Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acculturative Stress and Adaptability Levels Between Documented versus Undocumented Hispanic College Students

Acculturative Stress and Adaptability Levels Between Documented versus Undocumented Hispanic College Students by Philippe Charles MST, Saint Francis Seminary, 2007 MA, Mercy College, 2009 MSOL, Mercy College, 2010 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Clinical Psychology Walden University May 2019 Abstract Hispanic students often suffer from acculturative stress as they adapt to U.S. college environments; however, few scholars have examined the acculturative stress relationship among undocumented versus documented Hispanic college students. In this quantitative, correlational study design, adaptation levels related to acculturative stress between both statuses were examined. The theoretical foundations of this study are based on the socialHispanic students often suffer from acculturative stress as they adapt to U.S. college environments; however, few scholars have examined the acculturative stress relationship among undocumented versus documented Hispanic college students. In this quantitative, correlational study design, adaptation levels related to acculturative stress between both statuses were examined. The theoretical foundations of this study are based on the social cognitive career theory. This investigation focused on determining how adaptation levels predict Hispanic college students’ acculturative stress and whether this realtionship differ between documented and undocumented college students. The I-Adapt measure was used to measure participants’ level of adaptability and the social, attitudinal, familial and educational or the Social, Attitudinal, Familial and Educational (S.A.F.E) measurement was used to measure their acculturative stress levels. The sample consisted of 165 Hispanic college students recruited from a private northeastern university. Contrarily to the main hypothesis, Regression analysis revealed that higher levels of cultural and crisis adaptability predicted lower levels of acculturative stress while higher levels of work stress adaptability predicted higher levels of acculturative stress. Future research should focus on further examination differences in adaptation toward acculturative stress and the aftermath of acculturative stress adaptation methods between documented and undocumented college students. The findings of this study can contribute to social change by informing immigration laws to adopt in order to protect college educated, skilled and productive immigrants. Acculturative Stress and Adaptability Levels Between Documented versus Undocumented Hispanic College Students by Philippe Charles MA, Mercy College, 2009 MSOL, Mercy College, 2010 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
AMPKα, C/EBPβ, CPT1β, GPR43, PPARγ, and SCD Gene Expression in Single- and Co-cultured Bovine Satellite Cells and Intramuscular Preadipocytes Treated with Palmitic, Stearic, Oleic, and Linoleic Acid

We previously demonstrated that bovine subcutaneous preadipocytes promote adipogenic gene expression in muscle satellite cells in a co-culture system. Herein we hypothesize that saturated fatty acids would promote adipogenic/lipogenic gene expression, whereas mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids would have the opposite effect. Bovine semimembranosus satellite cells (BSC) and intramuscular preadipocytes (IPA) were isolated from crossbred steers and cultured with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS)/Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) and 1% antibiotics during the 3-d proliferation period. After proliferation, cells were treated for 3 d with 3% horse serum/DMEM (BSC) or 5% FBS/DMEM (IPA) with antibiotics. Media also contained 10 μg/mL insulin and 10 μg/mL pioglitazone. Subsequently, differentiating BSC and IPA were cultured in their respective media with 40 μM palmitic, stearic, oleic, or linoleic acid for 4 d. Finally, BSC and IPA were single- or co-cultured for an additional 2 h. All fatty acid treatments increased (p = 0.001) carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 beta (CPT1β) gene expression, but the increase in CPT1β gene expression was especially pronounced in IPA incubated with palmitic and stearic acid (6- to 17- fold increases). Oleic and linoleic acid decreased (p = 0.001) stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene expression over 80% in both BSC and IPA. Conversely, palmitic and stearic acid increased SCD gene expression three fold in co-cultured in IPA, and stearic acid increased AMPKα gene expression in single- and co-cultured BSC and IPA. Consistent with our hypothesis, saturated fatty acids, especially stearic acid, promoted adipogenic and lipogenic gene expression, whereas unsaturated fatty acids decreased expression of those genes associated with fatty acid metabolism.
EEG Correlates of Tactile Perception Abnormalities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

1Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 5A Butlerova St., Moscow, 117485, Russia; 2Liverpool John Moores University, Tithebarn St., Liverpool, L2 2QP, United Kingdom; 3Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents named after G.E. Sukhareva, 21A, 5th Donskoy Proezd, Moscow, 119334, Russia; 4Rehabilitation Center for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders “OUR SUNNY WORLD” (Non-Government, Non-Profit Organization), 11A Gorlov Tupik, Moscow, 127055, Russia; 5Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, 6 Akademika Volgina St., Moscow, 117485, Russia
Graphs representing quadtree structures using eight edges

Quadtree [1] is an important data structure for image processing. In this paper, a graph based data structure is proposed for representing two-dimensional binary images. This data structure uses eight edges for each node to represent neighborhood relations in quadtrees. New neighbor finding and connected component labeling algorithms using the structure are also introduced. Empirical tests are given for the algorithms in comparison with usual neighbor finding and connected component labeling algorithm based on quadtrees [2] – [3]. In our experiments using natural images, the proposed neighbor finding algorithm is more than twice as fast as algorithm using quadtrees and the proposed connected component labeling algorithm is 40% faster than quadtree based algorithm.
Dispersal and reformation of acetylcholine receptor clusters of cultured rat myotubes treated with inhibitors of energy metabolism

The effects of energy metabolism inhibitors on the distribution of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) in the surface membranes of non- innervated, cultured rat myotubes were studied by visualizing the AChRs with monotetramethylrhodamine-alpha-bungarotoxin. Incubation of myotubes with inhibitors of energy metabolism causes a large decrease in the fraction of myotubes displaying clusters of AChR. This decrease is reversible, and is dependent on temperature, the concentration of inhibitor, and the duration of treatment. Cluster dispersal is probably not the result of secondary effects on Ca++ or cyclic nucleotide metabolism, membrane potential, cytoskeletal elements, or protein synthesis. Sequential observations of identified cells treated with sodium azide showed that clusters appear to disperse by movements of receptors within the sarcolemma without accompanying changes in cell shape. AChR clusters dispersed by pretreating cells with sodium azide rapidly reform upon removal of the inhibitor. Reclustering involves the formation of small aggregates of AChR, which act as foci for further aggregation and which appear to be precursors of large AChR clusters. Small AChR aggregates also appear to be precursors of clusters which form on myotubes never exposed to azide. Reclustering after azide treatment does not necessarily occur at the same sites occupied by clusters before dispersal, nor does it employ only receptors which had previously been in clusters. Cluster reformation can be blocked by cycloheximide, colchicine, and drugs which alter the intracellular cation composition.
Defects Clustering using Kohonen Networks during Ultrasonic Inspection

In Non Destructive Testing (NDT) of materials, the ultrasonic waves propagating in a structure are reflected or refracted from the presented discontinuities. The reached waves are received and converted to electrical signals containing informations about the internal defects. The characterization of those defects is an important task and the use of tools of signal processing gives an appreciated help in the decision making for the human operators. This work is a contribution for the defect characterization. The Neural Networks are used in order to classify reached signals allowing to distinguish between signals reflected from two different defects (cracks and inclusions) included in a welding. The use of non destructive testing (NDT) allows the analysis of internal properties of structures without causing damage to the material. Various methods have been developed to detect defects in structure and to evaluate eventually their locations, sizes, and characteristics. Some of these methods are based on analysis of the transmission of different signals such as ultrasonics, acoustic emission, thermography, x-radiography, eddy current(1). In the last decade, ultrasonic techniques have shown to be very promising for non destructive testing and they are becoming an effective alternative to radio-graphic tests. X-ray widely used to detect and sizing discontinuities, presents the disadvantage to produce ionising radiation and needs to develop a film, which takes some times to inform the results.
Mean reversion in asset prices and asset allocation in investment management

