Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DASTEX: a New Readability Formula based on Semantic Complexity of Text

Simple measures often couldn’t count a deep complexity. In the case of semantic complexity of the text, conventional readability formulas share a common style, a common sort of achievements and a common borders of limitation: These formulas lack a semanticsaware approach and as a result, a precise measurement of semantic complexity couldn’t be done by them. In this paper, we introduce DASTEX, a novel semantics-aware complexity measure for semantic complexity of text. By DASTEX, a new layer of complexity analysis are opened for NLP, cognitive and computational tasks. This measure benefits from an intuitionistic underlying formal model which consider semantic as a lattice of intuitions. This yields to a well-defined definition for semantic of a text and its complexity. DASTEX is a practical analysis method upon this formal model. So a complete suite of idea, model and method are prepared to result in a simple but yet deep measure for semantic complexity of text. The evaluation of the proposed approach is done by a detailed example, a case study, a set of eighteen human-judgment experiments and a corpus-based evaluation. The results show that DASTEX is capable of measuring the semantic complexity of text. The Experiment-results demonstrate that our method consistently outperforms the random baseline in terms of better precision and accuracy.
Geomorphology and geosystem services of the Indren-Cimalegna area (Monte Rosa massif – Western Italian Alps)

ABSTRACT New strategies for preservation of geodiversity and geosystem services need to be developed for mountain areas that are vulnerable to climate change and human activities. Detailed geomorphological surveys and geosystem services analyses have been carried out in the Indren-Cimalegna area, southern slope of Monte Rosa (Western Italian Alps). From remote sensing analysis and field inventories, a geomorphological map (1:5000) was created, with a new GIS-compliant legend, targeted to the studies of glacial and periglacial environments. A geosystem services map (1:15,000) was also produced, presenting a two-fold analysis of interactions between geomorphology and human activity, showing (1) the role of distinct landforms as specific services offered to society and (2) the threats posed by morphodynamic processes to human activities. These maps are presented as tools for enhancing proper planning and management of high mountains modified by climate change and human activities within a sustainable development perspective.
A novel Swollenin from Talaromyces leycettanus JCM12802 enhances cellulase hydrolysis towards various substrates

Background: Swollenins exist within some fungal species such as Trichoderma reesei and Aspergillus niger, and are candidate accessory enzymes for the biodegradation of cellulosic substrates. Swollenins theorized role in biological processes is as promoters in the rearrangement of non-covalent interaction networks formed by cell wall polysaccharides. Such network rearrangements though to be responsible for expanding accessibility for hydrolytic enzyme degradation processes. We hereby report in detail the characterization of a recombinant swollenin and its disruptive activity on cellulosic substrates and its synergistic effects while interacting with cellulases.Results: We have expressed a novel swollenin gene Tlswo consists of an open reading frame encoding 503 amino acids to be identified from Talaromyces leycettanus JCM12802 and successfully expressed it in both Trichoderma reesei and Pichia pastoris. Similar to other fungal swollenins, TlSWO is composed of a N-terminal family 1 carbohydrate binding module (CBM1) followed by a Ser/Thr rich linker connected to an expansin-like domain, followed by a family of 45 endoglucanase-like domains and a group-2 grass pollen allergen domain. From our experimental results, TlSWO demonstrated disruptive activity on Avicel and displayed a synergistic effect with cellobiohydrolases, enhancing its hydrolytic performance up to 132%. We also explored the activity of TlSWO on several model substrates as well as pretreated biomass. Our results indicate that TlSWO is capable of releasing reducing sugars from lichenan, barley β-glucan, carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC-Na) and laminarin. The specific activity of TlSWO towards the substates mentioned above is 9.0 ± 0.100 U/mg, 8.9 ± 0.100U/mg, 2.3 ± 0.002 U/mg and 0.79 ± 0.002 U/mg, respectively. Moreover, further experimentation confirms the fungal swollenin TlSWO exhibits maximum activity at pH 4.0 and 50 ℃. Conclusion: This study reports on a novel swollenin protein capable of enhancing biomass conversion. Experimental data reveals the functional diversity of this swollenin with considerable activity on various substrates. Although the exact catalytic mechanism of swollenin’s remains unknown, the functional diversity of TlSWO broadens its applicability under experimental settings, and suggests it may be a promising candidate for future industrial applications.
A comparative study of COVID-19 responses in South Korea and Japan: political nexus triad and policy responses

