Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perceived Organisational Injustice and Counterproductive Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Work Alienation Evidence from the Egyptian Public Sector

This study examines the relationship between the four dimensions of organisational justice, namely, distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational justice, and workers’ counterproductive behaviour, and whether work alienation has mediating effect in this relationship. These relationships were tested in a sample of 300 blue-collar workers operating in Egyptian public industrial context, only 236 responded positively. Results revealed that there are significant relationships between organisational injustice (in its four types) and counterproductive behaviours, and each of the work alienation dimensions partially mediated this relationship. These findings were discussed in the light of extant literature. Research limitations and implications for future research were reported.
Integrated optics prototype beam combiner for long baseline interferometry in the L and M bands

In the last few years, integrated optics (IO) beam combiners have facilitated the emergence of 4-telescope interferometers such as PIONIER or GRAVITY, boosting the imaging capabilities of the VLTI. However, the spectral range beyond 2.2microns is not ideally covered by the conventional silica based IO. Here, we propose to consider new laser-written IO prototypes made of GLS glasses, a material that permits access to the mid-infrared spectral regime. Our goal is to conduct a full characterization of our mid-IR IO 2-telescope coupler in order to measure the performance levels directly relevant for long-baseline interferometry. We focus in particular on the exploitation of the L and M astronomical bands. We use a dedicated Michelson-interferometer setup to perform Fourier Transform spectroscopy on the coupler and measure its broadband interferometric performance. We also analyze the polarization properties of the coupler, the differential dispersion and phase degradation as well as the modal behavior and the total throughput. We measure broadband interferometric contrasts of 94.9% and 92.1% for unpolarized light in the L and M bands. Spectrally integrated splitting ratios are close to 50% but show chromatic dependence over the considered bandwidths. Additionally, the phase variation due to the combiner is measured and does not exceed 0.04rad and 0.07rad across the band L and M band, respectively. The total throughput of the coupler including Fresnel and injection losses from free-space is 25.4%. The laser-written IO GLS prototype combiners prove to be a reliable technological solution with promising performance for mid-infrared long-baseline interferometry. In the next steps, we will consider more advanced optical functions as well as a fiber-fed input and revise the optical design parameters in order the further enhance the total throughput and achromatic behavior.
The Role of the Dominant Modes of Precipitation Variability over Eastern Africa in Modulating the Hydrology of Lake Victoria

Previous water budget studies over Lake Victoria basin have shown that there is near balance between rainfall and evaporation and that the variability of Lake Victoria levels is determined virtually entirely by changes in rainfall since evaporation is nearly constant. The variability of rainfall over East Africa is dominated by El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO); however, the second and third most dominant rainfall climate modes also account for significant variability across the region. The relationship between ENSO and other significant modes of precipitation variability with Lake Victoria levels is nonlinear. This relationship should be studied to determine which modes need to be accurately modeled in order to accurately model Lake Victoria levels, which are important to the hydroelectric industry in East Africa. The objective of this analysis is to estimate the relative contributions of the dominant modes of annual precipitation variability to the modulation of Lake Victoria levels for the present day (1950–2012). The first mode of annual rainfall variability accounts for most of the variability in Lake Victoria levels, while the effects of the second and third modes are negligible even though these modes are also significant over the region.
Gene expression in anoxic crucian carp brain

