Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Face[t]s of First Language Loss

Contents: Preface. Introduction. On What Pretext? : A Pre/Text for Language Loss Research. Part I: Face-Touching: A Story-Book. A Musical Interlude: Ariana: Introduction. Ariana's Story: But I'm Canadian-Born. Richard: Introduction. Richard's Story: English Is a Full-Time Job. Lara: Introduction. Lara's Story: An Outsider Looking In. Brian: Introduction. Brian's Story: Nothing Too Deep. Helena: Introduction. Helena's Story: Learning the Rules. Part II: Dwelling in the Borderlands. Borders: Introduction. Family Relationships. Self-Image and Cultural Identity. School Relationships. School Performance. The Meaning of Loss. Discordance: Conclusion: Not a Finale: A Decrescendo. Appendices: Life History Selection Criteria. Subject Biographical Information.
Leonardo Electronic Journal of Practices and Technologies Neuro-fuzzy Dc Motor Speed Control Using Particle Swarm Optimization Neuro-fuzzy Dc Motor Speed Control Using Particle Swarm Optimization

This paper presents an application of Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) control for DC motor speed optimized with swarm collective intelligence. First, the controller is designed according to Fuzzy rules such that the systems are fundamentally robust. Secondly, an adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy controller of the DC motor speed is then designed and simulated; the ANFIS has the advantage of expert knowledge of the Fuzzy inference system and the learning capability of neural networks. Finally, the ANFIS is optimized by Swarm Intelligence. Digital simulation results demonstrate that the deigned ANFIS-Swarm speed controller realize a good dynamic behavior of the DC motor, a perfect speed tracking with no overshoot, give better performance and high robustness than those obtained by the ANFIS alone.
An Evaluation of Gay/Lesbian and Heterosexual Adoption

Many experts in the helping professions have agreed that there is no scientific credence to support a gay and lesbian adoption ban. Nevertheless, there continues to be persistent mythology pertaining to outcomes for children adopted by gay and lesbian parents. This position may be somewhat due to the dearth of research that compares heterosexual and homosexual parenting outcomes with adopted children. To respond to this gap in the literature, this study explored the extent of emotional and behavioral problems among children aged 1.5 to 5 years (n = 380) and 6 to 18 years (n = 1,004) with gay and lesbian or heterosexual adoptive parents. A multiple regression analysis was used to assess the association between the dependent variables (child internalizing and externalizing behavior) on adoptive parent sexual orientation (gay and lesbian or heterosexual) while controlling for child age, child sex, pre-adoptive maltreatment, co-sibling adoption, adoption preparation, family income, and family functioning. As hypothesized, results indicted that child internalizing and externalizing behavior was not contingent upon adoptive parent sexual orientation. Rather, regardless of sexual orientation, adoptive parents are likely to encounter similar challenges in terms of risk factors for child behavioral problems and mitigating factors of such behavior. Recommendations for practice, policy, and future research are highlighted.
Concatenating syllables for response generation in spoken language applications

We describe our approach in developing a speech synthesis technique for response generation in domain-specific spoken language applications. Our approach handles two Chinese dialects-Cantonese and Putonghua. We chose the foreign exchange domain, and worked with its constrained vocabulary and response expressions. The syllable is selected to be our basic unit for concatenation. Each unit label includes a two-digit appendix to encode the distinctive features of the left and right coarticulatory context. Our approach attempts to maximize intelligibility and naturalness of the responses within the application domain. Hence the synthesized outputs compare favorably with a domain-independent TD-PSOLA synthesizer.
Immunomodulatory Effects of Flumequine and Enrofloxacin on Newcastle Disease Virus Vaccinated Broiler Chicks

Immunomodulatory effects of Flumequine and enrofloxacin were evaluated on humoral immune response of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccinated broiler birds. It was observed that birds receiving flumequine as growth promoter had higher mean body weights, better feed conversion ratio, higher NDV haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody, lesser overall mortality, 100% protection against challenge with virulent NDV and no detrimental effects on their lymphoid organs compared to the cyclophosphamide treated and untreated chicks. It was concluded that the use of flumequine has good effect on growth and performance of the treated chicks. However enrofloxacin treatment of chicks as growth promoter does not have effects comparable to flumequine. The cyclophosphamide treatment adversely affected the performance of chicks.
Experimental Evidence on Distributional Effects of Head Start

