Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lessons learned from participatory discrimination research: Long-term observations and local interventions

In this paper, we argue that racism and discrimination research has not used enough participatory and intensive methods. We argue that the commonly used cross-sectional methods have led to an emphasis on both abstract and generalizable theories and also on interventions that stress verbal increases in ‘cultural awareness’ and the like. Drawing on our long-term research with a refugee community, we present examples of subtle and everyday discriminations that would not be documented using questionnaires or even interview methodologies. We draw on examples from minority discrimination, religious discrimination, everyday discrimination, and discrimination in bureaucracies, with some of the finer contextual analyses provided for the last of these. The implications for designing interventions are briefly examined.
Music in conflict management – a multicultural approach

In 1989 the Norwegian Concert Agency (NorConcert) initiated a three-year programme of introducing multicultural music teaching in Norwegian primary schools. Eighteen schools in and around the capital took part in a research project to determine the effects of immigrant musicians introducing the music of their countries of origin to fourth-graders. Remarkable results were found, especially with respect to reduced harassment and ethnic tension. multicultural music is now regularly on the school concert agenda. A total of 3000 such concerts have been presented to an audience of more than a quarter of the total school population in Norway.
An assessment of mumps vaccine effectiveness by dose during an outbreak in Canada

Background This investigation was done to assess vaccine effectiveness of one and two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine during an outbreak of mumps in Ontario. The level of coverage required to reach herd immunity and interrupt community transmission of mumps was also estimated. Methods Information on confirmed cases of mumps was retrieved from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System. Cases that occurred between Sept. 1, 2009, and June 10, 2010, were included. Selected health units supplied coverage data from the Ontario Immunization Record Information System. Vaccine effectiveness by dose was calculated using the screening method. The basic reproductive number (R0) represents the average number of new infections per case in a fully susceptile population, and R0 values of between 4 and 10 were considered for varying levels of vaccine effectiveness. Results A total of 134 confirmed cases of mumps were identified. Information on receipt of MMR vaccine was available for 114 (85.1%) cases, of whom 63 (55.3%) reported having received only one dose of vaccine; 32 (28.1%) reported having received two doses. Vaccine effectiveness of one dose of the MMR vaccine ranged from 49.2% to 81.6%, whereas vaccine effectiveness of two doses ranged from 66.3% to 88.0%. If we assume vaccine effectiveness of 85% for two doses of the vaccine, vaccine coverage of 88.2% and 98.0% would be needed to interrupt community transmission of mumps if the corresponding reproductive values were four and six. Interpretation Our estimates of vaccine effectiveness of one and two doses of mumps-containing vaccine were consistent with the estimates that have been reported in other outbreaks. Outbreaks occurring in Ontario and elsewhere serve as a warning against complacency over vaccination programs.
Molecular Epidemiology of Norovirus Infections in Stockholm, Sweden, during the Years 2000 to 2003: Association of the GGIIb Genetic Cluster with Infection in Children

ABSTRACT The incidence of norovirus-associated gastroenteritis and the molecular epidemiology of norovirus strains were studied during three seasons (2000-2001, 2001-2002, and 2002-2003) among patients of all ages, mainly from the Stockholm region in Sweden. A total of 3,252 fecal samples were analyzed by reverse transcription-PCR. The incidences of norovirus infection among adults were 23, 26, and 30% during the three seasons studied and 18, 11, and 15% among children 0 to 15 years of age. During the first season, all norovirus strains detected by PCR were typed either by reverse line blot hybridization or nucleotide sequence analysis. During the two successive seasons, a total of 60 norovirus-positive strains from the beginning, peak, and end of the seasons were selected for nucleotide sequence analysis. We identified two dominant norovirus variants over the seasons: a new norovirus variant, recently described as the GGIIb genetic cluster, dominated among children during the first season, and during the following two seasons, a GGII-4 variant dominated. Our data suggest that norovirus infections are common, not only among adults, but also among children, and that some strains may predominantly affect children.
Debye screening in strongly coupled Script N = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills plasma

Using the AdS/CFT correspondence, we examine the behavior of correlators of Polyakov loops and other operators in = 4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory at non-zero temperature. The implications for Debye screening in this strongly coupled non-Abelian plasma, and comparisons with available results for thermal QCD, are discussed.
How supervisors communicatively convey immediacy to subordinates: An exploratory qualitative investigation

