Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metacognitive Awareness Assessment in Self-Regulated Learning and Performance Measures in an Introductory Educational Psychology Course.

This study investigated Self-Regulated Learning of 90 college students in an introductory educational psychology course at a large eastern university. Relationships among metacognition, motivational orientation, strategy use, and performance were examined. The study expanded on findings about The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) (G. Schraw and R. Dennison, 1994) by using it in an instructional setting. It also examined relationships with The Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) (P. Pintrich, D. Smith, T. Garcia, and W. McKeachie, 1991) and with performance measures. Students' knowledge of cognition from the MAI was correlated with predictions of test performance, test scores, and on-line measure of accuracy of responses. Knowledge of cognition was also correlated with the MSLQ scales, Control of Learning Beliefsand Self-Efficacy for Learning and Performance. Regulation of cognition from the MAI was related to Intrinsic Goals Orientation, Task Value, and learning strategies on the MSLQ. This study adds to understanding the relationships of metacognition, motivation, and strategy use in an ecologically valid context. (Contains 3 tables and 11 references.) (Author/SLD) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ********************************************************************************
Arrest of spermatogenesis in mice expressing an active heat shock transcription factor 1

In mammals, testicular temperature is lower than core body temperature, and the vulnerable nature of spermatogenesis to thermal insult has been known for a century. However, the primary target affected by increases in temperature is not yet clear. We report here that male mice expressing an active form of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) in the testis are infertile due to a block in spermatogenesis. The germ cells entered meiotic prophase and were arrested at pachytene stage, and there was a significant increase in the number of apoptotic germ cells in these mice. In wild‐type mice, a single heat exposure caused the activation of HSF1 and similar histological changes such as a stage‐specific apoptosis of pachytene spermatocytes. These results suggest that male infertility caused by thermal insult is at least partly due to the activation of HSF1, which induces the primary spermatocytes to undergo apoptosis.
Last orbits of binary strange quark stars

We present the first relativistic calculations of the final phase of inspiral of a binary system consisting of two stars built predominantely of strange quark matter (strange quark stars). We study the precoalescing stage within the Isenberg-Wilson-Mathews approximation of general relativity using a multidomain spectral method. A hydrodynamical treatment is performed under the assumption that the flow is either rigidly rotating or irrotational, taking into account the finite density at the stellar surface --- a distinctive feature with respect to the neutron star case. The gravitational-radiation driven evolution of the binary system is approximated by a sequence of quasi-equilibrium configurations at fixed baryon number and decreasing separation. We find that the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) is given by an orbital instability both for synchronized and irrotational systems. This constrasts with neutron stars for which the ISCO is given by the mass-shedding limit in the irrotational case. The gravitational wave frequency at the ISCO, which marks the end of the inspiral phase, is found to be 1400 Hz for two irrotational 1.35 Msol strange stars and for the MIT bag model of strange matter with massless quarks and a bag constant B=60 MeV/fm^3. Detailed comparisons with binary neutrons star models, as well as with third order Post-Newtonian point-mass binaries are given.
Household Stress and Adolescent Behaviors in Urban Families: The Mediating Roles of Parent Mental Health and Social Supports

Using exploratory data analysis techniques, we propose a model of parent psychosocial well-being that links financial strains and household stressors to adolescents' pro-social behaviours and vulnerability through parent mental health and social supports. Parents of urban youth (n = 781) who planned to attend a summer camp for at-risk youth responded to questions surveying household, parent and child factors related to early adolescent development. We expected that the relationship of household stressors – including financial strain and household difficulties – with adolescent behaviours would be mediated by parent depression and anxiety. We also anticipated that parent social supports would have both direct and indirect effects (via parent mental health) on adolescents' pro-social behaviours. Study findings are consistent with our hypotheses and the model performed similarly for both adolescent males and females. Implications for practice and policy in the context of programmes for urban youth are discussed.
Environmental osmolality influences sperm motility activation in an anuran amphibian

