Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of top-down listening strategies and bottom-up listening strategies instruction in the students’ listening performance

The importance of listening in language learning has only been recognized relatively recently (Oxford, 1993), since the role of listening comprehension in language learning was takenfor granted, merited little research and hardly ever pedagogical attention. Although listening played an important role in audio-lingual methods, students only listened to repeat and developing a better pronunciation (Feyten,1991). However, in recent years there has been an increased focus on second language ability because of its perceived importance in language learning acquisition (Sadighi, 2006: 1). Language learning depends on listening since it provides the aural input that serves as the basis for language acquisition and enables learners to interact in spoken communication (Guo& Wills, 2003: 3). It has been recently discussed that listening is the fundamental skill for language acquisition. For it has been considered as the main vehicle through which people gain a large portion of their education (Bulletin, 2004). In fact, input hypothesis suggested that people acquire language by the linguistic information they hear (Krashen, 1985). In addition, the message understood and processed will serve for reinforcing output. Successively, while processing the information heard students compare and integrate their previous knowledge to the information acquired after listening. Afterwards, the processed information is retained for future use (Earway, 1984).
Proximity to forest edge does not affect crop production despite pollen limitation

A decline in pollination function has been linked to agriculture expansion and intensification. In northwest Argentina, pollinator visits to grapefruit, a self-compatible but pollinator-dependent crop, decline by approximately 50% at 1 km from forest edges. We evaluated whether this decrease in visitation also reduces the pollination service in this crop. We analysed the quantity and quality of pollen deposited on stigmas, and associated limitation of fruit production at increasing distances (edge: 10, 100, 500 and 1000 m) from the remnants of Yungas forest. We also examined the quantitative and qualitative efficiency of honeybees as pollen vectors. Pollen receipt and pollen tubes in styles decreased with increasing distance from forest edge; however, this decline did not affect fruit production. Supplementation of natural pollen with self- and cross-pollen revealed that both pollen quantity and quality limited fruit production. Despite pollen limitation, honeybees cannot raise fruit production because they often do not deposit sufficient high-quality pollen per visit to elicit fruit development. However, declines in visitation frequency well below seven visits during a flower's lifespan could decrease production beyond current yields. In this context, the preservation of forest remnants, which act as pollinator sources, could contribute to resilience in crop production. Like wild plants, pollen limitation of the yield among animal-pollinated crops may be common and indicative not only of pollinator scarcity, but also of poor pollination quality, whereby pollinator efficiency, rather than just abundance, can play a broader role than previously appreciated.
A Comparison of Metrics and Algorithms for Fiber Clustering

Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) can unveil the microstructure of the brain white matter. The analysis of the anisotropy observed in the dMRI contrast with tractography methods can help to understand the pattern of connections between brain regions and characterize neurological diseases. Because of the amount of information produced by such analyses and the errors carried by the reconstruction step, it is necessary to simplify this output. Clustering algorithms can be used to group samples that are similar according to a given metric. We propose to explore the well-known clustering algorithm k-means and a recently available one, Quick Bundles [1]. We propose an efficient procedure to associate k-means with Point Density Model, a recently proposed metric to analyze geometric structures. We analyze the performance and usability of these algorithms on manually labeled data and a database a 10 subjects.
Movements of Blue Rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) off Central California with Comparisons to Similar Species

Olive (Sebastes serranoides), black (Sebastes melanops), and blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) are all common inhabitants of nearshore ecosystems on the West coast of North America and important components of the recreational fishery off California. Acoustic monitoring studies indicate that olive rockfish are highly residential and that black rockfish are capable of long migrations and have less site fidelity; yet little is known about the long-term movements of blue rockfish. External tag-recapture studies indicate that blue rockfish may have intermediate movements relative to these congener nearshore species. To better understand the site fidelity, and daily and seasonal movements of blue rockfish over long (>1-year) time scales, we placed acoustic transmitters into 21 adult blue rockfish (30–41 cm total length) in Carmel Bay, California. Blue rockfish displayed intermediate movement patterns and residency relative to other similar kelp forest rockfish species. Two-thirds of tagged blue rockfish (13 fish) exhibited high residency to the study area (>12 mo). When in residence, mean home range of blue rockfish was 0.23 km2, however as many as 30% of tagged blue rockfish shifted their core home range area during the study. Most shifts in home range occurred during upwelling season, and tagged fish moved up to 3.1 km when in residence. Blue rockfish with short residence times were last detected in the study area in late winter and early spring. Blue rockfish were observed at shallower depths during day than night, likely indicative of diurnal feeding. However, over longer time scales, blue rockfish were detected at deeper depths during upwelling periods and with increased wave heights. Daily and seasonal vertical movements of blue rockfish may be influenced by upwelling conditions and local prey abundance.
Model identification and parameter estimation of ARMA models by means of evolutionary algorithms

