Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Multiple Intelligences, Self- Efficacy and Academic Achievement of Saudi Gifted and Regular Intermediate Students

The current study aimed to investigate and describe the multiple intelligences (MIs) and self-efficacy profiles that characterize Saudi female (gifted / regular) third intermediate students and their relationship to the achievement of EFL language skills and aspects. The sample consisted of (85) Saudi female third intermediate grade students, (43) were identified as gifted, and (42) were regular students. Three research instruments were used to collect data: (a) the Multiple Intelligence Inventory, (b) the Self-efficacy Scale and (3) A Language Achievement Test. The results of data analysis revealed that Interpersonal Intelligence was the most preferred intelligence types among gifted and regular participants. Musical intelligence was the least preferred intelligence among both groups. Differences between the two groups were in the order of other preferences. The study also revealed that there was significant correlation between MIs and achievement in specific language skills and language aspects. Self-efficacy, on the other hand, did not correlate to language achievement but it was a good predictor of success. The study recommended EFL teachers to respond to different potentials of their students, develop activities that support students ‘strongest intelligences as well as improving the weak ones and pay more attention to creating a motivating classroom environment.
Tetraploidy in hydatidiform moles.

STUDY QUESTION How does tetraploidy develop in hydatidiform moles (HMs), and what is the frequency of the different origins? SUMMARY ANSWER Most molar pregnancies with tetraploid cells appear to be produced by somatic endoreduplications, while a minority originate from a tetraploid zygote. The frequency of zygotic tetraploidy was estimated to be 0.7%. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The parental origin of the genome in tetraploid HMs has only been evaluated in a few cases, most showing three genome sets from the father (PPPM). Estimates of the proportion of HMs that are tetraploid vary between 2 and 28%. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION From 1986 to 2010, unfixed samples of clinically suspected molar pregnancies were forwarded to the Danish Mole Project. For this cohort study 442 samples fulfilled the following criteria for inclusion: macroscopic appearance of HM and ≥ 10 vesicular chorionic villi with a diameter of ≥ 1 mm. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Of 403 karyotyped samples, 21 cases disclosed ≥ 2 tetraploid metaphases. The 21 cases were scrutinized by karyotyping, flow cytometry (FC) and DNA-marker analysis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Among 20 HMs, 3 showed the genotype PPPM: one with the sex chromosomes XXYY and two with XXXY, indicating that they originated in tetraploid zygotes. In 14 androgenetic, one likely androgenetic and two mosaics, the tetraploid cells likely developed by endoreduplications of diploid cells. One case did not fulfil the histopathological criteria for HM. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION As an inclusion criterion was the macroscopic observation of vesicular chorionic villi, some non-molar hydropic placentas may have been included and some early moles may have been excluded. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS In future, studies to determine that an HM is tetraploid and discriminate cases of mosaicism and to deduce the origin of the tetraploidy must use the techniques of karyotyping, DNA-marker analysis and FC in combination.
A comparative study of frictional resistance during simulated canine retraction on typodont model

Objectives: Frictional resistance is an important counterforce to orthodontic tooth movement during sliding mechanics. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different bracket-archwire-ligation combinations on “resistance to sliding” during simulated canine retraction on typodont model. Materials and Methods: the frictional resistance was tested between three modern orthodontic brackets-stainless steel, ceramic, and ceramic with metal slot (0.022-inch), and seven different archwires (0.019 × 0.025-inch)-stainless steel, nickel-titanium, Teflon coated stainless steel, stainless steel with the reverse curve of spee (RCS), Teflon coated stainless steel with RCS, Teflon coated nickel-titanium and nickel-titanium with RCS ligated with stainless steel ligature wire and regular clear elastomeric modules. All tests were carried out in a dry state on an Instron universal testing machine (crosshead speed: 0.5 mm/min). 10 measurements were made from each bracket-archwire-ligature combinations. Results: The highest mean frictional resistance was found in ceramic brackets with nickel-titanium RCS archwire ligated with elastomeric modules while minimum frictional resistance was found in stainless steel brackets with Teflon coated stainless steel archwire ligated with stainless steel ligature. Metal slot ceramic brackets generated significantly lower frictional forces than ceramic brackets, but higher values than stainless steel brackets. Teflon coated archwires shows highly significant reduction of the frictional resistance than their corresponding uncoated archwires. Archwires with RCS had the higher frictional resistance than normal counterpart archwires. Conclusion: Ceramic brackets with metal slot and Teflon coated SS archwires seem to be a good alternative to conventional stainless steel brackets and archwires in space closure with sliding mechanics in patients with esthetic demands.
Renal Acid-Base Transport: Old and New Players

Systemic acid-base homeostasis is the product of complex interactions between metabolism, regulated exhalation of CO2 by the lungs and acid or base excretion by the kidneys. The importance of renal acid-base transport has been highlighted by mutations identified in several proteins involved in this task in patients with inborn forms of renal tubular acidosis. The underlying mechanisms of disease have been further studied in genetically altered mouse models and cell culture. An interesting field of research has focused on the question how changes in metabolism or acid-base homeostasis are sensed and result in altered excretion of acid or bases by the kidney. Several hormonal pathways including aldosterone and endothelin were implicated, a novel subfamily of proton-sensing receptors has been identified, and signaling molecules described that are activated by changes in pH.
Procrastination: When good things don’t come to those who wait.

