Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Group-Based Assessment as a Dynamic Approach to Marketing Education

Assessment is a prominent issue in education today. However, assessment of learning often occurs only at the end of the semester to satisfy accreditation agencies. An alternative is to conduct assessments during the course, not only to assess if learning goals are being met but also to assess student learning during the course. Assessment for learning puts assessment at the heart of the learning process. In this approach, students are active participants in the assessment process. The authors propose a new approach to assessment—group-based assessment (GBA), which includes in-class group learning, peer assessment, and peer and instructor feedback. They develop their approach based on theoretical underpinnings of the dynamic assessment theory and the zone of proximal development theory to develop GBA. The authors test the effectiveness of this approach in a study conducted with students using a one group pretest—posttest quasi-experimental design. The results of this study provide empirical support that GBA is related to students' intrinsic motivation, self-regulated learning strategies, perceived autonomy, perceived competence, task mastery orientation, and actual performance. In addition, guidelines for implementing GBA are provided.
Choosing the Department Head

Stanley L. Clement is Associate Professor of Education, State College, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. MR. JONES,&dquo; asked the school committee chairman, &dquo;what teacher JLV-LR. in the science the school committee chairman, has been in the science department the longes ? &dquo; &dquo;Mr Smith has taught Chemistry for us for 23 years,&dquo; Superintendent Jones replied. &dquo;I move we appoint Mr. Smith as the new head of the science department,&dquo; said a member. &dquo;Such a long record of devoted service should be rewarded,&dquo; remarked another member, &dquo;I second the motion. &dquo; &dquo;Those in favor? It is unanimous. Mr. Jones, will you inform Mr. Smith of his election and convey our congratulations? &dquo; The head of the high-school science department had resigned to accept
Registration of Multiple Acoustic Range Views for Underwater Scene Reconstruction

This paper proposes a technique for the three-dimensional reconstruction of an underwater environment from multiple acoustic range views acquired by a remotely operated vehicle. The problem is made challenging by the very noisy nature of the data. the low resolution, and the narrow field of view. Our main contribution is a new global registration technique to distribute registration errors evenly across all views. Our approach does not use data points after the first pairwise registration, for it works only on the transformations. Therefore. it is fast and occupies only a small amount of memory. Experimental results suggest the global registration technique is effective in equalizing the error. Moreover, we introduce a statistically sound thresholding (the X84 rejection rule) to improve ICP robustness against noise and nonoverlapping data.
Plasticity of Intrinsic Excitability during Long-Term Depression Is Mediated through mGluR-Dependent Changes in Ih in Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons

Bidirectional changes in synaptic strength are the proposed cellular correlate for information storage in the brain. Plasticity of intrinsic excitability, however, may also be critical for regulating the firing of neurons during mnemonic tasks. We demonstrated previously that the induction long-term potentiation was accompanied by a persistent decrease in CA1 pyramidal neuron excitability (Fan et al., 2005). We show here that induction of long-term depression (LTD) by 3 Hz pairing of back-propagating action potentials with Schaffer collateral EPSPs was accompanied by an overall increase in CA1 neuronal excitability. This increase was observed as an increase in the number of action potentials elicited by somatic current injection and was caused by an increase in neuronal input resistance. After LTD, voltage sag during hyperpolarizing current injections and subthreshold resonance frequency were decreased. All changes were blocked by ZD7288 (4-ethylphenylamino-1,2-dimethyl-6-methylaminopyrimidinium chloride), suggesting that a physiological loss of dendritic h-channels was responsible for the increase in excitability. Furthermore, block of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) or protein kinase C prevented the increase in excitability, whereas the group 1 mGluR agonist DHPG [(RS)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine] mimicked the effects. We conclude that 3 Hz synaptic stimulation downregulates Ih via activation of group 1 mGluRs and subsequent stimulation of protein kinase C. We propose these changes as part of a homeostatic and bidirectional control mechanism for intrinsic excitability during learning.
Challenges for teaching interaction skills for law students

Abstract Are lawyers witty courtroom heroes or professionals working with and for people? Is law only universal judgements and afterthoughts or could it also be preventive and proactive individual planning and dialogue? The traditional legal education could be seen to have been based on the first assumptions. The course “Interaction skills for lawyers”, in the Faculty of Law at the University of Helsinki (Finland), evolves instead from the latter assumptions. In this article we relate our starting points in planning the course and evaluate our challenges and experiences in developing it.
Thenar Motor Neuropathy Electrophysiological Study of 28 Cases