The field of time series analysis and forecasting methods has significantly changed in the last decade due to the influence of new knowledge in non-linear dynamics. New methods such as artificial neural networks replaced traditional approaches which usually were appropriate for linear models only. Nevertheless, there are still applications where accurate estimations of linear processes, such as ARMA models, are sufficient. However, the methods for this class of models were developed more than 20 years ago, with the restrictions of the, then current, computers in mind. The authors describe an attempt to combine the ideas of the widely used Box-Jenkins method (1970) with new approaches to model identification and parameter estimation based on evolutionary algorithms, a class of probabilistic parameter optimization methods.
The Approximate Solution of Matrix Problems

A ( x Au) = h Ahu. Hence if X is small, any component of error along u can be completely obscured in the rounding process, so tha t an "approx imate" solution x* =" ~c Au, even if crude, m a y satisfy the system exactly to within machine errors. The situation is the same in the inversion of a matr ix; in fact, the following theorem is of interest: THEOttEM 1.1. For any h > 0 and any g > O, there exist matrices, A and C such that every element of A C I is numerically less than X, whereas there are elements of CA I which equal u in magnitude. In other words, C could be a good right-hand inverse of A but a poor lefthand inverse. Let
Evidence of a universal and isotropic 2 Δ / k B T C ratio in 122-type iron pnictide superconductors over a wide doping range

We have systematically investigated the doping and the directional dependence of the gap structure in the 122-type iron pnictide superconductors by point contact Andreev reflection spectroscopy. The studies were performed on single crystals of Ba1-xKxFe2As2 (x = 0.29, 0.49, and 0.77) and SrFe1.74Co0. 26As2 with a sharp tip of Pb or Au pressed along the c-axis or the ab-plane direction. The conductance spectra obtained on highly transparent contacts clearly show evidence of a robust superconducting gap. The normalized curves can be well described by the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk model with a lifetime broadening. The determined gap value scales very well with the transition temperature, giving the 2{\Delta}/kBTC value of ~ 3.1. The results suggest the presence of a universal coupling behavior in this class of iron pnictides over a broad doping range and independent of the sign of the doping. Moreover, conductance spectra obtained on c-axis junctions and ab-plane junctions indicate that the observed gap is isotropic in these superconductors.
Response Prediction in Chronic Hepatitis C by Assessment of IP-10 and IL28B-Related Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms

Background High baseline levels of IP-10 predict a slower first phase decline in HCV RNA and a poor outcome following interferon/ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Several recent studies report that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) adjacent to IL28B predict spontaneous resolution of HCV infection and outcome of treatment among HCV genotype 1 infected patients. Methods and Findings In the present study, we correlated the occurrence of variants at three such SNPs (rs12979860, rs12980275, and rs8099917) with pretreatment plasma IP-10 and HCV RNA throughout therapy within a phase III treatment trial (HCV-DITTO) involving 253 Caucasian patients. The favorable SNP variants (CC, AA, and TT, respectively) were associated with lower baseline IP-10 (P = 0.02, P = 0.01, P = 0.04) and were less common among HCV genotype 1 infected patients than genotype 2/3 (P<0.0001, P<0.0001, and P = 0.01). Patients carrying favorable SNP genotypes had higher baseline viral load than those carrying unfavorable variants (P = 0.0013, P = 0.029, P = 0.0004 respectively). Among HCV genotype 1 infected carriers of the favorable C, A, or T alleles, IP-10 below 150 pg/mL significantly predicted a more pronounced reduction of HCV RNA from day 0 to 4 (first phase decline), which translated into increased rates of RVR (62%, 53%, and 39%) and SVR (85%, 76%, and 75% respectively) among homozygous carriers with baseline IP-10 below 150 pg/mL. In multivariate analyses of genotype 1-infected patients, baseline IP-10 and C genotype at rs12979860 independently predicted the first phase viral decline and RVR, which in turn independently predicted SVR. Conclusions Concomitant assessment of pretreatment IP-10 and IL28B-related SNPs augments the prediction of the first phase decline in HCV RNA, RVR, and final therapeutic outcome.
A Nonlocal SAR Image Denoising Algorithm Based on LLMMSE Wavelet Shrinkage

