Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Looking at the eyes of happiness: Positive emotions mediate the influence of life satisfaction on attention to happy faces

Despite significant advancements in the research of subjective well-being (SWB), little is known about its connection with basic cognitive processes. The present study explores the association between selective attention to emotional stimuli (i.e. emotional faces) and both the emotional and cognitive components of SWB (i.e. emotional well-being and satisfaction in life, respectively). Participants (N = 83) were asked to freely watch a series of 84 pairs of emotional (happy, angry, or sad) and neutral faces from the Karolinska Directed Emotional Faces database. Eye-tracking methodology measured first fixations, number of fixations, and the time spent looking at emotional faces. Results showed that both the emotional and cognitive components of SWB were related to a general bias to attend to happy faces and avoid sad faces. Yet, bootstrapping analyses showed that positive emotions, rather than life satisfaction, were responsible for the positive information-processing bias. We discuss the potential functionality of these biases and their implications for research on positive emotions.
Valuation of Hidden Water Ecosystem Services: The Replacement Cost of the Aquifer System in Central Mexico

This paper reports research estimating the costs of replacing the groundwater that the metropolitan areas of Mexico City, Toluca, and Cuernavaca, in Central Mexico, pump from 10 over-exploited aquifers with 6 supply alternatives of surface water. These aquifers provide about 70% of the water required by more than 28 million people, and their recharge zones in forested areas are increasingly threatened by economic activities. By designing a constrained optimization program that minimizes investment and operation costs, we found that replacing groundwater extraction involves the construction of all six alternatives at an estimated cost of US$25 billion at present values (US$0.6 m−3 over a 26-year period). We designed and analyzed a scenario to combine measures to reduce water leaks in Mexico City; a positive balance was found: every dollar invested in leak control reduces replacement costs by between US$1.9 and US$8.4. Therefore, our results suggest the prioritization of leak control measures in order to reduce extraction from over-exploited aquifers. Local authorities should be warned about the economics of losing ecosystem services that are crucial to sustaining the population and the economic activities in the region of study.
The stability of soil aggregates in tilled fallow areas in Hyderabad district, Pakistan

Abstract Arid areas are particularly susceptible to soil erosion due to long dry periods and sudden heavy downpours. This study investigates the aggregate size distribution and aggregate stability of twelve tilled fallow areas of Hyderabad district, Sindh, Pakistan. This study determined aggregate size distribution by dry sieving to evaluate the seedbed condition and aggregate stability using wet sieving to assess the susceptibility of tilled fallow areas to soil erosion. The aggregate size distribution of the soils of the selected areas was highly variable. Gulistan-e-Sarmast had the largest number of clods (51.0%) followed by Kohsar (49.0%), Latifabad # 10 (41.10%) and Daman-e-Kohsar (39.0%). Fazal Sun City, the left side of the Indus River, the Village Nooral Detha and the left side of the Abdullah Sports city had a greater number of large (>8.0 mm) and small aggregates (<0.5 mm). The optimum aggregate size distribution was found in the left side of the channel, which had the largest number of aggregates (50.50%) in the 0.5–8.0 mm sieve size range. Maximum aggregate stability (AS) was found in Gulistan-e-Sarmast (46%), Kohsar (42%) and Latifabad # 10 (34%), while all other soils had minimum aggregate stability (<14%). The minimum aggregate stabilities demonstrate that the tilled fallow areas of Hyderabad district are highly susceptible to erosion. Therefore, the present study suggests investigating potential ways to enhance the aggregate stabilities of soils.
An Analysis of Challenges Faced by Part-time Postgraduate Block Release Students at Institutions of Higher Learning

: The purpose of this study was to analyse the challenges faced by postgraduate block release students at Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe. The challenges were measured against the following indicators (i) nature of challenges faced by part-time postgraduate block release students (ii) factors that influence these challenges and (iii) impact of these challenges on part-time postgraduate block-release students. The research employed a mixed research approach in order to triangulate the results. The study used a case study research design to solicit information. The target population were part-time postgraduate block release students who were currently pursuing the following programmes; Masters in Strategic Management, Masters in Supply and Chain Management, Masters in Applied Entrepreneurship and Post-Graduate Diploma in Higher Education. A sample of 42 part-time block release students and 4 key informants were used to collect data. The sampling techniques employed were convenience and purposive samplings respectively. Findings revealed that part-time postgraduate block release students are facing challenges that include family, work, finance and social. Factors contributing to these challenges were identified as inflexibility of block-release programmes, lack of information, advice and guidance. Because of these challenges, students were failing to submit their assignments in time, having poor quality results and some students dropping out of the programmes. The study recommends the institution to ensure a flexible payment plan to assist students who are failing to manage their finances and school. The university must also introduce flexible programmes like weekend and holiday classes to accommodate students who cannot make it to the block release programmes. The institution must also introduce satellite campuses in bigger towns like Harare, Masvingo, Bulawayo and Mutare to accommodate students who are failing to manage school and family. Finally, the university must ensure postgraduate block-release students are well informed about their programmes in advance before enrolling to avoid inconveniencing them during their studies.
Characteristics of marine shipping emissions at berth:profiles for PM and VOCs

