Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cross-National Gender Differences in Mathematics Achievement, Attitude, and Self-Efficacy within a Common Intrinsic Structure

Because of a marked increase in the Canadian immigrant and refugee population in recent years, school psychologists today are frequently called upon to make recommendations concerning the learning needs of students from many diverse backgrounds and cultures. The purpose of this study was to examine possible gender as well as cultural differences in mathematics attitude, achievement, and self-efficacy between Canadian high school students and English-speaking high school students from a northern city in India. Although the participants, tested in their home countries, were administered the same battery of measures, the findings revealed, among other things, significant multivariate and corresponding univariate country, gender, and country x gender interaction effects. The importance of these findings for the practice of school psychology is discussed.
Protocolo para Observação do Desenvolvimento Cognitivo e de Linguagem Expressiva - versão revisada (PODCLE-r): proposta de complementação

PURPOSE: Proposition of complementation for the Protocol for Expressive Language and Cognitive Development Observation (PELCDO) by the inclusion of two tables that allow the analysis of child's productions and behaviors diversity, and one table with the synthesis of productions concerning expressive language, arranged in groups. METHODS: For the systematization of such complementation, the most important indicators of expressive language and cognitive development that allow diversified answers were selected. Thus, based on the complexity of the behaviors and productions observed in young children, a scale of values and statistical weights was developed. The Protocol, in its revised version, was administered in different populations aiming to verify its applicability and to raise possible doubts or difficulties that may be noticed during its administration or data analysis. Judges were used for both selection of the indicators of expressive language and cognitive development and data analysis. RESULTS: The Protocol for Expressive Language and Cognition Development Observation - revised version (PELCDO-r) is composed by seven tables, comprising the indicators of expressive language and cognitive development during sensorimotor and beginning of pre-operational periods, and it allows two forms of analysis: macro and micro. CONCLUSION: The PELCDO-r permits the enhancement of child development observation concerning expressive language and cognition, considering not only the presence or absence of some indicator of development, but also the diversity and quality of child's behaviors and productions.
Chromatographic evaluation and anthelmintic activity of Eucalyptus globulus oil

In world Helminthes infections are the most widespread of all the infections in humans. The morbidity due to parasitic diseases has been increasing in our population. The gastrointestinal helminthes become resistant to the currently available anthelmintic drugs. Anthelmintic substances having considerable toxicity to human beings are present in foods derived from livestock, posing a serious threat to human health. Due to this, there is a need to derive new chemical substances from natural sources, for helminthes control. In this study, volatile oil isolated from Eucalyptus globulus Labill was evaluated for its anthelmintic activity on adult Indian earthworms, Pheretima posthuma, which have anatomical and physiological resemblance with the intestinal roundworm parasites of human beings. In concentrations of 0.05, 0.01 and 0.15 ml/ml, respectively, all the oil samples showed potent anthelmintic activity as compared to that of the standard drug albendazole at a concentration of 10 mg/ml.
Lane-Change Detection Using a Computational Driver Model

Objective: This paper introduces a robust, real-time system for detecting driver lane changes. Background: As intelligent transportation systems evolve to assist drivers in their intended behaviors, the systems have demonstrated a need for methods of inferring driver intentions and detecting intended maneuvers. Method: Using a “model tracing” methodology, our system simulates a set of possible driver intentions and their resulting behaviors using a simplification of a previously validated computational model of driver behavior. The system compares the model's simulated behavior with a driver's actual observed behavior and thus continually infers the driver's unobservable intentions from her or his observable actions. Results: For data collected in a driving simulator, the system detects 82% of lane changes within 0.5 s of maneuver onset (assuming a 5% false alarm rate), 93% within 1 s, and 95% before the vehicle moves one fourth of the lane width laterally. For data collected from an instrumented vehicle, the system detects 61% within 0.5 s, 77% within 1 s, and 84% before the vehicle moves one-fourth of the lane width laterally. Conclusion: The model-tracing system is the first system to demonstrate high sample-by-sample accuracy at low false alarm rates as well as high accuracy over the course of a lane change with respect to time and lateral movement. Application: By providing robust real-time detection of driver lane changes, the system shows good promise for incorporation into the next generation of intelligent transportation systems.
Edith Penrose's Contributions to the Resource-Based View: An Alternative Perspective

Edith Penrose's work has been widely acknowledged to have played a central role in providing the intellectual foundations of the resource-based view. This position, however, was recently challenged in a paper by Rugman and Verbeke (2002). In this paper we address the three main arguments of Rugman and Verbeke and, by drawing on her writings, demonstrate that their arguments are materially incorrect. While readily conceding that Penrose's primary goal was to explain the growth of firms, we show that her analysis of path-dependent firm evolution anticipated many key propositions of the resource-based view.
Handle with care: relational interpretation of algebraic effects and handlers