We propose a novel despeckling algorithm for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images based on the concepts of nonlocal filtering and wavelet-domain shrinkage. It follows the structure of the block-matching 3-D algorithm, recently proposed for additive white Gaussian noise denoising, but modifies its major processing steps in order to take into account the peculiarities of SAR images. A probabilistic similarity measure is used for the block-matching step, while the wavelet shrinkage is developed using an additive signal-dependent noise model and looking for the optimum local linear minimum-mean-square-error estimator in the wavelet domain. The proposed technique compares favorably w.r. t. several state-of-the-art reference techniques, with better results both in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (on simulated speckled images) and of perceived image quality.
To Tell the Truth: Ad Watch Coverage, Ad Tone, and the Accuracy of Political Advertising

This study examined the relationships among newspaper ad watch coverage, ad tone, and the accuracy of political advertising. A sample of political advertisements (N = 160) was drawn from the Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG) database and other sources for eight U.S. Senate races. Two experts on each race evaluated the ads’ accuracy and their ideological portrayals of candidates, while trained coders analyzed other aspects of the ads. Ad watch coverage from these races (ad watch N = 109) also was content-analyzed. The number of ad watches overall in a race and the number that explicitly criticized ads were positively related with the level of accuracy of political ads and with a tendency to portray their favored candidates closer to their actual ideological position—but the overall number of ad watches also was positively related with a tendency for ads to portray opponents as more extreme than their positions warranted. Ad watches usually tend to scrutinize negative ads more, but ad watch coverage in this study was unrelated with ad tone and with the number of negative ads in a race. Positive ads were rated as more accurate but also more prone to exaggerate the supported candidates’ centrism compared to other ads. Normative and practical implications are discussed. We’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact checkers. — Neil Newhouse, pollster for the Mitt Romney 2012 campaign
Relationship between pre-season strength and power measures and performance in elite Australian football

This study investigated the relationship between various measures of muscular strength and power and individual player performance in elite Australian football (AF). Strength and power data was collected from 30 players from one Australian Football League club at various time points over the 2014 pre-season period. Upper and lower body strength and power were assessed using a one repetition maximum bench press, isometric mid-thigh pull and loaded countermovement jumps respectively. These variables were related to individual performance indicators (Champion Data ranking and descriptive match statistics) averaged over 22 games of the 2014 regular season. A secondary analysis also correlated strength and power measures with high speed running data derived from GPS units worn during games. For all players combined, no significant relationships for strength measures were found with Champion data ranking, but some power measures recorded moderate-large inverse relationships (r = -0.38 to -0.61) with certain match statistics. When separated by position, strong positive associations (r = 0.51 to 0.73) between upper body strength and performance (Champion Data© ranking and match statistics) were recorded for nomadic (midfield) players, but not for non-nomadic (taller, set position) players. Lower body power was also moderately-strongly associated (r = 0.42-0.69) with (GPS) maximum game acceleration and speed for the nomadic and combined player groups. These findings suggest that strength and power are significantly related to some common AF performance indicators and that particular consideration should be given to the positional requirements of players in planning strength and power programmes.
Massive induction of donor-type class I and class II major histocompatibility complex antigens in rejecting cardiac allografts in the rat