Procrastination is a well-known phenomenon that often entails negative outcome with regard to performance and subjective well-being. In an attempt to understand the (alarming) character of procrastination, a large body of research on the causes, correlates, and consequences of procrastination has been accumulating over the last 40 years. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic characterization of the trends in procrastination research and to suggest future directions for research and practice. The systematic characterization comprises a comparison of procrastination to functional forms of delay (referred to as strategic delay) and a presentation of the theoretical approaches to explaining procrastination. The future directions suggested pertain to the development of a differentiated understanding of procrastination and of integral interventions.
Vitamin D deficiency and myocardial structure and function in older men and women: the Hoorn study.

BACKGROUND Vitamin D deficiency is frequently observed in heart failure patients and it has been shown that vitamin D exerts various effects on the heart that may be relevant for the pathogenesis of myocardial diseases. AIMS We aimed to elucidate the largely unknown association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] serum levels with echocardiographic measures of left ventricular (LV) structure and function. MATERIAL/SUBJECTS AND METHODS We measured 25(OH)D serum levels and performed standardized LV echocardiograms in 614 persons from a population-based cohort of older men and women. Echocardiographic data were used to calculate LV mass and geometry and for classification of systolic and diastolic dysfunction. To consider the seasonal variations of 25(OH)D levels we categorized our study participants according to season-specific 25(OH)D quartiles. RESULTS LV systolic function, mass and geometry were not significantly associated with 25(OH)D serum levels. In binary logistic regression analyses, the prevalence of LV diastolic dysfunction was significantly higher in the first season-specific 25(OH)D quartile when compared to the fourth quartile [odds ratio 2.32 (95% CI: 1.42-3.80); p=0.001] but significance was lost after adjustments for age [odds ratio 1.51 (0.89-2.57); p=0.123] and established risk factors for heart failure [odds ratio 1.47 (0.84-2.59); p=0.178]. CONCLUSIONS Serum levels of 25(OH)D are not significantly associated with LV structure and function but a non-significant trend towards increased risk of diastolic dysfunction in persons with vitamin D deficiency warrants further studies.
Breaking Down the Bilingual Cost in Speech Production

Bilinguals have been shown to perform worse than monolinguals in a variety of verbal tasks. This study investigated this bilingual verbal cost in a large-scale picture-naming study conducted in Spanish. We explored how individual characteristics of the participants and the linguistic properties of the words being spoken influence this performance cost. In particular, we focused on the contributions of lexical frequency and phonological similarity across translations. The naming performance of Spanish-Catalan bilinguals speaking in their dominant and non-dominant language was compared to that of Spanish monolinguals. Single trial naming latencies were analyzed by means of linear mixed models accounting for individual effects at the participant and item level. While decreasing lexical frequency was shown to increase naming latencies in all groups, this variable by itself did not account for the bilingual cost. In turn, our results showed that the bilingual cost disappeared when naming words with high phonological similarity across translations. In short, our results show that frequency of use can play a role in the emergence of the bilingual cost, but that phonological similarity across translations should be regarded as one of the most important variables that determine the bilingual cost in speech production. Low phonological similarity across translations yields worse performance in bilinguals and promotes the bilingual cost in naming performance. The implications of our results for the effect of phonological similarity across translations within the bilingual speech production system are discussed.
Post-injury symptoms after work related traumatic brain injury in Canadian population.

