Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intrinsic Functional Connectivity in the Adult Brain and Success in Second-Language Learning

There is considerable variability in an individual's ability to acquire a second language (L2) during adulthood. Using resting-state fMRI data acquired before training in English speakers who underwent a 12 week intensive French immersion training course, we investigated whether individual differences in intrinsic resting-state functional connectivity relate to a person's ability to acquire an L2. We focused on two key aspects of language processing—lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech and reading speed—and computed whole-brain functional connectivity from two regions of interest in the language network, namely the left anterior insula/frontal operculum (AI/FO) and the visual word form area (VWFA). Connectivity between the left AI/FO and left posterior superior temporal gyrus (STG) and between the left AI/FO and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex correlated positively with improvement in L2 lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech. Connectivity between the VWFA and left mid-STG correlated positively with improvement in L2 reading speed. These findings are consistent with the different language functions subserved by subcomponents of the language network and suggest that the human capacity to learn an L2 can be predicted by an individual's intrinsic functional connectivity within the language network. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT There is considerable variability in second-language learning abilities during adulthood. We investigated whether individual differences in intrinsic functional connectivity in the adult brain relate to success in second-language learning, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in English speakers who underwent a 12 week intensive French immersion training course. We found that pretraining functional connectivity within two different language subnetworks correlated strongly with learning outcome in two different language skills: lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech and reading speed. Our results suggest that the human capacity to learn a second language can be predicted by an individual's intrinsic functional connectivity within the language network.
Palmitoylation of the Influenza A Virus M2 Protein Is Not Required for Virus Replication In Vitro but Contributes to Virus Virulence

ABSTRACT The influenza A virus M2 protein has important roles during virus entry and in the assembly of infectious virus particles. The cytoplasmic tail of the protein can be palmitoylated at a cysteine residue, but this residue is not conserved in a number of human influenza A virus isolates. Recombinant viruses encoding M2 proteins with a serine substituted for the cysteine at position 50 were generated in the A/WSN/33 (H1N1) and A/Udorn/72 (H3N2) genetic backgrounds. The recombinant viruses were not attenuated for replication in MDCK cells, Calu-3 cells, or in primary differentiated murine trachea epithelial cell cultures, indicating there was no significant contribution of M2 palmitoylation to virus replication in vitro. The A/WSN/33 M2C50S virus displayed a slightly reduced virulence after infection of mice, suggesting that there may be novel functions for M2 palmitoylation during in vivo infection.
Perfectionism differences in gifted middle school students

Perfectionism has been cited as a major characteristic associated with children and adolescents who have been identified as gifted and talented. This study explored grade level, birth order, and gender differences among 391 students in three gifted and talented programs. The students completed an adaptation of the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. A2 × 3 × 3 between subject multivariate analysis revealed that females expressed more concern than males about organization, while males reported stronger parental expectations. First born adolescents reported higher parental criticism and expectations than youngest children. Females' concerns about making mistakes increases from grade 6 to grade 8 while the pattern for males fluctuated insignificantly. Patterns of parental criticism varied between males and females from grade 6 through grade 8.
Exploring Whiteness: A Study of Self Labels for White Americans.

This study examines the preferences and meanings of labels for white Americans as discursively defined expressions of identity. Preliminary investigation revealed resistance by white Americans to self‐labelling, and led to this systematic study of preferred labels and the reasons underlying this resistance. In all, 371 white respondents completed a survey, rating seven labels in terms of preference, and gave meanings for these labels. They also discussed their feelings and opinions about the process of self‐labelling. The results reveal that the most preferred label is “White” and the least preferred is “WASP. ” The authors interpret the findings from a multi‐perspectival position, incorporating critical as well as social psychological interpretations.
Universal versus personal helplessness in depression: belief in uncontrollability or incompetence?

The learned helplessness model of depression predicts that depressed individuals believe outcomes are more response independent than do nondepressed individuals in a skill situation. The present study assessed whether depressives' cognitive distortions are specific to their belief about their own skilled action or are a result of a general belief in uncontrollabi lity in the world. Changes in expectancies following success and failure in skill and chance tasks were examined in 32 depressed and 32 nondepressed college students who either performed themselves or observed a confederate perform a pair of tasks. In the skill task, depressed subjects showed significantly smaller changes in expectancy than nondepressed subjects when estimating the probability of their own success. In contrast, depressed and nondepressed subjects did not differ when estimating the probability of another person's success on the identical skill task. We infer that depressed individuals view themselves as helpless in a skilled situation but do not view the situation itself as uncontrollable. The results are discussed in terms of the reformulated learned helplessness model.
Relationship between Gait Parameters and Postural Stability in Early and Late Parkinson’s Disease and Visual Feedback-Based Balance Training Effects

