Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN DISTANCE LEARNING: A MIXED METHODS STUDY

Distance learning has facilitated innovative means to include Cooperative Learning (CL) in virtual settings. This study, conducted at a Hispanic-Serving Institution, compared the effectiveness of online CL strategies in discussion forums with traditional online forums. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 56 graduate student participants. Quantitative results revealed no significant difference on student success between CL and Traditional formats. The qualitative data revealed that students in the cooperative learning groups found more learning benefits than the Traditional group. The study will benefit instructors and students in distance learning to improve teaching and learning practices in a virtual classroom.
ON POINTWISE ADAPTIVE CURVE ESTIMATION BASED ON INHOMOGENEOUS DATA

We want to recover a signal based on noisy inhomogeneous data (the amount of data can vary strongly on the estimation domain). We model the data using nonparametric regression with random design, and we focus on the estimation of the regression at a fixed point x 0 with little, or much data. We propose a method which adapts both to the local amount of data (the design density is unknown) and to the local smoothness of the regression function. The procedure consists of a local polynomial estimator with a Lepski type data-driven bandwidth selector, see for instance Lepski et al. [Ann. Statist. 25 (1997) 929–947]. We assess this procedure in the minimax setup, over a class of function with local smoothness s > 0 of Holder type. We quantify the amount of data at x 0 in terms of a local property on the design density called regular variation, which allows situations with strong variations in the concentration of the observations. Moreover, the optimality of the procedure is proved within this framework.
Affective commitment and future purchase intentions in the performing arts: An empirical approach

We examine whether affective commitment can influence customers' future purchase intentions. Our empirical approach focuses on the performing arts sector in which we interviewed 927 theatregoers at the entrances or exits to 150 theatres throughout Spain. The theoretical relationship management model proposed herein provides an analysis of the role played by satisfaction, trust, and commitment in future purchase intentions. Our findings reveal that affective commitment mediates the relationship between future purchase intention and both satisfaction and trust. We discuss the theoretical and management implications of our findings and identify some possible future research directions. Copyright © 2015 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Resume Cet article examine si l'engagement affectif peut influencer les intentions d'achat futures des consommateurs. L'approche empirique se concentre sur le secteur des arts du spectacle dans lequel nous avons interviewe 927 amateurs de theâtre a l'entree et a la sortie de 150 salles de theâtres a travers l'Espagne. Le modele theorique de gestion des relations propose offre une analyse du role joue par la satisfaction, la confiance et l'engagement dans les intentions d'achat futures. Les resultats indiquent que l'engagement affectif joue un role de mediateur dans la relation entre l'intention d'achat future d'une part et, d'autre part, la satisfaction et la confiance. L'etude s'acheve par une analyse des implications theoriques et manageriales des resultats et la proposition de pistes potentielles de recherches futures.
Influence of CYP3A5 and ABCB1 gene polymorphisms on calcineurin inhibitor‐related neurotoxicity after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Yanagimachi M, Naruto T, Tanoshima R, Kato H, Yokosuka T, Kajiwara R, Fujii H, Tanaka F, Goto H, Yagihashi T, Kosaki K, Yokota S. Influence of CYP3A5 and ABCB1 gene polymorphisms on calcineurin inhibitor‐related neurotoxicity after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Clin Transplant 2010: 24: 855–861. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
An experimental study of gastric stump carcinoma in Wistar rats

The risk of gastric stump carcinoma is increased 15–20 years after gastric resection for benign disease. Reflux of duodenal juice, bacterial overgrowth and formation of N‐nitroso compounds are possible etiological factors. There is a geographical variation in the incidence of gastric cancer, possibly explained by differences in food intake. Experimentally it is possible to induce gastric stump carcinoma in rats without the addition of exogenous carcinogens. The aim of this study was: 1) to find the incidence of gastric careinoma in rats subjected to BII resection and followed for 10 months, and 2) to examine if acetic acid, a common dietary factor, could influence the development of gastric carcinoma. Amongst BII‐operated male Wistar rats, infiltrating carcinoma was found in 5/20 on a normal diet and in 5/24 exposed to acetic acid (NS). Benign mucosal changes were seen in 12/20 and 16/24 respectively (NS). With the exception of a profound inflammation in one sham‐operated animal, no mucosal pathological changes were found in 24 sham‐operated and 24 control animals where no operation was performed.
The Bright Side of Self-Discontinuity

