Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cross-Cultural Awareness for Second/Foreign Language Learners

<p> This article proposes a reconsideration of curricular objectives with respect to the teaching of culture, in the interest of broadening the humanistic scope of the second/foreign language curriculum while at the same time alleviating the pressure of a typically over-extended instructional agenda. Recent research and theory support a relational approach to culture learning, emphasizing understanding of the target and home culture(s) as they relate to one another, with explicit reference to the learner's culturally subjective position. The article explores the notions of cultural identity and attitudes toward the other, arguing for increased emphasis on an understanding of self as cultural subject and openness of mind toward cultural difference. Topics and activities for a curricular module on cross-cultural awareness are suggested. </p> <p> Cet article propose une réévaluation des objectifs scolaires en matière d'enseignement de la culture, dans le but d'élargir la perspective des programmes de langue seconde et de langue étrangère en matière de sciences humaines, tout en réduisant la pression découlant d'un programme éducatif que l'on tend à étirer. Des théories et des recherches récentes soutiennent qu'il est nécessaire d'adopter une approche relationnelle dans l'enseignement de la culture, en mettant l'accent sur la nécessité de comprendre sa propre culture et celle de l'autre ainsi que la manière dont elles interagissent, en faisant clairement référence à la position subjective de l'apprenant par rapport à sa culture. Cet article aborde les notions d'identité culturelle et les attitudes envers autrui ; on y souligne l'importance croissante à accorder à la compréhension de soi à titre d'objet culturel ainsi qu'à l'ouverture d'esprit envers les différences culturelles. Des thèmes et des activités sont proposés dans le cadre d'un module d'apprentissage portant sur la conscientisation interculturelle. </p>
Stationary Distribution for the Mobilities in Catastrophe Rescue Scenario

Mobility Model has drawn more and more attentions since its critical role in Mobile Wireless Networks performance evaluation. This paper analyzes the mobility patterns in the catastrophe rescue scenario, and proposes the Random Waypoint with Base Point mobility model to model these characteristics. We mathematically analyze the speed and spatial stationary distributions of the nodes and derive explicit expressions for the one dimensional case. In order to keep the stationary distribution through the entire simulation procedure, we provide strategies to initialize the speed, location and destination of the nodes at the beginning of the simulation. The simulation results verify the derivations and the proposed methods in this paper. This work gives a deep understanding of the properties of the Random Waypoint with Base Point mobility model and such understanding is necessary to avoid misinterpretation of the simulation results. The conclusions are of practical value for performance analysis of mobile wireless networks, especially for the catastrophe rescue scenario.
The Health and Well-being Implications of Emotion Work Undertaken by Gay Sperm Donors

As reproductive health clinics both within Australia and internationally continue to face a shortfall in the number of available sperm donors, so there exists a growing demand for men willing to donate to clinics. At the same time, and where an increasing number of countries move toward legislating for the release of identifying information about donors to children conceived of their sperm, fewer men report a willingness to act as donors. This article suggests that this is at least in part caused by the considerable ‘emotion work’ involved in sperm donation. Drawing on 21 interviews conducted with gay Australian sperm donors, the article provides a thematic analysis of instances of such emotion work and explores the implications of this for the health and well-being of gay men who donate sperm both to clinics and in private arrangements.
Why Do I Love Thee?: Effects of Repeated Introspections about a Dating Relationship on Attitudes toward the Relationship

Students involved in dating relationships attended four weekly sessions, at which they either introspected about why they felt the way they did about their relationship or introspected about an unrelated topic. As predicted, at Week I people who introspected about reasons brought to mind thoughts that were inconsistent with their initial feelings about their relationships and changed their attitudes in the direction of those reasons. This attitude change persisted throughout the study but did not increase. People in the control condition showed an increasing amount of attitude change at each session, such that by the end of the study they had changed as much as people in the reasons condition. It is suggested that either thinking about reasons or answering detailed questions about a relationship can change the way people construe that relationship, leading to attitude change.
Finnish Straight-A Graduates’ Perceptions of the Smoothness of the Study Paths