Algebraic effects and handlers have received a lot of attention recently, both from the theoretical point of view and in practical language design. This stems from the fact that algebraic effects give the programmer unprecedented freedom to define, combine, and interpret computational effects. This plenty-of-rope, however, demands not only a deep understanding of the underlying semantics, but also access to practical means of reasoning about effectful code, including correctness and program equivalence. In this paper we tackle this problem by constructing a step-indexed relational interpretation of a call-by-value calculus with algebraic effect handlers and a row-based polymorphic type-and-effect system. Our calculus, while striving for simplicity, enjoys desirable theoretical properties, and is close to the cores of programming languages with algebraic effects used in the wild, while the logical relation we build for it can be used to reason about non-trivial properties, such as contextual equivalence and contextual approximation of programs. Our development has been fully formalised in the Coq proof assistant.
Minimal control synthesis adaptive control of continuous bimodal piecewise affine systems

This paper reviews the derivation of a model reference adaptive control (MRAC) scheme for bimodal piecewise-affine (PWA) continuous systems [9]. The algorithm is based on an extension of the minimal control synthesis algorithm, originally developed as an MRAC for smooth systems. The resulting adaptive algorithm is a switched feedback controller able to cope with uncertain continuous PWA systems. The effectiveness of the new proposed control strategy is shown by using it to achieve master slave synchronization of two PWA systems as a representative example.
EFFECTS OF TRANSFER ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS AT THE FOUR‐YEAR INSTITUTION

This study presents an in‐depth meta‐analysis of transfer shock, the grade point average (GPA) drop experienced by many community college transfer students. The purpose of the study was to identify all possible studies dealing with transfer shock and to report the magnitude of GPA change from the last quarter or semester at the community college to the end of the first quarter or semester at the senior institution. The study also researched the amount of recovery of GPA obtained by the community college transfer students at the 4‐year institution. The search revealed 62 studies that reported the magnitude of GPA change. The studies showed that although community college transfer students in 79% of the studies experienced transfer shock, the majority of the magnitude of GPA change was one half of a grade point or less. Of the studies that showed that community college transfer students experienced transfer shock, 67% reported that students recover from transfer shock, usually within the first year after tr.
Emergence of body waves from cross-correlation of short period seismic noise

SUMMARY Ambient noise correlation is now widely used in seismology to obtain the surface waves part of Green's function. More difficult is the extraction of body waves from noise correlations. Using 42 temporary broad-band three components stations located on the northern part of the fennoscandian region, we identify high-frequency (0.5–2 Hz) body waves emerging from noise correlations for inter-station distances up to 550 km. The comparison of the noise correlations with earthquake data confirms that the observed waves can be interpreted as P and S waves reflected from the Moho. Because the crustal model of the area is well known, we also compared the noise correlations with synthetic seismograms, and found an excellent agreement between the travel times of all the observed phases. Polarization analysis provides a further argument to confirm the observation of body waves.
Racial Differences in the Effects of Campus Racial Climate on Degree Completion: A Structural Equation Model

Racial minority student persistence is of paramount importance to higher education policymakers and practitioners. This study was aimed at understanding racial differences in the direct and indirect effects of campus racial climate on degree completion using structural equation modeling techniques and a nationally representative sample. The findings of this analysis highlight the importance of examining conditional effects and indicate that students from disparate racial backgrounds may experience and react to their campus racial climates in different ways. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Subject Case in Children With SLI and Unaffected Controls: Evidence for the Agr/Tns Omission Model

We present new evidence for the view that specific language impairment (SLI) involves a syntactic feature deficit within a nondeviant grammar. The data involve morphological case and its interaction with verbal inflection. Children with SLI (like younger unaffected children) produce certain pronoun forms in contexts that do not exist in adult language, for example, Him run, which we take as important evidence about their grammars. Both unaffected children and those with SLI show a distributional asymmetry in their production of non-nominative versus nominative pronouns as subjects: Nominatives appear abundantly with both uninflected and agreeing verbs, whereas non-nominatives almost never appear with agreeing verbs. This contingency is predicted on the: view that children are conforming to Universal Grammar, extrapolating beyond their input data. The findings are explained by a model in which the syntactic features Agreement and Tense are optionally omitted from the clause structure.
Intrinsic and Functional Differences among Commissural Interneurons during Fictive Locomotion and Serotonergic Modulation in the Neonatal Mouse