Abstract. Emissions from ships at berth played an important role in the exposure of atmospheric pollutants to high density population in port areas, but these emissions were not understood very well. In this study, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particle emissions from 20 container ships at berth were sampled and analyzed during the fuel switch period at Jingtang Port in Hebei Province, China. VOCs and particles were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and the Single Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SPAMS), respectively. VOCs analysis showed that alkanes and aromatics, especially benzene, toluene and heavier compounds e.g. n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane, dominated the total identified species. Secondary organic aerosol yields and ozone forming potential were 0.017 ± 0.007 g SOA/g VOCs and 2.63 ± 0.37 g O 3 /g VOCs, respectively. Both positive and negative ion mass spectra from individual ship were derived and intensity of specific ions could be quantified. Results showed that element carbon (35.74 %), element carbon-organic carbon mixture (33.95 %) and Na-rich particles (21.12 %) were major classes with a total number ratio of 90.7 %. Particles from ship auxiliary engines were in a size range of 0.2 to 2.5 μm, with a peak occurring at around 0.4 μm. The issue of vanadium as tracer element was discussed that V was not a proper tracer when using low sulfur content diesel oil. The average percentage of sulfate particles from shipping emissions before and after switching to marine diesel oil were 23.82 % and 23.61 % respectively. The total results provide robust evidences in port area air quality assessment and source apportionment.
Out-of-Level Testing for Special Education Students with Mild Learning Handicaps.

The purpose of this study was to evellate the utility of out-of-level testing (OLT) when it is applied to the assessment of special education students with mild learning handicaps. This evaluation of OLT involved testing hypotheses related to (a) the adequacy of vertical scaling, (W. the reliability and (c) the validity of OLT scores. Fifty eight special education students were tested. All students had measured reading achievement below the 20th percentile, and were integrated into the regular fifth or sixth grade classroams for a portion of their academic programs. The appropriate in-level tests and two consecutively lower OLTs of the reading subtest of the California Achievement Test they were administered approximately 10 days apart. The results suggest moderate support for the utility of OLT. It is suggested that the congiuence beween test content and the instructional programs may have considerably more influence over the reliability and validity of test data than would the use of OLT. OUT-OFLEVEL TESTING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WITH MILD LEARNING HANDICAPS There is considerable overlap between Title I and special educat,ion programs with respect to: populations served, instructional approaches, and program goals (Birman, 1981). There is not a substantial overlap of evaluation procedures. The basis of Title I program evaluation is group:level norm referenced achievement test data. Special education achievement evaluation emphasizes individual testing. Although grouplevel evaluation has obvious utility in special education program evaluation, very little attention las been given to the improvement of procedures for grouplevel_evaluation of special educatiOn programs. , Outoflevel testing (OLT) is a norm referenced testing procedure which was developed for Title I evaluation. It is intended to allow low achieving students to be evaluated with test levels which more closely match their skills than would the test levels recommended for their grade level peers. Outoflevel testing of low achieving students is possible because most major publishers of achievemepitests develop a series of tests which ate organized into levels. Each test level is designed to test a domain of skills appropriate to a particular range of grade levels. Frequently, the level recommemied by the publisher is too difficult for extremely low achieving students. In such cases outoflevel testing would allow for testing low achieving students on a lower level test. A vertical equating of scores across test levels allows norm referenced comparisons between students who took different test levels. The purposes for using outoflevel testing is to improve the reliability and validity of norm referenced scores of low achieving students.
Nematicidal Activity of Acetyl Salicylic Acid against Root-Knot Nematode on Tomato Plants.