Korea and Japan, neighboring democratic countries in Northeast Asia, announced their first COVID-19 cases in January 2020 and witnessed similar patterns of disease spread but adopted different policy approaches to address the pandemic (agile and proactive approach versus cautious and restraint-based approach). Applying the political nexus triad model, this study analyzes and compares institutional contexts and governance structures of Korea and Japan, then examines the differences in policy responses of the two Asian countries. This study first reviews the state of COVID-19 and examines changes in the conventional president-led political nexus triad in Korea and the bureaucracy-led political nexus triad in Japan. Then, this study examines how the differences in institutional contexts and governance structures shaped policy responses and policy outcomes of the two countries in managing the COVID-19 crisis. Points for practitioners • Institutional and governance structure in a society are likely to affect policymaking processes as well as selection of policies among various policy alternatives. • Government officials often need to refer to government capacity as well as citizens’ voluntary participation in resolving wicked policy problems like COVID-19. • Policy decisions made by government officials affect policy outcomes while political environment and political leadership are equally important to policy effectiveness.
Comparative Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessment of Low and Mid-Rise Mass Timber Buildings with Equivalent Structural Steel Alternatives

The objective of this paper was to quantify and compare the environmental impacts associated with alternative designs of typical North American low and mid-rise buildings. Two scenarios were considered: a traditional structural steel frame or an all-wood mass timber design, utilizing engineered wood products for both gravity and lateral load resistance. The boundary of the quantitative analysis was cradle-to-grave with considerations taken to discuss end-of-life and material reuse scenarios. The TRACI methodology was followed to conduct a Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) analysis that translates building quantities to environmental impact indicators using the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings Life Cycle analysis software tool and Athena’s Life Cycle Inventory database. The results of the analysis show that mass timber buildings have an advantage with respect to several environmental impact categories, including eutrophication potential, human health particulate, and global warming potential where a 31% to 41% reduction was found from mass timber to steel designs, neglecting potential carbon sequestration benefits from the timber products. However, it was also found that the steel buildings have a lower impact with respect to the environmental impact categories of smog potential, acidification potential, and ozone depletion potential, where a 48% to 58% reduction was found from the steel to the mass timber building designs.
LIFE SATISFACTION, PRO-ACTIVITY AND EMPLOYMENT

Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), this paper investigates how pro-active time-use (e.g., in sports/arts/socializing) relates to subjective well-being of the unemployed and their probability of finding a new job. Allowing for a variety of socio-demographic and -economic observed characteristics, we find that pro-activity is negatively associated with the well-being loss upon unemployment. That is, the negative unemployment shock on their well-being is mitigated through various stress-reducing activities including, in particular, art participation, socializing, going on trips, and visiting a church. We also find that the probability of returning to the labor market later is positively associated with proactivity during the unemployment period. The results are robust to various checks including estimators, measures, and individual personality characteristics which can correlate with time-use activities.
Effect of Vacuum Packaging and Sous Vide Processing on the Quality of Indian White Shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus) During Chilled Storage

ABSTRACT A comparative study was undertaken to assess the effect of sous vide (SV) processing, vacuum, and ordinary air packaging on the quality and shelf life of condiment-incorporated Indian white shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus) during chilled storage. The pasteurization value (PV) for SV-processed shrimp was 4.02 min at 90ºC. The initial K value of shrimp (2.17%) increased to 5.26% with SV processing and further increased to a value of 46.9% on the day of sensory rejection, compared with 64.3% and 62.7% for vacuum and air-packed samples, respectively. A nearly 3 log reduction in total mesophilic count was observed for SV-processed shrimp. Formation of volatile bases, indole, and lipid oxidation was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited in SV-processed shrimp compared to others. SV processing extended the shelf life of condiment-incorporated shrimp up to 28 days, compared to only 15 and 8 days for vacuum and air-packed samples, respectively.
Making the world a better place with fintech research

Financial technology (fintech) is seen as possessing significant potential to provide the poor access to financial services and help them escape the clutches of poverty. Surprisingly, Information Systems (IS) research has engaged little with fintech's promise of fostering financial inclusion for the poor. In the spirit of ‘making a better world with ICTs’, conducting ‘responsible IS research for a better world’ and ‘understanding and tackling societal grand challenges through management research’, we advance a framework for guiding IS research on fintech‐led financial inclusion. Drawing on the IS literature and Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) scholarship, we extrapolate five areas of research that can better illuminate fintech's contributions to financial inclusion: (a) business strategies for fintech‐led financial inclusion; (b) digital artifacts of fintech‐led financial inclusion; (c) business environment of fintech‐led financial inclusion; (d) microfoundations of fintech for financial inclusion; (e) developmental impacts of fintech. We conclude with a discussion of how the five areas offer opportunities for impactful research on fintech and the promise of building a financially inclusive society.
Evaluation of the Expression of Circulating miR-16 and miR-26a in the plasma of Gastric Cancer Patients in Guilan province, North of Iran