The purpose of this study is to discuss the smoothness of the study paths by describing Finnish general upper secondary education graduates’ study paths: What factors have promoted and supported straight-A graduates’ study paths? What kind of difficulties have straight-A graduates’ faced in their study paths? This was a narrative study conducted in 2012 by collecting straight-A graduates’ writings (N=14). The data were analyzed with narrative analyzing methods. The results showed the multidimensional nature of study paths: there is not just one way of reaching the same outcome. When it came the smoothness of study paths, it appeared that also the succeed-oriented students need support and guidance with their choices, goals, and strengths.
High Consumption Volatility: The Impact of Natural Disasters?

A history of repeated external and domestic shocks has made economic insecurity a major concern across the Caribbean region. Of particular concern to all households, especially the poorest segments of the population, is the exposure to shocks that are generated by catastrophic events or natural disasters. The author shows that despite high consumption growth, the Caribbean region suffers from a high volatility of consumption that decreases household welfare. After presenting some empirical evidence that consumption volatility is higher in the Caribbean region than in the rest of the world, he makes some empirically testable inferences that help explain consumption volatility. The author develops a conceptual framework for analyzing the effects of catastrophic events on household and aggregate welfare. According to this framework, the volatility of consumption comes from production shocks that are transformed into consumption shocks mostly because of underdeveloped or ineffective risk-management mechanisms. Auffret conducts an empirical analysis of the impact of catastrophic events on 16 countries (6 from the Caribbean region and 10 from Latin America) from 1970-99 and shows that catastrophic events lead to: 1) A substantial decline in the growth of output. 2) A substantial decline in the growth of investment. 3) A more moderate decline in consumption growth (most of the decline is in private consumption, while public consumption declines moderately. 4) A worsening of the current account of the balance of payments.
IL-12 administered during Chlamydia psittaci lung infection in mice confers immediate and long-term protection and reduces macrophage inflammatory protein-2 level and neutrophil infiltration in lung tissue.

Protection against infections with the intracellular bacterium Chlamydia spp. requires Th1-polarized CD4+ T cell immunity. In BALB/c mouse lung infections, immediate innate and nascent Chlamydia-specific immune responses following intranasal inoculation of Chlamydia psittaci strain B577 were modulated by 7-day i.p. administration of murine rIL-12, the initiation cytokine for Th1 immunity. Treatment with IL-12 reduced the severity of chlamydial pneumonia, abolished mortality (37.5% in untreated mice), and significantly reduced numbers of chlamydial organisms in lungs. On day 4 after inoculation, the neutrophil:macrophage ratio in bronchointerstitial pneumonias was 1.96 in untreated mice and 0.51 in IL-12-treated mice. This immediate, IL-12-mediated shift in innate inflammatory phenotype was correlated with a significant reduction of lung concentrations of the neutrophil chemoattractant macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 (putative murine homologue of human IL-8), monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and TNF-alpha; and a reduction in MIP-1alpha and IFN-gamma, at high-dose infection only, and IL-12-independent IL-10 levels. Chlamydia-specific Ab titers and Ig isotype ratios indicated an IL-12-dependent Th1 shift. Recall responses of IL-12-primed mice to secondary chlamydial lung infection eliminated chlamydiae more effectively and generated a lung cytokine profile conducive to perpetuation of the Th1 memory population. These data support the hypothesis that genetic differences in endogenous IL-12 production and response pathways could determine disease outcomes characterized by poor chlamydial clearance and a purulent inflammatory infiltrate vs effective elimination of chlamydiae in a macrophage-dominated response.
Dictatorial Institutions and their Impact on Economic Growth*

