Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study of the Neural Basis for Subjective Feature Binding

While it is known that the brain perceives color and motion asynchronously, the specific locations in which the brain binds signals remain unknown. This study distinguishes subjective perception of the capability to bind features and the objective accuracy in feature binding. The stimuli were the same for individual subjects, consisting of random dots (red and green, or yellow and blue) moving either vertically or horizontally. Subjects responded to questions regarding the color or the direction of motion of the dots (objective judgment) and rated their capability in performing the task (subjective judgment). The imaging results of contrasting subjective judgment showed that the activation of the anterior rostral cingulate cortex (rACC) and inferior frontal gyrus (Brodmann area [BA] 45/47) during incapable-of-binding responses, compared with the capable-of-binding responses. It is suggested that the rACC is for uncertainty of subjective judgment and BA 45/47 is for the increased burden on working memory. In contrast, there was no imaging results of contrasting the correct and incorrect responses (i.e., objective judgment), and neither was there for the interaction between subjective and objective judgment. The results of conservative conjunction analysis indicated common and shared brain areas for the 2 distinctive binding situations (the correct and capable-of-binding vs the incorrect and incapable-of-binding), including increased activity in the intraparietal lobe (IPL) and the junction areas of the posterior rostral ACC (dACC) and the prefrontal areas, but decreased activity in the medial portion of the IPL, suggesting that feature binding requires maintaining attention. These results clearly isolated subjective judgment from objective judgment and support the view that maintaining attention is involved in feature binding of color and motion.
Properties of Glascrete Tiles

"Glascrete" is known as a concrete in which the aggregates wholly or partially consist of crushed glass, where the glass is a unique material that could be recycled many times without changing its chemical or mechanical properties. It has been used for certain purposes where the aesthetical aspect is one of the main considerations. This experimental work aims to evaluate the possibility of incorporating waste glass in glascrete tiles, as partial replacement for the fine aggregate. Two replacements were investigated, those are 20 and 40% by volume of fine aggregate. The tiles are assessed with regard to the requirements of the Iraqi Standard Specification No.1042/1987, by investigating their modules of rupture and total water absorption. The results prove that glascrete tiles with 20% and 40% of glass aggregate as partial volume replacement of natural fine aggregate are found to be acceptable with regard to the requirements of the Iraqi Standard Specification No.1042/1987.
IMPACT OF GDP GROWTH ON UNEMPLOYMENT DURING THE EXPANSION PERIODS: A STUDY ON OKUN’S LAW FOR TURKEY

The aim of this study is to analyze the relation between unemployment rate and Gross Domestic Product, as it is postulated in the Okun’s law. In this study, Gross Domestic Product is divided into two parts by approaching from a different perspective such as gross capital formation of investment and final consumption expenditure as a contribution to the earlier studies. A dummy variable is also added in the model, which represents the periods of expansion in the Gross Domestic Product. According to the results of analyses, existence of the co-integration is confirmed in the long-run between variables. There is a negative and significant relation between unemployment and years of expansion in the short run. The Vector Error Correction Model also unveils that disequilibrium in the model will gravitate toward the balance each period
Bioassay of Toxoplasma Gondii from Apparently Healthy Pigs Slaughtered in Addis Ababa Abattoir, Ethiopia

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii that infects a wide range of animals, including man and birds. The objective of the study was to isolate T. gondii in pigs slaughtered at the Addis Ababa abattoir. A total of 290 sera were examined for T. gondii antibodies (IgG) using the Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) of which 111 pigs (38.28%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 32.65%-44.14%) were seropositive. Hearts of fifty seropositive pigs and two pooled pig heart samples (portion of 4 pig hearts per pool) were used for the study. For the isolation of T. gondii, 50 g heart tissue was ground, digested with acid-pepsin and inoculated intraperitoneally into mice (5 mice/sample). Viable T. gondii was isolated from hearts of 24 of 50 (48%; 95% CI: 33.7%-62.6%) seropositive pigs and from the two pooled seronegative pig hearts. All isolates were asymptomatic except one isolate from Bishoftu which was lethal for mice on day 28 post-inoculation. There was a perfect agreement (k=0.85) between DAT and microscopic cyst detection in mice. The study suggests that pork containing viable T. gondii is released onto markets for consumers. Therefore, enforcing hygienic measures, public education, provision of rendering facilities and further studies deserve consideration. This is the first report of isolation of viable T. gondii from pigs in Ethiopia.
Search for indications of stellar mass ejections using FUV spectra