3 LIST OF PAPERS 5 ABBREVIATIONS 6 INTRODUCTION 7 ANOXIA TOLERANCE 7 Tolerating anoxia 7 THE ANOXIC BRAIN 9 Anoxia-intolerant vertebrate brains 9 Anoxia-tolerant crucian carp and turtle brains 12 KEY NEUROTRANSMITTER RECEPTORS AND ION CHANNELS 13 AMPA receptors 13 NMDA receptors 15 GABA receptors 15 Voltage-gated ion channels 16 MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF HYPOXIA TOLERANCE 16 Genomes and phenotypes 16 Proteins or mRNA 17 Real-time RT PCR 17 AIMS OF THE THESIS 19 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 20 STANDARDIZATION OF THE EXTERNAL RNA CONTROL PROTOCOL 20 RNA extraction 20 Reverse transcription 21 Real-time RT PCR 21 WHY NOT MICROARRAYS? 21 SYNOPSIS OF RESULTS 22 PAPER 1 22 PAPER 2 22 PAPER 3 24 GENERAL DISCUSSION 26 NORMALIZATION USING AN EXTERNAL RNA CONTROL 26 Future prospects for external RNA controls 27 CAN REAL-TIME RT PCR BE TRUSTED FOR GENE PROFILING? 27 NEUROTRANSMISSION IN ANOXIC CRUCIAN CARP 28 Are crucian carp brains preset to handle anoxia? 28 Adapting to anoxia 29 ANOXIA-TOLERANT VERTEBRATES AS MODELS FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH 30 REFERENCES 32 PAPERS 1-3 45
Iowa Gambling Test: normative data and correlation with executive functions

Objective: Purpose of the study was to establish the normative values of the Iowa Gambling Test (IGT) in Turkey, using scores from 90 healthy participants aged between 20 and 86. Method: Participants were classed into 3 groups according to age and education level, and the test was administered in two sessions: in the first session (IGT1), IGT and neuropsychological tests assessing executive functions, and in the second session (IGT2), only IGT. Results: Statistical analyses showed that IGT performance was not affected by age or education, but male participants performed significantly better in IGT2 than women. Both gender groups performed significantly better in IGT2 than in IGT1 and increased their total net score in IGT2. A statistically significant correlation was found between executive function performance assessed with Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test and Tower of London Test and IGT performance. Conclusion: The comprehensive assessment of the correlation between decision-making behavior, demographic variables, and executive functions needs to be continued with larger sample groups.
Sample application of a low-cost X-band monitoring system of surface currents at the Black Sea shore

Nautical X-band radar (low-cost option with the antenna beamwidth 1:9 ) was applied for monitoring surface near-shore currents in the Black Sea Field Research Facility of the Southern Branch of P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology. The radar signal was processed by an algorithm based on the Nieto-Borge approach. The experimental setup is shown to allow precise real-time near-surface current measurements up to 4 km oshore. A case study of a coherent current pattern resembling a sub-mesoscale vortex passing the experimental eld is presented. KEYWORDS: X-band radar; radiowave oceanography; currents; sub-mesoscale vortex; Black Sea.
HALOGAS Observations of NGC 4559: Anomalous and Extraplanar H i and its Relation to Star Formation

We use new deep 21 cm H i observations of the moderately inclined galaxy NGC 4559 in the HALOGAS survey to investigate the properties of extraplanar gas. We use TiRiFiC to construct simulated data cubes to match the H i observations. We find that a thick-disk component of scale height ∼2 kpc, characterized by a negative vertical gradient in its rotation velocity (lag) of ∼13 ± 5 km s−1 kpc−1 is an adequate fit to extraplanar gas features. The tilted ring models also present evidence for a decrease in the magnitude of the lag outside R25, and a radial inflow of ∼10 km s−1. We extracted lagging extraplanar gas through Gaussian velocity profile fitting. From both the 3D models and extraction analyses we conclude that ∼10%–20% of the total H i mass is extraplanar. Most of the extraplanar gas is spatially coincident with regions of star formation in spiral arms, as traced by Hα and GALEX FUV images, so it is likely due to star formation processes driving a galactic fountain. We also find the signature of a filament of a kinematically “forbidden” H i feature, containing ∼1.4 × 106 M⊙ of H i, and discuss its potential relationship to a nearby H i hole. We discover a previously undetected dwarf galaxy in H i located ∼0. °4 (∼58 kpc) from the center of NGC 4559, containing ∼4 × 105 M⊙. This dwarf has counterpart sources in SDSS with spectra typical of H ii regions, and we conclude that it is two merging blue compact dwarf galaxies.
Pigouvian Taxation in a Ramsey World