Abstract Non-democratic regimes vary in the degree to which domestic groups threaten their rule and the extent to which they need the cooperation of these groups. To both neutralize threats to their rule and solicit cooperation, some dictators coopt potential domestic opposition by providing rents and policy concessions within nominally-democratic institutions, such as legislatures and political parties. These institutions, designed as instruments of cooptation, facilitate cooperation between the regime and outside groups which promotes economic growth. Résumé Les régimes dictatoriaux varient notamment selon la menace que des groupes d'opposants peuvent représenter et selon leur besoin de coopération de la part de la population. À ces deux fins, certaines dictatures font des concessions aux institutions démocratiques de façade maintenues : parlement et partis politiques. La croissance économique s'en trouve favorisée par rapport aux autres régimes dictatoriaux plus durs. Zuzammenfassung Diktaturen unterscheiden sich, je nachdem ob Regimegegner eine Bedrohung darstellen und ob die Mitarbeit einheimischer Bevölkerungsgruppen notwendig ist. Unter diesem Druck können z.B. Parlamente und Parteien entstehen, selbst wenn es sich um demokratische Scheininstitutionen handelt. Die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Regime und Randgruppen führt anders als bei härteren Diktaturen zu einem wirtschaftlichen Wachstum.
RADAR REMOTE SENSING FOR ESTIMATION OF SURFACE SOIL MOISTURE AT THE WATERSHED SCALE 2 RADARSAT ERS SAR ERS ENVISAT ASAR JERS ALOS PALSAR

Introduction ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 91 Semi-Empirical Approaches _______________________________________________________________________________________ 94 ms Change Detection ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 96 SAR Data Fusion ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 97 SAR Plus Radar Backscatter Models ___________________________________________________________________ 98 Conclusions _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 100 Acknowledgments ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 102 References ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 102
Rational Choice Theory and Large-Scale Data Analysis

Introduction The Relationship Between Rational Choice Theory and Large-Scale Data Analysis: Past Developments and Future Perspectives (Hans-Peter Blossfeld and Gerald Prein.) Linking Rational Choice Theory And Quantitative Sociology The Quantitative Analysis of Large-Scale Data Sets and Rational Action Theory: For a Sociological Alliance (John H. Goldthorpe.) The Influence of Simplification on Explananda: Phenomenon-Centered Versus Choice-Centered Theories in the Social Sciences (Siegwart Lindenberg.) Rational Choice, Situational Analysis, and Empirical Research (Peter Hedstrm and Richard Swedberg.) Thresholds and Mechanisms: A Comment on Hedstrm and Swedbergs Chapter (Robert Erikson.) Why Are Bridge Hypotheses Necessary (Hartmut Esser.) Bridge Assumptions in Rational Choice Theory: Methodological Problems and Possible Solutions (Udo Kelle and Christian L demann.) Large-Scale Data Sets, Rare Events, And Qualitative Research Causal Analysis and Comparative Research: What Can We Learn from Studies Based on a Small Number of Cases? (Stanley Lieberson.) Causality, Comparisons, and Bad Practices in Empirical Social Research: A Comment on Stanley Liebersons Chapter (Karl Ulrich Mayer.) Case-Oriented Research and the Study of Social Action (Charles C. Ragin.) Empirical Analyses Using Rational Choice Theory The Need of Data Analysis for Rational Action Theory: Pros and Cons (Anthony Heath.) Bringing Individuals Back into Sociology: Three Aspects of Cohesion in Dutch Society During the 20th Century (Wout Ultee.) Can and Should Rational Choice Theory Be Tested by Survey Research? : The Example of Explaining Collective Political Action (Karl-Dieter Opp.) Rational Choice Theory And Longitudinal Research A Dynamic Integration of Micro- and Macro-Perspectives Using Longitudinal Data and Event History Models (H. Blossfeld.) Modeling Rational Action: A Longitudinal Approach (G. Prein.) Modeling the Dynamics of Micro-Social Change: Results of a Three Wave Intervention Study of Travel-Mode Choice in a Region (Sebastian Bamberg and Peter Schmidt.) Future Perspectives The Future of Rational Choice Theory and Its Relationships to Quantitative Macro-sociological Research (Michael Hechter.).
Teachers' Conceptions of Assessment: Developing a model for teachers in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has an assessment for learning policy and a cultural context that emphasizes examinations. In addition to associating student grading with improvement, important improvement-oriented conceptions have been identified among Hong Kong teachers and which were not fully instantiated in the original Teachers’ Conceptions of Assessment (TCoA) inventory. An expanded Chinese-TCoA inventory was administered to in Chinese in both Hong Kong and southern China. The intended 6 construct structure was not supported. Exploratory factor analysis (MLE, oblimin rotation) identified 7 factors, which were further reduced to 3 major intercorrelated constructs (i.e., improvement, accountability, and irrelevance). Improvement and accountability were strongly inter-correlated (r=.80), while improvement had a weak negative correlation with irrelevance and accountability had a weak positive correlation with irrelevance. The model had 7 factors based on 33 items and acceptable fit (χ 2 =3856.97, df=426; χ 2 /df=9.05, p<.001; CFI=.85; RMSEA=.065; SRMR=.065; gamma=.90). Two group nested invariance testing (i.e., Hong Kong vs. southern China) showed that the model was statistically equivalent, except for item residuals (k=62; χ 2 =4612.89, df=891; χ 2 /df=5.18, p=.02; CFI=.83; RMSEA=.047; SRMR=.065; gamma=.94). Differences in mean scores between the two groups showed that Hong Kong teachers agreed more with the ideas of assessments helping student learning, being accurate, and being examinations; whereas southern China teachers agreed more that assessment was irrelevant. This study contributes to our understanding of how assessment is understood by teachers working within Chinese contexts.
Poisoning behavioral malware clustering

