Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The stressed student: Influence of written examinations and oral presentations on salivary cortisol concentrations in university students

Laboratory research has demonstrated that social-evaluative threat has an influence on the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis (HPA). In two studies using independent samples, we evaluated the anticipatory cortisol response to a written university examination (n = 35) and to an oral presentation (n = 34). Saliva samples were collected before and after the examinations and on a control day. Additionally, saliva samples were collected on the day before the written examination and a control day. Results revealed significantly elevated cortisol concentrations on the day prior to the examination; however, this effect occurred only in those participants who had their control day after the examination. Cortisol concentrations were elevated on the examination day, with increased concentrations before but not after the examination. For the oral presentation study, the results revealed substantially elevated cortisol concentrations before and after the oral presentation. Taken together the results indicate that written examinations cause a mild anticipatory HPA response while oral presentations induce a strong HPA response. These findings appear to support the idea that social-evaluative threat is an important factor determining the size of the HPA response to laboratory stressors as well as to real-life stressors.
Incremental distinguishability of subject and object

The subject and the object in a transitive clause should be distinguishable. We discuss five different ways in which distinguishability can be obtained: (i) case morphology, (ii) agreement, (iii) selectional criteria of the verb, (iv) word order, and (v) prominence, in particular animacy. We argue that these different sources of information can be viewed as violable and potentially conflicting constraints that play an important role in the incremental process of interpretation. We propose a new model of incremental optimization of interpretation and argue that we can thus account for the findings of several on-line studies in which distinguishability was manipulated.
Incorporating Risk of Cost Overruns into Transportation Capital Projects Decision-Making

Cost overruns have been shown to occur in a significant number of transportation investment projects. While there is some literature on the causes of risk of cost overruns in transportation capital investment, little is available on how properly to estimate this risk and how to incorporate risk estimates into project assessment. Thus, the main objectives of this paper are to propose methods for estimating the risk of cost overruns and suggest ways to incorporate it into project decision-making. To these ends we propose distribution-fitting models to elicit the probabilities of cost overruns. These probabilities, in turn, are used as inputs into a decision tree model of project selection. Using a database, made up of observations on a large number of highway projects, the paper shows how empirically this analysis can be carried out. A key conclusion is that the approach proposed here can provide realistic risk estimates, thereby reducing subjective biases in project cost benefit analysis. © 2011 LSE and the University of Bath
Weight Loss and Mortality in Overweight and Obese Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review

Background Excess adiposity is a risk factor for poorer cancer survival, but there is uncertainty over whether losing weight reduces the risk. We conducted a critical review of the literature examining weight loss and mortality in overweight or obese cancer survivors. Methods We systematically searched PubMed and EMBASE for articles reporting associations between weight loss and mortality (cancer-specific or all-cause) in overweight/obese patients with obesity-related cancers. Where available, data from the same studies on non-overweight patients were compared. Results Five articles describing observational studies in breast cancer survivors were included. Four studies reported a positive association between weight loss and mortality in overweight/obese survivors, and the remaining study observed no significant association. Results were similar for non-overweight survivors. Quality assessment indicated high risk of bias across studies. Conclusions There is currently a lack of observational evidence that weight loss improves survival for overweight and obese cancer survivors. However, the potential for bias in these studies is considerable and the results likely reflect the consequences of disease-related rather than intentional weight loss. There is a need for stronger study designs, incorporating measures of intentionality of weight loss, and extended to other cancers.
Ethic of Care Leadership Orientation Among Executive Women in the Home Furnishings Industry

The purpose of this study was to draw on ethic of care leadership orientation to document the perspectives of executive women in the home furnishings industry and the degree to which they are affected by gender difference or otherness from their predominantly male counterparts in the workplace. Three research questions were generated relating to the study’s purpose. 1) If women are shaped by society to develop an ethic of care orientation but spend years in organizations that value and reward justice orientation, how does this affect my informants’ views of themselves? 2) Do my informants perceive that adapting within a masculine work environment implies a separation from care orientation and adoption of justice orientation? 3) What are my informants’ perspectives on whether changing business conditions in a global, fast-paced economy are more conducive to a feminist ethic of care leadership approach? Utilizing narrative inquiry as the methodological strategy, informants were asked open-ended questions regarding their experiences as a woman executive in the home furnishings industry. Autoethnography was included as an additional strategy of inquiry. The researcher has a “shared cultural membership” (Pelias, 2011) with the informants, having spent over twenty years working in the home furnishings industry and having attained an executive level. Five distinct themes emerged as relating to the informants’ experiences: 1) advantages and disadvantages of being a woman, 2) fortune versus self-confidence, 3) striving for authenticity in the workplace, 4) a network of women versus the “good old boys,” and 5) an uncertain future for women in the industry. Each theme was represented by at least four of the five informants.
Does An Education Seminar Intervention Improve the Parents’ Knowledge on Vaccination? Evidence from Yiwu, East China