BACKGROUND: Gait disorders or postural instability has been done before. However, lack of reviews has addressed the relation between gait and postural stability in Parkinson’s disease (PD). AIM: The aim was to evaluate the relation between gait parameters and postural stability in early and late stages of PD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The forty-one idiopathic PD patients were divided into two groups into a group (A) considered as early PD and group (B) considered as late ambulant PD. They were evaluated for postural stability by computerised dynamic posturography (CDP) device and gait analysis using an 8 m-camera Vicon 612 data capturing system set. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant improvement of composite equilibrium score, the composite latency of motor response, walking speed and cadence after treatment as compared to before training (p < 0.05) in early PD. However, in the late PD, there was a non-significant change of previous parameters after treatment as compared to before training (p > 0.05). There was a significant correlation between UPDRS motor part score, walking speed and composite equilibrium score after training in early PD (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both gait analysis and CDP are important quantitative assessment tools of gait and posture instability.
The Encyclopedia of Religion: a Critique From the Perspective of the History of the Japanese Religious Traditions

The Encyclopedia of Religion (ER) is a product of the well known "Chicago school" of Religious Studies. This chapter attempts to simply identify certain problems with the ER by way of some observations on some specific entries. Generally the entries analyze the Japanese religious traditions in a from-the-top-down perspective. The focus of the entries is predominantly doctrinal. The ER is mainly an encyclopedia of Western religions, with some excursi into other religious traditions. A major problem with the ER is that it treats the religious traditions and developments in the religious world as though they were politically/ ideologically neuter. There are problems with the ER 's definitions of religion and Religious Studies. The ER appears to be oblivious of the fact that religion itself and the study of it are profoundly ideological. The ER makes some quantitative advances over the famous old Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics (ERE). Keywords: Chicago school; Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics (ERE); Encyclopedia of Religion (ER); Japanese religious traditions; Religious Studies
Plasticity revealed by transcranial magnetic stimulation of early visual cortex

&NA; We applied single‐pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the occipital pole of healthy subjects while they performed a forced‐choice visual letter‐identification task. We found three separate periods when TMS suppressed performance; the first period is best explained by TMS‐induced blinking whereas the last two periods are best explained by TMS‐induced disruption of letter‐processing in the early visual cortex. Unexpectedly, we also found that TMS‐induced sup‐pression progressively disappeared during three weeks of repeated TMS experiments. However, it was only suppression during the last two periods that disappeared; suppression during the first period remained undiminished. When subjects were then presented with dimmer letters, suppression reappeared. The most likely explanation is a practice‐induced increase in neuronal activity in the early visual cortex.
Clinical and Prognostic Significance of Parotid Scintigraphy in 405 Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome

Objective. To evaluate the association between the degree of involvement shown by parotid scintigraphy at diagnosis and the disease expression, outcomes, and prognosis of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (SS). Methods. All patients consecutively diagnosed with primary SS in our department between 1984 and 2008 were evaluated. The scintigraphic stages were classified into class 4 (severe involvement), class 2–3 (mild to moderate involvement), and class 1 (normal results). Results. A total of 405 patients with primary SS underwent parotid scintigraphy at diagnosis (47 had class 1 involvement, 314 had class 2–3, and 44 had class 4). Patients with class 4 had a higher frequency of parotid enlargement (p < 0.001), systemic involvement (p = 0.007), high titers of antinuclear antibody (p = 0.016), positive rheumatoid factor (p = 0.002), anti-Ro/SSA (p = 0.001), anti-La/SSB (p = 0.001), low C4 levels (p = 0.001), and low CH50 (p = 0.001) in comparison with the other 2 groups. A higher rate of lymphoma development was observed in patients with class 4 involvement. Adjusted multivariate Cox regression analysis showed a hazard ratio (HR) of 10.51 (p = 0.002) and Kaplan–Meier analysis a log-rank of 0.0005. Mortality was 5-fold higher in patients with class 4 involvement. Adjusted multivariate Cox regression analysis showed an HR of 5.33 (p = 0.001) and Kaplan-Meier analysis a log-rank of 0.033. Conclusion. Patients with SS presenting with severe scintigraphic involvement at diagnosis had a more pronounced autoimmune expression, a higher risk of developing systemic features and lymphoma, and a lower survival rate. Study of the degree of salivary gland dysfunction at diagnosis by parotid scintigraphy offers valuable clinical information on the prognosis and outcome of primary SS.
Ecology, Evolution, and the Search for Cultural Origins: The Question of Islamic Pig Prohibition [and Comments and Reply]

