Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multimodal fusion analysis of structural connectivity and gray matter morphology in migraine

No specific migraine biomarkers have been found in single‐modality MRI studies. We aimed at establishing biomarkers for episodic and chronic migraine using diverse MRI modalities. We employed canonical correlation analysis and joint independent component analysis to find structural connectivity abnormalities that are related to gray matter morphometric alterations. The number of streamlines (trajectories of estimated fiber‐tracts from tractography) was employed as structural connectivity measure, while cortical curvature, thickness, surface area, and volume were used as gray matter parameters. These parameters were compared between 56 chronic and 54 episodic migraine patients, and 50 healthy controls. Cortical curvature alterations were associated with abnormalities in the streamline count in episodic migraine patients compared to controls, with higher curvature values in the frontal and temporal poles being related to a higher streamline count. Lower streamline count was found in migraine compared to controls in connections between cortical regions within each of the four lobes. Higher streamline count was found in migraine in connections between subcortical regions, the insula, and the cingulate and orbitofrontal cortex, and between the insula and the temporal region. The connections between the caudate nucleus and the orbitofrontal cortex presented worse connectivity in chronic compared to episodic migraine. The hippocampus was involved in connections with higher and lower number of streamlines in chronic migraine. Strengthening of structural networks involving pain processing and subcortical regions coexists in migraine with weakening of cortical networks within each lobe. The multimodal analysis offers a new insight about the association between brain structure and connectivity.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Self-Compassion Writing Intervention for Adults With Mental Illness

Purpose: Studies have found that writing with self-compassion about a stressful event helps promote mental health in college students and nonclinical populations. Using a randomized controlled trial, this study investigated whether a self-compassion writing intervention would lead to increases in self-compassion and proactive coping and reductions in mental health symptoms in a sample of individuals with mental illness. Method: Individuals with mental disorders were recruited and randomly assigned to a treatment condition in which participants wrote with self-compassion or a control condition where participants wrote about how they spent their time. Outcome measures were administered at pretest, after the 3-day intervention, and 1 month later. Results: Both the treatment and control groups showed significant improvements in self-compassion, proactive coping, mental health, and physical health. Discussion: Overall, the results suggest both self-compassion writing and writing about how one spends one’s time may be beneficial for individuals with mental illness.
Expanding normative ways of reflective thinking and enthusiastic behaviors towards teaching profession

Performing reflective procedures is among the attempts to improve the quality of professional development in teacher training process. Reflective procedures are assumed to be functional for increasing normative ways of thinking and for encouraging student teachers to develop more enthusiastic attitudes towards teaching profession. Action research, among such procedures, is used to employ numerous teaching drills and to reflect on the teaching practice. Therefore, this study discusses the importance of action research in teacher training process for developing reflective thinking skills of student teachers and for fostering their enthusiastic attitudes towards professional development. In the study, action research was designed with the participation of the student teachers attending English Language Teaching Department at a Turkish university. The results of this small scaled study demonstrated that action research reasonably contributed to professional innovation and renovation of the student teachers, helped them reflect on their inner thoughts about the process, and increased their enthusiastic behaviors towards teaching practices.
‘Censorship is cancer’. Young people’s support for pornography-related initiatives

ABSTRACT Policymakers are considering initiatives to reduce potential harms of pornography, including educational and legislative approaches. In determining the appropriateness of policies, however, it is important to consider community attitudes. We conducted an online survey with a convenience sample of 1272 young people aged 15–29 in Australia, recruited via social media. Seventy-four per cent reported having watched pornography in the past year. Participants were asked whether they believed that pornography was harmful, and whether they supported or opposed five different kinds of initiatives. Most (65%) believed that pornography was ‘harmful for some people but not everyone’, 11% believed it was ‘harmful for everyone’, 7% harmful for children only, and 17% believed it was not harmful. Eighty-five per cent supported school-based pornography education, 57% supported national education campaigns about pornography, 22% supported a national filter to block all access to pornography, 63% supported requiring condom use in all pornography, and 66% supported banning violence in pornography. Extended responses demonstrated that despite general support for policies, many participants were concerned about how these would be implemented, for example, with respect to the content of education and definitions of violence. Participants wanted initiatives to be implemented in a way that did not introduce harm or shame pornography users.
Estimating the economic optimal target density of hybrid canola based on data from a western Canadian meta-analysis

