Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parsing the contributions of negative affect vs. aversive motivation to cognitive control: an experimental investigation

Introduction Punishment is a powerful drive that fosters aversive motivation and increases negative affect. Previous studies have reported that this drive has the propensity to improve cognitive control, as shown by improved conflict processing when it is used. However, whether aversive motivation per se or negative affect eventually drives this change remains unclear because in previous work, the specific contribution of these two components could not be isolated. Methods To address this question, we conducted two experiments where we administered the confound minimized Stroop task to a large group of participants each time (N = 50 and N = 47 for Experiment 1 and 2, respectively) and manipulated punishment and feedback contingency using a factorial design. These two experiments were similar except that in the second one, we also measured awareness of feedback contingency at the subjective level. We reasoned that cognitive control would improve the most when punishment would be used, and the contingency between this motivational drive and performance would be reinforced, selectively. Results Both experiments consistently showed that negative affect increased at the subjective level when punishment was used and the feedback was contingent on task performance, with these two effects being additive. In Experiment 1, we found that when the feedback was contingent on task performance and punishment was activated, conflict processing did not improve. In Experiment 2, we found that conflict processing improved when punishment was contingent on task performance, and participants were aware of this contingency. Discussion These results suggest that aversive motivation can improve conflict processing when participants are aware of the link created between punishment and performance.
Effects of ischaemic post-conditioning on eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is a common phenomenon resulting from high-intensity exercise that impairs subsequent performance. Ischaemic post-conditioning (IPOC) is a simple intervention that has been shown to reduce muscle damage after prolonged ischaemia, a condition mechanistically similar to EIMD. The purpose of this study was to determine whether IPOC could alleviate muscle damage after eccentric exercise. Thirty-two young male participants were randomized into either a sham (n = 16) or an IPOC (n = 16) intervention group. Biceps brachii muscle damage was induced by eccentric exercise, with IPOC or sham intervention applied on the dominant arm following exercise (3 cycles of 30 s ischaemia). Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain, arm circumference, muscle thickness, echo-intensity, and microvascular function (using near-infrared spectroscopy) were measured bilaterally at baseline, 24, 48, and 72 hours after eccentric exercise. Biceps curl one repetition maximum (1RM) was also measured. 1RM was higher for the IPOC group at 48 and 72 hours (both p < 0.05). On the dominant arm, VAS pain was lower at 72 hours for the IPOC group (p = 0.039). Muscle thickness was lower at all post-exercise time points for the IPOC group (all p < 0.05). VAS pain, echo-intensity, and arm circumference were elevated on the non-dominant arm in the sham group at 72 hours (all p < 0.05). These parameters all returned to the baseline level for the IPOC group at 72 hours (all p > 0.05IPOC could attenuate the decrease in strength, and alleviate EIMD with both local and remote effects after high-intensity exercise.
English learning motivation with TAM: Undergraduates’ behavioral intention to use Chinese indigenous social media platforms for English learning

Abstract As the largest proportion of Chinese netizens, undergraduates’ use of social media platforms to learn English has become a focus of Chinese higher education. Based on technology acceptance model (TAM) and theory of language learning motivation, through a structural equation modeling approach, this paper explored factors that influenced the behavioral intention of Chinese undergraduates to use two typical Chinese indigenous social medial platforms (i.e. WeChat and Bilibili) to learn English. By analyzing data from 834 Chinese undergraduates who answered an online questionnaire, we found that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and English learning motivation had positive effects on intention to use both platforms to learn English. Perceived enjoyment had a positive influence on the intentional use of WeChat, but not Bilibili. Additionally, perceived usefulness acted as a mediator between perceived ease of use and intentional use, as well as between perceived enjoyment and intentional use; however, it did not mediate the relationship between English learning motivation and intentional use for both platforms. This study is beneficial to English teachers, developers of social media platforms, and other related stakeholders, as it provides insight into Chinese undergraduates’ use of indigenous platforms to learn English, while incorporating motivation theory with technology acceptance model.
Apple production systems and post-harvest management across selected locations of North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

