Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recent Research on Singing in the General Music Classroom.

Children's singing has been the topic of research studies dating back to the first third of this century. A host of studies investigating singing from a variety of perspectives has emerged in the past 25 years. Except where noted, we review those studies of singing using elementary-aged subjects written in this period. In the first section, we focus on the broad picture of singing in the general music classroom by presenting the reported incidence of singing inaccuracy among children. In the second section, we discuss the processes that are required for accurate singing. Thereafter, we present the findings of studies investigating factors affecting children's success in singing. The paper concludes with a discussion of problems, findings, and implications for classroom and research practice.
ADOLESCENT PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING AND SCHOOL SUPPORTIVENESS IN MALAYSIA

This dissertation focuses on conceptualizing psychosocial functioning in Malaysian adolescents, and understanding school factors related to these outcomes, so as to eventually assist school staff in developing techniques and programs in promoting positive youth development. There are four chapters in this dissertation. In Chapter 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses show support for a 3-factor structure that map on to a theoretical framework of psychosocial well being. Findings further support expected factorial invariance across gender for urban middle income adolescents in Malaysia. In Chapter 2, findings show that the majority of adolescents, as expected, experience high psychosocial well-being and low psychosocial maladjustment, and a small number experience low well-being and high psychosocial maladjustment. However, there exist a significant number of adolescents who do experience high well-being and high maladjustment, and low well-being and low maladjustment (both for depression and for delinquency). Their mean reported values differ from the more “common” low-high and high-low groups on school support variables, educational outcomes, and economic sufficiency. Results present support for well-being and maladjustment as distinct dimensions of adolescent psychosocial functioning. In Chapter 3, controlling for economic sufficiency, grade-level, and gender, all of which are significantly associated with outcomes of interest, findings support the hypotheses that school support variables have a positive main effect on adolescent positive sense of self and personal control, prosocial orientation, and avoidance and resistance skills. Findings suggest that teacher support, school peer support, competency building support in the classroom, and school
Robust intestinal homeostasis relies on cellular plasticity in enteroblasts mediated by miR-8–Escargot switch

The intestinal epithelium is remarkably robust despite perturbations and demand uncertainty. Here, we investigate the basis of such robustness using novel tracing methods that allow simultaneously capturing the dynamics of stem and committed progenitor cells (called enteroblasts) and intestinal cell turnover with spatiotemporal resolution. We found that intestinal stem cells (ISCs) divide “ahead” of demand during Drosophila midgut homeostasis. Their newborn enteroblasts, on the other hand, take on a highly polarized shape, acquire invasive properties and motility. They extend long membrane protrusions that make cell–cell contact with mature cells, while exercising a capacity to delay their final differentiation until a local demand materializes. This cellular plasticity is mechanistically linked to the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) programme mediated by escargot, a snail family gene. Activation of the conserved microRNA miR‐8/miR‐200 in “pausing” enteroblasts in response to a local cell loss promotes timely terminal differentiation via a reverse MET by antagonizing escargot. Our findings unveil that robust intestinal renewal relies on hitherto unrecognized plasticity in enteroblasts and reveal their active role in sensing and/or responding to local demand.
Chloroquine Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Parasites Conferred by pfcrt Mutations

Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance is a major cause of worldwide increases in malaria mortality and morbidity. Recent laboratory and clinical studies have associated chloroquine resistance with point mutations in the gene pfcrt. However, direct proof of a causal relationship has remained elusive and most models have posited a multigenic basis of resistance. Here, we provide conclusive evidence that mutant haplotypes of the pfcrt gene product of Asian, African, or South American origin confer chloroquine resistance with characteristic verapamil reversibility and reduced chloroquine accumulation. pfcrt mutations increased susceptibility to artemisinin and quinine and minimally affected amodiaquine activity; hence, these antimalarials warrant further investigation as agents to control chloroquine-resistantfalciparum malaria.
Bayesian Active Learning-Based Robot Tutor for Children's Word-Reading Skills

