Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Academic Peer Effects with Different Group Assignment Policies: Residential Tracking versus Random Assignment

I study the relative academic performance of students tracked or randomly assigned to South African university dormitories. Tracking reduces low-scoring students' GPAs and has little effect on high-scoring students, leading to lower and more dispersed GPAs. I also directly estimate peer effects using random variation in peer groups across dormitories. Living with higher-scoring peers raises students' GPAs, particularly for low-scoring students, and peer effects are stronger between socially proximate students. This shows that much of the treatment effect of tracking is attributable to peer effects. These results present a cautionary note about sorting students into academically homogeneous classrooms or neighborhoods. (JEL I23, I24, I28, O15, Z13)
Measurement of Voltage Flicker Magnitude and Frequency in a Power System For Power Quality Analysis

One must be able to accurately measure voltage flicker levels and its frequency. This paper introduces a new application of the least error squares (LES) state estimation algorithm to measure voltage flicker and its frequency. We use a linear model of the flicker voltage magnitude, its phase angle and frequency deviation, and the system voltage magnitude and its phase angle. The proposed algorithm uses digitized samples of the voltage signal. Effects of data size, sampling frequency, and number of samples on the estimated parameters are studied.
Social Influence in Stock Markets

Andersson, M. (2009). Social influence in stock markets. Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Influences by others when making investments and predictions in stock markets, referred to as herding, is a widely discussed phenomenon in financial economics. This thesis aims to understand herding by applying theories of social influence. In a series of studies employing a multi-trial experimental approach, undergraduates made predictions of stock prices. On each trial they received information about the current price and the predictions made by other fictitious participants, forming a majority or a minority herd. Study I investigated how different rewards altered the level of influence from a herd making random predictions. Experiment 1 (n = 80) demonstrated that the tendency to follow others overrides the effect of a financial reward for individual performance. In Experiment 2 (n = 80) a reward for following a majority herd increased the influence, but a reward for following a minority herd did not. Addressing the importance of consistency for herding, in Study II (n = 96) consistency was varied both as agreement between the others’ predictions (correlation) and within the others’ predictions (variance). Correlation increased the herd influence, but no effect of variance was observed. Studies I and II suggested that the influence from a consistent random majority herd was associated with the use of a consensus heuristic. Study III further explored the processes mediating majority and minority influences, with the focus on accuracy motives. The results of Experiment 1 (n = 64) showed that the participants followed a majority herd independently of whether its predictions were accurate or random. In Experiment 2 (n = 80) the majority influence was reduced by requesting participants to focus their attention on the accuracy of the others’ predictions. It was found in Experiment 3 (n = 60) that a minority herd was influential only when its predictions were accurate and when the participants were requested to focus their attention on the accuracy of the others’ predictions. The focus instruction thus seemed to break the tendency to use a consensus heuristic. Study IV (n = 80) examined whether induced expertise and augmenting the validity of price information would have the same effect, showing that the others only influenced participants’ predictions when participants were non-experts and the price was invalid. The results of Studies I-IV demonstrate that in prediction tasks based on uncertain information people use heuristic processing more extensively than has been assumed in previous social influence research. A majority herd seems to be influential due to the use of a consensus heuristic. However, no support was found for the proposition that minority influence is associated with systematic processing. Instead, the tendency to follow the price instead of a minority suggests the use of a “minority heuristic”. Factors such as focus instructions, high price validity and expertise suppressed heuristic processing.
Doctors and psychosocial information: records and reuse in inpatient care

We conducted a field-based study at a large teaching hospital to examine doctors' use and documentation of patient care information, with a special focus on a patient's psychosocial information. We were particularly interested in the gaps between the medical work and any representations of the patient. The paper describes how doctors record this information for immediate and long-term use. We found that doctors documented a considerable amount of psychosocial information in their electronic health records (EHR) system. Yet, we also observed that such information was recorded selectively, and a medicalized view-point is a key contributing factor. Our study shows how missing or problematic representations of a patient affect work activities and patient care. We accordingly suggest that EHR systems could be made more usable and useful in the long run, by supporting both representations of medical processes and of patients.
VORTEX RINGS PINNING FOR THE GROSS-PITAEVSKII EQUATION IN THREE DIMENSIONAL SPACE

We construct stationary solutions possessing two vortex rings to the nonlinear Schrödinger type problem iut = −ε4u + ( V + |u| ) u, where the unknown function u is defined as u : R3×R→ C, ε is a small positive parameter and V is a real smooth potential. These two vortex rings will be pinned at a fixed site by the potential V . They lie in the same plane and have neighboring interaction in the normal direction, or in two parallel planes with interaction in the binormal direction, in such a way that the neighboring interaction will be balanced by the effect of the potential.
Mapping of the microvillar 110K-calmodulin complex: calmodulin- associated or -free fragments of the 110-kD polypeptide bind F-actin and retain ATPase activity

