Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An aglaspidid arthropod from the Upper Ordovician of Morocco with remarks on the affinities and limitations of Aglaspidida

ABSTRACT A new aglaspidid arthropod, Chlupacaris dubia gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Pusgillian (lower Ashgill, Upper Ordovician) Upper Tiouririne Formation near Erfoud, southeastern Morocco. Although disarticulated, careful documenting of the tergites allows a reconstruction of the exoskeleton to be made. Although somewhat trilobite-like in appearance, the lack of facial sutures, a well-defined axis with articulating half-rings and a pygidium clearly prove Chlupacaris gen. nov. is not a trilobite. An interesting feature is the presence of a hypostome in this non-trilobite arthropod. In contrast to other aglaspidids usually considered to be carnivorous, a filter-feeding mode of life is proposed for Chlupacaris gen. nov., based on the strongly vaulted cephalon, subvertical orientation of the hypostome and less strongly vaulted trunk. Chlupacaris gen. nov. is probably most closely related to the atypical aglaspidid Tremaglaspis unite from the Tremadoc (Lower Ordovician) of the U.K., but it can also be tentatively linked to the problematic Lower Cambrian arthropods Kodymirus vagans and Kockurus grandis from the Czech Republic. The relevance and validity of previous definitions and of possibly significant characters used for identifying aglaspidids are evaluated, and as a result, a new combination of characters diagnosing Aglaspidida is proposed. Contrary to previous reports, it is suggested that aglaspidids are probably more closely related to trilobites than they are to chelicerates. This notion may be supported by the shared possession of a mineralised cuticle, a possibly similar number of cephalic appendages, and the presence of a hypostome in some forms, although this last character may alternatively be homoplastic.
Effects of Summarization Tasks on Comprehension Monitoring of Science Texts in University Students with Elementary or Intermediate English Proficiency

Two studies were conducted to improve Spanish university students' comprehension monitoring of macro-ideas when reading expository Science texts in English (L2). The first one evaluated the effects of using summarization tasks on comprehension monitoring compared to other reading-for-understanding tasks. A significant improvement of comprehension monitoring was obtained from the summarization tasks. Results in study 1 suggested study 2 aimed at instructing students on summarizing texts in L2. The instructional work had a single significant contribution to students' comprehension monitoring on the macro-structural level. English proficiency also explained a significant proportion of the variances.
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents in Rats

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents in Rats Wendi Chen Leonid Hrebien, Ph.D. and Moshe Kam, Ph.D. Erythropoiesis is a process by which red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. Disruption of this process can lead to anemia. Erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs), such as epoetin-α and darbepoetin-α, have been developed to treat anemia. CNTO 530 is a novel ESA that has a longer terminal half-life than either epoetin-α or darbepoetin-α. As these ESAs all activate erythropoietin receptor (EPO-R), we hypothesize that any differences in the pharmacologic activity are solely dependent on their pharmacokinetic properties. To test this hypothesis, we proposed a new Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model to account for the pharmacological response. Rats received a single subcutaneous (s.c.) dose of the ESA and reticulocyte (RET) counts, red blood cell (RBC) counts and hemoglobin (HGB) levels were measured for up to 72 days (1728 hours) post-dosing. Various dosage levels were studied for each drug. A new indirect response model with multiple regulatory effects was used to characterize the PD responses and a linear two-compartmental model was used to characterize the PK responses. All three agents caused a dose responsive increase in RET, RBC and HGB. Compared to epoetin-α and darbepoetin-α, CNTO 530 caused a longer-lived increase in these parameters. A single PK/PD model could represent all three agents. However, when comparing among the erythropoietic responses to
MILLENNIALS ’ PURCHASING RESPONSE TO CSR BEHAVIOR