DA (RT1a) hearts were transplanted into PVG (RT1c) or DA recipients, excised on days 1, 3, 5, or 7 after grafting, and examined by immunohistological techniques and quantitative absorption analyses, using allospecific mouse anti-rat class I and class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) monoclonal antibodies. Cryostat sections stained by the peroxidase technique demonstrated that, in the normal heart, class I antigens were largely restricted to vascular endothelium and interstitial cells, with no observable staining of the myocardial cells except at the intercalated discs. Class II antigens were found only on occasional interstitial dendritic cells. The picture at day 1 after transplantation was not noticeably different. By day 3, however, there was clear patchy induction of both class I and class II antigens on the myocardial cells, usually in the region of cellular infiltrates. By day 5, class I antigens had been strongly induced throughout the graft, with the myocardial cells being very strongly positive. Class II antigens were also uniformly expressed on myocardial cells at day 5, and at this stage the vascular endothelium was also strongly positive. Quantitative absorption analyses showed a 10-fold increase in class I antigen content in cardiac allografts at day 5 after transplantation when compared with normal DA heart. DA heart isografts showed no increase in class II antigens, but it was interesting that, by 5 d after grafting, there appeared to be some expression of class I antigens on the myocardial cells. Quantitative absorptions showed a threefold increase in class I antigens on 5-d isografts when compared with normal DA heart.
A Case Study of Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Within a Varsity Volleyball Team

This study used an instrumental case study approach to investigate the ways teammates within a female varsity volleyball team regulated one another's emotions, the factors that were perceived to influence interpersonal emotion regulation (IER), and athletes' preferences for regulating their own and others' emotions. Fourteen athletes participated in semistructured interviews and reported using a variety of emotion-improving and emotion-worsening IER strategies, in addition to occasionally choosing not to engage in IER, and several factors were found to influence IER (e.g., athletes' roles and interpersonal factors). This study has theoretical implications and applied implications for athletes, coaches, and sport psychology consultants.
Comparative Genomic Analyses of the Human NPHP1 Locus Reveal Complex Genomic Architecture and Its Regional Evolution in Primates

Many loci in the human genome harbor complex genomic structures that can result in susceptibility to genomic rearrangements leading to various genomic disorders. Nephronophthisis 1 (NPHP1, MIM# 256100) is an autosomal recessive disorder that can be caused by defects of NPHP1; the gene maps within the human 2q13 region where low copy repeats (LCRs) are abundant. Loss of function of NPHP1 is responsible for approximately 85% of the NPHP1 cases—about 80% of such individuals carry a large recurrent homozygous NPHP1 deletion that occurs via nonallelic homologous recombination (NAHR) between two flanking directly oriented ~45 kb LCRs. Published data revealed a non-pathogenic inversion polymorphism involving the NPHP1 gene flanked by two inverted ~358 kb LCRs. Using optical mapping and array-comparative genomic hybridization, we identified three potential novel structural variant (SV) haplotypes at the NPHP1 locus that may protect a haploid genome from the NPHP1 deletion. Inter-species comparative genomic analyses among primate genomes revealed massive genomic changes during evolution. The aggregated data suggest that dynamic genomic rearrangements occurred historically within the NPHP1 locus and generated SV haplotypes observed in the human population today, which may confer differential susceptibility to genomic instability and the NPHP1 deletion within a personal genome. Our study documents diverse SV haplotypes at a complex LCR-laden human genomic region. Comparative analyses provide a model for how this complex region arose during primate evolution, and studies among humans suggest that intra-species polymorphism may potentially modulate an individual’s susceptibility to acquiring disease-associated alleles.
Insulin and amylin release are both diminished in first-degree relatives of subjects with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether first-degree relatives of individuals with type 2 diabetes, who are at high risk of subsequently developing hyperglycemia, manifest alterations in beta-cell function including an alteration in the co-release of insulin and amylin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In 30 first-degree relatives and 24 matched subjects with no family history of diabetes, beta-cell function was measured as the intravenous glucose-induced acute insulin response (AIR(g)) and acute amylin response (AAR(g)). The insulin sensitivity index (S(I)) was quantified and used to account for the role of insulin sensitivity to modulate beta-cell function (S(I) x beta-cell function). RESULTS Fasting plasma glucose (5.3 +/- 0.1 vs. 5.1 +/- 0.1 mmol/l; means +/- SEM), immunoreactive insulin (IRI) (68 +/- 7 vs. 57 +/- 6 pmol/l) and amylin-like immunoreactivity (ALI) (5.5 +/- 0.6 vs. 4.7 +/- 0.7 pmol/l) were similar in relatives and control subjects, respectively. Relatives were insulin resistant compared with control subjects (S(I): 4.86 +/- 0.63 vs. 7.20 +/- 0.78 x 10(-5) min(-1). pmol(-1). l(-1), P = 0.01), but their AIR(g) (392 +/- 59 vs. 386 +/- 50 pmol/l) and AAR(g) (5.9 +/- 0.9 vs. 6.1 +/- 0.8 pmol/l) did not differ. When beta-cell function was determined relative to insulin sensitivity, in the first-degree relatives, both AIR(g) (S(I) x AIR(g): 1.60 +/- 0.23 vs. 2.44 +/- 0.31 x 10(-2) min(-1), P < 0.05) and AAR(g) (S(I) x AAR(g): 2.39 +/- 0.35 vs. 4.06 +/- 0.56 x 10(-4) min(-1), P < 0.05) were reduced. The molar proportion of ALI to IRI was not altered in high-risk subjects (1.75 +/- 0.16 vs. 1.71 +/- 0.15%). CONCLUSIONS First-degree relatives of subjects with type 2 diabetes have diminished beta-cell function at a time when they are not hyperglycemic, and this reduction affects insulin and amylin responses proportionally. Thus, an altered amylin-to-insulin ratio is not likely to identify individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
A Network Substrate for Peer-to-Peer Grid Computing beyond Embarrassingly Parallel Applications

