Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vocabulary size and the skills of listening, reading and writing

This paper presents an empirical study investigating the relationship between vocabulary size and the skills of listening, reading and writing in English as a foreign language (EFL). The participants were 88 EFL learners from lower secondary education whose language skills were assessed as part of the national school leaving examination in Denmark. Learners' receptive vocabulary size was found to be strongly associated with their reading and writing abilities and moderately associated with their listening ability. However, vocabulary size could still explain a significant and substantial portion of the variance in the listening scores. These results thus emphasise the importance of vocabulary size for language proficiency. Furthermore, it was found that the majority of the learners did not know the most frequent 2000 words in English, but if they did, they would also perform adequately in the listening, reading and writing tests. These findings therefore suggest that the 2000 vocabulary level is a crucial learning goal for low-level EFL learners.
Reliability of a commercial telecommunications system

Analyzes data collected on a commercial telecommunications system and summarizes some of the lessons learned from this study. The data correspond to failure and fault information recorded during system validation and operation: 3,063 trouble reports, corresponding to a five-year period during which five versions of the system have been developed and more than 100 systems have been introduced in the field. The failure information includes software failures as well as hardware failures due to design faults.
RACIAL BIAS IN PERCEPTIONS OF ATHLETICISM: THE ROLE OF MOTIVATION IN THE ELIMINATION OF BIAS

The present work investigated whether an approach used previously to eliminate racial bias in decisions to shoot criminal suspects could eliminate racial bias in the identification of sporting equipment and whether people's motivation to respond without prejudice influences the elimination of bias on a computer simulation program. Participants were exposed to multiple decision trials on a simulation that asked them to decide whether an object presented with a Black or White face was related to sports. The simulation was designed so that the race of the face was nondiagnostic of the presence of sporting equipment. Although participants tended to misidentify neutral objects as sports–related when paired with Black faces, after training, this bias was eliminated. In addition, those high in internal motivation to respond without prejudice were particularly proficient at eliminating the bias. These findings indicate that repeatedly exposing people to social stimuli where race is nondiagnostic can eliminate rac.
Power and transformational leadership in public organizations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between perceived power and transformational leadership in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach – The authors investigate this topic empirically in the context of German police forces using a between-groups design, manipulating power and statistically analyzing the results on the multifactor leadership questionnaire. Findings – Police officers with a high perception of power achieve significantly lower scores on transformational leadership compared to their low power counterparts. Research limitations/implications – The study contributes to advancing public leadership theory by showing that transformational leadership, which is considered as particularly useful in public organizations, is likely to be adversely affected by leaders’ power. Furthermore, it also extends on the literature on power by providing first empirical evidence that power has a significant impact not only on factors such as the pursuit of a goal, social behavi.
Role of tyrosine phosphatase in the modulation of pulmonary vascular tone

In the vascular system, synthesis of the potent vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) is tightly regulated by the constitutively expressed endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). Activity of eNOS is controlled by Ca2+/calmodulin and various seryl/threonyl protein kinases. Less is known about the importance of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of tyrosyl residues. Therefore the role of tyrosine phosphatase on the modulation of isolated rat pulmonary artery tone has been assessed. Inhibition of tyrosine phosphatase by sodium orthovanadate (SOV, 1×10−6 M) significantly: 1) increased phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction and 2) decreased endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine, but had no effect on endothelium-independent relaxation to the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside. In phenylephrine-precontracted pulmonary arterial rings, SOV (1×10−7–1×10−5 M) had no effect on vascular tone but significantly relaxed rings which were pretreated with the NO-synthase inhibitor, Nω‐nitro‐l‐arginine-methyl ester (l‐NAME). SOV-induced relaxation in the presence of l‐NAME was, however, abolished by glibenclamide. In conclusion, inhibition of tyrosine phosphatase altered pulmonary vascular tone by increasing vasoconstrictor response to phenylephrine and decreasing endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine. Furthermore, the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, sodium orthovanadate, exhibited original vasodilator properties which were only observed when nitric oxide synthesis was inhibited. Thus a new pathway involving the inhibitory effect of nitric oxide on a glibenclamide-sensitive diffusible relaxing factor, that might play an important role in the control of pulmonary vascular tone is described.
Application of agar-fill method to estimate compartment capacity of gastrointestinal tract in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auretus)

