Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can children create mind maps as planning tools for writing

This thesis reports an investigation into primary-aged children's ability to learn how to construct mind maps and use these as a tool to support thinking and planning for written tasks. Little research has investigated the kinds of mind map produced by 7-11 year old children, or the impact on an associated written task. It is argued therefore that a closer examination of these claims might shed light on how children learn and use such representations. An initial exploratory study investigated the ability of children to create mind maps and use them as planning tools for narrative writing. Following this, five experimental studies were conducted exploring how to enhance children's construction and use of mind maps. Two studies were concerned with supporting the construction process independent of a written task and three further studies investigated mind map plans linked to expository writing tasks. Strategies that improved children's mind map construction were found to be the use of templates, a staged inductive procedure or collaboration using computer software. No overall improvement in children's writing was found when mind maps were used as planning tools, but better structured mind maps were correlated with better written texts. A close examination of items present on mind map plans and included in written tasks revealed that there was more transfer of items from mind maps to texts of better quality. Findings suggest that children can learn and engage with this kind of representation successfully, however the task environment is particularly influential on the types of mind map produced. It is suggested that representations such as mind maps can be usefully introduced into the primary curriculum as an effective planning tool. Mind maps also create a visible record of planning that can provide an opportunity for focused teacher intervention.
Long-Term Care Case Managers’ Out-of-Home Placement Decisions

Hierarchical logistic regression was used with the results of a factorial vignette survey of a national sample of case managers for the disabled elderly in Medicaid home- and community-based services waiver programs. The effects of client, case manager, and agency factors on case managers’out-of-home placement decisions in response to hypothetical case studies were estimated. Results show that client preferences, workload, and division of labor affect the probability that a case manager will recommend an out-of-home placement, controlling for client’s physical and cognitive disability and the available resources. Significant variation among individuals was found. Implications of the findings are discussed.
A Hybrid Frame Concealment Algorithm for H.264/AVC

In packet-based video transmissions, packets loss due to channel errors may result in the loss of the whole video frame. Recently, many error concealment algorithms have been proposed in order to combat channel errors; however, most of the existing algorithms can only deal with the loss of macroblocks and are not able to conceal the whole missing frame. In order to resolve this problem, in this paper, we have proposed a new hybrid motion vector extrapolation (HMVE) algorithm to recover the whole missing frame, and it is able to provide more accurate estimation for the motion vectors of the missing frame than other conventional methods. Simulation results show that it is highly effective and significantly outperforms other existing frame recovery methods.
Social Networks and Planned Organizational Change

This study of 40 units in a large multinational corporation considers the influence of the density of networks of strong ties on the implementation of planned organizational change between organizational units and unit leaders in both a change implementation and a change recipient network. Also examined are the effects of the density of networks of strong ties within the change recipient network of units and unit leaders on the use of change. The results suggest the need for implementers of change to create strong ties with the change recipient units for successful change implementation. Both unit level and unit leader density of strong ties within the change recipient unit network were significant predictors of change use, indicating that both unit members and unit leaders may play central but independent roles in influencing the change use process. Implications for using social network analysis in planned organizational change are discussed.
Coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from cerebrospinal fluid shunts: importance of slime production, species identification, and shunt removal to clinical outcome.

We collected and characterized 85 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococci (51 pathogens and 34 contaminants) from cerebrospinal fluid shunts. All isolates were classified by species and characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility and quantitative adherence to plastic tissue culture plates. There were more adherent organisms among pathogens than among contaminants (P less than .01). Species distribution was similar for both groups; however, 20% of the pathogens and none of the contaminants were phosphatase-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis (P less than .05). Resistance to four or more antimicrobial agents was detected in 45% of both groups. Neither species designation nor antimicrobial resistance correlated with clinical outcome. Five (83%) of six infections due to nonadherent (vs. 16 [41%] of 39 due to adherent; P less than .05) coagulase-negative staphylococci were, however, cured with antimicrobial therapy alone. Cure was highly associated with removal of the colonized shunt--38% of infected patients treated with antimicrobial therapy alone were cured, 75% treated with antimicrobial therapy and partial shunt removal were cured, and all treated with antimicrobial therapy and total shunt replacement were cured.
TT virus infection in hemodialysis patients

