00. Therefore, the emerging trend of rising pay levels is definitely good for increase the level of overall job satisfaction. On the other hand, it is impossible to prove that changing trends in pay correlates to overall job satisfaction, which is also significantly affected by other determinants. It would be suitable, within the framework of further surveys, to expand the area of examination to include additional determinants, such as family life satisfaction, or to examine how job satisfaction affects life satisfaction. The paper was written with the support of the specific project 2016 grant “Determinants affecting job satisfaction” granted by the University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
COGNITIVE ADVANTAGE IN BILINGUALS HONORS THESIS Presented to the Honors College of Texas State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Graduation in the Honors College by Gabriela O’Connor San Marcos, Texas May 2018 COGNITIVE ADVANTAGE IN BILINGUALS

xiii I. Literature Review . 15 Bilingualism . 16 Executive Function . 17 Inhibitory Control . 17 Bilingual Cognitive Advantage Hypothesis . 18 Support for the bilingual cognitive advantage hypothesis. 18 Counter arguments to the bilingual cognitive advantage hypothesis. 21 Tasks commonly used in BCA research . 24 Simon task. 24 Stroop task. 25 Flanker task. 26
Is there a growth imperative in capitalist economies? a circular flow perspective

This paper postulates the existence of a growth imperative in capitalist economies. The argument is based on a simple circular flow model of a pure credit economy, where production takes time. In this economy, positive growth rates are necessary in the long run in order to enable firms to make profits in the aggregate. If the growth rate falls below a certain positive threshold level, firms will make losses. Under these circumstances, they will go out of business, which moves the whole economy into a downward spiral. According to the model presented, capitalist economies can either grow (at a sufficiently high rate) or shrink if the growth rate falls below the positive threshold level. Therefore, a zero growth economy is not feasible in the long run.
Fansubbers. The case of the Czech Republic and Poland

The paper presents a comparative analysis of Czech and Polish “fansubbers. ” Fansubbers (also referred to as subtitlers) is a general term, which describes people who create subtitles for foreign language movies and TV series for free. The similarities between the Polish and Czech cultures, due to the current geopolitical situation and a shared history of being behind the Iron Curtain after 1945 (despite the obvious differences), led us to investigate whether the profiles of typical fansubbers would be congruent. The premium was put on: a) the socio-economic status of the subtitlers, b) their motivations for doing subtitles, and c) the tools they use during the process. The obtained results indicated that Polish and Czech subtitlers are similar in many respects. Our study showed that the age, economic status, worldview, and distribution of other basic socio-economic characteristics were similar in both populations. Both groups of respondents revealed similar patterns of participation in culture. Both also consisted of tech-savvy members. Yet, there are some differences. The most obvious one lays in motivations. While the Czech respondents have altruistic motivations to create subtitles, their Polish counterparts seem to be more self-centered motivated, indicating that they do it mainly to improve their language skills.
Taking your chances : risk behavior and its relation to arousal , framing and motivation

Human risk behavior is the subject of growing research in the field of psychology as well as economics. One central topic is the influence of psychological variables on risk behavior. Studies contained in this work investigated the impact of arousal, framing and motivation on risk behavior. Arousal can on the one hand be a temporarily stable trait and on the other hand a situation-dependent variable. We showed that low trait arousal, measured via resting heart rate, predicted risky behavior. After physical exercise, state arousal was heightened in the experiment. Participants tended to act less risky after physical exercise. Taken together, the results suggest an inverse relation of arousal and risk behavior. Most studies investigating risk behavior employ a payment method that we call payone method: although the gambles that are used consist of many trials, only one trial is paid out. We investigated the effect of the payment method on risk behavior by employing both the pay-one and a pay-all method, which pays out all trials, in a within-subjects design. We found that participants acted about 10 % less risky in the pay-one condition compared to the pay-all condition. This result suggests that riskaversion is over-estimated in common risk paradigms that use the pay-one method. When we worked on a hard task before, we like to engage in a more likable task afterwards. That observation led to the general classification of tasks in want-to and have-to tasks. Our body system strives towards a balance between those two task types in the sense of a homeostasis. We assessed event-related potentials (ERPs) in a risk game that we treated as a want-to task. When participants worked on a difficult have-to task before, amplitudes of the ERP-components in the risk game were raised compared to a condition where participants worked on an easy task before. We conclude that the motivation shift towards a want-to task after a have-to task can be assessed via ERP amplitudes. In conclusion, it was shown that arousal, framing and motivation are important psychological variables that influence risk behavior. The specific mechanisms of these influences have been investigated and discussed.
Kenaf Powder Filled Recycled High Density Polyethylene/ Natural Rubber Biocomposites: The Effect of Filler Content