Commissural interneurons (CINs) send their axons across the midline to innervate contralateral targets and have been implicated in the coordination of left–right limb movements during locomotion. In the neonatal mouse spinal cord, we studied the firing properties and responses to serotonin (5-HT) of two classes of CINs: those whose axons turn caudally after crossing the midline (dCINs) and those whose axons bifurcate after crossing the midline (adCINs). During NMDA and 5-HT-induced locomotor-like activity, a majority of lumbar (L2) dCINs fired rhythmically with ventral root-recorded motor activity, although their firing phase was widely distributed throughout the locomotor cycle. In contrast, none of the adCINs fired rhythmically during fictive locomotion. We studied the baseline firing and membrane properties, and responses to current injection, in dCINs and adCINs that had been partially isolated by blockade of rapid synaptic transmission (with antagonists to glutamate, GABA, and glycine). No significant baseline differences were found between the cell types. In contrast, 5-HT significantly increased the excitability of the isolated dCINs by depolarizing the membrane potential, reducing the postspike afterhyperpolarization amplitude and decreasing the action potential threshold. None of these parameters were affected by 5-HT in adCINs. These results, together with our recent study of a third class of CINs, the aCINs whose axons ascend after crossing the midline (Zhong et al., 2006), suggest that dCINs and aCINs, but not adCINs, are excited by 5-HT and are rhythmically active during fictive locomotion. Thus, they may play important roles in the coordination of left–right movements during fictive locomotion.
Cross-paradigm simulation modeling: Challenges and successes

This paper addresses the broad topic area of cross-paradigm simulation modeling with a focus on the discrete-event, system dynamics and agent-based paradigms. It incorporates contributions from four panel members with diverse perspectives and areas of expertise. First, each paradigm is described and definitions are presented. The difference between the process-oriented worldview and the event-oriented worldview within discrete-event simulation modeling, and the importance of this difference for cross-paradigm modeling, are discussed. Following the definitions, discussion of cross-paradigm modeling is given for each pair of these paradigms, highlighting current challenges and early successes in these areas. The basic time-advance mechanisms used in simulation modeling are also discussed, and the implications of these mechanisms for each paradigm is explored.
Serum interleukin‐6 levels correlate with the severity of dementia in Down syndrome and in Alzheimer's disease

Introduction ‐ Inflammatory processes are suspected in the pathomechanism of Alzheimer's dementia (AD) but the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of inflammatory cytokines are not yet determined in the different forms of the disorder. Subjects and methods ‐ Interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) levels were examined in the sera and CSF of patients with mild‐moderate and severe stage of late onset sporadic type of AD and in the sera of demented Down syndrome (DS) probands with similar stages of AD and compared with data of age‐matched healthy controls.Results ‐ Normal serum IL‐6 levels were found in the mild‐moderate stage, but significantly increased levels were found in the severe stage of both dementia groups. The CSF concentrations remained within the normal range in all groups. Positive correlations between the serum IL‐6 levels and age and the severity of the disease were present. Conclusion ‐ These findings suggest a disease stage dependent general activation of the immune system both in sporadic AD and in DS with AD.
Efficacy of Polytechnic Students' Interpersonal Communication Skills.

Every year polytechnics in Malaysia produce thousands of graduates in vocational areas, however, these graduates have to strive in a competitive job market against graduates from other tertiary institutions. This study aims to investigate polytechnic students efficacy on their communication skills. These skills are crucial in determining their chances for employment and would also enable them to perform effectively at workplace. Final semester students from Politeknik Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (n=120) were asked to assess their own communication skills ability using the Communication Skills self-assessment questionnaire. Findings indicate that polytechnic students are quite confident in their ability to communicate effectively at workplace and job interviews. However, interviews with potential employers indicate differently. Implications of the study include a call for the evaluation of the English proficiency courses currently being implemented in Malaysian polytechnics.
Road Map or Roadblock? Science Lesson Planning and Preservice Teachers

Abstract This study examined preservice teachers' understanding of, and processes when, designing instruction. Participants were 47 juniors and seniors enrolled in science methods courses. Qualitative methods and analysis of written reflections and interviews revealed the beliefs and views the preservice teachers had about planning. Findings are as follows: One, preservice teachers acknowledged the importance of standards and lesson objectives but planned in a sequence that found lesson activities before objectives. Two, despite similar experiences with the Pathwise Observation System approach to planning and related activities in science methods courses, students used two approaches to lesson planning. Three, the requirements and lesson-planning procedures experienced by preservice students in mentor teacher classrooms did not match experiences and expectations in teacher education programs. Implications for future research are discussed.
Hierarchical Bayesian Data Fusion for Robotic Platform Navigation

