Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The interacting effects of distributed work arrangements and individual dispositions on willingness to engage in sensemaking behaviors

Faced with highly competitive and dynamic environments, organizations are increasingly investing in technologies that provide them with new options for structuring work. At the same time, firms are increasingly dependent on employees' willingness and ability to make sense of novel tasks, problems, and rapidly changing situations. Yet, in spite of its importance, the impact of technology‐enabled distributed work arrangements on sensemaking behavior is largely unknown. Sensemaking remains something that is perceived by many to be an idiosyncratic behavior that is, at best, loosely related to sociotechnical context and culture. Drawing on previous studies of cognitive dispositions (need for cognition, tendency for decisiveness, intolerance for ambiguity, and close‐mindedness) and research on how technology‐enabled distributed work arrangements affect interpersonal interaction, we theorize how workgroup geographic distribution interacts with individual cognitive differences to affect employees' willingness to engage in the core sociocognitive activities of sensemaking. Our results show that the consequences of individual tendencies can vary under different work arrangements, suggesting that managers seeking to facilitate sensemaking activities must make careful choices about the composition of distributed work groups, as well as how collaboration technologies can be used to encourage sensemaking behaviors.
UK audit of left ventricular ejection fraction estimation from equilibrium ECG gated blood pool images

PurposeTo examine the variability of results obtained from computer analysis of left ventricular gated blood pool (LVGBP) images by nuclear medicine centres in the UK. MethodsTwelve data sets of LVGBP images were distributed via commercial software suppliers to nuclear medicine centres in the UK. Two of the data sets were duplicates and three were acquired from the same patient with different total counts in the images. The quality of the images was also variable and two images had poorly defined left ventricular walls. A questionnaire was used to identify the parameters used during the analysis and to give an indication of the number of LVGBP scans per year routinely carried out by each centre as well as report the results obtained from the analysis. ResultsResults were received from 63 nuclear medicine centres using 77 computer systems. The vast majority of participants (57) carried out fewer than 10 scans per month. Only two centres performed more than 30 scans per month. Sixteen centres did not quote a minimum normal value for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and 36 did not record a maximum value. The remainder recorded between 0.40 and 0.60 for the minimum of normal range and 0.60–0.90 for the maximum of normal range. Analysis of returns showed that LVEF estimates for the data sets were highly variable between centres and computer systems. The overall standard deviation of results compared to the mean for each study was 0.076. Approximately half this variation was due to systematic variation between centres. The overall precision taking into consideration this systematic variation, was 0.055. Lower variability was found between studies with higher overall counts and this was highly significant.
Multi-AUVs formation control with acoustic communication constraints

Formation control has received significant attention in the field of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in recent years. There are many theoretical methods for solving this problem. But when applying these methods to an actual multiple AUVs system, communication constraints need to be considered because acoustic communication among multiple AUVs often is unreliable in actual ocean environment. This paper focuses on application and validation of a leader-follower approach on multi-AUVs formation maintenance with acoustic communication constraints. The communication interval between AUVs and packet loss rate are researched based on experiments. A leader-follower formation control algorithm based on a Line-Of- Sight guidance law is proposed. The simulation and experiment results show that the proposed method is effective and feasible when keeping a formation with a long delay of underwater acoustic communication, and it is also suitable for short-time communication interruption.
Amblyomma yucumense n. sp. (Acari: Ixodidae), a Parasite of Wild Mammals in Southern Brazil