Apple farming is a new production venture across the North Shewa Zone. Its production, harvest, postharvest handling, and marketing status are not well known. This study was conducted to assess the above-lined situations across the district. Four representative locations, Asabahir, Tsigereda, Tengego, and Godnamamas were selected based on their apple production status. Then, a total of 88 respondents were randomly selected and interviewed by a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics of percentage, standard deviation, and chi-square tests. A larger percentage of farmers are male (82.9%), in their active production age (41.7%), and produce apples in their backyard (85.25%). The agronomic management of fertilization, pruning, training, and plant spacing deviate from the recommended practices of apple farming. Whereas varietal distribution, irrigation, and post-harvest treatments are better practiced. Loss of fruits by fruit drops and discrimination on the market due to small fruit size are serious problems across the locations. Regarding apple farming, the farmers think of it as a productive venture and got a better price per kg and single fruit sale. They sell mainly in local collectors (60.2%) and nearby cities. As for institutional support, the farmers got apple seedlings, training, and capacity buildings by Agriculture Offices and NGOs, even if the farmers are still in higher need of better support. Therefore, it can be concluded that if not outwaited by poor tree management, destructive product transportation, and higher loss of fruits from trees and in the market, the attitude of the farmers can be capitalized in better production of apples.
Antecedents of customer value co-creation in Islamic banking: The role of religiosity, perceived value and behavioral factors

Abstract This study aims to examine some antecedents of customer value co-creation in the Islamic bank industry. It also addresses the role of religiosity, perceived value and behavioral factors on customer value co-creation. This quantitative study used 400 respondents as the sample. Data were collected through survey and after some preliminary analyses, this study analyzed 390 responses in the main analysis. Data were analyzed using Covariance Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) with AMOS 24 as the software package. The result indicates that several factors affect customer value co-creation, including religiosity, service quality, perceived value and customer commitment. Even though there is no significant direct relationship between satisfaction and customer value co-creation, it was found that satisfaction relates to customer value co-creation through customer commitment as the mediator. This study also found the moderating role of religiosity on the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer commitment. Limitations and future research are discussed.
Population Structure and Phylogeography of Marine Gastropods Monodonta labio and M. confusa (Trochidae) along the Northwestern Pacific Coast

The genetic structure and demographic history of marine organisms are influenced by biological and ecological features, oceanic currents, and the paleo-geological effects of sea-level fluctuations. In this study, we used mitochondrial COI + 16S gene analysis to investigate the phylogeographic pattern and demography of Monodonta labio and M. confusa in Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, mainland China, and Korea. Our genetic analysis identified two major lineages that were not evident from the distribution patterns of different populations. The Taiwan Strait, which acted as a land bridge during Pleistocene glaciations, and the lack of strong dispersal barriers to gene flow between ocean basins after glaciations shaped the phylogeographic pattern. The genetic differentiation in the Ryukyu Islands was influenced by the specialist-generalist variation hypothesis and the Kuroshio Current. Bayesian skyline plot analyses suggested that the effective population size of M. labio and M. confusa rapidly increased approximately 0.1 and 0.075 million years ago, respectively. Our approximate Bayesian computation analysis suggested that all M. labio and M. confusa populations experienced a decline in population size following a recent population expansion and constant size, respectively. Our study provides a baseline for future investigations of the biogeographical patterns of marine gastropods in the Northwest Pacific and offers valuable insights for the management, sustainable resource utilization, and conservation of this species.
Acute Intake of Sucrose but Not of the Intense Sweetener Sucralose Is Associated with Post-Prandial Endotoxemia in Healthy Young Adults—A Randomized Controlled Trial

Sugar-rich diets, but also the use of intense sweeteners, may alter intestinal barrier function. Here, we assessed the effect of sucrose and sucralose on post-prandial endotoxemia in a randomized placebo-controlled single-blinded crossover-designed study. Following a 2-day standardization of their diet, healthy men and women received a beverage containing either sucrose, sucralose (iso-sweet) or an isocaloric combination of sucralose + maltodextrin. Plasma endotoxin levels were measured after consumption of the respective beverages. Moreover, the effect of sucrose and sucralose on intestinal permeability was assessed in Caco-2 cells and ex vivo in an everted gut sac model. The nutritional standardization recommended by nutrition societies was associated with a significant decrease in plasma endotoxin levels. The intake of the sucrose-sweetened beverage resulted in a significant increase in plasma endotoxin levels while being unchanged after the intake of sucralose-sweetened beverages. In Caco-2 cells, the challenge with sucrose but not with sucralose significantly increased the permeation of the bacterial endotoxin across the cell monolayer. Xylose permeation in small intestinal everted tissue sacs was significantly higher upon the challenge with sucrose while remaining unchanged in sucralose-challenged sacs. Our data suggest that an acute intake of physiologically relevant amounts of sucrose but not of sucralose can result in post-prandial endotoxemia.
An econometric analysis of the economic and environmental efficiency of dairy farms in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands

