Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intergroup Perception in the Social Context: The Effects of Social Status and Group Membership on Perceived Out-group Homogeneity and Ethnocentrism

This article examines the impact of social status on two well-known effects in intergroup perception, the out-group homogeneity effect and the ethnocentrism effect. Researchers have recently argued that these effects are asymmetrical and depend on the social status of the participants. However, this conclusion is based on studies that included only two participant groups and two target groups. We argue that conclusions about asymmetries in intergroup perception cannot be drawn from studies conforming to such a design. A new study involving four groups was therefore conducted to examine the relation between intergroup perception and social status. Members of two high-social-status groups (doctors and lawyers) and two low-social-status groups (hairdressers and waiters) participated. Both out-group homogeneity and ethnocentrism were assessed. Comparison of the effect sizes for the Participant Group 3 Target Group interactions constituted the test of asymmetry. The classic (symmetric) view accounted well for differences in perceived variability: all groups showed the out-group homogeneity bias. Ethnocentrism also appeared to be a symmetrical effect, though it was somewhat more pronounced for low-status groups. The dominant finding in the current literature, namely that out-group homogeneity and ethnocentrism are more pronounced for high-status groups, received no support. © 2001 Academic Press
EFFECTS OF NARROW READING AND LISTENING ON L2 VOCABULARY LEARNING

Abstract Sixty target words were selected from two sets of graded readers. One set contained three readers with the same title, The Railway Children, and the other set, three books about Sherlock Holmes. Students chose one of the two sets to read and were given a pretest, an immediate posttest, and a five-week delayed posttest on their acquisition of spelling, aural meaning, written meaning, and use. Five fixed factors (time, frequency of word occurrence, glossing, word frequency levels, and four dimensions of vocabulary knowledge) in vocabulary learning and a random variable (the participants) were analyzed with generalized linear mixed models. The results show that the odds of improvements in the knowledge of written and aural meanings were significantly better than those for the knowledge of spelling and use. Significant interaction effects were found between time and other fixed factors, except for glossing. Pedagogical implications of the results are discussed.
Object Recognition in Highly Structured Surroundings by Structural Inference

Object recognition in highly structured surroundings is a challenging task, because the appearance of target objects changes due to ﬂuctuations in their surroundings. This makes the problem highly context dependent. Due to the lack of knowledge about the target class, we also encounter a difﬁculty delimiting the non-target class. Hence, objects can neither be recognized by their similarity to prototypes of the target class, nor by their similarity to the non-target class. We solve this problem by introducing a transformation that will eliminate the objects from the structured surroundings. Now, the dissimilarity between an object and its surrounding (non-target class) is inferred from the difference between the local image before and after transformation. This forms the basis of the detection and classiﬁcation of polyps in computed tomography colonography. 95% of the polyps are detected at the expense of four false positives per scan.
An efficient and unbiased method for sensitivity analysis of stochastic reaction networks

We consider the problem of estimating parameter sensitivity for Markovian models of reaction networks. Sensitivity values measure the responsiveness of an output with respect to the model parameters. They help in analysing the network, understanding its robustness properties and identifying the important reactions for a specific output. Sensitivity values are commonly estimated using methods that perform finite-difference computations along with Monte Carlo simulations of the reaction dynamics. These methods are computationally efficient and easy to implement, but they produce a biased estimate which can be unreliable for certain applications. Moreover, the size of the bias is generally unknown and hence the accuracy of these methods cannot be easily determined. There also exist unbiased schemes for sensitivity estimation but these schemes can be computationally infeasible, even for very simple networks. Our goal in this paper is to present a new method for sensitivity estimation, which combines the computational efficiency of finite-difference methods with the accuracy of unbiased schemes. Our method is easy to implement and it relies on an exact representation of parameter sensitivity that we recently proved elsewhere. Through examples, we demonstrate that the proposed method can outperform the existing methods, both biased and unbiased, in many situations.
Pest Rodent Species Composition, Level of Damage and Mechanism of control in Eastern Ethiopia