Global millennials, most often defined as born between 1981 and 1997, now account for 27% of the global population or 2 billion people. Together, China, India, United States, Indonesia, and Brazil possess half of the world’s millennials (A.T. Kearney, 2017). This population, ranging from 19 to 26 years old, is becoming the largest global consumer generation in history. In the United States this demographic represents approximately 75 million current consumers, and is expected to peak at 81 million due to immigration by 2036 (Fry, 2017). Generation theorists postulate that changes in the macro environment influence the profile of people born during a specific time period, and imprint specific purchasing and consumption behavior (Strauss & Howe, 2000). Thus, it seems an imperative for both global marketing academics and practitioners to pursue a robust understanding of millennials’ distinguishing characteristics and decisionmaking. This generation appears to differ from Generation X and Baby Boomers in a variety of ways; one being the way it regards corporations’ behaviors, or their apparent level of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Studies (e.g., McGlone et al., 2011) indicate that millennials have “internalized the need to make the world a better place” (p. 196), expect the companies they work for to incorporate CSR permanently into their strategic plan, and want organizations to demonstrate external social values as a part of their contribution to the community. Furthermore, millennials appear to value CSR oriented firms more than other generations; 91% of millennials indicate that they would switch to a brand associated with a cause (price and quality being similar), 71% would be willing to pay more for CSR products, and 66% said that they use social media to engage around CSR (Cone Communications, 2015). The increasing market clout of millennials, combined with their CSR orientation, suggests an increasingly salient area of marketing focus and investment.
Role of Peritoneal Ultrafiltration in Heart Failure Treatment

Copyright 2017 by The Medical Bulletin of University of Health Sciences Haseki Training and Research Hospital The Medical Bulletin of Haseki published by Galenos Yayınevi. Telif Hakkı 2017 Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Haseki Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Haseki Tıp Bülteni, Galenos Yayınevi tarafından basılmıştır. Kardiyorenal sendrom (KRS), kalp ve böbrek fonksiyon bozukluklarının birlikte bulunduğu, farklı klinik tabloları yansıtabilen genel bir terimdir. Kalp yetmezliği (KY) ve KRS’de rol oynayan temel patogenetik mekanizmalar; nörohumoral adaptasyon, sağ ventriküler dilatasyon, ventriküler disfonksiyon ve sistemik enflamasyondur. Süregelen bu faktörler renal parankimde fokal ve segmental glomerüloskleroza, tübülointerstisyel fibrozise neden olmaktadır. KY tedavisinde geleneksel yaklaşımlardan olan tuz ve suyun kısıtlanması, sigaranın bırakılması yanında kullanılan medikal tedavilerin başlıcaları diüretikler, renin-anjiyotensin-aldosteron sistem inhibitörleri, beta blokerler ve vasodilatatörlerdir. Diüretik kullanımı ile ortaya çıkabilecek başlıca problem ise diüretik direncidir. Diüretik direnci olan KY hastalarında fazla sıvının ultrafiltrasyon ile uzaklaştırılmasında iki renal replasman tedavisi öne çıkmaktadır ki bunlar, ekstrakorporeal ultrafiltrasyon ve periton diyalizidir (PD). Bu derlemede KY tedavisinde iki ultrafiltrasyon modalitesinden özellikle peritonel ultrafiltrasyon (PUF) tartışılmıştır. PUF ile ilgili başlıca çalışmalar ve PUF’un KY tedavisindeki avantajları irdelenmiştir. Bunun yanı sıra PD’nin glomerüler filtrasyon hızı, hastane yatışı ve mortalite üzerine etkisi araştırılmıştır. Sonuç olarak PD, standart tedavilere iyi yanıt vermeyen, sık hastaneye yatış gerektiren KY hastalarında kardiyak volüm yükünü azaltmakta kullanılabilecek ucuz, pratik, uygun bir alternatif tedavidir.
Entrepreneurial Leadership as a Determining Factor in the Internationalisation of Technology Driven Knowledge Intensive Services within Spanish SMEs

