Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Standard and regional standard speech: Distinctions and similarities

ABSTRACT In a study of evaluations of speech in a Canadian context, it was found that a variety which may be said to possess regional standard status was perceived most favourably on dimensions relating to competence, success, and status when compared to other forms, and as favourably as these other forms in terms of integrity and attractiveness. This is in distinction to typical findings involving a more straightforward dichotomy between standard and nonstandard speech, where the former is usually associated with high status and competence, but tends to be seen less favourably than nonstandard forms on the so-called solidarity dimensions of integrity and attractiveness. An attempt is made to explain these results, to integrate them with the existing literature, and to suggest new studies. (Standard speech, regional varieties, speech evaluation)
Error-Correction during Oral Reading: A Comparison of Three Techniques

Recent investigations of instructional effectiveness have identified a core of teacher behaviors that result in increased student academic performance. One such behavior, correction of student errors, was examined in the present study. An alternating-treatments design with two phases was used to investigate the relative efficacy of three error-correction procedures on the oral reading of four LD middle-school students. Results indicated that a drill procedure was more effective and efficient than a word-supply procedure and a phonic-drill rehearsal strategy. Results are presented in terms of their implications for instructional and research practices.
Sodium Channels Contribute to Degeneration of Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurites Induced by Mitochondrial Dysfunction in an In Vitro Model of Axonal Injury

Axonal degeneration occurs in multiple neurodegenerative disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system. Although the underlying molecular pathways leading to axonal degeneration are incompletely understood, accumulating evidence suggests contributions of impaired mitochondrial function, disrupted axonal transport, and/or dysfunctional intracellular Ca2+-homeostasis in the injurious cascade associated with axonal degeneration. Utilizing an in vitro model of axonal degeneration, we studied a subset of mouse peripheral sensory neurons in which neurites were exposed selectively to conditions associated with the pathogenesis of axonal neuropathies in vivo. Rotenone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction resulted in neurite degeneration accompanied by reduced ATP levels and increased ROS levels in neurites. Blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels with TTX and reverse (Ca2+-importing) mode of the sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) with KB-R7943 partially protected rotenone-treated neurites from degeneration, suggesting a contribution of sodium channels and reverse NCX activity to the degeneration of neurites resulting from impaired mitochondrial function. Pharmacological inhibition of the Na+/K+-ATPase with ouabain induced neurite degeneration, which was attenuated by TTX and KB-R7943, supporting a contribution of sodium channels in axonal degenerative pathways accompanying impaired Na+/K+-ATPase activity. Conversely, oxidant stress (H2O2)-induced neurite degeneration was not attenuated by TTX. Our results demonstrate that both energetic and oxidative stress targeted selectively to neurites induces neurite degeneration and that blockade of sodium channels and of reverse NCX activity blockade partially protects neurites from injury due to energetic stress, but not from oxidative stress induced by H2O2.
Accumulation of Non-Superoxide Anion Reactive Oxygen Species Mediates Nitrogen-Limited Alcoholic Fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT Throughout alcoholic fermentation, nitrogen depletion is one of the most important environmental stresses that can negatively affect the yeast metabolic activity and ultimately leads to fermentation arrest. Thus, the identification of the underlying effects and biomarkers of nitrogen limitation is valuable for controlling, and therefore optimizing, alcoholic fermentation. In this study, reactive oxygen species (ROS), plasma membrane integrity, and cell cycle were evaluated in a wine strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during alcoholic fermentation in nitrogen-limiting medium under anaerobic conditions. The results indicated that nitrogen limitation leads to an increase in ROS and that the superoxide anion is a minor component of the ROS, but there is increased activity of both Sod2p and Cta1p. Associated with these effects was a decrease in plasma membrane integrity and a persistent cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phases. Moreover, under these conditions it appears that autophagy, evaluated by ATG8 expression, is induced, suggesting that this mechanism is essential for cell survival but does not prevent the cell cycle arrest observed in slow fermentation. Conversely, nitrogen refeeding allowed cells to reenter cell cycle by decreasing ROS generation and autophagy. Altogether, the results provide new insights on the understanding of wine fermentations under nitrogen-limiting conditions and further indicate that ROS accumulation, evaluated by the MitoTracker Red dye CM-H2XRos, and plasma membrane integrity could be useful as predictive markers of fermentation problems.
Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery in Kumasi, Ghana: 2001-2005