Embarrassingly parallel Grid applications require no inter-worker interaction. Thus, the underlying communication infrastructure is based on the simple but well understood client/server execution model. This is no longer sufficient if more demanding parallel applications that require true Peer-to-Peer interaction are to be deployed on Grids. In this paper, we propose the industrial-strength eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) as a network substrate for these non-trivial Peer-to-Peer Grid Computing applications.
PENGARUH MODEL INQUIRY TERBIMBING MENGGUNAKAN MEDIA ANIMASI KOMPUTER DAN MEDIA PETA KONSEP TERHADAP PENINGKATAN HASIL BELAJAR DAN MOTIVASI SISWA PADA MATERI LARUTAN PENYANGGA

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui perbedaan peningkatan hasil belajar dan motivasi siswa dengan menerapkan model pembelajaran inquiry terbimbing menggunakan media animasi komputer dan peta konsep pada pokok bahasan larutan penyangga di SMA Negeri 14 Medan. Sampel penelitian yaitu kelas eksperimen I yang diberi perlakuan dengan model pembelajaran inquiry terbimbing menggunakan media animasi komputer dan kelas eksperimen II yang diberi perlakuan dengan model pembelajaran inquiry terbimbing menggunakan media peta konsep. Instrumen dalam penelitian ini yaitu tes hasil belajar siswa, angket motivasi belajar siswa serta lembar observasi aktivitas belajar siswa. Uji hipotesis dalam penelitian ini menggunakan uji t-dua pihak. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat perbedaan peningkatan hasil belajar dan motivasi siswa yang dibelajarkan dengan menerapkan model pembelajaran inquiry terbimbing menggunakan media animasi komputer dan peta konsep pada pokok bahasan larutan penyangga. Hal ini diperoleh dari analisis data gain. Untuk hasil belajar rata-rata gain yang diperoleh siswa kelas eksperimen I sebesar 0,73 dan pada kelas eksperimen II sebesar 0,66. Sedangkan untuk motivasi belajar rata-rata gain yang diperoleh siswa kelas eksperimen I sebesar 0,62 dan pada kelas eksperimen II sebesar 0,55. Selain itu, diketahui bahwa rata-rata nilai hasil aktivitas belajar siswa yang diamati oleh observer sebanding dengan nilai angket motivasi belajar dari kedua kelas eksperimen