Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Degree of bilingualism and cognitive ability in mainland Puerto Rican children

HAKIJTA, KEKJI. Degree of Bilingualism and Cognitioe Ability in Mainland Puerto Rican Children. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1987,58,1372-1388. The relation between degree of bilingualism and cognitive ability was assessed longitudinally in low-income background Puerto Rican elemenschool children in the United States. AI1 subjects were enrolled in a transitional bilingual education program. 83 subjects, beginning in grades K-1, were followed for 3 years; 111 subjects, beginning in grades 4-5, were followed for 2 years. Cross-sectional and longitudinal models using regression procedures were tested for the hypothesis that degree of bilingualism is positively related to cognitive ability. Positive and statistically reliable resulk were obtained between nonverbal intelligence measures and degree of bilingualism in the younger cohorts, but the effects attenuated over time and age level. Metalinguistic awareness in the native language did not show a relation with degree of bilingualism. The results are interpreted in light of the sociolinguistic characteristics of the bilingual condition of the community.
Family Ties, Inheritance Rights, and Successful Poverty Alleviation: Evidence from Ghana

Ghanaian custom views children as members of either their mother's or father's lineage (extended family), but not both. Patrilineal custom charges a man's lineage with caring for his widow and children, while matrilineal custom places this burden on the widows' lineage - her father, brothers, and uncles. Deeming custom inadequate, and to promote the nuclear family, Ghana enacted the Intestate Succession (PNDC) Law 111, 1985 and 1998 Children's Act 560 to force men to provide for their widows and children, as in Western cultures. Our survey shows that, although most people die intestate and many profess to know Law 111, it is rarely implemented. Knowledge of the law correlates with couples accumulating assets jointly and with inter-vivos husband to wife transfers, controlling for education. These effects are least evident for widows of matrilineal lineage men, suggesting a persistence of traditional norms. Widows with closer ties with their own or their spouse's lineage report greater financial support, as do those very few who benefit from legal wills or access Law 111 and, importantly, widows of matrilineal lineage. Some evidence also supports Act 560 benefiting nuclear families, especially if the decedent's lineage is matrilineal. Overall, our study confirms African traditional institutions' persistent importance, and the limited effects of formal law.
Near-infrared imaging and spectroscopy of the nuclear region of the disturbed Virgo cluster spiral NGC 4438★

We present near-infrared (NIR) Very Large Telescope (VLT) Infrared Spectrometer and Array Camera (ISAAC) imaging and spectroscopy of the peculiar Virgo galaxy NGC 4438, whose nucleus has been classified as a low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER). The data are supplemented by mid-infrared imaging, and compared to previous HST broad-band images. Images and position-velocity maps of the [Fe II] and H 2 line emissions are presented and compared with the distribution of the optical narrow-line region and radio features. Our results show that shocks (possibly driven by a radio jet) contribute to an important fraction of the excitation of [Fe II], while X-ray heating from a central active galactic nucleus (AGN) may be responsible for the H 2 excitation. We address the question whether the outflow has an AGN or a starburst origin by providing new estimates of the central star formation rate and the kinetic energy associated with the gas. By fitting a Sersic bulge, an exponential disc and a compact nuclear source to the light distribution, we decomposed NGC 4438's light distribution and found an unresolved nuclear source at 0.8 arcsec resolution with M K = -18.7 and J -H = 0.69. Our measured bulge velocity dispersion, 142 km s -1 , together with the standard M bh -σ relation, suggests a central black hole mass of log(M bh /M ⊙ ) ~ 7.0. The stellar kinematics measured from the NIR CO lines show a strong peak in the velocity dispersion of σ 0 ~ 178 km s -1 in the central 0.5 arcsec, which is possible kinematic evidence of a central black hole. We calculated a general expression for the integrated Sersic profile flux density in elliptical geometry, including the case of 'discy' isophotes.
Avoiding Clinical Misinterpretation and Artifacts of Optical Coherence Tomography Analysis of the Optic Nerve, Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer, and Ganglion Cell Layer

Background:Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become an important tool for diagnosing optic nerve disease. The structural details and reproducibility of OCT continues to improve with further advances in technology. However, artifacts and misinterpretation of OCT can lead to clinical misdiagnosis of diseases if they go unrecognized. Evidence Acquisition:A literature review using PubMed combined with clinical and research experience. Results:We describe the most common artifacts and errors in interpretation seen on OCT in both optic nerve and ganglion cell analyses. We provide examples of the artifacts, discuss the causes, and provide methods of detecting them. In addition, we discuss a systematic approach to OCT analysis to facilitate the recognition of artifacts and to avoid clinical misinterpretation. Conclusions:While OCT is invaluable in diagnosing optic nerve disease, we need to be cognizant of the artifacts that can occur with OCT. Failure to recognize some of these artifacts can lead to misdiagnoses and inappropriate investigations.
Exploring students' learning attributes in consecutive lessons to improve prediction performance