Effective tutoring requires personalization of the interaction to each student.Continuous and efficient assessment of the student's skills are a prerequisite for such personalization.We developed a Bayesian active-learning algorithm that continuously and efficiently assesses a child's word-reading skills and implemented it in a social robot.We then developed an integrated experimental paradigm in which a child plays a novel story-creation tablet game with the robot.The robot is portrayed as a younger peer who wishes to learn to read, framing the assessment of the child's word-reading skills as well as empowering the child.We show that our algorithm results in an accurate representation of the child's word-reading skills for a large age range, 4-8 year old children, and large initial reading skill range.We also show that employing child-specific assessment-based tutoring results in an age- and initial reading skill-independent learning, compared to random tutoring.Finally, our integrated system enables us to show that implementing the same learning algorithm on the robot's reading skills results in knowledge that is comparable to what the child thinks the robot has learned.The child's perception of the robot's knowledge is age-dependent and may facilitate an indirect assessment of the development of theory-of-mind.
Academic boredom and the perceived course experiences of final year Education Studies students at university

Abstract This work explores the relationships between academic boredom and the perceived course experiences of 179 final-year Education Studies students attending a single university in England. Adopting a mixed-methods design, with data collection employing a combination of questionnaires and individual research interviews, findings suggest that all participants exhibited some measurable disposition towards academic boredom, with traditional lectures and work leading to the completion of assignments the main sites and triggers for the actual onset of academic boredom itself. Amid overwhelmingly encouraging responses from course expectations to course demands, reflecting the successful promotion of deep ways of working, as well as a clear sense of satisfaction with their teaching and learning environment overall, cluster analysis reveals the presence of five structurally related groups of students with profiles which help identify those typically more engaged and effective learners from others. Path analysis reveals a series of complex inter-connections, with academic boredom emerging as a strong predictor of surface approaches and organised effort as well as contributing indirectly towards degree outcome as a whole. The implications for boredom mitigation are considered.
Preoperative Embolization of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations with Onyx

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Preoperative embolization facilitates the surgical management of complex cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVMs). This analysis aims to investigate the risks for preoperative cAVM embolization with Onyx. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of all patients who underwent embolization with Onyx as a preoperative treatment of cAVMs at our institution since 2005 (US Food and Drug Administration [FDA] approval). Patients with arteriovenous fistulas were excluded. A total of 107 patients were treated for cAVMs during the study period. Of those patients, 41 underwent cAVM embolizations with Onyx in 82 procedures. RESULTS: After the embolization, the cAVM diameter was reduced from 3.71 ± 1.55 cm to 3.06 ± 1.89 cm (P < .05). Median volume reduction was 75%. Complete occlusion with embolization alone was achieved in 4 (10%) cAVMs. The recurrence rate for completely occluded cAVMs was 50% (2 patients). A total of 71% of the 41 patients treated with Onyx underwent surgery, and 15% underwent radiosurgery. There were 9% who have not yet received definitive treatment of their residual cAVMs. A new permanent neurologic deficit occurred in 5 patients (6.1% per procedure or 12.2% per patient). CONCLUSIONS: A considerable risk for a permanent neurologic deficit remains for cAVM embolization with Onyx. The risk has to be carefully weighted against the benefit of volume reduction in the treatment of cAVMs.
Immediate and delayed effects of nitrogen dioxide exposure at an ambient level on bronchial responsiveness to histamine in subjects with asthma.