Abstract: Canola production in western Canada has expanded such that in many regions canola area rivals the area seeded to wheat. This change can be mainly attributed to adoption of herbicide resistant hybrid varieties and resulting higher relative profitability. Producers responded to higher seed prices by reducing seeding rates, leading to plant densities that were often lower than industry recommendations. The study objectives were to examine canola yield response to plant density and assess economically optimal density levels relative to industry recommendations and grower practices. A meta-analysis approach was applied to yield response and plant density data with herbicide resistant hybrid canola from multiple studies. Three alternative marginal yield–density functions were estimated and used to calculate economically optimal plant density. Sensitivity of results to key parameters was assessed. Resulting optimal density levels under recent average prices, seed size, and emergence were 62–73 plants·m−2, consistent with industry recommendations for western Canada. Recent field surveys report lower densities than this range, suggesting that producers are seeding at less than optimal rates; however, there is significant uncertainty associated with canola production and interaction of seeding rate with other factors. These would impact optimal plant density, although much of the uncertainty remains until well after seeding. The empirical results represent a foundation for development of more detailed models, highlight the significance of the relationship between plant density and economically optimal yield, and suggest the need to develop decision making tools to support producers in making canola planting decisions.
Effect of long‐term H2S fumigation on photosynthesis in spinach. Correlation between CO2 fixation and chlorophyll a fluorescence

Spinach plunts (Spinacia oleracea L. cv. Monosa) were exposed to air with and without 0.25 μl l-1 H2S. Effects of H2S exposure for up to 18 days on photosynthesis, dark respiration and on chlorophyll a fluorescence were studied. Dark respiration was not affected by H2S fumigation. Photosynthetic CO2 fixation decreased linearly with time in both control and fumigated plants. The rate of decrease in CO2 fixation was faster in the fumigated plants; after 14 days of exposure the fumigated plants showed a decrease in CO2 fixation of 23%as compared with the control plants. The H2S-induced decrease in CO2 fixation was accompanied by a decrease in quenching of the chlorophyll fluorescence. The most characteristic change in chlorophyll fluorescence was a decreased difference between maximum and steady-state fluorescence [(P-T)/P), suggesting a reduced efficiency in the use of photochemical energy in photosynthesis. Differences in CO2 fixation were more pronounced whcn measured at high light intensity; the maximum rate of CO2 fixation at light saturation decreased significantly with time in the H2S-exposed plants; after 14 days of H2S exposure a decrease of more than 70% was noted. The decrease in CO2 fixation could not be attributed to a decreased chlorophyll content; on the contrary, chlorophyll content even slightly increased during fumigation. The initial increase in CO2 fixation rate with increasing light intensity was also reduced by prolonged H2S fumigation, indicating an effect of H2S fumigation on photosynthetic electron transport. Finally, the phytotoxicity of H2S is discusscd in relation to the H2S-induced changes in photosynthetic CO2 fixation and chlorophyll a fluorescence, and the effect of H2S on leaf development observed in earlier studies.
The Key Drivers of Born-Sustainable Businesses: Evidence from the Italian Fashion Industry

Environmental pollution has become one of the most pressing preoccupations for governments, policymakers, and consumers. For this reason, many companies make constant efforts to comply with international laws and standards on ethics, social responsibility, and environmental protection. Fashion companies are among the main producers of pollution because their manufacturing processes result in highly negative outcomes for the environment. In recent years, numerous fashion industries have been transforming their production policies to be sustainable, while others are already born as sustainable businesses. Based on Resource-Based View (RBV) theory and Natural Resource-Based View theory (NRBV), this paper aims at understanding how internal and external factors stimulate born-sustainable businesses operating in the fashion sector, adopting a multiple case study methodology. Our analysis shows that culture, entrepreneurial orientation of the founders, and the proximity of the suppliers among the internal factors, combined with the increase of green consumers as an external factor, foster the creation of green businesses. At the same time, neither current legislation nor the dynamism and competitiveness of markets have influenced the choice of the companies’ founders to start a business based on green production logic. These results reveal the centrality of the founders’ sensitivity toward green strategies to create a sustainable business. The findings have practical implications because they could support regulatory institutions to introduce some incentives that more clearly encourages companies that choose to adopt sustainable business models from the founding, by acting to the internal and external key factors that drive born-sustainable businesses. This study also provides an extension of the existing literature on sustainable born companies, offering researchers useful information on internal and internal factors that promote the adoption of green policies in the fashion industry.
Mediating Violence in Jamaica Through a Gang Truce

