Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metaphorical Competence in an EFL Context: The Mental Lexicon and Metaphorical Competence of Japanese EFL Students

This thesis on metaphor and metaphor study covers theoretical and practical issues in the past and the present both in the occidental and oriental worlds. Metaphor in rhetoric, cognitive and applied linguistics is described briefly, mostly as a theoretical issue. It states that metaphor was treated as part of rhetoric in the past, however, recently it has developed more broadly into a facet of human cognition. As a practical issue, professional studies assessing metaphorical competence are highlighted, which inform the measurement of metaphorical competence of Japanese learners of English (Japanese EFL students, hereafter). The author developed her original measurement instruments (tests and evaluations of metaphorical competence) to assess the receptive and productive metaphorical abilities of Japanese EFL students. The tests aims to measure Japanese EFL students' metaphorical competence and discover the answers to what factors affect their comprehension and use of English metaphorical expressions and what kinds of metaphorical expressions are salient or opaque for them. This study showed that the Japanese EFL students' receptive ability was better than their productive ability. It further indicated that the size of their mental lexicons, the elasticity of their linguistic ability, the degree of semantic expansion, and their cognitive flexibility (e.g. analogical reasoning, mapping and networking) were important factors affecting their ability to handle metaphorical expressions. Another important discovery was that L1 transfer might play an ambivalent role. As for the salience and opacity of metaphorical expressions, the degree of clarity of expressions was an important element. For example, the expressions with images easy to visualise were the easiest for the Japanese EFL students to understand and use metaphorically. The highly conventional idioms involving metaphorical meanings were problematic for them to understand and especially to use.
Speech and language dysfunction in childhood epilepsy and epileptiform EEG activity

3 LIST OF PAPERS 9 ABBREVIATIONS 10 INTRODUCTIO 11 BACKGROUND 11 Development and disorder of speech and language during childhood 11 Speech and language disorders in childhood 13 Prevalence and definitions 13 Association with other developmental conditions 14 Functional areas related to speech and language 14 General cognitive function 14 Auditory perception 15 Memory function 15 Attention 16 Motor ability 16 Pragmatics 16 Brain areas associated with speech and language during different stages of development.17 Epilepsy in childhood 19 Prevalence, definition and manifestations 19 Association with other developmental conditions 19 Epilepsy and cognitive function 19 Epileptiform EEG activity 20 Neuroimaging 20 Neurophysiological investigation 20 Classification of epilepsies 21 Antiepileptic treatment 22 Epilepsy, epileptiform activity and language disorder 23 General studies 23 Epileptic conditions specifically affecting speech and language 23 Landau Kleffner spectrum speech and language disorders 23 AIMS OF THE STUDY 25 MATERIALS AND METHODS 26 Participants 26 Study I 26 Studies II and III Epilepsy group 27 Reference group 27 Medical history and group characteristics 27 Study IV 28 Procedure 28 Study I 28 Speech and language records 28 Psychological records 28 Medical records 28
Genetic erosion and population resilience in Daphnia longispina O.F. Müller under simulated predation and metal pressures

This study investigated the effects of nonselective predation (culling) and metal toxicity on the genetic diversity of laboratory populations of the cladoceran Daphnia longispina. Populations, comprising five clones differing in their sensitivity to lethal concentrations of a metal‐rich mine drainage effluent, were subjected to all possible combinations of three levels (absent, weak, and strong) of each stressor. Observed population densities were compared to those expected from a life history experiment, and clone frequencies were determined by allozyme profiling. Culling did not affect population density, although clonal diversity was higher than the control. Populations stressed by mine drainage recovered to their initial densities within 12 days, though the most sensitive genotypes disappeared under both weak and strong metal stress levels. Because the surviving resistant clones were shown to be the most sensitive ones to other chemicals (Cd and H+), it is suggested that successive inputs of partially lethal concentrations of different chemicals can lead to the disappearance of the population, even if the time between inputs is large enough to allow density recovery. These results suggest that changes in abundance are not enough to evaluate ecological effects of chemicals on the environment and information on co‐tolerance and multiple tolerance within populations is highly valuable to prevent their extinction. Moreover, populations exposed to low levels of both stressors showed clonal diversity levels identical to controls, highlighting the importance of low level effects of nonselective stressors in the maintenance of high clonal diversity levels in Daphnia populations, and thus further supporting the intermediate disturbance hypothesis.
CRITICAL FILTERS OF THE ADOLESCENT MATHEMATICS EXPERIENCE: A SELF-EFFICACY ANALYSIS