Evolutionary theory predicts that selection will favour sperm traits that maximize fertilization success in local fertilization environments. In externally fertilizing species, osmolality of the fertilization medium is known to play a critical role in activating sperm motility, but there remains limited evidence for adaptive responses to local osmotic environments. In this study, we used a split‐sample experimental design and computer‐assisted sperm analysis to (i) determine the optimal medium osmolality for sperm activation (% sperm motility and sperm velocity) in male common eastern froglets (Crinia signifera), (ii) test for among‐population variation in percentage sperm motility and sperm velocity at various activation‐medium osmolalities and (iii) test for among‐population covariation between sperm performance and environmental osmolality. Frogs were obtained from nine populations that differed in environmental osmolality, and sperm samples of males from different populations were subjected to a range of activation‐medium osmolalities. Percentage sperm motility was optimal between 10 and 50 mOsm kg−1, and sperm velocity was optimal between 10 and 100 mOsm kg−1, indicating that C. signifera has evolved sperm that can function across a broad range of osmolalities. As predicted, there was significant among‐population variation in sperm performance. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction between activation‐medium osmolality and environmental osmolality, indicating that frogs from populations with higher environmental osmolality produced sperm that performed better at higher osmolalities in vitro. This finding may reflect phenotypic plasticity in sperm functioning, or genetic divergence resulting from spatial variation in the strength of directional selection. Both of these explanations are consistent with evolutionary theory, providing some of the first empirical evidence that local osmotic environments can favour adaptive sperm motility responses in species that use an external mode of fertilization.
Urinary Pharmacokinetics and Bactericidal Activity of Finafloxacin (200 and 800 mg) in Healthy Volunteers Receiving a Single Oral Dose

Background: Finafloxacin is a novel 8-cyano-fluoroquinolone under investigation for treatment of urinary tract infection. Methods: Urinary concentrations and urinary bactericidal titers (UBT) of finafloxacin 200- and 800-mg single doses in 6 healthy volunteers were measured up to 48 h. UBT were determined for a reference strain and 9 selected clinical uropathogens at the pH of native, acidified (pH 5.5) and alkalinized (pH 8.0) urine. Results: The mean maximum urine concentrations for 200 and 800 mg finafloxacin were 69.3 mg/l (0–2 h) and 150 mg/l (4–8 h). Median UBT were between 0 and 1:>2,048 and were in general agreement with minimal inhibitory concentrations of strains and urinary pH values. UBT in alkaline urine were significantly lower than those in native or acidic urine, except for Enterococcus faecalis.Conclusions: Finafloxacin exhibited significant bactericidal activity against susceptible uropathogens. The urinary bactericidal activity of finafloxacin was enhanced in acidic urine and significantly lower in alkaline urine.
Mass spectrometric studies of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium and 1-propyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl)-sulfonylimides.

RATIONALE Ionic liquids ([Cat(+)][An(-)]) were believed to decompose before reaching vaporization temperatures, but recently some of them have been shown to vaporize congruently. Low-temperature vaporization of ionic substances is an intriguing phenomenon, so the vapor-phase composition and reactions of ionic liquids deserve more extensive study. METHODS Evaporation of two ionic liquids, [C2MIM(+)][Tf2 N(-)] and [C3MMIM(+)][Tf2N(-)], was studied by means of Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry. These liquids were also characterized using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry, UV/Vis, IR, NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. RESULTS The vaporization enthalpies of (118 ± 3) and (124 ± 2) kJ·mol(-1) were determined for [C2MIM(+)][Tf2N(-)] and [C3MMIM(+)][Tf2N(-)], respectively. The corresponding equations for their saturated vapor pressures are: ln(p{[C2MIM(+)][Tf2N(-)]}/Pa) = -(14213 ± 325)/(T/K) + (26.57 ± 1.04), ln(p{[C2MMIM(+)][Tf2N(-)]}/Pa) = -(14868 ± 221)/(T/K) + (27.19 ± 0.60). The MALDI studies (positive and negative ion modes) enabled detection of monomeric [Cat(+)] and [An(-)] ions, the cluster ions {[Cat(+)]2 [An(-)]}(+) and {[Cat(+)][An(-)]2}(-), and some complex anions {2[An(-)] + Na(+)}(-), {2[An(-)] + K(+)}(-), {2[An(-)] + Cu(+)}(-) and {3[An(-)] + Ca(2+)}(-). CONCLUSIONS Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry proved to be a valuable method to study the thermodynamics of ionic liquids. The saturated vapor pressure and vaporization enthalpy of [C3MMIM(+)][Tf2N(-)] were accurately determined for the first time. MALDI is also capable of providing indirect information on hydrogen bonding.
Character-level Intra Attention Network for Natural Language Inference