Purpose: To report an electrophysiological study on thenar motor neuropathy of the median nerve. Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive patients (mean age, 48.8 years; 17 men) with dominant hand thenar muscle weakness without sensory symptoms were enrolled in this study. Electromyography of hand and forearm muscles and neurography of median, ulnar, radial, and palmar nerves, including distal motor latency recording from the second interosseous-lumbrical muscles, were performed. Results: Complete denervation of the abductor pollicis brevis muscle was observed in one case and delayed median abductor pollicis brevis-distal motor latency was observed in the others. Other neurographic findings were normal. Conclusions: Thenar motor neuropathy may have different pathogeneses. It may be considered a variant of carpal tunnel syndrome involving the motor branch only or more likely due to chronic direct compression of the branch, because it preferentially affects males, dominant hand, and persons doing manual work. In both cases, anatomic origin and variations in the course of the branch may favor thenar motor neuropathy.
Scale‐Stack Bar Charts

It is difficult to create appropriate bar charts for data that cover large value ranges. The usual approach for these cases employs a logarithmic scale, which, however, suffers from issues inherent to its non‐linear mapping: for example, a quantitative comparison of different values is difficult. We present a new approach for bar charts that combines the advantages of linear and logarithmic scales, while avoiding their drawbacks. Our scale‐stack bar charts use multiple scales to cover a large value range, while the linear mapping within each scale preserves the ability to visually compare quantitative ratios. Scale‐stack bar charts can be used for the same applications as classic bar charts; in particular, they can readily handle stacked bar representations and negative values. Our visualization technique is demonstrated with results for three different application areas and is assessed by an expert review and a quantitative user study confirming advantages of our technique for quantitative comparisons.
Decreased ENaC expression compensates the increased NCC activity following inactivation of the kidney-specific isoform of WNK1 and prevents hypertension

Mutations in WNK1 and WNK4 lead to familial hyperkalemic hypertension (FHHt). Because FHHt associates net positive Na+ balance together with K+ and H+ renal retention, the identification of WNK1 and WNK4 led to a new paradigm to explain how aldosterone can promote either Na+ reabsorption or K+ secretion in a hypovolemic or hyperkalemic state, respectively. WNK1 gives rise to L-WNK1, an ubiquitous kinase, and KS-WNK1, a kinase-defective isoform expressed in the distal convoluted tubule. By inactivating KS-WNK1 in mice, we show here that this isoform is an important regulator of sodium transport. KS-WNK1−/− mice display an increased activity of the Na-Cl cotransporter NCC, expressed specifically in the distal convoluted tubule, where it participates in the fine tuning of sodium reabsorption. Moreover, the expression of the ROMK and BKCa potassium channels was modified in KS-WNK1−/− mice, indicating that KS-WNK1 is also a regulator of potassium transport in the distal nephron. Finally, we provide an alternative model for FHHt. Previous studies suggested that the activation of NCC plays a central role in the development of hypertension and hyperkalemia. Even though the increase in NCC activity in KS-WNK1−/− mice was less pronounced than in mice overexpressing a mutant form of WNK4, our study suggests that the activation of Na–Cl cotransporter is not sufficient by itself to induce a hyperkalemic hypertension and that the deregulation of other channels, such as the Epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC), is probably required.
Immigrant sexual citizenship: intersectional templates among Mexican gay immigrants to the USA

Existing literature on sexual citizenship has emphasized the sexuality-related claims of de jure citizens of nation-states, generally ignoring immigrants. Conversely, the literature on immigration rarely attends to the salience of sexual issues in understanding the social incorporation of migrants. This article seeks to fill the gap by theorizing and analyzing immigrant sexual citizenship. While some scholars of sexual citizenship have focused on the rights and recognition granted formally by the nation-state and others have stressed more diffuse, cultural perceptions of community and local belonging, we argue that the lived experiences of immigrant sexual citizenship call for multiscalar scrutiny of templates and practices of citizenship that bridge national policies with local connections. Analysis of ethnographic data from a study of 76 Mexican gay and bisexual male immigrants to San Diego, California, reveals the specific citizenship templates that these men encounter as they negotiate their intersecting social statuses as gay/bisexual and as immigrants (legal or undocumented); these include an ‘asylum’ template, a ‘rights’ template, and a ‘local attachments’ template. However, the complications of their intersecting identities constrain their capacity to claim immigrant sexual citizenship. The study underscores the importance of both intersectional and multiscalar approaches in research on citizenship as social practice.
Antibiotic Susceptibility in Neonatal Invasive Isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae in a 2-Year Nationwide Surveillance Study in Germany

ABSTRACT The antimicrobial susceptibility of 296 invasive neonatal group B streptococcus isolates from a nationwide 2-year surveillance study in Germany was investigated. All isolates were susceptible to beta-lactams, linezolid, quinupristin-dalfopristin, and vancomycin. Erythromycin and clindamycin resistance was found in 10.1 and 5.7%, respectively. The ermB, ermTR, or mefA gene was detected in all but one of the erythromycin-resistant isolates.
Compulsory Citizenship Behavior: Theorizing Some Dark Sides of the Good Soldier Syndrome in Organizations.

