Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using Computer-Mediated Communication as a Tool for Exploring the Impact of Cultural Identity Clarity on Psychological Well-Being

Recent theory and research have pointed to the importance of cultural identity clarity for psychological well-being (e.g., Taylor, 2002; Usborne & Taylor, 2010). The present research is an initial attempt to manipulate cultural identity clarity in a laboratory setting and examine its impact on state psychological well-being. In a laboratory experiment, participants were led to experience a clear or an unclear cultural identity during a computer-mediated interaction. For participants who highly identified with their cultural group, negotiating a computer-mediated social interaction with a clear cultural identity led to the highest levels of well-being compared to negotiating this interaction with an unclear cultural identity. Feelings of personal uncertainty were explored as a mechanism explaining the relationship between cultural identity clarity and well-being.
Haptic in-seat feedback for lane departure warning

A Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system for trucks was developed and evaluated in an iterative design process. As the auditory warning signals used by the majority of LDW systems are disliked by drivers, most effort was put in the design of haptic warning signals. The iterative design process resulted in two different haptic warning signals displayed through vibration motors in the seat: a "blinking" signal for Medium Criticality departures and a continuously vibrating signal for High Criticality departures. In addition, the iterative design process also resulted in small modifications in the auditory warning signals. The effectiveness and user acceptance of the haptic and auditory warning signals were evaluated in an experiment with a driving simulator with 20 participants and in a road test with a truck with 5 participants. It was found that the haptic warning signals were as effective as the auditory warning signals in dealing with lane departures, both in normal driving situations and in a driving + secondary task situation. In addition, the participants clearly preferred the haptic signals over the auditory warning signals.
Grandfathers and Grandchildren: Patterns of Association, Helping, and Psychological Closeness.

The present study analyzed data from 99 grandfathers living in a rural transitional area with regard to patterns of association and helping and levels of affect. The data showed the grandfather role to be of little relative importance as seen through low levels of interaction and priority as a role. This was despite the fact that older men had relatively high expectations for assistance from grandchildren in times of need. Geographical proximity was the factor most consistently related to the grandfathergrandchild relationship. The data suggest the low instrumental value of grandfathergrandchild roles and the areas in which they possibly may be strengthened.
Ladder Variational Autoencoders

Variational Autoencoders are powerful models for unsupervised learning. However deep models with several layers of dependent stochastic variables are difficult to train which limits the improvements obtained using these highly expressive models. We propose a new inference model, the Ladder Variational Autoencoder, that recursively corrects the generative distribution by a data dependent approximate likelihood in a process resembling the recently proposed Ladder Network. We show that this model provides state of the art predictive log-likelihood and tighter log-likelihood lower bound compared to the purely bottom-up inference in layered Variational Autoencoders and other generative models. We provide a detailed analysis of the learned hierarchical latent representation and show that our new inference model is qualitatively different and utilizes a deeper more distributed hierarchy of latent variables. Finally, we observe that batch normalization and deterministic warm-up (gradually turning on the KL-term) are crucial for training variational models with many stochastic layers.
The Influence of Decision, Environmental and Firm Characteristics on the Rationality of Strategic Decision-Making

This paper develops an integrated model of strategic decision-making rationality. The model is informed by three perspectives that respectively identify decision, environmental and firm characteristics as influences on the rationality of decision processes. The results of a study in Egypt indicate that the rationality of strategic decision-making processes is shaped by variables identified by all three perspectives, and that such decision processes cannot adequately be modelled in terms of a single perspective only. However, the study also suggests that the three perspectives do not contribute in equal measure to explaining strategic decision making, and that the national setting is relevant for the extent to which strategic decision-makers take account of environmental characteristics. The location of the investigation in Egypt highlights some deviations from previous research that could be attributed to nation-specific factors, both cultural and institutional. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2007.
Inability of a Fusion Protein of IL-2 and Diphtheria Toxin (Denileukin Diftitox, DAB389IL-2, ONTAK) to Eliminate Regulatory T Lymphocytes in Patients With Melanoma

