Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antigay prejudice among heterosexual males: Right-wing authoritarianism as a stronger predictor than social-dominance orientation and heterosexual identity.

In recent years there has been much contested debate around the psychology of prejudice and the extent to which it is essentially an outcome of a variety of personality-related variables or whether the social context with which one identifies plays an equally, if not more, important role. Debate has also been focused on the complex interplay of personality and social context. In this study, using a combination of survey and experimental methodology, we examined the extent to which antigay prejudice among men is predicted by right-wing authoritarianism, social-dominance orientation, and identity as a heterosexual. In phase 1 ( N = 112) antigay stereotypes were found to be significantly related to right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation, but nevertheless best predicted by right-wing authoritarianism (β = .27, p < .01) and in phase 2 ( N = 52), despite males’ sexual identity being primed, heterosexual identity was still not significantly related to measures of prejudice. These results are discussed with reference to the nature of authoritarianism and social-dominance orientation, as well as social-identity theory.
The Coping Strategies Task: Assessment of Coping in Schizophrenia

Abstract The current study presents the: 1) conceptual development of a preliminary measure, the Coping Strategies Task (CST), for assessing coping-related cognition in a group of long-term, hospitalized individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders; and 2) preliminary reliability and validation data of the CST. The CST was designed for persons with severe and persistent mental illness, and study participants included thirty-three individuals in comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation. Reliability analyses revealed that the CST and its subscales demonstrated adequate reliability, although one subscale (Behavioral Reaction) demonstrated less robust split-half and test-retest reliabilities. Concurrent validity was evaluated by analyzing the relationship between the CST and measures of stress, observed behavior, and neurocognition. Correlational analyses revealed that coping attributions, as measured by the CST, were associated with perceived stress, observed behavior, and executive functioning. These preliminary data suggest that the CST could become a valid, clinically useful coping measure in order to further inform psychiatric rehabilitation.
Mechanisms of plant defense against insect herbivores

Plants respond to herbivory through various morphological, biochemicals, and molecular mechanisms to counter/offset the effects of herbivore attack. The biochemical mechanisms of defense against the herbivores are wide-ranging, highly dynamic, and are mediated both by direct and indirect defenses. The defensive compounds are either produced constitutively or in response to plant damage, and affect feeding, growth, and survival of herbivores. In addition, plants also release volatile organic compounds that attract the natural enemies of the herbivores. These strategies either act independently or in conjunction with each other. However, our understanding of these defensive mechanisms is still limited. Induced resistance could be exploited as an important tool for the pest management to minimize the amounts of insecticides used for pest control. Host plant resistance to insects, particularly, induced resistance, can also be manipulated with the use of chemical elicitors of secondary metabolites, which confer resistance to insects. By understanding the mechanisms of induced resistance, we can predict the herbivores that are likely to be affected by induced responses. The elicitors of induced responses can be sprayed on crop plants to build up the natural defense system against damage caused by herbivores. The induced responses can also be engineered genetically, so that the defensive compounds are constitutively produced in plants against are challenged by the herbivory. Induced resistance can be exploited for developing crop cultivars, which readily produce the inducible response upon mild infestation, and can act as one of components of integrated pest management for sustainable crop production.
Impact of a Practical Skills Assessment on the Individual Engagement of Undergraduate Pharmacy Students within Laboratory Coursework Sessions

This study reports on the learner impact, practicability and cost effectiveness of an individual practical skills test designed to assess the interpretative and manipulative skills of undergraduate pharmacy in a laboratory setting. The reliability of the assessment tool across a 5 year period was examined and refinements introduced in response to constructive feedback from colleagues and learner feedback recorded via end of year Student Evaluation Questionnaires. A blended learning strategy supported the needs of multiple learning styles and inclusion of a formative assessment increased student confidence and improved cohort performance in the summative assessment. Future directions include the introduction of a peer learning activity as a means of reducing group sizes and providing an opportunity for the learners to develop skills in constructive critique and reflective learning.
Encounters with the ‘dark side’: New graduate nurses’ experiences in a mental health service

