Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gravitational Lensing by Dark Matter Halos with Nonuniversal Density Profiles

The statistics of gravitational lensing can provide us with a very powerful probe of the mass distribution of matter in the universe. By comparing predicted strong lensing probabilities with observations, we can test the mass distribution of dark matter halos, in particular, the inner density slope. In this Letter, unlike previous work that directly models the density profiles of dark matter halos semianalytically, we generalize the density profiles of dark matter halos from high-resolution N-body simulations by means of generalized Navarro-Frenk-White (GNFW) models of three populations with slopes, α, of about -1.5, -1.3, and -1.1 for galaxies, groups, and clusters, respectively. This approach is an alternative and independent way to examine the slopes of mass-density profiles of halos. We present calculations of lensing probabilities using these GNFW profiles for three populations in various spatially flat cosmological models with a cosmological constant Λ. We show that the compound model of density profiles does not match well with the observed lensing probabilities derived from the Jodrell-Bank VLA Astrometric Survey data in combination with the Cosmic Lens All-Sky Survey data. Together with the previous work on lensing probability, our results suggest that a singular isothermal sphere mass model of less than about 1013 h-1 M☉ can predict strong lensing probabilities that are consistent with observations of small splitting angles.
Failures to Detect Contradictions in a Text: What Readers Believe versus what they Read

Subjects read brief paragraphs containing contradictory statements. Many of the subjects failed to notice the contradiction. On a subsequent recall test, nondetectors frequently either recalled only one or neither of the contradictory statements or explained the contradiction away. The construction-integration model of discourse comprehension is used to simulate these results. Failures to detect contradictions are accounted for by assuming that nondetectors believe too strongly in the global text interpretations they create or in their prior beliefs. In the model, this means that their comprehension processes are normal, except that one normal component of comprehension—differential weighting of important statements—is exaggerated.
Mentors Providing Challenge and Support

This article reviews and critiques the literature on mentoring functions and roles in education and business to inform the use of mentoring as a developmental tool in both fields. Specifically, in an effort to expand the current notions of the different mentor roles, this review synthesizes studies exploring teacher mentoring in schools and organizational mentoring in business settings to identify the varied ways in which mentors provide challenge and support to protégés. As the fields of education and business explore mentoring from different lenses, an integrative perspective as offered by this article is required to allow both fields learn from each other and to make mentoring research more inclusive of the diverse perspectives originating from multiple disciplines.
Cognitive climate and organizations

It is argued that the identification of similarities in preferred ways of working and associated personality characteristics within occupational groups constitutes a ‘cognitive climate’ within the overall organizational climate. The empirical evidence for this hypothesis is reviewed, together with studies which examine the effects of inferred forces which act on the individual who finds him/herself in an ‘alien’ cognitive climate: selective recruitment and turnover; reported pressures and coping behaviour; interpersonal clashes. The implications of cognitive fit with regard to team functioning, tolerance and cohesion are discussed.
Organizational images and member identification.

We thank Massimo Bergami, Arthur Brief, Mason Carpenter, Brian Golden, Frances Hauge, Rod Kramer, Sharon Lobel, Reuben McDaniel, Debra Meyerson, Wendy Penner, Sandy Piderit, Linda Pike, Mlchael Pratt, Robert Quinn, Anat Rafaeli, Lance Sandelands, Bob Sutton, David Whetten, Batia Wiesenfeld, and three anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts of this paper. We develop a model to explain how images of one's work organization shape the strength of his or her identification with the organization. We focus on two key organizational images: one based on what a member believes is distinctive, central, and enduring about his or her organization and one based on a member's beliefs about what outsiders think about the organization. According to the model, members assess the attractiveness of these images by how well the image preserves the continuity of their self-concept, provides distinctiveness, and enhances self-esteem. The model leads to a number of propositions about how organizational identification affects members' patterns of social interaction. '
Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy, and Social Connectedness as Mediators of the Relationship Between Volunteering and Well-Being

ABSTRACT This study examines the potentially mediated relationship between volunteering and well-being. Using survey data from a random sample (N = 2,990) of the population of the state of Victoria, Australia, three hypotheses were tested: Volunteers will report higher well-being than nonvolunteers; volunteers will report higher self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social connectedness than nonvolunteers; self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social connectedness will mediate the relationship between volunteer status and well-being. Results supported the hypotheses and showed that self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social connectedness were all significant mediators of the volunteering–well-being relationship. Increased social connectedness associated with volunteering was found to be the strongest first step in these pathways. This points to the importance of social connection for well-being, but future research using longitudinal designs is required to further test these relationships and provide the capacity for evidence of causality.
Improving the Quality of Recommendations for Users and Items in the Tail of Distribution