This paper studies the optimal Pigouvian tax for correcting pollution when the government also uses distortionary taxes to raise revenues. When preferences are quasilinear in leisure and additive, the Pigouvian tax can be separated from the Ramsey revenue-raising tax. We characterize the relationship between the Pigouvian tax and marginal social damages in a variety of circumstances. In a setting with homogeneous households, the Pigouvian tax exceeds marginal damages if goods have inelastic demands, and vice versa. When households are heterogeneous so taxes can be redistributive, the Pigouvian tax gives more weight to damages suffered by low-income persons. The analysis is extended to allow for costly abatement. In general, corrective taxes have to be applied to both emissions and output of the polluting good.
Adaptive significance of pelvic girdle loss in threespine stickleback

Pelvic girdle loss has evolved repeatedly in freshwater stickleback. In many cases it is caused by a mutation in a regulatory sequence that controls expression of the major pelvic girdle locus (Pitx1) in the prospective pelvic region. Pelvic girdle loss can spread rapidly through populations, but its adaptive significance is not well understood. I experimentally tested potential ecological mechanisms for pelvic girdle loss in juvenile threespine stickleback. I carried out two insect predation experiments to measure selection on pelvic spine length and body size, and to measure the effect of the pelvic girdle on survival. In the first experiment, the pelvic spines of all fish were clipped to varying degrees to artificially create variation in spine length. For the second experiment, I created hybrid backcross families, where 50% of the offspring expressed pelvic girdle loss. In both experiments, the fish were exposed to predation by a common aquatic insect predator. Selection tended to favour shorter spines, increased body size and loss of the pelvic girdle. A third experiment measured growth rates in juvenile fish with and without a pelvic girdle, to test for a potential growth rate advantage of the without phenotype. On average, withouts exhibited a nonsignificant trend for higher growth rates compared to withs. As the power of the predation experiments was low, I performed meta-analyses to combine my data with previously published experiments. Across these experiments, insect predators selected for shorter pelvic spine length as well as increased body size. There was no mean positive or negative effect of the pelvic girdle on survival in the face of insect predation, but the confidence interval for this result was wide, and further studies are required. My findings suggest that predation may drive pelvic girdle loss in juvenile stickleback by means of selection against correlated traits, such as long pelvic spines, rather than selection against the pelvic girdle itself. I did not detect any significant association between pelvic girdle loss and increased growth rates. It thus remains undetermined if selection for increased body size acts as an additional selection factor for pelvic girdle loss.
Triassic conodonts from Svalbard and their Boreal correlations

Conodont faunas are described from Triassic sections of Svalbard, and their occurrences are locally correlated with established ammonoid zones. With a synthesis of previous conodont-based publications, the current work presents a taxonomically up-to-date compilation of conodont data for the Triassic of Svalbard that is used to construct a conodont-based biochronology, indexed to the current lithostratigraphic nomenclature. Twenty-eight taxa spanning the earliest Griesbachian to the earliest Carnian are presented in a range chart. The examined conodont faunas are correlated with well-established conodont zonations of the Canadian Arctic, and in turn also form the basis for regional correlations.
Swarm intelligence in myoelectric control: particle swarm based dimensionality reduction

The myoelectric signals (MES) from human muscles have been utilized in many applications such as prosthesis control. The identification of various MES temporal structures is used to control the movement of prosthetic devices by utilizing a pattern recognition approach. Recent advances in this field have shown that there are a number of factors limiting the clinical availability of such systems. Several control strategies have been proposed but deficiencies still exist with most of those strategies especially with the Dimensionality Reduction (DR) part. This paper proposes using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm with the concept of Mutual Information (MI) to produce a novel hybrid feature selection algorithm. The new algorithm, called PSOMIFS, is utilized as a DR tool in myoelectric control problems. The PSOMIFS will be compared with other techniques to prove the effectiveness of the proposed method. Accurate results are acquired using only a small subset of the original feature set producing a classification accuracy of 99% across a problem of ten classes based on tests done on six subjects MES datasets.
Computer simulations on environmental issues in two contrast groups

