Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The No-Effect of Player Role in Digital Games on Prosocial Behavior

In the past few years, several studies addressed the relation between game content and prosocial behavior. Although several evidences were found, the relation between those variables is not fully understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of different roles played on prosocial behavior. In experiment 1, participants played either a violent or a prosocial role on the same game, and helping behavior and intention were measured. Results did not show the expected relation based on the evidence of the literature. In order to further investigate the evidence found, a second experiment was designed to test the effect of role played on both prosocial behavior and accessibility to prosocial thoughts. Again, results were not consistent with previous studies. Both experiments suggest the consideration of alternative interpretations, and raise questions about the relevance of the role played, game content and moderation variables on the explanation of this effect.
Exploring ecological shifts using qualitative modelling: Alternative states on Tasmanian rocky-reefs

Alternative stable states characterise many natural ecosystems. Subtidal rocky-reefs on the east coast of Tasmania persist in a range of different configurations, including so-called sea urchin ‘barrens’ and dense seaweed beds with a closed canopy. In creating and maintaining barrens habitat on temperate reefs, sea urchins induce major losses of production, biodiversity and physical structure. The invasive long-spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) is able to form barrens across its newly extended range in Tasmania. Formation of urchin barrens on the east coast has been a rising concern in recent decades, in particular because the two most valuable fisheries in the state, for blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) and southern rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii), are not viable on barrens. Thus, identifying triggers of barrens formation is critical in the management of these reefs. Here we explore the dynamics of Tasmanian rocky-reef communities, including testing the effects of fishing, using qualitative modelling informed by a deep empirical knowledge of interactions among species. Loop analysis offers a holistic approach to address the structure and dynamics of the system. It sacrifices precision of particular dynamics to maximize reality and generality in providing a causal understanding of complex systems. The network topology forms emergent feedback patterns that cause meta-stable properties in this rocky-reef system, and the models capture formation of urchin barrens and the mechanisms of the phase shifts. Fishing is identified as a perturbation that can reduce resilience of the system in its original highly productive seaweed-dominated state. We show that qualitative loop models can be highly valuable in identifying the kinds of system dynamics that managers need to consider in ecosystem based management, but emphasise that they are not designed to act as definitive management models for specific instantiations.
EARNINGS AS AN EXPLANATORY TOOL IN EXPLAINING STOCK MARKET RETURNS AND THE USE OF EASTON AND HARRIS (1991) MODEL: THE CASE OF GREECE.

Previous research in mature capital markets, such as US and UK, proved that stock market returns and earnings per share (EPS) are correlated. However, research in emerging capital markets to this correlation is not as extensive. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the level of EPS and EPS changes, the level of return on investment (ROI) and ROI changes, and the level of return on Equity (ROE) and ROE changes, divided by stock price at the beginning of the stock market period (nine months prior to fiscal year end) are relevant to explain stock market returns in Greece. To explore the correlation/association between EPS, ROI and ROE with stock market returns, this study adopts the Easton and Harris (1991) formal valuation model, which clearly proved the association of earning levels and earnings changes with stock market returns in the US market. The sample period spans 10 years, from 1992 to 2001. There are 163 companies in the sample with different numbers of participating years for each of them. These companies gave a total of 984 year observations, while after excluding the outliers the final sample consisted of 977 year-observations. We used both relative and incremental information content approaches to test this association. For the relative information content approach (to test separately each of the EPS, ROI and ROE with stock market returns) and consistent with the Easton and Harris (1991), we developed a set of three equations (regression models 1-3) linking EPS, ROI and ROE respectively with stock market returns. For the incremental information content approach we developed another set of three equations (regression models 4-6) where in each of them we combined two of the EPS, ROI and ROE with stock market returns. Relative information content approach examined separately each of the three regression models (1-3) using the individual year cross-sectional sample and the pooled cross-sectional and intertemporal (all years) sample. Revealed results provided evidence that there is an association between EPS and stock market returns (although low explanatory power) while results concerning ROI and ROE are not encouraging. In incremental information content approach we tested the three regression models(4-6) using only the pooled cross-sectional and intertemporal (all years) sample. Revealed results showed that the combination of EPS and ROI best explains stock market returns in Greece, compared to the results provided by the combinations of EPS and ROE, and ROI and ROE.
Prioritizing bona fide bacterial small RNAs with machine learning classifiers