The 110K-calmodulin complex isolated from intestinal microvilli is an ATPase consisting of one polypeptide chain of 110 kD in association with three to four calmodulin molecules. This complex is presumably the link between the actin filaments in the microvillar core and the surrounding cell membrane. To study its structural regions, we have partially cleaved the 110K-calmodulin complex with alpha-chymotrypsin; calmodulin remains essentially intact under the conditions used. As determined by 125I-calmodulin overlays, ion exchange chromatography, and actin-binding assays, a 90-kD digest fragment generated in EGTA remains associated with calmodulin. The 90K-calmodulin complex binds actin in an ATP-reversible manner and decorates actin filaments with an arrow-head appearance similar to that found after incubation of F-actin with the parent complex; binding occurs in either calcium- or EGTA- containing buffers. ATPase activity of the 90-kD digest closely resembles the parent complex. In calcium a digest mixture containing fragments of 78 kD, a group of three at approximately 40 kD, and a 32- kD fragment (78-kD digest mixture) is generated with alpha-chymotrypsin at a longer incubation time; no association of these fragments with calmodulin is observed. Time courses of digestions and cyanogen bromide cleavage indicate that the 78-kD fragment derives from the 90-kD peptide. The 78-kD mixture can also hydrolyze ATP. Furthermore, removal of the calmodulin by ion exchange chromatography from this 78-kD mixture had no effect on the ATPase activity of the digest, indicating that the ATPase activity resides on the 110-kD polypeptide. The 78 kD, two of the three fragments at approximately 40 kD, and the 32-kD fragments associate with F-actin in an ATP-reversible manner. Electron microscopy of actin filaments after incubation with the 78-kD digest mixture reveals coated filaments, although the prominent arrowhead appearance characteristic of the parent complex is not observed. These data indicate that calmodulin is not required either for the ATPase activity or the ATP-reversible binding of the 110K-calmodulin complex to F-actin. In addition, since all the fragments that bind F-actin do so in an ATP-reversible manner, the sites required for F-actin binding and ATP reversibility likely reside nearby.
Osteoarthritis: What We Have Been Missing in the Patellofemoral Joint

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis is common clinically and often independent of tibiofemoral disease. Intriguingly, the patella demonstrates more severe degeneration earlier in the disease process compared with the juxtaposed femoral groove. Here, we consider three hypotheses influencing this disparity and thus discover crucial insights into the etiology of osteoarthritis.
Labour law and new forms of corporate organization

n today’s global economy, the drive for corporate competitiveness I and flexibility has led to sweeping changes in the ways enterprises are organized, economically, financially and in terms of their workforce (Boyer and Durand, 1998; Castels, 1998). Developments such as the emergence of global financial networks, outsourcing, relocation and the establishment of networks of enterprises have had far-reaching consequences for labour relations and labour law enforcement. This article examines a few of the issues raised by these transformations together with the ways in which they could be managed – tentatively at this stage – in law, particularly with reference to the experience of France and Europe. 1 Born of the second industrial revolution, contemporary labour law is, historically, the outcome of a gradual process of construction, concomitant with that of productive organization itself, within national boundaries. Such law, be it statutory or contractual, was strongly influenced by the integrated large-scale enterprise model. It conceptualizes wage employment relationships in terms of binary relations between employers and workers. It is therefore hardly surprising that the reorganization of firms, under the combined effects of financial concentration and productive decentralization, should give rise to a new set of needs for protection. The necessary evolution of labour law has already been the subject of important contributions (Supiot, 1999; Simitis, 1997; Verge and Vallee, 1997). Since the early 1980s, a process of important legal reform has
Cross-plane phonon transport in thin films

We predict the cross-plane phonon thermal conductivity of Stillinger-Weber silicon thin films as thin as 17.4 nm using the lattice Boltzmann method. The thin films are modeled using bulk phonon properties obtained from harmonic and anharmonic lattice dynamics calculations. We use this approach, which considers all of the phonons in the first Brillouin-zone, to assess the suitability of common assumptions. Specifically, we assess the validity of: (i) neglecting the contributions of optical modes, (ii) the isotropic approximation, (iii) assuming an averaged bulk mean-free path, and (iv) the Matthiessen rule. Because the frequency-dependent contributions to thermal conductivity change as the film thickness is reduced, assumptions that are valid for bulk are not necessarily valid for thin films.
Childhood, children, and family lives in China