The time-kinetics of NO2 induced effects on bronchial responsiveness are poorly known as most observations have been made shortly after exposure. The aim of this study was to measure nonspecific bronchial responsiveness, lung function and inflammatory markers at different times after NO2 exposure in asthmatics. Nineteen subjects with mild asthma were exposed to either purified air or 488 micrograms.m-3 (0.26 ppm) NO2 for 30 min during intermittent exercise. Airway responsiveness to histamine, specific airway resistance (sRaw) and thoracic gas volume (TGV) were measured 30 min, 5 h, 27 h and 7 days after exposure. Peripheral blood inflammatory mediators and the expression of an adhesion molecule, (Mac1) on granulocytes, were analysed 30 min and 27 h after exposure. Bronchial responsiveness to histamine was significantly increased 5 h after NO2 exposure when compared to air (median provocative dose of histamine required to cause 100% increase of sRaw ((PDsRaw,100%) 110 micrograms after NO2 exposure vs 203 micrograms on air). There was a tendency for an increase after 30 min, which was nonsignificant (median PDsRaw,100% 100 vs 153 micrograms). NO2 exposure did not affect sRaw, but TGV was significantly reduced after exposure. We found an increased expression of Mac-1 on granulocytes 30 min after NO2 exposure when compared to pre-exposure values. No effect was seen on tryptase, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), or myeloperoxidase (MPO). These results suggest that exposure to an ambient level of NO2 causes a delayed effect on bronchial responsiveness in asthmatics. The increased expression of an adhesion molecule in peripheral blood may indicate a NO2-induced priming of human granulocytes.
Risk factors for self-reported delinquency in emerging adulthood

The goal of this study is to examine risk factors for delinquency in emerging adulthood, highlighting any differences between those generally found for adolescent delinquent behaviour. The importance of examining risk factors for this age group is discussed, given recent changes in the nature of the early adult years, and the fact that, although the majority of adolescent offenders desist during adulthood, there remain a high number of offenders in the early adult years. Risk effects for self-reported delinquency were examined in a general population sample of emerging adults (age 18–24). A range of risk factor measures, such as peer delinquency, need for autonomy, parental support and substance use, were used to predict reporting of at least one arrestable offence in a six-month period beginning a year later. In the full model, parental social support, alcohol use and a measure of self-control, aggression and criminal attitude all significantly predicted delinquency. We conclude that a good relationship with parents continues to be an important protective factor and that alcohol use continues to indicate problems with delinquency during emerging adulthood, similarly to during adolescence. These two factors are discussed as being suitable issues for interventions. We also discuss the theoretical implications of our findings.
The formation of free-floating brown dwarves and planetary-mass objects by photo-erosion of prestellar cores

We explore the possibility that, in the vicinity of an OB star, a prestellar core which would otherwise have formed an intermediate or low-mass star may instead form a free-floating brown dwarf or planetary-mass object, because the outer layers of the core are eroded by the ionizing radiation from the OB star before they can accrete onto the protostar at the centre of the core. We find that the mechanism is robust, in the sense that it operates under a wide range of conditions, but it is also inefficient, in the sense that a rather massive core is required to produce a single brown dwarf.
Robust Minimax MSE Equalizer Designs for MIMO Wireless Communications With Time-Varying Channel Uncertainties

In this paper, we propose robust equalizers based on a minimax mean-squares-error (MSE) scheme for wireless multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) communications subject to time-varying channel uncertainties. We consider channel uncertainties within a neighborhood of the estimated channel matrix formed by placing a bound on the spectral matrix norm of channel estimation errors. First, we derive a linear-matrix-inequality (LMI) based solution to the targeted problem. Next, we modify the MSE cost function of the targeted problem and derive a guaranteed cost-based solution, which may save computational cost. Subsequently, channel uncertainty is partitioned into finite Markov-transitioned channel uncertainty states based on the least upper bound of the set of the tightest upper bounds on the matrix spectral norm of channel uncertainty. This leads to a multiple model-based minimax MSE approach. On this basis, a feasible equalizer can be obtained from a weighted combination of multiple over-guaranteed cost-based equalizers, each of which is designed with respect to a channel uncertain state. Simulation results show that a weighted combination of a moderate number of multiple over-guaranteed cost-based equalizers can achieve robust equalization effectively with superior MSE and bit-error-rate (BER) performance.
‘Anti‐bee’ and ‘pro‐bird’ changes during the evolution of hummingbird pollination in Penstemon flowers

