Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of behavioral integrity on workplace ostracism

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between leader’s behavioral integrity and his/her workplace ostracism as well as to test the moderating roles of narcissistic personality and psychological distance on that relationship. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 13 state universities in Turkey. The sample included 1,003 randomly chosen faculty members and deans of their faculties. The moderating roles of narcissistic personality and psychological distance on the behavioral integrity and workplace ostracism relationship were tested using the moderated hierarchical regression analysis. Findings – The moderated hierarchical regression analysis results revealed that there was a significant negative relationship between leader’s behavioral integrity and his/her workplace ostracism. In addition, the negative relationship between behavioral integrity and workplace ostracism was weaker when both leader’s narcissistic personality and psychological distance were higher .
A statistical model-based approach for the automatic quantitative analysis of perfusion gated SPECT studies

In this paper we present a statistical model-based approach to three-dimensional (3D) analysis of gated SPECT perfusion studies. By means of a 3D Active Shape Model (3D-ASM) segmentation algorithm, delineations of the endo- and epicardial borders of the left ventricle are obtained, in all temporal phases and image slices of the study. Prior knowledge was captured from a training set of cardiac MRI and SPECT studies, from which geometrical (shape) and grey-level (appearance) statistical models were built. From the fitted shape, a truly 3D representation of the left ventricle, a series of global and regional functional parameters can be assessed. A myocardial center surface representation is built on top of which scalar maps of perfusion, thickness or motion can be depicted. Preliminary results were quite encouraging, suggesting that statistical model-based segmentation may serve as a robust technique for routine use.
Sheaves on local Calabi-Yau varieties

We investigate sheaves supported on the zero section of the total space of a locally-free sheaf E on a smooth, projective variety X when the top exterior power of E is isomorphic to the canonical bundle of X. We rephrase this construction using the language of A-infinity algebra and provide a simple characterisation of the case E is simply the canonical bundle itself.
Edge detection using morphological amoebas in noisy images

Edge detection is a significant step in image processing. Morphological edge detectors developed until now used a fixed structuring element (SE) on all the image pixels; however, they cannot consider the local features of an image due to the fixed SE and we should choose an appropriate SE by lots of experiments. In this paper, new morphological edge detectors using amoebas, dynamic structuring elements which adapt their shapes to image contours, are proposed. The experimental results show that amoeba-based edge detectors have better performance than corresponding classic edge detectors. The proposed methods have less sensitivity to noise while detecting more details of image than other morphological edge detectors with a fixed SE.
Fast off-site backup and recovery system for HDFS

HDFS is designed to store massive scale data on commodity hardware reliably. However, it is still vulnerable to severe site disaster, eg. fire, earthquake. The off-site file system backup is an important strategy for data retention. In this paper, we present an efficient, easy-to-use off-site backup and recovery system for HDFS. The system includes a client based on HDFS v2.3. 0 with additional feature of off-site backup, and a remote server with a HDFS cluster to keep the backup data. It supports full backup and regularly incremental backup. Both the metadata alteration and the data blocks alteration will be recorded and transferred to remote backup server. Several techniques are used to improve efficiency and throughput. In our experiment, the average speed of backup is up to 95 MB/s, approaching the theoretical maximum speed of gigabit Ethernet.
Frequent In-Migration and Highly Focal Transmission of Dengue Viruses among Children in Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand

Revealing the patterns and determinants of the spread of dengue virus (DENV) at local scales is central to understanding the epidemiology and evolution of this major human pathogen. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of the envelope (E) genes of DENV-1, -2, -3, and -4 isolates (involving 97, 23, 5, and 74 newly collected sequences, respectively) sampled from school-based cohort and village-based cluster studies in Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand, between 2004 and 2007. With these data, we sought to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of DENV spread within a rural population where a future vaccine efficacy trial is planned. Our analysis revealed considerable genetic diversity within the study population, with multiple lineages within each serotype circulating for various lengths of time during the study period. These results suggest that DENV is frequently introduced into both semi-urban and rural areas in Kamphaeng Phet from other populations. In contrast, the persistence of viral lineages across sampling years was observed less frequently. Analysis of phylogenetic clustering indicated that DENV transmission was highly spatially and temporally focal, and that it occurred in homes rather than at school. Overall, the strength of temporal clustering suggests that seasonal bottlenecks in local DENV populations facilitate the invasion and establishment of viruses from outside of the study area, in turn reducing the extent of lineage persistence.
Relationship Between Forced Vital Capacity and Framingham Cardiovascular Risk Score Beyond the Presence of Metabolic Syndrome