OBJECTIVE:Recently, TT virus (TTV), associated with posttransfusion hepatitis, was discovered. Prevalence of TTV infection in maintenance hemodialysis (HD) units and its pathogenicity to liver was investigated.METHODS:A total of 115 patients on HD were assessed for presence of serum TTV. DNA was purified from sera, and nested polymerase chain reaction was done for the detection of TTV DNA.RESULTS:TTV was detected in 59 patients on HD (51.3%), as compared with healthy blood donors (15 of 91 [16.5%], p < 0.0001). Serum HCV RNA and HBs antigen were positive in 16 and three patients, respectively. The prevalence rate of TTV was already 58.3% in the patients on HD for only 1 yr, and did not change according to the duration of HD until 15 yr on HD. TTV was positive in 51.2% (43 of 84) of the patients with history of blood transfusion, and in 51.6% (16 of 31) of those without it. In HCV-negative patients, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels of TTV-positive patients were similar to those of TTV-negative patients. Contrarily, in HCV-positive patients, ALT levels were more frequently ≥15 IU/L in TTV-positive patients (14 of 18) than in TTV-negative patients (five of 15) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:TTV infection is remarkably prevalent in patients on HD and in healthy blood donors. It is suggested that TTV generally does not cause liver disease by itself, but there remains the possibility that TTV may aggravate liver disease caused by HCV.
Developmental Commitment in Dictyostelium discoideum

ABSTRACT Upon starvation, Dictyostelium discoideum cells halt cell proliferation, aggregate into multicellular organisms, form migrating slugs, and undergo morphogenesis into fruiting bodies while differentiating into dormant spores and dead stalk cells. At almost any developmental stage cells can be forced to dedifferentiate when they are dispersed and diluted into nutrient broth. However, migrating slugs can traverse lawns of bacteria for days without dedifferentiating, ignoring abundant nutrients and continuing development. We now show that developing Dictyostelium cells revert to the growth phase only when bacteria are supplied during the first 4 to 6 h of development but that after this time, cells continue to develop regardless of the presence of food. We postulate that the cells’ inability to revert to the growth phase after 6 h represents a commitment to development. We show that the onset of commitment correlates with the cells’ loss of phagocytic function. By examining mutant strains, we also show that commitment requires extracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling. Moreover, cAMP pulses are sufficient to induce both commitment and the loss of phagocytosis in starving cells, whereas starvation alone is insufficient. Finally, we show that the inhibition of development by food prior to commitment is independent of contact between the cells and the bacteria and that small soluble molecules, probably amino acids, inhibit development during the first few hours and subsequently the cells become unable to react to the molecules and commit to development. We propose that commitment serves as a checkpoint that ensures the completion of cooperative aggregation of developing Dictyostelium cells once it has begun, dampening the response to nutritional cues that might inappropriately block development.
Fully conservative numerical solutions for unsteady irrotational transonic flow about airfoils

t i m e-a c c u r a t e s o l u t i o n s f o r s e v e r a l c a s e s are cam-pared with t h e r e s u l t s o f o t h e r unsteady t r a n-s o n i c codes. Good c o r r e l a t i o n i s shown w i t h re-s u l t s produced by t h e more e x a c t b u t computa-t i o n a l l y slower Euler-equations codes. Shock l o c a t i o n i s demonstrated t o b e b e t t e r p r e d i c t e d t h a n by s m a l l-p e r t u r b a t i o n o r q u a s i-c o n s e r v a t i v e schemes. s t a g n a t i o n enthalpy i d e n t i t y m a t r i x l o c a l Mach number
Towards a theory of cultural transmission in minorities

We outline a theory of cultural transmission in socio-cultural minorities in a foreign cultural environment. The explanatory focus of the theory is on the educational activities of minorities and on the educational policies of the majority towards them. The theory comprises two components referring to, respectively, the proximate psychological mechanisms and the distal cultural–evolutionary processes that underlie minority– majority interactions. The first theory component is an action–theoretical model of the interaction between majorities and minorities in the educational domain. A central assumption of this model is that socio-cultural groups have a culture-transmission motive, i.e. a desire to maintain and transmit their culture. The second component of the theory consists of a set of assumptions about the evolution of socio-cultural groups that provides an enhanced understanding of the basic goals and strategies of minorities and majorities in cultural-transmission situations. It is argued that the theory allows an explanation of several findings that pose difficulties to existing theories, in particular, the frequently observed stability of cultural traits in ethnic minorities.
The effects of glutamatergic activation of the lateral supramammillary nucleus and the medial septum complex on perforant path-evoked potentials, and other physiological parameters, in the dentate gyrus of the rat

