Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Quality and Acceptability of ‘Bakasi’ (Anguilla japonica) Cookies

The study determined the quality and acceptability of ‘Bakasi’ (Anguilla japonica) Cookies. This sought to answer these objectives: find out bakasi powder formulation to enhance cookies and analyze the acceptability of bakasi cookies in terms of color, aroma, taste and texture. The study used the experimental research design in order to determine which of the three treatments representing different concentration levels of bakasi powder (120 grams, 90 grams, and 60 grams) produced better quality cookies. Sensory evaluation using 9 point Hedonic Rating Scale assessed the sensory qualities of the powder under study. Several trials were conducted using three treatments replicated thrice. The results of the study showed that the treatment 2 (Treatment 2) having a concentration mixture of 90 grams bakasi powder was considered to be the most acceptable compared with other treatments. The Quality and Acceptability of ‘Bakasi’ (Anguilla japonica) ingredients contributed to the cookie production business. Processing Bakasi cookies added to the realization of the new thrust in the country’s educational system to help the people in enhancing their knowledge and skills in the effective use of bakasi as one of the local raw materials and other resources in the community.
Active Aging Promotion: Results from the Vital Aging Program

Active aging is one of the terms in the semantic network of aging well, together with others such as successful, productive, competent aging. All allude to the new paradigm in gerontology, whereby aging is considered from a positive perspective. Most authors in the field agree active aging is a multidimensional concept, embracing health, physical and cognitive fitness, positive affect and control, social relationships and engagement. This paper describes Vital Aging, an individual active aging promotion program implemented through three modalities: Life, Multimedia, and e-Learning. The program was developed on the basis of extensive evidence about individual determinants of active aging. The different versions of Vital Aging are described, and four evaluation studies (both formative and summative) are reported. Formative evaluation reflected participants' satisfaction and expected changes; summative evaluations yielded some quite encouraging results using quasi-experimental designs: those who took part in the programs increased their physical exercise, significantly improved their diet, reported better memory, had better emotional balance, and enjoyed more cultural, intellectual, affective, and social activities than they did before the course, thus increasing their social relationships. These results are discussed in the context of the common literature within the field and, also, taking into account the limitations of the evaluations accomplished.
Older Adults’ Coping With the Stress Involved in the Use of Everyday Technologies

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the frequency of reported use of everyday technologies (EDT) and its associations with self-efficacy, stress appraisal, and coping strategies. Design and Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from 150 participants (aged ≥65 years), measuring use of EDT by means of self-report questionnaires and a computerized simulator of an automatic teller machine (ATM), and EDT-related self-efficacy, stress appraisal, and coping strategies questionnaires. Results: Structured equation modeling analysis showed that EDT-related self-efficacy was related to higher use of EDT, through the mediation of EDT-related stress and coping strategies. Logistic regression showed that use of ATM simulator was predicted by self-efficacy, younger age, and female gender. Implications: Enhancing EDT-self efficacy is suggested to increase the use of EDT among elder adults. The use of simulators may be an efficient mean to promote EDT self-efficacy and use.
Maternal choline intake alters the epigenetic state of fetal cortisol‐regulating genes in humans

The in utero availability of methyl donors, such as choline, may modify fetal epigenetic marks and lead to sustainable functional alterations throughout the life course. The hypothalamic‐pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis regulates cortisol production and is sensitive to perinatal epigenetic programming. As an extension of a 12‐wk dose‐response choline feeding study conducted in third‐trimester pregnant women, we investigated the effect of maternal choline intake (930 vs. 480 mg/d) on the epigenetic state of cortisolregulating genes, and their expression, in placenta and cord venous blood. The higher maternal choline intake yielded higher placental promoter methylation of the cortisol‐regulating genes, corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH; P=0.05) and glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1; P=0.002); lower placental CRH transcript abundance (P=0.04); lower cord blood leukocyte promoter methylation of CRH (P=0.05) and NR3C1 (P=0.04); and 33% lower (P=0.07) cord plasma cortisol. In addition, placental global DNA methylation and dimethylated histone H3 at lysine 9 (H3K9me2) were higher (P=0.02) in the 930 mg choline/d group, as was the expression of select placental methyltransferases. These data collectively suggest that maternal choline intake in humans modulates the epigenetic state of genes that regulate fetal HPA axis reactivity as well as the epigenomic status of fetal derived tissues. —Jiang, X. , Yan, J., West, A. A. , Perry, C. A. , Malysheva, O. V. , Devapatla, S. , Pressman, E. , Vermeylen, F. , Caudill, M. A. Maternal choline intake alters the epigenetic state of fetal cortisol‐regulating genes in humans. FASEB J. 26, 3563–3574 (2012). www.fasebj. org
Dose-dependent impairment of testicular function in patients treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy for germ cell cancer.