The most prominent characteristic of good citizenship behavior is the willingness of individuals to invest effort and energy in their social environment beyond any formal requirement and with no expectation of formal rewards. When studied in the workplace, this behavior has been called Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) and has become the subject of many works that have focused on the positive connotations of the "good soldier syndrome. " A majority of the 270 studies published in recent decades about OCB have pointed to the benefits and advantages of voluntary helping behaviors, pro-social behavior, altruism and extra-role behavior. In contrast with this view, the present paper suggests that OCB also has darker aspects, one of which is the exploitative and abusive tendency of supervisors and managements to impose so-called "voluntary" or "extra-role" activities via compulsory or coercive mechanisms in the workplace. The paper focuses on such exploitation and abusiveness and their potential impact on employees' performance. It is argued that frequently individuals engage in so-called OCBs not as a matter of free choice or good will, but as a result of considerable social pressure by powerful others, be they managers or other co-workers. It is suggested that such behaviors can be placed on a continuum of extra-role behaviors, but that they should also be recognized as a substantial deviation from the original meaning of OCB and thus should be examined and analyzed separately.
Perceptions of Ingroup and Outgroup Variability: A Meta-Analytic Integration

This article reports the results of a meta-analytic integration of previous research on perceptions of ingroup and outgroup variability. The following patterns were observed: The tendency to perceive greater variability for the ingroup relative to the variability perceived for the outgroup (relative heterogeneity) was demonstrated to be a significant but small effect. The basic relative heterogeneity effect is the result of a small shift away from the midpoint of the scale toward homogeneity for the outgroup, coupled with a smaller, slight shift away from the midpoint of the scale toward heterogeneity for the ingroup, in addition, perceptions of group variability were demonstrated to vary in predictable and interesting ways. For example, relative heterogeneity decreases as the relative size of the ingroup decreases, producing a relative homogeneity effect on the part of small minorities. Relative heterogeneity is strongest when the ingroup and outgroup comprise real, enduring groups, and weakest when the .
Specific Factors Underlying Reemployment Self-Efficacy

This study compared two methods for assessing the specific factors underlying people’s reemployment self-efficacy (RSE). The first method used control belief measures, which assessed the specific factors perceived to make reemployment easy or difficult. The second method used motivational reason measures, which assessed the specific (nonhypothetical) factors people use to explain their overall RSE. Measures from both methods were applied to the same attribute categories, such as job availability, work qualifications, and job-listing information. An ethnically diverse sample of 815 unemployed individuals (mean age 37.2 years) registering for unemployment benefits in New York City participated. As hypothesized, results indicated that both control belief and motivational reason variables were related to RSE. In line with expectations, motivational reason variables explained substantial variance in RSE and scheduled interviews beyond that explained by the control belief variables. Moreover, the motivational reason method identified several variables influencing RSE that the control belief method was unable to identify as significant (e.g., having needed qualifications and job-listing knowledge). When results from both methods were presented to executive management at the New York City Department of Labor, motivational reason results had the strongest impact on subsequent policy decisions.
Cytokine Networking in Lungs of Immunocompetent Mice in Response to Inhaled Aspergillus fumigatus

ABSTRACT Cytokine networking in the lung in response to inhaledAspergillus fumigatus was assessed using a murine model of primary pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompetent Crl:CF-1 mice. Inhalation of virulent A. fumigatus (6 × 106 CFU) resulted in the induction of interleukin 18 (IL-18), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IL-12, and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and/or lung tissue. Induction of immunoreactive IL-18 preceded induction of TNF-α protein, which preceded induction of immunoreactive IL-12 and IFN-γ. Real-time reverse transcriptase (RT) PCR analysis of infected lung tissue demonstrated that induction of IL-18 protein also preceded induction of pulmonary TNF-α, IL-12, and IFN-γ mRNAs. Mice were subsequently treated with cytokine-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the IL-18 receptor (anti-IL-18R MAb), TNF-α (anti-TNF-α MAb), IL-12 (anti-IL-12 MAb), and/or IFN-γ (anti-IFN-γ MAb), and effects on intrapulmonary cytokine activity and growth of A. fumigatuswere assessed in infected lung homogenates. Simultaneous neutralization of IL-12 and IL-18 resulted in decreased levels of immunoreactive TNF-α, while neutralization of IL-18, TNF-α, or IL-12 alone or of IL-18 and IL-12 together resulted in decreased levels of immunoreactive IFN-γ. Simultaneous neutralization of IL-12 and IL-18 or neutralization of TNF-α alone or in combination with IL-12, IL-18, or IFN-γ also resulted in a significant increase inA. fumigatus CFU in lung tissue. Taken together, these results demonstrate that endogenous IL-18, IL-12, and TNF-α, through their modulatory effects on both intrapulmonary cytokine activity and growth of A. fumigatus, play key roles in host defense against primary pulmonary aspergillosis.
Impact of Twisting on Critical Current and n-value of BSCCO and (Re)BCO Tapes for DC Power Cables