Background: caregivers’ knowledge on vaccination is an important impact factor for their children’s vaccination status. The aims of this study were to evaluate the caregivers’ knowledge of vaccination, and to assess effectiveness of a health education seminar for improving caregivers’ knowledge on immunization. Methods: pre- and post-assessment design was adopted for a single group to evaluate the effectiveness of the health education seminar on vaccination. The seminar consisted of a lecture using simple understandable language. Improvements in total knowledge score before and after the seminar were assessed using a validated questionnaire that included ten questions. Description analysis and non-parametric tests were applied to evaluate and compare the vaccination knowledge level before and after the seminar. Results: 378 caregivers participated in this study. The majority were mothers. Of the ten questions, the correct response rates had significantly increased for nine questions after the education seminar. The mean total score of the assessment before the seminar was 5.2 ± 1.2 while that was 8.4 ± 0.9 for the assessment after the seminar, with a significant increase of 3.18 points. Conclusion: a short education seminar designed for caregivers had a remarkable effect on their vaccination knowledge. Health education on vaccination targeting migrant caregivers, caregivers with lower education level or household income, and employed caregivers are needed in future.
Pattern of Fascicular Involvement in Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy at Ultrasound

Background: The Achilles tendon is composed of fascicles from the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles, which are identifiable as discrete components at anatomical dissection. Hypothesis: The pattern of fascicular involvement in Achilles tendinopathy may be characterized at ultrasound, and this characterization is reliable between different observers. Study Design: Cross-sectional diagnostic study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: One hundred cases of Achilles tendinopathy were retrospectively evaluated by 2 blinded musculoskeletal radiologists. Using a short-axis anatomical map, each case was categorized as involving the fascicular territories of the medial head of gastrocnemius, lateral head of gastrocnemius, soleus, or combinations of these, or as indeterminate. Results: Both radiologists agreed on the fascicular involvement pattern in 93 of 100 cases; 20 involved only medial gastrocnemius territories, 8 lateral gastrocnemius, 15 soleus, 3 medial and lateral gastrocnemius, 21 medial gastrocnemius and soleus, 9 soleus and lateral gastrocnemius, and 16 the entire tendon, and 1 case was classified as indeterminate. In 7 cases, the interpretations were discordant. The kappa value was calculated as 0.92 (95% CI, 0.86-0.98) in keeping with a high level of interobserver agreement. Conclusion: As assessed at ultrasound, most cases of Achilles tendinopathy involve the medial head of gastrocnemius and/or soleus fascicles. Clinical Relevance: The provided observational data will increase understanding of patterns of Achilles tendinopathy.
Isolation and characterization of RNA from low-biomass deep-subsurface sediments

Three methods for the isolation of microbial RNA from low-biomass deep-subsurface sediments have been developed and evaluated. RNA was isolated from samples taken from depths ranging from 173 to 217 m, and samples represented a variety of lithologies, including lacustrine, fluvial sand, and paleosol sediments. Cell numbers in these samples were estimated to be between log 4.0 and log 5.1/g on the basis of phospholipid fatty acid analysis. The most efficient method examined is based on the direct lysis of microbial cells followed by the extraction of RNA with alkaline phosphate buffers and subsequent inactivation of nucleases by extraction with guanidinium isothiocyanate. Estimated recoveries of mRNA for this method are approximately 26%. The recovered RNA included both mRNA and rRNA, as evidenced by the detection of sequences homologous to transcripts from the toluene-4-monooxygenase gene of Pseudomonas mendocina KR1 and bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic rRNA. An unexpectedly high relative concentration of archaeal rRNA (22 to 40%) was observed for these samples.
Laryngeal cancer: how does the radiologist help?