viii Uittreksel x Acknowledgements xii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1 The South African dairy industry 1 1.2 Introducing production function and technical efficiency concepts 3 1.3 Introducing the concept of environmental efficiency 4 1.4 Defining the empirical problem of measuring environmental efficiency 5 1.5 Objectives of the study 8 1.6 The importance of the study and its contribution to knowledge 10 1.7 Data 11 1.8 Organisation of the dissertation 13 Chapter 2: A review of theoretical approaches 16 2.1 The production function and its parameters 16 2.2 Econometric estimation 19 2.3 Flexible functional forms 20 2.4 The measurement of technical change 21 2.5 Measures of economic efficiency 21 2.4 The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach 29 2.4. 1 Technical efficiency 31 2.4. 2 Economic efficiency 31 2.4. 3 Allocative efficiency 32 2.5 Theoretical development of environmental efficiency measurement 32 2.6 Conclusion 37 Chapter 3: Dairying in the Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal 38 3.1 Introduction 38 3.2 The dairy industry 41 3.2.1 The dairy supply chain 42 3.2.2 Performance trends 43
Recent Advancements in Glaucoma Surgery—A Review

Surgery has long been an important treatment for limiting optic nerve damage and minimising visual loss in patients with glaucoma. Numerous improvements, modifications, and innovations in glaucoma surgery over recent decades have improved surgical safety, and have led to earlier and more frequent surgical intervention in glaucoma patients at risk of vision loss. This review summarises the latest advancements in trabeculectomy surgery, glaucoma drainage device (GDD) implantation, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases, alongside subsequent hand searches—limited to the past 10 years for trabeculectomy and GDDs, and the past 5 years for MIGS—yielded 2283 results, 58 of which were included in the final review (8 trabeculectomy, 27 GDD, and 23 MIGS). Advancements in trabeculectomy are described in terms of adjunctive incisions, Tenon’s layer management, and novel suturing techniques. Advancements in GDD implantation pertain to modifications of surgical techniques and devices, novel methods to deal with postoperative complications and surgical failure, and the invention of new GDDs. Finally, the popularity of MIGS has recently promoted modifications to current surgical techniques and the development of novel MIGS devices.
Compound Chondrule Formation in Optically Thin Shock Waves

Shock-wave heating within the solar nebula is one of the leading candidates for the source of chondrule-forming events. Here we examine the possibility of compound chondrule formation via optically thin shock waves. Several features of compound chondrules indicate that they are formed via the collisions of supercooled precursors. We evaluate whether compound chondrules can be formed via the collision of supercooled chondrule precursors in the framework of the shock-wave heating model by using semi-analytical methods and discuss whether most of the crystallized chondrules can avoid destruction upon collision in the post-shock region. We find that chondrule precursors immediately turn into supercooled droplets when the shock waves are optically thin, and they can maintain supercooling until the condensation of evaporated fine dust grains. Owing to the large viscosity of supercooled melts, supercooled chondrule precursors can survive high-speed collisions on the order of 1 km s−1 when the temperature is below ∼1400 K. From the perspective of the survivability of crystallized chondrules, shock waves with a spatial scale of ∼104 km may be potent candidates for the chondrule formation mechanism. Based on our results from one-dimensional calculations, a fraction of compound chondrules can be reproduced when the chondrule-to-gas mass ratio in the pre-shock region is ∼2 × 10−3, which is approximately half of the solar metallicity.
Ship Instance Segmentation from Remote Sensing Images Using Sequence Local Context Module

The performance of object instance segmentation in remote sensing images has been greatly improved through the introduction of many landmark frameworks based on convolutional neural network. However, the object densely issue still affects the accuracy of such segmentation frameworks. Objects of the same class are easily confused, which is most likely due to the close docking between objects. We think context information is critical to address this issue. So, we propose a novel framework called SLCMASK-Net, in which a sequence local context module (SLC) is introduced to avoid confusion between objects of the same class. The SLC module applies a sequence of dilation convolution blocks to progressively learn multi-scale context information in the mask branch. Besides, we try to add SLC module to different locations in our framework and experiment with the effect of different parameter settings. Comparative experiments are conducted on remote sensing images acquired by QuickBird with a resolution of 0.5m — 1m and the results show that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art performance.
Arsenite Impairs BRCA1-Dependent DNA Double-Strand Break Repair, a Mechanism Potentially Contributing to Genomic Instability