Abstract Despite almost two decades of reform under Australia’s National Mental Health Strategy, the life circumstances of many people with mental illness seem little improved. While lack of rehabilitation, housing and community support services have been blamed for policy shortfalls, there is also concern that mental health services may impede rather than facilitate recovery from mental illness. To explore this particular concern, this paper reports data from a project which evaluated a group mentorship programme for new graduate nurses working in an Australian public mental health service. Prominent among the problems raised in mentorship group discussions were: the arduous nature of mental health work; the uncaring attitudes and practices of many veteran nursing staff; and the maltreatment and neglect of service users. These participants characterised mental health facilities as tough security-minded places, where staff act more as risk-managers rather than therapists, and all service users are treated as if they might be dangerous. They also perceived a connection between the dismissive ways in which they were often treated by veteran colleagues and the widespread mistreatment of service users.
The idiographic study of inconsistent condom use behavior of persons living with HIV

Abstract A pilot study was conducted to assess the feasibility of using, in a multiply disadvantaged population, an electronic daily diary to test hypotheses linking affective states to variability in psychosocial determinants of condom use. Twenty-one mostly non-Caucasian individuals reporting profound economic disadvantage, heavy alcohol use and HIV infection completed a 5–7 minute interactive voice response (IVR) telephone-based survey daily for three weeks. Potentially affect-related within-person variability was observed in HIV-preventive attitudes, intentions and self-efficacy. Surprisingly, in this sample, HIV-preventive attitudes, intentions and self-efficacy exhibited as much, or greater, variability within persons as compared to between persons. Positive affect was found to significantly co-vary with self-efficacy to practice safer sex B=0.20, t (199)=2.14, p=0.03. For each unit increase in daily positive affect, daily self-efficacy increased by 0.20. Results suggest that a daily diary methodology is both feasible in a high-risk population and may offer new insights into understanding unprotected sexual behavior.
Improving Teaching in Higher Education: Student and teacher perspectives

Using a phenomenological approach, the study sets out to discover whether it can derive a concept of good teaching from a group of university lecturers and the extent to which it compares and contrasts with a corresponding student concept of good teaching. The subjects were all mature adults, usually postgraduate, and often practising professionals with a wide experience of the university system. A single concept of what the students thought of as good teaching, and two categories ('pre-existing' and 'reflective') of what the teachers thought of as good teaching were developed. The extent to which these concepts overlap-and fail to overlap even after reflection-is used to discuss the importance of developing appropriate metacognitive strategies in human adult learning so that each group (teachers and learners) becomes more aware of what the other is attempting to do. The importance of out-of-class behaviours is seen as particularly valuable in this respect.
Early-career scientific achievement and patterns of authorship: the mixed blessings of publication leadership and collaboration

Bibliometric indices of scientific achievement for a cohort of 85 social psychologists at 10 years post-PhD were correlated with their patterns of authorship (i.e. their typical number of co-authors and position in the authorship order). Career publication quantity, average journal impact factor, and impact (total citations, h-index and most-cited article) were associated with having higher proportions of publications with multiple co-authors and lower proportions of solo- and first-authored publications. Curvilinear associations were found, with publication quantity and impact maximized at intermediate levels of first-authorship and multiple-authorship. Within scientific careers there may be an optimal distribution of publication leadership and scientific collaboration. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.
Out of Control: Delegates' Information Sources and Perceptions of Female Candidates

Using survey data from statewide political party convention delegates in four states, I investigate whether and how gender stereotypes influence nomination choice. I examine whether gaining candidate information from different sources differentially influences gender stereotypes and the likelihood of supporting both a female and a male nominee. I argue that information sources outside a candidate's control—delegates' discussions with other delegates—versus sources candidates can control (e.g., campaign contacts and personal contact with the candidate) work against female candidates' nomination. Specifically, when delegates learn about candidates via the most controlled sources, they will be more likely to view the candidates as possessing both masculine and feminine traits and issue competencies. As a result, they should be more likely to support the candidate. In contrast, information from sources outside candidate control functions differently for male and female candidates: These sources confirm delegates' stereotype expectations, negatively affecting perceptions of a female candidate's masculine strengths, which then negatively relate to supporting her nomination. The results generally support these ideas: Delegates receiving information from the most controlled sources form balanced views of the female candidate, but the positive effects of information from these sources on nomination choice are not mediated by stereotypes. In contrast, delegates gaining information from other delegates confirm their stereotypes of the candidate and are then less likely to support her. More broadly, gender stereotypes, particularly those regarding female candidates' masculine traits and feminine issue competencies relative to the candidate's male opponent, directly and positively relate to delegates' likelihood of supporting her.
Environmental Effects Upon the Mobility of Older People

