Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sensorimotor Cognition and Natural Language Syntax

How is the information we gather from the world through our sensory and motor apparatus converted into language? It is obvious that there is an interface between language and sensorimotor cognition because we can talk about what we see and do. In this book, Alistair Knott argues that this interface is more direct than commonly assumed. He proposes that the syntax of a concrete sentence -- a sentence that reports a direct sensorimotor experience -- closely reflects the sensorimotor processes involved in the experience. In fact, he argues, the syntax of the sentence can be interpreted as a description of these sensorimotor processes. Knott focuses on a simple concrete episode: a man grabbing a cup. He presents detailed models of the sensorimotor processes involved in experiencing this episode (drawing on research in psychology and neuroscience) and of the syntactic structure of the transitive sentence reporting the episode (drawing on Chomskyan Minimalist syntactic theory). He proposes that these two independently motivated models are closely linked -- that the logical form of the sentence can be given a detailed sensorimotor characterization and that, more generally, many of the syntactic principles understood in Minimalism as encoding innate linguistic knowledge are actually sensorimotor in origin. Knott's sensorimotor reinterpretation of Chomsky opens the way for a psychological account of sentence processing that is compatible with a Chomskyan account of syntactic universals, suggesting a way to reconcile Chomsky's theory of syntax with the empiricist models of language often viewed as Mimimalism's competitors.
Insulin Resistance, Hyperinsulinemia, and Mitochondria Dysfunction in Nonobese Girls With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Objective: Obese girls with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have decreased insulin sensitivity (IS), muscle mitochondrial dysfunction and increased liver fat, which may contribute to their increased risk for type 2 diabetes. Less is known regarding normal-weight girls with PCOS. Methods: Normal-weight girls with PCOS [n =18, age 15.9 ± 1.8 years, body mass index (BMI) percentile 68 ± 18] and normal-weight controls (NWC; n = 20; age 15.0 ± 2.1 years, BMI percentile 60 ± 21) were studied. Tissue-specific IS was assessed with a four-phase hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with isotope tracers and a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Hepatic fat was determined using magnetic resonance imaging. Postexercise muscle mitochondrial function was assessed with 31P MR spectroscopy. Results: Both groups had similar demographics, anthropomorphics, physical attributes, habitual physical activity levels and fasting laboratory values, except for increased total testosterone and DHEAS in PCOS. Clamp-assessed peripheral IS was lower in PCOS (10.4 ± 2.4 mg/kg/min vs 12.7 ± 2.1; P = 0.024). The 120-minute OGTT insulin and glucose concentrations were higher in PCOS (114 IU/mL ± 26 vs 41 ± 25, P = <0.001 and 119 ± 22 mg/dL vs 85 ± 23, P = 0.01, respectively). Muscle mitochondrial ADP and phosphocreatine time constants were slower in PCOS. Despite a higher percentage liver fat in PCOS, hepatic IS was similar between groups, as was adipose IS. Conclusions: Normal-weight girls with PCOS have decreased peripheral IS and muscle mitochondrial dysfunction, abnormal glucose disposal, relative postprandial hyperinsulinemia, and increased hepatic fat compared to NWC. Despite a normal BMI, multiple aspects of metabolism appear altered in normal-weight girls with PCOS.
Seeking the "value" in IS business value research - an agenda for investigating synergies between socio-organizational change, IS capabilities change, and IS innovation

The business value of investments in Information Systems (IS) has been, and is predicted to remain, one of the major research topics for IS researchers. However, the fundamental question of the causal relationship between IS investments and firm performance still remains unexplained. We argue that this lack of causal explanations is one of the main reasons why the IS community still lacks a theory on IS business value. We further argue that deficiencies in research on synergies between socioorganizational change, IS capabilities change, and IS innovation take a responsible part in this regard. In order to re-activate researchers’ interest and activities in the central field of IS business value, this article provides a fresh, technoand socio-organizational perspective on the question of how IS create business value. In particular, the contribution of this paper is the provision of a condensed literature review, the identification of research gaps, and the suggestion of a research agenda, including research thrusts and related research paths.
Correlation Between Operative Outcomes of Cervical Compression Myelopathy and MRI of the Spinal Cord