BRCA1 is a key player in maintaining genomic integrity with multiple functions in DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms. Due to its thiol-rich zinc-complexing domain, the protein may also be a potential target for redox-active and/or thiol-reactive (semi)metal compounds. The latter includes trivalent inorganic arsenic, which is indirectly genotoxic via induction of oxidative stress and inhibition of DNA repair pathways. In the present study, we investigated the effect of NaAsO2 on the transcriptional and functional DDR. Particular attention was paid to the potential impairment of BRCA1-mediated DDR mechanisms by arsenite by comparing BRCA1-deficient and -proficient cells. At the transcriptional level, arsenite itself activated several DDR mechanisms, including a pronounced oxidative stress and DNA damage response, mostly independent of BRCA1 status. However, at the functional level, a clear BRCA1 dependency was observed in both cell cycle regulation and cell death mechanisms after arsenite exposure. Furthermore, in the absence of arsenite, the lack of functional BRCA1 impaired the largely error-free homologous recombination (HR), leading to a shift towards the error-prone non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). Arsenic treatment also induced this shift in BRCA1-proficient cells, indicating BRCA1 inactivation. Although BRCA1 bound to DNA DSBs induced via ionizing radiation, its dissociation was impaired, similarly to the downstream proteins RAD51 and RAD54. A shift from HR to NHEJ by arsenite was further supported by corresponding reporter gene assays. Taken together, arsenite appears to negatively affect HR via functional inactivation of BRCA1, possibly by interacting with its RING finger structure, which may compromise genomic stability.
Surface Roughness and Bulk Heat Transfer on a Glacier: Comparison with Eddy Correlation

Abstract More than 100 simultaneously measured profiles of wind speed and temperature were analyzed to determine the aerodynamic and thermal roughness lengths of glacier ice. The results proved to be extremely sensitive to measurement height, which is difficult to define precisely on the hummocky terrain of a glacier. Therefore, aerodynamic roughness lengths were estimated from the microtopography of the surface, yielding 2.46 mm for ice, and 5.5 mm for snow. Despite the indeterminate nature of the profile analysis, it did support the view that the thermal roughness length must decrease as the roughness Reynolds number increases, a relationship which has been modelled in the literature. Good agreement between bulk-transfer estimates and eddy-correlation measurements of fhe sensible heat-flux density on melting ice and snow was obtained by combining the aerodynamic roughness length with a suitable model for thermal roughness length.
Military in Watershed Restoration: A Multistakeholder Study on the Involvement the Indonesian Military in Citarum River Conservation

The Citarum watershed, Indonesia, was notorious for being the most polluted and destroyed in Indonesia. In 2018, the Indonesian Government created a new policy to restore this watershed, named Citarum Harum, by putting together multiple actors to combat watershed degradation, including one unique actor, namely the Indonesian military. This anomaly had created a new pattern and dynamics in watershed restoration. Historically, Indonesia had a peculiar civil-military relationship with the past military government. This creates a unique framework for how actors currently react to military involvement. This article examines these phenomena and elucidates the effectiveness of military involvement in watershed restoration. The study was conducted by the Citarum Harum watershed restoration programme in West Java, Indonesia. This study used in-depth interviews and multi-level stakeholder influence mapping on multiple informants involved in the restoration. The findings indicate a good shift in actor relations that creates improvements in watershed restoration. However, several other conditions also arise from the military's involvement, such as overlapping authorities, incompetency on some technicalities, desynchronization, and a shift in public perception. These problems require some adjustment in the roles of both civil and military personnel in the restoration programme to optimise the military's involvement further.
Classroom effects are as large as grade‐level effects on curriculum‐based measurement maze reading scores of secondary school students with and without special educational needs

Previous studies used curriculum‐based measurement (CBM) maze scores as an indicator of the reading comprehension level of secondary school students with and without special educational needs in multiple grades, pinpointing a high influence of both student‐ and context‐related variables. However, studies on cumulative influence are necessary for better understanding of data‐based decision‐making.We examined a sample of 1066 secondary school students using four linear mixed‐effect models: How much variance in maze scores exists between multiple student characteristics (i.e., gender, immigration background, learning disability and developmental language disorder) and context variables (i.e., classroom, grade and school type) across Grades 5–8? The intra‐class correlation (ICC) results show that the influence by the context‐related variable classroom (ICC = .094) is almost as large as by the variable grade level (ICC = .126). School type (i.e., inclusive school vs. special school) has the least influence (ICC = .02). In addition, the effects of student‐related variables explain only a small proportion of the variance (marginal R2 = .114). Maze scores can be used as a screening instrument for students with multiple characteristics across grades; they also show that it makes no difference which type of school students attend. As teachers and further classroom‐related variables have almost as much influence as grade level, we discuss that teachers can minimise classroom effects by using maze scores as a formative approach.