Building an understandable student prediction model has an essential role to play in the educational environment. Most current prediction models are difficult for teachers to interpret. This poses problems for model use (e.g., improve student performance, interventions and allow a feedback process). In this paper, we propose a new approach in building a practical model by identifying a number of attributes in comment data that reflect students' learning attitudes, tendencies and activities involved with the lesson. We check the capability of an attributes representation model compared to the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model that represents student comments as a statistical latent class 'Topics. ' In addition, we employ a Multi-Instance Learning (MIL) method to all available information for each student to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of classical representation for each lesson to predict final student performance. Computational experiments show that when the model is regarded as MIL, the prediction performance achieves better results than those based on single instance representation for each lesson.
A NEW PHYLOGENY OF THE CARNIVOROUS DINOSAURS

The last several years have seen the discovery of many new theropod dinosaur taxa. Data obtained from these and from fragmentary forms not previously utilized in cladistic analyses are examined. An analysis of forty one primary ingroup taxa and 386 characters yielded a set of most parsimonious cladograms which preserves many previously discovered relationships (e.g., a basal split between Ceratosauria and Tetanurae; a carnosaurcoelurosaur clade Avetheropoda outside of more primitive "megalosaur" grade tetanurines; Dromaeosauridae as the sister taxon to birds, and so forth). The Middle Jurassic English Proceratosaurus was discovered to be a basal coelurosaur, as was (on less secure evidence) the Middle Jurassic Chinese Gasosaurus: these are among the oldest coelurosaurs yet described. Several characters previously considered to be restricted to birds and other advanced coelurosaurs (e.g., furcula, semilunate carpal block) were found to be more broadly distributed among tetanurines. Other characters, once considered synapomorphies for Avetheropoda (e.g., loss of metacarpal IV, possession of a pubic obturator notch) were found to be convergent between advanced carnosaurs and advanced coelurosaurs, lacking in the basal members of both clades. At least three (and possibly four) separate origins for the arctometatarsalian pes were supported in this study. The mosaic of derived character state distributions for troodontids relative to the dromaeosaurid-bird clade, the tyrannosaurid-ornithomimosaur clade, and the therizinosauroid-oviraptorosaur clade suggests that relationships alternative to the most parsimonious found here may be supported
Inactivation of the DNA Repair Genes mutS, mutL or the Anti-Recombination Gene mutS2 Leads to Activation of Vitamin B1 Biosynthesis Genes

Oxidative stress generates harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) that attack biomolecules including DNA. In living cells, there are several mechanisms for detoxifying ROS and repairing oxidatively-damaged DNA. In this study, transcriptomic analyses clarified that disruption of DNA repair genes mutS and mutL, or the anti-recombination gene mutS2, in Thermus thermophilus HB8, induces the biosynthesis pathway for vitamin B1, which can serve as an ROS scavenger. In addition, disruption of mutS, mutL, or mutS2 resulted in an increased rate of oxidative stress-induced mutagenesis. Co-immunoprecipitation and pull-down experiments revealed previously-unknown interactions of MutS2 with MutS and MutL, indicating that these proteins cooperatively participate in the repair of oxidatively damaged DNA. These results suggested that bacterial cells sense the accumulation of oxidative DNA damage or absence of DNA repair activity, and signal the information to the transcriptional regulation machinery for an ROS-detoxifying system.
Protective Yeasts Control V. anguillarum Pathogenicity and Modulate the Innate Immune Response of Challenged Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Larvae

We investigated mechanisms involved in the protection of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae by two probiotic candidate yeasts, Debaryomyces hansenii 97 (Dh97) and Yarrowia lypolitica 242 (Yl242), against a Vibrio anguillarum challenge. We determined the effect of different yeast concentrations (104–107 CFU/mL) to: (i) protect larvae from the challenge, (ii) reduce the in vivo pathogen concentration and (iii) modulate the innate immune response of the host. To evaluate the role of zebrafish microbiota in protection, the experiments were performed in conventionally raised and germ-free larvae. In vitro co-aggregation assays were performed to determine a direct yeast-pathogen interaction. Results showed that both yeasts significantly increased the survival rate of conventionally raised larvae challenged with V. anguillarum. The concentration of yeasts in larvae tended to increase with yeast inoculum, which was more pronounced for Dh97. Better protection was observed with Dh97 at a concentration of 106 CFU/mL compared to 104 CFU/mL. In germ-free conditions V. anguillarum reached higher concentrations in larvae and provoked significantly more mortality than in conventional conditions, revealing the protective role of the host microbiota. Interestingly, yeasts were equally (Dh97) or more effective (Yl242) in protecting germ-free than conventionally-raised larvae, showing that protection can be exerted only by yeasts and is not necessarily related to modulation of the host microbiota. Although none of the yeasts co-aggregated with V. anguillarum, they were able to reduce its proliferation in conventionally raised larvae, reduce initial pathogen concentration in germ-free larvae and prevent the upregulation of key components of the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory response (il1b, tnfa, c3, mpx, and il10, respectively). These results show that protection by yeasts of zebrafish larvae challenged with V. anguillarum relates to an in vivo anti-pathogen effect, the modulation of the innate immune system, and suggests that yeasts avoid the host-pathogen interaction through mechanisms independent of co-aggregation. This study shows, for the first time, the protective role of zebrafish microbiota against V. anguillarum infection, and reveals mechanisms involved in protection by two non-Saccharomyces yeasts against this pathogen.
Differential Engagement of the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex by Goal-Directed and Habitual Behavior toward Food Pictures in Humans

