Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experts, entrepreneurs and competence nomads: the skills paradox in higher music education

In this study, one-to-one tuition in higher music education (HME) was theorised as a culturally and historically grounded activity system consisting of relationships between musicians, instruments, music-making traditions and audiences. The ‘skills paradox’, as seen in the inherent conflict between musicians' need for long-term artistic training and society's demands for flexible knowledge producers and artistic entrepreneurs, forms a background to the study. With the aim of exploring how qualified experts with extensive experience verbalise the processes of transmitting musical craftsmanship and expressivity, the study was organised as a series of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 12 professional musicians teaching in HME. The study also formed part of an institutional developmental project spanning one academic year. Results point to the challenges in musicians' positions as being both carriers of tradition and innovative artists, and describe one-to-one teaching as a dynamic activity, where the sum of personal experiences often remains on an individual level and is seen as the property of a genial personality rather than as knowledge attainable for the collective of musicians/music teachers. It is suggested that the development of practice is dependent on an interaction between personal, educational and institutional levels and on an opening up of new zones of proximal development in which all agents in HME need to participate. By linking the individual and collective levels of knowledge, all aspects of the conservatoire tradition may be seen as potentials for development and expansion through the use of reflection and collaborative methods.
Checking the reliability of equivalent width R23 for estimating the metallicities of galaxies

Aims. We verify whether the O/H abundances of galaxies can be derived from the equivalent width (EW) R23 instead of the extinctioncorrected flux R23, and eventually propose a method of improving the reliability of this empirical method, which is often used for the non-flux calibrated spectra of galaxies. Methods. We select 37 173 star-forming galaxies from the Second Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-DR2), which offers a wide range of properties to test the EW method. Results. The EW-R23 method brings with it a significant bias: for the bulk of SDSS galaxies, it may affect the determination of log (O/H) by factors ranging from –0.2 to 0.1 dex and for some galaxies by factors ranging from –0.5 to 0.2 dex. We characterize this discrepancy (or bias) by α = (I[O II]/IHβ)/(EW[O II]/EWHβ), which is virtually independent of dust extinction, while tightly correlating with Dn(4000), although at a lower significance, with (g − r) colors. Conclusions. The EW-R23 method cannot be used as a proxy for the extinction-corrected flux R23 method. From analytical third-order polynomial fits of α versus (g − r) colors, we have been able to correct the EW-R23 method. With this additional and easy correction, the EW-R23 method provides O/H abundance values similar to those derived from the extinction-corrected flux R23 method with an accuracy of ±0.1 dex for >92% of the SDSS galaxies.
Researching New Literacies: Web 2.0 Practices and Insider Perspectives

This article argues that ‘new literacies’ is a useful construct for recognizing and understanding the extent to which changes in the current conjuncture are extending social practices of using codes for making and exchanging meanings in directions that warrant serious rethinking of how and why we research literacies. It provides a conceptual definition of ‘literacies’, according to which literacies can best be described as new when they are constituted by ‘new technical stuff’ and ‘new ethos stuff’. On the basis of this account of new literacies the article advances a framework for envisaging new literacies research agendas and briefly discusses two cases of current research that illustrate this framework.
Self-Regulation Mediates the Link Between Family Context and Socioemotional Competence in Turkish Preschoolers

Research Findings: In this study, we examined self-regulatory skills, namely, effortful control and executive function, in Turkish preschoolers (N = 217) and their mediating roles in the associations between parenting and children’s socioemotional competence. We also investigated the role of family socioeconomic status and maternal psychological well-being in these concurrent associations. Mother reports were used for maternal depressive symptoms, parenting behaviors, and children’s effortful control. Individual assessment was utilized for executive function, and socioemotional competence was assessed via multiple methods (mother report, teacher report, and individual assessments). Structural equation modeling results showed that effortful control mediated the paths from power-assertion to children’s socioemotional competence. The pathway extending from depressive symptoms to socioemotional competency was mediated by power-assertiveness and effortful control. Socioeconomic status was not associated with socioemotional competence through either parenting or self-regulatory constructs. Practice or Policy: The results revealed that even moderate levels of depressive feelings experienced by mothers presented a risk factor for early effortful control and socioemotional development in young children through increasing harsh child rearing. These findings suggest that, given its potential role in the development of early fundamental abilities, it is important to take precautions against adverse effects of even low levels of maternal depression.
Topics of meal-break conversations