ABSTRACT During 2013–2014, adult ticks were collected on the vegetation and subadult ticks were collected from small mammals [Didelphis aurita Wied-Neuwied, Sooretamys angouya (Fischer), Euryoryzomys russatus (Wagner), Akodon montensis Thomas, Oxymycterus judex Thomas] in an Atlantic rainforest reserve in southern Brazil. Analyses of the external morphology of the adult ticks revealed that they represent a new species, Amblyomma yucumense n. sp. Partial 16S rRNA sequences generated from males, females, and nymphs were identical to each other and closest (95% identity) to corresponding sequences of Amblyomma dubitatum Neumann. A. yucumense is morphologically and genetically closest related to A. dubitatum. Dorsally, male of these species can be separated by major longitudinal pale orange stripes associated with a pseudoscutum indicated by a pale stripe in A. yucumense, in contrast to pale creamy longitudinal stripes and absence of pseudoscutum in A. dubitatum. Ventrally, male coxal I spurs are separated by a space narrower than external spur width in A. yucumense, and wider than external spur width in A. dubitatum. Females of the two species can be separated by coxal I spurs, longer in A. yucumense than in A. dubitatum. In addition, the adult capitulum and ventral idiosoma of A. yucumense are generally dark brown colored, while A. dubitatum is yellowish or light brown colored. The nymph of A. yucumense differs from A. dubitatum by the scutal cervical groove length, slightly shorter in the former species. Currently, A. yucumense is restricted to southern Brazil.
An intelligent state machine towards task-oriented search support

Researchers tend to agree that an increasing quantity of data has caused the complexity and difficulty for information discovery, management and reuse. An essential factor relates to the increasing channels for information sharing. Finding information, especially those meaningful or useful one, that meets ultimate task of user becomes harder then it is used to be. In this research, issues concerning the use of user-generated contents for individual search support are investigated. In order to make efficient use of user-generated contents, an intelligent state machine, as a hybridization of graph model and petri-net model (i.e. Document Sensitive Petri-Net), is proposed. It is utilized to clarify the vague usage scenario between user-generated contents, such as discussions, posts, etc., and to identify correlations and experiences within them. As a practical contribution, an interactive search algorithm that generates potential solutions for individual is implemented. The feasibility of this research is demonstrated by a series of experiments and empirical studies with around 320,000 user-generated contents collected from the Internet and 180 users.
Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157 Shedding Dynamics in an Australian Beef Herd

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 is an important foodborne pathogen that can be transmitted to humans both directly and indirectly from the feces of beef cattle, its primary reservoir. Numerous studies have investigated the shedding dynamics of E. coli O157 by beef cattle; however, the spatiotemporal trends of shedding are still not well understood. Molecular tools can increase the resolution through the use of strain typing to explore transmission dynamics within and between herds and identify strain-specific characteristics that may influence pathogenicity and spread. Previously, the shedding dynamics and molecular diversity, through the use of multilocus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) of STEC O157, were separately investigated in an Australian beef herd over a 9-month study period. Variation in shedding was observed over time, and 33 MLVA types were identified. The study presented here combines the two datasets previously published with an aim to clarify the relationship between epidemiological variables and strain types. Three major genetic clusters (GCs) were identified that were significantly associated with the location of the cattle in different paddocks. No significant association between GCs and individual cow was observed. Results from this molecular epidemiological study provide evidence for herd-level clonal replacement over time that may have been triggered by movement to a new paddock. In conclusion, this study has provided further insight into STEC O157 shedding dynamics and pathogen transmission. Knowledge gaps remain regarding the relationship of strain types and the shedding dynamics of STEC O157 by beef cattle that could be further clarified through the use of whole-genome sequencing.
Advancing the Quorum in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: MvaT and the Regulation of N-Acylhomoserine Lactone Production and Virulence Gene Expression

