Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of education and cultural background on performance on WAIS-III,: WMS-III, WAIS-R and WMS-R measures: Systematic review

Abstract The literature on the effects of education and cultural background on Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III), Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III), WAIS-R and WMS-R performances was reviewed. The electronic databases PsycINFO, MEDLINE and PubMed were searched over the period 1980–2008 and reference lists from papers identified were examined for relevant articles. Of 3,081 papers identified, 19 met criteria including English language, group research, adult sample, quantitative data published and focus on relationship between culture and/or education and performances on WAIS-III, WMS-III, WAIS-R or WMS-R measures. There was converging evidence that both education and culture showed significant relationships with test performances, particularly on the WAIS-III and WAIS-R in control and clinical groups. The limited research available did not demonstrate improved diagnostic efficiency with the application of demographic corrections for the WAIS-III. Clinical implications were discussed, inclu.
Functional Capacity and Psychosocial Correlates of Exercise in Nigerian Patients with Hypertension

Objectives: Psychosocial factors are important determinants of cardiovascular health outcomes in rehabilitation. However, the relationship between exercise performance and individual factors remained poorly understood. This study investigated the relationship between functional capacity and psychosocial correlates of exercise in Nigerian patients with hypertension. Study Design and Setting: This quasi-experimental study recruited 120 patients with hypertension (≥140/90 ≤ 179/109 mmHg) from the Cardiac Care Unit of a Nigerian university teaching using purposive sampling technique. Functional capacity was assessed using the 6-minute walk test and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) was estimated. Participants also underwent a 30-minute self-paced walking exercise. Thereafter, psychosocial correlates of exercise including exercise self-efficacy (ESE), social support (SoS), perceived exercise barrier (PEB) and socio-economic status (SES) were assessed using validated questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Alpha level was set at p 2 max were 350.6 ± 54.7 m and 9.74 ± 1.5 ml/kg/min respectively. There were significant correlations between functional capacity and each of ESE (r = 0.184; p = 0.026) and SoS (r = 0.374; p = 0.021). Conclusions: Psychosocial correlates of exercise including self-efficacy and social support were significantly associated with functional capacity among Nigerian patients with mild to moderate hypertension.
Analytic study of small scale structure on cosmic strings

The properties of string networks at scales well below the horizon are poorly understood, but they enter critically into many observables. We argue that in some regimes, stretching will be the only relevant process governing the evolution. In this case, the string two-point function is determined up to normalization: the fractal dimension approaches one at short distance, but the rate of approach is characterized by an exponent that plays an essential role in network properties. The smoothness at short distance implies, for example, that cosmic string lensing images are almost undistorted. We then add in loop production as a perturbation and find that it diverges at small scales. This need not invalidate the stretching model, since the loop production occurs in localized regions, but it implies a complicated fragmentation process. Our ability to model this process is limited, but we argue that loop production peaks a few orders of magnitude below the horizon scale, without the inclusion of gravitational radiation. We find agreement with some features of simulations, and interesting discrepancies that must be resolved by future work.
Food for Thought …: Developmental Neurotoxicity – Challenges in the 21 st Century and In Vitro Opportunities

Summary In recent years neurodevelopmental problems in children have increased at a rate that suggests lifestyle factors and chemical exposures as likely contributors. When environmental chemicals contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) becomes an enormous concern. But how can it be tackled? Current animal test-based guidelines are prohibitively expensive, at $1.4 million per substance, while their predictivity for human health effects may be limited, and mechanistic data that would help species extrapolation are not available. A broader screening for substances of concern requires a reliable testing strategy, applicable to larger numbers of substances, and sufficiently predictive to warrant further testing. This review discusses the evidence for possible contributions of environmental chemicals to DNT, limitations of the current test paradigm, emerging concepts and technologies pertinent to in vitro DNT testing and assay evaluation, as well as the prospect of a paradigm shift based on 21 st century technologies. control demonstrates the base-line result obtained when a test chemical does not produce a measurable positive result.
Through-Wall Shape Estimation Based on UWB-SP Radar

This letter presents a new method for localizing and identifying a target through walls with known wall parameters. A time-delay difference curve (TDDC) is utilized in this method for target localization and identification. The characteristic of the TDDC can be applied to estimate the incident angle and offset the influences in propagation path and propagation time delay brought from the wall. This letter analyzes the method and gives out the theoretical TDDC. Extensive simulations and experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Current Outcome of Esophagectomy in the Very Elderly: Experience of a German High-volume Center

