Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Autoeficácia Esportiva: uma revisão integrativa dos instrumentos de medida

O papel da autoeficacia no desempenho e foco de estudo no âmbito esportivo . O objetivo desta revisao sistematica foi verificar os instrumentos empregados para mensurar a autoeficacia relacionada ao desempenho esportivo e identificar suas propriedades psicometricas. Buscaram-se artigos nas bases de dados Eric, Scopus e APA (Psycnet) , com os descritores self-efficacy, sports, performance. Dos 13 estudos selecionados para analise, constatou-se que a maioria propos instrumentos especificos para a pesquisa, seguindo recomendacoes do guia de construcao de medidas de autoeficacia; apenas um artigo apresentou o processo de validacao; a consistencia interna foi a propriedade psicometrica mais reportada; nao houve referencia a reprodutibilidade dos instrumentos e tampouco divulgacao dos instrumentos utilizados nas pesquisas. Conclui-se que a reprodutibilidade dos instrumentos permitiria maior confiabilidade na analise dos resultados e controle de variaveis cognitivas que afetam o rendimento esportivo e que um padrao ouro de avaliacao da autoeficacia em contexto esportivo especifico se faz necessario.
Age group differences in psychological distress: the role of psychosocial risk factors that vary with age

Background. There is continuing controversy about how age affects depression and anxiety, with a lack of consistent results across studies. Two reasons for this inconsistency are age bias in measures and different patterns of exposure to risk factors across age groups in various studies. Method. Data on anxiety and depression symptoms were collected in a community survey of 7485 persons aged 20–24, 40–44 or 60–64 years. These measures were investigated for factorial invariance across age groups. Data were also collected on a wide range of potential risk factors, including social, physical health and personal factors, with the aim of determining whether these factors might partly or wholly account for age group differences. Results. The invariance of correlated latent factors representing anxiety and depression was examined across age groups, and a generalized measure of psychological distress was computed. Depression, anxiety and psychological distress showed a decline across age groups for females and a decline from 40–44 to 60–64 years for males. Some of these age differences were accounted for by other risk factors, with the most important being recent crises at work and negative social relationships with family and friends. Conclusion. Psychological distress generally declined across the age range 20–64 years and this was not attributable to measurement bias. Differential exposure to risk factors explained some, but not all, of the age group difference. Therefore other mechanisms that explain the lower level of distress in older age groups remain to be identified.
Opposite Action of β1- and β2-Adrenergic Receptors on CaV1 L-Channel Current in Rat Adrenal Chromaffin Cells

Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels of chromaffin cells are modulated by locally released neurotransmitters through autoreceptor-activated G-proteins. Clear evidence exists in favor of a Ca2+ channel gating inhibition mediated by purinergic, opioidergic, and α-adrenergic autoreceptors. Few and contradictory data suggest also a role of β-adrenergic autoreceptors (β-ARs), the action of which, however, remains obscure. Here, using patch-perforated recordings, we show that rat chromaffin cells respond to the β-AR agonist isoprenaline (ISO) by either upmodulating or downmodulating the amplitude of Ca2+ currents through two distinct modulatory pathways. ISO (1 μm) could cause either fast inhibition (∼25%) or slow potentiation (∼25%), or a combination of the two actions. Both effects were completely prevented by propranolol. Slow potentiation was more evident in cells pretreated with pertussis toxin (PTX) or when β1-ARs were selectively stimulated with ISO + ICI118,551. Potentiation was absent when the β2-AR-selective agonist zinterol (1 μm), the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89, or nifedipine was applied, suggesting that potentiation is associated with a PKA-mediated phosphorylation of L-channels (∼40% L-current increase) through β1-ARs. The ISO-induced inhibition was fast and reversible, preserved in cell treated with H89, and mimicked by zinterol. The action of zinterol was mostly on L-channels (38% inhibition). Zinterol action preserved the channel activation kinetics, the voltage-dependence of theI–V characteristic, and was removed by PTX, suggesting that β2AR-mediated channel inhibition was mainly voltage independent and coupled to Gi/Go-proteins. Sequential application of zinterol and ISO mimicked the dual action (inhibition/potentiation) of ISO alone. The two kinetically and pharmacologically distinct β-ARs signaling uncover alternative pathways, which may serve the autocrine control of Ca2+-dependent exocytosis and other related functions of rat chromaffin cells.
Playing Devil’s Advocate: Evaluating the Literature of the WAC/WID Movement