In the present study we have developed the agar-fill method for the measurement of gastrointestinal-tract capacity (GTC) to replace the in vitro water-fill method. This would estimate GTC without using complex equipment and techniques, and can be applied to the measurement of GTC for small laboratory animals. We attempted to confirm the efficiency of the agar-fill method by investigating the relationship between dietary neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) content and GTC. The digestion trials were carried out using the Syrian hamster (Mesocricefus auretus). The trials were conducted using both sexes, two age-groups and three levels of dietary NDF with a cross-classified design. The size of each gastrointestinal organ was determined as tissue weight(TW)and GTC. The DM intake, digestible DM intake, DM digestibility, NDF digestibfity, aciddetergent fibre(ADF) digestibfity and digesta transit time were also measured. GTC increased with increasing NDF content of the diets. TW responded similarly to increasing NDF content, but the response was smaller than that of GTC. DM digestibility decreased with increasing NDF content of the diet. The digestible DM intake did not decrease with increasing NDF because DM intake increased with NDF content. Digesta transit time was not shorter of the high-NDF-diet group but DM intake increased with increasing NDF content. NDF digestibility did not differ significantly between low- and medium-NDF diets. ADF digestibility was low in the low-NDF-diet group.The digestion characteristics were highly correlated with TW and GTC, except for TW of small intestine. These correlations were higher with GTC than with TW. The results of the present study confirm previous findings suggesting that the agar-fill method is a useful means of estimating GTC for small laboratory animals.
Pain‐related self‐efficacy beliefs in a Brazilian chronic pain patient sample: a psychometric analysis

While some people become severely or moderately disabled by chronic pain (pain that persists >3 months), others seem to adjust reasonably well to it. Higher levels of disability are often associated with higher levels of distress, and this relationship can be bidirectional resulting in a vicious cycle. There is evidence suggesting that self-efficacy is one of the most important contributors to disability and emotional adjustment to chronic pain. Defining pain self-efficacy beliefs as confidence in ability to function despite pain, the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) has been widely used to examine the role of self-efficacy in chronic pain patient populations. However, to date it has not been validated in Brazil. This study examined the reliability and validity of the PSEQ in a Brazilian chronic pain population. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 348 chronic pain patients. Reliability of the PSEQ has been found to be adequate (split-half correlation was 0.76 and internal consistency was 0.90). Factor analysis indicated the existence of only one factor. Discriminant and concurrent validity were also adequate. Altogether these results indicate that the PSEQ has good psychometric properties when used in this sample. These findings are also consistent with those previously published in the literature. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Children's Experience of Reading and Notions of Units in Language.

Summary. Downing (1970) has shown that young children learning to read experience difficulty in understanding the technical vocabulary of teaching reading and has suggested that this is due to their inability to understand abstract concepts. This study confirms some of the difficulties and traces their resolution, attributing them not so much to the children's limited cognitive abilities and the abstract nature of the concepts, as to unfamiliarity with an analytical approach to language and to the range and overlap of reference in use of the terms.
Automatic Detection of Nonreferential It in Spoken Multi-Party Dialog

We present an implemented machine learning system for the automatic detection of nonreferential it in spoken dialog. The system builds on shallow features extracted from dialog transcripts. Our experiments indicate a level of performance that makes the system usable as a preprocessing filter for a coreference resolution system. We also report results of an annotation study dealing with the classification of it by naive subjects.
Transformational Leadership in Work Groups

It has been argued that transformational leaders increase group effectiveness by empowering followers to perform their job independently from the leader, highlight the importance of cooperation in performing collective tasks, and realign followers’ values to create a more cohesive group. A study was conducted to examine whether transformational leadership would be positively related to followers’perceptions of empowerment, group cohesiveness, and effectiveness. Forty-seven groups from four Korean firms participated in this study. Results of partial least squares analysis indicated that transformational leadership was positively related to empowerment, group cohesiveness, and group effectiveness. Empowerment was positively related to collective-efficacy, which in turn was positively related to group members’ perceived group effectiveness. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Shift work and sleep: the Buffalo Police health study

Purpose – Working on the night shift is a potential source of occupational stress and has been associated with sleep disorders. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between shift work and sleep problems among police officers from Buffalo, New York.Design/methodology/approach – Randomly selected officers (n=111) responded to questions on sleep quality and quantity. Shift work data were obtained from daily payroll records from 1994 to the exam date (1999‐2000). Prevalence ratios (PR) were obtained using Poisson regression models that examined associations of shift work with sleep quality and quantity.Findings – Among police officers, night shift work was significantly and independently associated with snoring and decreased sleep duration.Originality/value – Although the sleep questions were similar to those used in validated sleep questionnaires, a major strength of this study was the availability of daily work history data on all officers for up to five years prior to the current exa.
Promoting a sense of ‘secure base’ for children in foster care – Exploring the potential contribution of foster fathers