Elimination of regulatory T lymphocytes may provide a way to break self-tolerance and unleash the anti-tumor properties of circulating lymphocytes. The use of fusion proteins, which link cytotoxic molecules to receptor targets, provides one approach to this problem. This study examined the ability of a fusion protein of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and diphtheria toxin (Denileukin Diftitox, DAB389IL-2, ONTAK) to eliminate regulatory T lymphocytes based on their expression of high-affinity IL-2 receptors. Thirteen patients (12 with metastatic melanoma, 1 with metastatic renal cell carcinoma) were treated at one of the two Food and Drug Administration-approved doses of Denileukin Diftitox (seven patients at 9 μg/kg, six patients at 18 μg/kg). None of the patients experienced an objective clinical response. Foxp3 expression did not decrease significantly overall, although it did decrease minimally among patients receiving 18 μg/kg (−2.01 ± 0.618 copies of Foxp3/103 copies of β-actin; P = 0.031). Denileukin Diftitox did not decrease the suppressive ability of CD4+CD25+ cells as quantified by an in vitro co-culture suppression assay. Furthermore, the increased numbers of lymphocytes in patients resulting from treatment with IL-2 were not susceptible to Denileukin Diftitox. Administration of Denileukin Diftitox does not appear to eliminate regulatory T lymphocytes or cause regression of metastatic melanoma.
Closure to Discussion by R. Popescu on Bearing Capacity Prediction of Spatially Random Soils by Gordon A. Fenton and D. V. Griffiths

Regarding the range in coefficients of variation (COV) considered by the authors, which were 0 1 to 5 0, the authors believe that it is still unknown what value(s) of COV should be used in geotechnical characterization. The appropriate COV depends on several things, such as the intensity of site investigation, the level of deterministic site characterization (eg. higher order trend, layer-wise descriptions, etc.), and how the soil variance affects the response quantity, or engineering property, of interest (ie. is the property itself a measure of some form of local average, or is it highly dependent on microscale ‘defects’? ). The issue of site investigation intensity is intimately connected to the degree of deterministic site characterization – for example, if only a single value global average property is employed in the design of a footing then the site investigation results could yield a large COV, particularly if the site is large and the investigation points widely seperated. The COV would then be interpreted as one’s ‘uncertainty’ about the value of the property at the footing if no test results were available near the footing. If a particular test result were available near the footing, then that result would be preferentially used to design the footing, and the corresponding COV reduced. In such a case, the site characterization moves away from a single value global average to a more detailed deterministic description that incorporates observation versus footing locations. The COV used for design depends on how the investigation data are used, as well as on where the investigation points are relative to the footing. For one site with considerable data near the footing, the COV to be used might be quite small, while for another site with limited data and/or data well removed from the footing location, the appropriate COV might be quite large.
Environmental Degradation, Environmental Sustainability, and Overurbanization in the Developing World: A Quantitative, Cross-National Analysis

This is the first quantitative, cross-national study that incorporates predictors designed to test hypotheses linking overurbanization to environmentally induced migration. The study is based on a sample of fifty-eight developing countries using lagged dependent variable panel regression. Our major findings are quite clear with respect to newer ruralpush and urban-pull arguments that developing countries suffering from various forms of environmental degradation are prone to overurbanization. Deforestation exerts a positive and significant effect on overurbanization, whereas environmental sustainability exerts a negative and significant effect on overurbanization. In addition, our results support hypotheses derived from the political modernization perspective that civil society and democratic regimes help to reduce overurbanization, as well as hypotheses suggested by neo-Malthusian theory that high levels of population growth contribute to high levels of overurbanization. We also find support for dependency theory in that transnational economic linkages based on multinational corporations and international lending institutions foster increased overurbanization in the developing world.
Phonologically Mediated Priming in Spoken and Printed Word Recognition

Three priming studies investigated the role of phonology in both spoken- and printed-word recognition. Homophone primes (e.g., dough and doe), made ambiguous through auditory presentation (e.g., Idol), produced significant semantic priming effects on target words related to multiple interpretations of the ambiguous prime (e.g., bread and deer). In contrast, homophone primes made unambiguous through visual presentation failed to produce comparable priming effects. For example, the phonologically mediated priming effects from dough to deer and from doe to bread were found to be small relative to the direct semantic priming effects from dough to bread and from doe to deer. These results indicate that phonology does not play the same mediating role during printed-word recognition as it does during spoken-word recognition. Instead, orthography appears to constrain the activation of lexical entries during printed-word recognition. One issue that has stimulated lively debate among reading researchers is whether phonology contributes to the activation of meaning during printed-word recognition in the same manner as it does during spoken-word recognition. According to the phonological mediation hypothesis, the phonological code for a printed word is generated prior to lexical access, and this phonological code subsequently activates all corresponding lexical entries. For example, under this hypothesis, readers encountering a printed word such as dough activate all lexical entries related to both bread and deer. In contrast, according to the direct-access hypothesis, only those lexical entries corresponding to the orthography of the printed word become activated. As a consequence, readers encountering the printed word dough activate only those lexical entries related to bread.
Using L1 in Teaching Vocabulary to Low Proficiency Level Students: A Case of First Year Students, Department English, Faculty of Letters, National University

