Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Relation between Phonological Memory and Long Term Memory on Foreign Language Vocabulary Acquisition

Learning is not only an innate skill that comes naturally. It is also an acquired ability which is influenced culturally by environment. Language learning is one of the most impressive compositions for personal human development and socialization. The influential aspect of language learning theories is cognitive learning theory that underlines humans' language learning. Vocabulary acquisition is the sub- field of cognitive linguistics that has been the major concept for researchers. Vocabulary acquisition has been studied with phonological memory which plays an important role in L1 and L2 learning. The present study analyzed supplemented vocabulary acquisition with 149 students, who have been learning two languages, apart from their first language. The researchers attempt to find out effect of the phonological memory and long term memory on the learning of second language vocabulary acquisition. This study with one hundred forty nine (99-Bosnian, 24-English and 26-Turkish) adolescent investigated the effects of phonological memory and long term memory on L2 vocabulary acquisition at the International School of Sarajevo. This paper analyzed the effects of the phonological memory and long term memory underlying foreign vocabulary acquisition in adolescents by testing the influence of supplemented vocabulary knowledge. Keyword: memory, cognitive, adolescent.
Time-asymptotic convergence rates towards the discrete evolutionary stable distribution

This paper is concerned with the discrete dynamics of an integro-differential model that describes the evolution of a population structured with respect to a continuous trait. Various time-asymptotic convergence rates towards the discrete evolutionary stable distribution (ESD) are established. For some special ESD satisfying a strict sign condition, the exponential convergence rates are obtained for both semi-discrete and fully discrete schemes. Towards the general ESD, the algebraic convergence rate that we find is consistent with the known result for the continuous model.
A Structural Model of Self-Efficacy, Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge on Mathematics Performance of Preservice Elementary Teachers

The study attempted to investigate the preservice elementary teachers’ self-efficacy, conceptual and procedural knowledge in fraction, and performance in solving fractional word problems. Likewise, it investigated the relationship of self-efficacy, conceptual and procedural knowledge towards performance in fractional word problems. It further investigated the variables that best predict performance and the best fitting structural model on performance. The study was conducted among the 307 Bachelor of Elementary Education fourth year students who were enrolled from the six tertiary institutions in Davao City during the second semester of school year 2011- 2012. The data were gathered through the use of the survey and test questionnaires. The findings indicated that the preservice elementary teachers had fair performance in solving fractional word problems. They had moderate level of self-efficacy towards fraction. They had weak conceptual knowledge on the five notions of fraction as part-whole, operator, measure, quotient and ratio. They also exhibited deficient procedural knowledge on operations of the three types of fractions namely: simple, mixed and complex. Self-efficacy, conceptual and procedural knowledge have significant and positive relationship with performance. Moreover, self-efficacy (mathematical task), procedural (complex and simple fractions), and conceptual knowledge (ratio, operator and measure) are predictors of performance. Five structural models were explored in the study. Model 1 includes the interrelationship among self-efficacy, conceptual and procedural knowledge and their causal relationships towards performance. Model 2 includes the direct effect of self-efficacy, conceptual and procedural knowledge towards performance. Model 3 includes the relationship between conceptual and procedural knowledge and their direct effects on performance. Model 4 includes the direct causal relationship of procedural knowledge on performance. Model 5 includes the direct causal relationship of conceptual knowledge towards performance. Among these five structural models, only model 5 have indices that consistently indicate a very good fit to the data, hence is identified as the best fitting structural model. This model indicates that the performance of preservice elementary teachers is best anchored on their strong evidence of conceptual knowledge as supported by the five subconstructs namely: part-whole, operator, measure, quotient and ratio.
On selecting weather data sets to estimate a building design's robustness to climate variations

The integration of techniques for uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in building performance simulation (BPS) has a number of potential benefits related to design. It allows assessing the accuracy of performance predictions; it can be used to provide concept specific design guidance, and it enables a robustness assessment of the design proposal to different future climate scenarios. The later is considered here. The problems associated with using climate data sets as input to sampling based uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques are; (1) these represent time series data with history, and (2) when used as reference data sets, are purpose bound. To address the problems a typical office room is exposed to measured historic weather files, projected future weather data and a derived artificial reference weather data set representative for the period and location. Its response is compared using peak cooling load as criterion for the buildings robustness. It is found that the individual artificial reference data sets are not suited to predict the peak cooling load and its uncertainty band, as they were created for the prediction of a specific performance metrics and for specific building types. However scenario based multi-year future weather data sets show the potential to be successfully used with sampling based uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques.
The geographic diversity of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from pulmonary samples: an NTM-NET collaborative study

