Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predictive and Convergent Validity of the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument in a Sample of Male and Female Justice-Involved Youth

Sufficient evidence exists that gender should and does matter in offender management. This study examined the predictive validity of risk and strength factors extracted from the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument (YASI) and the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) in a sample of 254 justice-involved youth (148 males, 106 females) from Ontario, Canada. Overall, total risk scores from both measures predicted recidivism (area under receiver operator characteristic curve [AUCs] = .62-.70). Domain-level analyses illustrated that criminal attitudes and associates (scored as risks or protective/strengths) were among the strongest predictors of recidivism in both genders. The YASI demonstrated strong convergent validity with the YLS/CMI. The results support the YASI and the YLS/CMI as viable risk assessment measures for justice-involved male and female youth. Given that the YASI includes both gender neutral and gender responsive items, it may be a particularly good choice for use with justice-involved females.
Some Characteristics of a Plant Growth Promoting Enterobacter sp. Isolated from the Roots of Maize

Some properties of an Enterobacter sp. isolated from the roots of maize are described. Isolation was carried out using the semisolid enrichment culture technique and subsequent plating, both on nitrogen free biotin medium. Morphological, biochemical and phylogenetic characterization using the MicroSeqTM 16S rDNA technique were employed in identification of isolate, which was revealed to be closest matched at 99.4% with Enterobacter asburiae. The isolate possessed properties of plant growth promoting bacteria. Thus, it produced indole-3-acetic, plant polymer hydrolyzing enzymes, pectinase and cellulase as well as ammonia in vitro. The isolate grew well in the presence of both 3% NaCl and 10 μg of streptomycin. In plate bioassays, isolate promoted the germination of both maize and rice seeds as well as root and lateral root growth resulting in weight increases of seedlings over their controls. Experiments to quantify ability of isolate to promote plant growth was performed using hydroponics solutions and as appropriate, an inoculum of the isolate. Pot experiments were also employed. Results from these studies showed that isolate enhanced nitrogen accumulation and significantly (p < 0.05), improved the growth of maze seedlings over controls. Isolate has potential for utilizetion as inocula for sustainable production of cereals.
Self-Employment of Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China

This paper focuses on the determinants of self-employment among rural to urban migrants in China. Two self-selection mechanisms are analysed: the first relates to the manner in which migrants choose self-employment or paid work based on the potential gains from either type of employment; the second takes into account that the determinants of the migration decision can be correlated with employment choices. Using data from the 2008 Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia (RUMiCI) survey, a selection model with endogenous switching is estimated. Earnings estimates are then used to derive the wage differential, which in turn is used to model the employment choice. The procedure is extended to account for migration selectivity and to compare individuals with different migration background and employment histories. The results indicate that self-employed individuals are positively selected with respect to their unobserved characteristics. Furthermore, the wage differential is found to be an important driver of the self-employment choice.
EVOLUTION OF ADAPTATION THROUGH ALLOMETRIC SHIFTS IN A MARINE SNAIL

Abstract Variation in ontogenetic development among individuals may be a major contributor to morphological variation within species. Evolution of different growth trajectories might, for example, evolve as a response to varying ecological contexts of individuals living in different environments, or by life-stage or gender differences. The intertidal periwinkle Littorina saxatilis is strongly polymorphic in shell shape. We compared ontogenetic trajectories between life stages, local populations, and sexes to understand how different morphological end points are reached during ontogeny and what might cause these differences. Applying landmark-based geometric morphometrics, we captured shell shape variation for four Swedish populations of this species. We also derived a method to visualize ontogenetic trajectories described by the relationship of size to the multivariate shape space. We found that growth trajectories differed between individuals living in different habitats, as well as between sexes and maturity stages. Males living on rocky cliffs grew isometrically throughout life, whereas females from the same habitat switched from isometric growth as juveniles to allometric growth as adults. In contrast, males and females living on boulders grew allometrically as juveniles but changed to isometric growth at sexual maturity. Thus, in this species, ontogenetic growth seems influenced by habitat-associated selection as well as by gender and age-specific selection. These differing selection regimes result in ontogenetic shifts in allometry in three of the four groups examined.
Factors affecting degree of perceived foreign accent in English sentences.