i DEDICATION . iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. v TABLE OF CONTENTS. vii LIST OF TABLES . x CHAPTER
Internal quality assurance systems in Portugal: what their strengths and weaknesses reveal

In Portugal, the agency for assessment and accreditation of higher education has recently included in its remit, beyond programme accreditation, the certification of internal quality assurance systems. This implies lighter touch accreditation and aims to direct institutions towards improvement, in addition to accountability. Twelve institutions have already undertaken the certification, and both self-assessment and external assessment reports are available. Based on the qualitative analysis of the nature of institutional strengths and weaknesses highlighted in these evaluation reports, the paper aims to understand whether the identified strengths and weaknesses are related to procedural and organisational matters or to cultural change (values and beliefs), in turn offering an insight into the quality culture(s) which characterise higher education institutions in Portugal. Findings suggest that the quality culture of the analysed institutions is somewhere between responsive and reactive. Overall, all reports dwell more on the prioritisation of formal and structural procedures, both regarding strengths and weaknesses. External reports point towards more weaknesses related to stakeholders’ participation. Both aspects are more frequent in polytechnics than in universities. These findings suggest that polytechnics are more reactive, whereas universities are more responsive. Therefore, accountability apparently continues to be, for the time being, a more pressing concern than improvement.
6.5 V High Threshold Voltage AlGaN/GaN Power Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor High Electron Mobility Transistor Using Multilayer Fluorinated Gate Stack

In this letter, the approach of partial AlGaN recess and multiple layers of fluorinated Al2O3 gate dielectric is utilized to achieve highest reported positive gate threshold voltage (VTH) without severe reduction on 2-D electron gas carrier mobility in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. Guided by the design and verification through analytical model, proper fluorine ions incorporation is made through fabrication. The approach resulted in a high VTH of +6.5 V and competitive drain saturation current (IDMAX) of 340 mA/mm. Furthermore, low gate leakage current and high breakdown voltage of 1140 V were also demonstrated.
Metabolic profiling of insect cell lines: Unveiling cell line determinants behind system's productivity

Baculovirus infection boosts the host biosynthetic activity towards the production of viral components and the recombinant protein of interest, hyper‐productive phenotypes being the result of a successful adaptation of the cellular network to that scenario. Spodoptera frugiperda derived Sf9 and Trichoplusia ni derived High Five cell lines have a major track record for the production of recombinant proteins, with High Five cells presenting higher productivities. A metabolic profiling of the two insect cell lines was pursued to underpin specific cellular traits behind productive phenotypes. Multivariate analysis identified cell‐line dependent metabolic signatures linked to productivity. Pathway analysis highlighted cellular pathways of paramount importance in supporting infection and protein production. Moreover, better producer phenotypes proved to be correlated with the capacity of cells to shift their metabolism in favor of energy‐generating pathways to fuel biosynthesis, a scenario observed in the High Five cell line. Metabolomic profiling allowed us to identify metabolic pathways involved in infection and recombinant protein production, which can be selected as targets for further improvement of the system. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 816–828. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analog input device physical characteristics