The assessment on the current information on the species composition of pest rodents and the local communities' perception on their pest status was carried out in Dire Dawa Administration from March 2010 to September 2011. Stratified and multistage random sampling techniques were used to sample representative villages (urban and rural) and respondents (n=150). Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through trapping, observation, questionnaire and interview. The collected data were tabulated and organized and appropriate statistical analysis like frequency distribution, percentage and chi-square test were used. For the survey of species composition and relative abundance of pest rodents Sherman live-traps and snap traps were set in the selected standardized and variable trapping grids. Five hundred and nine new individual rodents were captured from the trap nights of 986 Sherman live-traps and 130 snap traps. Twelve species of pest rodents were recorded of which eight were trapped and the four were observed in the study grids. The present result revealed as rodents were the most noxious pests causing substantial damage to agricultural crops, household items and human health through different mechanisms like feeding, discomforting, contaminating and mechanical damage and disease transmission. Techniques like using cat, hunting and trapping, rodenticides and field sanitations were frequently used. The present records of high pest rodent species composition not only indicate as the area is highly infested but it also indicates the existence of a high stock of rodent species diversity that requires an immediate development and application of ecological based rodent pest management strategy.
Fulfilling the promise of mental health technology to reduce public health disparities: Review and research agenda

Despite significant advances in the testing and proliferation of effective mental health interventions, more than half of those with mental health disorders do not receive treatment (Han, Hedden, Lipari, Copello, & Kroutil, 2015). Low service access is compounded by substantial disparities for many racial/ ethnic minority groups, low SES populations, and rural individuals (Priester et al., 2016). In response, investigators have developed several technological innovations to reduce many of these barriers and, in turn, reduce access disparities. Typically, they focus on three broad categories of barriers: (a) cost of services, (b) ease of access (e.g., time or travel), and, to a somewhat lesser extent, (c) stigma. Each barrier has been routinely demonstrated to impede access to care and disparately reduce service utilization for underserved populations (Andrade et al., 2014; Gee, Ryan, Laflamme, & Holt, 2006; Manseau & Case, 2013). Broadly speaking, these tools are not widely used in clinical practice and research has yet to systematically examine their ability to reduce access disparities. The purpose of this article was to provide a framework for advancing research on the effectiveness of technology tools to reduce mental health service disparities for rural, low SES, and racial/ethnic minority populations. To this end, the article will (a) describe various technology tools with potential for reducing disparities in mental health access; (b) delineate the mechanisms by which these tools may address service utilization barriers; (c) review emerging data supporting their use in expanding access to effective care; and (d) propose dissemination and implementation research strategies that rigorously assess whether technology tools expand access and by what mechanisms.
Mating and Parental Care in Lake Tanganyika's Cichlids

Cichlid fishes of Lake Tanganyika display a variety of mating and parental care behaviors, including polygamous and monogamous mouthbrooding and substrate breeding, cooperative breeding, as well as various alternative reproductive tactics such as sneaking and piracy. Moreover, reproductive behaviors sometimes vary within species both in space and in time. Here, I survey reports on mating and parenting behaviors of Lake Tanganyika cichlid species and address the evolution of mating and parental care patterns and sexual dimorphism. Notes on measures of sexual selection intensity and the difficulties of defining mating systems and estimating selection intensities at species level conclude the essay.
Facial Expression 1 Running head: DYNAMICS OF FACIAL EXPRESSION OF EMOTION Dynamics of Facial Expression Influence Observer Judgments of Intensity of Emotion

How do the dynamics of motion in facial expressions influence the intensity of affect attributed by an observer? Ratings of happiness for videotaped smiles were compared with ratings of still photos excerpted from the same stimuli. About 30 participants per stimulus (124 total) rated intensity of emotion using a scale from 1 to 5 (“not at all happy” to “extremely happy”). Twotailed ANOVA showed significantly higher happiness ratings for still stimuli (M = 4.17, SD = .647) compared to moving stimuli (M = 3.85, SD = .743), F(1, 245) = 12.69, p = . 00 for two posers. Significantly higher ratings for still photos occurred at varying video segment lengths, as confirmed by contrast analysis, t(239) = 3.74, p = . 00. Because facial expression dynamics clearly influence affect intensity judgments, responses to dynamic stimuli may be more complex and thus more difficult to interpret than still photos. Possible models of attribution are discussed.
The Use of Propofol as a Sedative Agent in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Meta-Analysis