Short-head and long-tail distributed data are widely observed in the real world. The same is true of recommender systems (RSs), where a small number of popular items dominate the choices and feedback data while the rest only account for a small amount of feedback. As a result, most RS methods tend to learn user preferences from popular items since they account for most data. However, recent research in e-commerce and marketing has shown that future businesses will obtain greater profit from long-tail selling. Yet, although the number of long-tail items and users is much larger than that of short-head items and users, in reality, the amount of data associated with long-tail items and users is much less. As a result, user preferences tend to be popularity-biased. Furthermore, insufficient data makes long-tail items and users more vulnerable to shilling attack. To improve the quality of recommendations for items and users in the tail of distribution, we propose a coupled regularization approach that consists of two latent factor models: C-HMF, for enhancing credibility, and S-HMF, for emphasizing specialty on user choices. Specifically, the estimates learned from C-HMF and S-HMF recurrently serve as the empirical priors to regularize one another. Such coupled regularization leads to the comprehensive effects of final estimates, which produce more qualitative predictions for both tail users and tail items. To assess the effectiveness of our model, we conduct empirical evaluations on large real-world datasets with various metrics. The results prove that our approach significantly outperforms the compared methods.
Use of electronic communication to develop Mentor-Protégé relationships between adolescent and adult AAC users: Pilot study

Times of transition are often difficult for individuals with communication disabilities who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. Mentoring by more experienced partners has been embraced by both business and education as an effective means of easing transitions. Mentoring by experienced adults who use AAC seems to offer many potential benefits for adolescents and young adults who require AAC. The purpose of this exploratory study was to develop, implement, and conduct a preliminary evaluation of a small-scale mentor program for adolescents and young adults who use AAC in order to identify issues for further consideration and research. In this study, four successful adult augmentative communicators were recruited to serve as mentors for four individuals using AAC. All of the interactions that took place between the mentors and protégés occurred using electronic mail (e-mail). The e-mail messages for each dyad were analyzed to investigate the frequency and length of messages, the goals set and attained by protégés, and the topics discussed. Consumer satisfaction data and suggestions for future mentoring programs were collected at the end of the program. The results of this preliminary study suggest that mentoring by successful users of AAC may be effective in easing the transition of younger users of AAC. The results also suggest that training of mentors and carefully matching protégés and mentors may be important steps in developing effective mentoring programs. E-mail may serve as an effective medium for establishing a mentoring program for individuals who use AAC, provided that the participants have guidelines for expectations of frequency of message exchanges, reliable Internet service, and opportunities for additional methods of contact.
NADPH Production by the Pentose Phosphate Pathway in the Zona Fasciculata of Rat Adrenal Gland

Biosynthesis of steroid hormones in the cortex of the adrenal gland takes place in smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria and requires NADPH. Four enzymes produce NADPH: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the key regulatory enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD), the third enzyme of that pathway, malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH). However, the contribution of each enzyme to NADPH production in the cortex of adrenal gland has not been established. Therefore, activity of G6PD, PGD, MDH, and ICDH was localized and quantified in rat adrenocortical tissue using metabolic mapping, image analysis, and electron microscopy. The four enzymes have similar localization patterns in adrenal gland with highest activities in the zona fasciculata of the cortex. G6PD activity was strongest, PGD, MDH, and ICDH activity was ∼60%, 15%, and 7% of G6PD activity, respectively. The Km value of G6PD for glucose-6-phosphate was two times higher than the Km value of PGD for phosphogluconate. As a consequence, virtual flux rates through G6PD and PGD are largely similar. It is concluded that G6PD and PGD provide the major part of NADPH in adrenocortical cells. Their activity is localized in the cytoplasm associated with free ribosomes and membranes of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, indicating that NADPH-demanding processes related to biosynthesis of steroid hormones take place at these sites. Complete inhibition of G6PD by androsterones suggests that there is feedback regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis via G6PD.
An assessment of the spectrum of disability and handicap in multiple sclerosis: a population-based study