Study Design. Magnetic resonance images of cervical compression myelopathy were retrospectively analyzed in comparison with surgical outcomes. Objectives. To investigate which magnetic resonance findings in patients with cervical compression myelopathy reflect the clinical symptoms and prognosis, and to determine the radiographic and clinical factors that correlate with the prognosis. Summary of Background Data. Signal intensity changes of the spinal cord on magnetic resonance imaging in chronic cervical myelopathy are thought to be indicative of the prognosis. However, the prognostic significance of signal intensity change remains controversial. Methods. The participants in this study were 73 patients who underwent cervical expansive laminoplasty for cervical compression myelopathy. Their mean age was 64 years, and the mean postoperative follow-up period was 3.4 years. The pathologic conditions were cervical spondylotic myelopathy in 42 patients and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in 31 patients. Magnetic resonance imaging (spin-echo sequence) was performed in all the patients. The transverse area of the spinal cord at the site of maximal compression was computed, and spinal cord signal intensity changes were evaluated before and after surgery. Three patterns of spinal cord signal intensity changes on T1-weighted sequences/T2-weighted sequences were detected as follows: normal/normal, normal/high-signal intensity changes, and low-signal/high-signal intensity changes. Surgical outcomes were compared among these three groups. The most useful combination of parameters for predicting prognosis was determined using a stepwise regression analysis. Results. The findings showed 2 patients with normal/normal, 67 patients with normal/high-signal, and 4 patients with low-signal/high-signal change patterns before surgery. Regarding postoperative recovery, the preoperative low-signal/high-signal group was significantly inferior to the preoperative normal/high-signal group. There was no significant difference between the transverse area of the spinal cord at the site of maximal compression in the normal/high-signal group and the low-signal/high-signal group. A stepwise regression analysis showed that the best combination of surgical outcome predictors included age (correlation coefficient R = −0.348), preoperative signal pattern, and duration of symptoms (correlation coefficient R = −0.231). Conclusions. The low-signal intensity changes on T1-weighted sequences indicated a poor prognosis. The authors speculate that high-signal intensity changes on T2 weighted images include a broad spectrum of compressive myelomalacic pathologies and reflect a broad spectrum of spinal cord recuperative potentials. Predictors of surgical outcomes are preoperative signal intensity change pattern of the spinal cord on radiologic evaluations, age at the time of surgery, and chronicity of the disease.
Knowledge-based process management (cid:21) an approach to handling adaptive workflow

In recent years, many organisations have found enterprise modelling, especially business process modelling, to be an effective tool for managing organisational change. The application of business processing modelling has brought benefits to many organisations, but the models developed tend to be used for reference during business operations and re-engineering activities; they rarely play an active role in supporting the day-to-day execution of the processes.
Obstructive respiratory dysfunction in parkinsonian patients.

function actually paralleled clinical disability in parkinsonism. If so, a comparison with poliomyelitis might then reveal whether any common factors resulted simply from limita­ tion of motion. In addition, the pathogenesis of the respiratory disorder in parkinsonism could be investigated by noting whether any characteristic pattern of respiratory dysfunc­ tion existed, or could be correlated with the development of clinical problems or of dis­ "" =
The interactions between the effects of implicit and explicit feedback and individual differences in language analytic ability and working memory

This study investigated the interactions between two types of feedback (implicit vs. explicit) and two aptitude components (language analytic ability and working memory) in second language Chinese learning. Seventy-eight L2 Chinese learners from two large U.S. universities were assigned to three dyadic NS-NNS interaction conditions and received implicit (recasts), explicit (metalinguistic correction), or no feedback (control) in response to their non-target-like oral production of Chinese classifiers. The treatment effects were measured by a grammaticality judgment test and an elicited imitation test. The Words in Sentences subtest of the MLAT was used to measure language analytic ability; a listening span test was utilized as the measure of working memory. A principal components analysis and a structural equation modeling analysis established that working memory was an aptitude component. Multiple regression analyses showed that language analytic ability was predictive of the effects of implicit feedback, and working memory mediated the effects of explicit feedback; all the statistically significant results involved delayed posttest scores. Interpretations were sought with recourse to the mechanisms of the cognitive constructs and the processing demands imposed by the different learning conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Trade-Off between Bile Resistance and Nutritional Competence Drives Escherichia coli Diversification in the Mouse Gut

Bacterial diversification is often observed, but underlying mechanisms are difficult to disentangle and remain generally unknown. Moreover, controlled diversification experiments in ecologically relevant environments are lacking. We studied bacterial diversification in the mammalian gut, one of the most complex bacterial environments, where usually hundreds of species and thousands of bacterial strains stably coexist. Herein we show rapid genetic diversification of an Escherichia coli strain upon colonisation of previously germ-free mice. In addition to the previously described mutations in the EnvZ/OmpR operon, we describe the rapid and systematic selection of mutations in the flagellar flhDC operon and in malT, the transcriptional activator of the maltose regulon. Moreover, within each mouse, the three mutant types coexisted at different levels after one month of colonisation. By combining in vivo studies and determination of the fitness advantages of the selected mutations in controlled in vitro experiments, we provide evidence that the selective forces that drive E. coli diversification in the mouse gut are the presence of bile salts and competition for nutrients. Altogether our results indicate that a trade-off between stress resistance and nutritional competence generates sympatric diversification of the gut microbiota. These results illustrate how experimental evolution in natural environments enables identification of both the selective pressures that organisms face in their natural environment and the diversification mechanisms.
Lecturers' Perception of Constraints Facing the Teaching of Entrepreneurship Education in Colleges of Education in South South Nigeria.