BACKGROUND The enormous differences in semen quality following cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy reported in previous studies may be caused by differences in the cisplatin dosages. PATIENTS AND METHODS We examined thirty-three patients treated with conventional-dose PEB (cisplatin 20 mg/m2 x 5, q3w, etoposide 100 mg/m2 x 5 q3w and bleomycin 15 mg/m2 q1w) and 21 patients treated with high-dose PEB (cisplatin 40 mg/m2 x 5 q3w, etoposide 200 mg/m2 x 5 q3w and bleomycin 15 mg/m2 q1w). RESULTS The sperm density was significantly higher (median 5.83 mill/ml) in the conventionally-treated group than in the group of high-dose-treated patients (median 0.005 mill/ml) (p = 0.008). Azoospermia was present in 19% of the conventionally- and in 47% of the high-dose-treated patients. All patients treated with a cumulative cisplatin dose above 600 mg/m2 had severe oligospermia or azoospermia. Serum values of basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (median 27.2 iu/l vs. 15.2 iu/l) and stimulated FSH (median 57.7 iu/l vs. 28.4 iu/l) were significantly higher in the high-dose group than in the conventionally-treated group. No differences could be detected in basal or stimulated testosterone or in luteinizing hormone in serum. CONCLUSION In patients treated with PEB for testicular cancer, we found strong evidence that the impairment of spermatogenesis is dose-dependent.
Efficient Reductions for Imitation Learning

Imitation Learning, while applied successfully on many large real-world problems, is typically addressed as a standard supervised learning problem, where it is assumed the training and testing data are i.i. d. This is not true in imitation learning as the learned policy influences the future test inputs (states) upon which it will be tested. We show that this leads to compounding errors and a regret bound that grows quadratically in the time horizon of the task. We propose two alternative algorithms for imitation learning where training occurs over several episodes of interaction. These two approaches share in common that the learner’s policy is slowly modified from executing the expert’s policy to the learned policy. We show that this leads to stronger performance guarantees and demonstrate the improved performance on two challenging problems: training a learner to play 1) a 3D racing game (Super Tux Kart) and 2) Mario Bros. ; given input images from the games and corresponding actions taken by a human expert and near-optimal planner respectively.
Phase I Clinical Study of Atacicept in Patients with Relapsed and Refractory B-Cell Non–Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Purpose: B-lymphocyte stimulator and a proliferation-inducing ligand regulate B-cell homeostasis and immunoglobulin production and are overexpressed in B-cell malignancies. Atacicept (TACI-Ig), a recombinant fusion protein that inhibits both B-lymphocyte stimulator and a proliferation-inducing ligand, may be a novel treatment for B-cell malignancies. Experimental Design: A phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation study of atacicept in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma was done. Atacicept was given s.c. weekly for 5 weeks to sequential patient cohorts at doses of 2, 4, 7, or 10 mg/kg. Patients responding or with stable disease were eligible for treatment on an extension study for up to 24 weeks or until disease progression. Results: All patients were heavily pretreated (median number of previous treatments, 5; range, 1-10), and four patients had previously received a stem cell transplant. Four patients were treated at the 2, 4, or 7 mg/kg dose levels, and three patients received 10 mg/kg of atacicept. Atacicept was well tolerated at all doses. Three adverse events with grade 3 severity were reported for one patient, including jaw pain, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and sepsis; all were considered unrelated to atacicept. Pharmacokinetic results were nonlinear, and treatment with atacicept resulted in dose-dependent decreases in immunoglobulin concentrations. Two patients had stable disease at 8 weeks, entered the extension study, and received additional doses of atacicept with no safety or tolerability concerns. Conclusion: Atacicept at doses of up to 10 mg/kg was well tolerated and showed biological activity by decreasing immunoglobulin concentrations, although tumor responses were not observed.
Testing hypotheses of entrepreneurial characteristics: A study of Hong Kong MBA students

Investigates if entrepreneurial inclination is significantly associated with the following psychological characteristics: need for achievement, locus of control, propensity to take risk, tolerance of ambiguity, self‐confidence and innovativeness. A self‐administered, fixed‐alternative questionnaire is administered to 100 MBA students in Hong Kong, yielding a usable response rate of 54 per cent. χ2 tests of independence show that those who are entrepreneurially inclined and those who are not are homogeneous with respect to demographic and family characteristics. T‐test results and logit analysis indicate that those who are entrepreneurially inclined have greater innovativeness, more tolerance of ambiguity and higher propensity to take risk as compared with those who are not entrepreneurially inclined. The logit model has an overall holdout accuracy rate of 87.4 per cent. Although not statistically significant, descriptive statistics suggest that the entrepreneurially inclined also possess a higher need for achievement, greater (internal) locus of control and more self‐confidence.
Disparities in the burden, outcomes, and care of chronic kidney disease