Meal-break conversational samples were collected from 34 nondisabled participants across four worksites. The samples were analyzed for topics referenced and also for patterns of topics associated with days of the week. The results of the analysis indicated that the participants referenced 73 different topics. Analysis of the 10 most frequently referenced topics in each composite day file revealed 19 topics, of which 5 (i.e., work, fact finding, judgments, food, and family life) were referenced every day. Analysis of the number of communication segments in each of the 19 topics indicated that fact finding was the most frequently referenced topic, but work was the largest topic (i.e., contained the greatest number of words). There was some pattern to topic reference associated with the day of the week. Implications of this information for individuals with severe communication impairments who wish to access the work force are discussed.
An Empirical Evaluation of Relay Selection in Tor

While Tor is the most popular low-latency anonymity network in use today, Tor suffers from a variety of performance problems that continue to inhibit its wide scale adoption. One reason why Tor is slow is due to the manner in which clients select Tor relays. There have been a number of recent proposals for modifying Tor’s relay selection algorithm, often to achieve improved bandwidth, latency, and/or anonymity. This paper explores the anonymity and performance trade-offs of the proposed relay selection techniques using highly accurate topological models that capture the actual Tor network’s autonomous system (AS) boundaries, points-of-presence, inter-relay latencies, and relay performance characteristics. Using realistic network models, we conduct a wholenetwork evaluation with varying traffic workloads to understand the potential performance benefits of a comprehensive set of relay selection proposals from the Tor literature. We also quantify the anonymity properties of each approach using our network model in combination with simulations fueled by data from the live Tor network.
The interplay of perceived stress, self-determination and school engagement in adolescence

Currently, many societies are placing a greater onus on academic achievement–resulting in higher levels of stress being observed among adolescent students. Stress can have detrimental repercussions on adolescents’ health and is also associated with anxiety and depression. However, since less is known about how high stress levels affect school engagement, this study examined the interplay of perceived stress and school engagement in a large sample of seventh and eighth grade students (N = 1088; MAge = 13.7) in secondary schools in Brandenburg, Germany. Based on self-determination theory (SDT), this study also examined if perceived autonomy, relatedness, and competence mediated the association between stress and school engagement in order to identify possible strategies for intervention and prevention. Latent structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test for the associations between stress, self-determination, and school engagement. Results showed that self-determination acted as a full mediator in the negative association between stress and school engagement. These results suggest that supporting students’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence could be an effective starting point for prevention and intervention of stress and its negative association with school engagement. Consequently, SDT has strong implications for both school psychologists as well as teachers.
Feedback: A necessary condition for the goal setting-performance relationship.

Abstract : The study focused on feedback as a necessary condition for goals to affect performance. It was predicted that feedback and goals would be interactively related to performance. This prediction compliments findings by Locke and his colleagues that knowledge alone is not a sufficient condition for effective performance. Also, it was suggested that the interaction of feedback, and environmental attribute and self goals, an individual characteristic, be thought of in terms of an individual x environment interaction model. In that sense, it was hypothesized that feedback would facilitate the display of individual differences in self-set goals and hence, the self-set goals-performance relationship. Results supported the hypothesis by indicating that the individual differences in self-goals were significantly higher in the feedback group (N = 38), than in the no feedback group (N = 48), and that it was in the feedback condition that the relationship between goals and performance (r = .60) was significantly higher than in the no feedback (r = -.01). (Author)
Kindergarten Children's Relatedness to Teachers and Peers as a Factor in Classroom Engagement and Early Learning Behaviours

The purpose of this study is to examine whether social relatedness within kindergarten classrooms is related to learning behaviours and, if so, whether this can be explained by students’ participation in school-related activities. Three indicators of social relatedness (teacher-child relationships, peer acceptance, and feelings of relatedness) were used to test mediation models. Data were collected from 126 French Canadian kindergarteners, all Caucasians (mean age: 6.15 years). Although participation in school-related activities did not mediate the associations between social relatedness and learning behaviours, our results indicate that social relatedness associated with learning behaviours and to participation, especially for girls. Boys’ feelings of relatedness within the classroom were not associated with participation or learning behaviours. The findings raise the possibility that the emergence of learning behaviours may follow different pathways for boys and girls. The implications for teachers of facilitating relationships ‐ both teacher-child and between peer relationships ‐ within the classroom are discussed.
Leadership Education in Colleges: Toward a 21st Century Paradigm