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa regulates the production of many exoproteins and secondary metabolites via a hierarchical quorum-sensing cascade through LasR and RhlR and their cognate signal molecules N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3O-C12-HSL) and N-(butanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL). In this study, we found that transcription of the quorum sensing-regulated genes lecA (coding for PA-IL lectin), lasB (coding for elastase), and rpoS appeared to be growth phase dependent and their expression could not be advanced to the logarithmic phase in cells growing in batch culture by the addition of exogenous C4-HSL and 3O-C12-HSL. To identify novel regulators responsible for this growth phase dependency, a P. aeruginosa lecA::lux reporter strain was subjected to random transposon mutagenesis. A number of mutants affected in lecA expression were found that exhibited altered production of multiple quorum sensing-dependent phenotypes. While some mutations were mapped to new loci such as clpA and mvaT and a putative efflux system, a number of mutations were also mapped to known regulators such as lasR, rhlR, and rpoS. MvaT was identified as a novel global regulator of virulence gene expression, as a mutation in mvaT resulted in enhanced lecA expression and pyocyanin production. This mutant also showed altered swarming ability and production of the LasB and LasA proteases, 3O-C12-HSL, and C4-HSL. Furthermore, addition of exogenous 3O-C12-HSL and C4-HSL to the mvaT mutant significantly advanced lecA expression, suggesting that MvaT is involved in the growth phase-dependent regulation of the lecA gene.
Basic Confocal Microscopy

This unit introduces the reader to the basic principles of confocal microscopy and the design and capabilities of current confocal microscopes. The advantages and disadvantages of confocal microscopy compared to other techniques for fluorescence imaging are described. There are also practical guidelines for sample preparation and optimization of imaging parameters, as well as examples of some of the applications of confocal microscopy. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 81:14.11. 1‐14.11. 18. © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Noninvasive imaging of the small bowel in Crohn's disease: The final frontier

Abstract: The substantial morbidity and mortality associated with Crohn's disease underlines the importance of accurate assessment at presentation, during follow‐up, when investigating complications, and when evaluating the response to therapeutic interventions. Accurate methods are required to quantify the severity and extent of disease. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2011;)
Modelling a loss event: effect of imagined bereavement on the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis

Background. Loss events are the stressors most closely associated with the onset of depressive illnesses. The acute cortisol response to loss has been little studied although it could be an important mediator of the effects of environmental stress on psychological state. Methods. The salivary cortisol response to an established negative mood induction procedure involving music and an imagined bereavement was measured in 30 healthy volunteers. Results. Considerable but transient mood lowering in response to the negative mood induction was associated with a small increase in cortisol output over 30 min. Conclusions. This procedure has some potential as a tool to investigate individual differences in the neuroendocrine response to loss events, but this is limited. There remains a need for laboratory models of relevant psychosocial stressors in mood disorders research.
Measurement of joint kinematics using a conventional clinical single-perspective flat-panel radiography system.

PURPOSE The ability to accurately measure joint kinematics is an important tool in studying both normal joint function and pathologies associated with injury and disease. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, accuracy, precision, and clinical safety of measuring 3D joint motion using a conventional flat-panel radiography system prior to its application in an in vivo study. METHODS An automated, image-based tracking algorithm was implemented to measure the three-dimensional pose of a sparse object from a two-dimensional radiographic projection. The algorithm was tested to determine its efficiency and failure rate, defined as the number of image frames where automated tracking failed, or required user intervention. The accuracy and precision of measuring three-dimensional motion were assessed using a robotic controlled, tibiofemoral knee phantom programmed to mimic a subject with a total knee replacement performing a stair ascent activity. Accuracy was assessed by comparing the measurements of the single-plane radiographic tracking technique to those of an optical tracking system, and quantified by the measurement discrepancy between the two systems using the Bland-Altman technique. Precision was assessed through a series of repeated measurements of the tibiofemoral kinematics, and was quantified using the across-trial deviations of the repeated kinematic measurements. The safety of the imaging procedure was assessed by measuring the effective dose of ionizing radiation associated with the x-ray exposures, and analyzing its relative risk to a human subject. RESULTS The automated tracking algorithm displayed a failure rate of 2% and achieved an average computational throughput of 8 image frames/s. Mean differences between the radiographic and optical measurements for translations and rotations were less than 0.08 mm and 0.07° in-plane, and 0.24 mm and 0.6° out-of-plane. The repeatability of kinematics measurements performed using the radiographic tracking technique was better than ±0.09 mm and 0.12° in-plane, and ±0.70 mm and ±0.07° out-of-plane. The effective dose associated with the imaging protocol used was 15 μSv for 10 s of radiographic cine acquisition. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the ability to accurately measure knee-joint kinematics using a single-plane radiographic measurement technique. The measurement technique can be easily implemented at most clinical centers equipped with a modern-day radiographic x-ray system. The dose of ionizing radiation associated with the image acquisition represents a minimal risk to any subjects undergoing the examination.
Verdienstdifferenzen zwischen Frauen und Männern nur teilweise durch Strukturmerkmale zu erklären