Background and Aims: Gastric cancer (GC) is a global health problem and the second deadly type of cancer worldwide with 1000 deaths per year. Poor prognosis in the early stages is one of the burdens in the treatment of GC. MicroRNAs are 18-22 nucleotide non-coding RNAs which play critical roles in the regulation of gene expression. Nowadays, miRNAs are widely known as non-invasive biomarkers for various kinds of cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the expression level of circulating miR-16 and miR-26a in GC patients and investigate the potential prognostic role of these miRNAs. Material and Methods: Initially, 20 plasma samples were obtained from pre-and post-operative GC patients, and the expression of miR-16 and -26a were compared with that of 20 healthy controls. The miRNAs expression was investigated using Real-Time quantitative PCR. The association between the expression levels of these miRNAs and clinicopathological features was also investigated in this study. Results: MiR-16 was down-regulated in GC patients; however, miR-26a expression revealed no significant difference between patients and controls in this regard. Furthermore, the expression of two miRNAs showed no association with the grade, TNM stage, and smoking status of the patients. Eventually, decreased expression of miR-16 was not correlated with the expression level of miR-26a. Conclusion: The downregulation of circulating miR-16 introduces this microRNA as a candidate biomarker for the non-invasive early prognosis of GC.
Changes in implicit God representations after psychotherapy for patients diagnosed with a personality disorder. Associations with changes in explicit God representations, distress and object-relational functioning

ABSTRACT Research has demonstrated that maladaptive relational functioning of patients suffering from personality disorders is associated with more negative God representations. This study demonstrated with a single group design among a group of 37 Christian patients with personality disorders, that changes in implicit God representations during psychotherapy, as assessed with the recently developed implicit Apperception Test God Representations (ATGR), were associated with changes in explicit God representations and object-relational functioning, but not in distress. Changes in explicit distress were associated with changes in explicit God representations. Results of cross-lagged analyses suggested that object-relational functioning affected God representations more than vice versa.
Analysis of the Atmospheric Water Cycle for the Laurentian Great Lakes Region using CMIP6 models

This study evaluates the historical climatology and future changes of the atmospheric water cycle for the Laurentian Great Lakes region using 15 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models. While the models have unique seasonal characteristics in the historical (1981 – 2010) simulations, common patterns emerge by the mid-century SSP2-4.5 scenario (2041 – 2070), including a prevalent shift in the precipitation seasonal cycle with summer drying and wetter winter-spring months, and a ubiquitous increase in the magnitudes of convective precipitation, evapotranspiration, and moisture inflow into the region. The seasonal cycle of moisture flux convergence is amplified (i.e., the magnitude of winter convergence and summer divergence increases), which is the primary driver of future total precipitation changes. Precipitation recycling ratio is also projected to decline in summer and increase in winter by the mid-century, signifying a larger contribution of the regional moisture (via evapotranspiration) to total precipitation in the colder months. Many models (6/15) do not include representation of the Great Lakes, while others (4/15) have major inconsistencies in how the lakes are simulated both in terms of spatial representation and treatment of lake processes. In models with some lake presence, contribution of lake grid cells to the regional evapotranspiration magnitude can be more than 50% in winter. In future, winter months have a larger increase in evaporation over water surfaces than the surrounding land, which corroborates past findings of sensitivity of deep lakes to climate warming and highlights the importance of lake representation in these models for reliable regional hydroclimatic assessments.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE “BUNDLES” AND FIRM ACQUISITIVENESS

Research Question/Issue: We explore how the interrelations of governance mechanisms ( “ bundles ” ) influence a firm's propensity for corporate acquisitions. Focusing on four key internal and external mechanisms, namely, board of directors monitoring, CEO pay incentives, takeover market discipline, and institutional investor monitoring, we use a sample of 1171 completed M&A deals by 799 U.S. firms during the period 1998 – 2015 to test the Substitution versus Complementarity Hypotheses . Research Findings/Insights: The findings provide, in the main, support for both the Substitution and the Complementarity Hypotheses , with several incentives alignment, internal and external monitoring mechanisms acting as substitutes and complements of each other toward firm acquisitiveness. Theoretical/Academic Implications: Our results challenge the notion that corporate governance mechanisms purely function as independent factors and contribute to the configurational perspective of corporate governance. They offer new evidence that combinations or “ bundles ” of firm-level governance mechanisms can allow for differing degrees of firm acquisitiveness. Practitioner/Policy Implications: Different governance “ bundles ” will have different implications for major strategic decisions such as corporate acquisitions. Firms seek-ing to control or increase acquisition propensity can thus consider “ equifinal ” governance configurations, whereby alternative combinations of governance mechanisms can lead to comparable, desired outcomes.
Pore-Scale Investigation of Carbon Dioxide-Enhanced Oil Recovery

