Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The MMPI–2 Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales and Redundancy: Response to Tellegen, Ben-Porath, and Sellbom

In this article, we examine 5 criticisms of Tellegen, Ben-Porath, and Sellbom (2009/this issue) about our study demonstrating the redundant relationships of the Restructured Clinical (RC) scales with extant MMPI–2 scales. We discuss differences in univariate versus multivariate comparisons of the RC scales and our “proxy” scales using their data. We show that (a) both the RC and extant proxy scales identified in our analyses account for most of the variance in the Clinical scales; (b) the proxy scales are redundant with the RC scales; (c) the proxy scales matched the 6 RC scales in accounting for variance in the Clinical scales exactly in three cases, differed by ≤. 02 in 2 cases, and reached a maximum of . 11 in one case; (d) the item overlap between RC1 and HEA is not at issue but rather their correlation with Scale 1; and (e) the evidence for the construct validity of the RC scales is weak using findings on the incremental validity of RC4 as illustrative.
Human Herpesvirus 8 Open Reading Frame 21 Is a Thymidine and Thymidylate Kinase of Narrow Substrate Specificity That Efficiently Phosphorylates Zidovudine but Not Ganciclovir

ABSTRACT Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) open reading frame (ORF) 21 is predicted to encode a protein similar to the thymidine kinase (TK) enzyme of other herpesviruses. Expressed in mammalian cells, ORF 21 was found to have low TK activity, based on poor growth in media containing hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT) and low incorporation of [3H]thymidine into high-molecular-weight DNA. Kinetic analysis using HHV8 TK as a purified glutathioneS-transferase (GST) fusion protein showed that the enzyme has a comparatively high Km for thymidine (dThd) of ∼33.2 μM. Nearly 50% of the phosphorylated product of the reaction with dThd was thymidylate. This monophosphate kinase activity was more pronounced with 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT), in which 78% of the reaction product was AZT diphosphate. Thymidine analogs competitively inhibited dThd phosphorylation by HHV8 TK, while 2′-deoxyguanosine, 2′-deoxyadenosine, 2′-deoxycytidine, and corresponding analogs did not. Further competition experiments revealed that the nucleoside analog ganciclovir (GCV), at up to 1,000-fold molar excess, could not significantly inhibit dThd phosphorylation by the enzyme. In support of these data, 143B TK− cells expressing HHV8 TK phosphorylated GCV very poorly and were not susceptible to GCV toxicity compared to parental cells. Phosphorylation of [3H]GCV by a purified GST-HHV8 TK fusion protein was not detected by high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis. Structural features of HHV8 TK substrate recognition were investigated. Therapeutic implications of these findings are discussed.
Co-offending in Canada, England and the United States: a cross-national comparison

This article compares the characteristics of police-reported co-offending groups and solo offenders in Canada, England and the United States. Comparative analysis of crime in these three countries is fostered by the relative similarity of their substantive criminal codes (all originating in English common law), their approaches to law enforcement, and their crime recording procedures. The data include over 100,000 incidents cleared by a large UK police force, 2.5 million incidents in Canada, and 1.3 million incidents in 36 states in the United States, in the first decade of the twenty-first century. Comparative analyses include the prevalence of co-offending, the size and composition of co-offending groups, and key correlates of group crime, such as offence type and the age and sex of participants. Substantial similarities are observed across the three data sets, although there are also intriguing differences. These findings are discussed in relation to ongoing attempts to draw general conclusions regarding the nature and extent of group crime and co-offending networks.
Game Theory in Signal Processing and Communications

Game theory is a branch of mathematics aimed at the modeling and understanding of resource conflict problems. Essentially, the theory splits into two branches: noncooperative and cooperative game theory. The distinction between the two is whether or not the players in the game can make joint decisions regarding the choice of strategy. Noncooperative game theory is closely connected to minimax optimization and typically results in the study of various equilibria, most notably the Nash equilibrium. Cooperative game theory examines how strictly rational (selfish) actors can benefit from voluntary cooperation by reaching bargaining agreements. Another distinction is between static and dynamic game theory, where the latter can be viewed as a combination of game theory and optimal control. In general, the theory provides a structured approach to many important problems arising in signal processing and communications, notably resource allocation and robust transceiver optimization. Recent applications also occur in other emerging fields, such as cognitive radio, spectrum sharing, and in multihop-sensor and adhoc networks.
Can we Make Maths Count at HE?