According to dual-system accounts, instrumental learning is supported by both a goal-directed and a habitual system. Although behavioral control by the goal-directed system, through outcome–action associations, dominates with moderate training, stimulus–response associations are thought to form concurrently in the habit system. It is therefore challenging to isolate the neural substrate of the goal-directed system in neuroimaging research with healthy human volunteers. Recently, however, de Wit et al. (2007) developed an instrumental discrimination task that distinguishes between goal-directed and habit-based responding. In this task, cues are congruent, unrelated, or incongruent with subsequent outcomes. Whereas performance on congruent and control trials can be supported by both the goal-directed and habitual system, performance on the incongruent discrimination relies solely on the habit system. In the present study, we used this task with healthy participants undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging to demonstrate that engagement of the goal-directed system during learning is reflected in increased activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Moreover, using a subsequent outcome devaluation manipulation, we show that this area is involved in guiding decision making when goal values change, even in the absence of external cues to guide performance. We can therefore exclude a purely Pavlovian account of ventromedial prefrontal function and unequivocally demonstrate its involvement in the acquisition as well as deployment of goal-directed knowledge.
Stromelysin-1 polymorphism as a new potential risk factor in progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) is characterised by partially reversible usually progressive airflow limitation caused by inflammation and remodelling. Stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) has regulatory activity on other matrix-metalloproteinases. Altered MMP-3 activity has been described in different diseases. We investigated the role of a promoter MMP-3 polymorphism in determining susceptibility and severity of COPD. METHODS We studied 147 patients with COPD in stable conditions and distinguished two groups based on FEV1 values. In 100 patients functional modifications across a two-year period were noted. 133 healthy subjects were used as controls. Genotyping for the -1171 5A/6A MMP-3 polymorphism was performed using nucleotide sequencing. RESULTS No difference was noted in the genotype distribution between COPD patients and controls. However, among patients with severe disease 6A/6A genotype and 6A allelic frequency were significantly more represented than among mild-moderate patients (p < 0.05). The 6A/6A genotype was also associated with a higher FEV1 decline over time. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggests that -1171 6A allele does not represent a risk factor for the development of COPD while it is associated with more severe disease and different functional decline. We hypothesis that a disregulation of MMP-3, possibly caused by the -1171 5A/6A polymorphism or other linked variants, may lead to different progression in COPD.
Increased expression of collagens , transforming growth factor-beta 1 , and-bata 3 in gluteal muscle contracture

Like all articles in BMC journals, this peer-reviewed article was published immediately upon acceptance. It can be downloaded, printed and distributed freely for any purposes (see copyright notice below). Articles in BMC journals are listed in PubMed and archived at PubMed Central. For information about publishing your research in BMC journals or any BioMed Central journal, go to http://www.biomedcentral. com/info/authors/ BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
'Success Breeds Success' or 'Pride Goes Before a Fall'? Teams and Individuals in Multi-contest Tournaments

We study the impact of progress feedback on players' performance in multi-contest team tournaments, in which team members' efforts are not directly substitutable. In particular, we employ a real-effort laboratory experiment to understand, in a best-of-three tournament, how players' strategic mindsets change when they compete on a team compared to when they compete individually. Our data corroborate the theoretical predictions for teams: Neither a lead nor a lag in the first component contest affects a team's performance in the subsequent contests. In individual tournaments, however, contrary to the theoretical prediction, we observe that leaders perform worse - but laggards perform better - after learning the outcome of the first contest. Our findings offer the first empirical evidence from a controlled laboratory of the impact of progress feedback between team and individual tournaments, and contribute new insights on team incentives.
Absorptive capacity and export diversification in sub-saharan African countries

This paper examines the extent to which dependence on primary commodities in Sub-Saharan African(SSA) countries can be explained by low levels of absorptive capacity (the ability to acquire, internalize and utilize knowledge developed elsewhere). We examine the individual and combined effects of various indicators of absorptive capacity on export diversification. We test the significance of these effects on a sub-sample consisting of SSA countries and a sample of other developing countries. Our results show that the association between higher levels human capital and basic infrastructure -two crucial components of absorptive capacity -with more export diversification is subject to threshold level effects, while the abundance of natural resources turns out to be impeding diversification in SSA. These results imply that SSA countries need to substantially increase their investments in basic infrastructure as well as reinforce the accumulation pace of human and physical capital to allow active technological learning and reduce their dependence on primary commodities.
Globalisation and the shifting environmental burden : material trade flows of the European Union ; which globalisation is sustainable?