OBJECTIVES To examine the nature and extent of persistent post-injury symptoms of persons who have experienced a work-related traumatic brain injury (WrTBI) in Ontario, Canada. METHODS Using a retrospective case series design, post-injury symptoms, occupation, and work factors were examined for WrTBIs among an adult population. Data were abstracted from medical records of individuals who sustained a WrTBI and were discharged from a referral-based outpatient neurology service between the years of 1998 and 2001. RESULTS Of the 435 individuals who sustained a WrTBI, most were ≥ 45 years of age and male. Approximately 50% had injuries to the head only, while others had multiple injuries. The most common post-injury symptoms were headaches (85.1%), memory changes (74.3%), and mood/personality changes (68.3%). A small subset of individuals reported very long-term post-injury symptoms, and a majority of individuals had not yet returned to work. CONCLUSIONS This study profiles the demographic and clinical characteristics of an outpatient injured worker population with a history of WrTBI which provides a basis for the planning and implementation of assessment and treatment programs for this clinical population.
Structural requirements for class I MHC molecule-mediated antigen presentation and cytotoxic T cell recognition of an immunodominant determinant of the human immunodeficiency virus envelope protein

In H-2d mice, the immunodominant determinant of the HIV-1-IIIB gp160 envelope glycoprotein recognized by CD8+ CTL is represented by a 15- residue synthetic peptide (315-329: RIQRGPGRAFVTIGK). This peptide is seen in association with the Dd class I MHC molecule expressed on H-2k L cell fibroblast targets. We explored the structural requirements for CTL recognition of this peptide at the levels of both the peptide molecule and the class I MHC molecule. Using several transfectants expressing recombinant Dd/Ld molecules, we found that presentation of this epitope required both the alpha 1 and alpha 2 domains of the Dd molecule, in contrast to certain instances of allorecognition for which alpha 1 of Dd was sufficient in association with alpha 2 of Ld. Because this peptide derives from a hypervariable segment of the HIV envelope, substituted peptides could be used to define not only the structures affecting interaction of peptide with class I MHC molecule and with the TCR, but also the structural basis for the effect of naturally occurring viral variation on CTL recognition. The CTL-LINE specific for this HIV-1-IIIB-derived sequence could not recognize the HIV-1-RF variant-derived sequence from exactly the same site (315-329:-- HIGPGRVIYATGQ). Peptides with single amino acid substitutions from the HIV-1-IIIB sequence toward the HIV-1-RF sequence were made to test the effect of each residue significantly affected recognition, and only one, 324(F), was obligatory. Moreover, both 322(R) and 324(F) substituted peptides failed to inhibit the binding of the wild type peptide to the MHC molecule. Therefore, the amino-acids 322(R) and 324(F) seem to be involved in regulating peptide interaction with the Dd class I MHC molecule. In contrast, 325(V) appeared to affect interaction with the TCR. We suggest that sequence variations among known HIV-1 isolates that affect peptide binding to MHC such as those described here, if occurring during the course of infection of an individual, could result in failure of the MHC molecules of that individual to present the peptide. If the number of dominant HIV CTL epitopes is indeed very limited, such a blind spot could allow the virus to escape immune control, proliferate rapidly, and cause AIDS.
Reasoning about In nite Computations

We investigate extensions of temporal logic by connectives deened by nite automata on innnite words. We consider three diierent logics, corresponding to three diierent types of acceptance conditions ((nite, looping and repeating) for the automata. It turns out, however, that these logics all have the same expressive power and that their decision problems are all PSPACE-complete. We also investigate connectives deened by alternating automata and show that they do not increase the expressive power of the logic or the complexity of the decision problem.
Impact of Aging on Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis and Secretion

Steroid hormones are lipophilic, low-molecular weight organic compounds all of which are derived from cho- lesterol. They are primarily synthesized by steroidogenic glands such as gonads (ovary and testis), the adrenal gland and, during pregnancy, by the placental trophoblasts. Limited steroid synthesis also takes place in the brain. Steroid hormones are crucial for the proper functioning of the body. They mediate a wide variety of vital physiological functions, ranging from maintaining normal reproductive function and secondary sexual characteristics, to regulating virtually every meta- bolic process in the body. Like many age-related endocrine disorders, aging also progressively impacts the tissue-specific synthesis and secretion of steroid hormones. The goal of this review is to summarize the effects of aging on steroid hor- mone synthesis and secretion by the adrenal gland and gonads of both human and experimental animal models, to describe the potential involvement of excessive oxidative stress in mediating age-related alterations in steroidogenesis, and to dis- cuss the possible underlying mechanisms involved.
Prevalence of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM) and Associated Hearing Impairment Among School-aged Children in Yemen.