A significant knowledge gap exists concerning the geographical distribution of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolation worldwide. To provide a snapshot of NTM species distribution, global partners in the NTM-Network European Trials Group (NET) framework (www.ntm-net.org), a branch of the Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (TB-NET), provided identification results of the total number of patients in 2008 in whom NTM were isolated from pulmonary samples. From these data, we visualised the relative distribution of the different NTM found per continent and per country. We received species identification data for 20 182 patients, from 62 laboratories in 30 countries across six continents. 91 different NTM species were isolated. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) bacteria predominated in most countries, followed by M. gordonae and M. xenopi. Important differences in geographical distribution of MAC species as well as M. xenopi, M. kansasii and rapid-growing mycobacteria were observed. This snapshot demonstrates that the species distribution among NTM isolates from pulmonary specimens in the year 2008 differed by continent and differed by country within these continents. These differences in species distribution may partly determine the frequency and manifestations of pulmonary NTM disease in each geographical location. Species distribution among nontuberculous mycobacteria isolates from pulmonary specimens is geographically diverse http://ow.ly/npu6r
Percolation-dominated conductivity in a conjugated-polymer-carbon-nanotube composite

The discovery two decades ago that polyacetylene could be made extremely conductive on doping with iodine or AsF5 ~Ref. 1! was the initial step that indicated that conjugated polymers may be an important alternative to inorganic semiconductors as optoelectronic materials. However, conventional doping of polymers tends to quench their luminescent properties by introducing nonradiative trapping states such as solitons, polarons, and bipolarons. 2 The key feature of conjugated polymers is the extended p-electron system in their backbone, which, due to Peierls distortion, results in a pseudoband gap. In these polymers conduction proceeds by variable range hopping of polarons. The band gap is approximately 1.5‐2.5 eV, hence conductivity and mobility are generally low. Carbon nanotubes, another form of conjugated carbon system, consist of one or more sheets of graphene wrapped around each other in concentric cylinders. Individually, nanotubes may be metallic or semiconducting, but in bulk they form a pseudometal with conductivity 3 of approximately 10 5 S/m. It is well known that the soot produced in a
Subjective Perceptions and the Survival of Business Start-Ups - Microeconometric Evidence from Germany

Using individual-level data from the KfW start-up monitor 2006, our paper scrutinizes the effect of entrepreneurs' subjective perceptions on short-term survival of business start-ups in Germany. Standard probit estimations indicate that, ceteris paribus, positive perceptions regarding the desirability of entrepreneurship, financial feasibility of the start-up project, personal entrepreneurial aptitude, and the compatibility of self-employment with personal living conditions come along with a higher probability of start-up survival in the first two years of existence. Yet when instrumental variable estimations are employed, the effect of subjective perceptions is markedly reduced and becomes insignificant. Accounting for potential endogeneity of perceptions thus raises doubts about the causality of the observed effects. This finding corroborates the notion of hindsight bias in subjective perceptions.
Dialectical behavioural therapy

Medical practitioners are sometimes faced with patients who present with constant crises in their lives, mood fluctuations, significant suicidality, chaotic and extreme relationships, an intense fear of abandonment and emotional vulnerability. When faced with patients who exhibit symptoms such as these, medical practitioners may feel overwhelmed and uncertain about possible treatment options, and struggle to know where to refer patients for the best possible outcomes.
Clinical Outcome of Self-Expandable Metal Stent Placement in the Management of Malignant Proximal Colon Obstruction

Background/Aims There are limited data regarding the clinical outcomes of self-expandable metal stents in the treatment of proximal colon obstruction. We compared the clinical outcomes of stent placement in patients with malignant proximal to distal colon obstructions. Methods We reviewed medical records from 37 consecutive patients from three institutions (19 men; mean age, 72 years) who underwent endoscopic stent placement at a malignant obstruction of the proximal colon. We also examined the records from 99 patients (50 men; mean age, 65 years) who underwent endoscopic stent placement for a distal colon obstruction. Technical success, clinical improvements, complications and stent patency were compared between treatments. Results The technical success rate tended to be lower in stents inserted to treat proximal colon obstructions than in those used to treat distal colon obstructions (86% vs 97%, p=0.06). Clinical improvement was achieved in 78% of patients (29/37) with proximal colonic stenting and in 91% of patients (90/99) with distal colonic stenting (p=0.08). Complications (24% vs 27%), stent migration (8% vs 8%) and stent reocclusion rates (11% vs 17%) did not differ significantly between groups. Two cases of bowel perforation related to stenting (5%) occurred in patients with proximal colonic stenting. Conclusions The technical success and clinical improvement associated with self-expandable metal stents used to treat proximal colon obstruction tend to be lower than cases of distal colon obstruction. Technical failure is an important cause of poor clinical improvement in patients with proximal colon stenting. Complication rates and stent patency appear to be similar in both groups.
COGNITIVE SIDE EFFECTS OF ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS

Available studies of the cognitive side effects of traditional and newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are reviewed by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC. Relatively few studies in children have meaningful results, most having used global IQ as the primary dependent measure, which may not demonstrate subtle neuropsychological changes. Furthermore, design limitations do not allow firm conclusions about AED cognitive effects. Of older AEDs, phenobarbital (PB) has more negative effects on cognition than valproate (VPA) or carbamazepine (CBZ). PB may decrease IQ, due in part to decreased processing efficiency and poorer attention. The declines in speeded performance are largely reversible, but the long-term effects on academic achievement may be permanent. CBZ does not affect global IQ but it may have a negative effect on memory. Phenytoin (PHT) has a smaller effect on IQ than does PB and its effects on memory are similar to those of CBZ. Effects of VPA on IQ, memory, and academic achievement are dose-dependent but less severe than those of PB, CBZ, and PHT. VPA can be effective in treating disruptive children with explosive temper and mood lability. Newer AEDs have not been tested using formal neuropsychological methods. Children taking gabapentin (GBP) are at risk for behavioral changes, including hyperactivity, irritability, agitation, and aggression, especially in the mentally retarded. Lamotrigine (LTG) in mentally retarded children with epilepsy is also associated with aggressive behavior, but improved behavior and alertness are reported in children with tuberous sclerosis. Autistic behavior is also improved following LTG, even without seizure control. Levetiracetam (LEV) has conflicting effects on behavior, some studies reporting somnolence and emotional instability, and others finding improvements in cognition, alertness, and behavior. Patients with autism and seizures were also benefited by LEV. Oxcarbazepine (OXC) is associated with somnolence, but no effect on IQ and less nervousness. Topiramate (TPM) may cause emotional lability, fatigue, inattention, and impaired memory, despite improved seizure control. Vigabatrin (VGB) causes visual field constriction in patients with infantile spasms, particularly those with tuberous sclerosis, and is not approved for use in the US. Cases of acute encephalopathy and acute reversible psychosis are reported with VGB. A higher risk of psychotic episodes and obsessive-compulsive disorder is present with zonisamide (ZNS), and symptoms may develop even after prolonged treatment. (Loring DW, Meador KJ. Cognitive side effects of antiepileptic drugs in children. Neurology March (2 of 2) 2004;62:872-877).
Sorting of Striatal and Cortical Interneurons Regulated by Semaphorin-Neuropilin Interactions

Most striatal and cortical interneurons arise from the basal telencephalon, later segregating to their respective targets. Here, we show that migrating cortical interneurons avoid entering the striatum because of a chemorepulsive signal composed at least in part of semaphorin 3A and semaphorin 3F. Migrating interneurons expressing neuropilins, receptors for semaphorins, are directed to the cortex; those lacking them go to the striatum. Loss of neuropilin function increases the number of interneurons that migrate into the striatum. These observations reveal a mechanism by which neuropilins mediate sorting of distinct neuronal populations into different brain structures, and provide evidence that, in addition to guiding axons, these receptors also control neuronal migration in the central nervous system.
Reaching Mothers and Babies with Early Postnatal Home Visits: The Implementation Realities of Achieving High Coverage in Large-Scale Programs

Background Nearly half of births in low-income countries occur without a skilled attendant, and even fewer mothers and babies have postnatal contact with providers who can deliver preventive or curative services that save lives. Community-based maternal and newborn care programs with postnatal home visits have been tested in Bangladesh, Malawi, and Nepal. This paper examines coverage and content of home visits in pilot areas and factors associated with receipt of postnatal visits. Methods Using data from cross-sectional surveys of women with live births (Bangladesh 398, Malawi: 900, Nepal: 615), generalized linear models were used to assess the strength of association between three factors - receipt of home visits during pregnancy, birth place, birth notification - and receipt of home visits within three days after birth. Meta-analytic techniques were used to generate pooled relative risks for each factor adjusting for other independent variables, maternal age, and education. Findings The proportion of mothers and newborns receiving home visits within three days after birth was 57% in Bangladesh, 11% in Malawi, and 50% in Nepal. Mothers and newborns were more likely to receive a postnatal home visit within three days if the mother received at least one home visit during pregnancy (OR2.18, CI1.46–3.25), the birth occurred outside a facility (OR1.48, CI1.28–1.73), and the mother reported a CHW was notified of the birth (OR2.66, CI1.40–5.08). Checking the cord was the most frequently reported action; most mothers reported at least one action for newborns. Conclusions Reaching mothers and babies with home visits during pregnancy and within three days after birth is achievable using existing community health systems if workers are available; linked to communities; and receive training, supplies, and supervision. In all settings, programs must evaluate what community delivery systems can handle and how to best utilize them to improve postnatal care access.
Pale Narcissus: The Role of Primitive Narcissism in the Relationship between White Privilege Attitudes and Modern Racism