The article examines a gang-related peace initiative instituted in Greater August Town, Jamaica. Our objective was to understand the negotiation processes and determine whether the gang truce resulted in the desired outcome: a reduction in homicide. Bivariate analyses showed a significant decline in homicides immediately following the truce. Upon closer examination, however, comparing change in the target area to the balance areas in Jamaica and accounting for temporal trends, we found that the decline in homicide was part of a larger nationwide decline in violence and that the gang truce was not responsible for the decline. The only significant effect was the possibility that homicides were displaced outside the target area for a brief period of time.
Voxel-Based Scene Representation for Camera Pose Estimation of a Single RGB Image

Deep learning has been utilized in end-to-end camera pose estimation. To improve the performance, we introduce a camera pose estimation method based on a 2D-3D matching scheme with two convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The scene is divided into voxels, whose size and number are computed according to the scene volume and the number of 3D points. We extract inlier points from the 3D point set in a voxel using random sample consensus (RANSAC)-based plane fitting to obtain a set of interest points consisting of a major plane. These points are subsequently reprojected onto the image using the ground truth camera pose, following which a polygonal region is identified in each voxel using the convex hull. We designed a training dataset for 2D–3D matching, consisting of inlier 3D points, correspondence across image pairs, and the voxel regions in the image. We trained the hierarchical learning structure with two CNNs on the dataset architecture to detect the voxel regions and obtain the location/description of the interest points. Following successful 2D–3D matching, the camera pose was estimated using n-point pose solver in RANSAC. The experiment results show that our method can estimate the camera pose more precisely than previous end-to-end estimators.
Customized impedance spectroscopy device as possible sensor platform for biosensor applications

A new impedance spectroscopy unit is developed, fully customized to become a vital part of label free biosensor arrays with possible applications in DNA and protein sensing. Test measurements are conducted to explore the accuracy and specificity of the system, both under electronic lab conditions as well as under wet cell conditions with synthetic‐diamond based sensor electrodes. The impedance of seven resistors was monitored for 17 h and a maximum error <0.02% was found. Furthermore, the impedance of PBS at different concentrations was monitored for 60 min per concentration and a different impedance for each concentration was detected. The impedance is also monitored for NaOH, PBS and nuclease free water at different temperatures with a total duration of 60 min per fluid. Systematically different impedances for each temperature per fluid were found and the temperature coefficients were determined. All test measurements lead to results well within specification.
Can Hindrance Stressors Change the Nature of Perceived Employability? An Empirical Study in the Hotel Industry

This empirical study aims to design and test a research model that investigates the effect of job insecurity as a moderator of the relationships between perceived employability and employee well-being (work engagement). It also measures the impact of perceived employability on work engagement. Data were gathered from full-time frontline workers employed in five-star hotels in Northern Cyprus to test the study variables; the partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was applied and supported the research hypotheses. In line with the study predictions and findings from previous literature, perceived employability was found to have a significant positive impact on work engagement. The result revealed that, as a hindrance stressor, job insecurity negatively affects the relationship between perceived employability and work engagement. The findings of this study provide some insights concerning employability’s importance as well as influencing factors on employees’ job selection and their attitudes during job performance in the organizations. The knowledge gathered in this research is a source for stressing the value of employability in developing professional skills and professional involvement, as well as for reducing the perception of job insecurity, especially in the tourism industry, which has a delicate and sensitive structure. The implications of the empirical findings are discussed and future research directions are offered.
Musical instrument training program improves verbal memory and neural efficiency in novice older adults

Previous studies indicate that musical instrument training may improve the cognitive function of older adults. However, little is known about the neural origins of training‐related improvement in cognitive function. Here, we assessed the effects of instrumental training program on cognitive functions and neural efficiency in musically naïve older adults (61–85 years old). Participants were assigned to either the intervention group, which received a 4‐month instrumental training program using keyboard harmonica, or a control group without any alternative training. Cognitive measurements and functional magnetic resonance imaging during visual working memory (VWM) task were administered before and after the intervention in both groups. Behavioral data revealed that the intervention group significantly improved memory performance on the test that measures verbal recall compared to the control group. Neuroimaging data revealed that brain activation in the right supplementary motor area, left precuneus, and bilateral posterior cingulate gyrus (PCgG) during the VWM task decreased after instrumental training only in the intervention group. Task‐related functional connectivity (FC) analysis revealed that the intervention group showed decreased FC between the right PCgG and left middle temporal gyrus, and between the left putamen and right superior temporal gyrus (lPu‐rSTG) during a VWM task after the intervention. Furthermore, a greater improvement in memory performance in the intervention group was associated with a larger reduction in lPu‐rSTG FC, which might be interpreted as improved neural efficiency. Our results indicate that the musical instrument training program may contribute to improvements in verbal memory and neural efficiency in novice older adults.
Permafrost Promotes Shallow Groundwater Flow and Warmer Headwater Streams