Clustering algorithms have become a popular tool in computer security to analyze the behavior of malware variants, identify novel malware families, and generate signatures for antivirus systems. However, the suitability of clustering algorithms for security-sensitive settings has been recently questioned by showing that they can be significantly compromised if an attacker can exercise some control over the input data. In this paper, we revisit this problem by focusing on behavioral malware clustering approaches, and investigate whether and to what extent an attacker may be able to subvert these approaches through a careful injection of samples with poisoning behavior. To this end, we present a case study on Malheur, an open-source tool for behavioral malware clustering. Our experiments not only demonstrate that this tool is vulnerable to poisoning attacks, but also that it can be significantly compromised even if the attacker can only inject a very small percentage of attacks into the input data. As a remedy, we discuss possible countermeasures and highlight the need for more secure clustering algorithms.
INCREASING REMEDIAL STUDENTS' ABILITY TO DERIVE WORD MEANING FROM CONTEXT

The purpose of the present study was to determine the extent to which the process of deriving word meaning from context could be enhanced through an instructional intervention that modeled a process of word-meaning acquisition and guided students through that process. Five less-skilled readers in grades five and six were engaged in a one-on-one instructional intervention. The effectiveness of students' process of deriving word meaning from context was assessed using a word-meaning acquisition task, given before and after instructional intervention, that approximated decision points in the process, and through transcripts of instructional sessions. The word-meaning acquisition task presented a pseudoword in a context followed by choices for the meaning of the word. Students were asked to select possible meanings, provide a rationale for their choices, and use additional context to narrow the possible meaning choices for the pseudoword. All five students improved on every component of the task. Before the i.
The (In)validity of Supercrip Representation of Paralympian Athletes