When selecting a device, a designer should compare alternative devices point-by-point. When making a tentative decision, one needs to know what other possibilities have been locked out. A classification graph does this.New here is this classification graph. Also new are several terms: free, sticky, unbounded, bounded, homogeneous and volatile.We developed this classification of existing devices while building the GRIP-75 interactive molecular computer graphics system [2, 11] and refined the classification during discussions with other system builders where we used this classification to map out alternatives. This paper is founded on practice and experience, not on classification theory.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Genome-wide saturation mutagenesis of Burkholderia pseudomallei K96243 predicts essential genes and novel targets for antimicrobial development

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, an often fatal infectious disease for which there is no vaccine. B. pseudomallei is listed as a tier 1 select agent, and as current therapeutic options are limited due to its natural resistance to most antibiotics, the development of new antimicrobial therapies is imperative. To identify drug targets and better un-derstand the complex B. pseudomallei genome, we sought a genome-wide approach to identify lethal gene targets. As B. pseudomallei has an unusually large genome spread over two chromosomes, an extensive screen was required to achieve a comprehensive analysis. Here we describe transposon-directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS) of a library of over 10 6 transposon insertion mutants, which provides the level of genome saturation required to identify essential genes. Using this technique, we have identiﬁed a set of 505 genes that are predicted to be essential in B. pseudomallei K96243. To validate our screen, three genes predicted to be essential, pyrH , accA , and sodB , and a gene predicted to be nonessential, bpss0370 , were independently investigated
Assessment in vitro of immunity against Toxoplasma gondii

Studies have been made on humoral and cellular immune respones in mice immunized with an attenuated strain of Toxoplasma gondii. Heat- inactivated antitoxoplasma serum did not cause morphologic changes in the organisms, but did markedly influence their interactions with host cells. Toxoplasma exposed to antibody were no longer capable of entering fibroblasts or HeLa cells. They were readily engulfed by macrophages, but the antibody treatment strikingly altered the intracellular fate of the parasites leading to killing and digestion of the toxoplasmas in phagolysosomes. Addition of antitoxoplasma antibody immediately after infection of macrophages in vitro had no effect on intracellular multiplication of the organism. The division time of virulent toxoplasmas in mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro was markedly prolonged in cells from immunized mice. During the first 2-3 mo after immunization, the macrophages harvested from the peritoneal cavity demonstrated this cellular immunity directly; thereafter exposure of the macrophages to immune lymphocytes and toxoplasma antigen, or to supernates from such an interaction was required for induction of the maximal capacity to inhibit growth of toxoplasmas. Induction of the alternation in macrophages by the lymphocyte product was detectable in 6 h and maximal at 18-24 h. Cultivation in vitro of macrophages from immunized animals for periods longer than 48 h rendered the cells nonresponsive to the immune lymphocyte-toxoplasma product. Macrophages from the peritoneal cavities of normal, nonimmunized mice were also incapable of developing the capacity to inhibit growth of toxoplasmas in response to this product. The nonresponsiveness of normal macrophages, or of macrophages cultured for several days in vitro was not changed by exposure of the cells to antitoxoplasma serum.
An Efficient Scheduling Scheme for IEEE 802 . 11 e

The IEEE 802.11e Medium Access Control (MAC) is an emerging standard to support Quality of Service (QoS). Some recent works prove that 802.11e Hybrid Coordination Function (HCF) can improve significantly the QoS support in 802.11 networks. A simple HCF scheduler has been proposed in the 802.11e which takes the QoS requirements of flows into account and allocates time to stations on the basis of the mean sending rate. As we show in this paper, this HCF scheduling algorithm is only efficient for flows with strict Constant Bit Rate (CBR) characteristics. However, a lot of real-time applications, such as videoconferencing, have small variations in their packet sizes, sending rates or even have Variable Bit Rate (VBR) characteristics. In this paper, we propose a new HCF scheduling algorithm, FHCF, that aims to be fair for both CBR and VBR flows. The FHCF scheme uses queue length estimations to tune its time allocation to stations. We present a set of simulations and provide performance comparisons with other schemes. Our performance study indicates that FHCF provides good fairness while supporting bandwidth and delay requirements for a large range of network loads.
Increased plasma HDL‐cholesterol and apo A‐1 in sedentary middle‐aged men after physical conditioning

