Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences in perceived approaches to learning and teaching English in Hong Kong secondary schools

This paper investigates differences in approaches to learning and teaching English as a second language (ESL) as reported by 324 mixed‐ability Grade 7 Hong Kong ESL students and 37 ESL secondary school teachers with different backgrounds. Information about participants’ perceived approaches to learning/teaching English were collected through a student questionnaire and a teacher questionnaire. Analysis of the student data suggested significant differences among students of low, medium, and high academic abilities in their reported use of deep and achieving approaches to learning English. Analysis of the teacher data revealed that teachers with different qualifications and number of years of teaching experience performed significantly differently on the Information Transmission Approach and on collaborative approaches to teaching English. Implications for the learning and teaching of English in Hong Kong and limitations of the study are also discussed.
An experiment to assess different defect detection methods for software requirements inspections

Software requirements specifications (SRS) are usually validated by inspections, in which several reviewers read all or part of the specification and search for defects. We hypothesize that different methods for conducting these searches may have significantly different rates of success. Using a controlled experiment, we show that a scenario-based detection method, in which each reviewer executes a specific procedure to discover a particular class of defects has a higher defect detection rate than either ad hoc or checklist methods. We describe the design, execution and analysis of the experiment so others may reproduce it and test our results for different kinds of software developments and different populations of software engineers. <<ETX>>
Functional characterization of cardiac progenitor cells and their derivatives in the embryonic heart post‐chamber formation

There is scant information on the fate of cardiac progenitor cells (CPC) in the embryonic heart after chamber specification. Here we simultaneously tracked three lineage‐specific markers (Nkx2.5, MLC2v, and ANF) and confirmed that CPCs with an Nkx2.5+MLC2v−ANF− phenotype are present in the embryonic (E) day 11.5 mouse ventricular myocardium. We demonstrated that these CPCs could give rise to working cardiomyocytes and conduction system cells. Using a two‐photon imaging analysis, we found that the majority of CPCs are not capable of developing Ca2+ transients in response to β‐adrenergic receptor stimulation. In contrast, Nkx2.5+ cells expressing MLC2v but not ANF are capable of developing functional Ca2+ transients. We showed that Ca2+ transients could be invoked in Nkx2.5+MLC2v+ANF+ cells only upon inhibition of Gi, muscarinic receptors, or nitric oxide synthase (NOS) signaling pathways. Our data suggest that these inhibitory pathways may delay functional specification in a subset of developing ventricular cells. Developmental Dynamics 238:2787–2799, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interleukin-15 Enhances Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses to Blood-Stage Malaria Infection in Mice

ABSTRACT Compared to C57BL/6 wild-type mice, interleukin-15−/− (IL-15−/−) mice showed delayed clearance of Plasmodium chabaudi AS infection, lower type 1 cytokine production, impaired dendritic cell and NK cell functions, and lower titers of malaria-specific antibodies. Thus, IL-15 supports early control and timely resolution of blood-stage malaria through promotion of Th1-dependent innate and adaptive immune responses.
Double Jeopardy?: The Interaction of Gender and Race on Earnings in the United States

There are sizeable earnings differentials by gender and race in the U.S. labor market, with women earning less than men and most racial/ethnic minority groups earning less than whites. It has been proposed in the previous literature that the effects of gender and race on earnings are additive, so that minority women suffer the full disadvantage of each status. We test this proposition for a broad range of minority groups in the United States. We find that women of all minority groups suffer a smaller gender penalty than white women (relative to same-race men). Exploring the potential role of racial variation in gender role specialization in producing such differentials, we find some empirical evidence suggesting that white families specialize more than families of most other races.
Autotaxin and LPA Receptors Represent Potential Molecular Targets for the Radiosensitization of Murine Glioma through Effects on Tumor Vasculature