This study used interval scaling to assess degree of perceived foreign accent in English sentences spoken by native and non-native talkers. Native English listeners gave significantly higher (i.e., more authentic) pronunciation scores to native speakers of English than to Chinese adults who began learning English at an average age of 7.6 years. The results for the "child learners" suggest that a sensitive period for speech learning is reached long before the age of 12 years, as commonly supposed. Adults who had lived in the U.S. for 5 years did not receive higher scores than those who had lived there for only 1 year, suggesting that amount of unaided second-language (L2) experience does not affect adults' L2 pronunciation beyond an initial rapid stage of learning. Native speakers of Chinese who rated the sentences for foreign accent showed the same pattern of between-group differences as the native English listeners. The more experienced of two groups of Chinese listeners differentiated native and non-native talkers to a significantly greater extent than a less experienced group, even though the subjects in both groups spoke English with equally strong foreign accents. This suggests that tacit knowledge of how L2 sentences "ought" to sound increases more rapidly than the ability to produce those sentences.
Existence of multiple positive solutions of a nonlinear arbitrary order boundary value problem with advanced arguments

In this paper, we investigate nonlinear fractional differential equations of arbitrary order with advanced arguments    D 0+u(t) + a(t)f(u(θ(t))) = 0, 0 3 (n ∈ N), D 0+ is the standard Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative of order α, f : [0,∞) → [0,∞), a : [0, 1] → (0,∞) and θ : (0, 1) → (0, 1] are continuous functions. By applying fixed point index theory and Leggett-Williams fixed point theorem, sufficient conditions for the existence of multiple positive solutions to the above boundary value problem are established.
The Roles of Similarity in Transfer: Separating Retrievability From Inferential Soundness

Similarity is universally acknowledged to be central in transfer, but recent research suggests that its role is complex. The present research attempts to isolate and compare the determinants of similarity-based access to memory and the determinants of the subjective soundness and similarity of a match. We predicted, based on structure-mapping theory, that subjective soundness would depend on the degree of shared relational structure, particularly higher-order structure such as causal bindings. In contrast, we predicted that memory retrieval would be highly sensitive to surface similarities such as common object attributes. To assess retrievability, in three studies, subjects were asked to read a large set of stories and were later given a set of probe stories that resembled the original stories in systematically different ways; e.g., purely relational analogies, surface-similarity matches, or overall (literal similarity) matches. Subjects were told to write out any of the original stories that came to mind. To assess subjective soundness, independent subjects (and also the same reminding subjects) were asked to rate the inferential soundness of each pair; i.e., how well inferences true of one story would apply to the other. As predicted, subjective soundness was highly related to the degree of common relational structure, while retrievability was chiefly related to the degree of surface similarity. Ratings of the similarity of the pairs did not predict the retrievability ordering, arguing against the possibility that the retrieval ordering simply reflected overall similarity. Further, a fourth study demonstrated that subjects given a forced-choice recognition task could discriminate between possible matches on the basis of relational structure, ruling out the possibility that the poor relational retrieval resulted from forgetting or failing to encode the relational structure. We conclude that there is a dissociation between the similarity that governs access to long-term memory and that which is used in evaluating and reasoning from a present match. We describe a model, called MAC/FAC ("Many are called but few are chosen"), that uses a two-stage similarity retrieval process to model these findings. Finally, we speculate on the implications of this view for learning and transfer.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of ASKP1240, a Fully Human Anti-CD40 Antibody, in Normal and Renal Transplanted Cynomolgus Monkeys

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the serum concentration of ASKP1240 (pharmacokinetics [PK]) and the CD40 occupancy of ASKP1240 (pharmacodynamics [PD]) in normal and renal transplanted Cynomolgus monkeys to clarify the PK/PD relationship. Methods In a 70-day study, two ASKP1240 doses (2 and 5 mg/kg) were evaluated in normal and transplanted monkeys. Full doses were administered during the induction phase, and half doses were administered during the maintenance phase. The PK and PD were assessed using ELISA and FACS assays. Results The serum concentration and receptor occupancy of ASKP1240 reached their maximum levels rapidly after the first dose and remained at an almost saturated rate during the induction phase. They then decreased gradually during the maintenance phase in all of the groups. The serum concentration and duration of full receptor occupancy were dose dependent in the normal and transplanted monkeys. On day 70 after therapy with 5 mg/kg ASKP1240, the transplanted monkeys presented a significantly lower occupancy of the CD40 receptors compared with the normal animals (5.5%±14.1% vs. 72.8%±3.4%). The serum concentration of ASKP1240 was also strongly correlated with the occupancy of the ASKP1240 receptors. Conclusion This study showed strong positive PK/PD relationships in renal transplanted and normal monkeys. The results may thus serve as a guide for optimal dosage and timing of ASKP1240 therapy in clinical trials and will propel the translation of ASKP1240 therapeutics from the bench to preclinical and clinical trials.
Automatic Image Annotation Using Auxiliary Text Information

The availability of databases of images labeled with keywords is necessary for developing and evaluating image annotation models. Dataset collection is however a costly and time consuming task. In this paper we exploit the vast resource of images available on the web. We create a database of pictures that are naturally embedded into news articles and propose to use their captions as a proxy for annotation keywords. Experimental results show that an image annotation model can be developed on this dataset alone without the overhead of manual annotation. We also demonstrate that the news article associated with the picture can be used to boost image annotation performance.
Capital Market Integration in the Middle East and North Africa and its Implications for International Portfolio Allocation