Natural language inference (NLI) is a central problem in language understanding. End-to-end artificial neural networks have reached state-of-the-art performance in NLI field recently. In this paper, we propose Character-level Intra Attention Network (CIAN) for the NLI task. In our model, we use the character-level convolutional network to replace the standard word embedding layer, and we use the intra attention to capture the intra-sentence semantics. The proposed CIAN model provides improved results based on a newly published MNLI corpus.
Recurrent Neural Networks With Limited Numerical Precision

Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) produce state-of-art performance on many machine learning tasks but their demand on resources in terms of memory and computational power are often high. Therefore, there is a great interest in optimizing the computations performed with these models especially when considering development of specialized low-power hardware for deep networks. One way of reducing the computational needs is to limit the numerical precision of the network weights and biases. This has led to different proposed rounding methods which have been applied so far to only Convolutional Neural Networks and Fully-Connected Networks. This paper addresses the question of how to best reduce weight precision during training in the case of RNNs. We present results from the use of different stochastic and deterministic reduced precision training methods applied to three major RNN types which are then tested on several datasets. The results show that the weight binarization methods do not work with the RNNs. However, the stochastic and deterministic ternarization, and pow2-ternarization methods gave rise to low-precision RNNs that produce similar and even higher accuracy on certain datasets therefore providing a path towards training more efficient implementations of RNNs in specialized hardware.
A comprehensive range of X-ray ionized-reflection models

X-ray ionized reflection occurs when a surface is irradiated with X-rays so intense that its ionization state is determined by the ionization parameter ξ ∝ F/n, where F is the incident flux and n the gas density. It occurs in accretion, on to compact objects including black holes in both active galaxies and stellar-mass binaries, and possibly in gamma-ray bursts. Computation of model reflection spectra is often time consuming. Here we present the results from a comprehensive grid of models computed with our code, which has now been extended to include what we consider to be all energetically important ionization states and transitions. This grid is being made available as an ionized-reflection model, REFLION, for XSPEC. Ke yw ords: accretion, accretion discs ‐ line: formation ‐ radiative transfer ‐ galaxies: active ‐ X-rays: general.
Polymorphisms in the interleukin-6 receptor gene are associated with bone mineral density and body mass index in Spanish postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE Osteoporosis and obesity are complex diseases with a strong genetic component. Bone mineral density (BMD) and body mass index (BMI) linkage studies identified a locus at 1q21-23, where the interleukin-6 receptor (IL6R) gene is located. The IL6R and the gp130 receptors are the mediators of IL6 action. Serum levels of IL6 and sIL6R (the soluble form of IL6R) are higher in several diseases such as osteoporosis or obesity. Variants at IL6R have been associated with BMI and obesity. However, IL6R is an as-yet-unexplored osteoporosis candidate gene. DESIGN In the present study we analysed two polymorphisms in the IL6R promoter, -1435 C/T (rs3887104) and -208 G/A (rs4845617), and the Asp358Ala polymorphism (rs8192284), in relation to both BMD and BMI in a cohort of 559 postmenopausal Spanish women. RESULTS The promoter polymorphisms, -1435 C/T and -208 G/A were associated with femoral neck (FN) BMD (P=0.011 and P=0.025 respectively). The C-A and T-G promoter haplotypes were also associated with FN BMD. Additionally, the Asp358Ala variant was associated with lumbar spine BMD (P=0.038). Finally, the -208 G/A polymorphism and the C-G and C-A haplotypes were associated with BMI and obesity, where GG was the risk genotype (P=0.033 for BMI; P=0.010 for obesity). CONCLUSION These data suggest that variants in the IL6R gene are not only involved in the determination of BMI but also relevant for the determination of BMD. The IL6R gene may belong to the growing list of genes known to be involved in both phenotypes.
Effects of scleral encircling surgery on vitreous cavity length and diopter.