Across three studies, we tested the possible benefits of self-discontinuity among people engaging in addictive behaviors. Specially, we examined self-discontinuity as a motivator of readiness to change. Moreover, nostalgia (i.e., longing for the past “nonaddicted” self) was assessed as a mediator of this effect. To this end, self-discontinuity was both measured (Study 1) and manipulated (Studies 2 and 3) among a sample of problem gamblers (Studies 1 and 2) and problem drinkers (Study 3). As predicted, in Studies 1 and 2, high levels of self-discontinuity resulted in greater readiness to change to the extent that problem gamblers felt nostalgic for the preaddicted self. Study 3 extended the generalizability of the mediation model by replicating these findings with a sample of problem drinkers. Results suggest that highlighting a sense of self-discontinuity among people engaging in addictive behaviors may be an important catalyst in moving people from addiction to action.
Using ICA to Remove Eye Blink and Power Line Artifacts in EEG

Eye blink artifacts and power line noise always disturb the electroencephalograms (EEG) recorded on the scalp and pose serious problems in its signal analysis and interpretation. In this paper, two independent component analysis (ICA) algorithms - Infomax-ICA and Extended-Infomax-ICA were applied to extract eye movements and power noise of 50 Hz in several sets of EEG data. It is confirmed that Extended-Infomax-ICA method can isolate both superGaussian artifacts (eye blinks) and subGaussian interference (line noise), but original Infomax-ICA method is only limited to remove superGaussian artifacts. In particular, Extended-Infomax-ICA has shown excellent performance on separating the original EEG signals from heavy line noise in an EEG data of very low SNR (-40 dB), with a fine stability and robust. Meanwhile, by calculating the values of approximation entropy (ApEn) before and after ICA processing, it showed that ICA algorithms could well preserve the nonlinear characteristics of EEG after removing the artifacts. Experiment results show that ICA algorithm is a quite powerful technique and suitable for EEG data processing in clinical engineering
Memoria de trabajo y rendimiento académico en estudiantes de primer semestre de una universidad de la ciudad de barranquilla

Working memory can influence academic achievement, eventhough is not the only component. This article shows research findings that tried to determine the correlation between working memory and academic achievement in freshmen students of a university in Barranquilla. There was not correlation between any of the working memory measures used and academic achievement. These results can be explained throughout many variables that can affect academic achievement such as, cognition, motivation, emotion and context.
Unemployment and Endogenous Growth

In this paper we develop a two-sector endogenous growth model with a dual labour market, based on efficiency wages. Growth is driven by intentional R&D performed in the high-tech and high-wage sector. It is examined how a change in rivalry among firms affects simultaneously growth and unemployment. On the one hand, an increase of the elasticity of substitution between the product varieties of different high-tech firms reduces market power and leads to higher growth but reduces job prospects. On the other hand, if barriers to entry exist, an increase of the number of rivals in the market (due to removal of entry barriers) leads to lower growth, whereas the effect on aggregate employment is ambiguous.
Sex and Racial Differences in Color and Number Preferences

582 undergraduates were asked to write down their favorite color and choose a number from 0 to 9. The color blue and the number seven were chosen most frequently by both sexes and races, supporting Simon's (1971) “blue-seven” phenomenon. Compared with women, men chose red and blue more frequently. Women showed a preference for yellow, purple, black, and less frequent colors more often than men. White subjects chose blue and green more often than black subjects, while black subjects showed a preference for red, purple, black, and less frequent colors. There was little relationship between color preferences and scores on the Luscher Color Test.
How Study Abroad Shapes Global Careers

What is the impact of study abroad on U.S. college students’ career paths? What factors of education abroad differentiate alumni who later worked or volunteered for international organizations in the United States and/or in other countries compared with alumni who did not pursue global-career experiences? This article presents findings that address these questions, as indicated by data from a survey the Institute for the International Education of Students conducted of 17,000 participants of its programs between 1950 and 1999. The study illustrates the significant career impact of study abroad on the majority of respondents. The career impact and continued use of foreign language are much greater for alumni who worked internationally than for those who did not. Study abroad for a full year, host university course enrollment, internship participation, and host family living arrangements are all program factors that correlate strongly with future international work.
Information Literacy Search Skills of Students in Five Selected Private Universities in Ogun State, Nigeria: A Survey

The study investigated the knowledge of information literacy and search skills of students in five selected private universities in Ogun state, Nigeria. It also examined students’ ability to distinguish diverse information sources as well as assess the effectiveness of information literacy programmes of private universities. The sample consists of 359 respondents drawn proportionately from a population of 400 from the selected universities. Descriptive survey method was used to elicit data through the Monash University Library Questionnaire on Information Literacy in this study. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentages. It was found that preponderance of respondents have low knowledge of information literacy skills, showed high deficiency in identifying diverse information sources and the various information literacy programmes of the respondents’ institutions lacked hands-on. The study concluded that sound information literacy skills is a desideratum in knowledge acquisition in the twenty-first century and recommended inter alia; that information literacy skills be integrated into the secondary and tertiary schools’ curricula. Thus, the need for an enhanced and continuous library user education geared towards empowering students to be sufficiently familiar with information sources, mutual collaboration between teachers and librarians to ensure integrated mode of lecture delivery, constant advocacy and sensitization outreaches.
Educational Empowerment of Collaborative Learning at the University