Background: A retrospective review of cleft lip operations at our hospital during 1991-2000 showed that on average 17 patients per year were operated on for cleft lip and palate and that each year saw an increasing number of patients being treated. The purpose of this study was to determine the change that had occurred in the number of patients treated for cleft lip and palate during the five-year period from 2001-2005. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective review of cleft lip and palate operations carried out under general anesthesia at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Operating room records were the source of data. Patients treated under local anesthesia were excluded. Information collected included age, gender, and diagnosis. The results were displayed in tables and graphs. Results: A total of 344 patients were operated for cleft lip and palate during the five-year period, i.e. 69 operations per year. The patients comprised 58% males and 42% females and ranged in age from 1 month to 32 years with a mean age of 3.9 years. Unilateral cleft lip operations constituted 78% of all operations. Each succeeding year saw an increase in the number of operations being carried out year during the five-year period. Conclusion: The marked increase in the number of cleft operations per year in our hospital during the period under study was probably due to greater awareness in the community; free surgeries provided by local surgeons with financial support from a US-based NGO; and free operations by a visiting surgical team. Financial, logistical and training support to cleft teams in developing countries is likely to lead to more surgeries for children with cleft.
A New General Approach for Modulation Strategies in Matrix Converters

In this paper, the generalized scalar pulse-width modulation technique used in inverters (indirect frequency conversion, AC-DC-AC) is adapted to the matrix converters. It is presented two different strategies to control the input currents: vector control and scalar control. The input current control defines which input voltages are employed to synthesize the output voltages of the matrix converter. Simulations results are used to compare the proposed strategy with the control strategy proposed by Huber and Borojevic.
Linking Femininity, Weight Concern, and Mental Health Among Latina, Black, and White Women

Studies examining women's appearance ideals and weight concern have predominantly relied on samples of White women. This study addresses this oversight, examining the different relations among embodied femininity, weight concern, and depressive symptomatology that exist for different groups of women. Using a nationally representative sample of women between the ages of 18 and 45, bivariate analyses were conducted using three samples of Latina, Black, and White women. When sample size allowed, a multivariate model was tested (i.e., for Black and White respondents). Results confirm, as hypothesized, different patterns of relations between embodied femininity, weight concern, and depressive symptomatology for each of the samples. At the bivariate level, embodied femininity, weight concern, and depressive symptomatology were positively intercorrelated among Latina respondents. Whereas weight concern fully mediated the relation between embodied femininity and depressive symptomatology for the White respondents, the mediational model was not borne out for the Black respondents. For the latter, although embodied femininity and weight concern were related, weight concern was unrelated to depressive symptoms. Both of these patterns are discussed, as well as the need for greater empirical sensitivity to various constructions of femininity among women of different ethnicities.
Investigating the Role of the Big Five on the Social Loafing of Information Technology Workers

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the role of Big Five personality dimensions (Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Openness to Experience, Neuroticism, and Agreeableness) on social loafing (SL) in a field setting. Data were gathered from both employees and their supervisors working in three leading software companies in Ankara, Turkey. The study was conducted in two phases. In the pilot study, SL and perceived coworker SL scales were developed. The task visibility scale was adapted to Turkish. The internal consistency reliabilities of the scales were tested using a pilot study with a sample of employees. In the main study, hypotheses were tested by gathering data from 156 participants and their 33 supervisors. Results supported only the two hypotheses proposing positive relations between extraversion and SL and between neuroticism and SL. The results are discussed along with practical implications, limitations of the study, and future directions.
The Biological Bases of Empathy

Human beings are intrinsically social. Our survival critically depends on social interactions with others, the formation of alliances and accurate social judgments (Cacioppo, 2002). We are motivated to form and maintain positive and significant relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995), and most of our actions are directed toward or are responses to others (Batson, 1990). No single factor can account for human social cognitive evolution (e.g., diet and climate), but the single most important factor is the increasing complexity of hominid social groups (Bjorlund & Bering, 2003). It is therefore logical that dedicated mechanisms have evolved to perceive, understand, predict and respond to the internal states (subjective in nature) of other individuals.
Citation Networks as Indicators of Journalism Research Activity

b Identification of areas of major research activity within a field can be important for several reasons. It can help define the field. It can pinpoint the boundary between what we know and what we do not know. It can help locate the "research front" and "hot topics. " One method of identifying areas of important work is through citation counts. It can be argued that a highly cited article is being heavily used by other authors, and thus is an important article. Much work using this method has been done by the Institute for Scientific Information, which often publishes lists of the most frequently cited papers and authors in science in general and in specific fields. Garfield, who was the founder of the Institute, has shown a correlation between being cited fre-
Assessing the Academic Work Environment for Science and Engineering

During the fall of 2001, staff at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG) administered the first University of Michigan Survey of Academic Climate and Activities. In fall 2006, a second cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess change in the campus work environment for scientists and engineers at the completion of the five-year NSF supported period of UM’s ADVANCE Program. The 2006 study suggested little change in the climate for science and engineering faculty and a consistent pattern of a more negative climate for women faculty and faculty of color (especially female faculty of color). There were, however, indications that some things were improving. In the case of white women, the most dramatic change was the significant decrease in reports of unwanted sexual attention over time. In addition, for all faculty except women of color, experiences of scholarly isolation were lower.
DepthSynth: Real-Time Realistic Synthetic Data Generation from CAD Models for 2.5D Recognition