The aim of this research project is to generate a general framework to evaluate entrepreneurial leadership as a driving influence in the internationalisation process of a Knowledge Intensive SME and to understand behavioural patterns of entrepreneurial leadership which might influence its internationalization.The study uses a sample of 892 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the technology based knowledge intensive sectors from the Spanish Technological and Innovation Panel (PITEC) to analyse the impact of three dimension of entrepreneurial leadership -entrepreneurial and managerial elements; absorptive capacity and networks elements and strategic and innovative elements- upon exports as one of those preferred vehicles for SME internationalisation. The research uses linear and logistic regressions to examine the links of the different components of entrepreneurial leadership and shows the extent of a positive relationship between the proposed constructs of entrepreneurial leadership with the internationalisation of knowledge intensive SME in Spain.An additional value of the research is to provide a better understanding of the future of new enabling technologies for SMEs and their possible impact in any international endeavour where entrepreneurial leadership plays a critical function.
Performance evaluation of front- and back-end techniques for ASV spoofing detection systems based on deep features

As Automatic Speaker Veriﬁcation (ASV) becomes more popular, so do the ways impostors can use to gain illegal access to speech-based biometric systems. For instance, impos-tors can use Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Voice Conversion (VC) techniques to generate speech acoustics resembling the voice of a genuine user and, hence, gain fraudulent access to the sys-tem. To prevent this, a number of anti-spooﬁng countermeasures have been developed for detecting these high technology attacks. However, the detection of previously unforeseen spooﬁng attacks remains challenging. To address this issue, in this work we perform an extensive empirical investigation on the speech features and back-end classiﬁers providing the best overall performance for an antispooﬁng system based on a deep learning framework. In this architecture, a deep neural network is used to extract a single identity spooﬁng vector per utterance from the speech features. Then, the extracted vectors are passed to a classiﬁer in order to make the ﬁnal detection decision. Experimental evaluation is carried out on the standard ASVSpoof2015 data corpus. The results show that classical FBANK features and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) obtain the best performance for the proposed system.
Moving Object Detection Using Histogram of Uniformly Oriented Gradient

Abstract—Moving object detection (MOD) is an important issue in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). There are two important moving objects, pedestrians and scooters in ADAS. In real-world systems, there exist two important challenges for MOD, including the computational complexity and the detection accuracy. The histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) features can easily detect the edge of object without invariance to changes in illumination and shadowing. However, to reduce the execution time for real-time systems, the image size should be down sampled which would lead the outlier influence to increase. For this reason, we propose the histogram of uniformly-oriented gradient (HUG) features to get better accurate description of the contour of human body. In the testing phase, the support vector machine (SVM) with linear kernel function is involved. Experimental results show the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method. With SVM classifiers, the real testing results show the proposed HUG features achieve better than classification performance than the HOG ones.
Circadian rhythmicity in the location of zooxanthellae of the scyphomedusa Linuche unguiculata

The scyphon~edusa Linuche unguiculata possesses patches of zooxanthellae whlch expand and contract u l th circadian regularity. Zooxanthellae are enclosed by vacuole-like membranes and appear to be located within mesogleal cells. Constant Light conditions cause damping of the expansion-contraction rhythm within 24 to 48 h , while rhythms persist in constant dark conditions for at least 72 to 96 h . The timing of maximum zooxanthellae patch expansion coincides with peak zooxanthellae photosynthetic capacity, suggesting that the expansion-contraction rhythm may aid in the mutual nutrition of both host and symbiont
The effect of altering distance on goal-kicking technique in Australian football

Goal-kicks are taken from different positions during a game in Australian Football (AF), which can influence the difficulty of scoring a goal. This study examined the effect of altering kicking distance on goal-kicking technique in 18 AF players. Players performed 10 goal-kicks from 30 m and 40 m directly in-front of goals and kicking kinematics were measured using the Xsens MVN inertial measurement system (240 Hz). Increasing distance resulted in substantially more support-leg knee extension (> 3.8°, large effect) during the stance phase, with moderately higher foot speeds (1.9 m.s-1), shank (93 deg/s) and knee (186 deg/s) angular velocities at ball contact. These findings have important implications for the conditioning and coaching of the skill; when kicking further for goals, increasing knee extension (support-leg), foot speed, shank and knee angular velocities are recommended.
Drought-induced oak decline in the western Mediterranean region: an overview on current evidences, mechanisms and management options to improve forest resilience

