Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From strengths use to work performance: The role of harmonious passion, subjective vitality, and concentration

Research has shown that strengths use and development can foster individual performance and well-being at work. However, to date little is known about the underlying psychological processes that might be operating in this relation. The purpose of this study was first to confirm the strengths use to work performance association and, second, to assess theoretical models of strengths use by testing a path model from strengths use to work performance, through harmonious passion, subjective vitality, and concentration. This study was conducted on a sample of 404 French-speaking Canadian workers and structural equation modeling analyses were performed in order to test the proposed model. Results show an association between strengths use and work performance. Further, this relation is completely mediated by the proposed variables. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed.
A mtDNA analysis of spatiotemporal distribution of two sympatric larval populations of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) in the St. Lawrence River estuary, Quebec, Canada

Ecological isolation through resource partitioning is invoked as a major factor for explaining the persistence of genetically distinct yet closely related sympatric populations. Two genetically distinct sympatric populations of anadromous rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) exist in the middle estuary of the St. Lawrence River. The persistence of these coexisting populations in sympatry is in conflict with current theoretical concepts predicting population richness. In the present study, we performed mtDNA PCRnRFLP analysis of 922 larvae from 33 sampling stations to test the hypothesis that the larvae belonging to the two sympatric smelt populations of the St. Lawrence middle estuary are spatially segregated and that such segregation may promote the persistence of the populations. Results clearly revealed spatial homogeneity in the relative distribution of larvae from the two populations. Consequently, they did not support our working hypothesis that larvae belonging to the two sympatric smelt populations are spatially segregated. Two alternative explanations may account for the lack of spatial partitioning observed here. Competition may not be important enough to promote resource partitioning at the larval stage. Alternatively, resource partitioning occurs, but not spatially. This study also demonstrated that the effect of historical events may have been as important as contemporary ecological settings in determining genetic population structure in smelt. Resume : Plusieurs auteurs suggrent que le partage des ressources Ocologiques est le principal facteur permettant le maintien de populations en sympatrie. Des travaux rOcents ont dOmontrO liexistence de deux populations sympatriques diOperlans arc-en-ciel (Osmerus mordax) anadromes gOnOtiquement distinctes mais ayant le potentiel de sihybrider dans liestuaire moyen du St-Laurent. La persistance de populations en sympatrie dans ce milieu est contraire aux prOdictions thOoriques de lihypothse du « membernvagrant ». Dans cette Otude, nous avons effectuO une analyse de PCRnRFLP sur liADNmt de 922 larves diOperlans reprOsentant 33 sites diOchantillonnage dans le but de tester lihypothse voulant que ces deux populations larvaires soient spatio-temporellement sOgrOgOes et que cette sOgrOgation explique en partie leur persistance dans le milieu. Les rOsultats de ces analyses dOmontrent une homogOnOitO spatiale dans la distribution des larves appartenant aux deux populations. ConsOquemment, ces rOsultats ne supportent pas lihypothse de dOpart. On peut expliquer ces rOsultats de deux faAons diffOrentes. Premirement, le partage des ressources est peu important au niveau larvaire pour liOperlan du St-Laurent. Alternativement, le partage des ressources est significatif, mais ne se fait pas spatialement. Ces rOsultats dOmontrent de plus que les effets des OvOnements historiques sur la structure des populations peuvent, dans certaines circonstances, Œtre plus importants que les OvOnements Ocologiques contemporains.
Phase transition in traffic jam experiment on a circuit

The emergence of a traffic jam is considered to be a dynamical phase transition in a physics point of view; traffic flow becomes unstable and changes phase into a traffic jam when the car density exceeds a critical value. In order to verify this view, we have been performing a series of circuit experiments. In our previous work (2008 New J. Phys. 10 033001), we demonstrated that a traffic jam emerges even in the absence of bottlenecks at a certain high density. In this study, we performed a larger indoor circuit experiment in the Nagoya Dome in which the positions of cars were observed using a high-resolution laser scanner. Over a series of sessions at various values of density, we found that jammed flow occurred at high densities, whereas free flow was conserved at low densities. We also found indications of metastability at an intermediate density. The critical density is estimated by analyzing the fluctuations in speed and the density–flow relation. The value of this critical density is consistent with that observed on real expressways. This experiment provides strong support for physical interpretations of the emergence of traffic jams as a dynamical phase transition.
Analysis and Comparison of Real Functions on Triangulated Surfaces

The study of geometric and topological properties of a triangulated surface M is ubiquitous in geometry and shape processing. In these contexts, different techniques in research areas such as shape abstraction, comparison, and parameterization are based on the study of local properties of a mapping function f : M → R and that correspond to specific properties of the input shape. Therefore, it becomes interesting to analyze if two or more functions are “independent”, that is, how much and where the measured properties differ. This paper proposes a set of descriptors to analyze, compare, and model a family of functions (M, f), when f varies.
Face Recognition Techniques: A Survey for Forensic Applications