Many English professionals do not seem to pay much attention to the use of L1 in English language classrooms, based on the tenets that English should be taught in English to expose the learners to English which would enhance their knowledge of English and accelerate their learning. While research findings have been inconsistent in relation to this position, the results of the present study found evidence to the contrary. Using 169 students of a low proficiency level, it was found that using learners’ mother tongue (L1) to teach English as a foreign language in Laos enhanced their retention of new vocabulary items both in isolation and in context. This is possibly due to clear definitions and explanations in L1, dictation quiz and translation exercises in the classroom. This would have implications for English professionals.
Prejudice as self-image maintenance: Affirming the self through derogating others

The authors argue that self-image maintenance processes play an important role in stereotyping and prejudice. Three studies demonstrated that when individuals evaluated a member of a stereotyped group, they were less likely to evaluate that person negatively if their self-images had been bolstered through a self-affirmation procedure, and they were more likely to evaluate that person stereotypically if their self-images had been threatened by negative feedback. ' Moreover, among those individuals whose self-image had been threatened, derogating a stereotyped target mediated an increase in their self-esteem. The authors suggest that stereotyping and prejudice may be a common means to maintain one's self-image, and they discuss the role of self-image-maintenance processes in the context of motivational, sociocultural, and cognitive approaches to stereotyping and prejudice.
Cardiovascular response of the neonatal lamb to hypoxia and hypercapnia.

STAHLMAN, M. ,J. GRAY, W.C. YOUNG,AND F.M. SHEPARD. Cardiovascular response of the neonatal lamb to hypoxia and hypercapnia. Am. J. Physiol. 213(4): 899-904. 1967. -The effects of hypoxia and hypercapnia on the circulatory dynamics of the unanesthetized newborn lamb were evaluated. Hypoxia produced by inhalation of 8a/, 02 caused a marked increase in pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance and a lowering of systemic arterial pressure with little change in cardiac output. A decrease in the volume of blood in the pulmonary vascular bed was also demonstrated during hypoxia. Hypercapnia induced by inhalation of 8% CO2 was accompanied by a 45% increase in cardiac output, with marked fall in systemic vascular resistance and a moderate fall in pulmonary vascular resistance; aortic and pulmonary arterial pressures remained constant. Inhalation of 100% 02 had no effect on the circulation when compared to room air base-line values. The effects of hypoxia per se on the newborn, in the presence of a patent ductus arteriosus and open foramen ovale, could lead to shunting of a large amount of blood away from the pulmonary vascular bed and inadequate pulmonary perfusion. These effects might be exaggerated by the further lowering of systemic vascular resistance induced by hypercapnia. Adequate oxygenation and ventilation might reverse these effects if not prolonged.
Real and Simulated Expression: A Listening Study

A number of attempts have been made in the past 10 to 15 years to construct artificial systems that can simulate human expressive performance, but few systematic studies of the relationship between model output and comparable human performances have been undertaken. In this study, we assessed listeners' responses to real and artificially generated performances. Subjects were asked to identify and evaluate performances of two differently notated editions of two pieces, played by a panel of experienced pianists and by an artificial performer. The results suggest that expressive timing and dynamics do not relate to one another in the simple manner that is implemented in the model (Todd, 1992) used here, that small objective differences in the expressive profiles of different performances can lead to distinctly different judgments by listeners, and that what appears to be the same expressive feature in performance can fulfill different functions. Although one purpose of such a study is to assess the model on which it is based, more important is its demonstration of the general value of comparing human data with a model. As is often the case, it is what the model does not explain that is most interesting.
Acid stress response in Escherichia coli: mechanism of regulation of gadA transcription by RcsB and GadE

Escherichia coli can survive extreme acid stress for several hours. The most efficient acid resistance system is based on glutamate decarboxylation by the GadA and GadB decarboxylases and the import of glutamate via the GadC membrane protein. The expression of the corresponding genes is controlled by GadE, the central activator of glutamate-dependent acid resistance (GDAR). We have previously shown by genetic approaches that as well as GadE, the response regulator of the Rcs system, RcsB is absolutely required for control of gadA/BC transcription. In the presence of GadE, basal activity of RcsB stimulates the expression of gadA/BC, whereas activation of RcsB leads to general repression of the gad genes. We report here the results of various in vitro assays that show RcsB to regulate by direct binding to the gadA promoter region. Furthermore, activation of gadA transcription requires a GAD box and binding of an RcsB/GadE heterodimer. In addition, we have identified an RcsB box, which lies just upstream of the −10 element of gadA promoter and is involved in repression of this operon.
Comparison of visual performance recovery after thin-flap LASIK with 4 femtosecond lasers.