This thesis examines the predictability of asset prices for an Australian investor. Evidence supporting the mean reversion alternative to the random walk hypothesis is presented, with a discussion of potential models, both linear and nonlinear. The normality and homoscedasticity assumptions are investigated and their use in asset models is validated. A study of fund performance is carried out and value is found to be added by timing asset allocation but not by stock selection, though there is no correlation between past and present rankings of managers. The difficulty of proving mean reversion or reversion to trend, other than for large deviations or extremes, and the actual performance by managers, implies a strategy of allocation at these extremes. That is, managers should adhere to their policy portfolios and let markets run short term; making appropriate large strategic moves when markets have moved to extremes.
Conceptions of Academic Freedom in English Faith-Based Universities and University Colleges

Academic freedom is a contested concept, and in the present climate in higher education, is currently considered by many academics to be under threat nationally and internationally. This thesis focuses on how academic freedom is conceived and addressed within the context of a particular sector of higher education. The focus of the study was the fourteen English members of the Cathedrals Group, which is a distinctive sector in higher education, as the members are universities and university colleges with a historical faith-base. Formerly established as Church teacher-training colleges, these institutions have latterly evolved and gained university college and university status. Within higher education, faith-based institutions differ from secular universities and university colleges in that they have a historical relationship with their founding Church, which continues to be a part of their institutional identity to the present day. The reason for selecting this group of institutions was that faith-based institutions are sometimes criticised for placing limits on academic freedom. The empirical data for this research was gathered from indepth semi-structured interviews with eleven senior managers and eleven academics. The findings indicated that although there were isolated instances where academics had experienced restrictions, for the majority of those interviewed there was no tension between the institutions’ faith-base and their academic freedom. The Christian foundation was not an important consideration, had little effect upon their academic work, and academics’ definitions and experiences of academic freedom were reported as no different from traditional conceptions of academic freedom. One of the possible explanations offered for this is that in their progression towards achieving university status, the institutions have become increasingly secularised and therefore for many academics the possibility of any limitations to academic freedom in relation to the faithbase of their institution was not an issue for consideration.
Working Paper Series

Powerful currents have reshaped the structure of families over the last century. There has been (i) a dramatic drop in fertility and greater parental investment in children; (ii) a rise in married female labor-force participation; (iii) a significant decline in marriage and a rise in divorce; (iv) a higher degree of positive assortative mating; (v) more children living with a single mother; (vi) shifts in social norms governing premarital sex and married women’s roles in the workplace. Macroeconomic models explaining these aggregate trends are surveyed. The relentless flow of technological progress and its role in shaping family life are stressed. JEL codes: D58, E1, E13, J1, J2, J12, J13, J22, N30, O3, O11, O15.
Indoleamine 2,3 Dioxygenase as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Huntington’s Disease

Abstract Within the past decade, there has been increasing interest in the role of tryptophan (Trp) metabolites and the kynurenine pathway (KP) in diseases of the brain such as Huntington’s disease (HD). Evidence is accumulating to suggest that this pathway is imbalanced in neurologic disease states. The KP diverges into two branches that can lead to production of either neuroprotective or neurotoxic metabolites. In one branch, kynurenine (Kyn) produced as a result of tryptophan (Trp) catabolism is further metabolized to neurotoxic metabolites such as 3-hydroxykunurenine (3-HK) and quinolinic acid (QA). In the other branch, Kyn is converted to the neuroprotective metabolite kynurenic acid (KA). The enzyme Indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO1) catalyzes the conversion of Trp into Kyn, the first and rate-limiting enzymatic step of the KP. This reaction takes place throughout the body in multiple cell types as a required step in the degradation of the essential amino acid Trp. Studies of IDO1 in brain have focused primarily on a potential role in depression, immune tolerance associated with brain tumours, and multiple sclerosis; however the role of this enzyme in neurodegenerative disease has garnered significant attention in recent years. This review will provide a summary of the current understanding of the role of IDO1 in Huntington’s disease and will assess this enzyme as a potential therapeutic target for HD.
Colorimetric Grading Scale Can Promote the Standardization of Experiential and Sensory Evaluation in Quality Control of Traditional Chinese Medicines