 Abstract— A wide variety of systems requires reliable personal recognition schemes to either confirm or determine the identity of an individual requesting their services. Face Recognition is the most natural process for human beings and therefore it is the most natural biometric technique. It is widely used in the areas like information security, access management, law enforcement, criminal investigation etc. The goal of the paper is to have a comprehensive analysis of facial recognition in forensic investigation. It discusses the role of face recognition in investigation and law enforcement applications, with a brief background and origin of face recognition in forensic investigation. The paper also describes the applications of face recognition, a generic automated face recognition system and face recognition algorithms.
MicroRNA-99 a and 100 mediated upregulation of FOXA 1 in bladder cancer

Urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder (UCC) is a common disease often characterized by FGFR3 dysregulation. Whilst upregulation of this oncogene occurs most frequently in low-grade non-invasive tumors, recent data reveal increased FGFR3 expression characterizes a common sub-type of invasive UCC sharing molecular similarities with breast cancer. These similarities include upregulation of the FOXA1 transcription factor and reduced expression of microRNAs-99a/100. We have previously identified direct regulation of FGFR3 by these two microRNAs and now search for further targets. Using a microarray meta-database we find potential FOXA1 regulation by microRNAs-99a/100. We confirm direct targeting of the FOXA1 3’UTR by microRNAs-99a/100 and also potential indirect regulation through microRNA-4855p/SOX5/JUN-D/FOXL1 and microRNA-486/FOXO1a. In 292 benign and malignant urothelial samples, we find an inverse correlation between the expression of FOXA1 and microRNAs-99a/100 (r=-0.33 to -0.43, p<0.05). As for FGFR3 in UCC, tumors with high FOXA1 expression have lower rates of progression than those with low expression (Log rank p=0.009). Using global gene expression and CpG methylation profiling we find genotypic consequences of FOXA1 upregulation in UCC. Genetic changes are associated with regional hypomethylation, occur near FOXA1 binding sites, and mirror gene expression changes previously reported in FGFR3 mutant-UCC. These include gene silencing through aberrant hypermethylation (e.g. IGFBP3) and affect genes characterizing breast cancer sub-types (e.g. ERBB2). In conclusion, we have identified microRNAs-99a/100 mediate a direct relationship between FGFR3 and FOXA1 and potentially facilitate cross talk between these pathways in UCC.
Cheat Sheet or Open-Book? A Comparison of the Effects of Exam Types on Performance, Retention, and Anxiety ∗

The differences between open-book, cheat sheet, and closed-book exams were examined in two different types of psychology courses. A total of 297 students enrolled in eight sections of Introductory Psychology and 99 students enrolled in four sections of Statistics participated in this study. Exam types were counterbalanced across sections of the same course. Students were given either open-book, cheat sheet, or closed-book exams, took a surprise quiz two weeks after the exams to measure retention of course material, completed a preference questionnaire, and took a pre-test measure of test anxiety on open-book and cheat sheet tests. While students did slightly better on open-book exam than on closed-book exams, they also much preferred open-book and cheat sheet exams over closed-book exams, and had lower levels of anxiety when taking open-book exams compared to cheat sheet exams. Based on these results, open-book exams may be a superior style of examination for a variety of psychology courses.
La competencia semántica de los hablantes (de inglés): estudio de sus estereotipos y de su capacidad referencial e inferencial

El proyecto CSHI se inscribe dentro de la investigación lingüística de inspiración internalista, cuyo exponente actual más conocido es probablemente Chomsky, aunque no suele repararse en que toda la semántica lingüística saussureana precedente ha sido también internalista. Bajo los supuestos chomskyanos, el objeto de estudio del lingüista son los Lenguajes-I (cf. Chomsky 1985), i.e., las diversas competencias de los hablantes individuales, en particular la competencia de los hablantes nativos adultos normales, aunque el enfoque internalista es pertinente igualmente en el estudio de las fases de adquisición del lenguaje, o en el del aprendizaje de otras lenguas. El objetivo inmediato del proyecto CSHI es obtener información detallada y fiable acerca de la competencia léxica de los hablantes individuales de inglés y español en su vertiente semántica, y en sus
Chemical Mass Closure and Chemical Characteristics of Ambient Ultrafine Particles and other PM Fractions

