Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
English as a second language (ESL) student self-concept : its relation to teacher perception and academic achievement -- an exploratory study

The purpose of this exploratory study as it applies to ESL students was two-fold: To examine the relationship between ESL student self-concept and teacher perception of student selfconcept and to examine the extent to which student self-concept and teacher perception of student self-concept relate to academic achievement in reading and mathematics. The Self-Description Questionnaire-1 (SDQ-i) was completed by 57 fifthand sixth-grade students, ages 10-12 years and their teachers. The teachers' ratings of ESL student academic achievement were gathered along with student and school background information. Results of descriptive statistics, t-test comparisons, and correlational analyses indicate that the pattern of ESL students' self-concepts were consistently lower than those for the normative sample, except in the area of math, with noted similarities in highest (parent relations) and lowest (physical appearance) self-concept areas. Teacher perception ratings appeared more similar to the ESL students' self ratings than to the normative sample. Teachers tended to rate ESL students' self-concepts higher than the students rated themselves. In contrast to previous research with the SDQ-1, the strongest agreements between ESL students and teacher perceptions were in nonacademic areas. Correlations between ESL students and academic achievements were mostly nonsignificant and negative, while correlations between teacher perceptions and academic achievement were mostly significant and positive. Sex, ethnic group affiliation, school district, and birth place differences were also noted. While conclusions remain
Further results on stabilization of linear systems with time-varying input delay

Abstract This paper deals with stabilization of continuous-time linear systems affected by uncertain time-varying input delay. Existing solutions usually augment the state vector with the previous input and make use of standard robust stability analysis and synthesis techniques. Instead of discarding knowledge of the previous input, we employ a relaxed version of control Lyapunov functions (CLFs) that can cope with the additive term formed by the previous input. By solving an optimization problem on-line, in a receding horizon manner, we allow the CLF to be locally non-monotone, while taking into account state and input constraints. We then propose a special constraint that governs the non-monotonicity of the CLF such that attractivity is still attained. Moreover, we show that for CLFs defined using the infinity norm the developed method can be implemented as a single linear program, which can be solved explicitly via multiparametric programming. The developed theory is validated on a benchmark example: control of a DC-motor affected by time-varying input delay.
Chronology of Ksar Akil (Lebanon) and Implications for the Colonization of Europe by Anatomically Modern Humans

The Out-of-Africa model holds that anatomically modern humans (AMH) evolved and dispersed from Africa into Asia, and later Europe. Palaeoanthropological evidence from the Near East assumes great importance, but AMH remains from the region are extremely scarce. ‘Egbert’, a now-lost AMH fossil from the key site of Ksar Akil (Lebanon) and ‘Ethelruda’, a recently re-discovered fragmentary maxilla from the same site, are two rare examples where human fossils are directly linked with early Upper Palaeolithic archaeological assemblages. Here we radiocarbon date the contexts from which Egbert and Ethelruda were recovered, as well as the levels above and below the findspots. In the absence of well-preserved organic materials, we primarily used marine shell beads, often regarded as indicative of behavioural modernity. Bayesian modelling allows for the construction of a chronostratigraphic framework for Ksar Akil, which supports several conclusions. The model-generated age estimates place Egbert between 40.8–39.2 ka cal BP (68.2% prob.) and Ethelruda between 42.4–41.7 ka cal BP (68.2% prob.). This indicates that Egbert is of an age comparable to that of the oldest directly-dated European AMH (Peştera cu Oase). Ethelruda is older, but on current estimates not older than the modern human teeth from Cavallo in Italy. The dating of the so-called “transitional” or Initial Upper Palaeolithic layers of the site may indicate that the passage from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic at Ksar Akil, and possibly in the wider northern Levant, occurred later than previously estimated, casting some doubts on the assumed singular role of the region as a locus for human dispersals into Europe. Finally, tentative interpretations of the fossil's taxonomy, combined with the chronometric dating of Ethelruda's context, provides evidence that the transitional/IUP industries of Europe and the Levant, or at least some of them, may be the result of early modern human migration(s).
La mobilité sociale descendante : l'épreuve du déclassement

