Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Dissonance Resolution Is Related to Episodic Memory

The notion that our past choices affect our future behavior is certainly one of the most influential concepts of social psychology since its first experimental report in the 50 s, and its initial theorization by Festinger within the “cognitive dissonance” framework. Using the free choice paradigm (FCP), it was shown that choosing between two similarly rated items made subjects reevaluate the chosen items as more attractive and the rejected items as less attractive. However, in 2010 a major work by Chen and Risen revealed a severe statistical flaw casting doubt on most previous studies. Izuma and colleagues (2010) supplemented the traditional FCP with original control conditions and concluded that the effect observed could not be solely attributed to this methodological flaw. In the present work we aimed at establishing the existence of genuine choice-induced preference change and characterizing this effect. To do so, we replicated Izuma et al.’ study and added a new important control condition which was absent from the original study. Moreover, we added a memory test in order to measure the possible relation between episodic memory of choices and observed behavioral effects. In two experiments we provide experimental evidence supporting genuine choice-induced preference change obtained with FCP. We also contribute to the understanding of the phenomenon by showing that choice-induced preference change effects are strongly correlated with episodic memory.
The Instability of n-type LTPS TFTs Alternately operated in OFF region with drain biased

The instability characteristics of n-type low-temperature polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors (LTPS TFTs) which are dynamically stressed in the OFF region with drain biased is investigated. Through the gate dynamically stressed in the OFF state with negative drain dc bias, the degradation mechanism of TFTs could be clarified and the defects are mainly generated in the source region. The higher the gate pulse frequency is, the more the TFTs devices degrade. A degradation model is proposed to explain the degradation mechanism of LTPS TFTs, according to three electrical measuring items, including the sampling currents, saturation forward & reverse I–V (FR-IV) transfer curves and C–V curves.
How newcomers influence group utilization of their knowledge: Integrating versus differentiating Strategies

Abstract The present research contributes to the literature on group learning and group socialization by examining whether newcomers can actively influence the extent to which groups socially accept them and, in turn, utilize their unique knowledge. We propose that groups will respond more positively toward newcomers who use an integrating language-based strategy (i.e., plural pronouns) that emphasizes their new group identity than toward newcomers who use the more common differentiating language-based strategy (i.e., singular pronouns) that emphasizes their personal identity and separation from the group. The paper reports two experiments (an interactive group study and a scenario study) that support this proposition, suggesting that group utilization of newcomer knowledge depends, in part, on the way newcomers contribute their knowledge. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. Keywords: group learning; knowledge transfer; membership change; group socialization; social identity
Maternal choline concentrations during pregnancy and choline-related genetic variants as risk factors for neural tube defects.

BACKGROUND Low maternal choline intake and blood concentration may be risk factors for having a child with a neural tube defect (NTD); however, the data are inconsistent. This is an important question to resolve because choline, if taken periconceptionally, might add to the protective effect currently being achieved by folic acid. OBJECTIVE We examined the relation between NTDs, choline status, and genetic polymorphisms reported to influence de novo choline synthesis to investigate claims that taking choline periconceptionally could reduce NTD rates. DESIGN Two study groups of pregnant women were investigated: women who had a current NTD-affected pregnancy (AP; n = 71) and unaffected controls (n = 214) and women who had an NTD in another pregnancy but not in the current pregnancy [nonaffected pregnancy (NAP); n = 98] and unaffected controls (n = 386). Blood samples to measure betaine and total choline concentrations and single nucleotide polymorphisms related to choline metabolism were collected at their first prenatal visit. RESULTS Mean (±SD) plasma total choline concentrations in the AP (2.8 ± 1.0 mmol/L) and control (2.9 ± 0.9 mmol/L) groups did not differ significantly. Betaine concentrations were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Total choline and betaine in the NAP group did not differ from controls. Cases were significantly more likely to have the G allele of phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT; V175M, +5465 G>A) rs7946 (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that maternal betaine and choline concentrations are not strongly associated with NTD risk. The association between PEMT rs7946 and NTDs requires confirmation. The addition of choline to folic acid supplements may not further reduce NTD risk.
Moderated mediation model of relationship between perceived organizational justice and counterproductive work behavior

