Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution of Selected Critical Elements in the Carboniferous Coal‐bearing Series of the Upper Silesian and Lublin Coal Basins (Poland)

The distribution of selected critical elements in the sedimentary rocks of the Carboniferous coal‐bearing series within the Polish Coal Basins is presented. Critical elements such as Be, Mg, Si, P, Sc, V, Co, Y, Nb, In, Sb, La, Ce, Hf, Ta, W, Bi were analysed using inductively‐coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP/MS). Concentrations of elements such as Sb, Bi, In and, to a slightly lesser extent, Nb, as well as Sc, show average concentrations higher than those from the upper continental crust. The average concentrations of elements like Hf, Mg, P, Y, La, and Ce are slightly lower than in the upper continental crust. Other elements, such as Be, Co, Si, Ta, W and V have average concentrations that are similar, but slightly enriched or slightly depleted, relative to the upper continental crust. The research showed enrichment of some critical elements in the analysed samples, but not high enough that extraction would be economically viable. Statistical methods, which include correlation coefficients between elements and cluster analysis, reveal a strong positive correlation between elements like Be, Bi, Nb, Sc, Ta, W and V. Very high, almost total, positive correlation is also noted between La and Ce.
Exploring the Factors Influencing Chinese Music Teachers’ Perceptions and Behavioural Intentions in Using Technology in Higher Education: A Pilot Study

The development of new technologies drives many aspects of socio-economic development, including the development of education. The behavioural intention of music teachers, particularly in relation to how technology is integrated into the classroom, needs to be understood since it has a direct effect on the pedagogical approach used in classroom learning. Existing theories (the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK)) have explored aspects of teachers’ adoption of technologies; this article uses data from a pilot study to develop and test a model that combines the two theories in order to understand more fully the relationship between Individual Beliefs, Technological Competence and Behavioural Prediction of music teachers using technology in the context of the Chinese governmental policy: ‘Internet +’. The participants of this pilot study were 61 music teachers (12 male and 49 female); the proportion of participants in different provincial administrative regions covered more than half of mainland China (18 out of 34). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) revealed that the overall fit of the model was above the recommended level of acceptable fit. The results showed that Technological Competence has a significant impact on Individual Beliefs; Individual Beliefs have a significant impact on Behavioural Prediction. However, Technological Competence was found to have no significant direct impact on Behavioural Prediction. This study is one of only a few studies that combine the UTAUT and TPACK models into the field of music pedagogy and uses SEM for analysis. This study attempts to fill the gap in the factors influencing the adoption of technology in music education in non-Western cultures and also provides a starting point for understanding Chinese music teachers’ technological beliefs and behavioural intentions.
Brain volumetric MRI study in healthy adolescent and young person’s using automated method

Objective: Adolescence is a critical period for the maturation of neurobiological processes that underlie higher cognitive functions and social and emotional behaviour. However, there are limited studies that investigated brain volumes in healthy adolescents and young persons. The aim of this study was to compare the Grey Matter (GM), White Matter (WM) and some specific brain subcortical volumes such as hippocampus and amygdala between healthy adolescents and young groups by using VolBrain. Material and Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans were retrospectively obtained from 20 healthy adolescent and young subjects. The mean ages of the adolescent and young persons were 13±1 and 24±2, respectively. Brain parenchyma (BP), GM, WM and asymmetry features were calculated using VolBrain, and the GM and WM volumes of each subjects were compared with those of the both groups. The current study to examine whether regional gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), some brain subcortical structures volumes differed between healthy adolescent and young groups. Also, of the whole brain, hemispheres, and hippocampus, amigdala of adolescent and young subject volumes were measured with an automated method. Results: We have observed that the young group was found to have a 4 % less in volume of GM, when compared with adolescent groups. Conclusion: Our data indicate that quantitative structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data of the adolescent brain is important in understanding the age-related human morphological changes.
Age- and Sex-Adjusted Reference Intervals in Tear Cytokine Levels in Healthy Subjects