The performance of kenaf powder (KP) as filler for recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE)/natural rubber (NR) thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) composites was investigated. The composites with different filler loading were prepared in a Haake internal mixer. Increasing KP loading in rHDPE/NR/KP biocomposites reduced the tensile strength, elongation at break but increased the stabilization torque and the tensile modulus. SEM study of fracture surface indicated that fibrillation of rHDPE was reduced and detachment of kenaf powder from polymer matrix was present particularly at high filler loading. These observations were responsible for the deterioration of tensile strength and elongation at break of rHDPE/NR/KP biocomposites. Water absorption study also showed that the water absorption of these biocomposites increased with increasing KP content.
Library 2.0: The effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool for libraries in educational institutions

In an attempt to market their services and connect with potential users, and particularly young people, many libraries are opening accounts on social media platforms. Research suggests a contradiction between the advice relating to marketing and that regarding the use of social media in libraries, with the former emphasising the importance of the user at the centre of all considerations and the latter placing library staff as central to decisions. In this work we attempt to re-address this imbalance by surveying the current state of library activity on Twitter and, by means of questionnaires, investigate the experiences and motivations of librarians (n=58) in using social media and whether students (n=498) are willing to engage with the library in this manner and why. Our findings confirm that libraries in the sector are indeed struggling to foster interest in their social media activities and go some way to understanding why this is so, leading to a number of conclusions and recommendations for practitioners.
Life cycle of bamboo in the southwestern Amazon and its relation to fire events

Abstract. Bamboo-dominated forests comprise 1 % of the world's forests and 3 % of the Amazon forests. The Guadua spp. bamboos that dominate the southwest Amazon are semelparous; thus flowering and fruiting occur once in a lifetime before death. These events occur in massive spatially organized patches every 28 years and produce huge quantities of necromass. The bamboo–fire hypothesis argues that increased dry fuel after die-off enhances fire probability, creating opportunities that favor bamboo growth. In this study, our aim is to map the bamboo-dominated forests and test the bamboo–fire hypothesis using satellite imagery. Specifically, we developed and validated a method to map the bamboo die-off and its spatial distribution using satellite-derived reflectance time series from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and explored the bamboo–fire hypothesis by evaluating the relationship between bamboo die-off and fires detected by the MODIS thermal anomalies product in the southwest Amazon. Our findings show that the near-infrared (NIR) is the most sensitive spectral interval to characterize bamboo growth and cohort age. Automatic detection of historical bamboo die-off achieved an accuracy above 79 %. We mapped and estimated 15.5 million ha of bamboo-dominated forests in the region. The bamboo–fire hypothesis was not supported because only a small fraction of bamboo areas burned during the analysis timescale, and, in general, bamboo did not show higher fire probability after the die-off. Nonetheless, fire occurrence was 45 % higher in dead than live bamboo in drought years, associated with ignition sources from land use, suggesting a bamboo–human–fire association. Although our findings show that the observed fire was not sufficient to drive bamboo dominance, the increased fire occurrence in dead bamboo in drought years may contribute to the maintenance of bamboo and potential expansion into adjacent bamboo-free forests. Fire can even bring deadly consequences to these adjacent forests under climate change effects.
Inferring Rationales from Choice: Identification for Rational Shortlist Methods