Aims. We search for highly energetic activity phenomena in a small sample of late-type main-sequence stars in the far ultraviolet (FUV) using data from the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). Methods. Because FUSE allows a simultaneous photometric and spectroscopic analysis, we are able to analyze variations in the light curves (flares) and possible, activity-related signatures (line asymmetries, enhancements, and shifts) in the spectra. Furthermore, the computation of the well-known density-sensitive line ratio C iii(λ1176 A)/C iii(λ977 A) is also possible, and allows the investigation of its dependence on stellar activity. Results. Three late-type main-sequence stars found in the FUSE archive (HD 36705, HD 197481, and Gl 388) show flares in their light curves. We find no obvious Doppler shifts in the brightest lines of these stars, but the O vi(λ1032 A) transition region line of AD Leo shows a blue wing enhancement one spectrum after a flare event. This emission feature is shifted by ∼–84 km s −1 from the line core. We can exclude that the spectral feature was caused by a gas cloud co-rotating with the star and favor an interpretation of a mass ejection. In addition we find an increase of the C iii(λ1176 A)/C iii(λ977 A) line ratio during all detected flares. We compare this finding to the Sun using solar full-disk spectra from the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) and SOlar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) missions, and find that powerful flare events also show an increased C iii(λ1176 A)/C iii(λ977 A) line ratio but this result is of low statistical significance. Owing to a lack of perfectly temporally coinciding TIMED/SORCE spectra and a low temporal resolution (∼15 spectra per day) it is not possible to distinguish clearly if this increase is caused by the flares or by the related mass ejections.
Respiration from a tropical forest ecosystem: partitioning of sources and low carbon use efficiency

Understanding how tropical forest carbon balance will respond to global change requires knowledge of individual heterotrophic and autotrophic respiratory sources, together with factors that control respiratory variability. We measured leaf, live wood, and soil respiration, along with additional environmental factors over a 1-yr period in a Central Amazon terra firme forest. Scaling these fluxes to the ecosystem, and combining our data with results from other studies, we estimated an average total ecosystem respiration (Reco) of 7.8 μmol·m−2·s−1. Average estimates (per unit ground area) for leaf, wood, soil, total heterotrophic, and total autotrophic respiration were 2.6, 1.1, 3.2, 5.6, and 2.2 μmol·m−2·s−1, respectively. Comparing autotrophic respiration with net primary production (NPP) estimates indicated that only ∼30% of carbon assimilated in photosynthesis was used to construct new tissues, with the remaining 70% being respired back to the atmosphere as autotrophic respiration. This low ecosystem carbon use efficiency (CUE) differs considerably from the relatively constant CUE of ∼0.5 found for temperate forests. Our Reco estimate was comparable to the above-canopy flux (Fac) from eddy covariance during defined sustained high turbulence conditions (when presumably Fac = Reco) of 8.4 (95% ci = 7.5– 9.4). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that ∼50% of the nighttime variability in Fac was accounted for by friction velocity (u*, a measure of turbulence) variables. After accounting for u* variability, mean Fac varied significantly with seasonal and daily changes in precipitation. A seasonal increase in precipitation resulted in a decrease in Fac, similar to our soil respiration response to moisture. The effect of daily changes in precipitation was complex: precipitation after a dry period resulted in a large increase in Fac, whereas additional precipitation after a rainy period had little effect. This response was similar to that of surface litter (coarse and fine), where respiration is greatly reduced when moisture is limiting, but increases markedly and quickly saturates with an increase in moisture.
Hubble Diagram Test of Expanding and Static Cosmological Models: The Case for a Slowly Expanding Flat Universe

We present a new redshift (RS) versus photon travel time () test including 171 supernovae RS data points. We extended the Hubble diagram to a range of z = 0,0141–8.1 in the hope that at high RSs, the fitting of the calculated RS/ diagrams to the observed RS data would, as predicted by different cosmological models, set constraints on alternative cosmological models. The Lambda cold dark matter (ΛCDM), the static universe model, and the case for a slowly expanding flat universe (SEU) are considered. We show that on the basis of the Hubble diagram test, the static and the slowly expanding models are favored.
Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment: Is ASEAN a New Destination?