The development of high temperature superconducting (HTS) DC power cables requires a detailed information on the impact of the main characteristics of the cable architecture on the electrical parameters of the superconducting tapes. This paper presents the experimental dependence of the critical current and n-value of BSCCO-2223 and (Re)BCO commercial tapes on the cabling twist pitch. DC characterizations were conducted on single tapes twisted around an insulated multistranded Cu former from an actual HTS power cable having a typical diameter of 3 cm. For these characterizations, the twist pitch was varied from 5 to 25 cm. To check that permanent degradation occurred, the critical current Ic and the n-value were measured on a flat sample holder prior to conduct the twist pitch measurements on the former. The results can be used to determine the available range of wire twist pitches to help designing HTS DC power cables.
Introducing the Process and Content of Research into Lectures, the Laboratory, and Study Time

Higher education in England is undergoing tremendous changes. Many of the changes are driven by funding, in particular a shift from public funding to student fees, similar to the tuition paid in the United States. Concomitant with the shift in funding is the question of the purpose of the academy, and how the creation of consumer students might redefine such a purpose. In the midst of these changes I here reflect on the role and means of university faculty to create and disseminate knowledge. Many universities state explicitly that research and teaching should be integrated. The concept of research-led teaching has arisen as the concept for which institutions strive. Research-integrated teaching that imparts the cutting edge skills and knowledge that students must graduate with to develop critical thinking skills. Although others have discussed the challenges with implementing research-led teaching at an institutional level, this commentary considers a case study of research-led teaching practice. Here, I provide a model of research-led teaching as an example of how to do it. Importantly, I wish to stress the reasons a faculty member should implement it, with consideration of the benefits of research-led teaching for the student, the teacher, and the researcher.
Feminist Attitudes and Praxis Among Palestinian Women Activists

The aim of this study is to investigate the nature, patterns, and determinants of feminist attitudes and praxis among Palestinian women who are politically active in national and/or women's movements. The novelty of the study lies in its use of multidimensional operational definitions of feminist attitudes and praxis. Previous research is limited to qualitative research performed on small samples with limited conceptual and operational definitions for the term "feminism. " Results of the survey on 205 women activists indicate that the feminism of women varies according to the domain of feminism. The majority of women (over 60 percent) support gender equality in access to health care, nutrition, education, employment, wages, inheritance, protection from domestic violence, and autonomy over sexuality and reproductive issues. However, fewer women (less than 50 percent) support gender equality in domestic roles and freedom of movement for women. Women have also achieved more rights vis-à-vis access to health care, nutrition, education, employment, inheritance, protection from domestic violence, and certain forms of autonomy in sexual and reproductive matters than they have in domestic roles, wages, and actual freedom of movement. In addition, we observed that the determinants of feminism vary with its various dimensions and indicators. The issues that require major changes to gender structures and relations are not readily accepted by society; a woman's willingness to support such changes necessitates higher socioeconomic positioning. Actual levels of education, employment, and income are not significant vis-à-vis attitudes toward gender equality in employment opportunities; however, these variables have a significant effect on attitudes toward gender equality in freedom of movement.
Writing strengthens orthography and alphabetic-coding strengthens phonology in learning to read Chinese

Learning to write words may strengthen orthographic representations and thus support word-specific recognition processes. This hypothesis applies especially to Chinese because its writing system encourages character-specific recognition that depends on accurate representation of orthographic form. We report 2 studies that test this hypothesis in adult learners of Chinese. In those studies, the researchers 1st compared the effects of an online writing tutor that included character handwriting with an instructional tutor that included reading only. The writing condition led to better performance on word recognition and on character-meaning links but not on the character-phonology link. In the 2nd experiment, we added an alphabetic (Pinyin) typing tutor to strengthen the phonology link and to control for manual motor activity during instruction. This experiment replicated the effects of writing on word recognition and character-meaning links, whereas alphabetic (Pinyin) typing supported only phonological representations and the character-phonology link. Theoretically, the studies suggest constituent-specific effects: writing on orthography and alphabetic coding on phonology. We suggest the mechanism for the writing effect is the refinement of visual-spatial information needed for character recognition and the addition of a sensory-motor memory that accompanies writing. The practical implication is that an integration of character handwriting and Pinyin typing promotes learning to read Chinese in a second language learning context.