Despite wide margins and high dose irradiation, unresectable malignant glioma (MG) is less responsive to radiation and is uniformly fatal. We previously found that cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) is a molecular target for radiosensitizing cancer through the vascular endothelium. Autotaxin (ATX) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptors are downstream from cPLA2 and highly expressed in MG. Using the ATX and LPA receptor inhibitor, α-bromomethylene phosphonate LPA (BrP-LPA), we studied ATX and LPA receptors as potential molecular targets for the radiosensitization of tumor vasculature in MG. Treatment of Human Umbilical Endothelial cells (HUVEC) and mouse brain microvascular cells bEND.3 with 5 µmol/L BrP-LPA and 3 Gy irradiation showed decreased clonogenic survival, tubule formation, and migration. Exogenous addition of LPA showed radioprotection that was abrogated in the presence of BrP-LPA. In co-culture experiments using bEND.3 and mouse GL-261 glioma cells, treatment with BrP-LPA reduced Akt phosphorylation in both irradiated cell lines and decreased survival and migration of irradiated GL-261 cells. Using siRNA to knock down LPA receptors LPA1, LPA2 or LPA3 in HUVEC, we demonstrated that knockdown of LPA2 but neither LPA1 nor LPA3 led to increased viability and proliferation. However, knockdown of LPA1 and LPA3 but not LPA2 resulted in complete abrogation of tubule formation implying that LPA1 and LPA3 on endothelial cells are likely targets of BrP-LPA radiosensitizing effect. Using heterotopic tumor models of GL-261, mice treated with BrP-LPA and irradiation showed a tumor growth delay of 6.8 days compared to mice treated with irradiation alone indicating that inhibition of ATX and LPA receptors may significantly improve malignant glioma response to radiation therapy. These findings identify ATX and LPA receptors as molecular targets for the development of radiosensitizers for MG.
Effects of Product–Program Congruity and Viewer Involvement on Memory for Televised Advertisements1

This study examined the effects of program context on the memory of congruent or incongruent television (TV) advertisements on a youth sample (N= 123) aged 16 to 19 years. An experimental design was developed to test memory for a set of 6 car advertisements and 6 food advertisements within 2 program contexts: a car program and a food program. Memory for car advertisements was significantly better than memory for food advertisements in the free-recall condition, but the opposite was true in the cued-recall condition. Free recall of car advertisements in the food program was significantly better than of food advertisements in the food program. Levels of involvement were found to be unrelated to recall and recognition of advertisements.
The effectiveness of a learning strategies program for university students.

BACKGROUND University lecturers often complain about their students’ lack of learning strategies, but not many universities in Spain offer specific courses in this area. Studies on their effectiveness are also rare. METHOD This study presents the results of a Learning Strategies Course implemented at the School of Teacher Training and Education, University of Oviedo, Spain. A quasi-experimental design was used with an experi-mental (n = 60) and a control group (n = 57) of students on the Educational Psychology course. A Spanish adaptation of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ): the CEAMR2 was used as a pre and post-test measure. Group A (EG) received training in learning strategies, while group B (CG) received no training. RESULTS Post-test measures showed significant differences in five out of the ten learning strategies assessed: elaboration, organization, repetition, self-questioning and study space, and also an improvement in one out of the six motivational scales: control of learning beliefs. DISCUSSION The results suggest that learning strategies courses with proven effectiveness should be offered to university students.
Problem design in problem-based learning: evaluating students' learning and self-directed learning practice

The design of the problems that are used in problem-based learning plays an important part in achieving the intended learning objectives set by teaching staff. To a large extent, the learning issues generated by students during tutorials determine their learning activities and form the framework for the direction of self-directed study. The relevance of these learning issues will drive and stimulate students to become more competent self-directed learners. The work described in this paper explores the match between students' learning issues and the learning objectives that have been set by teaching staff. The findings indicate that students recognize (on average) 79.9% of the learning objectives with a significant improvement as the semester progresses (p < 0.01). There is also evidence to suggest that students move towards independent learning as a result of problem-based learning.
Voiced stop spiratization in the ESL speech of native speakers of Spanish

ABSTRACT This study examines the role that voiced stop spirantization plays in the acquisition of English/b d g/ and /dgr;/ by native Spanish speakers. The results of a data-based experiment show that accuracy in English pronunciation is hindered by native language transfer, including the transfer of spirantization and LI syllable structure constraints. Furthermore, the suppression of spirantization is not achieved at an equal rate for all voiced stops: /d/ is spirantized the least often. It is proposed that the phonemic value of /δ/ in English contributes to this disparity. An examination of the L2 pronunciation of /δ/ further reveals that learners do not assign phonemic status to /δ/ in all contexts; it is acquired in postvocalic position first and only more gradually acquired elsewhere.
MARKETING OF SAFE FOOD THROUGH LABELING

After a series of food safety crises during the 1990s, regulators, producers, and retailers alike are trying to regain consumer confidence by redesigning legislation and quality-assurance programs. These programs focus on process innovation, traceability, and identity preservation of products. This paper reviews current developments in the European food and retail industry. Hypotheses on the link between structural adjustments in the food production and marketing chain and the provision of safe food emerge. In addition, we report results from a survey on consumer perception of food-safety attributes and discuss the opportunities for and limits of marketing safe food through labels.
Effects of the EQUIP programme on the moral judgement, cognitive distortions, and social skills of juvenile delinquents