AIM To observe the changes of vitreous cavity length and diopter after scleral encircling (SE) produce. METHODS This prospective study included 68 eyes of 68 non-consecutive patients with macula-off retinal detachment who were operated by SE surgery. The corneal refractive power, ocular axial length and diopter were measured by keratometer, A-mode ultrasonic meter and computed dioptometer. RESULTS There was no significant difference in corneal refractive power among preoperative and postoperative 1, 3 and 6 mo (0.57±0.54 D at pre-surgery;0.72±0.26 D at 1mo; 0.71±0.34 D at 3mo; 0.69±0.31 D at 6mo; all P>0.05 ). Axial lengths were obviously lengthened, especially in vitreous cavity length (17.87±3.09 mm, 19.69±3.12 mm, 18.97±3.56 mm, 18.76±3.47 mm, 18.68±3.42 mm at pre-surgery, 1wk, 1, 3 and 6mo postoperatively, P <0.05) and diopter also increased at beginning and then recovered gradually. After 1 and 3 mo, axial length (vitreous cavity length) and myopia were more and in higher degree than before surgery. CONCLUSION The change of postoperative vitreous cavity length is the main factor that results in the changes of axial length and then makes the change of diopter.
An Efficient Protocol for Negotiation over Multiple Indivisible Resources

We study the problem of autonomous agents negotiating the allocation of multiple indivisible resources. It is difficult to reach optimal outcomes in bilateral or multi-lateral negotiations over multiple resources when the agents' preferences for the resources are not common knowledge. Self-interested agents often end up negotiating inefficient agreements in such situations. We present a protocol for negotiation over multiple indivisible resources which can be used by rational agents to reach efficient outcomes. Our proposed protocol enables the negotiating agents to identify efficient solutions using systematic distributed search that visits only a subspace of the whole solution space.
Normally Off AlGaN/GaN MIS-High-Electron Mobility Transistors Fabricated by Using Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition Si3N4 Gate Dielectric and Standard Fluorine Ion Implantation

This letter presents a fabrication technology of enhancement-mode (E-mode) AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator- semiconductor high-electron mobility transistors (MIS-HEMTs) using 10 keV fluorine ion implantation. An 8 nm low-pressure chemical vapor deposition silicon nitride layer was deposited on the AlGaN as gate dielectric and energy-absorbing layer that slows down the high energy (10 keV) fluorine ions to reduce the implantation damage. The E-mode MIS-HEMTs exhibit a threshold voltage as high as +3.3 V with a maximum drain current over 200 mA/mm (250 mA/mm for depletion-mode MIS-HEMTs) and a high on/off current ratio of 109. Meanwhile, the E-mode MIS-HEMT dynamic RON is only 1.53 times larger than the static RON after off-state VDS stress of 500 V.
Unilateral Iris-Claw Intraocular Lens Implantation for Aphakia: A Paired-Eye Comparison