Alterations in tear cytokine levels have been associated with various ocular disorders as compared to those in healthy subjects. However, age and sex are not always considered in these comparisons. In this study we aimed to establish age and sex reference intervals (RIs) for tear cytokine levels in healthy people. Tear samples were taken from 75 males and 82 females, aged 18–88 years, and tear cytokine levels were determined. Age- and sex-adjusted RIs for epidermal growth factor (EGF), fractalkine, interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist (RA), IL-7, IL-8, interferon inducible protein (IP)-10, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tear cytokine levels in a healthy sample were established using generalized additive for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS) models. RIs were tested in two external samples: a validation sample of 40 individuals with normal results at four Dry Eye Disease (DED) clinical diagnostic tests (OSDI, T-BUT, corneal staining and Schirmer test); and a utility sample of 13 severe DED cases. IL-1RA, IL-8, IP-10, and MCP-1 levels showed a positive association with age, while EGF was negatively correlated. IL-7 concentration increased up to 40 years and again after 70 years, observing a quasi-linear decrease between them. For VEGF, higher levels were observed in the middle-aged range. Regarding sex-influence, fractalkine tear levels were higher in men, whereas those of IL-7, IL-8, and IP-10 were higher in women. Using the estimated age- and sex-adjusted RIs, more than 92% of the validation sample was correctly classified, and 100% of the severe DED patients in the utility sample had concentrations outside the RIs in at least two of the cytokines evaluated.
The Identity Resilience Index: Development and Validation in Two UK Samples

ABSTRACT Identity resilience is conceptualized in Identity Process Theory as a relatively stable self-schema, akin to a trait. Identity resilience is said to be high when individuals perceive their identity to be characterized by a high overall combined rating of their self-efficacy, self-esteem, continuity and distinctiveness. People reporting higher identity resilience respond more favorably to, and cope more effectively with, events and situations that question or threaten their identity. The Identity Resilience Index (IRI) is a 16-item self-report measure of identity resilience. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed on data from 465 participants in two studies in the United Kingdom who completed the IRI and the Positive Affect Scale. Results revealed a second-order factor model in which every item loaded onto one of four first-order identity dimensions (self-esteem, self-efficacy, continuity and distinctiveness) and indicated these four first-order dimensions loaded onto a higher-order identity factor (identity resilience). Overall, we found no statistically significant differences on the IRI by population (general vs. gay men). The IRI correlated positively with the Positive Affect Scale, suggesting good concurrent validity.
The role of regulatory, affective, and motivational resources in the adverse spillover of sleep in the home domain to employee effectiveness in the work domain

How does sleep affect employee effectiveness and what can employees do to remain effective on days with a lack of sleep? Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, our research expands on the cognitive (regulatory resources), affective (positive affect), and motivational (subjective vitality) mechanisms that link sleep and employee effectiveness. Furthermore, considering the crucial role of individuals’ beliefs in the spillover of sleep to work, we examine implicit theories about willpower – a mindset about the resource-draining nature of self-regulation – as a moderator of the positive relationship between sleep duration and employee effectiveness through regulatory resources availability. Two daily diary studies with a combined sample of Ntotal = 214 employees (Ntotal = 1317 workdays) demonstrate the predominant role of cognitive- and affective resources in the day-specific relations between sleep at home to engagement, in-role, and extra-role performance at work. Moreover, the spillover of sleep to employee effectiveness via cognitive resources is stronger for individuals holding a limited as compared with a non-limited resource theory. This research not only expands our theoretical understanding of the psychological mechanisms that link sleep to employee effectiveness but also offers practical implications by highlighting the protective role of holding a non-limited resource theory on days with a lack of sleep.
Potential Determinants of Regional Variation of Three American Aroma Hops Grown in the Willamette Valley, Oregon

Abstract The influence of growing region on hop quality was examined in three American aroma hop varieties (Mosaic®, Simcoe® and Strata®) that were harvested from two to five distinct sites within each of eleven commercial fields located throughout the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Weather, climate, and management data were collected for each of the eleven fields, while site-specific soil characterization was performed at each of the 50 sites. While hop variety had the largest influence on chemical differences, Multiple Factor Analysis revealed regional groupings attributable to differences in soil, weather, and management. Supplemental data for this article is available online at at https://doi.org/10.1080/03610470.2021. 1968272 .
Repetitive modulation and passive Q-switching of diode end-pumped Nd-KGW laser

We report the operation of a passively Q-switched diode end pumped Nd3+:KGW laser, which was obtained by using a Cr4+:YAG or Cr4+:GGG saturable absorbers in the multi-kHz frequency domain. The free-running (with maximum slope efficiency of 46%), and the passively Q-switched characteristics of Nd:KGW were investigated and the use of Nd:KGW as microlasers will be discussed.
Could diffuse coevolution explain the generic eggshell color of the brown-headed cowbird?