AIM To compare the speed of visual recovery following myopic thin-flap LASIK with four femtosecond lasers. METHODS Eighty-eight eyes of 46 patients who were consecutively scheduled for bilateral LASIK with the IntraLase FS60 (Group 1), Femto LDV Crystal Line (Group 2), Wavelight FS200 (Group 3) and VisuMax (Group 4) femtosecond lasers were enrolled in. Monocular uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), best-corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA), refraction, contrast sensitivity and higher-order aberrations (HOAs) were evaluated at 1, 3d, 1wk and 1mo postoperatively. RESULTS Sixteen eyes (72.7%) achieved 20/16 and 8 eyes (36.4%) were 20/12.5 at 1d in Group 2, which was significantly more than other 3 groups. At 1wk, 20 eyes (90.9%) achieved 20/16 in Groups 2 and 4. At 1mo, 20 eyes (90.9%) achieved 20/16 in Group 2 and Group 4, which were significantly more than other two groups. While by 1 mo, the difference of the residual spherical equivalent (SE) was not statistically significant among 4 groups (P=0.121). The induction of spherical aberration (SA) were significantly less for Groups 2, 3, 4 than for Group 1 one day after surgery (P=0.015). The differences among 4 groups were not statistically significant before and after surgery on every time points (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION The thin-flap LASIK procedure using the Femto LDV Crystal Line and VisuMax femtosecond laser show faster visual performance recovery.
Pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors: Study of 90 cases focusing on clinicopathological characteristics, immunophenotype, preoperative biopsy, and frozen section diagnoses

Pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors have a prognostic spectrum including typical carcinoid (TC), atypical carcinoid (AC), small cell carcinoma (SCLC), and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). We conducted a retrospective study to compare their clinicopathological characteristics, immunophenotype, preoperative biopsy and frozen section diagnoses, and prognosis.
The level of knowledge of South African pupils regarding HIV/AIDS

English Participants were not well informed regarding HIV/AIDS and many misconceptions existed. The current publicity given to HIV/AIDS can lead to desensitization instead of addressing the real issues. Programmes in this regard should rather focus on life skills as such, in which HIV/AIDS plays a major role. French Les participants étaient mal informés sur le VIH/SIDA et véhiculaient plusieurs conceptions erronées sur le sujet. La publicité courante concernant le VIH/SIDA peut mener à une désensibilisation plutôt que de confronter le problème dans sa réalité. Les programmes à cet effet devraient plutôt mettrent l'emphase sur des habiletés de survie pour lesquelles le VIH/SIDA joue un rôle majeur. Spanish Se halló que los participantes no estaban bien informados respecto a VIH/SIDA y que tenían muchas nociones equivocadas. La publicidad que se da ahora a VIH/SIDA puede llevar a la de-sensitización en vez de ayudar a bregar con los problemas reales. Los programas relacionados con estos problemas deberían enfocarse en la adquisición de destrezas para la vida, entre las cuales destrezas para bregar con VIH/SIDA tienen un lugar importante.
Transborder Regional Alliances in Europe: Chances for Ethnic Euroregions?

This contribution deals with obstacles to development of ethnic transborder regional alliances in Europe. It includes some theoretical considerations as well as case studies of three European border zones with so-called ‘interface minorities’. These are the Belgian–German border zone, the Basque Country and the former Habsburg Kronland of Tyrol. From a perspective that European integration and regionalism are phenomena related to state decline, the dynamics of transborder regional alliances or ‘euroregions’ can be considered to take place relatively independent of the confines and institutional structures of the states. However, critical evaluations of the phenomena of regionalism indicate that we should be careful not to assume that regional actors in a border zone with interface minorities are self-evidently inclined and able to create an ethnic euroregion. Instead, it is more realistic to assume a more complex situation with a heterogeneous field of actors and constraining conditions emanating from the structural and social institutionalisation of the states. In all cases the different positions of regional populations in the different state contexts have brought about asymmetries in the complex of elements that constitute ethnoregional dynamics. The cases seem to confirm that the principle obstacles to the formation of ethnic euroregions are related with institutional differences between the states and heterogeneity of actors.