This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the distributional effects of Head Start, using the first national randomized experiment of the Head Start program (the Head Start Impact Study). We examine program effects on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes and explore the heterogeneous effects of the program through 1st grade by estimating quantile treatment effects under endogeneity (IV-QTE) as well as various types of subgroup mean treatment effects and two-stage least squares treatment effects. We find that (the experimentally manipulated) Head Start attendance leads to large and statistically significant gains in cognitive achievement during the pre-school period and that the gains are largest at the bottom of the distribution. Once the children enter elementary school, the cognitive gains fade out for the full population, but importantly, cognitive gains persist through 1st grade for some Spanish speakers. These results provide strong evidence in favor of a compensatory model of the educational process. Additionally, our findings of large effects at the bottom are consistent with an interpretation that the relatively large gains in the well-studied Perry Preschool Program are in part due to the low baseline skills in the Perry study population. We find no evidence that the counterfactual care setting plays a large role in explaining the differences between the HSIS and Perry findings.
The Molecular Basis for the pH-activation Mechanism in the Channel-forming Bacterial Colicin E1*

The in vitro activity of the channel-forming bacteriocins such as colicin E1 in model membranes requires the specific activation of the protein by an acidic environment in the presence of a membrane potential. Acid activation of the C-terminal domain results in the formation of an insertion-competent intermediate with an enhanced ability to penetrate and perforate cell membranes. We report novel findings of this activation process through the design and study of mutant proteins involving the replacement of conserved Asp residues Asp-408, Asp-410, and Asp-423 within helices 5a and 4 in the colicin E1 channel domain that resulted in enhanced membrane binding, bilayer insertion rates, and ion channel activities at near neutral pH values. This activation process involves the destabilization of a critical salt bridge (Asp-410 and Lys-406) and H-bonds (Asp-408 and Ser-405 main chain; Asp-423 and Lys-420 main chain). The helix-to-coil transition of this motif was identified previously by time-resolved Trp fluorescence measurements (Merrill, A. R., Steer, B. A., Prentice, G. A., Weller, M. J., and Szabo, A. G. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 6874–6884), and here we use this approach to demonstrate that disruption of the helical structure of helices 4 and 5a results in a shift in this equilibrium to favor the coil state. Finally, we show that the essential components of the pH trigger motif are conserved among the channel-forming colicins and that it likely exists within other bacterial proteins and may even have evolved into more sophisticated devices in a number of microbial species.
Extended Mid-Infrared Aromatic Feature Emission in M82

We present new images (ground-based optical and mid-infrared [MIR] from the Spitzer Space Telescope) and spectra (from Spitzer) of the archetypal starburst galaxy M82. The Spitzer data show that the MIR emission extends at least 6 kpc along the minor axis of the galaxy. We use the optical and infrared data to demonstrate that the extended emission is dominated by emission from dust. The colors of the MIR emission and the spectra indicate that there is a strong component of aromatic feature emission (the MIR features commonly attributed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). The dust continuum and aromatic feature emission are both strong in the well-known superwind region of this galaxy; clearly, the carrier of the aromatic features can survive in close proximity to the wind, far from the plane of the galaxy. We also see significant emission by dust well outside the superwind region, providing the clearest picture to date of the dust distribution in the halo of this galaxy.
Confirming Chanclas: What Early Childhood Teacher Educators Can Learn From Immigrant Preschool Teachers

The immigrant teacher perspective has been largely missing from local and national debates on early childhood pedagogy and has certainly been marginalized in debates about language in early childhood settings. Interviews with dozens of preschool teachers in multiple U.S. cities about children of immigrants' language choices at school (as part of the Children Crossing Borders study) revealed a specific immigrant teacher critique of typical English language modeling techniques. These immigrant teachers reposition children's home languages as a valuable form of expression and thus argue for a more empathetic and constructivist view of children of immigrants. Hearing the perspectives of immigrant preschool teachers is especially important for early childhood educators who are preparing young teachers to serve a growing number of children of immigrants in early childhood settings. This article asserts that early childhood educators need to talk honestly with students about the implications of their responses to children of immigrants in the classroom and in doing so, can benefit from consulting the personal experiences and perspectives of practicing immigrant preschool teachers.
MicroRNAs as Potential Biomarkers in Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that posttranscriptionally regulate gene expression by targeting their corresponding messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Dysregulated miRNAs have been considered as a new type of ‘‘oncomiRs” or ‘‘tumor suppressors,” playing essential roles in cancer initiation and progression. Using genome-wide detection methods, ubiquitously aberrant expression profiles of miRNAs have been identified in a broad array of human cancers, showing great potential as novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of cancer with high specificity and sensitivity. The detectable miRNAs in tissue, blood, and other body fluids with high stability provide an abundant source for miRNA-based biomarkers in human cancers. Despite the fact that an increasing number of potential miRNA biomarkers have been reported, the transition of miRNAs-based biomarkers from bench to bedside still necessitates addressing several challenges. In this review, we will summarize our current understanding of miRNAs as potential biomarkers in human cancers.
Developmental Dynamics of Math Performance From Preschool to Grade 2