The role and impact of male foster carers in the lives of foster children is under-explored.This article reviews relevant research evidence (based on searches of Web of Science and PubMed and other sources) in relation to the particular contribution men as foster carers can make to a sense of ‘secure base’ for children in their family's care. It also includes attention to how men as foster carers may play a special role in helping to cultivate valuable social capital for the young person in their care.
Reduction in Plaque Size and Reduction in Plaque Number as Differing Indices of Influenza Virus-Antibody Reactions

Jahiel, R. I. (Cornell University Medical College, New York, N.Y.), and E. D. Kilbourne. Reduction in plaque size and reduction in plaque number as differing indices of influenza virus-antibody reactions. J. Bacteriol. 92:1521–1534. 1966. —The serological reactivity of an antigenically hybrid influenza virus recombinant (X-7) was studied in a heteroploid cell plaquing system in which antisera to the parental viruses NWS/(A0) and RI/5+ (A2) were incorporated in agar overlay media. Two different effects on plaque formation were found. With NWS antiserum, there was close relationship between reduction in plaque size and in plaque number [plaque inhibition (PI) pattern]. With RI/5 antiserum, plaque size reduction (PSR) occurred over a wide zone of serum dilutions without concomitant change in plaque number (PSR pattern). Several different preinoculation neutralization tests showed a strong reactivity of X-7 with NWS antisera and little if any reactivity with RI/5 antisera. We interpret the differing effects of NWS and RI/5 antisera on X-7 as indicative of the possible occurrence of different mechanisms of neutralization or of the possible participation of different surface antigens. The kinetics of PSR are consistent with the hypothesis that it results from the reaction of RI/5 antiserum with the RI/5-like neuraminidase of X-7. Studies with the antiserum-in-overlay technique of PSR and PI patterns comprise a sensitive method for quantitative antigenic analysis of plaque-forming influenza viruses.
Partial Color Word Comprehension Precedes Production

ABSTRACT Previous studies report that children use color words haphazardly before acquiring conventional, adult-like meanings. The most common explanation for this is that children do not abstract color as a domain of linguistic meaning until several months after they begin producing color words, resulting in a stage during which they produce but do not comprehend color words. Contrary to this account, the current study provides converging evidence from multiple measures that toddlers often acquire partial but systematic color word meanings before production, although adult meanings are acquired much later. Also, we found that whereas children’s interpretation of color words is relatively conservative before the onset of color word production, their meanings become broader and overextended upon the onset of production. These data support the idea that inductive processes of category formation, rather than problems abstracting color, explain the delay between children’s first production of color words and mastery of adult meanings.
An Empirical Note on the Interaction of Personality and Aptitude in Personnel Selection

The purpose of this research is to test whether measures of personality traits, widely recognized as poor predictors of job performance, might indeed serve as useful screening devices under certain circumstances. In particular, the possibility that personality variables have utility when used in conjunction with aptitude tests was empirically tested in two field settings. The results indicated that self-esteem interacted with aptitude to predictfuture performance of a sample of life insurance salespersons and that locus of control interacted with aptitude to predict performance for a sample of college students. The implications of these results for the study of personality traits in personnel selection are discussed.
Impact of pulsatility on the ensemble orderliness (approximate entropy) of neurohormone secretion.

Regular patterns of neurohormone secretion are driven by underlying pulsatile and subordinate (feedback sensitive) dynamics. Measures of time-series orderliness, e.g., the approximate entropy (ApEn) statistic (Pincus SM. Proc Natl Acad Sci 88: 2297-2301, 1991), vividly discriminate pathological and physiological patterns of hormone release. To investigate how specific pulsatility features impact regularity estimates, we have examined the sensitivity of the ApEn metric to systematic variations in the frequency, amplitude, and half-life of simulated neurohormone pulse trains (Veldhuis JD, Carlson ML, and Johnson ML. Proc Natl Acad Sci 84: 7686-7690, 1987) and compared the impact of a high vs. low baseline luteinizing hormone (LH) pattern regularity state mimicking the normal female luteal phase and the young male, respectively. Shortening the interpulse interval length elevated ApEn in both pulsatility models, thereby signifying greater ensemble series irregularity. The frequency sensitivity of ApEn was robust to several complementary renditions of ApEn and to variations in experimental uncertainty, basal (nonpulsatile) LH secretion, and secretory burst amplitude. ApEn rose with increasing hormone half-life, especially in the face of low baseline variability emulated by midluteal LH secretion profiles. High variability of secretory burst amplitude, pulse duration, or interpeak intervals increased ApEn in the more orderly femalelike construct; in the highly irregular malelike LH pulse model, these variability changes had little effect on ApEn. In summary, the ensemble regularity statistic, ApEn, quantifies unequal pattern orderliness in neurohormone pulse trains with minimal dependence on mean pulse amplitude, interpulse baseline, or (subthreshold) sample uncertainty. Thus ApEn monitors changing secretory event frequency and interpulse variability with sensitivity to starting pattern regularity, providing a mechanistic linkage between model evolution and statistical change.
Kinase AKT1 Negatively Controls Neutrophil Recruitment and Function in Mice