Purpose of review Racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been documented for decades, yet little progress has been made in mitigating them. Several recent studies offer new insights into the root causes of these disparities, point to areas in which future research is warranted, and identify opportunities for changes in policy and clinical practice. Recent findings Recently published evidence suggests that geographic disparities in CKD prevalence exist and vary by race. CKD progression is more rapid for racial and ethnic minority groups compared with whites and may be largely, but not completely, explained by genetic factors. Stark socioeconomic disparities in outcomes for dialysis patients exist and vary by race, place of residence, and treatment facility. Disparities in access to living kidney donation may be driven primarily by the socioeconomic status of the donor as opposed to recipient factors. Summary Recent studies highlight opportunities to eliminate disparities in CKD, including efforts to direct resources to areas and populations where disparities are most prevalent, efforts to understand how to best use emerging information on the contribution of genetic factors to disparities, and continued work to identify modifiable environmental, social, and behavioral factors for targeted interventions among high-risk populations.
fMRI reveals neural activity overlap between adult and infant pain

Limited understanding of infant pain has led to its lack of recognition in clinical practice. While the network of brain regions that encode the affective and sensory aspects of adult pain are well described, the brain structures involved in infant nociceptive processing are less well known, meaning little can be inferred about the nature of the infant pain experience. Using fMRI we identified the network of brain regions that are active following acute noxious stimulation in newborn infants, and compared the activity to that observed in adults. Significant infant brain activity was observed in 18 of the 20 active adult brain regions but not in the infant amygdala or orbitofrontal cortex. Brain regions that encode sensory and affective components of pain are active in infants, suggesting that the infant pain experience closely resembles that seen in adults. This highlights the importance of developing effective pain management strategies in this vulnerable population. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.06356. 001
Do we measure what we get

Performance measures shall enhance the performance of companies by directing the attention of decision makers towards the achievement of organizational goals. Therefore, goal congruence is regarded in literature as a major factor in the quality of such measures. As reality is affected by many variables, in practice one has tried to achieve a high degree of goal congruence by incorporating an increasing number of these variables into performance measures. However, a goal congruent measure does not lead automatically to superior decisions, because decision makers’ restricted cognitive abilities can counteract the intended effects. This paper addresses the interplay between goal congruence and complexity of performance measures considering cognitively-restricted decision makers. Two types of decision quality are derived which allow a differentiated view on the influence of this interplay on decision quality and learning. The simulation experiments based on this differentiation provide results which allow a critical reflection on costs and benefits of goal congruence and the assumptions regarding the goal congruence of incentive systems.
Adapted Physical Education And Sport

The world of adapted physical education and sport continues to undergo both legislative and practical changes. Those who want to stay abreast of those changes and provide people with disabilities the best physical education and sport experiences possible will benefit from "Adapted Physical Education and Sport, Fourth Edition. "Specifically, the book helps teachers fulfill these requirements: - Provide education compatible with the definition of special education- Identify the unique needs of each person within the program - Offer personalized education specific to each participant's needs - Provide the most included, integrated setting possible for each individual with disabilities "Adapted Physical Education and Sport, Fourth Edition" prepares readers to provide services in the most included setting for each individual. The following are among the new features in this edition: - Chapter updates to incorporate current legislation- Expanded coverage of inclusion - Greater focus on adapted sport, exploring the opportunities in various sports - Major revisions to the measurement and assessment chapter to reflect advances, particularly in alternative assessment- DVD version of the Brockport Physical Fitness Test Video bound into the textbook- Greater attention on behavioral disabilities, with practical applications consistent with IDEA provided for youngsters with behavioral disabilities - New chapter on pervasive developmental disabilities- More emphasis on working with individuals with visual impairments, hearing impairments, or both- Expanded and updated instructor guide and test package, plus a new presentation packagePart I introduces foundational topics in adapted physical education and sport, including program organization and management, adapted sport, individualized programs, and instructional strategies. It helps teachers and leaders to plan, assess, prescribe, teach, and evaluate adapted physical education. Part II explores the unique physical education needs of students with various disabilities.Part III examines developmental considerations, including motor development, perceptual motor development, and considerations for infants and toddlers as well as for early childhood. In part IV the focus is on physical activities and sports for people with disabilities. It includes chapters on rhythmic movement and dance, aquatics, team sports, individual and adventure sports, and enhancing wheelchair sport performance. Each chapter identifies skills, lead-up activities, modifications, and variations to make the experience meaningful, motivating, and fun for the participants. Chapter-opening vignettes and numerous real-life problems that must be solved help readers learn and apply the material. "Adapted Physical Education and Sport, Fourth Edition, " will help practitioners bring out the capabilities of each individual.
The Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) and the Folstein MMSE in a multicultural cohort of elderly persons