Abstract. Previous studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between plasma high density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol and coronary heart disease risk. In the present study we investigated prospectively the effect of a moderate physical conditioning programme on plasma lipids and lipoproteins, especially HDL‐cholesterol and apolipoprotein A‐I (apo A‐I), the major apoprotein of HDL. Healthy, sedentary, middle‐aged men were randomly selected and assigned either to a training group (n= 24, age 40±3–4, mean ± SD) or to a control group (n= 13, age 39±50). Training consisted of various indoor and outdoor sports activities 45 min/day, 3 times/week for 12 weeks at an intensity of approximately 80% of measured maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max). The trained subjects were studied at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The training increased VO2 max by 12% (P < 0–01). Increases were observed in both apo A‐I (10%, P < 0 02) and HDL‐cholesterol (8%, P < 002) after training, with significant increases already after 4 and 8 weeks, respectively. Furthermore, decreases in total plasma cholesterol (5%, P < 0004) and plasma triglycerides (26%, P < 0 003) were found without changes in body weight, body composition, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption or the percentage composition of dietary intake. Fasting serum‐insulin concentrations decreased significantly during training. No changes were noted in the control group. The present study demonstrates prospectively that moderate physical training can increase HDL.
Sensing-delay tradeoff for communication in cognitive radio enabled smart grid

Smart grid is widely considered to be the next generation of power grid, which will be integrated with information feedback communication to improve agility, reliability, efficiency and security. One of the key foundations of smart grid is timely access to meter data via reliable communication infrastructure. In this paper, we introduce cognitive radio into home area networks of smart grid, whose framework and result can be trivially extended to neighborhood and wide area networks. By means of spectrum sensing and channel switching techniques, smart meters can decide to transmit meter data either on the original unlicensed channel or the additional licensed channel, in order to improve reliability and timeliness. We find optimal sensing time to reduce packet loss rate and delay, under the constraint that the PU is sufficiently protected. We formulate the sensing-delay tradeoff problem and prove that it has unique optimal sensing time which yields the minimum delay. Simulation results are provided, which match very well with the theoretical results.
Children's self-talk and significant others' positive and negative statements

A sample of 675 elementary school children in Grades 3-7 were administered the Self-talk Inventory and the Significant Others' Statements Inventory. The psychometric properties of both scales were investigated and the relationships between positive and negative self-talk and significant others' (parents, teachers, siblings and peers) positive and negative statements were explored using correlational and multiple regression analyses. Sex and age differences were also examined. The significant relationships and differences are described.
Reliability Comparison of Triple-Gate Versus Planar SOI FETs

A comparative study of the reliability issues of triple-gate and planar FETs processed on the same silicon-on-insulator wafer is presented. It is shown that the triple-gate architecture does not alter the behavior of the time-dependent dielectric breakdown (BD) for different gate voltages and temperatures. The apparent higher Weibull slope observed in planar devices with respect to the triple-gate devices is ascribed to the area dependence of the time-to-BD detection. In spite of the different surface orientations, low-frequency noise measurements indicate similar values of the interface trap density for triple-gate and planar FETs
Pph3 Dephosphorylation of Rad53 Is Required for Cell Recovery from MMS-Induced DNA Damage in Candida albicans