This study investigated the developmental dynamics of mathematical performance during children's transition from preschool to Grade 2 and the cognitive antecedents of this development. 194 Finnish children were examined 6 times according to their math performance, twice during each year across a 3-year period. Cognitive antecedents, that is, counting ability, visual attention, metacognitive knowledge, and listening comprehension, were tested at the first measurement point. The results indicated that math performance showed high stability and increasing variance over time. Moreover, the growth of math competence was faster among those who entered preschool with an already high level of mathematical skills. The initial level of math performance, as well as its growth, was best predicted by counting ability.
Trait Affection and Adult Attachment Styles: Analyzing Relationships and Group Differences

Previous research has implicated both affectionate communication and adult attachment styles as important elements of individual ability to grow and maintain successful relationships. The current study sought to understand the relationship between those two concepts. As hypothesized, trait given affection, while controlling for trait received affection, was positively related to the secure attachment style and inversely related to the three insecure attachment styles. Secure individuals also significantly communicated more affection than any of the three insecure styles. Several implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Comparing citations and downloads for individual articles at the Journal of Vision

Measuring the impact of scientific articles is of interest to authors and readers, as well as to tenure and promotion committees, grant proposal review committees, and officials involved in the funding of science. The number of citations by other articles is at present the gold standard for evaluation of the impact of an individual scientific article. Online journals offer another measure of impact: the number of unique downloads of an article (by unique downloads we mean the first download of the PDF of an article by a particular individual). Since May 2007, Journal of Vision has published download counts for each individual article. So far as we know, we are the only scientific journal providing these numbers. In the most recent accounting in July, 2008, the top five articles were each downloaded between 1,993 and 3,478 times. While we cannot equate download of an article with actually reading it, these are nonetheless remarkable numbers. The reader may wonder how total downloads of an article compare with the more traditional measures of citation count. Elsewhere I and others have discussed the differences between, and advantages and disadvantages, of download and citation counts (Watson, 2007) (Brody, Harnad, & Carr, 2006; “Deciphering citation statistics,” 2008; Perneger, 2004). In this note, I discuss the degree of correlation between these two measures. Before proceeding to the analyses, it is worth contemplating potential outcomes. Since downloads and citations are in some respects complementary measures, we should not expect perfect correlation. But substantial correlation, joined to the fact that downloads generally precede citations, would mean they provide a useful early predictor of eventual citations.
Diabetes, Tardive Dyskinesia, Parkinsonism, and Akathisia in Schizophrenia: A Retrospective Study Applying 1998 Diabetes Health Care Guidelines to Antipsychotic Use

Background: This study examines the links among diabetes, tardive dyskinesia (TD), and other extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) in schizophrenia outpatients treated with typical and atypical antipsychotics. Objectives: Using a retrospective chart review, we compared 30 schizophrenia patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) with 30 schizophrenia patients, matched for age and sex, with no DM. We compared prevalence and severity of parkinsonism, akathisia, TD, dystonia, and antipsychotic type (that is, typical vs atypical). Results: We found no statistically significant differences between the DM group and the non-DM group prevalence and severity of EPS, including TD. Conclusion: We did not find DM and TD association to be significant in the era of atypical antipsychotics, possibly because of their antidyskinetic effect.
Cholesterol lowering is more important than pleiotropic effects of statins for endothelial function in patients with dysglycaemia and coronary artery disease.