The objective of this paper is to study capital market integration in the MENA countries and its implications for an international portfolio investment allocation. Using four co-integration methodologies, we significantly reject the hypothesis of a stable, long run bivariate relationship and between each of these markets and the European Monetary Union, the USA, and a regional benchmark. This indicates the existence of significant diversification opportunities for the three categories of investors. A time-varying analysis based on Barari (2004) suggests that the MENA markets have recently started moving towards international financial integration. They also seem to display heterogeneous reactions to financial, economic and political events, and should therefore not be treated as a block for global allocation purposes. Finally, adjusting these scores by market capitalization highlights that Israel and Turkey are the most promising markets in the region. They are followed by Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, while Tunisia and Lebanon seem to be lagging behind.
BRIEF COMMUNICATION: Effect of early life diet on lamb growth and organ development

Neonate lambs are pre-ruminants until approximately 3 – 4 weeks of age (Treacher & Caja 2002) and therefore their dam’s milk is key to their survival and growth. During this period, their digestive system is relatively immature. Attempts have been made to evaluate the effects of early weaning on lamb growth performance with few data available at ages earlier than 4 weeks (Brown 1964; Large 1965; Walker & Hunt 1981; Lane et al. 1986). These early studies show that lambs can be weaned at two to three weeks of age, however, they often result in growth rate checks. These findings suggest lambs require liquid diet for a minimum of two to three weeks. Nevertheless, rumen development is essential to enable lambs continue a normal growth trajectory when milk consumption ceases (Poe et al. 1969). Our objective was to examine the impacts on lamb growth and organ development when pellets are added to the milk diet of lambs in very early post birth life. Furthermore, lamb growth rates have improved by 50 g/day since the 1980s (Bray 2004). This may imply that the efficiency of lambs in utilising energy in their diet for growth and maintenance has altered. Thus, in addition to the growth performance, the utilisation of metabolisable energy (ME) in the diet for maintenance and growth was also examined.
Ways of Ion Channel Gating in Plant Cells

A precise control of ion channel opening is essential for the physiological functioning of plant cells. This process is termed gating. Ion channel gating can be effected by ligand-binding, fluctuations in membrane potential, membrane stretch and light quality. Modern electrophysiological and molecular-biological techniques have enabled the characterization and classification of many ion channels according to their gating phenomena. Indications are that gating mechanisms are complex and that individual ion channels can be regulated by a number of factors. In this paper, gating mechanisms are reviewed following a standard classification of ion channels based on permeability. The gating of K+, Ca2+and anion channels in the plasma membrane, tonoplast and endomembranes of plant cells is described.
The Role of Distinct Facets of Perfectionism and Sociocultural Idealization of Thinness on Disordered Eating Symptoms

Introduction: Perfectionism is a multidimensional personality style implicated in risk for disordered eating (DE), yet the types of perfectionism most predictive of DE and how perfectionistic tendencies lead to the development of DE remains less clear. This study aimed to determine the types of perfectionism most strongly associated with DE and whether perceived pressures for thinness and thin-ideal internalization serve as intervening variables that explain associations between perfectionism and DE. Methods: An ethnically diverse sample of female college students (n = 154–292) completed well-validated self-report questionnaires assessing overall DE symptoms, perfectionism, and two sociocultural factors: pressures for thinness and thin-ideal internalization. Results: Only perfectionism constructs encompassed under the “maladaptive evaluative concerns” domain were significantly associated with DE. Double mediation models indicated that heightened pressures for thinness and thin-ideal internalization fully mediate perfectionism-DE associations. Discussion: Results suggest that disorder-specific risk factors related to idealization of thinness may be important for understanding how a transdiagnostic factor, like perfectionism, results in DE.
ProSeal Laryngeal Mask Airway as an Alternative to Standard Endotracheal Tube in Securing Upper Airway in the Patients Undergoing Beating-heart Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Background: ProSeal laryngeal mask airways (PLMAs) are routinely used after failed tracheal intubation as airway rescue, facilitating tracheal intubation by acting as a conduit and to secure airway during emergencies. In long duration surgeries, use of endotracheal tube (ETT) is associated with various hemodynamic complications, which are minimally affected during PLMA use. However, except for few studies, there are no significant data available that promote the use of laryngeal mask during cardiac surgery. This prospective study was conducted with the objective of demonstrating the advantages of PLMA over ETT in the patients undergoing beating-heart coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Methodology: This prospective, interventional study was carried out in 200 patients who underwent beating-heart CABG. Patients were randomized in equal numbers to either ETT group or PLMA group, and various hemodynamic and respiratory parameters were observed at different time points. Results: Patients in PLMA group had mean systolic blood pressure 126.10 ± 5.31 mmHg compared to the patients of ETT group 143.75 ± 6.02 mmHg. Pulse rate in the PLMA group was less (74.52 ± 10.79 per min) (P < 0.05) compared to ETT group (81.72 ± 9.8). Thus, hemodynamic changes were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in PLMA than in ETT group. Respiratory parameters such as oxygen saturation, pressure CO 2 (pCO 2 ), peak airway pressure, and lung compliance were similar to ETT group at all evaluation times. The incidence of adverse events was also lower in PLMA group. Conclusion: In experience hand, PLMA offers advantages over the ETT in airway management in the patients undergoing beating-heart CABG.
The role of subcultures in agile organizations