Abstract The brown-headed cowbird (hereafter cowbird) is an avian brood parasite that produces an egg dissimilar to those produced by the majority of its diverse host community. The cowbird’s generic egg may result from a Jack-of-all-trades strategy; however, the evolutionary mechanisms that select for their generic eggs are unclear. Here we propose that the cowbird’s eggshell phenotypes have evolved via diffuse coevolution, which results from community-level selective pressures, rather than via pairwise coevolution that occurs between a particular host species and its brood parasite. Under diffuse coevolution the cowbird’s host community, with varying eggshell phenotypes and recognition abilities, would select for a cowbird eggshell phenotype intermediate to those of its host community. This selection is exerted by hosts that reject cowbird eggs, rather than those that accept them; therefore, we expect cowbird eggshell colors can be approximated by both the phenotypes and rejection abilities of their host community. Here we use eggshell reflectance data from 43 host species to demonstrate that the cowbird eggshell phenotypes are reasonably predicted (within 2 just noticeable differences) by the eggshell phenotypes and rejection rates of their hosts. These findings suggest that cowbird eggshell phenotypes, and potentially those of other some generalist parasites, may evolve via diffuse coevolution. Importantly, this research provides insight into the underlying evolutionary processes that explain observed phenotypic variation and provides a framework for studying selection on both specialist and generalist parasites’ traits.
Experimental study on the aseismic capacity of a wooden house using shaking table

The aseismic capacity of a typical Korean wooden house built using traditional construction methods is quantitatively estimated. Tenon joints were used in wooden frames. Two 1:4 scale models were tested for rock and soil foundation conditions. Scaled real earthquake time histories were input for the tests. The natural frequency and modal damping ratio of the wooden house in the elastic range were 1.66 Hz and 7 per cent, respectively. The Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) at the collapse of the house at the soil site was 0.25g, whereas PGA for moderate damage at the rock site was 0.6g. A significant reduction in acceleration response and increase in displacement response was observed for rock and soil foundation conditions, respectively. The wooden house studied is much more vulnerable at soil sites than at rock sites due to the rich low-frequency contents of the input motion and the flexible characteristics of the wooden house. Non-linear dynamic analyses using the modified Double-Target model were compared with test results. The modified Double-Target model appropriately simulates the non-linear inelastic behaviour of a wooden house with tenon joints.
Project management under uncertainty

Morris' (1986) analysis of the factors affecting project success and failure is considered in relation to the psychology of judgement under uncertainty. A model is proposed whereby project managers may identify the specific circumstances in which human decision-making is prone to systematic error, and hence may apply a number of de-biasing techniques.
Macroeconomic News and Exchange Rates: Exploring the Role of Order Flow

This article studies the effects of macroeconomic news announcements and order flow on exchange rates in Pakistan by considering both direct and indirect information channels during news announcements periods. For this purpose, it employs GARCH models by using real-time data on macroeconomic news, order flow, and exchange rates. The findings reveal that macroeconomic news directly, and indirectly affect Pak Rupee exchange rates. The results also show that the order flow drives fluctuations in Pak Rupee exchange rates indicating the role of trade signals and trading strategies of currency traders in the exchange rate determination. Hence, as part of an aggregated economic component and means of public and private information, macroeconomic news and order flow impact Pak Rupee exchange rates as an integrated determinant. When macroeconomic news strikes the foreign exchange market, it affects the decisions of market makers, influencing order flow, and then exchange rates.
Nearly degenerate four-wave mixing in laser diodes subject to strong probe injection power

Nearly degenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) in above-threshold laser diodes with symmetric or asymmetric facet reflectivities, subject to strong probe injection power, is investigated theoretically, taking into account the effects of pump depletion, carrier diffusion, gain saturation, gain compression, total power dependence of the gain and coupling coefficients as well as the longitudinal dependence of the nonlinear interaction. It is shown that the reflectivity efficiencies of probe and conjugate waves demonstrate significantly different behaviors for strong probe injection power, compared to small probe injection power, and a greater than 3 dB enhancement of reflectivity efficiencies can be achieved in an asymmetric laser diode, compared to a symmetric laser.
Quantile regression-based multiple imputation of missing values — An evaluation and application to corporal punishment data