Bacterial small (sRNAs) are involved in the control of several cellular processes. Hundreds of putative sRNAs have been identified in many bacterial species through RNA sequencing. The existence of putative sRNAs is usually validated by Northern blot analysis. However, the large amount of novel putative sRNAs reported in the literature makes it impractical to validate each of them in the wet lab. In this work, we applied five machine learning approaches to construct twenty models to discriminate bona fide sRNAs from random genomic sequences in five bacterial species. Sequences were represented using seven features including free energy of their predicted secondary structure, their distances to the closest predicted promoter site and Rho-independent terminator, and their distance to the closest open reading frames (ORFs). To automatically calculate these features, we developed an sRNA Characterization Pipeline (sRNACharP). All seven features used in the classification task contributed positively to the performance of the predictive models. The best performing model obtained a median precision of 100% at 10% recall and of 64% at 40% recall across all five bacterial species, and it outperformed previous published approaches on two benchmark datasets in terms of precision and recall. Our results indicate that even though there is limited sRNA sequence conservation across different bacterial species, there are intrinsic features in the genomic context of sRNAs that are conserved across taxa. We show that these features are utilized by machine learning approaches to learn a species-independent model to prioritize bona fide bacterial sRNAs.
Modelling of Economic Time Series and the Method of Cointegration

Abstract: The article is focused on the problem of modelling multidimensional non-stationary cointegrated processes. It is a modern method especially used for the description of multidimensional economic time series. The multidimensional process Yt is called cointegrated with the cointegrating vector β, if the process β′Yt is stationary or trend-stationary. For instance this property can be found in some series of economic indices which are predominantly non-stationary. Methods connected with estimates of cointegrating vectors and with a cointegration testing are applied to economic data. All the methods given were programmed in the computing environment MATLAB.
The geographic distribution of mammal body size in Europe

Aims To describe the pattern of mean body size of native mammals in Europe, and to investigate its relationships with environmental predictors related to four hypotheses: (1) dispersal; (2) heat conservation; (3) heat dissipation; and (4) resource availability. Location Continental western Europe and Great Britain. Methods We used range maps to estimate the mean body size (average log mass) of mammals in 386 cells of 12,100 km(2) each. Environmental conditions in each cell were quantified using nine historical, climatic and primary production variables. We attempted to tease apart the effects of these variables using correlation, multiple regression and spatial autocorrelation analyses. Results In the part of the continent covered by ice during the Pleistocene, body mass decreases southwards, and annual average temperature explains 73% of the variance in body size, consistent with the heat-conservation hypothesis. However, in warmer, non-glaciated areas the best predictor is an estimate of seasonality in plant production, but it explains only 18% of the variance. Carnivores, omnivores and herbivores show similar relationships, but the pattern for herbivores is substantially weaker than for the other groups. Main conclusions Overall, the relationship between mean body size and temperature is non-linear, being strong in cold environments but virtually disappearing above a temperature threshold.
Multinational Companies’ (MNC’s) Implementation of Sustainable Supply Chain Management in Chinese Subsidiaries: A.P. Moller - Maersk’s Experience

This paper studies what factors may facilitate or hinder the implementation of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) in multinational companies’ (MNC’s) Chinese subsidiaries by focusing on two factors, (i) the Chinese subsidiaries’ absorptive capacity 1 , and (ii) institutional factors. A case study is conducted in a Danish based MNC, A.P. Moller Maersk. The conclusion is that absorptive capacity facilitated the implementation of SSCM, while the institutional factors hinder the implementation of SSCM.
An adaptive ES with a Ranking based Constraint Handling Strategy

To solve a constrained optimization problem, equality constraints can be used to eliminate a problem variable. If this is not feasible, the relations imposed implicitly by the constraints can still be exploited. Most conventional constraint handling methods in Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) do not consider the correlations between problem variables imposed by the constraints. This paper relies on the idea that a proper search operator, which captures mentioned implicit correlations, can improve performance of evolutionary constrained optimization algorithms. To realize this, an Evolution Strategy (ES) along with a simplified Covariance Matrix Adaptation (CMA) based mutation operator is used with a ranking based constraint-handling method. The proposed algorithm is tested on 13 benchmark problems. The outperformance of the algorithm is significant when compared with conventional ES-based methods
A 3D GIS for managing building rehabilitation process

Increase in energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of buildings can be achieved through improvements made in the existing stock of buildings. Therefore, one of the objectives for incentive policies should be to promote environmental issues each time a rehabilitation process is engaged. Specific tools have to be developed for that purpose. In this paper, we present a 3D Geographical Information System (3D GIS) designed to evaluate the environmental properties of buildings envelopes, in order to assess their improvement potentials. The system offers a representation of the entities that compose the building, and its associated environmental data (solar data, energetic and sonic ones, architectural data, etc). These are obtained either by observation in situ or by simulation. The system facilitates data handling and data crossing to optimize analytical process. An evaluation of its functionalities is in progress in the city of Nantes (West of France).
Thrombospondins and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment

Vascular remodeling defines cancer growth and aggressiveness. Although cancer cells produce pro-angiogenic signals, the fate of angiogenesis critically depends on the cancer microenvironment. Composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and tumor inflammation determine whether a cancer will remain dormant, will be recognized by the immune system and eliminated, or whether the tumor will develop and lead to the spread and metastasis of cancer cells. Thrombospondins (TSPs), a family of ECM proteins that has long been associated with the regulation of angiogenesis and cancer, regulate multiple physiological processes that determine cancer growth and spreading, from angiogenesis to inflammation, metabolic changes, and properties of ECM. Here, we sought to review publications that describe various functions of TSPs that link these proteins to regulation of cancer growth by modulating multiple physiological and pathological events that prevent or support tumor development. In addition to its direct effects on angiogenesis, TSPs have important roles in regulation of inflammation, immunity, ECM properties and composition, and glucose and insulin metabolism. Furthermore, TSPs have distinct roles as regulators of remodeling in tissues and tumors, such that the pathways activated by a single TSP can interact and influence each other. The complex nature of TSP interactions and functions, including their different cell- and tissue-specific effects, may lead to confusing results and controversial conclusions when taken out of the context of interdisciplinary and holistic approaches. However, studies of TSP functions and roles in different systems of the organism offer an integrative view of tumor remodeling and a potential for finding therapeutic targets that would modulate multiple complementary processes associated with cancer growth.
Creating and maintaining social networks: women’s participation in Basque pilota. [Creación y mantenimiento de redes sociales: participación de mujeres en pelota vasca].

Basque pilota is a traditional sport played mainly by men. A project emerged in 2005 to promote female participation: Emakumea Pilotari (Woman pelota player). In this article we present the main points that emerged from an ethnographic study of the social relationships that playing Basque pilota can provide. The study was carried out in 2011-2012 season with a purposive sample of 28 adult women Basque pilota players (pilotaris) (between 22 and 60 years old). 26 participants were pilotaris in recreational groups and the other two were their trainers. The results suggest that a sense of community, team membership, the development of a general reciprocity and group security are the most important aspects for players. A sense of community is the fundamental reason why they practise this sport. The group as a whole is the top priority. Female pilotaris share the desire to relate to each other as women, build relationships, create bonds and help each other. A b s t r a c t
Method development and validation of LC and Densitometric-TLC for simultaneous estimation of rosuvastatin calcium and ezetimibe in combined dosage forms

Two simple and accurate methods to determine rosuvastatin calcium (ROS) and ezetimibe (EZE), in combined dosage form, were developed and validated using liquid chromatography (LC) and densitometric-thin layer chromatography (TLC). The LC separation was achieved on a Phenomenex Luna C18 column (250 mm, 4.6mm i.d., 5μm), in the isocratic mode using 0.65 M ammonium acetate buffer: methanol: acetonitrile: (30: 40: 30, v/v/v), pH 7.2 ± 0.05 at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The retention times were about 3.60 and 6.99 min for ROS and EZE, respectively. Quantification was achieved with Photodiode array (PDA) detector at 239 nm over the concentration range of 0.5-5 μg/mL for each, with recoveries in the range of 98.91-99.82 % and 99.27-100.12 % for ROS and EZE, respectively. The TLC separation was achieved on silica gel 60 F254 HPTLC plates using toluene: acetone: glacial acetic acid (64.6: 35.0: 0.4, v/v/v), as the mobile phase. The Rf values were about 0.39 and 0.72 for ROS and EZE, respectively. Quantification was achieved with ultraviolet (UV) detection at 239 nm over the concentration range of 50-500 ng/spot for each, with recoveries in the range of 98.92-100.09 % and 98.80-100.01 % for ROS and EZE, respectively. Both methods were validated, and the results were compared statistically. They were found to be simple, specific, accurate, precise and robust. The methods were successfully applied for the determination of ROS and EZE in Combined dosage form without any interference from common excipients.
Development of high performance sorting process for recycling of plastics

This research is being undertaken by IRIS in collaboration with VISY Plastics, who will provide an industrial test environment for the technological innovations resulting from this work. At the time of preparing this paper, the research program had only been under way for several months and so this paper provides an overview of activities to date. The plastics recycling industry is a major potential reducer of landfill. However, several significant barriers exist which reduce the effective utilisation to much lower percentages than would otherwise be possible. One of the difficulties lies in separating different types of plastic, a necessary step before they can be recycled. Manual sorting is not cost effective and automatic systems are sensitive to dirt and produce high levels of loss when set-up to deliver high purity. One process, which has potential to improve both purity and value retention, is mineral benefaction technology such as froth flotation. Mineral benefaction has been used in the past in mining to separate valuable minerals from worthless ore. This research will investigate the application of similar processes to separate different polymers in the recyclate stream and may one day be used to mine landfill sites.
Findings from NASA’s 2015-2017 Electric Sail Investigations