This paper examines the connection between globalisation, with its growth in world trade links, and certain ecological effects especially concerning "North-South" relations. Although world trade in the mid-nineties was significantly uncoupled from growth trends in the world economy, so that since then it has increased nearly three times faster than the global GDP, certain indicators of energy use and CO2 emissions have not developed proportionately to world trade; globalisation evidently does not lead to a situation where pressures on the environment are increasing to the same extent worldwide. This de-linking may, however, result in the kind of shifts that we examine here with reference to the material trade flows of the European Union. It will be shown that, in the course of globalisation, the countries of the EU have increasingly shifted environmental burdens on to the countries of the South, especially in the form of ecological rucksacks of imported raw materials, while at the same time reducing the pressure on their own domestic environment by extracting fewer material resources. Furthermore, goods whose production places intensive pressure on the environment (industrial emissions into the atmosphere and water, heavy metal emissions, etc.) have been increasingly imported from newly industrializing or developing countries. The greater covering of material requirements from foreign resources has served not so much the EU's internal consumption as its own production of export goods; this shows that the EU has an increasing share in the resource requirement of other economies. The paper concludes that it is absolutely necessary to consider the international dimension in any strategy for more productive use of resources in industrial countries. In the long term, the EU's resource use should also be reduced in absolute terms. This will also be necessary in order to reduce the pressure on the environment due to imports and exports.
Superfluid signatures in magnetar seismology

We investigate the role of neutron star superfluidity for magnetar oscillations. Using a plane-wave analysis, we estimate the effects of a neutron superfluid in the elastic crust region. We demonstrate that the superfluid imprint is likely to be more significant than the effects of the crustal magnetic field. We also consider the region immediately beneath the crust, where superfluid neutrons are thought to coexist with a type II proton superconductor. Since the magnetic field in the latter is carried by an array of fluxtubes, the dynamics of this region differ from standard magnetohydrodynamics. We show that the presence of the neutron superfluid (again) leaves a clear imprint on the oscillations of the system. Taken together, our estimates show that the superfluid components cannot be ignored in efforts to carry out 'magnetar seismology'. This increases the level of complexity of the modelling problem, but also points to the possibility of using observations to probe the superfluid nature of supranuclear matter.
Capacity of antenna arrays with space, polarization and pattern diversity

We present an analytical characterization of multi-antenna capacity in the limit of a large number of antennas. In contrast to previous studies, the entries of the channel matrix are not restricted to be identically distributed, thus incorporating diversity mechanisms that are otherwise excluded, such as those based on the use of antennas with distinct polarizations and radiation patterns. In addition to the capacity, first-order expressions in the low- and high-power regimes are also evaluated both asymptotically and non-asymptotically.
Operational independence, inflation targeting, and UK monetary policy

This paper evaluates empirically the feedback and stance of monetary policy in the United Kingdom under inflation targeting, implemented since October 1992. Its principal contribution is in comparing two subsamples, before the Bank of England was granted operational independence in May 1997 and after that. We find that the operational independence subperiod has differed from the preindependence one in terms of a weaker response to inflation but stronger sensitivity to the output gap and a less restrictive stance of monetary policy. Such behavior appears justified given the Bank's mandate and the evolution of the business cycle.
Can Combination Therapy of Conventional and Oriental Medicine Improve Poststroke Aphasia? Comparative, Observational, Pragmatic Study

The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of oriental medicine therapy on poststroke aphasia. The outcome was measured as the delta value of the Aphasic Quotient score. Patients completed test at two timepoints: baseline and discharge time. Patients who received conventional therapy and language therapy were grouped in the Only Language Therapy group. Patients who received conventional therapy, language therapy, and an Oriental medicine regimen were grouped in the Combined oriental Medicine Therapy group. We compared the delta value of the Aphasic Quotient score between two groups. The Combined Oriental Medicine group exhibited a greater improvement than the Only Language Therapy group in the total Aphasic Quotient score and most subsection scores. In particular, there were statistically significant differences in total Aphasic Quotient score and subsections such as spontaneous speech, content delivery, comprehension, auditory verbal comprehension, and command performance. Among severe aphasic patients, the improvement of the Combined oriental Medicine group was better than that of the Only Language Therapy group. Through this study, we suggest combination therapy with the administration of oriental medicine and language therapy can be helpful in the treatment of post-stroke aphasic patients.