Abstract A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test study was carried out to investigate the effects of the EQUIP programme on moral judgement, social skills, cognitive distortions and social information processing of juvenile delinquents. The programme is designed to equip antisocial youth to think and act responsibly, and is a combination of Positive Peer Culture (PPC) and the teaching of helping skills. Participants were recruited from three comparable high-security correctional facilities for convicted boys between the ages of 12 and 18 years. One of these facilities implemented the EQUIP programme (n=31); the other two facilities provided the control group (n=25). Analysis of covariance on the post-test scores with the pre-test scores as the covariate showed a greater reduction of cognitive distortions in general for the EQUIP group when compared with the control group. No differences were found on moral judgement, social skills and social information processing. However, a few aspects of social information processing showed modest effect sizes in favour of the experimental group. It is concluded that to strengthen the effects of EQUIP a more intensive treatment is recommended. Future research on EQUIP should include more participants and investigate the impact of the programme on different types of antisocial youths.
Enhancing Unlexicalized Parsing Performance Using a Wide Coverage Lexicon, Fuzzy Tag-Set Mapping, and EM-HMM-Based Lexical Probabilities

We present a framework for interfacing a PCFG parser with lexical information from an external resource following a different tagging scheme than the treebank. This is achieved by defining a stochastic mapping layer between the two resources. Lexical probabilities for rare events are estimated in a semi-supervised manner from a lexicon and large unannotated corpora. We show that this solution greatly enhances the performance of an unlexicalized Hebrew PCFG parser, resulting in state-of-the-art Hebrew parsing results both when a segmentation oracle is assumed, and in a real-word parsing scenario of parsing unsegmented tokens.
Television-Evoked Thoughts and Their Relation to Comprehension

Two studies of thoughts in relation to viewing of expository television programs are presented. In one study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 subjects immediately after watching a program about acid pollution of the environment. In the other study, 62 subjects answered a questionnaire in writing after watching a program about natural science. Comprehension as well as thoughts were measured in both studies. The expository programs gave rise to a good number of thoughts, which were classified into different categories. The studies show a close relationship between comprehension and thoughts and demonstrate that viewers can be engaged in deep cognitive activities by expository television discourse. Further, different reception profiles among the viewers were found, which correlated closely with topic-relevant previous knowledge.
Exploring disability, family formation and break-up: reviewing the evidence

The overall aim of the project is to assess patterns of family formation and change where families include a disabled adult or a disabled child and the primary focus is on family units which include a dependent child. The research involves assessing currently available literature and conducting data analysis to explore the experience of relationship breakdown in families which include a disabled person, and examining whether there are associations that can be highlighted between disability experiences and relationship transitions. There is little British evidence looking at the effect that being a disabled adult, or having a disabled child, has on rates of family break-up or on re-partnering or having children. This study fills this significant gap in our knowledge.
Do natural kind beliefs about social groups contribute to prejudice? Distinguishing bio-somatic essentialism from bio-behavioral essentialism, and both of these from entitativity

Do essentialist conceptions of racial groups foster prejudice and negative attitudes? Existing literature provides mixed results. We propose that relations between essentialism and negative attitudes will become clearer in light of a new conceptualization of essentialism derived from literature on how laypersons reason about biological inheritance. Accordingly, we propose a distinction between two types of essentialism: Bio-somatic essentialism and bio-behavioral essentialism. Further, we distinguish both of these types of essentialism from entitativity, and argue that essentialism and entitativity exert independent effects on prejudice and negative attitudes. Study 1 shows that bio-behavioral essentialism—but not bio-somatic essentialism—contributes to prejudice, and that bio-behavioral essentialism and perceived entitativity exert independent effects on prejudice. In Study 2, we manipulate whether participants hold a bio-somatic essentialist, bio-behavioral essentialist, or antiessentialist theory about a novel group and show that bio-behavioral essentialism is uniquely facilitative of negative attitudes toward a negatively behaving outgroup. Finally, in Study 3 we manipulate both essentialist theories and entitativity and show that bio-behavioral essentialism and strong perceptions of entitativity independently increase negative attitudes. Because both bio-somatic essentialism and bio-behavioral essentialism involve seeing a group as a “natural kind,” our work suggests that only particular types of natural kind beliefs are related to negative attitudes.
Structure also supports autonomy: Measuring and defining autonomy‐supportive teaching in Japanese elementary foreign language classes