This study examined supervisory communication patterns used to indicate immediacy towards subordinates. Data was qualitatively obtained from MBA students who participated in focus group interview sessions. Verbatim responses were coded revealing eleven immediacy categories. The categories were as follows: verbal/ nonverbal attentiveness (opposite), confidence in subordinate ability (opposite), values subordinate input on job and/or personal matters (opposite), personal interest in the subordinate, verbal appreciation for commendable work, willingness to assist subordinates, puts down the subordinate, and verbal/nonverbal control of communication environment. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are offered.
The locus of facilitation in the abstract selection task

Abstract Platt and Griggs (1993) reported substantial facilitation in a version of the abstract selection task in which subjects checked whether or not an explicit rule had been violated and gave reasons for their selections. This result provides an opportunity to test the domain-general view of mental model theory which predicts a specific locus for their result. In the present study, subjects were required to (a) envisage the counter-example to the rule; (b) identify the card or cards that could contain it, before; (c) selecting the card or cards they needed. As expected, the experiment showed substantial facilitation in the critical condition. According to the theory of mental models, enhanced performance should derive from the explicit mental representation of what is impossible (or impermissible) given the rule. This representation should lead individuals to identify the two cards and only those two cards that could reveal exceptions or violations to the rule. Consistent with the theory, more individ.
The Integration of Task-set Components Into Cognitive Task Representations

The present study examined the cognitive representation of tasks ("task sets") using the task-switching paradigm. To do so, we manipulated the task-set components "judgment" (i. e., stimulus categories) and "response modality" orthogonally in two-componential switching experiments. In Experiment 1, we additionally manipulated the type of cues, whereas we manipulated the cue-stimulus interval (CSI) in Experiments 2 and 3. We found that the two task-set components were not represented independently but interacted. Furthermore, preparation was substantially better when both task-set components were cued simultaneously with a long CSI than when only one task-set component could be prepared. Therefore, we suppose that both task-set components were integrated into a single task representation and that task-set integration is necessary prior to response selection. Thus, even components that have been classified as motor-related so far (e. g., the response modality) need to be specified and integrated into a task representation before the selection of a response.
Students’ Expressed Academic Concern, Learning Outcomes, and Communication Motives

There were two purposes of this study. First, this study sought to examine the extent to which students’ expressed academic performance concern to their instructors is associated with the students’ learning outcomes (i.e., affective learning, cognitive learning, and use of learning indicators) and to students’ motives (i.e., relational, functional, excuse-making, participatory, and sycophantic) for communicating with their instructors. Second, this study sought to determine if students’ expressed academic performance concern is a unique reason (i.e., motive) why students communicate with their instructors. Undergraduate students (N = 365) completed a series of self-report measures. The results of Pearson correlations indicated that students’ expressed academic performance concern is related positively to their learning outcomes and motives for communicating with their instructors. Furthermore, an exploratory factor analysis revealed that students’ expressed academic performance concern is a unique motive for why they communicate with their instructors. These findings coupled with a confirmatory factor analysis also establish concurrent, discriminant, and factorial validity of the newly developed Academic Concern Scale used in this study.
Understanding unethical behavior by unraveling ethical culture

Unethical behavior in the workplace is a widespread phenomenon. In this article a model for the ethical culture of organizations that consists of eight dimensions is employed to explain unethical behavior. The sample was composed of 341 triads consisting of a manager and two direct reports. The results show that six dimensions of ethical culture were negatively related to observed unethical behavior: ethical role modeling of management, ethical role modeling of supervisors, capability to behave ethically, commitment to behave ethically, openness to discuss ethical issues, and reinforcement of ethical behavior. Two of the eight dimensions, clarity of ethical standards and visibility of (un)ethical behavior, were not significantly related to unethical behavior. This study demonstrates that multiple dimensions of ethical culture have to be taken into account to reduce unethical behavior. The study opens up avenues for future research about the significance of each dimension in specific settings, the dynamic relationship between these dimensions, and the instruments required to improve each dimension of ethical culture.
The Portrayal of Older Americans in Television Commercials

Abstract A content analysis of 814 advertisements from three major television networks was conducted to assess the representation and role portrayal of senior citizens in television advertising. While 12 percent of the current U.S. population is over 65 years of age, only seven percent of the advertisements containing people utilized elderly characters. In the majority of commercials, the elderly are not typically cast in major roles, but instead appear most often in home settings with members of other age groups present. In those advertisements where older persons are portrayed as major role advisors about a product or service, the advisor is likely to be male.
Sexual differentiation of germ cell deficient gonads in the medaka, Oryzias latipes.