The presence of permafrost influences the flow paths of water through Arctic landscapes and thereby has the potential to impact stream discharge and thermal regimes. Observations from 11 headwater streams in Alaska showed that July water temperatures were higher in catchments with more near‐surface permafrost. We apply a fully coupled cryohydrology model to investigate if the impact of permafrost on flow path depth could cause the same pattern in temperatures of groundwater discharging from hillslopes to streams. The model simulates surface energy and water balances, snow, and subsurface water and energy balances for two‐dimensional hillslope model cases with varying permafrost extent. We find that hillslopes with continuous permafrost have more shallow flow paths and twice as high rates of evapotranspiration, compared to hillslopes with no permafrost. For our simulated cases, 6.7% of the horizontal water flux moves through the top organic soil layers when there is continuous permafrost, while only 0.5% moves through organic layers without permafrost. The deeper flow paths in permafrost‐free simulations buffer seasonal temperature extremes, so that summer groundwater discharge temperatures are highest with continuous permafrost. Our results suggest that permafrost thawing alters groundwater flow paths and can lead to decreases in summer stream temperatures and reductions in evapotranspiration in headwater catchments. These changes are of potential importance for stream biotic components of ecosystems, however, the full impact remains unknown.
Factors influencing learners’ continuance intention toward one-to-one online learning

ABSTRACT One-to-one online learning has become pervasive in distance education. However, factors affecting learners’ continuance intention toward one-to-one online learning are not well known. This study proposed a model to explain learners’ continuance intention toward one-to-one online learning. The model extends previous technology acceptance models and theories by adding instructor-, course-, and system-related factors. A questionnaire was constructed, and a total of 840 samples was collected. Results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that experience was positively related to continuance intention, and self-efficacy and anxiety were significantly related to perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward using the system, facilitating conditions, and social influence were significant predictors of continuance intention to use. Instructor quality, course quality, interaction feedback, and system usability were significantly related to continuance intention toward one-to-one online learning. The proposed model could explain 71.5% of the variance in continuance intention to use one-to-one online learning. The results provided practical implications for the design and improvement of one-to-one online learning systems.
Decagonal quasicrystal of a new structural type

Abstract A stable decagonal phase of a new structural type was discovered in Al—Pd—Re. This is the second Al-based alloy system after Al—Pd—Mn where both stable icosahedral and decagonal phases are formed. In contrast to the isostructural icosahedral phases of similar Al and Pd concentrations in both systems, the new decagonal phase exhibits periodicity of ∼2.57 vs. ∼1.25 nm in Al—Pd—Mn and is formed at significantly higher Al concentration than that in Al—Pd—Mn. In the tenfold plane, the structural unit of the Al—Pd—Re decagonal phase assumed from the high-resolution electron images is τ times larger in diameter than that in Al—Pd—Mn.
The effects of 3D culture on the expansion and maintenance of nucleus pulposus progenitor cell multipotency

Low back pain (LBP) is a global health concern. Increasing evidence implicates intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration as a major contributor. In this respect, tissue‐specific progenitors may play a crucial role in tissue regeneration, as these cells are perfectly adapted to their niche. Recently, a novel progenitor cell population was described in the nucleus pulposus (NP) that is positive for Tie2 marker. These cells have self‐renewal capacity and in vitro multipotency potential. However, extremely low numbers of the NP progenitors limit the feasibility of cell therapy strategies.
School gardening activities as contextual scaffolding for learning science: participatory action research in a community school in Nepal

ABSTRACT Literature on school education suggests that teaching and learning science in basic level community schools in Nepal is largely theoretical. Consequently, achievement levels and the understanding of concepts of science is much below policy expectations. This paper builds on a shift from dogmatic lecturing to activity-based pedagogy using school gardening as contextual scaffolding for learning science in community schools in central Nepal. Five focus group discussions and observations were carried out among sixth and seventh graders, science teachers, and parents of an action (intervention) school located in the Chitwan district of Nepal, with support from the NORHED/Rupantaran project. At the beginning of the PAR project, the barriers associated with startup gardening activities were time allocation, integration of gardening activities with the science curriculum, and the ongoing engagement of parents. Later in the project, students, science teachers, and parents reported on their experiences such as active and meaningful engagement in activity-based pedagogy through school gardening. Overall, school gardening activities were found to have positive effects on students’ understanding of scientific concepts, connecting school gardens in a contextual scaffold.