Operative management of esophageal carcinoma in the very elderly is still controversially discussed. It is not yet decided whether the risk warrants the procedure. The aim of this study is to analyze the outcome of esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in the very elderly. Factors influencing the clinical course and determining the outcome are identified. A retrospective study 292 consecutive cases of esophagectomy for nonmetastatic esophageal cancer at a German tertiary referral hospital between 2004 and 2011 were reviewed. Two age groups (75 years or older and younger than 75 years) were formed. The mean age was 63 years. Altogether 45 patients were 75 years or older. There were no significant differences in American Society of Anesthesiologists score, operative procedure, or in the frequency of anastomotic leakage between the age groups. However, very elderly patients with anastomotic leak had an eight times higher risk for fatal outcome than the very elderly without leak (odds ratio [OR], 8.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0 to 112.18; P = 0.025). Moreover, the odds for postoperative death were five times higher in very elderly patients with leak than in younger patients sustaining anastomotic leakage (OR, 5.67; 95% CI, 0.67 to 73.83; P = 0.046). In general, the very elderly had a three times higher risk for a fatal outcome (OR, 3.30; 95% CI, 1.37 to 7.86; P = 0.008). In-hospital mortality of the very elderly was 11 out of 45 compared with 8 per cent (20 of 247) in the younger group. Fatal outcome was more often caused by medical (seven) than by surgical complications (four cases). The remaining 34 patients recovered well. Very elderly patients undergoing esophagectomy have no elevated risk for occurrence of surgical complications, whereas the mortality of these complications is much higher. Improved outcome is achievable by timely management of postoperative surgical as well as medical complications. Notwithstanding the increased mortality, esophagectomy should be considered in thoroughly selected very elderly patients with curable esophageal carcinoma.
Physical Activity, Ambulation, and Motor Impairment Late after Stroke

Objective. To assess walking capacity and physical activity using clinical measures and to explore their relationships with motor impairment late after stroke. Subjects. A nonrandomised sample of 22 men and 9 women with a mean age of 60 years, 7–10 years after stroke. Methods. Fugl-Meyer Assessment, maximum walking speed, 6 min walk test, perceived exertion, and heart rate were measured, and the Physiological Cost Index was calculated. Physical activity was reported using The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Results. Mean (SD) 6 min walking distance was 352 (±136) m, and Physiological Cost Index was 0.60 (±0.41). Self-reported physical activity was 70% of the reference. Motor impairment correlated with walking capacity but not with the physical activity level. Conclusion. It may be essential to enhance physical activity even late after stroke since in fairly young subjects both walking capacity and the physical activity level were lower than the reference.
How Affect Relates to Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Research Agenda

The study of how affect relates to entrepreneurship has become a relevant topic of research in recent years. Unfortunately, such rapid developments have led to theoretical inconsistencies and empirical gaps that could result in an incomplete understanding of entrepreneurship's affective dimensions. To address these issues and motivate future work, the authors conducted a systematic review of 65 articles on the role of affect in entrepreneurship. The results show that research has focused on the valence facet of affect, has paid little attention to affect's role beyond the individual level of analysis, and has devoted more attention to the consequences of affect than to its antecedents. The results also show that unbalanced attention has been paid to affect's role in different stages of the entrepreneurial process. Building on these analyses, the authors propose a research agenda that not only encourages investigations of previously overlooked topics and facets of affect, but also stresses the potential of examining competing cognitive and non-cognitive arguments relating to affect's role. The authors also encourage future investigations of affect's role across levels of analysis and stages of the entrepreneurial process.
Leisure activity preferences and constraints: perspectives from Turkey

Leisure is a growing topic of interest in developing economies such as Turkey. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to explore leisure activity preferences and the perceptions of constraints to leisure among Turkish university students. For this exploratory study, a sample of 822 students provided responses through a paper-and-pencil survey administered in classes in four Ankara universities. The top leisure activity preferences for all respondents are home-based, sports and social. Women prefer social as well as cultural activities more than men. Access to opportunities is the biggest constraint to leisure, which illustrates the structural and cultural dimensions of leisure. Few differences, however, are found related to the preferred activities and potential constraints related to gender, socio-economic status or amount of available leisure time. The findings are interpreted in light of the emerging literature about leisure and culture in Turkey.
Rethinking the DSM : a psychological perspective