Purpose This study aimed to develop a moderated mediation model to explain the relationship between perceived organizational justice and the counterproductive work behavior (CWB) of Chinese public servants. In this model, the authors assumed that job burnout mediates the relationship between perceived organizational justice and CWB and that moral identity moderates the relationship between job burnout and CWB. Design/methodology/approach A total of 210 public servants in China participated in this study, and their characteristics were measured by self-report tools. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to test the moderated mediation model. Findings Analysis of the data demonstrated that perceived organizational justice, job burnout and moral identity influenced CWB. Moral identity moderated the relationship between job burnout and CWB, such that individuals with low moral identity are more likely to engage in CWB. Moreover, job burnout mediated the effect of perceived organizational justice on CWB, and the mediating effect of job burnout was moderated by moral identity. The indirect effect of perceived organizational justice on CWB through job burnout was significant among individuals with low moral identity but not among individuals with high moral identity. Research limitations/implications The findings highlight the self-regulatory function of moral identity in preventing CWB. Practical implications The study offers several significant suggestions to reduce CWB in Chinese public sector administration, such as by improving organizational justice perception, recruiting and selecting individuals with reference to their moral identity and monitoring employees’ job burnout regularly. Originality/value The authors developed and verified a moderated mediated model on the relationship between perceived organizational justice and CWB. The study revealed that job burnout has a mediating effect on the perceived organizational justice–CWB relation, providing important insights into the processes through which perceived organizational justice affects CWB.
Early Alteration of Structural and Functional Brain Development in Premature Infants Born with Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Placental insufficiency with fetal intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is an important cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity and is subsequently associated with significant neurodevelopmental impairment in cognitive function, attention capacity, and school performance. The underlying biologic cause for this association is unclear. Twenty-eight preterm infants (gestational age 32.5 ± 1.9 wk) were studied by early and term magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An advanced quantitative volumetric three-dimensional MRI technique was used to measure brain tissue volumes in 14 premature infants with placental insufficiency, defined by abnormal antenatal Doppler measurements and mean birth weights <10th percentile (1246 ± 299 g) (IUGR) and in 14 preterm infants matched for gestational age with normal mean birth weights 1843 ± 246 g (control). Functional outcome was measured at term in all infants by a specialized assessment scale of preterm infant behavior. Premature infants with IUGR had a significant reduction in intracranial volume (mean ± SD: 253.7 ± 29.9 versus 300.5 ± 43.5 mL, p < 0.01) and in cerebral cortical gray matter (mean ± SD: 77.2 ± 16.3 versus 106.8 ± 24.6 mL, p < 0.01) when measured within the first 2 wk of life compared with control premature infants. These findings persisted at term with intracranial volume (mean ± SD: 429.3 ± 47.9 versus 475.9 ± 53.4 mL, p < 0.05) and cerebral cortical gray matter (mean ± SD: 149.3 ± 29.2 versus 189 ± 34.2 mL, p < 0.01). Behavioral assessment at term showed a significantly less mature score in the subsystem of attention-interaction availability in IUGR infants (p ± 0.01). Cerebral cortical gray matter volume at term correlated with attention-interaction capacity measured at term (r = 0.45, p < 0.05). These results suggest that placental insufficiency with IUGR have specific structural and functional consequences on cerebral cortical brain development. These findings may provide insight into the structural-functional correlate for the developmental deficits associated with IUGR.
Positive childhood experiences: resilience and recovery from personality disorder in early adulthood.

OBJECTIVE Recent follow-along studies of personality disorders have shown significant improvement in psychopathology over time. The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the association between positive childhood experiences related to resiliency and remission from personality disorder. METHOD Five hundred twenty patients with DSM-IV-based semistructured interview diagnoses of schizotypal, borderline, avoidant, or obsessive-compulsive personality disorders were evaluated 6 times over 4 years between September 1996 and June 2002. Positive childhood experiences, including achievements, positive interpersonal relationships with others, and caretaker competencies, were measured using the Childhood Experiences Questionnaire-Revised. The effects of positive childhood experiences on clinically significant remission from personality disorder were determined using survival and proportional hazard regression analyses. RESULTS Positive achievement experiences and positive interpersonal relationships during childhood or adolescence were significantly associated with remission from avoidant and schizo-typal personality disorders. The greater the number of positive experiences and the broader the developmental period they spanned, the better the prognosis of these personality disorders. CONCLUSIONS The prognosis of certain personality disorders is better in patients whose developmental histories include positive experiences. Early treatment designed to foster personal strengths and competencies and to develop interpersonal skills might benefit young patients diagnosed with personality disorders.
Neural network approach for intrusion detection

Intrusion Detection System is based on the belief that an intruder's behavior will be noticeably different from that of a legitimate user and would exploit security vulnerabilities. This paper proposes a neural network approach to improve the alert throughput of a network and making it attack prohibitive using IDS. For evolving and testing intrusion the KDD CUP 99 dataset are used. The result of proposed approach is found to be more efficient in the area of Intrusion Detection and promises a good scope for further research.
The Poor Man's Machiavelli: Saul Alinsky and the Morality of Power