The nematicidal activity of acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) was investigated against root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita ) under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The results of the laboratory experiment showed that ASA exhibited nematicdal activity against 2 nd stage juveniles of nematode with a LC 50 value of 150.43 ppm. In the greenhouse experiment, the effect of ASA at three concentrations was tested against root-knot nematode on tomato plants in comparison with oxamyl nematicide as standard treatment. All plants were examined to assess disease severity based on the number of galls per root, egg masses per root, developmental stage within the root system, and average of eggs number per egg mass as well as plant growth characteristics were estimated. The results showed that all tested treatments reduced tomato root galling significantly compared with the untreated treatment. The numbers of galls/root system were (6.33, 12.67, 18.67, and 28.67) for the treatments of oxamyl and 300, 200 and 100 ppm of ASA, respectively, compared with the untreated check (113) and the other parameter were in the same trend. All treatments increased shoot and root weights and lengths compared with the untreated check. In conclusion, ASA has nematicidal activity to suppress root-knot nematode infection in tomato plants. Thus, this approach could be a safe alternative to use chemical nematicides for the management of plant-parasitic nematodes.
Attitude, Self-Concept and Achievement of Junior Secondary School Students in Basic Science in Ekiti State, Nigeria

This study examined the strength and direction of the relationship between attitude, self-concept and achievement of Junior Secondary Schools students in Basic Science in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive of survey type on 360 Junior Secondary Two students selected from nine public secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of Ekiti State, Nigeria, using multistage sampling technique. The instruments used for this study included: Scientific Attitude Inventory (SAI); Self-Concept Scale (SCS) and Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT). The findings of the study revealed that there was a significant relationship between students’ attitude and achievement in Basic Science. The finding also showed that there was a positive and significant relationship between students’ self-concept and achievement in Basic Science. It is therefore suggested that teachers should take the advantage of this positive attitude and self-concept to improve their students’ achievement in the classroom. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2016. v6n1p167
Intermediary Leverage Shocks and Funding Conditions

The leverage of financial broker-dealers responds to demand- and supply-like shocks. Supply shocks relax their funding constraint and raise leverage, while demand shocks also raise leverage but tighten the constraint. The shocks play opposite roles in financial markets. Leverage supply shocks improve liquidity and carry a positive price of risk, while leverage demand shocks worsen liquidity and carry a negative price of risk. Because of this difference in signs, disentangling the two types of shocks strengthens the evidence for intermediation frictions in asset pricing, resolves some of the existing puzzles, and can help understand the different mechanisms driving broker-dealer leverage.
a Relation Between Active Black Holes and Star Formation of Local Active Galaxies

We present an analysis of the relation between star-formation (SF) and accretion luminosities of local type-2 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at 0.01 ≤ z < 0.22. We match type-2 AGNs found in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to current far-infrared (FIR) survey catalogues based on AKARI and Herschel. Estimating AGN luminosities from [O iii]λ5007 and [O i]λ6300 emission lines, we find a positive linear trend between FIR and AGN luminosities over a wide dynamical range. This result appears to be inconsistent with recent reports that low-luminosity AGNs show no correlation between FIR and X-ray luminosities; this contradiction is likely due to Malmquist and sample selection biases. Moreover, we also find that pureAGN candidates, for which the FIR radiation is thought to be AGN-dominated, show significant low-SF activities. These AGNs hosted by low-SF galaxies are rare in our sample. However, it is possible that the low fraction of low-SF AGN is caused by observational limitations, as recent FIR surveys are not sufficient to examine the population of high-luminosity AGNs hosted by low-SF galaxies.
Application of support vector machines in assessing conceptual cost estimates

Total conceptual cost estimates and the assessment of the quality of these estimates are critical in the early stages of a building construction project. In this study, the support vector machine (SVM) model for assessing the quality of conceptual cost estimates is proposed, and the application of SVM in construction areas is investigated. The results show that the SVM model assessed the quality of conceptual cost estimates slightly more accurately than the discriminant analysis model. This shows that using the SVM has potential in construction areas. In addition, the SVM model can assist clients in their evaluation of the quality of the estimated cost and the probability of exceeding the target cost, and in their decision on whether or not it is necessary to seek a more accurate estimate in the early stages of a project.
Ab initio multiscale simulation of high-order harmonic generation in solids