Recent progress in computer vision has been dominated by deep neural networks trained over larges amount of labeled data. Collecting such datasets is however a tedious, often impossible task; hence a surge in approaches relying solely on synthetic data for their training. For depth images however, discrepancies with real scans still noticeably affect the end performance. We thus propose an end-to-end framework which simulates the whole mechanism of these devices, generating realistic depth data from 3D models by comprehensively modeling vital factors e.g. sensor noise, material reflectance, surface geometry. Not only does our solution cover a wider range of sensors and achieve more realistic results than previous methods, assessed through extended evaluation, but we go further by measuring the impact on the training of neural networks for various recognition tasks; demonstrating how our pipeline seamlessly integrates such architectures and consistently enhances their performance.
Bombycis corpus extract prevents amyloid-beta-induced cytotoxicity and protects superoxide dismutase activity in cultured rat astrocytes.

Bombycis corpus(BC) or Bombyx Batryticatus, a batryticated silkworm and white-stiff silkworm, is a drug consisting of the dried larva of silkworm, Mobyz mori L. , dead and stiffened due to the infection of Beauveria (Bals.) Vuill. In the present study, we have examined the protective effect of the water extracts against Amyloid- beta(A beta) 25-35 peptide-induced cytotoxicity by microscopic observation and LDH assay, and its action on antioxidative enzymes using cultured astrocyte cells. A beta 25-35-induced cell death was protected by the application of water extract of BC in a dose-dependent manner, and concentrations of 10(-6)to 10(-7)g ml(-1)showed a significant effect compared to exposure of A beta 25-35 alone. When antioxidative enzyme activities such as catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione-S transferase (GST) were assayed after A beta 25-35 treatment, most enzyme activities were decreased in a similar fashion. BC treatment of A beta 25-35-treated astrocytes did not affect the enzyme activities of catalase, GSH-Px and GST. However, only SOD activity was enhanced by BC treatment and this may result from the potentiation of the antioxidative ability of BC. The protective effect of BC against cytotoxicity induced by Abeta 25-35 strongly indicates that BC could be a protective agent for free radical generating compounds, and that Abeta 25-35 is not only a potent lipid peroxide inducer, but can also cause changes in antioxidative enzymes. From the results, it was concluded that BC has a protective effect against Abeta -induced cytotoxicity in cultured astrocyte cells through the inhibition of lipid peroxidation and protection of antioxidative enzymes.
Well-Being and Treatment Satisfaction in Older People With Diabetes

OBJECTIVE To measure well-being and treatment satisfaction and their correlates in older people with diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A postal survey was conducted of 1,000 diabetic patients aged ≥ 60 years, representing 56% of the resident older diabetic population in an inner-city health district with a largely indigenous population of 230,000 people and a widely varied socioeconomic mix. Well-being and treatment satisfaction were measured with diabetes-specific instruments and correlated with patient data held in a central register. RESULTS There was an 81% response. The general well-being scores (median [interquartile range]) for patients on diet alone, tablets, and insulin were 54 (44–60), 53 (42–61), and 48 (35–56) (P < 0.001 comparing insulin with diet and tablets) compared with a scale maximum of 66. Treatment satisfaction scores were 35 (31–36), 35 (32–36), and 34 (30–36) (P < 0.001 comparing insulin with diet and tablets), scale maximum 36. Mean HbA1c concentrations were 5.0 ± 1.4% (for patients on diet alone), 5.8 ± 1.6% (tablets), and 6.6 ± 1.7% (insulin) (P < 0.001 for each difference). Neither well-being nor treatment satisfaction correlated with HbA1c. Insulin-treated patients were younger and had been diabetic longer than non-insulin-treated patients; their well-being remained slightly, but significantly, lower when adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and diabetes duration, but treatment satisfaction was no longer significantly different. Women had lower well-being than men. CONCLUSIONS It has proved possible to measure well-being and treatment satisfaction in a large community-based samples of older people with diabetes. At the level of glycemic control in this population, neither parameter correlated with HbA1c. The lower well-being in insulin-treated patients remained significant in multivariate analysis.
Morphometric and molecular (RAPD) analysis of six Serapias taxa from Croatia