This review considers evidence cited in support of and in opposition to Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) and Writing in the Disciplines (WID). After defining WAC and WID terms and concepts and reviewing the literature on key developments of the WAC/WID movement, the authors recommend that key terms be defined more precisely and that multimodal learning be adopted more consistently to address varied learning styles. Noting the complexities of affirming student achievement, specifically when success is attributed without qualification to WAC/WID initiatives, the authors question evidence cited in support of WAC/WID goals and pedagogies. They also consider the monetary costs of WAC/WID initiatives.
A large-scale quantitative analysis of latent factors and sentiment in online doctor reviews

Online physician reviews are a massive and potentially rich source of information capturing patient sentiment regarding healthcare. We analyze a corpus comprising nearly 60,000 such reviews with a state-of-the-art probabilistic model of text. We describe a probabilistic generative model that captures latent sentiment across aspects of care (eg, interpersonal manner). We target specific aspects by leveraging a small set of manually annotated reviews. We perform regression analysis to assess whether model output improves correlation with state-level measures of healthcare. We report both qualitative and quantitative results. Model output correlates with state-level measures of quality healthcare, including patient likelihood of visiting their primary care physician within 14 days of discharge (p=0.03), and using the proposed model better predicts this outcome (p=0.10). We find similar results for healthcare expenditure. Generative models of text can recover important information from online physician reviews, facilitating large-scale analyses of such reviews.
Pathological video-gaming among Singaporean youth.

INTRODUCTION Increase in internet use and video-gaming contributes to public concern on pathological or obsessive play of video games among children and adolescents worldwide. Nevertheless, little is known about the prevalence of pathological symptoms in video-gaming among Singaporean youth and the psychometric properties of instruments measuring pathological symptoms in video-gaming. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 2998 children and adolescents from 6 primary and 6 secondary schools in Singapore responded to a comprehensive survey questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, video-gaming habits, school performance, somatic symptoms, various psychological traits, social functioning and pathological symptoms of video-gaming. After weighting, the survey data were analysed to determine the prevalence of pathological video-gaming among Singaporean youth and gender differences in the prevalence. The construct validity of instrument used to measure pathological symptoms of video-gaming was tested. RESULTS Of all the study participants, 8.7% were classified as pathological players with more boys reporting more pathological symptoms than girls. All variables, including impulse control problem, social competence, hostility, academic performance, and damages to social functioning, tested for construct validity, were significantly associated with pathological status, providing good evidence for the construct validity of the instrument used. CONCLUSION The prevalence rate of pathological video-gaming among Singaporean youth is comparable with that from other countries studied thus far, and gender differences are also consistent with the findings of prior research. The positive evidence of construct validity supports the potential use of the instrument for future research and clinical screening on Singapore children and adolescents' pathological video-gaming.
Effect of religiosity on the self-esteem and life satisfaction of lesbians and gay men

The aim of the current study was to investigate any potential relationships in the variables by means of a quasi-experimental research design examining differences between the independent variable sexual orientation across the dependant variables religiosity, self-esteem and life satisfaction. The sample consisted of 157 participants (M=87, F=70). Participants completed an online survey comprised of the Rohrbaugh & Jessor Religiosity Measure, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Results showed that there was a significant relationship between religiosity and sexual orientation, with heterosexual participants having higher religiosity. There was not a significant relationship between sexual orientation and self-esteem between the two groups. Results also showed no significant relationship between sexual orientation and life satisfaction between the two groups. The study concludes that there is no significance between sexual orientation and religiosity in relation to self-esteem and life satisfaction for lesbians and gay men.
Optimization of Sulfide/Sulfite Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass for Lactic Acid Production