This article presents Saul Alinsky's theory of community organizing as a democratic alternative to political realism's fixation on the coercive authority of the state and the ethical problems of statesmanship. Alinsky shows how the organizer can be used as a paradigmatic political actor in developing an approach to political ethics that treats power and self-interest as ethical concepts on which to construct a radical vision of democratic politics. His “morality of power” consists of learning how to use relational power and thick self-interest to develop democratic forms of deliberation and action. In contrast to the aim of the statesman, the organizer's goal is not simply to acquire power and learn how to wield it: An organizer helps the powerless learn how to use and think about power for themselves. Organizing is realist, pedagogical, and democratic, and Alinsky's ability to hold these ideas together makes him an important theorist of democratic agency in undemocratic times.
Prevalence of risk factors at presentation and early mortality in patients aged 80 years or older with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background Elderly patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are at high risk for complications and early mortality; still, they are underrepresented in clinical trials and observational studies. We studied the risk profiles at presentation and early mortality in elderly (≥80 years) versus younger (<80 years) STEMI patients. Design This was a prospective cohort study. Methods The study population comprised 4,092 consecutive STEMI patients admitted to Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval from 2006 to 2010. Baseline characteristics at admission were recorded, as well as in-hospital mortality. Etiologic strategy was used in the analyses. Results Patients ≥80 years of age (n=536) were more likely to be women and have prior myocardial infarction, angina, and stroke, but were less likely to be current smokers. The crude in-hospital mortality was 16.2% in patients aged 80 years and older versus 3.5% in those younger than 80 years. The adjusted odds ratio for mortality in patients aged 80 years and older versus those younger than 80 years increased with increasing levels of serum creatinine and total cholesterol. In patients with low levels of serum creatinine and total cholesterol, the odds ratio was 3.01 (95% confidence interval, 1.86–4.93; P=0.0001); increasing to 11.72 (95% confidence interval, 5.26–26.3; P=0.001) in patients with high levels. Conclusion High levels of serum cholesterol and creatinine were important risk factors for early mortality in elderly patients. Depending on the levels of cholesterol and creatinine, in-hospital mortality in patients aged 80 years and older varied from a threefold to an almost twelvefold risk compared with younger patients.
Skilled Students and Effective Schools: Reading Achievement in Denmark, Sweden, and France

ABSTRACT This study investigates how reading achievement relates to student and school characteristics in countries with different reading scores at the fourth grade level. Data comes from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2011 for Denmark, Sweden, and France and the multilevel analysis includes two levels: student/home and schools. The school effectiveness and the home literacy models informed the selection of the independent variables. Results show that students’ early literacy skills, home literacy practices and resources, and reading behavior are associated with reading scores in all countries. Furthermore, across different countries there are student/home universals and school particulars that explain variation in reading achievement. Educational policies should address home and school literacy skills and practices, school climate, and school composition to improve students’ reading ability.
Using truncated conjugate gradient method in trust-region method with two subproblems and backtracking line search

A trust-region method with two subproblems and backtracking line search for solving unconstrained optimization is proposed. At every iteration, we use the truncated conjugate gradient method or its variation to solve one of the two subproblems approximately. Backtracking line search is carried out when the trust-region trail step fails. We show that this method have the same convergence properties as the traditional trust-region method based on the truncated conjugate gradient method. Numerical results show that this method is as reliable as the traditional one and more efficient in respect of iterations, CPU time and evaluations. Mathematical subject classification: Primary: 65K05; Secondary: 90C30.
Impact of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring on Prognosis of Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

AbstractTo evaluate the influences of using intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring on the prognosis of patients with severe traumatic brain injury.Systematic search were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, and CNKI. The eligible studies were identified for pooling analysis under fixed- or random effects model. Hospital mortality, functional outcomes, length of hospital stay, and the related complications in patients were extracted.Six randomized controlled trials with 880 cases and 12 cohort studies with 12,606 cases were included. Combined analysis found that ICP monitoring was effective for reducing the risk rate of electrolyte disturbances (RR = 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63–0.90), rate of renal failure (RR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.30–0.83), and for improving favorable prognosis (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.00–1.35). However, ICP monitoring was not significant for hospital mortality (RR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.77–0.1.06), decreasing rate of pulmonary infection (RR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.76–1.14), rate of mechanical ventilation (RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.86–1.09), and duration of hospital stays (weighted mean difference (WMD) = 0.06, 95% CI: −0.03, 0.16). ICP monitoring may not reduce the risk of hospital mortality, but plays a role in decreasing the rate of electrolyte disturbances, rate of renal failure, and increasing favorable functional outcome. However, effect of other outcomes need to be further confirmed in the future randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with larger sample size.
On the Deformation Term in the Quasigeostrophic Omega Equation