Floral phenotypes may be as much the result of selection for avoidance of some animal visitors as selection for improving the interaction with better pollinators. When specializing on hummingbird‐pollination, Penstemon flowers may have evolved to improve the morphological fit between bird and flower, or to exclude less‐efficient bees, or both. We hypothesized how such selection might work on four floral characters that affect the mechanics of pollen transfer: anther/stigma exsertion, presence of a lower corolla lip, width of the corolla tube, and angle of flower inclination. We surgically modified bee‐pollinated P. strictus flowers changing one trait at a time to make them resemble hummingbird‐pollinated P. barbatus flowers, and measured pollen transfer by bumblebees and hummingbirds. Results suggest that, apart from ‘pro‐bird’ adaptations, specific ‘anti‐bee’ adaptations have been important in shaping hummingbird‐flowers. Moreover, some trait changes may have been selected for only if changing in concert with other traits.
Subjective Probability Assessment in Decision Analysis: Partition Dependence and Bias Toward the Ignorance Prior

Decision and risk analysts have considerable discretion in designing procedures for eliciting subjective probabilities. One of the most popular approaches is to specify a particular set of exclusive and exhaustive events for which the assessor provides such judgments. We show that assessed probabilities are systematically biased toward a uniform distribution over all events into which the relevant state space happens to be partitioned, so that probabilities are "partition dependent. " We surmise that a typical assessor begins with an "ignorance prior" distribution that assigns equal probabilities to all specified events, then adjusts those probabilities insufficiently to reflect his or her beliefs concerning how the likelihoods of the events differ. In five studies, we demonstrate partition dependence for both discrete events and continuous variables (Studies 1 and 2), show that the bias decreases with increased domain knowledge (Studies 3 and 4), and that top experts in decision analysis are susceptible to this bias (Study 5). We relate our work to previous research on the "pruning bias" in fault-tree assessment (e.g., Fischhoff et al. 1978) and show that previous explanations of pruning bias (enhanced availability of events that are explicitly specified, ambiguity in interpreting event categories, and demand effects) cannot fully account for partition dependence. We conclude by discussing implications for decision analysis practice.
Cognitive remediation of executive functioning in youth with neuropsychiatric conditions: current knowledge on feasibility, effectiveness, and personalization

ABSTRACT Introduction: Cognitive remediation is an intervention aimed at improving cognitive functioning. Executive functions are higher-order cognitive processes aimed to manage personal resources to achieve a goal, which are often impaired in neuropsychiatric disorders. Areas covered: We review the literature on cognitive remediation of executive functioning in youth with neuropsychiatric conditions including schizophrenia and psychosis, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), anorexia nervosa, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders. We identify potential factors associated with treatment response, discuss treatment personalization, and suggest ways to improve personalization. This review suggests cognitive remediation is well accepted by patients and families and can be successfully delivered. Consistent evidence suggests attention bias modification is an effective intervention in anxiety disorders. A few programs were also effective in youth with ASD and schizophrenia. However, findings are mixed regarding other forms of intervention. Several treatment-level and individual factors may impact outcomes. Expert commentary: Treatment personalization seems to be particularly relevant and must be considered by clinicians when planning interventions. Treatment parameters should be selected based on individual needs and capacities. More studies are needed on treatment effectiveness, and to improve programs, extend findings to other neuropsychiatric subgroups, and clarify the role of potential predictors of treatment response.
Heterosynaptic metaplasticity in the hippocampus in vivo: A BCM-like modifiable threshold for LTP