Objective: To compare the accuracy of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) and the Folstein Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) for diagnosis of dementia in a multicultural cohort of elderly persons. Methods: A total of 129 community-dwelling persons were selected at random from a database of referrals to an aged-care team. Subjects were stratified according to language background and cognitive diagnosis, and matched for age and gender. The RUDAS and the MMSE were administered to each subject in random order. Within several days, a geriatrician assessed each subject for dementia (DSM-IV criteria) and disease severity (Clinical Dementia Rating Scale). All assessments were carried out independent and blind. The geriatrician also administered the Modified Barthel Index and the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, and screened all participants for non-cognitive disorders that might affect instrument scores. Results: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the RUDAS [0.92, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 0.85–0.96] was similar to the AUC for the MMSE (0.91, 95%CI 0.84–0.95). At the published cut-points (RUDAS < 23/30, MMSE < 25/30), the positive and negative likelihood ratios for the RUDAS were 19.4 and 0.2, and for the MMSE 2.1 and 0.14, respectively. The MMSE, but not the RUDAS, scores were influenced by preferred language (p = 0.015), total years of education (p = 0.016) and gender (p = 0.044). Conclusions: The RUDAS is at least as accurate as the MMSE, and does not appear to be influenced by language, education or gender. The high positive likelihood ratio for the RUDAS makes it particularly useful for ruling-in disease.
Investigating the role of computer-supported annotation in problem-solving-based teaching: An empirical study of a Scratch programming pedagogy

For more than 2 years, Scratch programming has been taught in Taiwanese elementary schools. However, past studies have shown that it is difficult to find appropriate learning methods or tools to boost students' Scratch programming performance. This inability to readily identify tutoring tools has become one of the primary challenges addressed in Scratch programming studies. To cope with this problem, we propose an innovative approach, which combines an Annotation-based Scratch Programming ( ASP) tool with the problem-solving-based teaching approach in Scratch programming pedagogy. The ASP tool was developed to enable students to create, review and share Scratch programming and homework annotations. In a quasi-experimental study, we have evaluated Scratch programming pedagogy at a North Taiwanese elementary school to investigate the effects of instructional-tools-supported programming instructional modes on Scratch programming performance. The experimental results show that students who received ASP tool support in conjunction with a problem-solving-based teaching approach performed significantly better than the other groups. Based on our findings, the innovative approach was believed to play an important role in improving the learning patterns of younger pupils. Therefore, we suggest that teachers consider incorporating the innovative method into their teaching environments in order to boost students' learning achievements in the area of Scratch programming and the subsequent learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Modulation of Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol Fermentation by Carbon Monoxide and Organic Acids

Metabolic modulation of acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum with carbon monoxide (CO) and organic acids is described. CO, which is a known inhibitor of hydrogenase, was found to be effective in the concentration range of dissolved CO corresponding to a CO partial pressure of 0.1 to 0.2 atm. Metabolic modulation by CO was particularly effective when organic acids such as acetic and butyric acids were added to the fermentation as electron sinks. The uptake of organic acids was enhanced, and increases in butyric acid uptake by 50 to 200% over control were observed. Hydrogen production could be reduced by 50% and the ratio of solvents could be controlled by CO modulation and organic acid addition. Acetone production could be eliminated if desired. Butanol yield could be increased by 10 to 15%. Total solvent yield could be increased 1 to 3% and the electron efficiency to acetone-butanol-ethanol solvents could be increased from 73 to 78% for controls to 80 to 85% for CO- and organic acid-modulated fermentations. Based on these results, the dynamic nature of electron flow in this fermentation has been elucidated and mechanisms for metabolic control have been hypothesized.
From Emotional Reactions to Economic Slowdown: A Longitudinal study of HR Downsizing in Organization

The paper utilizes Weiner’s (1986) theory of attribution for analyzing discrete emotions of survivors of downsizing as a function of perceived causes for survival. The study considered emotions unlike the previous research (e.g. pride) and their relation to organizational factors (e.g. organizational citizenship behavior). The study extended its horizon to the economic slowdown as a cause. Economic slowdown being an external factor, suggested understandings can advance research and facilitate better personal and organizational consequences of downsizing as these are reflected in human resource and human resource development policies and interventions.