Potential of sodium sulfide and sodium sulfite, in the presence of sodium hydroxide was investigated to pretreat the corncob (CC), bagasse (BG), water hyacinth and rice husk (RH) for maximum digestibility. Response Surface Methodology was employed for the optimization of pretreatment factors such as temperature, time and concentration of Na2S and Na2SO3, which had high coefficient of determination (R 2) along with low probability value (P), indicating the reliable predictability of the model. At optimized conditions, Na2S and Na2SO3 remove up to 97% lignin, from WH and RH, along with removal of hemicellulose (up to 93%) during pretreatment providing maximum cellulose, while in BG and CC; 75.0% and 90.0% reduction in lignin and hemicellulose was observed. Saccharification efficiency of RH, WH, BG and CC after treatment with 1.0% Na2S at 130°C for 2.3–3.0 h was 79.40, 85.93, 87.70, and 88.43%, respectively. WH treated with Na2SO3 showed higher hydrolysis yield (86.34%) as compared to Na2S while other biomass substrates showed 2.0–3.0% less yield with Na2SO3. Resulting sugars were evaluated as substrate for lactic acid production, yielding 26.48, 25.36, 31.73, and 30.31 gL−1 of lactic acid with 76.0, 76.0, 86.0, and 83.0% conversion yield from CC, BG, WH, and RH hydrolyzate, respectively.
Individual and temporal variability in the courtship behavior of White-ruffed Manakins (Corapipo altera), a species with facultative cooperative displays

ABSTRACT Investigation of the ecological and evolutionary basis for the often-intriguing courtship behavior of animals requires that we understand the patterns of variation inherent in such behaviors. The courtship displays of the White-ruffed Manakin (Corapipo altera) are not well-known, and previously published descriptions and interpretations of displays conflict with one another. We studied the reproductive behavior of C. altera during 6 breeding seasons, observing 72 display courts (mean 29 ± 2.5 courts annually) for a total of 2688 hr. We updated the behavioral characterization of C. altera by reconciling 8 previous ethologies and describing 2 new behavioral elements, vouchering all with audio and video recordings. We evaluated evidence for the occurrence of male–male cooperation and characterized the physical attributes and temporal dynamics of displays and display courts. We found strong evidence of cooperation among males; 32% of displays for females were highly coordinated displays performed by 2 males, and 8% of those ended in copulation. Males of the highest social status (alphas) retained that status for an average of 1.7 yr (range 1.5 mo to ≥5 yr). Most alphas remained at a single court during their alpha tenure and rarely declined in social status. Only 23% of second-ranked (beta) males transitioned to alpha status, and of those 70% became alphas at a new display court. Display courts did not seem to be limited because few measured physical attributes differed between active display logs and random logs. Several elements of C. altera display behavior and social organization were more variable than in other manakin species, including high turnover of the display courts. This work provides key information for comparative studies investigating the evolution of cooperation in Pipridae.
Three-Dimensional, Digital, and Gross Anatomy of the Lisfranc Ligament