The homeostatic maintenance of the “modification threshold” for inducing long-term potentiation (LTP) is a fundamental feature of the Bienenstock, Cooper, and Munro (BCM) model of synaptic plasticity. In the present study, two key features of the modification threshold, its heterosynaptic expression and its regulation by postsynaptic neural activity, were tested experimentally in the dentate gyrus of awake, freely moving rats. Conditioning stimulation ranging from 10 to 1,440 brief 400-Hz trains, when applied to medial perforant path afferents, raised the threshold for LTP induction heterosynaptically in the neighboring lateral perforant path synapses. This effect recovered slowly over a 7- to 35-day period. The same conditioning paradigms, however, did not affect the reversal of long-term depression. The inhibition of LTP by medial-path conditioning stimulation was N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent, but antidromic stimulation of the granule cells could also inhibit lateral path LTP induction, independently of NMDA receptor activation. Increased calcium buffering is a potential mechanism underlying the altered LTP threshold, but the levels of two important calcium-binding proteins did not increase after conditioning stimulation, nor was de novo protein synthesis required for generating the threshold shift. These data confirm, in an in vivo model, two key postulates of the BCM model regarding the LTP threshold. They also provide further evidence for the broad sensitivity of synaptic plasticity mechanisms to the history of prior activity, i.e., metaplasticity.
Vestibular Information Is Required for Dead Reckoning in the Rat

Dead reckoning is an on-line form of spatial navigation used by an animal to identify its present location and return directly to a starting location, even after circuitous outward trips. At present, it is not known which of several self-movement cues (efferent copy from movement commands, proprioceptive information, sensory flow, or vestibular information) are used to compute homeward trajectories. To determine whether vestibular information is important for dead reckoning, the impact of chemical labyrinthectomy was evaluated in a test that demanded on-line computation of a homeward trajectory. Rats were habituated to leave a refuge that was visible from all locations on a circular table to forage for large food pellets, which they carried back to the refuge to eat. Two different probe trials were given: (1) the rats foraged from the same spatial location from a hidden refuge in the light and so were able to use visual cues to navigate; (2) the same procedure took place in the dark, constraining the animals to dead reckon. Although control rats carried food directly and rapidly back to the refuge on both probes, the rats with vestibular lesions were able to do so on the hidden refuge but not on the dark probe. The scores of vestibular reflex tests predicted the dead reckoning deficit. The vestibular animals were also impaired in learning a new piloting task. This is the first unambiguous demonstration that vestibular information is used in dead reckoning and also contributes to piloting.
Ammonia in infrared dark clouds

Context. While low mass clouds have been relatively well studied, our picture of high-mass star formation remains unclear. Infrared Dark Clouds appear to be the long sought population of cold and dense aggregations with the potential of harbouring the earliest stages of massive star formation. Up to now there has been no systematic study on the temperature distribution, velocity fields, chemical and physical state toward this new cloud population. Aims. Knowing these properties is crucial for understanding the presence, absence and the very potential of star formation. The present paper aims at addressing these questions. We analyse temperature structures and velocity fields and gain information on their chemical evolution. Methods. We mapped the $(J,K) = (1,~1)$ and (2, 2) inversion transitions of ammonia in 9 infrared dark clouds. Our observations allow the most reliable determination of gas temperatures in IRDCs to date. Results. The gas emission is remarkably coextensive with the extinction seen at infrared wavelengths and with the submillimeter dust emission. Our results show that IRDCs are on average cold ($T 100 ~$${M}_\odot$), highly turbulent (1–3 $ \rm km~s^{-1}$) and exhibit significant velocity structure (variations around 1–2 $\rm km~s^{-1}$ over the cloud). Conclusions. We find an increasing trend in temperature from IRDCs with high ammonia column density to high mass protostellar objects and Ultracompact Hii regions, stages of early warm high-mass star formation. The linewidths of IRDCs are smaller than those observed in high mass protostellar objects and hot core/Ultracompact Hii regions. On basis of this sample, and by comparison of the ammonia gas properties within a cloud and between different clouds, we infer that while active star formation is not yet pervasive in most IRDCs, local condensations might collapse in the future or have already begun forming stars.