Abstract It is a common diagnostic, synoptic practice to consider the Trenberth–Sutcliffe approximation to the quasigeostrophic (QG) omega equation, which relates upward vertical motion to regions of cyclonic vorticity advection by the thermal wind. Use of this approximate form of the QG omega equation requires the neglect of the so-called deformation term, which is often described as important only in frontal regions. Here, an alternative expression for the deformation term is derived that clearly illustrates its relationship to the mathematical forcing function in the Q-vector form of the QG omega equation. The magnitude of the deformation term in the middle troposphere is traced throughout the life cycle of a typical midlatitude cyclone. It is found that this term is generally small at midlevels in the early stages of the cyclone life cycle. As the cyclone approaches and passes its mature stage, however, the deformation term exerts a comparable, locally predominant influence on the total QG forcing for.
Synergistic use of lotos-euros model and OMI NO2 tropospheric column to evaluate the nox emission trends over Europe

Emission estimates from inverse modelling has drawn a lot of attention in the recent years. In this study we use OMI tropospheric NO2 columns to set up an inverse modeling method and estimate the NOx emission trends over Europe. In this paper, a case study to test the method and evaluate the scaling factors for the emission is presented. Currently, the inversion method has been tested on a small test period and preliminary results seem stasifactory. However, Interpretation of the results remains difficult and arte still under investigation.
Immigrant Earnings: A Longitudinal Analysis

This paper uses the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Australia to analyze the determinants of the level and growth in earnings of adult male immigrants in their first 3.5 years in Australia. The theoretical framework is based on the immigrant adjustment model, which incorporates both the transferability of immigrant skills and selectively in migration. The cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses generate similar findings. The level and relative growth of earnings are higher for immigrants with higher levels of skill and who are economic/skills tested migrants, as distinct from family based and refugee migrants. The analysis indicates that immigrant economic assimilation does occur and that in these data the cross-section provides a good estimate of the longitudinal progress of immigrants. The findings are robust across statistical techniques.
Risk Factors of Health Risk Behaviors in Intermediate Students

Relationship of parental bonding, college connectedness, emotional intelligence, and academic stress with health risk behaviors was examined in 11 and 12 grade science and humanities group students (N = 225) with age range of 16 to 19 years. Mediating role of emotional intelligence, college connectedness, and academic stress was also tested for the relationship of parental care and control with health risk behaviors in students. Along with demographic information, data were collected on Urdu versions of Parental Bonding Instrument (Pedersen, 1994), College Connectedness Scale (Resnick et al., 1997), Educational Stress Scale for Adolescents (Sun, Dunne, Hou, and Xu, 2011), Emotional Intelligence Scale (Batool and Khalid, 2009), and Health Risk Behaviors Questionnaire (Anwar, 2012). Results reveal that parental care was positively related to emotional intelligence and negatively related to health risk behaviors. Parental control was positively related to academic stress and health risk behaviors. Emotional intelligence was negatively related to academic stress and health risk behaviors; and academic stress was positively related to health risk behaviors. Moreover, emotional intelligence mediated between parental care, academic stress, and health risk behaviors. Further, academic stress mediated between college connectedness and health risk behaviors. Findings have important implications for parental training programs to focus on appropriate parenting patterns of more care and less control.
ODL and the Impact of Digital Divide on Information Access in Botswana.

Open and distance learning (ODL) has created room for the emergence of virtual education. Not only are students found everywhere and anywhere undertaking their studies and earning their degrees, but geographical boundaries between nations no longer appear to have much relevance. As the new education paradigm irretrievably alters the way teaching and learning is conducted, the application of modern educational ICTs has a major role to play. With students of transnational or cross-border education dispersed into various nooks and crannies of Botswana, many others enlist for the “home-baked” distance learning programmes from their diverse locations. Like the face-to-face conventional students, distance learners also have information needs which have to be met. But blocking the distance learners’ realization of their information needs is the digital divide, which further marginalizes the underclass of “info-poor. ” The survey method was used, and a questionnaire administered to 519 students of four tertiary level distance teaching institutions that met the criteria set for the study yielded a 70.1% response rate. The results showed that while the Government of Botswana has made considerable effort to ensure country-wide access to ICT, which now constitutes an effective instrument for meeting information needs, a number of problems still exist. The factors impeding easy access are unearthed. The findings of an empirical study portraying some learners as information-rich and others, information-poor, and the consequence of distance learners studying on both sides of the digital divide, are discussed. Suggestions on bridging the digital divide are offered.