The paper re-investigates the determinants of China’s outward foreign direct investment (ODI) employing panel data analysis collecting between 2003 and 2014. The results highlight that the market-seeking variables as GDP, GDP Per Capita, and openness to trade have a positive impact on China’s ODI. In addition, Chinese investors are likely to be not associated with economic growth of host countries. Importantly, the previous studies confirmed that only the rich natural resources and the weak institutions countries attracted China’s ODI. However, we found out that, in recent years, not only weak institutions but also good institutions with rich natural resources countries attracted China’s ODI. Moreover, China – ASEAN FTA and cultural proximity between the host country and China both have a significant positive effect of China’s ODI.
Impacts of Cash Dividend Components on Earning Persistence and Return on Stock

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of cash dividend components on corporates earnings persistence and return on stock. The population of study consists of 109 companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2016. Data was analyzed using regression model. According to results, the cash component of earnings is more persistent than accruals and it can be used to predict future earnings. Therefore, it is suggested that cash dividend component to predict future earnings. In addition, managers should pay attention to the cash component of earnings in their decisions made on the amount of optimal cash fund because this component can positively affect future earnings. Moreover, the cash flow component of earnings cannot be used to predict future return on stock. Therefore, investors are recommended not to rely on the cash component of earnings in their investments, This is because even if corporates have considerable cash funds, their shares will not necessarily be a suitable option for investment and they should take other factors into account.
Market Reaction to Split Announcements: Rational Response or Behavioural Bias?

This paper attempts to empirically examine two competing explanations of stock splits: Well established rational explanations and more recently documented behavioural explanations. We use a market-to-book decomposition approach developed by Rhodes-Kropf, Robinson, and Viswanathan (2005) to estimate the proxies for the rational and the behavioural components (growth opportunities and equity misvaluations respectively) of the firm. Using market reactions surrounding split announcements, we find significant correlations between the abnormal stock split announcement returns and immediate pre-split year level of growth opportunities and equity misvaluation. The splitting firms with relatively higher growth opportunities and overvalued equity have higher abnormal announcement returns while the firms with undervalued equity and low growth opportunities have the lowest abnormal announcement returns. These findings are consistent with the rational explanation that splits being used to signal growth opportunities but contradicts that undervalued firms use stock splits to signal undervaluation. We conclude that investors fail to separate growth opportunities and overvaluation from the stock price and hence reward both at split announcements.
Comunicación no verbal y paraverbal en el debate político entre Zapatero y Rajoy.

espanolEste articulo tiene como objetivo reflexionar sobre las condiciones contextuales y semioticas de los debates politicos. Mas concretamente, el autor analiza los debates desarrollados por Mariano Rajoy y Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero durante la ultima campana electoral. Orzaiz defiende que el 80% de la capacidad informativa de la interaccion comunicativa depende del comportamiento no verbal y paraverbal de los participantes. Son conscientes los dos lideres politicos espanoles del poder de estas expresiones no linguisticas en la comunicacion? El autor intenta responder a esta pregunta fundamental. EnglishThis article aims to reflect about the contextual and semiotic conditions of the political debates. More specifically, the author analyses the debates developed by Mariano Rajoy and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero during the last Spanish campaign. Orzaiz defends that 80% of the informative capacity derived from the communicative interaction depends on the nonverbal and paraverbal behavior of the participants. Are Spanish political leaders conscious of the power of these nonlinguistic expressions in communication? The author tries to answer this fundamental question.
Examining Age Differences in the Influence of Schematic Information on Retrieval Success

Schemas act as memory mechanisms that allow one to build frameworks in order to support memory through the use of gist information. This gist information can be especially beneficial to older adults in supporting successful memory. The current study sought to use naturalistic scenes in order to investigate age-related changes in the neural basis of true memories for information that was inherently tied to the scene’s schema compared to that which was not related to the schema. During encoding, participants viewed schematic scenes (e.g., Christmas, bathroom, camping) and were tested on their memory for the content of the scene, including targets that were related (e.g., toilet) and unrelated (e.g., vase) to its theme. Analyses focused on both similarities and differences in neural recruitment supporting memory for items related and unrelated to the schema. Correct responses to both schematically-related items and to items that were not related to the schema (non-schematic) were associated with increases in neural activity in the typical retrieval success network in younger adults, but a very limited network in older adults. A direct comparison between retrieval of schematic vs. non-schematic items found greater activity in bilateral visual and occipito-temporal regions, including the medial temporal lobe, indicating automatic recapitulation of items in the scene along with their surrounding schematic contexts. Additionally, results revealed greater activation in prefrontal and parietal regions associated with decision-making, evaluation and attention, when comparing non-schematic retrieval with schematic retrieval. Older adults showed evidence of a reliance on the schema when comparing schematic and non-schematic retrieval, with greater activation in middle and superior temporal gyri. However, the reverse contrast revealed very limited activation, limiting the age comparison analysis. Thus, the discussion focuses on interpretation of the younger adult results, as well as additional functional connectivity analyses.
A Study of College Students Sport Volunteers' Participation Job Satisfaction, Perceived Value and Willingness of Re-participation