The Dearing Report highlighted the need for HE programmes to enhance students' basic skills, and one of these is numeracy skill. There is a history of low confidence and negative attitudes to learning about numbers and 'maths anxiety' in undergraduates which means that delivering 'numerate graduates' may be something of a challenge to HE institutions. This college surveyed attitudes to numeracy and learning about numbers in all first-year students (over 1000 students). Over 40% of students returned their questionnaires. This survey found considerable negative attitudes and low confidence among respondents as a whole (25% of those who returned the questionnaire), and anxiety was highest (over 40%) in students taking a Humanities programme. This raises considerable concern about how we can deliver numeracy to students in HE. The findings of the survey, gender issues and the individualised concept of 'maths anxiety' are discussed in relation to the social and cultural construction of attitudes to maths and maths confidence as empowerment (Benn, 1997). The main conclusion is that HE institutions need to consider carefully how to provide good educational opportunities for individuals with low motivation to engage in maths-related activity. There is also an urgent need to challenge cultural myths and stereotyping relating to maths learning if we want the next generation of graduates to have more confidence in their maths skills.
A finite element method for nearly incompressible elasticity problems

A finite element method is considered for dealing with nearly incompressible material. In the case of large deformations the nonlinear character of the volumetric contribution has to be taken into account. The proposed mixed method avoids volumetric locking also in this case and is robust for λ → ∞ (with A being the well-known Lame constant). Error estimates for the L∞-norm are crucial in the control of the nonlinear terms.
Spatial Partitioning Techniques in Spatial Hadoop

SpatialHadoop is an extended MapReduce framework that supports global indexing that spatial partitions the data across machines providing orders of magnitude speedup, compared to traditional Hadoop. In this paper, we describe seven alternative partitioning techniques and experimentally study their effect on the quality of the generated index and the performance of range and spatial join queries. We found that using a 1% sample is enough to produce high quality partitions. Also, we found that the total area of partitions is a reasonable measure of the quality of indexes when running spatial join. This study will assist researchers in choosing a good spatial partitioning technique in distributed environments.
Involvement with the equipment component of sport: Links to recreational commitment

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the involvement many sports participants have with relevant sports equipment. A structural model is presented which proposes a positive relationship between equipment involvement and recreational commitment. The model also identifies several possible outcomes of equipment involvement such as product spending levels and opinion leadership regarding the equipment. The model is tested using LJSREL analysis for a sample of recreational runners. Results confirm that both equipment involvement and recreational commitment are multidimensional constructs. Amount of running experience was found to be negatively related to perceptions of equipment importance, whereas psychological commitment to running had a positive effect. Behavioral commitment was not significantly associated with the perceived importance of running equipment, although there was a postive link with equipment knowledge. Equipment involvement was found to be a significant predictor of spending level.
Seeing the wood for the trees: learning to teach beyond the curriculum. How can student teachers be helped to see beyond the National Literacy Strategy?

‘With the NLS—they can see how everything is important if we want our English to be good and it's helped me to see it that way too. Before, we just used to see it all separately. This way is much better' (Rebecca Graham, Year 4 English specialist after Final Block Placement). This quote was collected in the final stage of a study involving student teachers, four years after the National Literacy Strategy (NLS) was implemented. In this article I argue that this data shows it is possible (but by no means guaranteed) for student teachers to learn to use the NLS framework in a flexible, responsive, child‐centred way that links to a broader and deeper understanding of English. The quote contrasts with data taken in earlier stages of the study (and published in this journal: Twiselton, 2000), which suggested that the NLS appeared to have led student teachers to a very restricted view of English. I argued earlier that it was possible that this might be a temporary ‘stalling’ to be compensated at a later time. In this article I review and explore the later data and argue for the importance of helping student teachers to develop broad and deep frameworks of understanding to underpin their knowledge of the curriculum.
Spatio-temporal patterns of diarrhoeal mortality in Mexico

SUMMARY Diarrhoeal mortality rates in Mexican children dramatically declined during the 1980s and 1990s, concomitant with a temporal shift in peak deaths from summer to autumn–winter. The spatial dynamics of these patterns have not previously been studied. We first describe the seasonal features of paediatric diarrhoeal mortality in Mexico as a whole, then across individual states. While no geographical gradients in the magnitude of diarrhoeal mortality rates have been detected in recent years, we identified a distinct spatial pattern in the timing of peak mortality rate. In the 1980s the summer peak mortality was earliest around Mexico's capital and later in states to the southeast and northwest. Our results suggest that the direction and timing of those annual waves are related to the mean monthly precipitation and mean daily temperature. This pattern has disintegrated in recent years as the summer peak has diminished.
The effect of aspect ratio on the leading-edge vortex over an insect-like flapping wing