Abstract: Increased forest vulnerability is being reflected as more widespread and severe drought-induced decline episodes. In particular, the Mediterranean area is revealing a high susceptibility to phenomena of loss in tree vitality across species. Within tree species, oaks (Quercus spp.) are experiencing extensive decline in many countries. However, in the wake of the so-called “oak decline phenomenon”, the attention on these species has generally been limited. In this paper, we review the current available literature on oak-decline cases reported within the Mediterranean Basin, with particular remark for those occurred in Italy and Spain. More specifically our main aims were to: (i) provide an update on the patterns and mechanisms of decline by focusing on tree-ring and wood-anatomical variables; (ii) provide some hints for improving the resistance and resilience of oak stands experiencing decline. Our review reveals that drought is reported as the main driver triggering oak decline within the Mediterranean Basin, although other causes (i.e., increasing temperature, pathogens attack or excessive stand density) could exacerbate decline. In most reported cases, drought induced a substantial reduction of growth and changes in some wood anatomical properties. Indeed, growth decline prior death is also indicated as an early-warning signal of impending death. In ring-porous oak species, declining trees were often characterized by a very low production of latewood and a decrease in lumen area of the widest earlywood vessels, suggesting a potential reduction of hydraulic conductivity. Moreover, hydraulic dysfunction is reported as the main cause of decline. Finally, regarding management actions that should be considered for improving the resilience of declining stands and preserve the species-specific stand composition, it could be useful to shorten the rotation period of coppice stands or promoting their gradual conversion towards high forests, and favoring more drought-resistant species should also be considered. In addition, regeneration prior to regeneration cuts should be improved by anticipating seed dispersal or by planting oak seedlings obtained from local germoplasm.
Supplemental effects of diet mixing on absorption of ingested organic carbon in the marine copepod Acartia tonsa

We investigated increased carbon absorption efficiencies (AEs) as a possible cause for positive effects of diet mixing on copepod egg production rates (EPRs) and hatching success (EHS). Female Acartia tonsa were fed 14 C/ 51 Cr dual-labelled Dunaliella tertiolecta (Dun), Amphidinium carterae (Amp), Phaeocystis globosa (Pha), and 3 pairwise 1:1 mixes of the 3 diets. AEs, derived from the ratios of labels in algae and copepod faecal pellets, were 44% on Dun, 37% on Amp, and 49% on Pha, but increased significantly to 61% on Dun + Amp. As a result, EPRs remained low in all tested diets except for Dun + Amp, where it was twice that in the individual diets. Linear multiple regres- sion analysis revealed that EPRs were strongly dependent on the ingestion and absorption of the fatty acids 18:3(n-3) and 22:6(n-3) so that the simultaneous ingestion and absorption of 18:3(n-3) from Dun and 22:6(n-3) from Amp enhanced EPR in the Dun + Amp diet. EHS was low with the Dun diet, which was devoid of 20:5(n-3) and 22:6(n-3). Multiple regression analysis showed that EHS depended on 16:1(n-7) and any or all of 22:6(n-3), 20:5(n-3), or 18:5(n-3).
Well-Being of Society: The Role of Institutions vs. Government Expenditure

In this paper we attempted to analyze the determinants of country level human development. Since the human development index is a better indicator of people’s well-being than GDP per capita we argue that effectiveness of government policies should be judged in terms of their contribution to human development. By using a large panel dataset obtained from various sources we analyzed the effects of government expenditures and the level of economic freedom on human development. The results provide strong support for the hypothesis that higher level of economic freedom is positively related to higher level of human development. Economic freedoms are especially important in countries with low level of human development. On the other hand, we failed to find evidence for government expenditures’ effect on human development. Overall, our results indicate that a country’s institutional framework, especially those that are related to economic freedoms, have a significant effect on people’s well-being and development.
Understanding the financial cost of robotic lobectomy: calculating the value of innovation?