Purpose: To perform a paired-eye comparison of secondary iris-claw intraocular lens (IOL) implantation for aphakia. Methods: Retrospective, comparative, nonrandomized interventional case series of aphakic eyes, which underwent secondary iris-claw Artisan IOL (Ophtec BV) implantation for aphakia in one eye and no surgery (group 1) or cataract surgery (group 2) in the fellow eye. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), spherical equivalent, central endothelial cell count (cECC), and complications were evaluated before surgery, and at yearly intervals up to 5 years. Results: Thirty aphakic eyes implanted with the Artisan were included, and the fellow eyes served as controls. In group 1, postoperative logMAR UDVA and CDVA was significantly higher in the Artisan-implanted eyes (P < 0.01). In group 2, no differences were found in postoperative UDVA and postoperative CDVA between the Artisan-implanted eyes and the eyes that underwent cataract surgery throughout the follow-up (P ≥ 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in postoperative spherical equivalent between the Artisan-implanted eyes and unoperated eyes or eyes that underwent cataract surgery (P ≥ 0.05). In group 1, cECC was significantly lower in the Artisan-implanted eyes [1973 ± 822 vs. 2616 ± 481 cells per square millimeter at 2 years (P < 0.01)] throughout the follow-up (P < 0.01). In group 2, cECC was not significantly lower in the Artisan-implanted eyes (P ≥ 0.05) [1934 ± 689 vs. 2058 ± 818 cells per square millimeter at 2 years (P = 0.67)]. Conclusions: Visual rehabilitation with secondary iris-claw IOL implantation in aphakic eyes without capsular support seems to be an effective and safe procedure. As expected, uncomplicated cataract surgery with posterior chamber IOL implantation showed lower endothelial cell count loss. Close monitoring of the corneal endothelium is mandatory.
Decline in pneumococcal meningitis after the introduction of the heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in northern France

Background: The impact of the heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the incidence of pneumococcal meningitis in Europe has not yet been assessed. Objective: To determine whether heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine implementation in northern France has resulted in a decrease in the incidence of pneumococcal meningitis in children. Design: Multicentre retrospective cohort study from 2000 through 2005. Settings: All paediatric departments of the 18 hospitals in northern France. Patients: Patients <18 years of age, admitted for laboratory-confirmed pneumococcal meningitis during the study period, were included. Interventions: Data were collected from medical files and the microbiological laboratories of each hospital and compared with the regional hospital discharge codes, using a capture–recapture method. Main outcome measures: The study assessed and compared global and age-related incidence rates of pneumococcal meningitis in 2001 (pre-vaccine era) and 2005. Results: 77 cases were found through the capture–recapture method. The incidence rate of pneumococcal meningitis varied from 1.65/100 000 children <18 years in 2001 to 0.80/100 000 children in 2005 (53% reduction, 95% CI 31 to 74; p = 0.08). This has so far been significant only for children <2 years of age (8.9/100 000 in 2001 to 1.8/100 000 in 2005; 82% reduction, 95% CI 52 to 95; p = 0.03). Conclusion: A decline in pneumococcal meningitis has been observed in infants since heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccination began in our area.
A Simple Novel Technique of Infrared Meibography by Means of Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography: A Cross-Sectional Clinical Study

Purpose To compare a novel spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) technique with traditional lid transillumination for evaluation of meibomian glands (MGs) and to assess the relation of MG morphologic changes to the glandular atrophy. Design Evaluation of diagnostic technology. Participants Sixty-one patients with obstructive MGD (30 men, 31 women; age [mean ± standard deviation] 45.1 ± 12.1 years), and 75 control subjects (32 men, 43 women; 44.1 ± 12.5 years) were recruited in order to have a balanced distribution of glandular features. Methods Agreement between SD-OCT and lid transillumination examination for the detection of drop-out (partial or complete loss of MGs) and microscopic changes (i.e. shortening, distortion, segmentation and entanglement), as well as the relationship between morphological features and MG atrophy were evaluated. Main Outcome Measures Agreement between the two meibographic techniques, bias in symmetry of classification, and association analysis between microscopic changes and MG dropout. Results Overall agreement for all morphological features was substantial (Cohen kappa coefficient = 0.77; p<0.001), even if, the majority of disagreement occurred for cases with segmentation, where agreement was present in only 108 (81.82%) of 132 eyes with adequate images for interpretation, and where SD-OCT tended to diagnose more cases not detected by traditional lid transillumination (McNemar test, p<0.001). Moreover, segmentation and distortion pattern negatively correlated with the degree of drop-out, whereas shortening and entanglement pattern demonstrated only a weak correlation (Spearman’s ρ was -0.691, -0.491, -0.359, -0.385, respectively). Conclusions Each method has its advantages but in general there was close agreement between these meibographic techniques, particularly for MG dropout, which supports the reliability of our novel, simple and patient-friendly SD-OCT approach.