The pathogenic fungus Candida albicans switches from yeast growth to filamentous growth in response to genotoxic stresses, in which phosphoregulation of the checkpoint kinase Rad53 plays a crucial role. Here we report that the Pph3/Psy2 phosphatase complex, known to be involved in Rad53 dephosphorylation, is required for cellular responses to the DNA-damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) but not the DNA replication inhibitor hydroxyurea (HU) in C. albicans. Deletion of either PPH3 or PSY2 resulted in enhanced filamentous growth during MMS treatment and continuous filamentous growth even after MMS removal. Moreover, during this growth, Rad53 remained hyperphosphorylated, MBF-regulated genes were downregulated, and hypha-specific genes were upregulated. We have also identified S461 and S545 on Rad53 as potential dephosphorylation sites of Pph3/Psy2 that are specifically involved in cellular responses to MMS. Therefore, our studies have identified a novel molecular mechanism mediating DNA damage response to MMS in C. albicans.
Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Problem Çözme Becerileri: Bir Yıllık İzlem Sonuçları

Aim: The research was planned as a descriptive and cohort study, to determine and monitor the development of the problem-solving skill levels of students enrolled to a nursing program. Determining the problem-solving skill levels of students is one of the targets of the program. Materials and Methods: Research group is composed of the 1 st year students (N=100) enrolled to the nursing program of a foundation university in Istanbul. After taking written consent, data were collected by face to face interviews during the first week of the academic year, last week of the first term and last week of the second term. Personal information form and “ProblemSolving Inventory (PSI)” were used as means of data collection. Data were analyzed by number and percentage average, arithmetic mean, “t” test, and correlation analysis. PSI Cronbach alpha coefficient was found 0.83. Results: It was determined that 10% of the students are male, between the age group of 18–24; that students coming out of the town were 59% and that 60% of those were living at houses. Problem-solving skill score mean was found 81.05+15.53 (min.49-max.125) at the first application; 81.93+15.55 (min.51max.127) at the second application; 76.82+20.02 (min.39-max.129) at the third application. Statistically significant difference was observed between the 2nd and 3rd applications (p<0.05). When problem-solving sub-dimensions were compared, positive significant difference was determined in “Problem Solving Confidence (PSC)” sub-dimension (t=3.47; p=0.001). Problem-solving skills of students staying at dormitories were found to be better. In addition, it was found that problem-solving skills of students with high grades were better for “Approach-Avoidance” and “Self Control” sub-dimensions. Conclusion: It was shown that problem-solving skills of students are at the average level. The fact that students are at the first year may have affected this result. Nevertheless, it is suggested that studies oriented to develop problemsolving knowledge and skills should be increased at the study program.
HLA-B*5701 screening for hypersensitivity to abacavir.

BACKGROUND Hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir is strongly associated with the presence of the HLA-B*5701 allele. This study was designed to establish the effectiveness of prospective HLA-B*5701 screening to prevent the hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir. METHODS This double-blind, prospective, randomized study involved 1956 patients from 19 countries, who were infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and who had not previously received abacavir. We randomly assigned patients to undergo prospective HLA-B*5701 screening, with exclusion of HLA-B*5701-positive patients from abacavir treatment (prospective-screening group), or to undergo a standard-of-care approach of abacavir use without prospective HLA-B*5701 screening (control group). All patients who started abacavir were observed for 6 weeks. To immunologically confirm, and enhance the specificity of, the clinical diagnosis of hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir, we performed epicutaneous patch testing with the use of abacavir. RESULTS The prevalence of HLA-B*5701 was 5.6% (109 of 1956 patients). Of the patients receiving abacavir, 72% were men, 84% were white, and 18% had not previously received antiretroviral therapy. Screening eliminated immunologically confirmed hypersensitivity reaction (0% in the prospective-screening group vs. 2.7% in the control group, P<0.001), with a negative predictive value of 100% and a positive predictive value of 47.9%. Hypersensitivity reaction was clinically diagnosed in 93 patients, with a significantly lower incidence in the prospective-screening group (3.4%) than in the control group (7.8%) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS HLA-B*5701 screening reduced the risk of hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir. In predominantly white populations, similar to the one in this study, 94% of patients do not carry the HLA-B*5701 allele and are at low risk for hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir. Our results show that a pharmacogenetic test can be used to prevent a specific toxic effect of a drug. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00340080.)