Insect wing shapes are diverse and a renowned source of inspiration for the new generation of autonomous flapping vehicles, yet the aerodynamic consequences of varying geometry is not well understood. One of the most defining and aerodynamically significant measures of wing shape is the aspect ratio, defined as the ratio of wing length (R) to mean wing chord ( c ¯ ? > ). We investigated the impact of aspect ratio, AR, on the induced flow field around a flapping wing using a robotic device. Rigid rectangular wings ranging from AR = 1.5 to 7.5 were flapped with insect-like kinematics in air with a constant Reynolds number (Re) of 1400, and a dimensionless stroke amplitude of 6.5 c ¯ ? > (number of chords traversed by the wingtip). Pseudo-volumetric, ensemble-averaged, flow fields around the wings were captured using particle image velocimetry at 11 instances throughout simulated downstrokes. Results confirmed the presence of a high-lift, separated flow field with a leading-edge vortex (LEV), and revealed that the conical, primary LEV grows in size and strength with increasing AR. In each case, the LEV had an arch-shaped axis with its outboard end originating from a focus-sink singularity on the wing surface near the tip. LEV detachment was observed for AR > 1.5 ? > around mid-stroke at ∼ 70 % ? > span, and initiated sooner over higher aspect ratio wings. At AR > 3 ? > the larger, stronger vortex persisted under the wing surface well into the next half-stroke leading to a reduction in lift. Circulatory lift attributable to the LEV increased with AR up to AR = 6. Higher aspect ratios generated proportionally less lift distally because of LEV breakdown, and also less lift closer to the wing root due to the previous LEV's continuing presence under the wing. In nature, insect wings go no higher than AR ∼ 5 , ? > likely in part due to architectural and physiological constraints but also because of the reducing aerodynamic benefits of high AR wings.
Selection on phenotypic plasticity of morphological traits in response to flooding and competition in the clonal shore plant Ranunculus reptans

Adaptive evolution of phenotypic plasticity requires that plastic genotypes have the highest global fitness. We studied selection by spatial heterogeneity of interspecific competition and flooding, and by temporal heterogeneity of flooding on morphological plasticity of 52 genotypes of the clonal shore plant Ranunculus reptans. Competition reduced clone size, rosette size, leaf length and stolon internode thickness. Flooding had similar effects and reduced competition. Differences in selection between environments imply potential for either local adaptation or for indirect evolution of phenotypic plasticity. We also detected direct selection for plastic reductions in internode length in response to flooding and for a plastic increase in internode length in response to competition. Plastic responses of some morphological traits to flooding were in line with selection thereon, suggesting that they indeed are adaptive and might have evolved in response to direct selection on plasticity.
Subclass‐specific serological reactivity and IgG4‐specific antigen recognition in human echinococcosis

Immunglobulin (Ig) subclass‐specific antibody responses and isotype‐specific recognition of E. multilocularis (Em) and E. granulosus (Eg) antigens (Ag) were evaluated in both alveolar echinococcosis (AE) and cystic echinococcosis (CE). AE patients were divided into 3 groups by clinical and therapeutic criteria according to their actual state of infection, i.e. elimination of parasite, and regression or progression of disease. CE patients were either before or after surgery, or in continuous chemotherapy due to parasite persistence. Total IgE was highly elevated in progressive AE cases (7/11), but not in the cases with eliminated infection or regression. In AE patients with active disease, EmAg‐specific IgE, total IgG, IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4 were particularly high. Similarly, in 9 of 30 CE patients, total IgE was raised above reference values, indicating progressive disease. CE patients' sera antibody cross‐reacted with crude EmAg, and detectable Ig levels of the same isotype were also measured by ELISA. In both AE and CE, parasite‐specific antigen recognition was dominated by IgG1 and IgG4. In AE patients with progressive disease, IgG4 distinctively recognized low molecular weight EmAg of Mr 26 kD, 18 kD, 16 kD and 12 kD. As prominent IgG4 and IgE responses develop with chronic helminth infections only, these serological parameters may indicate successful parasite infestation and severe outcome of disease. In summary, analyses of immunoglobulin isotype responses in AE patients by ELISA in combination with immunoblotting are a useful approach for post‐treatment follow‐up of patients at risk of developing recrudescent disease.
Objective exposure to road traffic noise, noise annoyance and self-rated poor health – framing the relationship between noise and health as a matter of multiple stressors and resources in urban neighbourhoods

Borrowing from concepts of socio-environmental epidemiology and psychology, we conceived self-rated health as a function of multiple physical and psychosocial stressors and resources at the residential neighbourhood and individual level. In this model of multiple stressors, objective exposure to road traffic noise was specified as a physical stressor whose effect on health may be mediated and modified by residents’ subjective response to noise (serious noise annoyance). Self-reported hearing disability, recreational coping in green areas and residential neighbourhood satisfaction were examined as additional psychosocial stressors or resources, independently of socio-demographic and -economic factors. Results from our empirical analysis based on two studies and multivariable logistic regressions might support the idea that environmental planning should overcome sectoral boundaries and adopt an integrative approach including objective exposures, residents’ subjective responses, and perceived resources.
Are all Economic Hypotheses False?