En combinant analyse quantitative et qualitative, l'objectif de cette these est d'introduire une sociologie de la mobilite sociale descendante en questionnant plus particulierement trois points. Quelle est la frequence du phenomene ? Quelle est l'experience vecue par les individus declasses ? Quelles sont les consequences politiques du declassement social ? Les resultats obtenus a l'issue du travail empirique fournissent des elements de reponse a chacune de ces interrogations. La mesure par âges et par cohortes de naissance permet de mettre en evidence la degradation progressive des perspectives de mobilite sociale pour les generations nees apres les annees 1940, la situation la plus degradee etant celle des generations nees au tournant des annees 1960. Concernant l'experience du declassement, deux types d'experience sont distingues. Le vecu sur le mode generationnel est celui des declasses qui se vivent comme appartenant a une generation « sacrifiee » et qui tiennent un discours tres virulent a l'encontre de l'ecole et du fonctionnement de la societe dans son ensemble. Le vecu sur le mode de l'echec personnel est celui des declasses qui se vivent comme etant les seuls responsables de leur trajectoire, vecue comme un echec qui les amene a de multiples remises en cause et a la tentation du repli sur soi. Enfin, la mobilite sociale descendante a des consequences politiques : le sens descendant de leur trajectoire intergenerationnelle structure les attitudes et comportements politiques des declasses. En particulier, concernant la preference partisane, un attrait relatif pour l'extreme droite peut etre mis en evidence. Finally, the downward social mobility has political consequences: sense(direction) lowering(going down) from their intergenerational trajectory structure attitudes and political behavior of the dropouts. In particular, concerning the partisan preference, relative charm for the extreme right can be put in evidence.
Influence of Metal–Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy Reactor Environment on the Silicon Bulk Lifetime

III-V multijunction solar cells grown on a Si solar cell are an attractive approach to reduce the cost of high-efficiency solar cells. When using the Si wafer as an active solar cell, it is crucial to avoid degradation of the minority carrier lifetime in the Si during the metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) process. After heating a Si wafer in a MOVPE reactor under a H2 atmosphere, we observed a strong degradation of its lifetime. By analyzing the annealed samples with photoluminescence and quasi-steady-state photoconductance, we found an iron contamination of up to 2 × 1012 cm-3. The measured iron concentration could be identified as the major source for the decrease of the minority carrier lifetimes of the Si wafers. By using diffusion barriers, we identified the graphite susceptor as the main source of the iron contamination. This knowledge offers pathways to preserve the minority carrier lifetime in the Si wafers during the MOVPE process.
Clinical and Pathologic Predictors of Clinical Outcome of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Aims and background Although worldwide use of asbestos has decreased, the incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is expected to increase over the next few decades. A number of scoring systems has been proposed to assess clinicopathologic features and to predict the prognosis. We assessed the relationship between patients’ features and disease evolution in order to choose the best treatment able to prolong overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Methods We retrospectively analyzed patients with locally advanced or metastatic MPM, treated at the Department of Medical Oncology, Università Politecnica Marche, Italy, from January 2003 to September 2013. Data on age, sex, smoking history, asbestos exposure, performance status, tumor stage, histology, type of treatment, and routine laboratory tests including complete blood count panel, date of death, or censored status were collected. The OS and PFS were estimated using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox analysis was performed to analyze the prognostic relevance of clinical parameters. Results We enrolled a total of 62 patients. Univariate analysis showed that histologic type, performance status, response to first-line therapy, pretreatment hemoglobin levels, and plasmatic Ca125 were significant prognostic factors. Conversely, no significant correlation was found between age, sex, smoking history, reported exposure to asbestos, stages at diagnosis, treatments, and OS and PFS. Conclusions Our results showed that anemia and increased Ca125 might be considered negative prognostic parameters in MPM patients and confirmed the prognostic role of histotype, performance status, and response to first-line chemotherapy.
Long non-coding RNA Malat1 promotes gallbladder cancer development by acting as a molecular sponge to regulate miR-206

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (Malat1) functions as an oncogene in many types of human cancer. In this study, we show that Malat1 is overexpressed in gallbladder cancer (GBC) tissue and cells. The high Malat1 levels correlated positively with tumor size and lymphatic metastasis, and correlated negatively with overall survival. We also show that Malat1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-206. Because miR-206 directly suppresses expression of ANXA2 and KRAS, which are thought to promote GBC progression, Malat1 binding of miR-206 in GBC tissue and cells has an oncogenic effect. Conversely, Malat1 knockdown inhibits proliferation and invasion by GBC cells while increasing apoptosis. In vivo, silencing Malat1 decreases tumor volume. These results suggest Malat1 could potentially serve as a therapeutic target and prognostic marker for GBC.
Structural studies of the streptavidin binding loop