Abstract The radiologist makes a valuable contribution to the staging of laryngeal cancer and this has a direct influence on treatment planning. This review focuses on the main anatomical concepts, patterns of tumour spread and how to detect this with optimal cross sectional imaging. Issues surrounding the relationship of tumour to the ventricular complex, submucosal laryngeal spaces, anteroposterior extension, laryngeal cartilage involvement and metastatic spread are discussed and illustrated. The impact of these imaging findings on the array of therapeutic options is described.
The china price: evidence and some implications

China´s import penetration in Chilean markets is higher in unskilled-labor intensive sectors as predicted by traditional endowment-based theories of comparative advantage. However, there is also evidence of within-industry specialization. In particular, high-income countries receive higher prices for its products, and Chinese products are not only cheaper in comparison to the world average but also relative to countries with similar income per capita. These price differences cannot account for the depth and sectoral distribution of China´s import penetration. The relative price of Chinese products have stayed relatively constant since the beginning of the 1990s, which means that factors other than price, like quality upgrading, productivity growth or the access of foreign direct investment are crucial to explain the Chinese import boom.
Recent Developments of Higher Education in Indonesia: Issues and Challenges

During the last decades, Indonesia has witnessed a rapid expansion in higher education sector. However, a centralized education system had resulted internal inefficiency, poor initiatives-particularly in research and lack of public accountability in many Indonesia universities. Facing these issues, the government of Indonesia launched a new long term vision and reform covering all higher education institutions (both public and private HEIs). This paper, moreover, aims to outline the main characteristics of the higher education sector in Indonesia and reviews major policy developments. The paper will discuss issues and challenges in the development of higher education in Indonesia, particularly in financing of higher education, accessibility, and the development of research capacities. The reform results considerable challenges for HEIs, particularly in financial matters, though it also offers opportunities in the context of independency and autonomy. After a decade of reform, Indonesias universities still seek the best format and practices for facing a challenging future.
Early clinical predictors of intractable epilepsy in childhood.

AIM In this retrospective study, we evaluated the clinical responses to antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy in pediatric epilepsy patients treated at a single center. MATERIALS AND METHODS We identified 28 children with intractable epilepsy and 213 patients with drug-responsive epilepsy. RESULTS Univariate analysis showed that age at onset, high (daily) initial seizure frequency, infantile spasm, history of neonatal seizures, abnormal neurodevelopmental status, neurological abnormalities, mental retardation, remote symptomatic etiology, and abnormal brain imaging results were significant risk factors for the development of intractable epilepsy (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that high (daily) initial seizure frequency and remote symptomatic etiology were significant and independent risk factors for intractable epilepsy (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our study suggests that the risk of developing intractable epilepsy in childhood may be predicted, to some extent, by the early clinical course. Early identification of patients at high risk of developing intractable epilepsy will guide appropriate therapy and reduce exposure to ineffectual treatments.
Risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with open-globe injuries

Purpose The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors that are predictive of poor outcomes in penetrating globe trauma. Patients and methods This retrospective case series evaluated 103 eyes that had been surgically treated for an open-globe injury from 2007 to 2010 at the eye clinic of the University of Virginia. A total of 64 eyes with complete medical records and at least 6 months of follow-up were included in the study. Four risk factors (preoperative best-corrected visual acuity [pre-op BCVA], ocular trauma score [OTS], zone of injury [ZOI], and time lapse [TL] between injury and primary repair) and three outcomes (final BCVA, monthly rate of additional surgeries [MRAS], and enucleation) were identified for analysis. Results Pre-op BCVA was positively associated with MRAS, final BCVA, and enucleation. Calculated OTS was negatively associated with the outcome variables. No association was found between TL and ZOI with the outcome variables. Further, age and predictor variable-adjusted analyses showed pre-op BCVA to be independently positively associated with MRAS (P=0.008) and with final BCVA (P<0.001), while the calculated OTS was independently negatively associated with final BCVA (P<0.001), but not uniquely associated with MRAS (P=0.530). Conclusion Pre-op BCVA and OTS are best correlated with prognosis in open-globe injuries. However, no conventional features reliably predict the outcome of traumatized eyes.
Measurement of the Mass and Rigidity of Adsorbates on a Microcantilever Sensor

When microcantilevers are used in the dynamic mode, the resonance shift upon material adsorption depends on the position of the adsorbate along the microcantilever. We have previously described that the adsorbate stiffness needs to be considered in addition to its mass in order to correctly interpret the resonance shift. Here we describe a method that allows obtaining the Young's modulus of the adsorbed bacteria derived from the measurement of the frequency shift when adsorbates are placed close to the clamping region. As a model system we have used E. Coli bacteria deposited on the cantilever surface by the ink-jet technique. We demonstrate that the correct information about adsorbed mass can be extracted by recording the cantilever profile and its resonance response. Also, the position and extent of adsorbates is determined by recording the microcantilever profile. We use a theoretical model based on the Euler – Bernouilli equation for a beam with both mass and flexural rigidity local increase due to the deposited material.
Encoding of Direction of Fingertip Forces by Human Tactile Afferents