White racial identity and White privilege attitudes and their connection to racism and prejudiced behaviors have been studied extensively in the current literature. However, few empirical studies have explored the psychodynamics underlying Whiteness, specifically those psychodynamics pertaining to narcissistic process, and the one study that has investigated this area used outdated measures. A comparison of the theoretical literature in psychoanalysis and White racial identity development suggests that a narcissistic dynamic characterizes White identity development, White privilege attitudes, and racism. Put simply, a synthesis of the literature postulates that White persons with less developed White identities cannot integrate the perspective of non-White individuals because their own White identities cannot tolerate the difference and associated emotional stress of this interaction, a dynamic that is fundamentally narcissistic in the psychoanalytic sense. This study utilized contemporary measurements of narcissism in a quantitative descriptive design (i.e., an electronic survey) to examine how primitive narcissism, as opposed to mature narcissism, relates to White privilege attitudes and
Head up tilt test in the diagnosis of neurocardiogenic syncope in childhood and adolescence.

BACKGROUND Neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) is a common paroxysmal disorder that is often misdiagnosed as a seizure disorder. Head up tilt test (HUTT) has been used to confirm this diagnosis. There is no data available of its use in children / adolescents from India. AIM To study the usefulness of the HUTT in children and adolescents with suspected NCS. SETTINGS AND DESIGN This was a part retrospective and later prospective study set in a tertiary child neurology outpatient department (OPD). MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with a strong clinical suspicion of syncope were recruited for the study. Clinical and treatment details were either retrieved from the chart or prospectively recorded in later patients. The HUTT was then carried out at baseline and after provocation and the results correlated with the clinical diagnosis. RESULTS Eighteen children with a mean age of 10.8 years were studied. Eight had precipitating factors. Thirteen had premonitory symptoms. Pallor, temperature change, diaphoresis, headache, tonic / clonic movements, post-ictal confusion and peri-ictal headache were symptoms noticed. Sixteen had a positive HUTT. Seven were on long-term anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Two had epileptiform abnormalities on their electroencephalogram (EEG). CONCLUSION The diagnosis of syncope is often confused with epilepsy. Head up tilt test has a high sensitivity in the diagnosis of NCS in children / adolescents. It is fairly safe and easy to perform.
Leadership styles of nursing home administrators and their association with staff turnover.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between nursing home administrator (NHA) leadership style and staff turnover. DESIGN AND METHODS We analyzed primary data from a survey of 2,900 NHAs conducted in 2005. The Online Survey Certification and Reporting database and the Area Resource File were utilized to extract organizational and local economic characteristics of the facilities. A general linear model (GLM) was used to estimate the effects of NHA leadership style, organizational characteristics, and local economic characteristics on nursing home staff turnover for registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nurse's aides (NAs). RESULTS The complete model estimates indicate that NHAs who are consensus managers (leaders who solicit, and act upon, the most input from their staff) are associated with the lowest turnover levels, 7% for RNs, 3% for LPNs, and 44% for NAs. Shareholder managers (leaders who neither solicit input when making a decision nor provide their staffs with relevant information for making decisions on their own) are associated with the highest turnover levels, 32% for RNs, 56% for LPNs, and 168% for NAs. IMPLICATIONS The findings indicate that NHA leadership style is associated with staff turnover, even when the effects of organizational and local economic conditions are held constant. Because leadership strategies are amenable to change, the findings of this study may be used to develop policies for lowering staff turnover.
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy following a L2–L5 Laminectomy and Fusion In Situ with Bone Morphogenic Protein

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a rare, transient cardiomyopathy, with symptoms mimicking myocardial infarction. It has been reported to typically occur in postmenopausal women and is often triggered by an intense physical or emotional event with stimulation of the sympathetic response; the exact etiology, however, is uncertain. Bone morphogenic protein (BMP) is widely used in spinal fusions and has been associated with numerous perioperative complications. BMP is known to stimulate sympathetic pathways. In this paper, we present the case of a patient with a 7-hour episode of TC after a spinal fusion with bone morphogenic protein. The patient's symptoms resolved and long-term followup has been uneventful. This is the first paper to describe TC in the setting of spine or other major orthopaedic surgery and it suggests another possible area for further investigation in peri-operative events potentially associated with the use of bone morphogenic protein.