Objectives To assess the efficacy and safety of propofol sedation for gastrointestinal endoscopy, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing propofol with traditional sedative agents. Methods RCTs comparing the effects of propofol and traditional sedative agents during gastrointestinal endoscopy were found on MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and EMBASE. Cardiopulmonary complications (i.e., hypoxia, hypotension, arrhythmia, and apnea) and sedation profiles were assessed. Results Twenty-two original RCTs investigating a total of 1,798 patients, of whom 912 received propofol only and 886 received traditional sedative agents only, met the inclusion criteria. Propofol use was associated with shorter recovery (13 studies, 1,165 patients; WMD –19.75; 95% CI –27.65, 11.86) and discharge times (seven studies, 471 patients; WMD –29.48; 95% CI –44.13, –14.83), higher post-anesthesia recovery scores (four studies, 503 patients; WMD 2.03; 95% CI 1.59, 2.46), better sedation (nine studies, 592 patients; OR 4.78; 95% CI 2.56, 8.93), and greater patient cooperation (six studies, 709 patients; WMD 1.27; 95% CI 0.53, 2.02), as well as more local pain on injection (six studies, 547 patients; OR 10.19; 95% CI 3.93, 26.39). Effects of propofol on cardiopulmonary complications, procedure duration, amnesia, pain during endoscopy, and patient satisfaction were not found to be significantly different from those of traditional sedative agents. Conclusions Propofol is safe and effective for gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures and is associated with shorter recovery and discharge periods, higher post-anesthesia recovery scores, better sedation, and greater patient cooperation than traditional sedation, without an increase in cardiopulmonary complications. Care should be taken when extrapolating our results to specific practice settings and high-risk patient subgroups.
Ficolin‐1 is present in a highly mobilizable subset of human neutrophil granules and associates with the cell surface after stimulation with fMLP

Ficolins are soluble molecules that bind carbohydrate present on the surface of microorganisms and function as recognition molecules in the lectin complement pathway. Three ficolins have been identified in humans: ficolin‐1, ficolin‐2, and ficolin‐3. Ficolin‐1 is synthesized in monocytes and type II alveolar epithelial cells. Ficolin‐1 has been shown to be present in secretory granules of human neutrophils, but it is not known which subset of the neutrophils’ secretory granules harbors ficolin‐1. To determine the exact subcellular localization of ficolin‐1 in neutrophils, recombinant ficolin‐1 was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and used for generation of polyclonal antibodies. This allowed detection of ficolin‐1 in subcellular fractions of human neutrophils by ELISA, by Western blotting, and by immunohistochemistry. Real‐time PCR examination of normal human bone marrow showed FCN1 gene expression largely in myelocytes, metamyelocytes, and band cells with a profile quite similar to that of gelatinase. In accordance with this, biosynthesis studies of neutrophils precursor cells showed that ficolin‐1 was primarily synthesized in myelocytes, metamyelocytes, and band cells. Immunohistochemistry and subcellular fractionation demonstrated that ficolin‐1 is primarily localized in gelatinase granules but also in highly exocytosable gelatinase‐poor granules, not described previously. Ficolin‐1 is released from neutrophil granules by stimulation with fMLP or PMA, and the majority becomes associated with the surface membrane of the cells and can be detected by flow cytometry. Our studies show that neutrophils are a major source of ficolin‐1, which can be readily exocytosed by stimulation.
Generalization Error of Combined Classifiers

Abstract We derive an upper bound on the generalization error of classifiers which can be represented as thresholded convex combinations of thresholded convex combinations of functions. Such classifiers include single hidden-layer threshold networks and voted combinations of decision trees (such as those produced by boosting algorithms). The derived bound depends on the proportion of training examples with margin less than some threshold and the average complexity of the combined functions (where the average is over the weights assigned to each function in the convex combination). The complexity of the individual functions in the combination depends on their closeness to threshold. By representing a decision tree as a thresholded convex combination of weighted leaf functions, we apply this result to bound the generalization error of combinations of decision trees. Previous bounds depend on the margin of the combined classifier and the average complexity of the decision trees in the combination, where the complexity of each decision tree depends on the total number of leaves. Our bound also depends on the margin of the combined classifier and the average complexity of the decision trees, but our measure of complexity for an individual decision tree is based on the distribution of training examples over leaves and can be significantly smaller than the total number of leaves.
Differences between determinants of in-hospital mortality and hospitalisation costs for patients with acute heart failure: a nationwide observational study from Japan