To determine whether germ cells perform any function in gonadal sexual differentiation, development of gonads in the medaka, Oryzias latipes, after exposure to busulfan was investigated. Busulfan suppressed proliferation of early germ cells, thus significantly reducing the number of germ cells and generating regions without germ cells in the developing gonads. Globular structures were observed in the parenchyma in these regions. The structure was male specific, developed at the same time as acinus (seminiferous tubule precursor), surrounded by the basal lamina, and contained characteristic desmosomes. These results strongly suggest that these globular structures are the precursors of seminiferous tubules devoid of germ cells. In the ovary, no follicles were observed but a well-developed ovarian cavity was evident. From these results we conclude that differentiation of gonadal parenchyma cells, except for follicular ones, is not germ cell dependent, though morphological differentiation of the somatic cells seems to follow the differentiation of germ cells.
Role of volume depletion in the glycerol model of acute renal failure.

Previous studies have demonstrated significant volume depletion early in the course of glycerol-induced acute renal failure. In addition, it has been shown that acute volume expansion within 6 h of glycerol administration reverses the fall in inulin clearance but volume expansion 12-24 h after glycerol fails to restore that parameter to normal. The current studies were performed to determine whether chronic volume expansion would prevent the fall in inulin clearance normally observed 18-20 h after the insult. Inulin clearance was therefore compared 18-20 h after glycerol in hydropenic rats and in rats undergoing chronic volume expansion by the constant infusion of Ringer solution at a rate of 5 ml/h initiated at the time of the glycerol injection. Inulin clearance was well maintained in the latter group, averaging 1.77 compared with 0.22 ml/min in the hydropenic group. Renal histology revealed no difference in the degree of tubular necrosis between groups but did show a marked decrease in cast formation in the animals undergoing chronic volume expansion. To determine the possible significance of these casts, micropuncture studies were carried out to measure proximal tubular pressures. Under hydropenic conditions these pressures were not different control animals and rats receiving glycerol when studied 18-20 h after glycerol. Following acute volume expansion, however, glycerol-treated rats demonstrated significantly higher pressures than control rats. On the other hand, proximal tubular pressures were comparable in glycerol-treated and control animals receiving the chronic volume expansion. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
London voices, 1957–2007

The book London Voices London Lives: Notes from a Working Capital, published in summer 2007, has two affinities: written by Michael Young’s successor at the Institute of Community Studies, it appeared almost exactly fifty years after Family and Kinship in East London, and it presents the edited raw material of the interviews used in writing the book Working Capital, published in 2002. This paper, based on the 2007 Michael Young Lecture, contains reflections on the use of interview material as sociological evidence, and presents some major themes of the new book. The old working‐class communities based on strong kinship ties, a central theme of Family and Kinship, still survive but are under siege as children enter the middle class and leave London, and as their places are taken by immigrants and gentrifiers. In consequence, they are among the few relatively unhappy places in early 21st‐century London.
Pronunciation variation analysis with respect to various linguistic levels and contextual conditions for Mandarin Chinese

Chinese language has quite different characteristic structures from those of English. There are at least word, character, syllable, Initial-Final levels in Chinese, each carrying different levels of information with complicated correlations among them. In this paper, we investigate the dependency of pronunciation variation in conversational Mandarin speech on these different levels under various contextual conditions considering the structural features of the language. The influence of speaking rate and word frequency on such pronunciation variation is also analyzed. Different pruning methods, for including pronunciation variation in speech recognition were also evaluated, and the experimental results showed that improved accuracy is obtainable if the characteristics of the pronunciation variation found in the analysis can be properly taken into account. All discussions here are based on tests with the LDC Mandarin Call Home corpus.
Protein kinase C signaling and cell cycle regulation