The industrial view of leadership is inadequate for educational purposes because it does not address the nature of the complex social relationships among people who practice leadership, nor does it accurately accommodate their purposes, motives, and intentions. A distinction among the practices of training, development, and education provides a means to explore an understanding of these complex social relationships relative to the preparation of leaders for the future. The content of leadership education in the future will cover three broad categories: the evolution of social change and development, the processes that influence social development, and the dynamics of human nature in change processes. Leadership education is aimed at producing citizens for a democratic society.
Neuropsychological changes in frontal functions with aging

Psychological and neuropsychological assessment of the older patient remains hampered by the lack of adequate norms for this age group. Our understanding of changes normative with aging and changes secondary to pathological processes is still rather limited and affects the manner in which the older patient is diagnosed and treated. This article reports on three groups of the elderly given a battery of neuropsychological tests. The specific aim is to explore changes with aging in functions attributed to frontal lobes in contrast to other higher cortical functions. The groups consisted of 31 cognitively intact young‐old, 48 cog‐nitively intact old‐old, and 67 cognitively impaired old‐old. The results suggest that there are in fact decrements in frontal functions with age in the absence of other cognitive impairment and that these functions are further impaired in the cognitively impaired old‐old. Various hypotheses for this reverse in the typical pattern of “hyperfrontality” are presented and practitioners .
Human gut bacterial communities are altered by addition of cruciferous vegetables to a controlled fruit- and vegetable-free diet.

In the human gut, commensal bacteria metabolize food components that typically serve as energy sources. These components have the potential to influence gut bacterial community composition. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, contain distinctive compounds that can be utilized by gut bacteria. For example, glucosinolates can be hydrolyzed by certain bacteria, and dietary fibers can be fermented by a range of species. We hypothesized that cruciferous vegetable consumption would alter growth of certain bacteria, thereby altering bacterial community composition. We tested this hypothesis in a randomized, crossover, controlled feeding study. Fecal samples were collected from 17 participants at the end of 2 14-d intake periods: a low-phytochemical, low-fiber basal diet (i.e. refined grains without fruits or vegetables) and a high ("double") cruciferous vegetable diet [basal diet + 14 g cruciferous vegetables/(kg body weightd)]. Fecal bacterial composition was analyzed by the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (tRFLP) method using the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene and nucleotide sequencing. Using blocked multi-response permutation procedures analysis, we found that overall bacterial community composition differed between the 2 consumption periods (delta = 0.603; P = 0.011). The bacterial community response to cruciferous vegetables was individual-specific, as revealed by nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination analysis. Specific tRFLP fragments that characterized each of the diets were identified using indicator species analysis. Putative species corresponding to these fragments were identified through gene sequencing as Eubacterium hallii, Phascolarctobacterium faecium, Burkholderiales spp. , Alistipes putredinis, and Eggerthella spp. In conclusion, human gut bacterial community composition was altered by cruciferous vegetable consumption, which could ultimately influence gut metabolism of bioactive food components and host exposure to these compounds.
Women empowerment and participation in economic activities: Indispensable tools for self-reliance and development of Nigerian society

The objective of the study was to examine women empowerment and participation in economic activities as tools for self-reliance and development of the Nigerian society. Research questions and hypothesis were used to guide the study. Structured questionnaire was used as the major instrument for data collection. Copies of questionnaires were administered to 402 women randomly selected from 6 out of the 21 local government Areas of Anambra State. 351 copies of questionnaire recovered were analyzed using mean to answer the research questions and t-test statistic to draw inferences about the hypothesis. The results showed that: farming, trading, craft, food processing, hair dressing, poultry and the likes were the major economic activities performed by women in Anambra state. Personal savings, family assistance, philanthropist’s assistance, loans and credits, cooperative society assistance, group contributions, were the sources of fund available to the women for their economic activities. Education and health promotion, food supply and distribution, were some of the services rendered by the women that bring about societal development. Inability of government to provide support, corruption on the part of implementers, family burden, cultural restrictions, husband influence, illiteracy were the obstacles women encounter in carrying out their economic activities. Provision of sustainable land tenure system, provision of soft loans and credits, training programmes, funding, establishment of cooperative societies, were some of the strategies proffered to enhance women participation in economic activities. Key words: Women empowerment, economic activities, self-reliance, societal development
Source Characteristics in Denying Rumors of Organizational Closure: Honesty Is the Best Policy