Objectives: To establish the spectrum of disability and handicap in a population based sample of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Background: Much knowledge exists about the epidemiology of MS but, despite its importance for health and social service planning, there remains relatively little data on the extent and nature of disability and handicap in this population. Methods: In a prevalence study in the north-east of N. Ireland, 288 patients (Poser criteria) were identified. Disability and handicap were assessed using the Incapacity Status Scale and Environmental Status Scale of the Minimal Record of Disability for MS. Results: Both scales were completed for 248 (86%) of patients. Just 71 (29%) are fully independent in all basic ADL's of bathing, dressing, grooming and feeding. Fifty-seven (23%) are unable to climb a flight of stairs and 102 (42%) acknowledge problems with sexual function. Sixty-one (25%) were working essentially full-time and 53 (21%) had no external financial support. Forty-five (18%) had changed residence due to MS, 12 (5%) were institutionalised and 86 (35%) required assistance for at least 1 h/day with ADL's. Eighty-one (33%) were unable to drive a car or use public transport. Forty-two (17%) access community services for at least 1 h/day on average. Conclusions: This data gives a clear indication of the considerable range of basic health and social issues in a typical MS community. Further work is required to establish patient perceptions of the adequacy of care provision and whether standards of care for MS patients are being met.
A Description and Extension of a Human Services Management Model

Abstract A simple and yet powerful method for increasing the quantity and quality of service outcomes in organizations that provide such services for persons with developmental disabilities involves systematic and regular review of individual consumer related activity occurrences and outcome summaries at the middle and senior management levels (Williams & Cummings, 2001). Once established, and with some level of inter-observer agreement, this practice has been shown to result in significant increases in the amount and effectiveness of direct service related activities while simultaneously establishing an organizational level baseline measure against which almost any management, supervisory, or staff training intervention can be evaluated. This paper describes two further applications of this general procedure in a large midwestern community service provider. One application increased accuracy of service related documentation procedures and actual services and outcomes in six community ICF/MR residential facilities. The second application in a multi-disciplinary team produced increases in services and outcomes across residential and day programs. These results extend previous reported effects of service review and are discussed in this light with a delineation of further needed research.
Alcohol Problems Among Residents in Old Age Homes in the City of Mannheim, Germany

Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of alcohol problems among residents in old age homes, its demographic and clinical features, and its association with the risk of falling. Method: All residents (n = 1922) living in 20 randomly selected residential and nursing homes in the city of Mannheim, Germany, were included. Based on routine documentation, details of their sociodemographic features, medical diagnoses made upon admission, and current medication were compiled. The home staff filled out for each resident a standardised assessment sheet on activities of daily living-impairment (Barthel Index), behaviour problems, alcohol consumption, and frequency of falls. Results: According to the diagnoses of the primary care physicians, 7.4% of the residents had mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol (ICD-10: F10). Rates were particularly high among men, and younger and single or divorced residents. A high percentage of those with a diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence (41.1%) were transferred from mental hospitals. Home staff reported current alcohol abuse/dependence among 3.4% of all residents. The risk of falling was significantly elevated (Odds ratio: 2.65; p < 0.01) among those with current alcohol problems. Conclusion: The results corroborate the findings from other studies wherein residents of old age homes constitute a group at risk of alcohol abuse and dependence. Alcohol problems were more the cause for, rather than the consequence of, home admission.
Correlation of Line Immuno Assay with Indirect Immunofluoresence Assay for the Detection of Anti-Nuclear Antibodies in Various Autoimmune Disorders

Background: The occurrence of autoimmune disorders has increased 3–5% and has had a significant impact on human health. The presence of Anti-Nuclear Antibodies (ANAs), directed against intracellular antigens, is a sign of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA) is among the most commonly used methods for ANA detection and is the gold standard. An Immunoblot is considered for the confirmation of particular antigens. Method: This retrospective study was done in Dr. B. Lal Clinical Laboratory Pvt. Ltd. Jaipur, Rajasthan, irrespective of age and gender. Patient blood samples (n=715) that were collected at the Collection Centers of Dr. B. Lal Clinical Laboratory, were subjected to IFA for ANA. Patients that registered for Immunoblot (Line Immuno Assay) (LIA) (m=78) were also subjected to ANA-IFA for correlation study. Result: Out of the positive samples, ratio of patterns observed was- SPECKLED:HOMOGENOUS:CYTOPLASMIC:NUCLEOLAR:: 0.58:0.11:0.08:0.07. 78 samples were cross-checked using Line Immuno Assay. Our Positive Coincidence Rate came out to be 89.28%. In contrast to other studies, our study gave an apt correlation of ANAs and Line Immuno Assay. Conclusion: Hereby we can deduce that autoimmune disorders are chronic conditions with no cure and are growing day by day. There is a strong need for early diagnosis as the treatment involves only attempts to control the process of the disease and to decrease the symptoms, especially during flare-ups. Therefore, a combination of ANA and LIA would minimize chances of misdiagnosis for the clinicians.
Reported Accommodations and Supports Provided to Secondary and Postsecondary Students With Disabilities