A link between T cell proliferation and the protein kinase C (PKC) family of serine/threonine kinases has been recognized for about 30 years. However, despite the wealth of information on PKC-mediated control of, T cell activation, understanding of the effects of PKCs on the cell cycle machinery in this cell type remains limited. Studies in other systems have revealed important cell cycle-specific effects of PKC signaling that can either positively or negatively impact proliferation. The outcome of PKC activation is highly context-dependent, with the precise cell cycle target(s) and overall effects determined by the specific isozyme involved, the timing of PKC activation, the cell type, and the signaling environment. Although PKCs can regulate all stages of the cell cycle, they appear to predominantly affect G0/G1 and G2. PKCs can modulate multiple cell cycle regulatory molecules, including cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks), cdk inhibitors and cdc25 phosphatases; however, evidence points to Cip/Kip cdk inhibitors and D-type cyclins as key mediators of PKC-regulated cell cycle-specific effects. Several PKC isozymes can target Cip/Kip proteins to control G0/G1 → S and/or G2 → M transit, while effects on D-type cyclins regulate entry into and progression through G1. Analysis of PKC signaling in T cells has largely focused on its roles in T cell activation; thus, observed cell cycle effects are mainly positive. A prominent role is emerging for PKCθ, with non-redundant functions of other isozymes also described. Additional evidence points to PKCδ as a negative regulator of the cell cycle in these cells. As in other cell types, context-dependent effects of individual isozymes have been noted in T cells, and Cip/Kip cdk inhibitors and D-type cyclins appear to be major PKC targets. Future studies are anticipated to take advantage of the similarities between these various systems to enhance understanding of PKC-mediated cell cycle regulation in T cells.
Allosteric Communication in Myosin V: From Small Conformational Changes to Large Directed Movements

The rigor to post-rigor transition in myosin, a consequence of ATP binding, plays an essential role in the Lymn–Taylor functional cycle because it results in the dissociation of the actomyosin complex after the powerstroke. On the basis of the X-ray structures of myosin V, we have developed a new normal mode superposition model for the transition path between the two states. Rigid-body motions of the various subdomains and specific residues at the subdomain interfaces are key elements in the transition. The allosteric communication between the nucleotide binding site and the U50/L50 cleft is shown to result from local changes due to ATP binding, which induce large amplitude motions that are encoded in the structure of the protein. The triggering event is the change in the interaction of switch I and the P-loop, which is stabilized by ATP binding. The motion of switch I, which is a relatively rigid element of the U50 subdomain, leads directly to a partial opening of the U50/L50 cleft; the latter is expected to weaken the binding of myosin to actin. The calculated transition path demonstrates the nature of the subdomain coupling and offers an explanation for the mutual exclusion of ATP and actin binding. The mechanism of the uncoupling of the converter from the motor head, an essential part of the transition, is elucidated. The origin of the partial untwisting of the central β-sheet in the rigor to post-rigor transition is described.
Effects of omega 3 fatty acids supplementation in behavior and non-neurodegenerative neuropsychiatric disorders

This work provides a systematic review of all published randomised, controlled clinical trials (RCT) investigating the effects of n-3 PUFA intake on the prevention and treatment of non-neurodegenerative neuropsychiatric disorders. Five databases (PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS, CINAHL and The Cochrane Database) were searched for RCT in this area published up to April 2011. The selected studies all involved human participants and included a comparison group. Thirty eight studies were identified, which examined the influence of n-3 PUFA supplementation on the prevention/treatment of depression (non-perinatal) (n 23), perinatal depression (n 6) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n 9). Great heterogeneity was noticed in terms of study design, the doses of n-3 PUFA administered, and study duration. Some benefit was noted with respect to the treatment of hyperactivity and depression in over half the examined studies, although the evidence was not conclusive. For any firm conclusions to be drawn, further studies will be needed that take into account the initial n-3 PUFA status of the subjects. Excessive n-3 PUFA intakes might be associated with a greater risk of peroxidation events and therefore neuropsychiatric deterioration. Indeed, some studies only recorded benefits when lower doses were administered. It is therefore important that the dose required to achieve any potential benefit be determined.
Translocality: Concepts, Applications and Emerging Research Perspectives

The employment of translocality as a research perspective is currently gaining momentum. A growing number of scholars from different research traditions concerned with the dynamics of mobility, migration and socio-spatial interconnectedness have developed conceptual approaches to the term. They usually build on insights from transnationalism while attempting to overcome some of the limitations of this long-established research perspective. As such, translocality is used to describe socio-spatial dynamics and processes of simultaneity and identity formation that transcend boundaries—including, but also extending beyond, those of nation states. In this review, we trace the emergence of the idea of translocality and summarise the characteristics that different authors associate with the term. We elucidate the underlying notions of mobility and place and sketch out fields of research where the concept has been employed. On the basis of our findings, we conclude by proposing key areas where a translocal approach has the potential to generate fruitful insights. © 2012 The Author. Geography Compass © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Extraction of crisp logical rules using constrained backpropagation networks

Two recently developed methods for extraction of crisp logical rules from neural networks trained with backpropagation algorithm are compared. Both methods impose constraints on the structure of the network by adding regularization terms to the error function. Networks with minimal number of connections are created, leading to a small number of crisp logical rules. The two methods are compared on the Iris and mushroom classification problems, generating the simplest logical description of this data published so far.