The study investigated the constraints facing the teaching of entrepreneurship education in colleges of education inSouth South Nigeria. A research question was raised and three hypotheses were formulated for the study. Adescriptive survey design was used for the study. The population which also served as sample comprised 206Business Education lecturers. The researcher used a questionnaire which has 24 items. The content and face of theinstrument was validated by experts in business education and measurement and evaluation. The questionnaire has areliability value of 0.92 using Cronbach alpha. Mean score and standard deviation were used to answer the researchquestion while t-test was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings are ineffectivemonitoring, ineffective evaluation, insufficient time, poor welfare package and inadequate teaching facilities aresome of the constraints facing the teaching of entrepreneurship education in colleges of education. It was, therefore,recommended that adequate teaching facilities should be provided by the school authorities to enhance qualityteaching of entrepreneurship education. Adequate teachers should also be employed by school authorities.
On the Structure and Morphology of the “Diffuse Ionized Medium” in Star-forming Galaxies

Deep Hα images of a sample of nearby late-type spiral galaxies have been analyzed to characterize the morphology and energetic significance of the "diffuse ionized medium" (DIM). We find that the DIM properties can be reasonably unified as a function of relative surface brightness (Σ/, where is the mean Hα surface brightness within regions lying above a fixed, very faint isophotal level). We measured the images down to this common isophotal limit and constructed a fundamental dimensionless surface brightness distribution function that describes the dependence of the area (normalized to total area) occupied by gas with a given relative surface brightness (Σ/). This function determines both the flux and area contribution by the DIM to global values. The function is found to be almost the same at high surface brightness (Σ/≳1) and less similar for Σ/≲1. We show the universal distribution function at high surface brightness can be understood as a consequence of the general properties of H II regions, including their Hα luminosity function and exponential radial brightness profiles. We suggest that relative surface brightness (rather than an absolute value) is a more physically meaningful criterion to discriminate the DIM from H II regions. The use of the dimensionless distribution function to quantify the DIM is consistent with the fundamentally morphological definition of the DIM as being "diffuse. " The difference in the distribution function from galaxy to galaxy at low surface brightness quantifies the different prominence of the DIM in the galaxies. This variation is found to be consistent with results from other complementary ways of determining the DIM's global importance. The variation of the DIM among the galaxies that is indicated by the distribution function is small enough to guarantee that the fractional contribution of the DIM to the global Hα luminosity in the galaxies is fairly constant, as has been observed. The continuous transition from H II regions to the DIM in the distribution function suggests that the ionizing energy for the DIM mainly comes from H II regions, consistent with the "leaky H II regions model. "
Cognitive and physiologic correlates of subclinical structural brain disease in elderly healthy control subjects.

CONTEXT Healthy elderly persons commonly show 4 types of change in brain structure-cortical atrophy, central atrophy, deep white-matter hyperintensities, and periventricular hyperintensities-as forms of subclinical structural brain disease (SSBD). OBJECTIVES To characterize the volumes of SSBD present with aging and to determine the associations of SSBD, physiology, and cognitive function. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING University of California, Los Angeles, Neuropsychiatric Institute. SUBJECTS Forty-three community-dwelling healthy control subjects, aged 60 through 93 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging, neuropsychological testing, and quantitative electroencephalographic coherence (functional connectivity) between brain regions. RESULTS Regression models demonstrated significant relationships between SSBD volumes, age, cognitive performance, and connectivity. Cortical and central atrophy and periventricular hyperintensities had significant associations with age while deep white-matter hyperintensities did not. Posterior atrophy showed stronger associations with age than did anterior atrophy. Only a subset of subjects at older ages showed large SSBD volumes; older subjects primarily showed increasing variance of SSBD. Although all subjects scored within the normal range on cognitive testing, SSBD volume was inversely related to performance, most notably on the Trail-Making Test part B and the Shipley-Hartford Abstract Reasoning test. Coherence had significant associations with SSBD. Path analysis supported mediation of the effects of deep white-matter hyperintensities and periventricular hyperintensities on cognition by altered connectivity. For several measures, cognitive performance was best explained by coherence, and only secondarily by SSBD. CONCLUSIONS Modest volumes of SSBD were associated with decrements in cognitive performance within the normal range in healthy subjects. Lower coherence was associated with greater volumes of SSBD and increasing age. Path analysis models suggest that brain functional connectivity mediates some effects of SSBD on cognition.
Prevalence and severity of hypertension in a dental hygiene clinic.