Die Entlohnung von Frauen in abhangigen Beschaftigungen blieb in Deutschland auch im Jahr 2006 deutlich hinter der der Manner zuruck. Fur den Durchschnitt der Vollzeitbeschaftigen zeigt sich beim Bruttomonatsverdienst eine Lucke von 18 Prozent. Schatzungen unter Berucksichtigung von Strukturmerkmalen wie Bildung, Berufserfahrung oder Kinderzahl zeigen, dass sich gut ein Drittel der Lohndifferenz auf geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede in diesen Merkmalen zuruckfuhren lasst. Der Rest beruht auf nicht beobachteten Faktoren. Hierzu gehoren mit groser Wahrscheinlichkeit auch diskriminierend wirkende Mechanismen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt, die fur Frauen zu Abschlagen beim Verdienst fuhren.
Effect of partial supplementation of sun-dried Azolla as a protein source on the immunity and antioxidant status of commercial broilers

Aim: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of partial supplementation of sun-dried Azolla as a protein source on the immunity of commercial broilers in coastal Odisha. Materials and Methods: A 180 day-old broiler chicks were distributed in six dietary treatments viz. C1: Basal diet, C2: Basal diet + enzyme, T1: Basal diet +5% protein from Azolla, T2: Basal diet + 5% protein from Azolla + enzyme, T3: Basal diet +10% protein from Azolla, and T4: Basal diet + 10% protein from Azolla + enzyme. Cutaneous basophilc hypersensitivity (CBH) and humoral immunity response were determined at the 38th day of age. At 42nd day, the weight of lymphoid organs, an antioxidant enzyme, and lipid peroxidation activity were determined. Results: The CBH response did not differ significantly among the treated groups, but the sheep red blood cells response was significantly higher in T4. The weight of lymphoid organs or immune organs of all the treated groups did not differ significantly (p>0.05). The erythrocyte catalase level of T4 group was found to be significantly higher than rest of the treated groups except T3. Conclusion: It may be concluded that supplementation of Azolla at 10% of dietary protein requirement along with enzyme supplementation in an isonitrogenous diet showed a better immune response in broilers.
Development of double-sided with double-chip stacking structure using panel level embedded wafer level packaging

In recent years, consumer electronics demand has been geared towards lightweight, high capacity, and high efficiency small form factor devices. These characteristics can be achieved by using three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) technology. This study proposes a double-chip stacking structure in an embedded fan-out wafer level packaging (WLP) with double-sided interconnections. This structure consists of two or more thin dies, chip carriers, through mold vias (TMV), and interconnection structures. The thermal performance of the proposed packaging structure is examined and discussed by using finite element (FE) analysis. An FE model of the WLP is also established to compare the thermal performance of conventional WLP and the proposed packaging structure. The proposed packaging structure has a larger size and silicon carrier, which reduces its thermal resistance from 49 °C/W to 39 °C/W. By adopting the proposed design guidelines, including carrier material selection, and designating thermal vias and chip/package size ratios, FE analysis determined that the thermal performance of the proposed packaging structure can be further improved, thereby enhancing its suitability for applications with high power density.
The War on Poverty: Measurement, Trends, and Policy.