This is a study of environmental determinants of mobility among older people, comparing mobility behaviors and attitudes among residents of two cities of similar size but markedly different in physical characteristics including size, shape, topography and climate, as well as distribution of facilities and services. Respondents were representative samples of 709 retired people in San Antonio, Texas, and 899 residents of San Francisco, California, aged 65 and older. Predictions of behavior and attitude based upon similarities and differences in environmental variables were confirmed. The data support the conclusion that urban environments strongly affect the mobility of their older residents and suggest that the design of cities can have a major and beneficial effect upon the quality of life in later years.
The Function of Acculturation and Collective Self-Esteem on Prejudicial Attitudes among Vietnamese American Young Adults

ABSTRACT This study examined the influence of collective self-esteem and acculturation on prejudicial attitudes in a sample of Vietnamese American young adults. A total of 122 college students from a public university in Southern California were given the Collective Self-Esteem Scale, the Vietnamese Acculturation Scale, and the Quick Discrimination Index. Results suggest that students who were more involved in U.S. culture and had both higher public collective self-esteem (i.e., the belief that their cultural groups were perceived positively by others) and higher private collective self-esteem (i.e., the individuals' private evaluation about their cultural groups) tended to have fewer prejudicial attitudes. Interestingly, results also reveal that students who were more involved in Vietnamese culture and had higher membership collective self-esteem (i.e., the belief in how well they perform in their cultural groups) tended to have more prejudicial attitudes. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Israel's immigration policies: the twofold face of the ‘demographic threat’

This article deals with the discursive practices employed in various public sites of Israeli society to support and legitimise the immigration policy towards prospective immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) from 1989 to 1990. During those years Israeli society witnessed one of the country's biggest immigration waves. However, like many state policies, Israel's immigration policy towards prospective immigrants from the FSU has not been carried out uncontested. There were vibrant and often heated public disputes concerning this policy. The purpose of the article is to reveal the racist attitudes of Israeli society expressed in the discursive practices that have been employed to support immigration from the FSU in these public disputes. Assuming an inextricable combination of old and new racism, these practices — involving processes of adverse racialisation of Arabs and Mizrahi Jews — have portrayed them as a demographic threat to Israeli society, a threat that can be forestalled by the admission of prospective immigrants from the FSU. However, the fact that these processes are not directed only against Arabs but also against Mizrahi Jews discloses some of Zionism's inner tensions and ambivalence. It challenges the thesis advanced by Lustick, for instance, that the exclusive goal of Israel's immigration policies is to marginalise and to contain the Palestinian minority by allowing the entrance of non‐Jews to Israel as long as they are not Arabs. Not disputing the immensely significant role that the goal of Palestinian containment plays in Israel's immigration policies, I intend to show that this goal exists alongside a perception of Mizrahim as a ‘demographic threat’ to Israel's ‘European character’.
Histone Variant H2A.Z and RNA Polymerase II Transcription Elongation

ABSTRACT Nucleosomes containing histone variant H2A.Z (Htz1) serve to poise quiescent genes for activation and transcriptional initiation. However, little is known about their role in transcription elongation. Here we show that dominant mutations in the elongation genes SPT5 and SPT16 suppress the hypersensitivity of htz1Δ strains to drugs that inhibit elongation, indicating that Htz1 functions at the level of transcription elongation. Direct kinetic measurements of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) movement across the 9.5-kb GAL10p-VPS13 gene revealed that the elongation rate of polymerase is 24% slower in the absence of Htz1. We provide evidence for two nonexclusive mechanisms. First, we observed that both the phospho-Ser2 levels in the elongating isoform of Pol II and the loading of Spt5 and Elongator over the GAL1 open reading frame (ORF) depend on Htz1. Second, in the absence of Htz1, the density of nucleosome occupancy is increased over the GAL10p-VPS13 ORF and the chromatin is refractory to remodeling during active transcription. These results establish a mechanistic role for Htz1 in transcription elongation and suggest that Htz1-containing nucleosomes facilitate Pol II passage by affecting the correct assembly and modification status of Pol II elongation complexes and by favoring efficient nucleosome remodeling over the gene.
Aromas of Salvia Species Enhance Everyday Prospective Memory Performance in Healthy Young Adults