Effect of source honesty and appropriateness on effectiveness of rumor denial was tested. When the source was perceived as high on honesty, the denial was more successful in reducing belief and anxiety associated with the rumor. Source appropriateness (operationalized as a combination of source knowledgeability and status) did not have a main effect on belief or anxiety reduction. Honesty and appropriateness had an additive effect, such that the denial was most successful in reducing belief when the source was perceived as high on both honesty and appropriateness.
Beyond chronological age. Examining perceived future time and subjective health as age-related mediators in relation to work-related motivations and well-being

Since workforces across the world are aging, researchers and organizations need more insight into how and why occupational well-being, together with work-related attitudes and motivations, change with age. Lifespan theories point to subjective health and future time perspective (i.e. an individual's perceptions of his or her remaining time to live) as potentially relevant age-related variables. Using two Dutch samples, a health care company (N=448) and university employees (N=1271), we examined whether subjective health and future time, perceived as open-ended or limited, mediate the relation between age and work-related motivations (growth, security, esteem and generativity), and whether those motivations in turn influence work engagement. In line with lifespan theories, the study demonstrated that the relations of chronological age with work-related growth, esteem and security motivations were mediated by an open-ended future time perspective and a good subjective general health. The association between age and generativity motivations was not mediated by a limited future time perspective. Furthermore, growth, esteem and generativity motivations had a positive association with work engagement. These findings imply that the future time perspective and subjective health of older workers should be taken into account, and not just chronological age, when examining or managing their occupational well-being.
Guanxi and supplier search mechanisms in China

Supply localization is an expressed desire among western MNCs with manufacturing subsidiaries in the People's Republic of China (PRC), but poor information coding and diffusion poses problems in identifying suitable local supply firm partners. This article investigates the mechanics of personal connections, and in particular guanxi, in local supplier search and appraisal within a large sample of UK-and US-invested manufacturers in China. The results emphasize the importance of business rather than family and community connections as sources of guanxi, supporting Guthrie's (1999) view that industrialization and modernization has reduced the importance of traditional forms of guanxi. The results also suggest that social networks derived from relational contracting and the expatriate community are important sources of information. On the basis of this analysis we make a number of recommendations for improvement of firms' supplier search capabilities.
Efficacy of varenicline combined with nicotine replacement therapy vs varenicline alone for smoking cessation: a randomized clinical trial.

IMPORTANCE Behavioral approaches and pharmacotherapy are of proven benefit in assisting smokers to quit, but it is unclear whether combining nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) with varenicline to improve abstinence is effective and safe. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining varenicline and a nicotine patch vs varenicline alone in smoking cessation. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial with a 12-week treatment period and a further 12-week follow-up conducted in 7 centers in South Africa from April 2011 to October 2012. Four hundred forty-six generally healthy smokers were randomized (1:1); 435 were included in the efficacy and safety analyses. INTERVENTIONS Nicotine or placebo patch treatment began 2 weeks before a target quit date (TQD) and continued for a further 12 weeks. Varenicline was begun 1 week prior to TQD, continued for a further 12 weeks, and tapered off during week 13. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Tobacco abstinence was established and confirmed by exhaled carbon monoxide measurements at TQD and at intervals thereafter up to 24 weeks. The primary end point was the 4-week exhaled carbon monoxide-confirmed continuous abstinence rate for weeks 9 through 12 of treatment, ie, the proportion of participants able to maintain complete abstinence from smoking for the last 4 weeks of treatment, as assessed using multiple imputation analysis. Secondary end points included point prevalence abstinence at 6 months, continuous abstinence rate from weeks 9 through 24, and adverse events. Multiple imputation also was used to address loss to follow-up. RESULTS The combination treatment was associated with a higher continuous abstinence rate at 12 weeks (55.4% vs 40.9%; odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% CI, 1.19-2.89; P = .007) and 24 weeks (49.0% vs 32.6%; OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.25-3.14; P = .004) and point prevalence abstinence rate at 6 months (65.1% vs 46.7%; OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.32-3.43; P = .002). In the combination treatment group, there was a numerically greater incidence of nausea, sleep disturbance, skin reactions, constipation, and depression, with only skin reactions reaching statistical significance (14.4% vs 7.8%; P = .03); the varenicline-alone group experienced more abnormal dreams and headaches. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Varenicline in combination with NRT was more effective than varenicline alone at achieving tobacco abstinence at 12 weeks (end of treatment) and at 6 months. Further studies are needed to assess long-term efficacy and safety. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01444131.