This work aims to describe the cognitive representation on the subject of the environment that two groups of students have: 1) 57 of biology and 2) 64 of psychology, through computer simulations using the method of Pathfinder Associative Networks. Students are asked that they define 7 concepts related to the subject, these are: environment, pollution, nature, city, ecology, deforestation and recycling; through the technique of natural semantic networks. The data obtained was used to carry out computer simulations. The findings demonstrate that the two groups have similar representations in concepts relating to their experiences, but there are also differences in concepts that have to do with their knowledge and preferences especially for the youth of biology.
Arrhythmias in adult patients after total correction of tetralogy of Fallot (RCD code: V-2B.0)

Improvement of the long‑term survival of patients with Tetralogy of Fallot has been observed in the last few years. Among the late complication arrhythmias are detected most frequently. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in the group of 53 adult tetralogy patients. Mean age was 29 years, 21 patients (39,6%) were women. In 4 cases (7,5%) palliative pulmonary‑systemic shunt was performed. Average age of total surgical correction was 6,55 years. Significant ventricular arrhythmias were present in 15 patients (28,3%). 9 (17%) had relevant atrial arrhythmias. Patients with atrial arrhythmia were older (35,4 vs 27,7 years). Older were also patients with ventricular arrhythmias (34,7 vs 26,4 years). Group with atrial arrhythmia used more digoxin (p=0,002) and diuretics (p = 0,021). 3 patients on oral anticoagulants had atrial flutter. Similar data was collected in group with ventricular arrhythmias (diuretics p = 0,0053). There was a high incidence of coexisting ventricular and atrial arrhythmias (p=0,0057). Left ventricular enlargement was present in patients with atrial (p = 0,002) and ventricular (p = 0,027) arrhythmias. Right atrium area and left atrium diameter were greater in group with supraventricular arrhythmias (31,6 vs 21,6 cm2 and 40,4 vs 34,3 mm; respectively). Ventricular arrhythmias were associated with greater right (27,8 vs 21,0 cm2) and left atrium areas (18,5 vs 15,1 cm2). Younger age at the time of corrective surgery is associated with lower frequency of arrhythmias in adults. Arrhythmias however remain one of the most significant problems in this group of patients. Close observation in centers specialized in Grown‑Up Congenital Heart Defects and management of symptoms seems to be the best option in long‑term follow‑up. JRCD 2013; 1 (4): 10–15
Evaluation of a Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) Exclusion and Trapping Device for Use in Aquatic Plant Founder Colony Establishment

The focus of this study was to design and evaluate a trapping system that would reduce populations of common carp within water bodies in conjunction with establishment of native aquatic macrophytes founder colonies. A pond study and field study were conducted. A pond study was performed at the Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility, located in Lewisville, Texas, followed by a field study within a constructed wetland located in southern Dallas, Texas. For the pond study, twelve funnel traps were constructed (four reps of each type: control, dual-walled and ring cage). Two anti-escape devices were tested with funnels including steel fingers and hinged flaps. Ring cage and dual-walled treatments were planted using native pondweeds, while controls were left unplanted (additional bait and a drift fence scenarios were also tested). Common carp were introduced into the study pond. Chi-square statistical analyses were utilized and showed ring cage treatments using fingers as well as the use of a drift fence to be most effective. Following completion of the pond study, the two most effective treatments (controls and ring cages) were tested within the Dallas, Texas wetland; no carp were caught during the field test.
Evaluation of locally available substrates for cultivation of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) in Jimma, Ethiopia