In this chapter we bring into focus those aspects of family lives in China that are concerned with children’s family relationships, and the ways in which such issues are part and parcel of the broader institutionalisation of childhood. We draw on theoretical frameworks in the sociology of childhood and childhood studies (e.g., Prout, 2004; Qvortrup, 2000; Smith and Greene, 2014). Since these theoretical perspectives have developed predominantly in Anglophone literature, some researchers have considered their relevance to, and utility for, China and Chinese childhoods (Goh, 2011; Miao, 2013; Wang YY, 2011, 2014a, 2014b; Zheng, 2012a, 2012b; Ribbens McCarthy et al., 2017). In engaging with existing theories, and applying them to, Chinese children’s family lives, we seek to go beyond any tendency to just ‘add in the missing children’ to existing discussions (Kesby et al., 2006: 186), and give consideration to a variety of cultural and local contexts that characterise China and illuminate why it is necessary to decentre universalist thinking (Jullien, 2008/2014)
Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in France: 2001

Background: Prevalence estimates of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) vary across Europe. Recent estimates in southern European countries showed a lower prevalence than in northern countries. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of RA in France in a multiregional representative sample in the year 2001. Methods: A two stage random sample was constituted in seven areas (20 counties) from the national telephone directory of households and by the next birthday method in each household. Patient-interviewers, member of self help groups, were trained to administer telephone surveys using a validated questionnaire for case detection of inflammatory rheumatism, and conducted the survey under quality control. All suspected cases of RA were confirmed by their rheumatologist or by clinical examination. Prevalence estimates after probability sampling correction were standardised for age and sex (national census 1999). Results: An average response rate of 64.7% (two stages combined) led to a total of 9395 respondents. Standardised prevalence was 0.31% (95% confidence interval 0.18 to 0.48) for RA, 0.51% in women and 0.09% in men, with a higher age-specific prevalence in the 65–74 year age band. A geographical analysis of county clustering showed significant variation across the country. Conclusion: This national multiregional cooperative study demonstrates the usefulness of working in association with patients of self help groups. It showed a similar prevalence of RA to that of the spondyloarthropathies estimated concomitantly during the survey. It provides a reliable basis for definition of population targets for healthcare delivery and drug treatments.
MENINGKATKAN EFEKTIVITAS KERJA DOSEN MELALUI PENJAMINAN MUTU DAN EFIKASI DIRI

Efektivitas mengacu pada sebuah kemampuan yang disengaja untuk melakukan sesuatu dengan lebih baik dalam mencapai target tertentu. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Jakarta III yang bertujuan untuk mendapatkan informasi tentang pengaruh penjaminan mutu dan efikasi diri terhadap efektivitas kerja dosen. Sampel penelitian sebanyak 60 dari 145 dosen sebagai populasi yang dipilih dengan menggunakan sampling acak sederhana. Penelitian menggunakan metode kausal dengan analisis jalur. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: (1) terdapat pengaruh langsung positif penjaminan mutu terhadap efektivitas kerja dosen; (2) terdapat pengaruh langsung positif efikasi diri terhadap efektivitas kerja dosen, dan (3) terdapat pengaruh langsung positif penjaminan mutu terhadap efikasi diri. Oleh sebab itu, disarankan kepada Poltekkes Kemenkes Jakarta III bahwa dalam meningkatkan efektivitas kerja dosen perlu memperhatikan pelaksanaan penjaminan mutu secara terstruktur dan berkesinambungan serta menumbuhkembangkan efikasi diri dosen.
Primary brachytherapy as a radical treatment for endometrial carcinoma

Surgery is the primary treatment for endometrial cancer, with radiation therapy having an established place in the adjuvant treatment setting. However, there is a population of patients with endometrial cancer who may not be suitable for surgery and primary radiation therapy as a treatment option. This article describes the place of radiotherapy in the management of endometrial cancer and describes the author's own experiences with primary brachytherapy in those patients who are unsuitable for surgery.
Decomposition of Speed-Independent Circuits