There is a dearth of information on specific accommodations used by students with disabilities at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Using data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study–2, researchers examined a nationally representative cohort of 3,190 students with disabilities who reported that they had ever enrolled in a postsecondary program since leaving high school. Analysis of differences in rates of self-disclosure indicated that only 35% of youth with disabilities informed their college of their disability. Whereas 95% received disability-based accommodations at the secondary level, only 23% did so at the postsecondary level. Likewise, 59% received at least one modification at the secondary level but only 4% did in college. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Communication Skills for Medical Students

Background In medical students’ communication training, the doctor-patient encounter can be simulated through experiential learning methods, such as simulated patients (SPs) and role-play. However, more theater and drama education–based methods have not been widely used in the context of medical education. Aim In this mixed-method study, we compare SPs, role-play, and Theatre in Education (TIE) method in teaching interpersonal communication competence (ICC) to medical students. We describe how a course in communication was based on the communication in the disciplines (CID) theoretical framework and principles of experiential learning and reflection. Method Second-year medical students (n = 132) were randomly assigned to three groups where SPs, role-play, and TIE method were used. Data were collected by a questionnaire, focus group interviews, and a translated version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale. Data were analyzed using statistical methods, qualitative content analysis, and cross-case analysis. Results The results show that (a) the medical students perceived all three methods favorably, (b) the students’ self-reported learning outcomes were very similar in the three groups, and (c) the students’ attitudes to learning communication skills became more positive as the training progressed. Conclusion We present a model that can be used in designing and implementing specialty-specific communication training in other disciplines than medicine as well.
Greater Discomfort as a Proximate Cause of Sex Differences in Competition

The research was designed to examine whether females exhibit greater discomfort than males in competitive contexts, which could account for females' greater avoidance of direct competition. In Study 1, 40 groups of 4 same-sex children from kindergarten or Grade 4 were asked to chose one leader for their groups. Although no sex differences were found in level of participation or length of negotiations during the process of leadership selection, females were found to exhibit significantly more discomfort than males. In Study 2, a new method was employed in which kindergarten and Grade 4 same-sex dyads competed by playing identical games. No sex differences were found in level of discomfort while the children played the games and a barrier prevented the children from communicating. After the games were over and the barrier removed, however, females displayed higher levels of discomfort than males both while waiting for the outcome of the competition and after the winner had been announced. Together, these studies provide consistent evidence that females exhibit higher levels of discomfort than males when competing directly with same-sex peers. One plausible proximate reason for sex differences in engagement in direct competition is females' more negative emotional response.
Stochastic Gene Expression in a Single Cell

Clonal populations of cells exhibit substantial phenotypic variation. Such heterogeneity can be essential for many biological processes and is conjectured to arise from stochasticity, or noise, in gene expression. We constructed strains of Escherichia coli that enable detection of noise and discrimination between the two mechanisms by which it is generated. Both stochasticity inherent in the biochemical process of gene expression (intrinsic noise) and fluctuations in other cellular components (extrinsic noise) contribute substantially to overall variation. Transcription rate, regulatory dynamics, and genetic factors control the amplitude of noise. These results establish a quantitative foundation for modeling noise in genetic networks and reveal how low intracellular copy numbers of molecules can fundamentally limit the precision of gene regulation.
Classroom observations of teacher–child relationships among racially symmetrical and racially asymmetrical teacher–child dyads

Literature suggests that teachers are more likely to have conflictual relationship with children from racially/ethnically diverse background in comparison to white children. One may argue that children from racially/ethnically diverse background may be at disadvantage because the teacher–child relationship in early childhood is a significant predictor of later school achievement. This study examined the intertwined relations between child behavior, teacher behavior, and teacher–child interaction to understand how these variables interact and shape the quality of the teacher–child relationships. The aim was to understand whether teacher–child race match matters to the quality of teacher–child relationships. Four culturally and linguistically diverse Head Start classrooms including 41 children and eight female teachers participated in the study. The observational data and teacher ratings of child social-emotional competence were collected. Findings suggested that race does play a role in the process of building teacher–child relationships. The implications for practice and limitation are also discussed.