The streptavidin‐biotin complex provides the basis for many important biotechnological applications and is an interesting model system for studying high‐affinity protein‐ligand interactions. We report here crystallographic studies elucidating the conformation of the flexible binding loop of streptavidin (residues 45 to 52) in the unbound and bound forms. The crystal structures of unbound streptavidin have been determined in two monoclinic crystal forms. The binding loop generally adopts an open conformation in the unbound species. In one subunit of one crystal form, the flexible loop adopts the closed conformation and an analysis of packing interactions suggests that protein‐protein contacts stabilize the closed loop conformation. In the other crystal form all loops adopt an open conformation. Co‐crystallization of streptavidin and biotin resulted in two additional, different crystal forms, with ligand bound in all four binding sites of the first crystal form and biotin bound in only two subunits in a second. The major change associated with binding of biotin is the closure of the surface loop incorporating residues 45 to 52. Residues 49 to 52 display a 310 helical conformation in unbound subunits of our structures as opposed to the disordered loops observed in other structure determinations of streptavidin. In addition, the open conformation is stabilized by a β‐sheet hydrogen bond between residues 45 and 52, which cannot occur in the closed conformation. The 310 helix is observed in nearly all unbound subunits of both the co‐crystallized and ligand‐free structures. An analysis of the temperature factors of the binding loop regions suggests that the mobility of the closed loops in the complexed structures is lower than in the open loops of the ligand‐free structures. The two biotin bound subunits in the tetramer found in the MONO‐b1 crystal form are those that contribute Trp 120 across their respective binding pockets, suggesting a structural link between these binding sites in the tetramer. However, there are no obvious signatures of binding site communication observed upon ligand binding, such as quaternary structure changes or shifts in the region of Trp 120. These studies demonstrate that while crystallographic packing interactions can stabilize both the open and closed forms of the flexible loop, in their absence the loop is open in the unbound state and closed in the presence of biotin. If present in solution, the helical structure in the open loop conformation could moderate the entropic penalty associated with biotin binding by contributing an order‐to‐disorder component to the loop closure.
A language support program for English-medium instruction courses: Its development and evaluation in an EFL setting

ABSTRACT Many English as a foreign language universities have increased the number of English-medium instruction (EMI) courses regardless of their students’ preparedness for them. As a result, previous studies have reflected the necessity of additional language assistance to students who have to take EMI courses with limited English proficiency. Drawing upon the results of preliminary needs and syllabus analysis studies, an EMI language support program was developed to help Korean students adapt to foreign professors’ EMI courses by equipping them with necessary English writing, communication, and presentation skills. To evaluate the program, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected via surveys and questionnaires. Evaluation results show that, despite no significant improvement in the target language skills, the overall program was considered helpful to taking foreign professors’ EMI courses. Suggestions were also offered to increase the effectiveness of the program concerning students’ majors and degrees, the timing and number of tutoring sessions, and the program environment. This study suggests the establishment of a language support program as a potential solution to alleviate language and educational inequalities among EMI students.
An Analysis of the Relationship between Presence, Consciousness and Performance in Learner-centered Communicative Learning Using SCMC - Experimental Study

This study aims to clarify the relationship between subjective perception and performance in the communicative learning using Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication (SCMC). In this study, we developed four types of SCMC: videoconferencing (image and voice), audioconferencing (no image and voice), text-chat with image (image and no voice) and plain text-chat (no image and no voice). In this experiment, each system aids learners in being aware of and uttering a target formulaic expression as learning objectives. We investigated the effect of each system on psychological perception and productive performance, as well as the relationship between perception and performance. The results show that image and voice promote consciousness of natural communication and relief, while a text-mediated system enhances confidence in grammatical accuracy. In order to clarify the relationship between perception and performance, multiple regression analysis was conducted using perception as the independent variable and performance as the dependent variable. The results indicate that consciousness of natural communication and the use of the voice communication affect factors such as the number of utterances, while interlocutor’s image and voice and consciousness of grammatical accuracy lead to self-correction.
Space–Time Coding MIMO-OFDM SAR for High-Resolution Imaging

Multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) radar has received renewed attention in recent years, but little work on MIMO synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing has been reported. This paper presents a scheme of space-time coding MIMO orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) SAR for high-resolution imaging. This system employs MIMO configuration in the elevation direction and the Alamouti space-time coding scheme in the azimuth direction, along with the use of OFDM waveform diversity and displaced phase center antenna (DPCA) techniques. As an orthogonal transmission waveform is required for this novel space-time coding MIMO-OFDM SAR system, one kind of OFDM linearly frequency modulated waveforms is investigated. The matched filtering and multibeam forming in the elevation direction are detailed. Additionally, the corresponding mathematical relations and signal models for high-resolution imaging are formed. In this way, efficient spatial diversity gain and improved range resolution are obtained by the MIMO configuration, and the requirement of pulse repeated frequency for wide-swath remote sensing is reduced by the DPCA technique. The feasibility is validated by numerical simulation results.
Bioassay-guided Isolation of Antiproliferative Triterpenoids from Euonymus alatus Twigs