The purpose of this study is to analyze the college students to participate in large-scale sporting events volunteers' job satisfaction, perceived value, and willingness to participate again. Students targeted investigation department has been involved in major sporting events volunteer service, convenience sampling survey received 577 valid questionnaires. The information obtained by the statistical analysis, the study found: 1 in job satisfaction, the partners get along with volunteers Harmony "is the highest. Students volunteering to participate in the "job satisfaction" and "perceived value" have predicted "willingness to re-participate". According to the above results, the study not only the future want to handle the planning of large-scale sporting events volunteer service specific recommendations and also proposed direction for future research. 
Japanese Honors System and incentives for Presidents

Career concern can mitigate agency problem between directors and shareholders. In this paper, we extend source of career concern to non-financial incentive: honors conferred by government. Using data on a large sample of presidents of Japanese firms, we examine the determinants and effect of honors conferred by government. We find that presidents’ probability of winning an order is positively related with his accounting performance. Other firm characteristics, such as ex-bureaucrats on board, prosecution by Fair Trade Commission, are found to affect the probability. There is a positive and significant relationship between ranks of orders and firm size in terms of market share and sales. Presidents may want to maximize sales, rather than shareholders’ return to win higher honor. We also argue that concern for future honor affect pay-performance sensitivity. We find that financial incentive is weaker for those who are more likely to receive higher honors.
A Biblioteca Pública, o utilizador idoso e as políticas de infoinclusão

BEZERRA, F. M. P. A Biblioteca publica, o utilizador idoso e as politicas de infloinclusao. 2012. 319 p. Tese (Doutorado em Informacao e Comunicacao em Plataformas Digitais) – Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto, Portugal, 2012
Metabolism of 17,17-[2H2]gibberellin A20 to 17,17-[2H2]gibberellin Al by Azospirillum Tipo ferum cultures

Se comprobo mediante analisis por cromatografla gaseosa capilar-espectro metrlade masa-monitoreo selectivo de iones, que cultivos en medio quimicamente definido de Azospirillum lipoferum cepa Al op33 metabolizaron [3H]-GA20 a 17,17-[2H2]GA1.
Forest management intensity: a comparison of timber investment management organizations and industrial landowners in Mississippi

All timberland investment management organizations (TIMOs) and industrial landowners in Mississippi were surveyed during 1998 and 1999 to determine their annual forest management practices and related expenditures. The response rate was 65%, and respondents accounted for approximately 90% of the timberland owned by these two landowner groups. For analysis purposes, industrial landowners were separated into two categories: large (>10,000 ac) and small (<10,000 ac). Pine plantations represented 66% of TIMOs’ timberland base compared to 55% for large industrial landowners and less than 50% for small industrial landowners. Over the 2 yr study period, TIMOs and large industrial landowners invested heavily in site preparation and planting as well as midrotation chemical release and fertilization. In contrast, small industrial landowners relied on natural regeneration to a much greater extent and conducted few, if any, midrotation treatments. As a group, TIMOs and industrial landowners spent approximately $20/ac annually on their Mississippi timberlands. Overhead represented slightly over 40% of this total, with silvicultural treatments accounting for the remainder. Property taxes represented the largest overhead expense. In total, these landowners spent $67 million in 1998 and $54 million in 1999 to maintain and manage their Mississippi timberlands. South. J. Appl. For. 27(2):83–91.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of male circumcision for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention among voluntary counselling and testing clients in a centre in northern Namibia

Background: There is compelling evidence that male circumcision (MC) is associated with reduced risk of contracting HIV. For this reason, MC is recommended for countries like Namibia where HIV prevalence is high and MC rates are low. Following this recommendation, a national MC campaign was considered to introduce MC as an additional HIV prevention strategy with the intention of rolling it out in communities where MC is not traditionally practised and where heterosexually transmitted HIV infection rates are high. Little is known about the acceptability of MC in traditionally non-circumcising communities in Northern Namibia. Objective: This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices of MC among men presenting for voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) in a traditionally non-circumcising ethnic group in the northern Namibia. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 331 Oshiwambo-speaking males aged 18 years and older, presenting for VCT services. Data was analysed using Epi-Info 2008, Version 3.5. 1. Results: The self-reported prevalence of MC in the study sample was 15.4%, with 38% of those reporting being circumcised during their childhood (1-13 years) and 44% being circumcised for health-related reasons. Most respondents (n = 241, 74.4%) had heard that MC reduces the men’s risk of HIV infection. Up to 53.1% of the respondents had good knowledge regarding MC; moreover, the majority of the respondents (n = 194, 66.6%) reported that it is easier for uncircumcised men to acquire HIV infection. It was found that men aged 25 to 34 years were more willing to be circumcised than the other age groups. Conclusions: A high level of knowledge of MC was revealed. Accordingly, the idea of MC is likely to be accepted, especially if it is implemented to reduce the risk of HIV infection.