Neutrophils are critically involved in host defense and inflammatory injury. However, intrinsic signaling mechanisms controlling neutrophil recruitment and activities are poorly defined. In this article, we showed that protein kinase AKT1 (also known as PKBα) is the dominant isoform expressed in neutrophils and is downregulated upon bacterial infection and neutrophil activation. AKT1 deficiency resulted in severe disease progression accompanied by recruitment of neutrophils and enhanced bactericidal activity in the acute inflammatory lung injury (ALI) and the Staphylococcus aureus infection mouse models. Moreover, the depletion of neutrophils efficiently reversed the aggravated inflammatory response, but adoptive transfer of AKT1−/− neutrophils could potentiate the inflammatory immunity, indicating an intrinsic effect of the neutrophil in modulating inflammation in AKT1−/− mice. In the ALI model, the infiltration of neutrophils into the inflammatory site was associated with enhanced migration capacity, whereas inflammatory stimuli could promote neutrophil apoptosis. In accordance with these findings, neutralization of CXCR2 attenuated neutrophil infiltration and delayed the occurrence of inflammation. Finally, the enhanced bactericidal activity and inflammatory immunity of AKT-deficient neutrophils were mediated by a STAT1-dependent, but not a mammalian target of rapamycin–dependent, pathway. Thus, our findings indicated that the AKT1–STAT1 signaling axis negatively regulates neutrophil recruitment and activation in ALI and S. aureus infection in mice.
Articulatory Variability in Cluttering

In order to investigate the articulatory processes of the hasty and mumbled speech in cluttering, the kinematic variability was analysed by means of electromagnetic midsagittal articulography. In contrast to persons with stuttering, those with cluttering improve their intelligibility by concentrating on their speech task. Variability has always been an important criterion in comparable studies of stuttering and is discussed in terms of the stability of the speech motor system. The aim of the current study was to analyse the spatial and temporal variability in the speech of three persons with cluttering (PWC) and three control speakers. All participants were native speakers of German. The speech material consisted of repetitive CV syllables and loan words such as ‘emotionalisieren’, because PWC have the severest problems with long words with a complex syllable structure. The results showed a significantly higher coefficient of variation for PWC in loan word production, both in the temporal and in the spatial domain, whereas the means of displacements and durations did not differ between groups. These findings were discussed in terms of the effects of the linguistic complexity, since for the syllable repetition task, no significant differences between PWC and controls were found.
Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour in Behaviour Change Interventions: A Systematic Review

This paper reviews studies explicitly applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to behaviour change interventions. A systematic and multiple search strategy identified 30 papers, describing 24 distinct interventions. Studies were rarely explicit about use of the TPB. The TPB was mainly used to measure process and outcome variables and to predict intention and behaviour, and less commonly to develop the intervention. Behaviour change methods were mostly persuasion and information, with increasing skills, goal setting, and rehearsal of skills used less often. When reported, half of the interventions were effective in changing intention, and two-thirds in changing behaviour, with generally small effect sizes, where calculable. Effectiveness was unrelated to use of the theory to develop interventions. Evidence about mediation of effects by TPB components was sparse. The TPB may have potential for developing behaviour change interventions, but more comprehensive studies are needed that compare the utility of the TPB with other social cognition models and behavioural techniques.
The New Zealand rugby injury and performance project. VI. A prospective cohort study of risk factors for injury in rugby union football

Objectives—Although the nature of rugby injury has been well documented, little is known about key risk factors. A prospective cohort study was undertaken to examine the association between potential risk factors and injury risk, measured both as an injury incidence rate and as a proportion of the playing season missed. The latter measure incorporates a measure of injury severity. Methods—A cohort of 258 male players (mean (SD) age 20.6 (3.7) years) were followed through a full competitive season. At a preseason assessment, basic characteristics, health and lifestyle patterns, playing experience, injury experience, training patterns, and anthropometric characteristics were recorded, and then a battery of fitness tests were carried out. Results—A multiple regression model identified grade and previous injury experience as risk factors for in season injury, measured as an injury incidence rate. A second model identified previous injury experience, hours of strenuous physical activity a week, playing position, cigarette smoking status, body mass index, years of rugby participation, stress, aerobic and anaerobic performance, and number of push ups as risk factors for in season injury, measured as proportion of season missed. Conclusions—The findings emphasise the importance of previous injury as a predictor of injury incidence and of missing play. They also show the importance of considering both the incidence rate and severity of injury when identifying risk factors for injury in sport.