Experiential and sensory evaluation is an ancient method that remains important in the current quality control system of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs). The process is rapid and convenient when evaluating the quality of crude materials in TCM markets. However, sensory evaluation has been met with skepticism because it is mainly based on experience and lacks a scientific basis. In this study, rhubarb was selected to demonstrate how color-based sensory evaluation could differentiate the quality of herbal medicines objectively. The colors of the rhubarb samples, expressed as RGB values, were obtained from different parts and forms of the plant, including the plant’s surface, fracture surface color, and a powdered form with or without treatment with a color-developing reagent. We first divided the rhubarb samples into three grades based on the total content of five hydroxyanthraquinone derivatives, the major pharmacological components in rhubarb. Then, a three-layer back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN), calibrated with selected training samples, was used to correlate the quality of the rhubarb with its color. The color of the rhubarb powder after coloration attained the highest accuracy (92.3%) in predicting the quality grade of the test samples with the established artificial neural networks. Finally, a standardized colorimetric grading scale was created based on the spatial distribution of the rhubarb samples in a two-dimensional chromaticity diagram according to the colors of the powdered rhubarb after color enhancement. By comparing the color between the scale and the tested samples, similar to performing a pH test with indicator paper, subjects without sensory evaluation experience could quickly determine the quality grade of rhubarb. This work illustrates the technical feasibility of the color-based grading of rhubarb quality and offers references for quantifying and standardizing the sensory evaluation of TCMs, foods and other products.
Accuracy of an Accelerated, Culture-Based Assay for Detection of Group B Streptococcus

Objective. To determine the validity of a novel Group B Streptococcus (GBS) diagnostic assay for the detection of GBS in antepartum patients. Study Design. Women were screened for GBS colonization at 35 to 37 weeks of gestation. Three vaginal-rectal swabs were collected per patient; two were processed by traditional culture (commercial laboratory versus in-house culture), and the third was processed by an immunoblot-based test, in which a sample is placed over an antibody-coated nitrocellulose membrane, and after a six-hour culture, bound GBS is detected with a secondary antibody. Results. 356 patients were evaluated. Commercial processing revealed a GBS prevalence rate of 85/356 (23.6%). In-house culture provided a prevalence rate of 105/356 (29.5%). When the accelerated GBS test result was compared to the in-house GBS culture, it demonstrated a sensitivity of 97.1% and a specificity of 88.4%. Interobserver reliability for the novel GBS test was 88.2%. Conclusions. The accelerated GBS test provides a high level of validity for the detection of GBS colonization in antepartum patients within 6.5 hours and demonstrates a substantial agreement between observers.
Software Process Improvement: Ten Traps to Avoid

Surviving in the increasingly competitive software business requires more than hiring smart, knowledgeable engineers and buying the latest development tools. You also need to use effective software development processes, so those smart engineers can systematically use the best technical and managerial practices to successfully complete their projects. More organizations are looking at software process improvement as a way to improve the quality, productivity, and predictability of their software development, acquisition, and maintenance efforts. However, software process improvement efforts can be derailed in many ways, leaving the members of the organization jaded, frustrated, and more committed than ever to the ways of the past.
Physiological Notch Signaling Maintains Bone Homeostasis via RBPjk and Hey Upstream of NFATc1