Research has previously demonstrated that aromas of both Salvia officinalis and Salvia lavandulaefolia are capable of modulating aspects of retrospective memory, attention and mood. This study is the first to report the potential for these aromas to enhance everyday prospective memory performance in healthy young adults. In an independent groups design, three conditions, Salvia officinalis aroma, Saliva lavandulaefolia aroma and no aroma were employed with 45 healthy volunteers in each condition. Prospective memory performance was assessed using the Prospective Remembering Video Procedure. Data analysis revealed that the Salvia officinalis aroma group performed significantly better than the control group on both event and action subscales of the prospective memory task. Saliva lavandulaefolia aroma only led to enhancement for the event measure when compared to controls. No differences were found between the aroma conditions. These findings offer support for those previously reported for the effects of the aromas of Salvia sp. on cognition and again demonstrate differential effects of the two aromas. The results are considered in terms of pharmacological mechanisms.
Focusing the Asteroid Belt of Organizations

Concurring with Barley's pessimism that we do neglect the study of how corporations seek to influence and perhaps have captured the State, this text suggests two starting points that can give theoretical and practical leverage to investigate those issues. Theoretically, the institutional perspective, which always had an interest in the influence of elite groups, is a highly appropriate platform to study those phenomena for three reasons. First, it focuses on interorganizational relations as the setting we have to consider. Second, it questions the taken-for-granted overarching “logics” by which we operate, thus allowing us to understand why and how the relationships between corporations and the State are tolerated and can be undermined. Third, it raises issues of language, including how political interests are concealed in legitimating rhetoric. Empirically, the text suggests that a useful starting point would be to investigate the role of referees of the system, such as audit firms, law firms, and investment banks.
Evaluating course evaluations: the need to establish what is being measured

The study attempted to assess the validity of measures commonly used for course evaluations. Activity and attitudinal measures were included and these were related to two different control groups. The study was completed with a sample of teachers who attended a course dealing with child abuse repeated 23 times with groups of approximately 25 teachers. It was found activities undertaken after the course were more a reflection on how little effort was required to carry them out than on the effectiveness of the course. Attitude measures tended to make it appear the course had an effect. The type of control group used for comparison purposes had a marked effect on whether the course appeared to have been effective. The need to consider these factors as influential variables when interpreting data from course evaluations was stressed.
Score distribution models: assumptions, intuition, and robustness to score manipulation

Inferring the score distribution of relevant and non-relevant documents is an essential task for many IR applications (e.g. information filtering, recall-oriented IR, meta-search, distributed IR). Modeling score distributions in an accurate manner is the basis of any inference. Thus, numerous score distribution models have been proposed in the literature. Most of the models were proposed on the basis of empirical evidence and goodness-of-fit. In this work, we model score distributions in a rather different, systematic manner. We start with a basic assumption on the distribution of terms in a document. Following the transformations applied on term frequencies by two basic ranking functions, BM25 and Language Models, we derive the distribution of the produced scores for all documents. Then we focus on the relevant documents. We detach our analysis from particular ranking functions. Instead, we consider a model for precision-recall curves, and given this model, we present a general mathematical framework which, given any score distribution for all retrieved documents, produces an analytical formula for the score distribution of relevant documents that is consistent with the precision-recall curves that follow the aforementioned model. In particular, assuming a Gamma distribution for all retrieved documents, we show that the derived distribution for the relevant documents resembles a Gaussian distribution with a heavy right tail.
Lipocalin 2 Expressions Correlate Significantly With Tumor Differentiation in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

We recently identified lipocalin2 (LCN2) as being upregulated in ovarian cancer cell lines. The purpose of this study was to validate LCN2 upregulation in ovarian cancers and to investigate its potential as a serum biomarker. We assayed LCN2 expression in ovarian cancers using real-time PCR and IHC. To evaluate the potential of LCN2 as a biomarker, we measured serum LCN2 levels in 54 ovarian cancers, 15 borderline and 53 benign ovarian tumors, and 90 healthy controls. SYBR green PCR and IHC showed LCN2 overexpression in ovarian cancers. LCN2 immunoreactivity was significantly associated with tumor differentiation (p = 0.009), as well-differentiated tumors showed the highest LCN2 expression. Serum LCN2 level in ovarian cancer was significantly higher than in the other study groups (p<0.001), and in accordance with IHC results, it also correlated with tumor differentiation, with well-differentiated tumors having the highest value. The sensitivity and specificity of LCN2 in detecting ovarian cancer was 72.2% and 50.4%, respectively. By Cox univariate analysis, LCN2 positivity was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.47, p = 0.012). In conclusion, LCN2 expressions are upregulated and related to tumor differentiation in ovarian cancers and should be included in future research assessing potential biomarkers for ovarian cancer. (J Histochem Cytochem 57:513–521, 2009)