We present a 50‐year historical perspective of the nation's antipoverty efforts, describing the evolution of policy during four key periods since 1965. Over this half‐century, the initial heavy reliance on cash income support to poor families has eroded; increases in public support came largely in the form of in‐kind (e.g., Food Stamps) and tax‐related (e.g., the Earned Income Tax Credit) benefits. Work support and the supplementation of earnings substituted for direct support. These shifts eroded the safety net for the most disadvantaged in American society. Three poverty‐related analytical developments are also described. The rise of the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM)—taking account of noncash and tax‐related benefits—has corrected some of the serious weaknesses of the official poverty measure (OPM). The SPM measure indicates that the poverty rate has declined over time, rather than being essentially flat as the OPM implies. We also present snapshots of the composition of the poor population in the United States using both the OPM and the SPM, showing progress in reducing poverty overall and among specific socioeconomic subgroups since the beginning of the War on Poverty. Finally, we document the expenditure levels of numerous antipoverty programs that have accompanied the several phases of poverty policy and describe the effect of these efforts on the level of poverty. Although the effectiveness of government antipoverty transfers is debated, our findings indicate that the growth of antipoverty policies has reduced the overall level of poverty, with substantial reductions among the elderly, disabled, and blacks. However, the poverty rates for children, especially those living in single‐parent families, and families headed by a low‐skill, low‐education person, have increased. Rates of deep poverty (families living with less than one‐half of the poverty line) for the nonelderly population have not decreased, reflecting both the increasing labor market difficulties faced by the low‐skill population and the tilt of means‐tested benefits away from the poorest of the poor.
MAGIC gamma-ray and multi-frequency observations of flat spectrum radio quasar PKS 1510−089 in early 2012

Aims. Amongst more than fifty blazars detected in very high energy (VHE, E> 100 GeV) γ rays, only three belong to the subclass of flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs). The detection of FSRQs in the VHE range is challenging, mainly because of their soft spectra in the GeV-TeV regime. MAGIC observed PKS 1510−089 (z = 0.36) starting 2012 February 3 until April 3 during a high activity state in the high energy (HE, E> 100 MeV) γ-ray band observed by AGILE and Fermi. MAGIC observations result in the detection of a source with significance of 6.0 standard deviations (σ). We study the multi-frequency behaviour of the source at the epoch of MAGIC observation, collecting quasi-simultaneous data at radio and optical (GASP-WEBT and F-Gamma collaborations, REM, Steward, Perkins, Liverpool, OVRO, and VLBA telescopes), X-ray (Swift satellite), and HE γ-ray frequencies. Methods. We study the VHE γ-ray emission, together with the multi-frequency light curves, 43 GHz radio maps, and spectral energy distribution (SED) of the source. The quasi-simultaneous multi-frequency SED from the millimetre radio band to VHE γ rays is modelled with a one-zone inverse Compton model. We study two different origins of the seed photons for the inverse Compton scattering, namely the infrared torus and a slow sheath surrounding the jet around the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) core. Results. We find that the VHE γ-ray emission detected from PKS 1510−089 in 2012 February-April agrees with the previous VHE observations of the source from 2009 March-April. We find no statistically significant variability during the MAGIC observations on daily, weekly, or monthly time scales, while the other two known VHE FSRQs (3C 279 and PKS 1222+216) have shown daily scale to sub-hour variability. The γ-ray SED combining AGILE, Fermi and MAGIC data joins smoothly and shows no hint of a break. The multi-frequency light curves suggest a common origin for the millimetre radio and HE γ-ray emission, and the HE γ-ray flaring starts when the new component is ejected from the 43 GHz VLBA core and the studied SED models fit the data well. However, the fast HE γ-ray variability requires that within the modelled large emitting region, more compact regions must exist. We suggest that these observed signatures would be most naturally explained by a turbulent plasma flowing at a relativistic speed down the jet and crossing a standing conical shock.