Euonymus alatus (Celastraceae) has been used as an anticancer agent in Korean traditional medicine. However, the potential bioactive contributors to the anticancer effects have not been thoroughly studied. Our screening test revealed that the MeOH extract of E. alatus twigs exhibited significant cytotoxicity against A549, SK-OV-3, and SK-MEL-2 cell lines. A bioassay-guided separation of the MeOH extract of E. alatus twigs resulted in the isolation and identification of 14 triterpenes as main phytochemicals. The structures of the compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence as lupeol (1), betulin (2), 3β,28,30-lup-20(29)-ene triol (3), lupenone (4), betulone (5), 28,30-dihydroxy-3-oxolup-20(29)-ene (6), messagenin (7), glut-5-en-3β-ol (8), maslinic acid (9), hederagenin (10), 3-oxo-11α-methoxyolean-12-ene (11), 3β-hydroxy-1-oxo-olean-12-en-28-oic acid (12), ursolic acid (13), and 2α-hydroxy-ursolic acid (14). Of these compounds, 3, 6–8, and 10–14 were isolated for the first time from this plant. All isolated triterpenoids had consistent antiproliferative activities against A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, and HCT-15 cell lines. Compounds 2, 5, and 7 showed significant cytotoxicity against all four cell lines tested, with IC50 values of 3.26–8.61 μM.
Formations of finite monoids and formal languages: Eilenberg's variety theorem revisited

The authors are supported by Proyecto MTM2010-19938-C03-01 from MICINN (Spain). The second author is supported by the project ANR 2010 BLAN 0202 02 FREC. The third author was supported by the Grant PAID-02-09 from Universitat Politecnica de Valencia.
Are we ready?

Subject area Human Resource Management and Business Strategy. Study level/applicability Postgraduate. Case overview The case provides a holistic perspective of organizational transformation, management of change impact on employees and leader behavior. The challenge at Govind Milk and Milk Products Pvt. Ltd. a mid-size company, in the dairy industry was to transform itself into a pan India and global company from a regional organization. The case study outlines how the organization took on the transformation journey under a strong leadership and managed change by focusing on creating a brand, implementing technology and creating a culture of meritocracy. Having made the successful transition from being a family run business to a professionally managed company and having built significant internal capacity the big question is – Can the company strive and thrive in the VUCA business environment? Expected learning outcomes To highlight the process and management of organizational change. To highlight the role of leadership in the process of organizational change. To understand how the environmental factors or the VUCA environment impacts the performance of an organization. To highlight internal capacity building as a strategy to deal with the VUCA environment. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS: 6: Human Resource Management.
BLOCK BOOTSTRAP HAC ROBUST TESTS: THE SOPHISTICATION OF THE NAIVE BOOTSTRAP

This paper studies the properties of naive block bootstrap tests that are scaled by zero frequency spectral density estimators (long-run variance estimators). The naive bootstrap is a bootstrap where the formula used in the bootstrap world to compute standard errors is the same as the formula used on the original data. Simulation evidence shows that the naive bootstrap can be much more accurate than the standard normal approximation. The larger the HAC bandwidth, the greater the improvement. This improvement holds for a large number of popular kernels, including the Bartlett kernel, and it holds when the independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) bootstrap is used and yet the data are serially correlated. Using recently developed fixed-b asymptotics for HAC robust tests, we provide theoretical results that can explain the finite sample patterns. We show that the block bootstrap, including the special case of the i.i. d. bootstrap, has the same limiting distribution as the fixed-b asymptotic distribution. For the special case of a location model, we provide theoretical results that suggest the naive bootstrap can be more accurate than the standard normal approximation depending on the choice of the bandwidth and the number of finite moments in the data. Our theoretical results lay the foundation for a bootstrap asymptotic theory that is an alternative to the traditional approach based on Edgeworth expansions.
Regulation of Expression and Evolution of Genes in Plastids of Rhodophytic Branch

A novel algorithm and original software were used to cluster all proteins encoded in plastids of 72 species of the rhodophytic branch. The results are publicly available at http://lab6.iitp. ru/ppc/redline72/ in a database that allows fast identification of clusters (protein families) both by a fragment of an amino acid sequence and by a phylogenetic profile of a protein. No such integral clustering with the corresponding functions can be found in the public domain. The putative regulons of the transcription factors Ycf28 and Ycf29 encoded in the plastids were identified using the clustering and the database. A regulation of translation initiation was proposed for the ycf24 gene in plastids of certain red algae and apicomplexans as well as a regulation of a putative gene in apicoplasts of Babesia spp. and Theileria parva. The conserved regulation of the ycf24 gene expression and specificity alternation of the transcription factor Ycf28 were shown in the plastids. A phylogenetic tree of plastids was generated for the rhodophytic branch. The hypothesis of the origin of apicoplasts from the common ancestor of all apicomplexans from plastids of red algae was confirmed.