A wide variety of choice behavior inconsistent with preference maximization can be explained by Manzini and Mariotti's Rational Shortlist Methods. Choices are made by sequentially applying a pair of asymmetric binary relations (rationales) to eliminate inferior alternatives. Manzini and Mariotti's axiomatic treatment elegantly describes which behavior can be explained by this model. However, it leaves unanswered what can be inferred, from observed behavior, about the underlying rationales. Establishing this connection is fundamental not only for applied and empirical work but also for meaningful welfare analysis. Our results tightly characterize the surprisingly rich relationship between behavior and the underlying rationales. (JEL D11, D12, D83, M37)
Raman spectra of various types of tourmaline

A large number of different tourrnalines are investigated by Raman spectroseopy in the speetral range 150-1550 ern-I. Aeeording to their ehemical eomposition, the studied tourrnalines ean be classified into three main groups: buergerite-sehorl, GI; elbaite-type, G2; and dravite-buergerite-uvite, G3. It is shown that the same classification of tourrnalines ean be established on the basis of their Rarnan spectra. Bands for Glare eentred at about 230 and 670 ern-I, the speetra being eharaeterized by a single peak at 238 ± 2 ern-I and three resolved peaks at 635±3, 674±3 and 697 ±3 ern-I; G2 has a sharp peak at 224±2 and two weH separated peaks, one at 638±3 ern-I and the other higher than 707 ern-I; G3 is eharaeterized by two peaks at 215±3 and 237±3 ern-I, with a srnoothed speetral band eentred at about 670 ern-I. Key-words: tourmaline, Rarnan speetroseopy.
A Multi-hop Routing Algorithm based on Integrated Metrics for Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, a multi-hop routing algorithm based on integrated metrics (MRIM) was proposed for wireless sensor networks by research current routing algorithms. The core of MRIM has two parts as following. Firstly, a clustering algorithm based on time delay (CATD) was presented. By simulation it has verified the CATD clustering algorithm having more obviously improvement on the network performance, comparing with the algorithm for LEACH and the based on the timer of clustering algorithm for TB-LEACH. Secondly, the algorithm of the CATD is improved in cluster data transmission phase after the cluster heads are selected, called MRIM, which can be used in large scale. In the algorithm, it makes the equal distributed cluster-heads of the network into constructing a routing tree by means of the multi-hop transmission way so that this may reduce the number of cluster head nodes, when it communicates directly the base station (BS). Furthermore it reduces the network energy and cost. Meanwhile, the algorithm also limits the distance of the shortest forwarding multi-hop routing so as to reduce the overhead of intermediate nodes in the circuit and the number of multi-hop forwarding of data, save the network energy consumption, weaken the "hot spot problem" of the network. Simulation results demonstrate that MRIM can save energy and balance the network load and obvious improve the network lifetime.
CEO’s commitment bias, ownership concentration, and innovation decision: Behavioral management of CEO’s discretion

Abstract This paper deals with approving the effect of both a governance system and individual cognitive and emotional features in the financial analysis of a firms’ innovation decision. After discussing the theoretical linking between ownership concentration and the CEO’s attitude and behavior, we are showing on empirical grounds the relationship between the manager’s behavior toward the innovation decision and his cognitive commitment level. The CEO’s commitment bias and attitude conception were measured using a questionnaire. The data analysis was performed using the Bayesian network method on 220 Tunisian managers. In particular, we found that the application of a persuasion mechanism does not have a real impact on the alignment of the manager’s attitude and behavior in key tasks, such as the innovation decision. The CEO’s real behavior was more related to an important individual involvement in this behavior rather than to persuasive effort committed by block holders to make him contract this action. Attitude and behavior toward innovation appeared to be associated with psychological commitment “manager-task” which suggests that the disciplinary governance system plays no role in the process of a CEO’s discretion management. We argue that the persuasion approach is not an interesting path in behavior alignment; yet, it should be reinforced with the commitment approach for understanding manager choices.