AIMS The importance of pleiotropic effects of statins on endothelial function and inflammatory markers was investigated in patients with dysglycaemia and coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty-nine patients were randomized to simvastatin 80 mg daily (S80; n = 20) or ezetimibe 10 mg and simvastatin 10 mg daily (E10/S10; n = 19) for 6 weeks, aiming at similar cholesterol reduction. Endothelial function, evaluated by brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) and the effect of endothelin receptor blockade, serum lipids, and inflammatory markers were evaluated at baseline and follow-up. At follow-up, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased from 3.1 (2.8-3.4) (median and quartiles) to 1.5 mmol/L (1.4-1.7) and from 3.0 (2.5-3.4) to 1.3 mmol/L (1.1-1.8), in the S80 and E10/S10 groups, respectively. In the entire study group, FMD increased from 4.3% (3.4-6.1) at baseline to 5.5% (3.4-6.6) at follow-up, while C-reactive protein decreased from 3.1 (1.7-7.6) to 2.3 mg/L (0.9-6.5). The changes in FMD and C-reactive protein from baseline to follow-up were not significantly different between patients on S80 and E10/S10 groups. Endothelin blockade enhanced endothelium-dependent vasodilatation both at baseline and follow-up. CONCLUSION Lipid lowering is more important than pleiotropic effects of statins for improvement in endothelial function and inflammatory markers in patients with dysglycaemia and CAD.
Communicative Experiences of Military Youth During a Parent’s Return Home from Deployment

The return home of a service member from tour of duty can be stressful for military families (Bowling & Sherman, 2008), but surprisingly little is known about how military youth communicatively experience a parent’s homecoming (MacDermid Wadsworth, 2010). This study draws on the emotional cycle of deployment model (Pincus, House, Christenson, & Adler, 2001) to examine the reunion period in military youth’s own words. Individual interviews were conducted with 31 military youth (age range = 10 to 13 years old). Participants identified four changes to family life (RQ1), including spending time together, experiencing emotional tranquility, returning to patterns in place before deployment, and having difficulty reintegrating the service member into everyday routines. Some military youth reported that the reunion matched their expectations (RQ2), but others noted that the reunion fell short of their expectations or that they did not expect the returning service member to be so tired or so irritable. Participants also described four issues of uncertainty (RQ3), including questions about the service member’s activities during deployment, reasons for joining and deploying, family life, and the possibility of future deployments. The article concludes by examining the theoretical and pragmatic implications of the findings.
A specific role for serotonin in overcoming effort cost

Serotonin is implicated in many aspects of behavioral regulation. Theoretical attempts to unify the multiple roles assigned to serotonin proposed that it regulates the impact of costs, such as delay or punishment, on action selection. Here, we show that serotonin also regulates other types of action costs such as effort. We compared behavioral performance in 58 healthy humans treated during 8 weeks with either placebo or the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram. The task involved trading handgrip force production against monetary benefits. Participants in the escitalopram group produced more effort and thereby achieved a higher payoff. Crucially, our computational analysis showed that this effect was underpinned by a specific reduction of effort cost, and not by any change in the weight of monetary incentives. This specific computational effect sheds new light on the physiological role of serotonin in behavioral regulation and on the clinical effect of drugs for depression. Clinical trial Registration: ISRCTN75872983 DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.17282. 001
Metalinguistic Awareness in Multilinguals: Cognitive Aspects of Third Language Learning.

The development of competence in two or more languages can result in higher levels of metalinguistic awareness. These facilitate the acquisition of language by exploiting the cognitive mechanisms underlying these processes of transfer and enhancement. In this paper, the role of metalinguistic awareness in multilinguals is discussed within the framework of a systems-theoretic approach to multilingual proficiency as taken in the Dynamic Model of Multilingualism. Selective data from trilingual adults (bilingual Italian/German learners of English) on their use of certain problem-solving behaviour in think-aloud protocols during the process of academic writing are shown to provide evidence of certain processes taking place while performing in a third language. At the same time, this study of metalinguistic thinking isused to point to applied perspectives of research on third language acquisition, going beyond second language research. It is argued that prior language knowledge should be reactivated in the lang.
The Other Side of the Paradox: The Risk of Low Birth Weight among Infants of Migrant and Nonmigrant Households within Mexico

The main aim of this study is to understand how the international migration process affects the risk of low birth weight among Mexican-born infants using the ENADID 1997 (Encuesta Nacional de la Dinámica Demográfica), a nationally representative survey of the Mexican population. The total sample includes 23,607 infants. We employ logistic regression to estimate models in which migration status is included as a risk factor for low birth weight. The analysis demonstrates that membership in a migrant household provides protection from the risk of low birth weight largely through the receipt of remittances. In light of this evidence, it is particularly important that international migration be recognized as one of the processes that has a positive and significant effect on perinatal outcomes in both countries of origin and in countries of destination.