AbstractImpaired lung function is a risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) events. However, it has not been well established whether FVC reduction even within normal range is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and whether reduced FVC is an independent relationship of CVD irrespective of metabolic syndrome. Thus, we aimed to explore the relationship between FVC and CV-event risk using the FRS beyond the presence of metabolic syndrome or abdominal obesity in a representative Korean population based on data from the nationwide Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV). The study population included 9688 subjects ≥ 30 years of age with no previous diagnosis of CVD and obstructive lung disease. Using a logistic regression model and area under the curve (AUC) analysis, we evaluated the relationship between FVC quintiles and CV-event risk using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS; ≥ 10% or ≥ 20%). In addition, we examined the effect of FVC on CV-event risk based on the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and abdominal obesity.After adjusting for covariates, comparison of subjects in the lowest FVC (% pred) quintile (Q1) with those in the highest quintile (Q5) yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 2.27 (95% CI, 1.91–2.71) for intermediate and high risk, and 2.89 (95% CI, 2.31–3.61) for high risk. The ORs for cardiovascular risk using FRS also increased irrespective of the presence of abdominal obesity and MetS without significant interaction. Furthermore, the addition of FVC status to MetS status and abdominal obesity status significantly increased the AUC of the model predicting CV-event risk (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001). Our study demonstrates that FVC is inversely associated with 10-year CV-event risk, irrespective of MetS and abdominal obesity in the general population without obstructive lung disease. Furthermore, the addition of FVC to MetS or abdominal obesity increased prediction of CVD event risks, implying a potential role of FVC to predict CV events.
Quarc: A High-Efficiency Network on-Chip Architecture

Th novel Quarc NoC architecture, inspired by the Spidergon scheme is introduced as a NoC architecture that is highly efficient in performing collective communication operations including broadcast and multicast. The efficiency of the Quarc architecture is achieved through balancing the traffic which is the result of the modifications applied to the topology and the routing elements of the Spidergon NoC. This paper provides an ASIC implementation of both architectures using UMC’s 0:13um CMOS technology and demonstrates an analysis and comparison of the cost and performance between the Quarc and the Spidergon NoCs.
Go Forth and Colonize: Dispersal from Clinically Important Microbial Biofilms

The past two decades have witnessed remarkable developments in the field of microbial biofilm research, with the implementation of advanced molecular technologies enabling in-depth understanding of the sessile lifestyle across a variety of systems and organisms. The keen focus on biofilms is justified mostly because of their significant clinical impact, which has prompted the need to explore, manipulate, and devise methods to both prevent biofilm development and treat established biofilms in diverse environments and clinical settings. Furthermore, in recent years, the study of how these surface-associated consortia of cells transition back to unattached, planktonic entities has become a theme of intense interest and scrutiny for microbiologists. Accumulating evidence indicates that escape or release of cells from a biofilm contributes to the success of the microbe as a pathogen. Here, we first provide a general overview of the differences in the biofilm life cycle between bacteria and fungi, with emphasis on medically important pathogens. Next, we elaborate on the recent advances in our understanding of biofilm dispersal and how the process can be harnessed for the clinical management of biofilm-associated infections.
Molecular Genetic Analysis of a Group A Streptococcus Operon Encoding Serum Opacity Factor and a Novel Fibronectin-Binding Protein, SfbX

ABSTRACT The group A Streptococcus (GAS) sof gene encodes the serum opacity factor protein, which is capable of opacifying mammalian sera and binding at least two host proteins, fibronectin and fibrinogen. The sof gene exists in approximately 50% of clinical isolates, and there is a classical association of so-called nephritogenic strains with the opacity factor-positive phenotype. In both a type emm49 strain and a type emm12 strain, the sequences upstream of the 5′ end of sof and downstream of the putative terminator were determined to be nearly identical to a region in the M type 1 genome approximately 10 kb upstream of the emm1 gene. This close genetic linkage is likely reflected in the strict correlation of opacity factor phenotype with specific emm genotypes. A new fibronectin-binding protein gene, sfbX, was discovered immediately downstream of sof in emm12 and emm49 strains and in several other sof-positive strains. The sof and sfbX genes were found to be expressed on the same transcription unit, which was correlated with the putative promoter and rho-independant terminator sequences that flank these two genes. The sfbX genes from different emm types are predicted to encode ∼650-residue surface-bound proteins sharing 89 to 92% sequence identity. SfbX residues approximately 1 to 480 are not highly similar to those of other known proteins, with the closest match being the Staphylococcus aureus coagulase protein. The remaining portions of these proteins (residues 481 to 650) contain four putative fibronectin-binding repeats highly similar to those of other streptococcal fibronectin-binding proteins and a potential LP(X)SG cell wall anchor motif. Targeted in-frame allelic-exchange mutagenesis, complementation, and heterologous-expression studies found that serum opacification is encoded by sof alone and that sfbX encodes a fibronectin-binding function. A recombinant SfbX protein was found to bind immobilized fibronectin and to partially inhibit GAS adherence to fibronectin. The sfbX gene was found to be present only in sof-positive strains, and together these genes could influence the spectrum of tissues colonized by sof-positive GAS.
TMS to the Lateral Occipital Cortex Disrupts Object Processing but Facilitates Scene Processing