The morphometric analyses and genetic variability assessed by RAPD markers have been used to analyse relations among six Serapias taxa from Croatia (S. istriaca, S. pulae originally described as hybrid, S. ionica, S. vomeracea, S. lingua and S. cordigera). S. istriaca distributed in southern Istria and the island of Lošinj and S. pulae stenoendemic taxon distributed only in southern Istria S. ionica is endemic to the Ionian and Dalmatian islands, while the remaining taxa are more widely distributed. The obtained results shows that the endemic S. istriaca is a well characterised taxon, that S. pulae is a hybrid between S. istriaca and S. lingua and that the hybrid is morphologically and genetically more similar to S. lingua than the second parental species S. istriaca. The division into the subsections Steno-, Medio- and Platypetalae is founded based on the floral morphology while the division into the sections Serapias and Bilamellaria is not evident in the quantitative morphological and genetic analyses. Furthermore, considerable genetic resemblance between S. vomeracea and S. ionica was established.
The intraneural topography of the recurrent laryngeal nerve in man

The investigations of Semon (1881, 1883) and those carried out independently by Rosenbach (1880, 1884, 1885) were the basis of claims that “the abductors of the vocal cords are more easily disabled by any organic mischief acting upon their nerve supply than the adductors. ” This clinical observation apparently gained rapid and general acceptance for within 4 years Gottstein (1884) wrote that the vulnerability of the abductor fibers mas a fact upon which all observers were agreed. This was, however, subsequently denied by Hooper (1885) and more recently others have also had occasion to criticize this generalization (Icing and Gregg, ’48 ; Armstrong and Hinton, ’51). In contradistinction we have a recent statement that “there is no reason to doubt the truth of Semon’s Law, in spite of some criticisms of its accuracy” (Negus, ’47). Assuming that under certain conditions the abductor fibers fail before the adductor it is of interest to determine why this should be so. MacKenzie (1880) suggested that the abductor fibers might be more superficially and circumferentially arranged in the recurrent laryngeal nerve than the adductor fibers and were therefore more prone to compression injuries. Subsequent work did not support this hypothesis (Risien Russell, 1892).
Is This Testimony Truthful, Fabricated, or Based on False Memory?

In 1989, Steller and Kohnken presented a systematic compilation of content characteristics for distinguishing between truthful and fabricated testimonies (criteria-based content analysis – CBCA) designed to be applied within a more comprehensive overall diagnostic procedure known as statement validity assessment (SVA; Steller, 1989). The subsequent 25 years have seen a marked increase in knowledge about the distinction between experience-based and non-experience-based statements. This supports the SVA approach and permits a better explanation of the underlying processes. The rationale of CBCA is that a true statement differs in content quality from a fabricated account because (a) a truth teller can draw on an episodic autobiographical representation containing a multitude of details, whereas a liar has to relate to scripts containing only general details of an event; and (b) a liar is busier with strategic self-presentation than a truth teller. The present article proposes a modified model of content cha.
The effect of group music therapy on mood, speech, and singing in individuals with Parkinson's disease--a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder where patients exhibit impairments in speech production. Few studies have investigated the influence of music interventions on vocal abilities of individuals with PD. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the influence of a group voice and singing intervention on speech, singing, and depressive symptoms in individuals with PD. METHODS Ten patients diagnosed with PD participated in this one-group, repeated measures design study. Participants received the sixty-minute intervention, in a small group setting once a week for 20 consecutive weeks. Speech and singing quality were acoustically analyzed using a KayPentax Multi-Dimensional Voice Program, voice ability using the Voice Handicap Index (VHI), and depressive symptoms using the Montgomery and Asberg Depression rating scale (MADRS). Measures were taken at baseline (Time 1), after 10 weeks of weekly sessions (Time 2), and after 20 weeks of weekly sessions (Time 3). RESULTS Significant changes were observed for five of the six singing quality outcomes at Time 2 and 3, as well as voice range and the VHI physical subscale at Time 3. No significant changes were found for speaking quality or depressive symptom outcomes; however, there was an absence of decline on speaking quality outcomes over the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS Significant improvements in singing quality and voice range, coupled with the absence of decline in speaking quality support group singing as a promising intervention for persons with PD. A two-group randomized control study is needed to determine whether the intervention contributes to maintenance of speaking quality in persons with PD.
Anion-exchange extraction of cephapirin, cefotaxime, and cefoxitin from serum for liquid chromatography

An anion-exchange column technique for extraction of antibiotics from serum proteins has been developed for use in the assay of cephapirin, cefotaxime, and cefoxitin by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Anion-exchange extraction of cephapirin from serum samples by this technique was compared with protein precipitation methods, using 6% trichloroacetic acid or absolute ethanol. Column extraction gave improved quantitative drug recovery and reduced background serum interferences in the resultant chromatograms when evaluated against protein precipitation. Comparisons of this method with microbiological assay gave statistically equivalent results. Twelve patient samples were assayed for cephapirin, and no interferences were encountered from the 22 systemic agents these subjects were receiving. The anion-exchange technique for antibiotic extraction provides a rapid, precise, and quantitative antibiotic assay when used with liquid chromatography.