Recent discussions of autonomy have included the perspective that, as a basic human need across cultural environments, it includes not only choice but also personal endorsement of action. The present study focused on the cultural experience of autonomy-support in Japanese elementary school foreign language classes. Three studies were conducted to investigate how students understand autonomy-supportive teaching. In Study 1, exploratory focus groups defined cultural perspectives on autonomy-support and structure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that clarity, pacing, and teachers' positive affect correspond to students' perception of supportive teaching. Study 2 investigated teacher support in relation to in-class engagement using longitudinal structural equation modeling. The results indicated a strong relationship between perceptions of support and classroom behavioral engagement, with stable effects over time. Study 3 longitudinally investigated teacher support in relation to students' perceptions of personal autonomy, relatedness, and competence need satisfaction. Findings show a strong positive relationship between teacher support and need satisfaction with high test-retest reliability. Discussion focuses on how autonomy need satisfaction is experienced in different cultures with differing social norms.
Elongation and gene expression in bovine cloned embryos transferred to temporary recipients

Summary Elongated embryos provide a unique source of information about trophoblastic differentiation, gene expression and maternal-embryonic interactions; however they are difficult and costly to obtain, especially elongated cloned embryos. One alternative is their production in heterologous temporary recipients such as sheep and goats. We aimed to produce elongated bovine cloned embryos using heterologous transfer to temporary recipients. Day-7 cloned cattle blastocysts were transferred to the uteri of ewes and goats and recovered as elongated structures at day 17. We evaluated elongation, length, presence of embryonic disc and expression of several important genes for embryonic development. We also produced homologous (cloned cattle embryos transferred into cattle uteri). Cloned bovine blastocysts were able to proceed with preimplantation development through elongation with high efficiency despite the species to which they were transferred. In qualitative and quantitative RT-PCR experiments we found differences in the pattern of gene expression among embryos recovered from different species. Sox2, Nanog and FGF-4 were markedly deregulated. No previous reports about the expression pattern of the studied genes had been published for elongated bovine cloned embryos produced in intermediate recipients, furthermore, the pattern of expression of Nanog, Oct4, Eomes, Cdx2, IFN-tau, Dicer, FGF-4 and Sox2 shown here are novel for elongated cloned bovine embryos created by hand-made cloning. Our data confirmed that sheep and goats can be used as temporary recipients. This model could serve as a basis for further research on gene expression and cellular changes during bovine peri-implantation development.
Partitioning of Root and Shoot Competition and the Stability of Savannas

A classic problem in coexistence theory is how grasses and trees coexist in savannas. A popular deterministic model of savannas, the rooting niche separation model, is based on an assumption that is not empirically supported in many savannas. Alternative models that do not rely on the rooting niche assumption invoke intricate stochastic mechanisms that limit their attractiveness as general models of savannas. In this article we develop an alternative deterministic model of grass‐tree interactions and use it to analyze the conditions under which grass‐tree coexistence is possible. The novel feature of this model is that it partitions aboveground and belowground competition and simulates the fact that fire and herbivory remove only aboveground biomass. The model predicts that stable coexistence of grasses and trees is possible, even when grasses and trees do not have separate rooting niches. We show that when aboveground competition is intense, grasses can be excluded by trees; under such conditions, fire can prevent grasses from exclusion and induce a stable savanna state. The model provides a general framework for exploring the interactive effects of competition, herbivory, and fire on savanna systems.
A Qualitative Evaluation of a Project to Enhance Pupils' Emotional Literacy Through a Student Assistance Programme

Abstract Recent policy highlights schools' responsibility for safeguarding children and promoting their health and welfare and addressing their emotional and behavioural needs. In doing so, it is anticipated that their emotional literacy and social competence might be enhanced. Recognizing that an increasing number of children exhibit emotional and behavioural difficulties affecting their learning, Wrexham Local Education Authority implemented a Student Assistance Programme (SAP). SAP offers primary prevention and early intervention to pupils who exhibit high-risk behaviours and supports those whose circumstances affect their ability to engage with others at home and school, through participation in support groups. A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of SAP. The study aimed to illuminate changes in student behaviour as described by themselves and facilitators, and to identify any wider implications of the SAP in terms of its effects on peers, teachers and family members. Using an interactive, responsive evaluation design, 11 focus group interviews were conducted involving 21 facilitators, seven head-teachers and 64 children. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed benefits, challenges and issues of sustainability. This paper discusses the findings of the study and the implications for future sustainability.
The predictive and interactive effects of equity sensitivity in teamwork‐oriented organizations

Many studies have investigated the relationship between equity sensitivity and other variables of organizational importance. Although theoretical grounds support a link between equity sensitivity and job performance, to date no studies have found equity sensitivity to be a valid predictor of non self-reported job performance in field research. The two field studies reported here empirically support this link and demonstrate that equity sensitivity may also interact with personality traits in predicting job performance. Limitations of the current investigations and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.