A total of eight locally available substrates and substrate combinations were tested for their productivity and biological efficiency (BE) for cultivation of commercial mushroom strain (Pleurotus ostreatus). Spawn preparation and running were carried out following standard methods. Main substrates were steam sterilized for 1 h and were inoculated with 10% spawn. The inoculated main substrates were arranged in a completely randomized design on shelves in the mushroom growing room and incubated at ambient temperature (22 ± 2°C). Relative humidity of the mushroom growing room was controlled by manually spraying water on the walls and placing open containers filled with water in the corners of the room. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 14. The substrate types had significant (p < 0.05) effects on the rate of mycelial extension, mean incubation period and yield at 2nd and 4th flushes, number of matured fruit bodies, aborted pinheads, weight of matured fruit bodies and BE. The fastest mean value (0.69 cm/day) of mycelial extension was recorded from sdZcCh (combination of sawdust of Cordia africana and Pouteria adolfi-friederici, corncobs and coffee bean husks). However, mycelial growth in coffee bean husks was completely ceased after 15 days. The first pinning took 29 ± 2.3 days followed by 12 ± 6.3, 7.6 ± 2.3, and 6.4 ± 2.5 between the 2nd, 3rd and 4th flushes, respectively. Mean durations from pinning to maturation ranged from 3 to 5 days. The highest BE was obtained from sdZcCh (77.38%). The present findings indicate the potential of agricultural wastes for cultivation of oyster mushrooms. All the substrates that gave over 40% BE could be recommended for oyster mushrooms cultivation. Key words: Biological efficiency, edible mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, spawn.
Communicative Predictors of Solidarity in the Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship

This research examined college students' and their grand-parents' (N= 135 dyads) self-reports of communication behaviors in the grandparent-grandchild (GP-GC) relationship. The research aimed to understand predictors of communication satisfaction, liking, and emotional closeness in the relation-ship from a basis in communication accommodation theory. For grandchildren, predictors included their perceptions of their grandparents' levels of accommodation and overaccommodation to them in interactions, as well as their own levels of accommodative involvement with their grandparents. For grandparents, perceptions of their grandchildren's accommodation to them best predicted solidarity. Neither perceived grandchild overaccommodation nor perceived grandparent underaccommodation were significant predictors in regression analyses, although both were significantly correlated with the criterion measures. Implications of the results for the study of the GP-GC relationship are discussed, and future applications of accommodation theory and intergroup contact theory are suggested.
Abnormal Accrual, Informed Trader, and Long-Term Stock Return: Evidence from Japan

This study examines the association among abnormal accruals, long-term stock returns, and probability of informed trading. Some analytical and empirical research for postearnings announcement drift provide evidence that a high arrival rate of informed traders helps stock prices become more efficient. We focus on the abnormal accrual anomaly, and investigate these studies' implications using data from the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Japan. Consistent with these studies, we show that stocks with a high probability of informed trading exhibit less abnormal accrual mispricing relative to stocks with a low probability of informed trading.
Clay mineralogy, strontium and neodymium isotope ratios in the sediments of two High Arctic catchments (Svalbard)

Abstract. The identification of sediment sources to the ocean is a prerequisite to using marine sediment cores to extract information on past climate and ocean circulation. Sr and Nd isotopes are classical tools with which to trace source provenance. Despite considerable interest in the Arctic Ocean, the circum-Arctic source regions are poorly characterised in terms of their Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. In this study we present Sr and Nd isotope data from the Paleogene Central Basin sediments of Svalbard, including the first published data of stream suspended sediments from Svalbard. The stream suspended sediments exhibit considerable isotopic variation ( e Nd = − 20.6 to − 13.4; 87 Sr ∕ 86 Sr = 0.73421 to 0.74704) which can be related to the depositional history of the sedimentary formations from which they are derived. In combination with analysis of the clay mineralogy of catchment rocks and sediments, we suggest that the Central Basin sedimentary rocks were derived from two sources. One source is Proterozoic sediments derived from Greenlandic basement rocks which are rich in illite and have high 87 Sr ∕ 86 Sr and low e Nd values. The second source is Carboniferous to Jurassic sediments derived from Siberian basalts which are rich in smectite and have low 87 Sr ∕ 86 Sr and high e Nd values. Due to a change in depositional conditions throughout the Paleogene (from deep sea to continental) the relative proportions of these two sources vary in the Central Basin formations. The modern stream suspended sediment isotopic composition is then controlled by modern processes, in particular glaciation, which determines the present-day exposure of the formations and therefore the relative contribution of each formation to the stream suspended sediment load. This study demonstrates that the Nd isotopic composition of stream suspended sediments exhibits seasonal variation, which likely mirrors longer-term hydrological changes, with implications for source provenance studies based on fixed end-members through time.