Background: There are inconsistencies in the descriptive anatomy of the Lisfranc ligament. No information is available on orientation of fibers or presence of bundles, nor are there 3-dimensional anatomic data on the ligaments or their attachments. This study assessed the 3-dimensional anatomy of the Lisfranc ligament and its attachment sites. Methods: A total of 37 cadaver feet were dissected to expose the ligament attachments at the Lisfranc joint. The Lisfranc ligament and plantar ligament attachments were outlined separately and then removed with the attachment outlines preserved. A 3-dimensional digitizer was used to digitize bony and articular surfaces, as well as ligament attachment sites, at approximately 1 mm intervals; the positional accuracy was 0.23 mm. The surface areas of the entire bone, articular regions, and Lisfranc and plantar ligament attachment regions were determined and anatomic details were noted. Results: The Lisfranc ligament had a single bundle in 73% of the specimens and 2 bundles in 27%. Both variations had a single attachment to the second metatarsal (M2; mean attachment surface area, 135 mm2). The single-bundle variation attached to the medial cuneiform (C1; mean attachment surface area, 140 mm2). The plantar ligament, C1-M2-M3, attached to the anterior plantar surface of the lateral aspect of C1 (mean attachment surface, 64 mm2) and had attachment sites at the bases of M2 and M3. Its fibers ran anteriorly and inferiorly, with attachments to the proximal inferomedial aspect of M2 (mean attachment surface, 63 mm2) and fibers extending to a smaller attachment at the plantar aspect of M3 (mean attachment surface area, 26 mm2). Conclusion: The Lisfranc ligament is variable in anatomy and can have a single- or double-bundle arrangement. Its area of attachment is larger than that of the plantar ligament. Clinical Relevance: Anatomic descriptions of location, dimensions, and variability in the position and surface area of the ligament attachment sites and of orientation of the bundles provide information for future attempts at repair or reconstruction of the Lisfranc ligament.
The Brn-2 Transcription Factor Links Activated BRAF to Melanoma Proliferation

ABSTRACT Malignant melanoma, an aggressive and increasingly common cancer, is characterized by a strikingly high rate (70%) of mutations in BRAF, a key component of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathway. How signaling events downstream from BRAF affect the underlying program of gene expression is poorly understood. We show that the Brn-2 POU domain transcription factor is highly expressed in melanoma cell lines but not in melanocytes or melanoblasts and that overexpression of Brn-2 in melanocytes results in increased proliferation. Expression of Brn-2 is strongly upregulated by Ras and MAP kinase signaling. Importantly, the Brn-2 promoter is stimulated by kinase-activating BRAF mutants and endogenous Brn-2 expression is inhibited by RNA interference-mediated downregulation of BRAF. Moreover, silent interfering RNA-mediated depletion of Brn-2 in melanoma cells expressing activated BRAF leads to decreased proliferation. The results suggest that the high levels of Brn-2 expression observed in melanomas link BRAF signaling to increased proliferation.
Very fast optimal parallel algorithms for heap construction

We give two algorithms for permuting n items in an array into heap order on a CRCW PRAM. The first is deterministic and runs in O(log log n) time and performs O(n) operations and is time- and work-optimal. The second is randomized and runs in O(log log log n) time with high probability, performing O(n) operations. No PRAM algorithm with o(log n) run-time was previously known for this problem. We also study the parallel complexity of selecting the kth smallest of n elements on the CRCW PRAM, a problem of independent interest. We show that this problem can be solved deterministically in O(log log n+log k/log log n) time and O(n) operations for all 1/spl les/k/spl les/n/2, improving on existing algorithms when k is small compared to n. This run-time is also shown to be optimal. <<ETX>>
MGMT activity in mucosal epithelium and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

UNLABELLED Smoking and alcohol abuse cause squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) through smoke-induced mutations, which are counteracted by O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). This study aimed at elucidating the role of MGMT in SCCHN and its precursor lesions (SIN). MGMT was also determined in the normal mucosa (NM) and blood lymphocytes (PBLCs). RESULTS a) MGMT was lower in NM than in PBLCs. b) Smoking reduced MGMT in NM but had no effect in PBLCs. c) MGMT activity increased in the sequence NM<SIN II and III<CIS. d) There was no correlation between MGMT and prognostic parameters or clinical course in SCCHN. The data suggest that MGMT becomes down-regulated due to smoking in non-cancerous pharyngeal mucosa. The low MGMT activity in early dysplastic mucosal lesions may increase the risk for tumour development. Since some advanced carcinomas showed low MGMT activity, chemotherapy with O(6)-alkylating agents might be an alternative option.
Research dilemmas: Paradigms, methods and methodology