The study of brain-damaged patients and advancements in neuroimaging have lead to the discovery of discrete brain regions that process visual image categories, such as objects and scenes. However, how these visual image categories interact remains unclear. For example, is scene perception simply an extension of object perception, or can global scene “gist” be processed independently of its component objects? Specifically, when recognizing a scene such as an “office,” does one need to first recognize its individual objects, such as the desk, chair, lamp, pens, and paper to build up the representation of an “office” scene? Here, we show that temporary interruption of object processing through repetitive TMS to the left lateral occipital cortex (LO), an area known to selectively process objects, impairs object categorization but surprisingly facilitates scene categorization. This result was replicated in a second experiment, which assessed the temporal dynamics of this disruption and facilitation. We further showed that repetitive TMS to left LO significantly disrupted object processing but facilitated scene processing when stimulation was administered during the first 180 msec of the task. This demonstrates that the visual system retains the ability to process scenes during disruption to object processing. Moreover, the facilitation of scene processing indicates disinhibition of areas involved in global scene processing, likely caused by disrupting inhibitory contributions from the LO. These findings indicate separate but interactive pathways for object and scene processing and further reveal a network of inhibitory connections between these visual brain regions.
ENSO's Phase Locking to the Seasonal Cycle in the Fast-SST, Fast-Wave, and Mixed-Mode Regimes

The physical mechanism underlying ENSO’s phase locking to the seasonal cycle is examined in three parameter regimes: the fast-SST limit, the fast-wave limit, and the mixed SST‐wave dynamics regime. The seasonal cycle is imposed on simple ordinary differential equation models for each physical regime either as a seasonal ocean‐ atmosphere coupling strength obtained from the model of Zebiak and Cane or as a climatological seasonal upwelling. In all three parameter regimes, the seasonal variations in the ocean‐atmosphere coupling strength force the events to peak toward the end of the calendar year, whereas the effect of upwelling is shown to be less important. The phase locking mechanism in the mixed-mode and fast-SST regimes relies on the seasonal excitation of the Kelvin and the Rossby waves by wind stress anomalies in the central Pacific basin. The peak time of the events is set by the dynamics to allow a balance between the warming and cooling trends due to downwelling Kelvin and upwelling Rossby waves. This balance is obtained because the warming trend due to the large-amplitude Kelvin waves, amplified by a weak Northern Hemisphere wintertime ocean‐atmosphere coupling strength, balances the cooling trend due to weak Rossby waves, amplified by a strong summertime coupling strength. The difference between the locking mechanisms in the mixed-mode regime and in the fastSST regime is used to understand the effect of the SST adjustment time on the timing of the phase locking. Finally, in the less realistic fast-wave regime, a different physical mechanism for ENSO’s phase locking is revealed through the SST adjustment time and the interaction between the east Pacific region and the central Pacific region.
Convergence analysis of iterative identification and optimization schemes

The use of measurements to compensate for model uncertainty has received increasing attention in the context of process optimization. The idea consists of iteratively using the measurements for identifying model parameters and the updated model for optimization. This paper investigates the convergence of various iterative identification and optimization schemes in the presence of model mismatch. The optimization can be model-based, data-based or of mixed nature. Based on the advantages and drawbacks of the various approaches, a novel scheme is proposed, by which the optimization is model-based so as to ensure fast improvement and finishes as a data-based approach so as to converge towards the true optimum. The performance improvement obtained with the proposed methodology is illustrated via the simulation of a semi-batch reaction system.
Les habiletés olfactives des aveugles de naissance : organisation anatomo-fonctionnelle et aspects comportementaux

It is generally acknowledged that people blind from birth develop supra-normal sensory abilities in order to compensate for their visual deficit. While extensive research has been done on the somatosensory and auditory modalities of the blind, information about their sense of smell remains scant. The goal of this study was therefore to understand olfactory processing in the blind at the behavioral and the neuroanatomical levels. Since blind individuals use their remaining senses in a compensatory way to assess their environment and since the olfactory system is highly plastic, it is likely to be susceptible to changes similar to those observed for tactile and auditory modalities. We used psychophysical testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neuronal substrates responsible for odor processing. Our data showed that blind subjects had a lower odor detection threshold compared to the sighted. However, no group differences were found for odor discrimination and odor identification. Interestingly, the OAS revealed that blind participants scored higher for odor awareness. Our fMRI data revealed stronger BOLD responses in the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex, bilateral medio-dorsal thalamus, right hippocampus and left occipital cortex in the blind participants during an odor detection task. We conclude that blind subjects rely more on their sense of smell than the sighted in order to assess their environment and to recognize places and people. This is the first demonstration that the visual cortex of the blind can also be recruited by odorants, thus adding new evidence to its multimodal function.
TOWARDS A DYNAMIC VIEW OF TRUST IN LARGE-SCALE IM-PLEMETATION