Ambient ultrafine particles (UPs or PM 0.1 ), PM 2.5 and PM 10 were investigated at the roadside of Syuefu road in Hsinchu city and in the Syueshan highway tunnel in Taipei, Taiwan. A SMPS (TSI Model 3936), three Dichotomous samplers (Andersen Model SA-241), and three MOUDIs (MSP Model 110) were collocated to determine the PM number and mass concentrations simultaneously. The filter samples were further analyzed for organic carbon (OC), element carbon (EC), water-soluble ions, and trace elements. The OC artifact was studied and quantified using the quartz behind quartz (QBQ) method for all PM fractions. Taking into account the OC artifact, chemical mass closure (ratio of the reconstructed chemical mass to the gravimetrical mass) of PM 0.1 , PM 2.5 , and PM 10 was then calculated and found to be good. The chemical analysis results of UPs at both sites showed that UPs in the present tunnel was mostly contributed from the vehicle emissions while UPs at the roadside was mainly influenced by urban sources.
Harnack Inequalities : An Introduction Moritz

The aim of this article is to give an introduction to certain inequalities named after Carl Gustav Axel von Harnack. These inequalities were originally defined for harmonic functions in the plane and much later became an important tool in the general theory of harmonic functions and partial differential equations. We restrict ourselves mainly to the analytic perspective but comment on the geometric and probabilistic significance of Harnack inequalities. Our focus is on classical results rather than latest developments. We give many references to this topic but emphasize that neither the mathematical story of Harnack inequalities nor the list of references given here is complete.
A convergence framework for inexact nonconvex and nonsmooth algorithms and its applications to several iterations

In this paper, we consider the convergence of an abstract inexact nonconvex and nonsmooth algorithm. We promise a pseudo sufficient descent condition and a pseudo relative error condition, which both are related to an auxiliary sequence, for the algorithm; and a continuity condition is assumed to hold. In fact, a wide of classical inexact nonconvex and nonsmooth algorithms allow these three conditions. Under the finite energy assumption on the auxiliary sequence, we prove the sequence generated by the general algorithm converges to a critical point of the objective function if being assumed Kurdyka- Lojasiewicz property. The core of the proofs lies on building a new Lyapunov function, whose successive difference provides a bound for the successive difference of the points generated by the algorithm. And then, we apply our findings to several classical nonconvex iterative algorithms and derive corresponding convergence results.
NIA Expert Meeting on Pathways and Mechanisms Linking Behavioral and Social Factors to Health

In 2013, the Division of Behavioral and Social Research (BSR) underwent a review by the National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) to evaluate the overall impact of research supported by the Division and make recommendations for future investments. A key recommendation was that BSR leverage both its data resources and new study designs to gain mechanistic insights on the pathways linking behavioral and social factors to health and mortality. BSR contracted with The National Academy of Sciences Board on Behavioral, Cognitive and Sensory Sciences to conduct an expert meeting in Washington, DC, on May 30, 2014 to explore this topic, including opportunities for using BSR-supported biosocial surveys to advance this agenda. This report provides a summary of discussions at that meeting.
The Illusion of Life Revisited

A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) was supplemented with affective artificial study companions to aid summarisation. To motivate students the companions were made believable by implementing opposite ‘affectations’ or behaviour-based believable personalities realised as animated agents. The agents were carefully evolved through the use of a user-centred Wizard-of-Oz (WoZ) approach then subsequently evaluated in terms of their pedagogical and affective effectiveness. Finally, conclusions were reached for future work such as the utility of the behaviour-based approach particularly in relation to pedagogical agents.
Registration of Depth Image and Color Image Based on Harris-SIFT

In the recent past, it has become a widely accepted and applied method to recognize and localize objects based on local point features. However, the existing approaches are based on matching color images. With the widely use of Kinect, the registration between depth image and color image becomes necessary and important. To effectively match 3D depth images and 2D color images and estimate the transformation homography, we present a type of features, which combines Harris corner detector with SIFT descriptor. In the experiments, the corresponding feature points between depth image and color image can be well located by the descriptor, which is invariant under blurring, rotation, shift, scaling and moderate changes in viewpoint.
Ranking Carbon-based Nanomaterials using Cytotoxicity to Minimize Public Health Risks

Carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) have generated a great interest in different sectors as they are stable, have limited reactivity, wide surface area, and are strong antioxidants. This study involves the ranking of CNMsand its derivatives on the basis of cellular toxicity as they are small enough to have the potential to enter the body and the detrimental effects reported are similar to those associated with asbestos. Literature review of toxicity studies was conducted to understand the effects of functionalization, size, solvents, light, length, etc. on cytotoxic effects of CNMs. Cytotoxicity of different CNMs with considerable differences in structure has also been compared. The information is utilized to prioritize CNMs used for different applications using cytotoxic studies. This analysis helps in identifying CNMs with high cellular toxicity, needing immediate attention for monitoring and regulation purposes.
Nonnative Fish to Control Aedes Mosquitoes: A Controversial, Harmful Tool

Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, and dengue are mainly transmitted to humans through Aedes mosquitoes. In attempts to control these diseases, governments and the public have encouraged the use of fish predators to control mosquito populations. However, the efficacy of using these predators for mosquito-population control is largely unproven and dubious, particularly for container-breeding mosquitoes that reproduce in minute aquatic habitats, which are unsuitable for fish. Moreover, the use of nonnative fish for biological control entails a high potential risk of promoting escapes and invasions, which can impair ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. Although this risk is recognized, the practice may intensify in countries affected by recent epidemics transmitted by Aedes spp. Therefore, we argue that the use of nonnative fishes to control Aedes mosquitoes is ungrounded and ecologically damaging and point out that other approaches (e.g., habitat management, biotechnological tools, and more evidence-based integrated management) should be used to combat mosquito-borne human diseases.
Why Do People Still Live In East Germany ? Jennifer

In 1997 GDP per capita in East Germany was 57% of that of West Germany, wage rates were 75% of western levels, and the unemployment rate was at least double the western rate of 7.8%. One would expect that if capital flows and trade in goods failed to bring convergence, labor flows would respond, enhancing overall efficiency. Yet net emigration from East Germany has fallen from high levels in 1989-1990 to close to zero. Using state-level data for all of Germany, available from 1991-1996, I am able to explain the downward trend in east to west migration using wage and unemployment information. Convergence in hourly wages is the most important factor. Analysis of the eastern sample of the German Socio-Economic Panel for 1990-1997 suggests that commuting is unlikely to substitute substantially for emigration. The individual-level data further indicate that emigrants are disproportionately young and skilled, and that individuals suffering a layoff or non-employment spell are also much more likely to emigrate.
Stochastic nonzero-sum games: a new connection between singular control and optimal stopping

Abstract In this paper we establish a new connection between a class of two-player nonzero-sum games of optimal stopping and certain two-player nonzero-sum games of singular control. We show that whenever a Nash equilibrium in the game of stopping is attained by hitting times at two separate boundaries, then such boundaries also trigger a Nash equilibrium in the game of singular control. Moreover, a differential link between the players' value functions holds across the two games.
The acoustic vector sensor: a versatile battlefield acoustics sensor

The invention of the Microflown sensor has made it possible to measure acoustic particle velocity directly. An acoustic vector sensor (AVS) measures the particle velocity in three directions (the source direction) and the pressure. The sensor is a uniquely versatile battlefield sensor because its size is a few millimeters and it is sensitive to sound from 10Hz to 10kHz. This article shows field tests results of acoustic vector sensors, measuring rifles, heavy artillery, fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. Experimental data shows that the sensor is suitable as a ground sensor, mounted on a vehicle and on a UAV.
Methane Release from Igneous Intrusion of Coal during Late Permian Extinction Events

Unusually large and locally variable carbon isotope excursions coincident with mass extinctions at the end of the Permian Period (253 Ma) and Guadalupian Epoch (260 Ma) can be attributed to methane outbursts to the atmosphere. Methane has isotopic values (δ13C) low enough to reduce to feasible amounts the carbon required for isotopic mass balance. The duration of the carbon isotopic excursions and inferred methane releases are here constrained to <10,000 yr by counting annual varves in lake deposits and by estimating peat accumulation rates. On paleogeographic maps, the most marked carbon isotope excursions form linear arrays back to plausible methane sources: end‐Permian Siberian Traps and Longwood‐Bluff intrusions of New Zealand and end‐Guadalupian Emeishan Traps of China. Intrusion of coal seams by feeder dikes to flood basalts could create successive thermogenic methane outbursts of the observed timing and magnitude, but these are unreasonably short times for replenishment of marine or permafrost sources of methane. Methane released by fracturing and heating of coal during intrusion of large igneous provinces may have been a planetary hazard comparable with bolide impact.
In vitro studies on metabolism of salvinorin A

Microbial transformation of natural products is a well established model for mammalian metabolism. Salvinorin A, a diterpenoid isolated from the hallucinogenic mint Salvia divinorum Epling & Játiva-M (Lamiaceae), is a potent non-nitrogenous κ-opioid receptor agonist. The metabolism of salvinorin A has still not yet been well established. Thirty fungal species were screened for the ability to metabolize salvinorin A. We observed that salvinorin A undergoes fast hydrolysis of the acetate group at carbon atom C2, resulting in formation of the pharmacologically inactive product, salvinorin B. Ex vivo experiments were also performed using organelle fractions isolated from rat liver and brain. Crude tissue homogenate and individual organelles show that the primary route of salvinorin A metabolism is hydrolysis to salvinorin B. No metabolic transformation of salvinorin B was observed in these studies.