Background The advantages of a minimally-invasive surgical approach compared to conventional open thoracotomy for lung resection have been previously described. While robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) has shown comparable clinical outcomes for lobectomy as compared with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), the cost and inherent value associated with the robotic technology remains a main concern. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the literature on the cost of RATS lobectomy using studies published prior to December 2017 on MEDLINE and EMBASE. Results Six observational studies met our inclusion criteria. Median cost of RATS lobectomy ranged from $15,440 to $22,582. Operating room (OR) cost was a major contributing factor to overall cost. The lowest per-procedure cost was reported by the highest volume center. Cost definitions were highly variable among studies. The total cost of RATS was similar or lower to open lobectomy, and higher than that of VATS, with cost difference ranging from $2,901 to $4,708. Conclusions Assessment of cost for RATS lobectomy varies significantly. High OR costs may be offset by improved outcomes as compared with open lobectomy, but currently the costs exceed that of VATS lobectomy. Further work is needed to define the cost and actual value parameters for RATS lobectomy.
Investigation of Modal Behaviour of Resonance Spruce Wood Samples (Picea abies L.)

Results of experimental modal analysis of a resonance and non-resonance spruce wood (Picea abies L.) are presented. The resonance wood came from a tree from Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the non-resonance wood came from the vicinity of Olsztyn from the north-eastern Poland. The modal parameters (modal frequency, modal damping and mode shapes) of the wood samples were determined for the samples of 8 mm in thickness. Modal analysis was made by pulse excitation. The resonance and non-resonance wood differ in the fundamental modal parameters as well as in the number of potential modes. Additionally, calculated values of damping factor are presented. The values are much bigger for a non-resonance wood than for good quality resonance spruce.
Understanding active psychological states: Embedding engagement in a wider nomological net and closer attention to performance

We concur with the authors of the focal article that engagement is a critical topic at work, and we welcome the questions posed in this article. Nevertheless, we advocate a stronger link between engagement research and existing research and theory about active psychological states, including that discussed in the topic domains of job design/empowerment, leadership, and proactivity/job crafting. We outline the advantages of embedding engagement in a wider nomological net. We also advocate closer attention to type of work performance that is prompted and sustained by engagement, as well as considering how both context and individual differences moderate the link between engagement and performance. We suggest there is more to learn about how, when, and why engagement influences specific aspects of performance.
Two-Dimensional Solitons and Vortices in Linear and Nonlinear Lattice Potentials

Periodic potentials, such as photonic crystals and optical lattices, have shown great abil - ity to manipulate the dynamics of photonic and atomic waves. The interplay of the peri odic potentials and material nonlinearity (self-focusing or defocusing) can create and stabilize several types of solitons, including ordinary and gap solitons, which populate, respectively, in the semi-infinite gap and finite bandgaps of the corresponding linear spectrum. Besides, lattice defects have also been used to construct solitons. This review reports the generation of two-dimensional (2D) solitons in lattice potentials with local defects, under the self-focusing nonlinearity. The numerical analysis demonstrates a novel kind of embedded solitons (or intraband solitons), which are continuous families of 2D localized modes (different from isolated solutions reported before in usual embed -ded-soliton models) embedded into the first and second Bloch bands of the underlying linear spectrum, and pinned to the defect, which determines the spatial position of the modes. We call these modes embedded defect solitons . Further, double, triple, and quadru ple lattice defects can also support stable dipole-mode solitons and vortices. In addition to that, combined linear and nonlinear lattice potentials are also used to construct stable fundamental solitons, gap ones, and solitary vortices. them pseudopotentials in that context), in the form of nonlinear lattices (NLs). The NLs, as the induced pseudopotentials with periodically modulated local strength sign of the nonlinearity. In optics, NLs may be built as material structures with spatially periodic modulations of the local Kerr nonlinearity or other nonlinear coefficients. In terms of BEC, NLs may be engineered via the Feshbach resonance mechanism by using spatially periodic external fields to induce the local nonlinearity [17]. The the soliton dynam ics in NLs, and in NL-LL combinations, have been comprehensively in recent review