A large number of cells from the lateral aspect of the supramammillary nucleus (SUML) and the medial septum complex (MSC) innervate the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. It has been demonstrated that electrical prestimulation of the SUML or the MSC enhances perforant path-dentate gyrus evoked field potentials. Considering the large number of fibres that pass through these regions, the effects glutamatergic stimulation of these regions had on dentate gyrus field potentials in urethane-anaesthetized rats was investigated. The perforant path was stimulated at a rate of 0.1 Hz, evoking an EPSP and a population spike in the dentate gyrus granule cell layer. L-glutamate was delivered by pressure injection (500 mM, 100-150 nl). In a second experiment, concomitant measures of hippocampal EEG, spontaneous unit activity, and the evoked potential recorded at the molecular layer were also taken. As well, the effects of glutamatergic activation of these areas on paired-pulse inhibition was investigated. -- Glutamate ejection to the SUML and MSC produced a significant enhancement of the population spike. The duration of enhancement ranged from 2 to 54 min (X = 18.4 min) and from 1 to 49 min (X = 10.5 min) after SUML and MSC activation respectively. A consistent, but relatively short increase in the EPSP slope was demonstrated after MSC activation but not after SUML activation. No consistent effects were found on the 2 latency measures. -- SUML and MSC activation induced theta in 4 of 7 (duration= 10-45 s) and 7 of 10 animals (duration= 20-112 s), respectively. Theta induction preceded spike enhancement and occurred for a shorter duration than the enhancement. -- After either SUML or MSC activation the effects on spontaneous unit activity were mixed. However, all changes in firing rate preceded spike enhancement, and their duration rarely coincided with the duration of the spike enhancement. -- Results of paired-pulses (lSI= 20-30 ms) given during SUML activation demonstrated evidence of reduced feed-back inhibition, despite an absence of the enhancement of the first spike of the pair. MSC activation produced a reduction of feed-back inhibition in one of three animals where the first spike of the pair was enhanced.
In vivo impedance spectroscopy of deep brain stimulation electrodes

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) represents a powerful clinical technology, but a systematic characterization of the electrical interactions between the electrode and the brain is lacking. The goal of this study was to examine the in vivo changes in the DBS electrode impedance that occur after implantation and during clinically relevant stimulation. Clinical DBS devices typically apply high-frequency voltage-controlled stimulation, and as a result, the injected current is directly regulated by the impedance of the electrode–tissue interface. We monitored the impedance of scaled-down clinical DBS electrodes implanted in the thalamus and subthalamic nucleus of a rhesus macaque using electrode impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements ranging from 0.5 Hz to 10 kHz. To further characterize our measurements, equivalent circuit models of the electrode–tissue interface were used to quantify the role of various interface components in producing the observed electrode impedance. Following implantation, the DBS electrode impedance increased and a semicircular arc was observed in the high-frequency range of the EIS measurements, commonly referred to as the tissue component of the impedance. Clinically relevant stimulation produced a rapid decrease in electrode impedance with extensive changes in the tissue component. These post-operative and stimulation-induced changes in impedance could play an important role in the observed functional effects of voltage-controlled DBS and should be considered during clinical stimulation parameter selection and chronic animal research studies.
Predicting depressive symptoms with a new measure of shame: The Experience of Shame Scale.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether previous findings from interview studies of a prospective relationship between shame and psychopathology (e.g. Andrews, 1995) could be replicated using questionnaires. DESIGN A total of 163 university students participated in a longitudinal questionnaire study. METHOD The Experience of Shame Scale (ESS), a questionnaire based on a previous interview measure, and an established shame scale (TOSCA), were considered in their relation to depressive symptoms assessed at two time points 11 weeks apart. RESULTS Both scales made significant independent contributions to depressive symptoms at time 1. However, only the ESS predicted additional significant variance in time 2 symptoms when time 1 symptoms were controlled. CONCLUSIONS It was concluded that the reason for the differential performance of the two scales was that the ESS, like the shame interview, assesses specific areas of shame related to self and performance, whereas the TOSCA assesses general shame and may therefore be more prone to mood-state effects.
Negotiating the Global and National: Immigrant and Dominant-Culture Adolescents’ Vocabularies of Citizenship in a Transnational World