AIM The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and severity of hypertension in a dental hygiene clinic and evaluate factors related to the disease. METHODS AND MATERIALS Records of 615 patients, treated by dental hygiene students during 2003, were reviewed. Data collected included systolic and diastolic blood pressure, presence of diabetes and renal disease, non-modifiers (race, gender, and age), and modifiers (marital status, smoking habits, and occupation). RESULTS According to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7) classification, 154 (25%) of the subjects had normal blood pressure readings, 374 (60.8%) had prehypertension, and 87 (14.1%) had stage 1 hypertension. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in the JNC7 classification between groups when considering the non-modifiers' race (p=.02) and the modifiers' smoking habits (p=.03) and occupation (p=.01). A statistically significant difference in the JNC7 classification existed between groups with diabetes (p=.00). The majority of patients had blood pressure readings in the prehypertension stage. CONCLUSION Based on these results, the researchers recommend clinical policy modifications which include: additional documentation for blood pressure readings in the prehypertension stage, lowering the systolic reading from 160 mmHg to 140 mmHg when adding hypertension alert labels, and noting prehypertension/hypertension on the dental hygiene care plan with the appropriate interventions.
The influence of potassium and chloride ions on the membrane potential of single muscle fibres

The most widely accepted theory of the restirng potential of muscle is that the electrical potential difference between the inside and outside of a muscle fibre arises from the concentration gradients of the potassium and chloride ions. If we follow Boyle & Conway (1941), the membrane is assumed to be permeable to K and Cl but to be impermeable or sparingly permeable to other ions. Since K is more concentrated inside and Cl is more concentrated outside, the interior of the fibre should be electrically negative to the external solution. If K and Cl are distributed passively, the concentration ratios and the membrane potential under equilibrium conditions ought to conform to the relation
Attitudes toward English among AL-Quds Open University Students in Tulkarm Branch

The aim of this study is to identify the attitudes toward English among AL-Quds Open University students inTulkarm Branch, Palestine. To achieve this purpose, the researcher used a questionnaire composed of 30 itemsdistributed to 70 male and 110 female students in four faculties: Education, Social Development, AdministrativeSciences and Technology and Applied Sciences in AL- Quds Open University, Tulkarm Branch. These students arein different study levels (years). This study was conducted during the first semester of the academic year 2014-2015.The researcher used different statistical procedures which fit the collected data. The results of the study revealed thatmost of the students in AL- Quds Open University, Tulkarm Branch have positive attitudes towards English.Moreover, the attitude of females toward English is more positive than the attitude of males. There are significantdifferences in attitudes towards English among students due to academic level. There are no significant differences inattitudes toward English among students due to faculty. Based on the results, the researcher recommends thefollowing: First, universities are requested to offer a reasonable number of English communication courses to givestudents a chance to practice and improve their language so as to make the language favorable for them and have agood attitude toward it. Second, teachers are required to encourage students to get engaged in co-curricular Englishactivities in special meetings among themselves to use English in speaking and writing.
Inhibition of Arginase I Activity by RNA Interference Attenuates IL-13-Induced Airways Hyperresponsiveness1

Increased arginase I activity is associated with allergic disorders such as asthma. How arginase I contributes to and is regulated by allergic inflammatory processes remains unknown. CD4+ Th2 lymphocytes (Th2 cells) and IL-13 are two crucial immune regulators that use STAT6-dependent pathways to induce allergic airways inflammation and enhanced airways responsiveness to spasmogens (airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR)). This pathway is also used to activate arginase I in isolated cells and in hepatic infection with helminths. In the present study, we show that arginase I expression is also regulated in the lung in a STAT6-dependent manner by Th2-induced allergic inflammation or by IL-13 alone. IL-13-induced expression of arginase I correlated directly with increased synthesis of urea and with reduced synthesis of NO. Expression of arginase I, but not eosinophilia or mucus hypersecretion, temporally correlated with the development, persistence, and resolution of IL-13-induced AHR. Pharmacological supplementation with l-arginine or with NO donors amplified or attenuated IL-13-induced AHR, respectively. Moreover, inducing loss of function of arginase I specifically in the lung by using RNA interference abrogated the development of IL-13-induced AHR. These data suggest an important role for metabolism of l-arginine by arginase I in the modulation of IL-13-induced AHR and identify a potential pathway distal to cytokine receptor interactions for the control of IL-13-mediated bronchoconstriction in asthma.