Carbon dioxide (CO2) enhanced oil recovery is a green and promising way to produce oil and reduce the rapid growth of carbon dioxide released to atmosphere. A pore-scale understanding of CO2 displacement phenomena is important to enhance oil recovery in porous media. In this work, a direct numerical simulation method is employed to investigate the drainage process of CO2 in an oil-wet porous medium. The interface between the oil and CO2 is tracked by the phase field method. The capacity and accuracy of the model are validated using a classic benchmark: the process of a bubble rising. A series of numerical experiments were performed over a large range of values of the gravity number, capillary number, and viscosity ratio to investigate the flooding process of CO2 in a porous medium. The results show that the pressure in the main CO2 flow path decreases dramatically after CO2 breaks through the outlet. Oil begins to reflow into large pores that were previously occupied by CO2. This phenomenon has an importa.
INSPECTING THE ROLE OF EMPOWERMENT, OSTRACISM, DEFENSIVE SILENCE AND EMPLOYEE PROACTIVITY WITH RELATION TO EMPLOYEE CREATIVITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Purpose: This study attempts to gain insight into what factor influence on employee creativity and perceived organizational performance. Therefore, a theoretical framework is developed grounded in empowerment theory workplace ostracism and defensive silence. In addition to that the moderating role of employee proactivity is hypothesized between employee creativity and perceived organizational performance. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research design of this study is based on positivist paradigm and followed quantitative research approach. A survey was administered towards public sector organizations in Saudi Arabia. Sample size of this study is computed with prior-power analysis using G-power software. For data analysis 384 responses were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings: Results indicate that employee creativity is predicted by empowering leadership, psychological empowerment, structural empowerment, trust in leadership, defensive silence and workplace ostracism and explained 52.4% variance in employee creativity. Therefore, employee creativity and employee proactivity shows 55.1% variance in perceived organizational performance. Effect size analysis showed that structural empowerment had medium level of effect size when predicting employee creativity. Practical Implications: This study contributes to empowerment theory and enriches the innovative and leadership literature. Practically, this research suggested that managers and policy makers should focus on empowering leadership, structural empowerment, psychological empowerment, employee proactivity and trust in leadership in order to boost employee creativity and perceived organizational performance. Originality/value: This research is significant as it extends the empowerment theory with defensive silence and workplace ostracism and extends the body of knowledge on this subject. To the best of researcher knowledge this study is the first that test the empowerment theory with the moderating role of employee proactivity to determine employee creativity and perceived organizational performance.
Autonomous/controlled travel motivations and their effect on travel intentions of Indian Millennials: a mixed method approach

ABSTRACT With the self-determination theory (SDT) as grounding, the current study uses qualitative investigation with twenty-five respondents and a two-stage quantitative validation with 782 respondents, to propose seven travel motivations for Indian millennials. These motivations are knowledge-seeking, escape, sense of accomplishment, experience stimulation, social relationships, destination rewards, and social media compulsion. These motivations are mapped to specific regulations in the SDT and organized into autonomous and controlled motivations. Both autonomous and controlled motivations have a significant impact on travel intentions. A judgemental sample of Indian millennials is drawn from the eligible client-list of a prominent tourism agency used as the sampling frame. The study guides destination managers to position their destinations aligned with the motivations that drive Indian millennials to travel.
Functional-Specific Projections from V2 to V4 in Macaque Monkeys

Previous studies have revealed modular projections from area V2 to area V4 in macaques. Specifically, V2 neurons in cytochrome oxidase (CO)-rich thin and CO-sparse pale stripes project to distinct regions in V4. However, how these modular projections relate to the functional subcompartments of V4 remains unclear. In this study, we injected retrograde fluorescent tracers into different functional domains (color, orientation, and direction) in V4 that were identified with intrinsic signal optical imaging. We examined the labeled neurons in area V2 and their locations with respect to the CO patterns. Covariation was observed between the functional properties of the V4 injection sites and the numbers of labeled neurons in particular CO stripes. This covariation indicates that the color domains in V4 mainly received inputs from V2 thin stripes, whereas V4 orientation domains received inputs from pale (major) and thick (minor) stripes. Although there are motion-sensitive domains in both V2 and V4, our results did not reveal a functional-specific feedforward projection between them. These results confirmed previous findings of modular projections from V2 to V4 and provided functional specificity for these anatomical projections. Together, these findings indicate that color and form remain separate in the ventral midlevel visual processing.