An important aspect of the successful implementation of large information systems (such as ERP systems) is trust. These implementations impact the legitimate interests of many groups of stakeholders, and trust is a critical factor for success. Trust in the project is contingent upon many factors, is likely to vary over time, and should not be taken for granted. Previous studies have identified the relationship between trust and project outcomes, and suggested trust-building strategies, but have largely ignored the dynamic quality of trust relations through the life of a major project, and the complex demands of managing those fluctuations. We investigate evolving trust relationships in a longitudinal case analysis of a large Integrated Hospital System implementation for the Faroe Islands. Trust relationships suffered various breakdowns, but the project was able to recover and eventually meet its goals. Based on concepts from Giddens‟ later work on modernity, we develop two approaches for managing dynamic trust relationships in implementation projects: decoupling and re-engaging.
Consumer optimism and price discrimination

We study monopolistic design of a menu of non-linear tariffs when consumers have biased prior beliefs regarding their future preferences. In our model, consumers are "optimistic'' if their prior belief assigns too much weight to states of nature characterized by large gains from trade. A consumer's degree of optimism is his private information, and the monopolist employs the menu of non-linear tariffs to screen it. We characterize the optimal menu and show that the existence of non-common priors has significant qualitative implications for price discrimination and ex-post inefficiency. Finally, the characterization enables us to interpret aspects of real-life menus of non-linear tariffs.
Observation of 2-methyltetrols and related photo-oxidation products of isoprene in boreal forest aerosols from Hyytiälä, Finland

Abstract. Oxidation products of isoprene including 2-methyltetrols (2-methylthreitol and 2-methylerythritol), 2-methylglyceric acid and triol derivatives of isoprene (2-methyl-1,3,4-trihydroxy-1-butene (cis and trans) and 3-methyl-2,3,4-trihydroxy-1-butene) have been detected in boreal forest PM1 aerosols collected at Hyytiala, southern Finland, during a 2004 summer period, at significant atmospheric concentrations (in total 51 ng m−3 in summer versus 0.46 ng m−3 in fall). On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that photo-oxidation of isoprene is an important atmospheric chemistry process that contributes to secondary organic aerosol formation during summer in this conifer forest ecosystem. In addition to isoprene oxidation products, malic acid, which can be regarded as an intermediate in the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, was also detected at high concentrations during the summer period (46 ng m−3 in summer versus 5.2 ng m−3 in fall), while levoglucosan, originating from biomass burning, became relatively more important during the fall period (29 ng m−3 in fall versus 10 ng m−3 in summer). Pinic acid, a major photo-oxidation product of α-pinene in laboratory experiments, could only be detected at trace levels in the summer samples, suggesting that further oxidation of pinic acid occurs and/or that different oxidation pathways are followed. We hypothesize that photo-oxidation of isoprene may participate in the early stages of new particle formation, a phenomenon which has been well documented in the boreal forest environment.
Explaining Death Penalty Clemency in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from 1986 to 2015

Abstract : Regarding the operational specifics of death penalty policy, David T Johnson and Franklin E Zimring have argued that it is extreme left or right wing authoritarian states′ aversion to a limitation of their own powers that determines high rates of executions in countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, China and North Korea as opposed to other, lesspunitive Asian nations which share similar cultural and religious characteristics. For a regime like Vietnam’s, the swift carrying out of a death sentence, especially when performed in public, serves to highlight the state’s power over life and death and enhance political control over the domestic constituency. At first glance then, little scope for the exercise of the clemency power as a form of lenient reprieve from the death sentence by the executive government appears possible under a repressive regime of this nature. However, unlike China and Singapore, a notable feature of Vietnam’s death penalty practice since the Doi Moi reforms of 1986 has been the executive’s willingness to reprieve a large minority of prisoners sentenced to death through Presidential clemency, even though executions themselves have continued. What official and unofficial justifications have been given for grants of Presidential clemency in Vietnam, and relatedly, what structural and cultural factors explain the use of clemency in a noticeable proportion of death penalty cases? These are the under-researched questions I provide plausible explanations for in this article, incorporating an empirical study of Vietnam’s death penalty clemency grants since the mid-1980s, interpreted through the lens of the relevant academic literature on clemency and pardon grants.