The Emergence of Dissatisfaction With the DSM, Mary L. Malik and Larry E. Beutler Discovery, Intervention, and the Expansion of the Modern Diagnostic and Statistical Manuals of Mental Disorders - Arthur C. Houts Implications of Information-Gathering Methods for a Refined Taxonomy of Psychopathology, Gregory J. Meyer Taxometrics Can "Do Diagnostics Right" (And Isn't Quite as Hard as You Think), Thomas E. Joiner, Jr and Norman B. Schmidt Psychiatric Classification Through the Lens of Ethnobiology, Elizabeth H. Flanagan and Robert K. Blashfield Assessing Psychopathology - A Narrative Approach, Oscar F. Goncalves et al Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics - A New Diagnostic Approach in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Wolfe Schneider et al Child/Adolescent Diagnosis - The Need for a Model-Based Approach, Ann Doucette Simplifying Diagnosis Using a Prototype-Matching Approach - Implications for the New Edition of the DSM, Drew Western et al Alternative Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines - The Example of Depression, Larry E. Beutler and Mary L. Malik From Symptoms to Pathology in the Diagnosis of Mental Illness, John F. Kihlstrom.
The Effect of Lecturer Gender, Teaching Experience and Student Gender on Students Achievement

The study investigated the effect of lecturer gender and teaching experience on the achievement of accounting students. A group of accounting students that fulfilled certain criteria were selected as the sample. T test and regression analysis were used to investigate the effect of those characteristics on students’ achievement. The results of t-test indicated significant differences in students’ achievement between students taught by male and female lecturers. A significant difference in students’ achievement was also found between male and female students and when lecturer gender and student gender were matched. However, there was no significant difference in students’ achievement was found between students taught by lecturers with 10 years and more teaching experience and lecturers with less than 10 years teaching experience. The results of regression analysis revealed that lecturer gender, teaching experience and on-going assessment contributed to the prediction of accounting students’ final grades.
Development of a PCR assay for detection of the thin, binucleate Rhizoctonia causing Eradu patch disease of lupin and barley

The field symptoms of Eradu patch are distinct, stunted patches in narrow-leaf lupin and ill-thrift patches in barley. The pathogen, a thin, binucleate Rhizoctonia (TBR), is difficult to isolate with standard methods. To develop an assay specific to TBR, the ribosomal RNA ITS region was amplified and a 610 bp section including the conserved 5.8S region was sequenced. This sequence did not match any published sequence. Primers specific to TBR were constructed. The specificity of the assay was confirmed using 104 isolates of TBR obtained from many sites in Western Australia. Tests against R. solani AG 8 and other fungi commonly isolated from lupin and barley roots were negative. TBR was detected in all roots from artificially infected lupin and barley, but detection of TBR in root samples collected from field patches in 1997 was low (0–15%). New methods for extracting the TBR DNA, including the use of soil immersion plates, enabled detection of TBR (80–100%) in field samples collected in 1999. The PCR assay developed is a reliable technique for the detection of TBR in field samples and will provide an effective tool for diagnostics and the conduct of field surveys.
Open-ended Grounded Semantics

Artificial agents trying to achieve communicative goals in situated interactions in the real-world need powerful computational systems for conceptualizing their environment. In order to provide embodied artificial systems with rich semantics reminiscent of human language complexity, agents need ways of both conceptualizing complex compositional semantic structure and actively reconstructing semantic structure, due to uncertainty and ambiguity in transmission. Furthermore, the systems must be open-ended and adaptive and allow agents to adjust their semantic inventories in order to reach their goals. This paper presents recent progress in modeling open-ended, grounded semantics through a unified software system that addresses these problems.
Incremental topological modeling using sonar gridmap in home environment

This paper presents a method of topological modeling in home environments using only low-cost sonar sensors. The proposed method constructs a topological model using sonar gridmap by extracting subregions incrementally. A confidence for each occupied grid is evaluated to obtain reliable regions in a local gridmap, and a convexity measure is used to extract subregions automatically. Through these processes, the topological model is constructed without predefining the number of subregions in advance and the extracted subregions are guaranteed the convexity. Experimental results verify the performance of proposed method in real home environment.
A Cross-Cultural Content Analysis of Sex-Role Stereotyping in Television Advertisements: A Comparison Between Great Britain and New Zealand

The present study compared sex-role stereotyping in British (N = 205) and New Zealand (N = 146) television advertisements. Following Harris and Stobart (1986), visually presented central figures were coded and analyzed independently of voice-over central figures. The attributes of visual central figures were classified into 72 categories based on previous studies (Furnham & Mak, 1999; McArthur & Resko, 1975) and thought to be sufficiently comprehensive: mode of presentation, age, credibility basis, role, location, argument, reward type, product type, product price, background, end comment and humor. The attributes of voice-over central figures were classified according to the categories of argument, reward type, product type, humor and end comment. The results of the analysis compared to other studies (Furnham & Bitar, 1993; Furnham & Skae, 1997) indicate that the extent of sex role stereotyping in Britain has declined over the past decade. The New Zealand data was found to be more heavily sex-role stereotyped than the British data, contrary to predictions. The findings of both analyses were considered in the light of previous research in North America, Britain and Australia.
Is trait‐Emotional Intelligence simply or more than just a trait?