© 2003 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. Our goal in this chapter is to develop a framework for understanding how subcultures influence strong culture organizations’ agility. We begin with the proposition that organizations benefit from simultaneously managing strong, stable cultures while maintaining the flexibility and adaptability necessary to survive the ebbs and flows of turbulent environments (e.g., Tushman & O'Reilly, 1996). We then distinguish among various types of values to consider how subcultures can co-exist and evolve within strong organizational cultures. We also investigate the conditions that stimulate subcultures to emerge from individual, group, and organizational levels of analysis. Finally, we describe how subcultures can increase organizational agility by providing a source of creativity and flexibility.
Software Engineering Team Project - lessons learned

In the 2010/11 academic year the Institute of Informatics at Wroclaw University of Technology issued ’Software Engineering Team Project’ as a course being a part of the final exam to earn bachelor’s degree. The main assumption about the course was that it should simulate the real environment (a virtual IT company) for its participants. The course was aimed to introduce issues regarding programming in the medium scale, project planning and management. It was a real challenge as the course was oered for more than 140 students. The number of sta members involved in its preparation and performance was more than 15. The paper presents the lessons learned from the first course edition as well as more detailed qualitative and quantitative course assessment.
Evaluation of the UR 3 D algorithm using the FRGC v 2 data set

From a user’s perspective, face recognition is one of the most desirable biometrics, due to its non-intrusive nature. As a large number of face recognition systems have been developed over the past 15 years, their evaluation and comparison by an independent body becomes crucial. Face Recognition Vendor Tests (FRVT) are organized at regular intervals by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and cooperating institutions. The last FRVT (2002) showed that no system was capable of offering the accuracy desired for field deployment. Thus the Face Recognition Grand Challenge (FRGC) was set up with the aim to build systems with an order of magnitude higher accuracy. We have applied our previous work on deformable models and 3D representations to the problem of recognizing faces, based on 3D and infrared facial data. The 3D component of our system (UR3D) has been tested on the FRGC v2 dataset and the results are reported here. These results gave us a much needed insight on the performance of UR3D and pointed to areas of further improvement.
Reduced overhead logging for rollback recovery in distributed shared memory

Rollback techniques that use message logging and deterministic replay can be used in parallel systems to recover a failed node without involving other nodes. Distributed shared memory (DSM) systems cannot directly apply message-passing logging techniques because they use inherently nondeterministic asynchronous communication. This paper presents new logging schemes that reduce the typically high overhead for logging in DSM. Our algorithm for sequentially consistent systems tracks rather than logs accesses to shared memory. In an extension of this method to lazy release consistency, the per-access overhead of tracking has been completely eliminated. Measurements with parallel applications show a significant reduction in failure-free overhead. <<ETX>>
Quality of life of lung cancer patients

Abstract Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in patients in Ukraine. The objective of the study was to identify the main problems in the quality of life of patients with lung cancer in order to optimize medical care for this patient group. A survey of 411 patients of oncology institutions in nine regions of Ukraine was conducted in the period from November 2021 to February 2022. The sociological survey was performed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-LC29 questionnaires. As of the pre-war period, the quality of life of lung cancer patients in Ukraine amounted to 49.12 points on a 100-point scale. According to the QLQ-C30 symptom scale, the highest score among the complaints of Ukrainian patients is that of financial difficulties, the second place is occupied by fatigue. According to the QLQ-LC29 symptom scale, patients with lung cancer were most concerned with “Fear of progression”. Ukrainian patients were least concerned about diarrhea and hemoptysis. When providing medical care to cancer patients, components to ensure the proper quality of their lives and psychosocial care, including the standardization of psychological care and its introduction in all institutions that provide medical care to cancer patients; organization of social and psychological support for cancer patients and their families; as well as educational work with relatives, colleagues, medical professionals on awareness of the need for social and psychological support for patients must be taken into account.