Background/Context The current national debate over the purposes of civic education is largely tied to outdated notions of citizenship that overlook its changing nature under globalization. Civic education is based on a legalistic understanding of citizenship that emphasizes patriotism and the structures and functions of government. This study examined adolescents’ civic beliefs and affiliations, drawing on theories of transnational and global citizenship. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study The purpose was to examine diverse adolescents’ vocabularies of citizenship, a concept that captures the tensions in their civic beliefs and affiliations. Their vocabularies were explored in terms of two topics at the intersection of national and global affiliations: universal human rights and global citizenship. The central question asked was: How do adolescents from immigrant backgrounds understand the tensions between national and global civic affiliations, and do they differ from dominant-culture adolescents’ understandings? Setting The research setting was the Pennsylvania Governor's School for International Studies, a 5-week summer program for high school students that emphasizes current scholarship and skills in international affairs, cultural studies, and foreign language. Research Design A mixed-method case study design was employed to collect detailed and rich data on the students’ beliefs about citizenship. Findings/Results The findings showed that the students from immigrant backgrounds favored universal positions and were the only students to call attention to national economic inequalities. In contrast, a majority of the dominant-culture students gave a more central role to national affiliations. However, over half of the students switched between universal and nationally oriented positions for the issues of global citizenship and human rights. It is argued that these switches represent a strong indication of the tensions in civic affiliations in light of globalization. Conclusions/Recommendations The findings presented here suggest that the question of either national- or global-oriented civic education makes little sense. This research suggests that differentiated forms of civic education are needed if all youth will have access to full citizenship and the range of civic affiliations needed in the world. Two approaches for reconceptualizing civic education are proposed: Civic education curricula should focus on the intersection of national with global issues and affiliations, and civic education should address, in addition to civic attitudes, skills, and knowledge, a conscious effort to help adolescents build flexible and multiple civic identities.
Germanium Production in Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars: Implications for Observations of Planetary Nebulae

Observations of planetary nebulae (PNe) in the work of Sterling, Dinerstein, & Bowers have revealed abundances in the neutron-capture element germanium (Ge) from solar to factors of 3-10 above solar. The enhanced Ge is an indication that the slow neutron-capture process (the s-process) operated in the parent star during the thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) phase. We compute the detailed nucleosynthesis of a series of AGB models to estimate the surface enrichment of Ge near the end of the AGB. A partial mixing zone of constant mass is included at the deepest extent of each dredge-up episode, resulting in the formation of a 13C pocket in the top approximately one-tenth of the He-rich intershell. All of the models show surface increases of [Ge/Fe] ≲ 0.5, except the 2.5 M☉, Z = 0.004 case, which produced a factor of 6 enhancement of Ge. Near the tip of the TP-AGB, a couple of extra thermal pulses (TPs) could occur to account for the composition of the most Ge-enriched PNe. Uncertainties in the theoretical modeling of AGB stellar evolution might account for larger Ge enhancements than we predict here. Alternatively, a possible solution could be provided by the occurrence of a late TP during the post-AGB phase. Difficulties related to spectroscopic abundance estimates also need to be taken into consideration. Further study is required to better assess how the model uncertainties affect the predictions and, consequently, if a late TP should be invoked.
The Impact of the School-based Practicum on Pre-service Teachers’ Affective Development in Mathematics

An integral part of all initial teacher education programs is the school-based practicum where pre-service teachers get an opportunity to develop their teaching skills and knowledge in a classroom setting. Many have suggested that these experiences are very powerful in shaping pre-service teachers’ views of teaching because they are perceived as being ‘real’ as opposed to the ‘artificial’ environment of the tertiary courses. This can mean that the practicum experiences can legitimate or negate the learning of the tertiary courses. In particular, pre-service teachers can make significant positive changes in their affective responses to mathematics, but the longevity and stability of these changes can be challenged through their school-based practicum experiences.
Illusory Power Transference

We use two experiments to investigate “illusory power transference,” in which individuals minimally associated with powerful others act as if they themselves are powerful outside the boundaries of the association. The experiments elicit this phenomenon through social comparison processes that result in individuals’ perceptions of their own power assimilating toward the power of the powerful other, which is driven by the motivation to characterize oneself as powerful. We demonstrate that men who have a tenuous association with a powerful other (versus a powerless or equal-power other) felt more powerful and were more optimistic, confident, and risk seeking, even though they could not leverage the associate’s power. Consistent with research suggesting that women are less motivated to characterize themselves as powerful, however, this effect did not emerge among women. A third experiment suggests that, besides underlying motivations, whether the association is cooperative or competitive determines if one’s sense of power is likely to assimilate to, or contrast away from, the associate’s level of power.
Living to Work and Working to Live: Income as a Driver of Organizational Behavior

Income as a relatively stable aspect of a job (e.g. annual salary, non-incentive wages, or weekly or hourly pay) has received relatively little consideration in organizational theorizing and research, despite its critical importance to workers, organizations, and society at large. Income inequality has similarly received scant attention, although it is a topic of great intellectual and practical importance. In this paper we describe the ways in which income and income inequality affect how people behave in both their professional and personal lives, and suggest ways in which organizations may influence, and be influenced by, these effects. We integrate research from a number of disciplines, highlight leading findings across them, and suggest ways in which organizational scholarship can inform research and practice in this domain. Our goal is to facilitate the development of income-related research programs in organizational science.