This paper examines the ecological explanation offered by Marvin Harris for the origin of pig prohibition in Islam, using the case to evaluate the functional-ecological paradigm and its treatment of cultural origins. Five majorpoints are addressed. First, a survey of the biological literature reveals that functional-ecological theory and evolutionary theory are distinct, but related. While functional ecology explains how systems work, evolutionary theory is necessary to explain why systems exist as they are, how they have come to be, and what they may become in the future. Logical, mathematical, and practical evidence suggests that the distinction between functional ecology and evolution should also be recognized in cultural theory. Second, ecological "explanation" is sometimes based upon superficial, careless, or simply erroneous research. This criticism applies to Harris's discussion of the Islamic pig prohibition. Third, serious logical problems exist in ecological accounts of origin, presence, and change. These problems are revealed to be more serious and limiting than previously recognized, and Harris's account of pig prohibition in Islam is found to be tautological and false. Such logical difficulties are also entailed in controlled comparisons or cross-cultural surveys which attempt to adduce historical process from synchronic case studies. Fourth, ecological speculations about origins direct our attention away from the historical record. In this paper we develop the hypothesis of pig prohibition first put forward by Frazer in light of more recent historical information. While our investigation is exploratory and requires testing by those with adequate linguistic and archival skills, the Frazer hypothesis appears plausible. More importantly, it is clear that Harris's "explanation" of Islamic pig prohibition has obscured important historical processes. Further, by extending the Frazer hypothesis to the case of India's sacred cattle, we demonstrate that general theory in culture history is possible. Finally, serious ethical questions result from ecological models which ignore history and the record of social conflicts it contains and which rely upon spurious "positive functions" to explain the customs we observe about us. It is ethically unacceptable to assume that what is must necessarily be good.
BUILDING KNOWLEDGE MODELING: INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE IN BIM

Fragmentation of construction information has been challenging in the AEC/FM (Architectural, Engineering, Construction, and Facility Management) industry for a long time, and caused significant difficulties of information management. This fragmentation is also reported to be a major contributing factor to loss of knowledge. Several methods and tools have been developed to solve the problems of fragmentation and mitigate loss of knowledge. Building Information Modeling (BIM) has emerged as one of the tools, and is mainly intended to build a repository of shared digital building information models. In the meanwhile, to increase the productivity and efficiency, knowledge management (KM) plays an important role in construction lifecycle processes by managing the corporate knowledge, which provides organizations with competitive advantage. However, current BIM models are information-centric with little focus on knowledge modeling. Similarly, BIM and the process to transform construction information into knowledge are isolated, causing a major drawback in harvesting the vast amount of potential knowledge from models. Therefore, there is a fundamental need to embed knowledge modeling within BIM and the resulting models. Currently, very little known research has been conducted in this area. The paper aims to highlight the importance of Building Knowledge Modeling (BKM) and to explore and outline the possibilities and approach to knowledge modeling integration within BIM. It conducted an integrative and comprehensive review of literature and the state-of-the-art of BIM and KM, including developments and current status of BIM and KM implementation and industry adoption, as well as other related topics. The critical factors and key benefits associated with BKM implementation are also highlighted. The paper concludes by proposing the development of a framework and its constituents to facilitate BKM. Recommendations are also formulated for future research directions in this area.
Investigating the Measurement of Social and Academic Competencies for Early/Late Preadolescents and Adolescents: A Multitrait-Multimethod Analysis.

The purposes of the study were twofold: (a) to test for evidence of construct validity related to social and academic (general, English, mathematics) competencies, as measured by self, teachers, parents, and peers, for children in Grades 3 (n = 175), 7 (n = 193), and 11 (n = 159), and (b) to examine the extent to which ratings by significant others were concordant with self-ratings for these four constructs. Based on a comparison of nested multitrait-multimethod covariance structure models, results demonstrated that despite evidence of global convergent and discriminant validities, method effects were instrumental in attenuating trait variances. In particular, self-ratings for early preadolescents and peer ratings for all ages were the most vulnerable to this anomaly. Overall, results suggest that researchers consider making greater use of parent ratings in the measurement of social and academic competencies for elementary children.
Predicting the longitudinal course associated with aggressive-rejected, aggressive (nonrejected), and rejected (nonaggressive) status