BACKGROUND Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is one of the leading causes of preventable disabling hearing impairment (DHI) in developing countries. Early detection and management complements advances made in other survival programs, improves work capacity, and enhances learning opportunities for school children. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CSOM and associated DHI among school children aged six to 16 years in Socotra Island, Yemen. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional community-based survey, from 20 April 2011 to 20 June 2011. The study procedures involved completing a questionnaire, an otoscopic ear examination, an audiometric test of hearing, and tuning fork tests for the type of DHI. RESULTS A total of 686 children were interviewed and examined for CSOM and associated DHI of CSOM cases. The prevalence of CSOM was 7.4%, (95% CI 5.5-9.4). CSOM status was significantly associated with DHI (p=0.001), but no significant associations were found between demographic characteristics and CSOM status. Logistic regression identified four significant independent contributing factors: history of ear discharge in the last 12 months (odds ratio (OR) 7.8, 95% CI 3.9-15.6); swimming in local pools (OR 6.0, 95% CI 1.4-25.4); recurrent respiratory tract infection more than three times per year (OR 5.3, 95% CI 2.5-11.0); and overcrowding with more than three families per house (OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.7-11.5). CONCLUSION The burden of CSOM in the children studied indicates a high level of DHI in these communities within Yemen. A history of ear discharge, swimming in local pools, recurrent respiratory infections, and overcrowded housing were the strongest predictors for CSOM. There is a need for better ear care and screening programs for early detection and management of this disease.
Heterogeneity of Human Aging and Its Assessment

Understanding the heterogeneity in health of older adults is a compelling question in the biology of aging. We analyzed the performance of five measures of health heterogeneity, judging them by their ability to predict mortality. Using clinical and biomarker data on 1,013 participants of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging who were followed for up to 6 years, we calculated two indices of biological age using the Klemera and Doubal method, which controversially includes using chronological age as a "biomarker," and three frailty indices (FIs) that do not include chronological age: a standard clinical FI, an FI from standard laboratory blood tests and blood pressure, and their combination (FI-combined). Predictive validity was tested using Cox proportional hazards analysis and discriminative ability by the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves. All five measures showed moderate performance that was improved by combining measures to evaluate larger numbers of items. The greatest addition in explanatory power came from the FI-combined that showed the best mortality prediction in an age-adjusted model. More extensive comparisons across different databases are required, but these results do not support including chronological age as a biomarker.
Human Resources from an Organizational Behavior Perspective: Some Paradoxes Explained

Workplaces in America and elsewhere show pervasive job dissatisfaction, distrust, and disengagement, with the evidence suggesting that these problems are getting worse and have a number of negative consequences for employers as well as employees. What follows is a necessarily selective exploration of human resource management in organizations, covering why it is often done so badly, what theory suggests about how to do it better, and why so little of what is known is actually implemented.
The scents of androstenone in humans

Specific anosmia, the inability to detect a particular odour, has been well documented for decades in human and animal populations. Indeed, the existence of specific anosmias was a favoured argument used to support a receptor‐mediated mechanism of odourant detection prior to the molecular identification of a large family of olfactory G‐protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the early 1990s ( Amoore, 1974 ; Buck & Axel, 1991 ). One well known anosmia in humans is the inability to sense 5‐α‐androst‐16‐en‐3‐one (androstenone). Androstenone is variously described as having an unpleasant (urine, sweat) or pleasant odour (sweet, floral), yet a fraction of the population cannot detect its presence. Moreover, androstenone is a pheromone in boars and is found in urine and axillary sweat in humans, making it a prospective candidate for odour‐mediated communication in humans. While a role for androstenone as a human pheromone is open to debate, a widely accepted finding is the ability of humans who are initially insensitive to androstenone to acquire sensitivity to it upon continued exposure ( Wysocki et al. 1989 ). Since the 1989 anecdotal discovery of C.J. Wysocki, several other studies have shown that humans and other species can acquire sensitivity to androstenone as well as to other odourants ( Wang et al. 1993 ; Pause et al. 1999 ; Dalton et al. 2002 ). However, the mechanism(s) of this increased sensitivity are poorly understood. In this issue of The Journal of Physiology Wang et al. (2004) provide evidence for a mechanism of increased sensitivity in the olfactory epithelium of humans.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – a New Coronavirus from the Chinese Dragon's Lair*

The recent identification of a novel clinical entity, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the rapid subsequent spread and case fatality rates of 14–15% have prompted a massive international collaborative investigation facilitated by a network of laboratories established by the World Health Organization (WHO). As SARS has the potential of becoming the first pandemic of the new millennium, a global warning by the WHO was issued on 12 March 2003. The disease, which is believed to have its origin in the Chinese Guangdong province, spread from Hong Kong via international airports to its current worldwide distribution. The concerted efforts of a globally united scientific community have led to the independent isolation and identification of a novel coronavirus from SARS patients by several groups. The extraordinarily rapid isolation of a causative agent of this newly emerged infectious disease constitutes an unprecedented scientific achievement. The main scope of the article is to provide the clinician with an overview of the natural history, epidemiology and clinical characteristics of SARS. On the basis of the recently published viral genome and structural features common to the members of the coronavirus family, a model for host cell–virus interaction and possible targets for antiviral drugs are presented. The epidemiological consequences of introducing a novel pathogen in a previously unexposed population and the origin and evolution of a new and more pathogenic strain of coronavirus are discussed.