Collaborative learning is considered to be one of the most promising meta paradigms of the postmodern age. The article seeks to answer the following problem question: how can student collaborative learning be empowered considering the aspects of legitimacy, competence, and inclusion in the learning process? Based on the analysis of research literature, explanations are provided on how to educationally empower collaborative learning in the studies.
Minority Threat, Crime Control, and Police Resource Allocation in the Southwestern United States

Numerous studies have examined political influences on communities' allocations of fiscal and personnel resources to policing. Rational choice theory maintains that these resources are distributed in accordance with the need for crime control, whereas conflict theory argues that they are allocated with the aim of controlling racial and ethnic minorities. Existing research more consistently supports the conflict argument, but important issues remain unaddressed. The authors tested that approach by examining allocations of police resources in large cities in the Southwest, the yet-to-be-studied region in which the majority of Hispanics reside. The analyses included the key variables from the rational choice and conflict perspectives, as well as proximity to the border between the United States and Mexico. Minimal effects existed for percent Hispanic, an important conflict theory variable. However, Anglo-Hispanic income inequality and proximity to the border had effects consistent with that perspective. Class divisions within the Hispanic community may explain this pattern of findings.
Antimicrobial and antifungal properties of the essential oil and methanol extracts of Eucalyptus largiflorens and Eucalyptus intertexta

This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial properties of essential oil, its major component, 1,8-cineole, and extracts of two Eucalyptus species, Eucalyptus intertexta and Eucalyptus largiflorens. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts was calculated by broth dilution method and the zone of inhibition was studied by agar disk diffusion method. Gentamicin (10 µg/disk) and rifampin (5 µg/disk) were used as reference controls for antibacterial studies and nystatin (100 µg/disk) for antifungal studies. The results of MIC study revealed that the essential oil has a stronger activity and broader spectrum than those of methanol extracts. It is interesting to point out that the oils had even greater potential of antimicrobial activities than those of 1,8-cineole as their main component.
Evidence for nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation as a previously overlooked microbial methane sink in wetlands

Significance Given the current pressing need to more fully understand the methane cycle on Earth, in particular, unidentified sinks for methane, identifying and quantifying novel sinks for methane is fundamental importance. Here, we provide previously unidentified direct evidence for the nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-damo) process as a previously overlooked microbial methane sink in wetlands by stable isotope measurements, quantitative PCR assays, and 16S rRNA and particulate methane monooxygenase gene clone library analyses. It is estimated that n-damo could consume 4.1–6.1 Tg of CH4 m−2 per year in wetlands under anaerobic conditions, which is roughly 2–6% of current worldwide CH4 flux estimates for wetlands. Given the worldwide increase in nitrogen pollution, this methane sink may become more important in the future. The process of nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-damo) was recently discovered and shown to be mediated by “Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera” (M. oxyfera). Here, evidence for n-damo in three different freshwater wetlands located in southeastern China was obtained using stable isotope measurements, quantitative PCR assays, and 16S rRNA and particulate methane monooxygenase gene clone library analyses. Stable isotope experiments confirmed the occurrence of n-damo in the examined wetlands, and the potential n-damo rates ranged from 0.31 to 5.43 nmol CO2 per gram of dry soil per day at different depths of soil cores. A combined analysis of 16S rRNA and particulate methane monooxygenase genes demonstrated that M. oxyfera-like bacteria were mainly present in the deep soil with a maximum abundance of 3.2 × 107 gene copies per gram of dry soil. It is estimated that ∼0.51 g of CH4 m−2 per year could be linked to the n-damo process in the examined wetlands based on the measured potential n-damo rates. This study presents previously unidentified confirmation that the n-damo process is a previously overlooked microbial methane sink in wetlands, and n-damo has the potential to be a globally important methane sink due to increasing nitrogen pollution.
The implementation of European anti-discrimination directives: Converging towards a common model