Abstract A 2-year follow-up was undertaken of boys identified in grade school as aggressive-rejected, aggressive (nonrejected), rejected (nonaggressiye) or nonproblematic comparison. When the social outcomes of boys in each group were compared, aggressive-rejected children exhibited more conduct problems and social rejection at Time 2 than boys in the other aggressive or rejected groups. Behavior observations, teacher ratings, peer ratings, and open-ended peer interviews collected at Time 1 were used to test three predictive models that might account for the greater developmental risk of aggress-rejected boys. Multiple regression analyses suggested that a broad array of conduct problems, low levels of positive interaction skills, and high levels of peer dislike and ostracism each made unique contributions 10 to the stability of social adjustment problems of boys in the sample. Within group analyses of change suggested that prediction models varied for boys in the three risk groups. The implications of findings are discussed for developmental models of social risk and for intervention design.
An application of protection motivation theory to riskier single-occasion drinking

Abstract Cognitions in relation to drinking alcohol on a single occasion were explored within the framework of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). One hundred and twenty three students provided information about their current weekend drinking, beliefs about drinking, and intentions to drink at safer limits. Data on self reported weekend drinking were gathered two weeks later from the same respondents. Analyses showed PMT components to be predictive of intentions but not of later behaviour. Perceived severity and self-efficacy related significantly to intentions for drinking at safer limits. No PMT measure differentiated between those who engaged in riskier single-occasion drinking at follow up and those whose drinking was less risky. Past behaviour was the only significant predictor of riskier single-occasion drinking at follow up. Implications for the current utility of PMT are discussed particularly in relation to respondents' reactions to newly identified health threats.
Explaining Consumer Conduct: From Planned to Self‐Expressive Behavior1

Within mainstream social psychology, consumer behavior has been explained mainly in terms of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Recently, some authors suggested that self-identity dimensions can explain different types of intentions. To compare the predictive power of a tentative new model of self-expressive consumer behavior with that of the TPB, three studies were conducted in which, besides the classical variables of the model of TPB, variables concerning self-identity were also taken into account. Three independent samples (N1= 257, N2= 214, N3= 298) were recruited to study the intention to buy fashionable watches, trendy backpacks, and cellular telephones in relation to the aforementioned variables derived from TPB and from identity theory. Data analyses, based on structural equation modeling, show that identity variables contribute significantly to the explanation of purchase intention.
Limits of location privacy under anonymization and obfuscation

The prevalence of mobile devices and location-based services (LBS) has generated great concerns regarding the LBS users' privacy, which can be compromised by statistical analysis of their movement patterns. A number of algorithms have been proposed to protect the privacy of users in such systems, but the fundamental underpinnings of such remain unexplored. Recently, the concept of perfect location privacy was introduced and its achievability was studied for anonymization-based LBS systems, where user identifiers are permuted at regular intervals to prevent identification based on statistical analysis of long time sequences. In this paper, we significantly extend that investigation by incorporating the other major tool commonly employed to obtain location privacy: obfuscation, where user locations are purposely obscured to protect their privacy. Since anonymization and obfuscation reduce user utility in LBS systems, we investigate how location privacy varies with the degree to which each of these two methods is employed. We provide: (1) achievability results for the case where the location of each user is governed by an i.i. d. process; (2) converse results for the i.i. d. case as well as the more general Markov Chain model. We show that, as the number of users in the network grows, the obfuscation-anonymization plane can be divided into two regions: in the first region, all users have perfect location privacy; and, in the second region, no user has location privacy.
Role of mast cells in wound healing process after glass - fiber composite implant in rats

Glass‐fiber composites are frequently used in dentistry. In order to evaluate their biocompatibility we tested, in an experimental model “in vivo”, their tissue response pointing our attention on presence of mast cells (MCs) and fibrotic process. Sprague Dawley rats were used for the experimental design. The fibers were introduced in a subcutaneous pocket along the middle dorsal line between the two scapulas for 7, 14 or 21 days. At the end of the treatments the skins were excised and then processed for Toluidine Blue, to determine the presence of MCs, and Picrosirius Red staining, to evaluate the presence of fibrotic tissue. Our preliminary results showed and increase of both MC number and deposition of collagen type I, which characterized the fibrotic tissue. So, subsequent aims of our study were to evaluate the role played by MCs in tissue fibrosis and to give a possible explanation regarding the mechanisms that were responsible of biological response observed, through the analyses of some proteins, such as metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2), its inhibitor (TIMP‐2) and transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β). Our data confirmed the involvement of TGF‐β, released by MCs, in the disruption of the equilibrium between MMP‐2 and TIMP‐2 that were implicated in the enhancement of fibrosis. In summary, this study demonstrate that this type of materials induced an inflammatory response at the site of implant and help to clarify what type of mechanism and which proteins are involved in this biological response. Nevertheless, more extensive investigations are in progress to better evaluate the inflammatory process.