Objectives Although current case-mix classifications in prospective payment systems were developed to estimate patient resource usage, whether these classifications reflect clinical outcomes remains unknown. The efficient management of acute heart failure (AHF) with high mortality is becoming more important in many countries as its prevalence and associated costs are rapidly increasing. Here, we investigate the determinants of in-hospital mortality and hospitalisation costs to clarify the impact of severity factors on these outcomes in patients with AHF, and examine the level of agreement between the predicted values of mortality and costs. Design Cross-sectional observational study. Setting and participants A total of 19 926 patients with AHF from 261 acute care hospitals in Japan were analysed using administrative claims data. Main outcome measures Multivariable logistic regression analysis and linear regression analysis were performed to examine the determinants of in-hospital mortality and hospitalisation costs, respectively. The independent variables were grouped into patient condition on admission, postadmission procedures indicating disease severity (eg, intra-aortic balloon pumping) and other high-cost procedures (eg, single-photon emission CT). These groups of independent variables were cumulatively added to the models, and their effects on the models' abilities to predict the respective outcomes were examined. The level of agreement between the quartiles of predicted mortality and predicted costs was analysed using Cohen's κ coefficient. Results In-hospital mortality was associated with patient's condition on admission and severity-indicating procedures (C-statistics 0.870), whereas hospitalisation costs were associated with severity-indicating procedures and high-cost procedures (R2 0.32). There were substantial differences in determinants between the outcomes. In addition, there was no consistent relationship observed (κ=0.016, p<0.0001) between the quartiles of in-hospital mortality and hospitalisation costs. Conclusions The determinants of mortality and costs for hospitalised patients with AHF were generally different. Our results indicate that the same case-mix classifications should not be used to predict both these outcomes.
Biological effects of magnetic fields

The use of devices generating high magnetic fields in industrial processes, energy production and storage, medical diagnostics, new transport vehicles and large scale research facilities is expected to expand significantly in the near future. Scientific and public interest has focused recently on the biological effects and the potential health risks associated with the exposure to magnetic fields. Over the last twenty years several laboratory studies and epidemiological surveys have been carried out in this field but no definite conclusions concerning the related risks for personnel or general public have been drawn. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of these investigations together with an analysis of the well-established effects of the interaction between static or ELF magnetic fields and living matter. The international guidelines and standards for exposure to magnetic fields are also reported and discussed.
ESL Writers Discuss Plagiarism: The Social Construction of Ideologies

This paper has evolved out of six years of continuous research into issues of plagiarism among ESL writers. The current study explores group discussions among ESL students and teachers, demonstrating that, through interaction with more experienced peers and instructors, students can negotiate and co-construct their notions of plagiarism by working in their zones of proximal development (Vygotsky 1978). We conclude that such socially situated discourse is necessary for students to grasp and reach generally agreed-upon definitions of, and beliefs and attitudes toward, such complex academic issues as plagiarism.
PTS Peak Power Reduction of OFDM Signals with Low Complexity IFFTs

Partial transmit sequence (PTS) is a distortionless technique used to reduce the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal. However, it has a relatively high computational complexity due to the computation of multiple inverse fast Fourier transforms (IFFTs). We reduce this complexity by using a radix FFT that computes multiple IFFTs with low computational complexity. Signals at the middle stages of an N-point radix-r FFT using decimation in frequency (DIF) are employed for PTS subblocking. Performance results are presented which show that PAPR reduction similar to other techniques such as ordinary PTS (O-PTS) is achieved.
Modeling and Simulation of Reconfigurable Processors in Grid Networks

Traditional grid networks employ general purpose processors (GPPs) as their main processing elements. Incorporating reconfigurable processing elements in such networks can be a promising technology to increase their performance and flexibility. Many grid networks, such as Tera Grid, are already utilizing reconfigurable hardware resource as a processing element. In this paper, we propose queuing models for grid networks that incorporate the following processing elements: a GPP, a reconfigurable element (RE), and a hybrid element (combining a GPP with an RE). The proposed models are validated by taking average response time of these models as validation metric. The comparison of experimental (simulation) and analytical results suggest that the total average error is less than 3.5%.
HoxA9 regulated Bcl-2 expression mediates survival of myeloid progenitors and the severity of HoxA9-dependent leukemia

Deregulated expression of Hox genes such as HoxA9 is associated with development of myeloproliferative disorders and leukemia and indicates a poor prognosis. To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which HoxA9 promotes immortalization of hematopoietic cells, we generated growth factor dependent myeloid cells in which HoxA9 expression is regulated by administration of 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen. Maintenance of HoxA9 overexpression is required for continued cell survival and proliferation, even in the presence of growth factors. We show for the first time that maintenance of Bcl-2 expression is critical for HoxA9-dependent immortalization and influences the latency of HoxA9-dependent leukemia. Hematopoietic cells lacking Bcl-2 were not immortalized by HoxA9 in vitro. Furthermore, deletion of Bcl-2 delayed the onset and reduced the severity of HoxA9/Meis1 and MLL-AF9 leukemias. This is the first description of a molecular link between HoxA9 and the regulation of Bcl-2 family members in acute myeloid leukemia.