This article provides a critical overview of the viability of the “supercrip” iconography as an appropriate representation of Paralympic athletes. It focuses on its validity as a vehicle for the empowerment of individuals with impairments both within the context of elite sport and broader society. This type of representation may be seen by the able moral majority as enlightened. However, supercrip narratives may have a negative impact on the physical and social development of disabled individuals by reinforcing what could be termed “achievement syndrome”—the impaired are successful in spite of their disability. The authors will focus on the implications of the use of language and images embodied in supercrip iconography, relying on examples of two European Paralympic awareness campaigns disseminated through mainstream media.
Assessment of autoregulation by means of periodic changes in blood pressure.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the phase difference that occurs between an induced oscillation in blood pressure and the resultant oscillation in middle cerebral artery (MCA) flow velocity could reflect the competence of cerebral autoregulation. METHODS Fourteen volunteers performed 19 cycles of 10 seconds of squatting followed by 10 seconds of standing. Peak MCA velocity was measured with transcranial Doppler ultrasound, and blood pressure was measured with a servo-controlled finger plethysmograph held level with the head. Waveforms from each cycle were added to obtain averaged waveforms of arterial blood pressure and MCA velocity. These results were processed by Fourier analysis to extract the phase difference between the fundamental components of velocity and pressure. Each volunteer performed the exercise three times: first breathing normally, secondly hyperventilating (hypocapnia), and finally while breathing air containing 5% carbon dioxide (hypercapnia). Under these conditions the volunteers were expected to have normal, enhanced, and impaired auto-regulation, respectively. RESULTS The measurements made with normal breathing showed a phase lead of velocity ahead of pressure of 46 +/- 14 degrees (mean +/- SD). We noted a highly significant reduction in phase lead with hypercapnia (P < .00015) (Wilcoxon signed rank test, two-tailed) and a highly significant increase in phase lead with hypocapnia (P < .002). CONCLUSIONS The results support our hypothesis and may lead to a technique for assessing the competence of cerebral autoregulation.
An Approach with Name‐calling and Verbal Taunting

Classroom teachers are aware that during everyday classroom teaching name‐calling can be a wide‐scale problem. Verbal bullying is often covert and pupils are reluctant to report it. In this paper the author outlines a strategy to reduce the frequency of name‐calling and verbal taunting. An adaptive approach to the problem of repeated name‐calling is illustrated through a case study. The approach utilizes ‘reframing’ and ‘image‐replacement’ techniques to reduce confrontation and the perpetuation of verbal taunting for those who are identified as ‘provocative victims’.
CORD BLOOD HAEMOGLOBIN, IRON AND FERRITIN STATUS IN MATERNAL ANAEMIA

ABSTRACT. Maternal and cord blood haemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin saturation and ferritin were studied in sets of 30 anaemic (haemoglobin <110 g/l) and 21 nonanaemic (haemoglobin ≧110 g/l) mothers. The cord serum iron, transferrin saturation and ferritin concentrations had significant correlation with maternal haemoglobin. The significant low levels of these parameters suggested that maternal anaemia adversely affected the iron status including iron stores of the newborns. The cord serum iron of 15.2±4.35 μmol/l and ferritin of 29.7±10.93 ng/ml seem to be effective to maintain cord haemoglobin levels. Thus, anaemic mothers with reasonably maintained ferritin and trasferrin saturation levels provide sufficient iron for maintenance of cord haemoglobin, although foetal iron stores are likely to be depleted.
"Running On Empty": Examining the Effect of Physician Stress, Burnout, and Empathy On Patient-Centered Communication During the Long-Call Shift

Medical residency is characterized by sleep deprivation, stress, and heavy workload. The impact of these pressures on physician-patient communication has not been fully explored. The aim of the current study was to investigate how contextual demands, stress, and burnout impact empathy and provision of patient-centered communication among internal medicine residents in two hospitals. The long-call shift was studied, as it is known to be particularly taxing and is a primary feature of medical residency. Assessments were obtained both prior to and at the conclusion of residents’ shifts. Cognitive complexity was examined as a potential mediator of the relationship between stress and burnout, and burnout and empathy. Results revealed that there was a significant decline in physician empathy from the beginning to the end of the long-call shift and that this decline in empathy predicted less patient-centered communication from physicians. Stress, burnout, and decline in empathy were all positively associated, indicating that resident physicians who were more stressed and burned out were at increased risk for declines in empathy over the course of their shift. Cognitive complexity was not found to be a significant mediator of any associations between study variables, though it was associated with several key variables in unexpected ways. These findings highlight the importance of identifying and addressing barriers to patient-centered communication, as a number of these barriers may be routinely present in the demanding environment of medical residency.