Notch signaling between neighboring cells controls many cell fate decisions in metazoans both during embryogenesis and in postnatal life. Previously, we uncovered a critical role for physiological Notch signaling in suppressing osteoblast differentiation in vivo. However, the contribution of individual Notch receptors and the downstream signaling mechanism have not been elucidated. Here we report that removal of Notch2, but not Notch1, from the embryonic limb mesenchyme markedly increased trabecular bone mass in adolescent mice. Deletion of the transcription factor RBPjk, a mediator of all canonical Notch signaling, in the mesenchymal progenitors but not the more mature osteoblast-lineage cells, caused a dramatic high-bone-mass phenotype characterized by increased osteoblast numbers, diminished bone marrow mesenchymal progenitor pool, and rapid age-dependent bone loss. Moreover, mice deficient in Hey1 and HeyL, two target genes of Notch-RBPjk signaling, exhibited high bone mass. Interestingly, Hey1 bound to and suppressed the NFATc1 promoter, and RBPjk deletion increased NFATc1 expression in bone. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of NFAT alleviated the high-bone-mass phenotype caused by RBPjk deletion. Thus, Notch-RBPjk signaling functions in part through Hey1-mediated inhibition of NFATc1 to suppress osteoblastogenesis, contributing to bone homeostasis in vivo.
Evidence for greater oxygen decline rates in the coastal ocean than in the open ocean

Abstract. In the global ocean, the number of reported hypoxic sites (oxygen 100 km from the coast). Percentages of oxygen time series with negative oxygen trends are also greater in the coastal ocean than in the open ocean. Finally, a significant difference between median published oxygen trends and median trends calculated from raw oxygen data suggests the existence of a publication bias in favor of negative trends in the open ocean.
Promises and Image Concerns

According to several psychological and economic studies, non-binding communication can be an effective tool to increase trust and enhance cooperation. This paper focuses on reasons why people stick to a given promise and analyzes to what extent image concerns of being perceived as a promise breaker play a role. In a controlled laboratory experiment, we vary the ex post observability of the promising party's action in order to test for social image concerns. We observe that slightly more promises are kept if the action is revealed than if it is not, yet the difference is not significant. However, a variation in the selection of pre-defined messages across treatments delivers another interesting finding. While most of the promises are kept, statements of intent tend to be broken.
Morphometric Controls on Glacier Mass Balance of the Puruogangri Ice Field, Central Tibetan Plateau

Evaluating the impacts of climatic changes and morphometric features on glacier mass balance is crucial to providing insight into glacier changes and their effects on regional water resources and ecosystems. Here, we presented an evaluation of morphometric effects on the glacier mass balances of the Puruogangri ice field (PIF) on the Tibetan Plateau. A clear spatial variability of glacier mass balances, ranging from −0.035 to +0.019 m·w.e. ·year−1, was estimated by comparing the TanDEM-X DEM (2012) with the SRTM-X DEM (2000). In general, the observed glacier mass changes were consistent with our fieldwork investigations. Furthermore, by applying the method of linear regression analysis, we found that the mass changes of individual glaciers on the PIF were mainly dominated by the mean altitude (R = 0.84, p < 0.001), however, they were statistically independent of glacier size, aspect, and surface velocity. At a local scale (grid size of 10 × 10 pixels), apart from the factor of altitude, surface velocity was correlated with glacier mass change.
An Evolutionary Theory of Human Motivation

The authors review psychology's historical, competing perspectives on human motivation and propose a new comprehensive theory. The new theory is based on evolutionary principles as proposed by C. Darwin (1859) and modified by W. D. Hamilton (1964, 1996), R. L. Trivers (1971, 1972), and R. Dawkins (1989). The theory unifies biological, behavioral, and cognitive approaches to motivation. The theory is neuropsychological and addresses conscious and nonconscious processes that underlie motivation, emotion, and self-control. The theory predicts a hierarchical structure of motives that are measurable as individual differences in human behavior. These motives are related to social problem domains (D. B. Bugental, 2000; D. T. Kenrick, N. P. Li, & J. Butner, 2003), and each is hypothesized to solve a particular problem of human inclusive fitness.