Data fusion has become an active research topic in recent years. Growing computational performance has allowed the use of redundant sensors to measure a single phenomenon. While Bayesian fusion approaches are common in general applications, the computer vision field has largely relegated this approach. Most object following algorithms have gone towards pure machine learning fusion techniques that tend to lack flexibility. Consequently, a more general data fusion scheme is needed. Within this work, a hierarchical Bayesian fusion approach is proposed, which outperforms individual trackers by using redundant measurements. The adaptive framework is achieved by relying on each measurement's local statistics and a global softened majority voting. The proposed approach was validated in a simulated application and two robotic platforms.
ATUAÇÃO DOS AGENTES COMUNITÁRIOS DE SAÚDE NA ESTRATÉGIA SAÚDE DA FAMÍLIA

Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a atuacao dos Agentes Comunitarios de Saude de Unidades Basicas de Saude da Familia de Tres Lagoas - Mato Grosso do Sul. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo e de abordagem quantitativa realizado com 68 agentes de sete unidades com Estrategia Saude da Familia. As respostas a entrevista individual foram analisadas pela estatistica descritiva. Predominaram mulheres entre 40 e 49 anos, casadas, com ensino medio completo e atuando por cinco a dez anos. A maioria participou de curso introdutorio e todos realizaram alguma capacitacao. Os participantes relataram conhecer suas atribuicoes e apontaram a visita domiciliar como atividade mais frequente e consideraram que as acoes de controle e prevencao de dengue sao inerentes a sua atuacao; revelaram realizar atividades que nao sao de sua responsabilidade. Conclui-se que os agentes comunitarios apresentam fragilidades em reconhecer suas atribuicoes no desempenho de suas atividades.
Plasticity-related microRNA and their potential contribution to the maintenance of long-term potentiation

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a form of synaptic plasticity that is an excellent model for the molecular mechanisms that underlie memory. LTP, like memory, is persistent, and both are widely believed to be maintained by a coordinated genomic response. Recently, a novel class of non-coding RNA, microRNA, has been implicated in the regulation of LTP. MicroRNA negatively regulate protein synthesis by binding to specific messenger RNA response elements. The aim of this review is to summarize experimental evidence for the proposal that microRNA play a major role in the regulation of LTP. We discuss a growing body of research which indicates that specific microRNA regulate synaptic proteins relevant to LTP maintenance, as well as studies that have reported differential expression of microRNA in response to LTP induction. We conclude that microRNA are ideally suited to contribute to the regulation of LTP-related gene expression; microRNA are pleiotropic, synaptically located, tightly regulated, and function in response to synaptic activity. The potential impact of microRNA on LTP maintenance as regulators of gene expression is enormous.
Regulation of Skin and Islet Allograft Survival in Mice Treated With Costimulation Blockade is Mediated by Different CD4+ Cell Subsets and Different Mechanisms

Background. Donor-specific transfusion (DST) and a brief course of anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody (mAb) induces permanent islet and prolonged skin allograft survival in mice. Induction of skin allograft survival requires the presence of CD4+ cells and deletion of alloreactive CD8+ cells. The specific roles of CD4+ and CD4+CD25+ cells and the mechanism(s) by which they act are not fully understood. Methods. We used skin and islet allografts, a CD8+ T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic model system, and in vivo depleting antibodies to analyze the role of CD4+ cell subsets in regulating allograft survival in mice treated with DST and anti-CD154 mAb. Results. Deletion of CD4+ or CD25+ cells during costimulation blockade induced rapid rejection of skin but only minimally shortened islet allograft survival. Deletion of CD4+ or CD25+ cells had no effect upon survival of healed-in islet allografts, and CD25+ cell deletion had no effect upon healed-in skin allograft survival. In the TCR transgenic model, DST plus anti-CD154 mAb treatment deleted alloreactive CD8+ T cells, and anti-CD4 mAb treatment prevented that deletion. In contrast, injection of anti-CD25 mAb did not prevent alloreactive CD8+ T cell deletion. Conclusions. These data document that (1) both CD4+CD25+ and CD4+CD25− cells are required for induction of skin allograft survival, (2) CD4+CD25+ T cells are not required for alloreactive CD8+ T cell deletion, and (3) CD4+CD25+ regulatory cells are not critical for islet allograft tolerance. It appears that skin and islet transplantation tolerance are mediated by different CD4+ cell subsets and different mechanisms.