Quantile regression (QR) is a valuable tool for data analysis and multiple imputation (MI) of missing values – especially when standard parametric modelling assumptions are violated. Yet, Monte Carlo simulations that systematically evaluate QR-based MI in a variety of different practically relevant settings are still scarce. In this paper, we evaluate the method regarding the imputation of ordinal data and compare the results with other standard and robust imputation methods. We then apply QR-based MI to an empirical dataset, where we seek to identify risk factors for corporal punishment of children by their fathers. We compare the modelling results with previously published findings based on complete cases. Our Monte Carlo results highlight the advantages of QR-based MI over fully parametric imputation models: QR-based MI yields unbiased statistical inferences across large parts of the conditional distribution, when parametric modelling assumptions, such as normal and homoscedastic error terms, are violated. Regarding risk factors for corporal punishment, our MI results support previously published findings based on complete cases. Our empirical results indicate that the identified “missing at random” processes in the investigated dataset are negligible.
Spectroscopic analysis of scattering media via different quantification techniques

This thesis outlines problems in the estimation of concentration value of an absorber present in a medium that is scattering and shortcomings of using the currently available techniques for the characterisation of such a scattering medium. The work describes experiment and analytic techniques used to overcome these problems. This thesis explored experimentally the practicality of using polarisation subtraction technique to minimise the effects of scattering components on the measured data. This work also considered the case when this technique has not been used owing to its limited application, and to that end, the improved linear equation and nonlinear fitting models, and gradient processing method were developed on the basis of the assumed behaviour of how a medium’s scattering coefficient changes with wavelength to provide information about the fractional concentration value of an absorber. The performance of these techniques evaluated via simulation showed that linear equation model has the fastest processing speed, nonlinear fitting method is robust to system noise and is able to provide an overall more accurate estimate of value with mean of errors of less than ±1%. The gradient processing method has intermediate performances with accuracy of its estimated value improved by about 30% with an increase in the spectral resolution from 1 nm to 0.5 nm. This work concludes that gradient processing method would be employed if accuracy of estimated value, noise robustness and computing time are of concern. However, nonlinear fitting method would be chosen in case high accuracy of the estimated value is required. Both of these methods can be suitably used as complementary techniques to clinical assessment of skin grafts and burnt skin. The simultaneous solution of linear equation model works well if all the measurement parameters are known.
The Mediating Role of Gender, Age, COVID-19 Symptoms and Changing of Mansion on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers Operating in Italy during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested the performance of hospitals and intensive care units around the world. Health care workers (HCWs) have been used to developmental symptoms, but this was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic when HCWs have been faced with many other sources of stress and anxiety that can usually be avoided. Moreover, long-term shifts and unprecedented population restrictions have weakened people’s ability to cope with stress. The research aims to observe the dynamic interplay between burnout, depression, distress, and anxiety in HCWs working in various settings, with specific a focus on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal achievement in mediating a worse mental health status during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. We performed a mediation analysis, which resulted in a strong correlation among depression, psychological distress, health perception and anxiety, and the impact of job burnout on anxiety, depression, and distress. Gender seemed to have a strong correlation with burnout, anxiety, and distress; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Quality of Life seemed to affect anxiety and depression; the possible changes in job tasks and duties (intended as a change in work area or location and role change)influenced depression and job burnout. Encouraging supportive and educational strategies would be recommended to policymakers.
Positive bias temperature instability in MOSFETs

The positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) of submicron MOSFETs has been investigated. It is found that the PBTI can be as large as the well-known negative bias temperature instability (NBTI). While the NBTI includes both Interface state generation and positive charge formation in the gate oxide, the PBTI only exists in the form of donor-like interface state generation. These donor-like interface states are localized symmetrically near the source and drain junctions and are negligible in the middle of the channel. Their dependence on the stressing electrical field strength and temperature is investigated and an activation energy of 1.23 eV is extracted. The PBTI creation follows the first order kinetics and the final saturation level is fixed by the number of defects available in the device. The experimental results show that the water- and boron-related species are two necessary reactants of the electrochemical reaction leading to the PBTI. Some speculation on the PBTI formation process is included.
A rational reconstruction of Six Sigma's Breakthrough Cookbook

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a consistent and crystallized exposition of Six‐Sigma's methodology for improvement projects, which could serve as a basis for subsequent scientific research of the method.Design/methodology/approach – The paper shows that reformulation of imprecise and unscientific formulations of knowledge is called rational reconstruction. Starting from accounts given in the Six‐Sigma literature, a descriptive reconstruction of the main elements of the Six‐Sigma method is made: its business context, strategy, tools and techniques, and concepts and classifications.Findings – The paper finds that, although, on the face of it, it may seem that accounts given in literature diverge, analysis shows that variations are superficial rather than essential. The analyses result in precisely formulated accounts of Six‐Sigma's method (DMAIC phases, steps, and tools), its business context, and its terminology. Essential anomalies are discussed. Six‐Sigma's claims of being data‐driven .