We develop an estimator that allows us to calculate an upper bound to the fraction of unrejected null hypotheses tested in economics journal articles that are in fact true. Our point estimate is that none of the unrejected nulls in our sample is true. We reject the hypothesis that more than one-third are true. We consider three explanations for this finding: that all null hypotheses are mere approximations, that data-mining biases reported standard errors downward, and that journals tend to publish papers that fail to reject their null hypotheses only when the null hypotheses are likely to be false. While all these explanations are important, the last seems best able to explain our findings.
Towards the Design of Certifiable Mixed-criticality Systems

Many safety-critical embedded systems are subject to certification requirements; some systems may be required to meet multiple sets of certification requirements, from different certification authorities. Certification requirements in such "mixed-criticality" systems give rise to some interesting scheduling problems, that cannot be satisfactorily addressed using techniques from conventional scheduling theory. In this paper, we propose a formal model for representing such mixed-criticality workloads. We demonstrate the intractability of determining whether a system specified in this model can be scheduled to meet all its certification requirements. For dual-criticality systems -- systems subject to two sets of certification requirements -- we quantify, via the metric of processor speedup factor, the effectiveness of 2 techniques (reservation-based scheduling and priority-based scheduling) that are widely used in scheduling such mixed-criticality systems.
Evaluation of a Practical Parenting Program with Middle- and Low-Income Families

Parent training programs have been an effective intervention for middle-income families with children w1zo have developmental, learning, and behavioral problems. Results have been mixed with low-income families, however. In the cuirrenrt study a practicalparenting program was tested with both middleand low-income parents. Results indicate significant improvements for fimilies of both income groups. These effects were maintained at 3 months follow-ulp. Implications for parenting programs andfurther research are discussed.
Leadership and Semiautonomous Work Team Performance

The impact of leadership on group performance was investigated in the context of a semiautonomous work team environment. The relationship between group performance and team leadership, as exhibited by the designated, internal leader, was moderated by team size. Team leadership, as rated by team members, was related to the managers’ ratings of quality and overall performance for smaller teams, but not for larger teams. In addition, the managers’ ratings of team performance were not significantly correlated with ratings of team performance obtained from the team members.
Variables Affecting the Perception of Self-Disclosure Appropriateness

Summary The perception of appropriate self-disclosure was examined as a function of sex of the interactants, intimacy, and valence of self-disclosure. Dependent variables investigated in addition to perceived appropriateness were perceived friendliness, maturity, warmth, psychological adjustment, openness, emotional stability, and sensitivity of the discloser; and mutual liking of, and desire for future contact with, the discloser. Normative evaluations of male or female confederate disclosure where intimacy level and valence had been experimentally manipulated, were provided by 64 male and 64 female volunteer undergraduate Ss, who were randomly assigned to the 16 cells of a 2(sex of discloser/confederate) × 2(sex of recipient/subject) × 2(intimacy) × 2(valence) factorial design. Interpersonal evaluations of the discloser occurred in the context of a structured acquaintance session. Female recipients were more receptive to disclosure thus viewing it as appropriate. Positive disclosure in contrast to negat.
The Effect of Feedback on Identity Shift in Computer-Mediated Communication

The hyperpersonal model of computer-mediated communication (CMC) suggests manners by which online communication transforms relational communication and self-perception. Criticism of the model includes concerns over the linkage among its four theoretical components. Recent research on identity shift in CMC suggests that senders' online selective self-presentation provides sufficient dynamics to modify individuals' personality following an online identity performance. The present research extends these findings by examining effects on identity shift due to the influence of feedback to an individual following a self-presentation that deliberately emphasizes a specific personality characteristic. Results support hypothesized interaction effects and illuminate the personality-modification effects of feedback on someone in a public blog setting, as well as feedback in a private expressive condition. Major implications for the status of the hyperpersonal model are presented, with additional questions regarding the computers-as-social-actors effect.
Energy consumption forecasting based on Hybrid Neural Fuzzy Inference System

Forecasting the electricity consumption is one of the most challenging tasks for energy domain stakeholders. Having reliable electricity consumption forecasts can help minimizing the cost of electricity and also enable a better control on the electricity tariff. This paper presents a study regarding the forecast of electricity consumption using a methodology based on Hybrid neural Fuzzy Inference System (HyFIS). The proposed approach considers two distinct strategies, namely one strategy using only the electricity consumption as the input of the method, and the second strategy uses a combination of the electricity consumption and the environmental temperature as the input. A case study considering the forecasting of the consumption of an office building using the proposed methodologies is also presented. Results show that the second strategy is able to achieve better results, hence concluding that HyFIS is an appropriate approach to incorporate different sources of information. In this way, the environmental temperature can help the HyFIS method to achieve a more reliable forecast of the electricity consumption.