Personnel from NASA’s MSFC have been investigating the feasibility of an advanced propulsion system known as the Electric Sail (E-Sail) for future scientific exploration missions. This team initially won a NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Phase I NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) award and then a two-year follow-on Phase II NIAC award in October 2015. This paper documents the findings from this three-year investigation. An Electric sail, a propellant-less propulsion system, uses solar wind ions to rapidly travel either to deep space or the inner solar system. Scientific spacecraft could reach Pluto in ~5 years, or the boundary of the solar system in ten to twelve years compared to the thirty-five plus years the Voyager spacecraft took. The team’s recent focuses have been: 1) Developing a Particle in Cell (PIC) numeric engineering model from MSFC’s experimental data on the interaction between simulated solar wind and a charged bare wire that can be applied to a variety of missions, 2) Determining what missions could benefit from this revolutionary propulsion system, 3) Conceptualizing spacecraft designs for various tasks: to reach the solar system’s edge, to orbit the sun as Heliophysics sentinels, or to examine a multitude of asteroids.
Physical and ecological associations in dryland refugia: waterholes of the Cooper Creek, Australia

Waterholes are a significant morphological feature of the Cooper Creek system in central Australia. Many of these waterholes contain water over extended no flow periods and are recognized as important refugia for aquatic biota. This paper explores how morphological features may influence ecosystem processes within waterholes. Each waterhole was characterized via a suite of morphological variables and it was found that the maximum fetch length was an important variable that separated waterholes into two groups. Water turbidity of these two groups of waterholes was different, as were rates of benthic production and respiration. Benthic production and therefore energy available to support the food webs of these waterholes was greater in the group of waterholes with shorter fetch lengths and lower turbidity. The possible associations between morphology, turbidity, and primary production highlight the importance of understanding the physical template of these dryland river ecosystems.
Requirements for Brain - Computer Interface

Brain – Computer Interface (BCI) aims to create a direct communication between the brain and an external device. The main data source for BCI systems is cortically evoked electro potentials recorded via an electroencephalogram (EEG). Originally this technology was intended for paralyzed people, however recently low cost, portable EEG recording devices became available, making nonclinical applications possible. In this paper non-functional requirements for commercial BCI system are discussed. Main requirements for data acquisition are ease of use and reliable transmission to signal processing devices. For signal processing speed, accuracy and adaptivity are important. An experiment in case study section shows an example how implemented requirements affect performance of BCI.
Does overtime work contribute to the gender earnings gap? Evidence from The Netherlands

The increasing participation of women in both education and the labour market, as well as the consequent rise in their work experience have driven the narrowing of the gap in earnings among women and men. Although the literature examining this convergence has come a long way in the last decades, there are a few insufficiently examined factors that potentially contribute to the gap. This paper combines the traditional view proposed by Labour Economics with the most contemporaneous analysis offered by Personnel Economics to examine the contribution that work hour schedules may have on the monthly earnings gap. Particularly, the focus is on overtime work. It tests the hypotheses as to whether overtime work explains part of the gender gap and if current wage gaps can be explained by overtime in the past. The results point to a positive and significant contribution of total overtime work in both the Oaxaca – Blinder and the pooled decompositions, and even after correcting for selection bias. While only the contribution of past overtime is significant in the Oaxaca – Blinder decomposition, both current and two-year lagged overtime contributions are so in the pooled decomposition
Assessment of psychopathy and personality disorder

References http://apt.rcpsych. org/content/17/3/191#BIBL This article cites 86 articles, 9 of which you can access for free at: permissions Reprints/ permissions@rcpsych.ac. uk write to To obtain reprints or permission to reproduce material from this paper, please to this article at You can respond http://apt.rcpsych. org/letters/submit/aptrcpsych;17/3/191 from Downloaded The Royal College of Psychiatrists Published by on November 15, 2014 http://apt.rcpsych. org/
Matlab-Based Studying of 4G Digital Modulation Techniques over Various Channels

In this paper, a comparison studying of different 4G digital modulation techniques over AWGN channel, as well as Rayleigh and Rician fading channels were performed. Firstly, we investigated QPSK, DQPSK, 16-QAM and 64-QAM modulated signal constellations, and then we generated BER and SNR data for analysing different communication systems. At last, we used MATLAB SIMULINK to perform Monte Carlo simulate for 16-QAM system.