This article examines the impact on national law and policy of two Directives on combating discrimination adopted by the EU in 2000. It considers the extent to which their transposition has resulted in the ‘Europeanisation’ of anti-discrimination law and whether this implies convergence in the direction of a common model. Two themes are examined: the list of protected grounds of discrimination and the creation of equality institutions. All 27 states have introduced legal reforms in response to the Directives and a loose level of convergence can be identified. Nevertheless, specific national traditions have proved resilient, for example, shaping the meaning attached to terms such as ‘disability’ or the structure and powers of equality bodies.
Applying Crisis Theory to Organizations: A Case Study

For both the administrator and the consultant, it is important to distin guish among crisis, stress, and conflict in an organization. Crisis theory, previously concerned mainly with the state of the individual, suggests that the major sign of organizational crisis is progressively rising tension, which results in emergency efforts to mobilize tension-reducing re sources. A case study of an organizational crisis is presented to illustrate the applicability of crisis theory to an organization. Factors that appear to precipitate organizational crisis and those that lead to its satisfactory resolution can be compiled from careful case studies. An awareness of such factors and of the nature of a crisis has important implications for organizational consultants and administrators. Suggestions for interven tions are offered.
A frequency-based linguistic approach to protein decoding and design: Simple concepts, diverse applications, and the SCS Package

Protein structure and function information is coded in amino acid sequences. However, the relationship between primary sequences and three-dimensional structures and functions remains enigmatic. Our approach to this fundamental biochemistry problem is based on the frequencies of short constituent sequences (SCSs) or words. A protein amino acid sequence is considered analogous to an English sentence, where SCSs are equivalent to words. Availability scores, which are defined as real SCS frequencies in the non-redundant amino acid database relative to their probabilistically expected frequencies, demonstrate the biological usage bias of SCSs. As a result, this frequency-based linguistic approach is expected to have diverse applications, such as secondary structure specifications by structure-specific SCSs and immunological adjuvants with rare or non-existent SCSs. Linguistic similarities (e.g., wide ranges of scale-free distributions) and dissimilarities (e.g., behaviors of low-rank samples) between proteins and the natural English language have been revealed in the rank-frequency relationships of SCSs or words. We have developed a web server, the SCS Package, which contains five applications for analyzing protein sequences based on the linguistic concept. These tools have the potential to assist researchers in deciphering structurally and functionally important protein sites, species-specific sequences, and functional relationships between SCSs. The SCS Package also provides researchers with a tool to construct amino acid sequences de novo based on the idiomatic usage of SCSs.
Relative Deprivation and Psychological Well-Being Among Residents of Public Housing Targeted for Participation in a Self-Sufficiency Intervention

Abstract Data for this analysis, linking perceived deprivation and psychological well-being, were from a needs assessment administered to African-American residents of public housing selected as potential participants in a self-sufficiency intervention (n = 77). Regression analyses indicated that the belief that one is well off economically relative to others was associated with optimism about the future, hostility, and a negative self-image. Although these findings are counterintuitive, they are readily interpretable within the context of the literature on status striving and social mobility among groups with limited opportunities. Future research is needed to clarify the nature of the relationships between these variables and their practical implications in an era of national welfare reform.
When Updates Make a User Stick: Software Feature Updates and their Differential Effects on Users' Continuance Intentions

Although software updates are extensively used to enhance software while already being used, their impact on users’ post*adoption be liefs and attitudes has received little attention. Drawing on expectation*confirmation*theo ry and the IS continuance model, we investigate if and how feature updates affect users’ continuance intentions (CI) and what role initial feature endowment and update size play. In an online experiment, we find a positive effect of feature updates on users’ CI. According to this effect, software vendors can increase users’ CI by delivering features later, through updates instead of providing them right with the first release. While this positive effect persists despite a small update size and high initial feature endowment, the latter diminishes the effect. We also unveil positive disconfirmation of previous expectations regarding the updated software as crucial mediating mechanism between feature updates and CI. Implications for research and practice as well as directions for future research are discussed.
Social Indispensability or Social Comparison: The Why and When of Motivation Gains of Inferior Group Members

In 2 experimental studies, social indispensability and upward social comparison were contrasted as potential triggers of motivation gains of inferior group members. Using a cognitive task in a computer-supported environment, individual work was compared with conditions that enabled upward comparison only (coaction), or both upward comparison and social indispensability (conjunctive task). Moreover, working conditions (face-to-face vs. anonymous) and partner-related performance feedback (contemporaneously vs. post-task) were manipulated as potential moderators. Results revealed motivation gains only when partner feedback was contemporaneously available. In this case, upward-comparison effects could be demonstrated during coaction. However, when participants' contribution determined a group outcome, their motivation was additionally increased, demonstrating social indispensability effects. Finally, motivation gains were generally higher during face-to-face compared to anonymous work.