High-order-harmonic generation by a highly nonlinear interaction of infrared laser fields with matter allows for the generation of attosecond pulses in the XUV spectral regime. This process, well established for atoms, has been recently extended to the condensed phase. Remarkably well-pronounced harmonics up to order $\ensuremath{\sim}30$ have been observed for dielectrics. We establish a route toward an ab initio multiscale simulation of solid-state high-order-harmonic generation. We find that mesoscopic effects of the extended system, in particular the realistic sampling of the entire Brillouin zone, the pulse propagation in the dense medium, and the inhomogeneous illumination of the crystal, have a strong effect on the harmonic spectra. Our results provide an explanation for the formation of clean harmonics and have implications for a wide range of nonlinear optical processes in dense media.
Serum metabolomic study for the detection of candidate biomarkers of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a widespread infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria. Early diagnosis of this disease is important. However, only a few biochemical tests or markers are available for diagnosis. In this study, serum metabolites from normal and TB patients were analyzed by mass spectrometry coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography to identify serum markers that could provide clues for TB diagnosis and altered metabolic pathways in the disease state. Multivariate statistical analysis showed a distinction between the normal and TB patients based on 1949 identified metabolites. Further examination combined with t-test analysis and fold-change determination revealed significant perturbations in 99 serum metabolites in the TB group. Finally, pathway analysis enriched the perturbed metabolic pathways in TB (i.e., glycerophospholipid and arachidonic acid metabolism). Overall, our study demonstrated the potential in developing biomarkers from serum for TB diagnosis. Furthermore, the implementation of the metabolomics approach and bioinformatics helped us gain an understanding of the numerous metabolic pathways affected in pathologic conditions.
When are localization and urbanization economies important

The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of industry characteristics on the localization and urbanization agglomeration patterns of new firm location. To this end, we analyze the location decisions of new manufacturing firms in Spain. First, for a 3-digit level, we identify for each industry which type of agglomeration economies â€“localization or urbanization- explain new firmâ€™s location. And second, using the coefficients obtained in these estimations for both agglomeration economies, we analyse which industry characteristics are the sources that explain differences in the strength of these economies. We focus on industry characteristics related to the three microfoundations of agglomeration that have been most prominent in the theoretical literature: labor market pooling, input sharing and knowledge spillovers. Our results point out that for industries with high influence of localization economies on their location patterns what matters is the labour market pooling mechanism. For the industries with higher effect of urbanization economies on their location patterns, knowledge spillovers and output sharing are the sources of agglomeration. The dependence of natural resources affects negatively the incidence of urbanization agglomeration economies on firm location.
Lobbyists before the U.S. Supreme Court

Despite the fact that amicus curiae participation is the most common method of interest group activity in the judicial arena, there is little consensus as to whether this means of participation influences the decision making of the U.S. Supreme Court. To redress this state of affairs, this research investigates the affect of amicus briefs on the ideological direction of the Court's decisions, with particular attention given to theoretical and methodological issues that have gone unexplored in previous studies. Analyzing group influence during the 1946 to 1995 terms, the results provide particularly robust evidence that pressure groups are effective in shaping the Court's policy outputs. These findings therefore indicate that elite decision makers can be influenced by persuasive argumentation presented by organized interests.
Biochar – Ecological Product and Its Application in Environmental Protection

Biochar is a product of the pyrolysis of waste from the process of biomass fermentation. It is the case of a porous carbonaceous material with a compact hydrophobic core of predominantly aromatic structure, sheathed with a shell exhibiting hydrophilic and chemically active properties (surface groups: -OH, C=O, -COOH). One of properties usable in environmental protection is its adsorption ability toward heavy metals and organic pollutants (pesticides, PAHs, pharmaceutical products, industrial wastes). The contribution contains the description of preparation, surface analysis (SEM), identification of functional groups (FTIR) and proposal for possible surface modifications (sonification, oxidation, reduction, hydrothermal pyrolysis with graphene oxide, etc.) with a view to increase the sorption ability of biochar.
Application of image processing methods in edge detection of potential field data

On the basis of conventional methods for edge detection on potential field data, various source edge enhancement techniques have been studied to improve signal-to-noise ratio and localization accuracy. However, problems such as low resolution, noise interference and false edge information still exist. In this paper, three image processing methods are introduced, which use the Canny, LoG and Sobel operators. We describe briefly the principle of the methods and apply them to edge detection of geological bodies. As well, three typical numerical calculation methods of edge detection are selected and compared with image processing methods on edge detection effect. The results show that image processing methods can effectively identify the edge of geological bodies, especially for the Canny operator, which can prevent the introduction of errors and is insensitive to noise. To verify the practical application effect of these image processing methods, magnetic anomaly data from the Zhurihe area in China are processed in this paper. The results indicate that the Canny operator is capable of detecting the edge position of geological bodies in the study area more clearly, and that the edges corresponds to known information. Therefore, image processing methods can be used in edge detection and that satisfactory practical application can be achieved.