Logic decomposition is a well-known problem in logic synthesis, but it poses new challenges when targeted to speed-independent circuits. The decomposition of a gate into smaller gates must preserve not only the functional correctness of a circuit but also speed-independence, i.e. hazard-freedom under unbounded gate delays. This paper presents a new method for logic decomposition of speed-independent circuits that solves the problem in two major steps: 1) logic decomposition of complex gates and 2) insertion of new signals that preserve hazardfreedom. The method is shown to be more general than previous approaches and its effectiveness is evaluated by experiments on a set of benchmarks.
The Significance of the Learner Profile in Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is based on the principle that valuable learning, worthy of recognition, takes place outside formal education. In the context of higher education, legislation provides an enabling framework for the implementation of RPL. However, RPL will only gain its rightful position if it can ensure the RPL candidates’ success. Hence, the purpose of this study is to describe the significance of the learner profile of candidates. In this study, empirical research was conducted, which entailed the analysis of RPL candidates’ life stories as narratives. The findings illuminated specific characteristics of RPL candidates in terms of personal attributes, learning contexts, knowledge, and skills gained through a process of personal development. The conclusion is that this calls for an RPL approach that explicitly considers the significance of the profile at learner, practitioner, and institutional level.
Psychological stress, cytokine production, and severity of upper respiratory illness.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to assess the role of psychological stress in the expression of illness among infected subjects and to test the plausibility of local proinflammatory cytokine production as a pathway linking stress to illness. METHODS After completing a measure of psychological stress, 55 subjects were experimentally infected with an influenza A virus. Subjects were monitored in quarantine daily for upper respiratory symptoms, mucus production, and nasal lavage levels of interleukin (IL)-6. RESULTS Higher psychological stress assessed before the viral challenge was associated with greater symptom scores, greater mucus weights, and higher IL-6 lavage concentrations in response to infection. The IL-6 response was temporally related to the two markers of illness severity, and mediation analyses indicated that these data were consistent with IL-6 acting as a major pathway through which stress was associated with increased symptoms of illness. However, this pattern of data is also consistent with increases in IL-6 occurring in response to tissue damage associated with illness symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Psychological stress predicts a greater expression of illness and an increased production of IL-6 in response to an upper respiratory infection.
Using residualized change versus difference scores for longitudinal research

Researchers interested in studying change over time are often faced with an analytical conundrum: Whether a residualized change model versus a difference score model should be used to assess the effect of a key predictor on change that took place between two occasions. In this article, the authors pose a motivating example in which a researcher wants to investigate the effect of cohabitation on pre- to post-marriage change in relationship satisfaction. Key features of this example include the likely self-selection of dyads with lower relationship satisfaction to cohabit and the impossibility of using experimentation procedures to attain equivalent groups (i.e., cohabitants vs. not cohabitants). The authors use this example of a nonrandomized study to compare the residualized change and difference score models analytically and empirically. The authors describe the assumptions of the models to explain Lord’s paradox; that is, the fact that these models can lead to different inferences about the effect under investigation. They also provide recommendations for modeling data from nonrandomized studies using a latent change score framework.
Native plant naming by high-school students of different socioeconomic status: implications for botany education

ABSTRACT People’s diminished awareness of plants, affected by anthropogenic environmental deterioration, has challenged science education to overcome the obstacles impeding a better understanding of their meaning and value. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the socioeconomic status of high-school students, as indicated by their attendance at private or state schools, on their knowledge of native plants. In total, 321 students aged 15–18 were asked to write down 10 plants native to Córdoba, Argentina, in a freelist questionnaire. Students listed a mean of 6.8 species of a total of 165 different categories of plant names. The majority of the species named were exotic to Córdoba (63%) or Argentina (50.6%, of which 33.8% were adventitious), indicating an ‘adventitious-to-native’ effect by which all spontaneously reproducing plants were presumed to be native species. However, the 20 most frequently named plants were mainly native, with ‘Algarrobo’ (Prosopis spp.) and ‘Espinillo’ (Vachellia caven) being the most mentioned. Students’ socioeconomic status had a significant effect on the number of species named, with the students of state schools (where the less well-off sectors of the society attend) mentioning more species and, among these, more native ones than the students from private schools. Furthermore, we defined size, colour and scent as being conspicuous traits of plant flowers that are relevant for human perception, and found that the most frequently named adventitious species, unlike the native ones, were those exhibiting big brightly-coloured flowers which ranged from being inodorous to having medium intensity scents.
Three-dimensional simulations of the interstellar medium in dwarf galaxies - I. Ram pressure stripping

We present 3D hydrodynamic simulations of ram pressure stripping in dwarf galaxies. Analogous studies on this subject usually deal with much higher ram pressures, typical of galaxy clusters, or mild ram pressure due to the gas halo of the massive galactic companions. We extend over previous investigations by considering flattened, rotating dwarf galaxies subject to ram pressures typical of poor galaxy groups. We study the ram pressure effects as a function of several parameters such as galactic mass and velocity, ambient gas density, and angle between the galactic plane and the direction of motion. It turns out that this latter parameter plays a role only when the gas pressure in the galactic centre is comparable to the ram pressure. Despite the low values of the ram pressure, some dwarf galaxies can be completely stripped after 1-2 hundred of million years. This pose an interesting question on the aspect of the descents and, more in general, on the morphological evolution of dwarf galaxies. In cases in which the gas is not completely stripped, the propagation of possible galactic wind may be influenced by the disturbed distribution of the interstellar matter. We also consider the modification of the ISM surface density induced by the ram pessure and find that the resulting compression may trigger star formation over long time spans.