In this article the authors discuss issues faced by early career researchers, including the dichotomy, which many research textbooks and journal articles create and perpetuate between qualitative and quantitative research methodology despite considerable literature to support the use of mixed methods. The authors review current research literature and discuss some of the language, which can prove confusing to the early career researcher and problematic for post-graduate supervisors and teachers of research. The authors argue that discussions of research methods in research texts and university courses should include mixed methods and should address the perceived dichotomy between qualitative and quantitative research methodology
The Educational Experiences of Gypsy Travellers: the Impact of Cultural Dissonance

There is a steadily growing literature on Gypsy travellers’ experiences of education. Given the low levels of literacy and attendance in formal education amongst Gypsy traveller children and, further, the centrality of education to UK society, this is a welcomed growth. Data from a variety of theoretical and ethnographic studies on the attainment levels of Gypsy travellers, their educational experiences and the quality of education that they receive indicates that Gypsy traveller experiences of formal education are fraught with varying degrees of conflict both with regard to authority figures within the school (i.e. teachers and teaching assistants) and with their nonGypsy traveller peers. Drawing upon this literature, the present study found evidence of such conflict present in an English middle school. Specifically, conflicts were found to have their causes in a curriculum which Gypsy travellers found both irrelevant and inaccessible, in the presence of academic-minded teachers who inadvertently provoked volatile behaviour amongst Gypsy travellers and in peer-to-peer relations. Examination of the impact of the middle school structure found that teachers fitting a developmental model of teaching helped to mediate or indeed negate potential conflict for some Gypsy traveller students.
Cooperative learning in a Hong Kong primary school: perceptions, problems and accommodation

Some educators may see cooperative learning as a Western pedagogy that is difficult to use in Eastern countries with a Confucian Heritage, while others argue that the philosophy of Confucius parallels the elements of cooperative learning. This article reports the key findings of a 2-year longitudinal study that investigated the perceptions of cooperative learning and pupils’ problems with cooperative learning in a Hong Kong primary school. A school-based staff development programme was conducted to help teachers prepare students for using cooperative learning in their classes. Pupils were interviewed at various stages of the study, and classroom observations were conducted to see how they worked in cooperative groups in the core subjects. The results showed that pupils’ perceptions of cooperative learning were generally positive though they encountered some problems in working together. The results are discussed with reference to the influence of Confucian heritage culture on pupils’ perceptions of CL, and recommendations are made for accommodating cooperative learning accordingly.
DACTAL: divide-and-conquer trees (almost) without alignments

Motivation: While phylogenetic analyses of datasets containing 1000–5000 sequences are challenging for existing methods, the estimation of substantially larger phylogenies poses a problem of much greater complexity and scale. Methods: We present DACTAL, a method for phylogeny estimation that produces trees from unaligned sequence datasets without ever needing to estimate an alignment on the entire dataset. DACTAL combines iteration with a novel divide-and-conquer approach, so that each iteration begins with a tree produced in the prior iteration, decomposes the taxon set into overlapping subsets, estimates trees on each subset, and then combines the smaller trees into a tree on the full taxon set using a new supertree method. We prove that DACTAL is guaranteed to produce the true tree under certain conditions. We compare DACTAL to SATé and maximum likelihood trees on estimated alignments using simulated and real datasets with 1000–27 643 taxa. Results: Our studies show that on average DACTAL yields more accurate trees than the two-phase methods we studied on very large datasets that are difficult to align, and has approximately the same accuracy on the easier datasets. The comparison to SATé shows that both have the same accuracy, but that DACTAL achieves this accuracy in a fraction of the time. Furthermore, DACTAL can analyze larger datasets than SATé, including a dataset with almost 28 000 sequences. Availability: DACTAL source code and results of dataset analyses are available at www.cs.utexas.edu/users/phylo/software/dactal. Contact: tandy@cs.utexas.edu