The present study examined the usefulness of trait‐Emotional Intelligence (EI) among a sample of 1186 top managers who filled out questionnaires for Emotional Intelligence and the Big Five and were evaluated by a consultant on their competencies. Three higher‐order factors were found to underlie the Bar‐On Emotional Quotient Inventory (Bar‐On, 1997): sense of accomplishment, empathy, and planfulness. Trait‐EI was found to be substantially related to Extraversion, Agreeableness, Emotional Stability, and Autonomy. Nevertheless, the EI‐factors predicted additional variance over and above the Big Five in competency to support. On the whole, top managers scored higher on the EI dimensions compared with a general population sample. High EI scores were particularly found among managers from enterprising occupational environments, that is environments dominated by activities that entail persuading and leading others to attain organizational goals or economic gain. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quality of Life and Anxiety in Adolescents with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Context: Adolescents with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) require lifelong monitoring with a high possibility of reoperation or radioactive iodine. Although adult DTC survivors have similar or slightly worse quality of life (QOL), this has not been evaluated in the pediatric population. Objective: Our objective was to compare QOL and anxiety in adolescents with DTC to patients with acquired autoimmune hypothyroidism. Design, Setting, and Patients: In this cross-sectional pilot study, three validated questionnaires were administered to 16 adolescents with DTC and 16 controls for assessment of QOL and anxiety levels. These included teen and parent PedsQL, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, and Coddington Life Events Scales for Adolescents. The contribution of age, time since diagnosis, and biochemical variables were compared with the outcome measures. Results: There were 16 DTC patients (seven males); 13 had papillary carcinoma, one had follicular carcinoma, and two had mixed type. At diagnosis, five DTC patients had lymph node involvement and two had lung metastases, although at time of assessment, only one DTC patient had lymph node involvement. DTC patients were older than control subjects (P ϭ 0.004) and had lower TSH levels than control subjects at time of assessment (P ϭ 0.013). QOL and anxiety levels did not differ between DTC patients compared with control subjects and with previously reported scores in a healthy cohort. QOL and anxiety level parameters were not influenced by age, time since diagnosis, or free T 4 levels measured at the time of assessment. Conclusions: Adolescents with DTC have similar QOL and anxiety levels compared with autoim-mune hypothyroidism patients and with a healthy normative population. C hildhood-onset differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is a rare disease, although the incidence is increasing by 1.1% per year (1, 2). DTC in children is distinct from the adult disease in that it is generally more aggressive at diagnosis with cervical lymph node involvement in 40–90% and distant metastases in 20–30% of children (1, 3). Ultimately, even in the presence of more aggressive disease, the prognosis is excellent (1, 2). Given these factors, adolescents diagnosed with DTC face a lifetime of ongoing monitoring for recurrence or metastases with a high possibility for reoperation or multiple courses of radioactive iodine. From our clinical experience , adolescents with DTC experience significant stress related to the diagnosis and follow-up, which may lead to lower perceived quality of life (QOL) and increased anxiety. Adult thyroid cancer survivors have worse or …
SwoHp, a Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinase, Is Essential in Aspergillus nidulans

ABSTRACT The temperature-sensitive swoH1 mutant of Aspergillus nidulans was previously identified in a screen for mutants with defects in polar growth. In the present work, we found that the swoH1 mutant swelled, lysed, and did not produce conidia during extended incubation at the restrictive temperature. When shifted from the permissive to the restrictive temperature, swoH1 showed the temperature-sensitive swelling phenotype only after 8 h at the higher temperature. The swoH gene was mapped to chromosome II and cloned by complementation of the temperature-sensitive phenotype. The sequence showed that swoH encodes a homologue of nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDKs) from other organisms. Deletion experiments showed that the swoH gene is essential. A hemagglutinin-SwoHp fusion complemented the mutant phenotype, and the purified fusion protein possessed phosphate transferase activity in thin-layer chromatography assays. Sequencing of the mutant allele showed a predicted V83F change. Structural modeling suggested that the swoH1 mutation would lead to perturbation of the NDK active site. Crude cell extracts from the swoH1 mutant grown at the permissive temperature had ∼20% of the NDK activity seen in the wild type and did not show any decrease in activity when assayed at higher temperatures. Though the data are not conclusive, the lack of temperature-sensitive NDK activity in the swoH1 mutant raises the intriguing possibility that the SwoH NDK is required for growth at elevated temperatures rather than for polarity maintenance.