In most manipulations, we use our fingertips to apply time-varying forces to the target object in controlled directions. Here we used microneurography to assess how single tactile afferents encode the direction of fingertip forces at magnitudes, rates, and directions comparable to those arising in everyday manipulations. Using a flat stimulus surface, we applied forces to a standard site on the fingertip while recording impulse activity in 196 tactile afferents with receptive fields distributed over the entire terminal phalanx. Forces were applied in one of five directions: normal force and forces at a 20° angle from the normal in the radial, distal, ulnar, or proximal directions. Nearly all afferents responded, and the responses in most slowly adapting (SA)-I, SA-II, and fast adapting (FA)-I afferents were broadly tuned to a preferred direction of force. Among afferents of each type, the preferred directions were distributed in all angular directions with reference to the stimulation site, but not uniformly. The SA-I population was biased for tangential force components in the distal direction, the SA-II population was biased in the proximal direction, and the FA-I population was biased in the proximal and radial directions. Anisotropic mechanical properties of the fingertip and the spatial relationship between the receptive field center of the afferent and the stimulus site appeared to influence the preferred direction in a manner dependent on afferent type. We conclude that tactile afferents from the whole terminal phalanx potentially contribute to the encoding of direction of fingertip forces similar to those that occur when subjects manipulate objects under natural conditions.
Ontological analysis of business systems analysis techniques: Experiences and proposals for an enhanced methodology

For many years in the area of business systems analysis and design, practitioners and researchers alike have been searching for some comprehensive basis on which to evaluate, compare, and engineer techniques that are promoted for use in the modelling of systems' requirements. To date, while many frameworks, factors, and facets have been forthcoming, most of them appear not to be based on a sound theory. In light of this dilemma, over the last 10 years, attention has been devoted by researchers to the use of ontology to provide some theoretical basis for the advancement of the business systems modelling discipline. While the selected ontologies are reasonably mature, it is the actual process of an ontological analysis that still lacks rigour. The current procedure leaves room for individual interpretations and is one reason for criticism of the entire ontological analysis. This chapter proposes an enhanced procedural model for the ontological analysis based on the use of meta-models, the involvement of more than one coder and metrics. This model is explained with examples from various ontological analyses.
bacterial geometryplane boundary : the influence of Modelling bacterial behaviour close to a no-slip

Supplementary data pa.2009. 0520.DC1. html http://rspa.royalsocietypublishing. org/content/suppl/2010/01/11/rs "Data Supplement" References html#ref-list-1 http://rspa.royalsocietypublishing. org/content/466/2118/1725.full. This article cites 52 articles, 9 of which can be accessed free Subject collections (10 articles) fractals  (66 articles) computational mathematics  (451 articles) biophysics  Articles on similar topics can be found in the following collections
Estimates of Union Density by State

This paper describes the construction of time-consistent national and state-level estimates of union density for the years 1964 through 2000. Two sources of data are combined to produce these estimates, the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly survey of U.S. households, and the discontinued BLS publication Directory of National Unions and Employee Associations, based on data reported by labor unions to the government. The union density measure represents the percentage of nonagricultural wage and salary employees who are union members, including employees in the public sector. A more limited database, available for years since 1977 and based exclusively on the CPS, provides a measure of union coverage density, representing the percentage of nonagricultural wage and salary workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement. The databases will be updated annually and distributed freely via the Internet.
Multiple Sclerosis in Older Adults: The Clinical Profile and Impact of Interferon Beta Treatment

Background. We examined (1) patient characteristics and disease-modifying drug (DMD) exposure in late-onset (LOMS, ≥50 years at symptom onset) versus adult-onset (AOMS, 18–<50 years) MS and (2) the association between interferon-beta (IFNβ) and disability progression in older relapsing-onset MS adults (≥50 years). Methods. This retrospective study (1980–2004, British Columbia, Canada) included 358 LOMS and 5627 AOMS patients. IFNβ-treated relapsing-onset MS patients aged ≥50 (regardless of onset age, 90) were compared with 171 contemporary and 106 historical controls. Times to EDSS 6 from onset and from IFNβ eligibility were examined using survival analyses. Results. LOMS patients (6%) were more likely to be male, with motor onset and a primary-progressive course, and exhibit faster progression and were less likely to take DMDs. Nonetheless, 57% were relapsing-onset, of which 31% were prescribed DMDs, most commonly IFNβ. Among older relapsing-onset MS adults, no significant association between IFNβ exposure and disability progression was found when either the contemporary (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.18–1.22) or historical controls (HR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.20–1.42) were considered. Conclusion. LOMS differed clinically from AOMS. One-third of older relapsing-onset MS patients were prescribed a DMD. IFNβ exposure was not significantly associated with reduced disability in older MS patients.